[Muso] Guitars & Gear!

[Des Nilsen]

Ha Haaaa!

I like these sorts of Muso threads and I've keenly anticipated posting one for a few weeks now. The setup is simple: talk about guitars and gear you have or would like to have.
I also love hearing about favorite effects settings and means towards some odd sonic ends. Feel free to talk at length about a certain this or that; think of this as an open topic within the frame of a guitar-based Muso thread. You can ask a question or link to some interesting bits and pieces.
Write whatever you want to.

I've recently started compiling a list of equipment I'd love to own one day, and have been thinking long and hard about the brilliant versatility of tweaking an effect line for maximum sound quality.
I love listening to albums with distinctive guitar sounds and trying to work out how certain things were done, and there's a fantastic simplicity to a lot of it.
I've grown to love an unusually clean and bright electric guitar sound with carefully layered effects on top - starting clean for taylor-made sounds.
For good examples of this listen to Tool's Lateralus album for Adam Jones' sublime tones and startlingly simple playing.
The intro melody of the album's title track is fantastic tonewise - just enough bass and treble balancing each other perfectly.
The same goes for the bass guitars on the album played by Justin Chancellor; as he sometimes plays chords on the bass without overpowering other instruments.

For totally clean sounds I have to link HiWatt Amplifiers, as they operate on a totally clean channel and only manage slight overdrive when turned all the way up. This cleanliness means that effects added sound much clearer and inevitably different to most multi-channel amps.
Perhaps the most popular of HiWatt's range is the Custom 100 found here. Despite the price (£1110) I'm desperate to own one, stacked atop a Marshall 4x12 cabinet.

I've been having a scoot around Custom Sounds, which deals mainly in boutique reproduction and used gear and has some useful links to various manufacturers.
They also have a very interesting article on the history of the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, which is now available as a decent quality reissue.

My current setup is relatively simple and I'm yet to buy a truly decent amplifier. I have two guitars I'm very happy with - a Fender Custom Telecaster and a Fender Jazzmaster reissue.
For various seperate setups they go through a Sovtek Big Muff distortion, a Boss MD-2 distortion set to a bassy overdrive, a Boss DD-3 delay, a Marshall SV-1 Supervibe chorus and rotary speaker simulator, a Morley Classic Wah, a DigiTech Whammy 4 and a DigiTech RP50 multi-effects unit.

The RP50 is suprisingly good for the money (around £50-60) and it's reverb and compressor are my two main reasons for using it.
I've got my eye on a DigiTech X-Series DigiVerb reverb pedal at the minute, as it has seven reverb types and sits nicely at just under £100.
Perhaps a little while off buying that one, but it's had some great reviews.

Additional effects I'd *love* to own (forgive me!)...

+ Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus.
+ Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger Deluxe.
+ Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer.
+ Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face reissue.
+ MXR Phase-90.
+ Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe.
+ ProCo Vintage Rat distortion.
+ Jim Dunlop Crybaby Wah.
+ BJF Baby Blue overdrive.
+ Boss CS-3 Compression/Sustainer.

...And many, many more. I especially love the idea of having a massive number of sounds at my disposal; to be able to pull out the right pedal for the job having tweaked and mucked about enough to know what works best.
There is a bigger list than that above, but I'd best keep this as short as I can.
It might be wanky, but I love it.

-

[Frinky]

Edit; it's all gone, all of it!

[Gazeuse]

This is my weapon of choice...


Hohner G3T

I plug it into a POD II then straight into the computer. Between the pair of them, they do everything I need.

However, I've also got one of these...


A WEM Dominator MkIII. It can peel paint at 20 yards.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I would give my right arm for one of these, a Gibson Dot:



'course, then I wouldn't be able to play it, but still...

Other than that, I'm happy with my Squire Tele and Epiphone acoustic, don't need nuthin' else to create me music

[Frinky]

I would give my right arm for one of these, a Gibson Dot

Mwuhahahahaha :P

[JJJJH]

You'll have to excuse my complete lack of technical knowledge, I just pick something up if it looks nice, and if it sounds good there and then, it's sometimes a purchase. Foolish, but ah well.


This thing is my bass amp. It's 50W and Peavey. That's about as much as I know. I'd like a bit more bastard bottom-end, but I think it was relatively cheap so who cares. And the other thing is my effects unit/pedals, which has got all and more that I'll ever need for optional sounds. Tends to be delay, reverb and "ultrabass" I use most.


This was my first bass, bought about roughly three years ago. Sounds shit, and I put some fretless flatwounds on there and it sounds even shitter. Never mind.


My fretted pride and joy. I think it's Mexican, and I got it about two years ago. Good sound, and easy to play. Very heavy though, so not recommended for girls. Haha.


My fretless pride and joy. It's a Curbow something, with a luthite other thing (pfff). Currently got Fender roundwounds on it, which are top. The action's recently gone a bit funny at the low end of the neck though, and a knob fell off, but other than that it's brilliant.

[Matthias]

I've got an Ibanez RT-240 and a Yamaha Pacifica 112. Both decent guitars. I've got a Zoom 9000 effects processor and a VestaFire 4-Track. That's all I've got. I used to have a 1964 Pre-CBS Fender Strat, but it was stolen!  :-(

I'd love an Ibanez Gem and a genuine Gibson Les Paul. I'd love one of Adrian Legg's hand-built acoustic guitars too, but the chances of that are about as likely as me getting a Lamborghini Murcielago!

[Des Nilsen]

A slight bump of mine own thread...

...a Fender Custom Telecaster...

...and a quote from my starter post because I've just become aware of a certain feature on this guitar of mine that I did not know of, and I've had the thing since last June.

Here's a link to the Fender page about this particular guitar - the Custom FMT Telecaster.
I've only just found out (by reading reviews at Harmony Central) that my favorite guitar is now some sort of Bond-type gadget, as you can push and pull on the tone control to select either the natural Humbucker sounds or a single coil sound.
It's remarkable, so I've remarked.

Very nice discovery - Incredible I didn't know before now.

-

[bill hicks]

One of these:




And my number one is one of these (but left handed obviously):



The Cort is a real beauty, check one out if you're in the market for a new rock axe. Swamp ash body with a maple neck and rosewood baord. Beautifully smooth frets, 3 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails with a coil split for Humbucking or Single Coil (and proper sonding single coil bite too, not just a reduction in output), Wilkinson Locking Trem (perfect for dive bombs and never out of tune).

All for about £400. Easily as good as any modern Strat from the Fender factories, and as a bonus it's widely available lefty too (although no fucker's got a pic of a lefty one).

[elderford]

Bee Gees Rhythm Machine



Didn't even know they existed until this morning, apparently used by Kraftwerk on Pocket Calculator.

[The Region Legion]

OK...


Roland V-Drums
TD-8 Brain, various pads, and an HPD-15 Handsonic (hand percussion).

Great through headphones although for some reason the recorded sound of the drums just isn't as good, I have no idea why. The HPD-15 is very impressive, although of limited use due to its constraints, tend to record beats onto it's sequencer and then play them back whilst playing drums.


Roland VS-1880 Hard Disk Recorder
with Tannoy Reveal Monitors and, cheekily tucked away at the back, a MicroKORG (vintage synth sounds, basically).

Powerful studio type deal - sounds shit if you don't know how to work it and after about 3 years I've finally manage to get stuff sounding half decent.


Roland Jazz Chorus 120 Amplifier

Simply the best clean amp known to man. Channel 1 of this just refuses to distort, and as the volume knob can be turned to about 2 before your ears start bleeding, you won't need to worry about it distorting at higher levels. Very unique sounding chorus, best example is probably the 3 albums King Crimson did in the 80s.



From left - Takamine Limited Edition 1998 Acoustic, Godin LGXT, Ibanez Ergodyne Bass, Westfield Mandolin.

The Takamine is a beauty and I probably should have taken a picture of it so you could see the details but around the sound hole is the sun and moon and the fret markers are the phases of the moon.
The Godin is incredible but the piezo/synth pickup fucks up continuously which is why the next time I have some spare cash (which, as you've probably gathered by this point in the tour of the studio, isn't often) a new guitar might be on the cards - if I can find one, Frank Gambale released a signature guitar through Yamaha and it's probably the easiest guitar I've had the pleasure of playing. On the 1st and 2nd frets, there was a slight bend in the bars so that the guitar is more in tune - can't remember what this system was called, but it definately worked.
The Ergodyne is very comfortable but was quite cheap and tends to sound a bit lifeless. Having said that, I don't have a proper bass amp, so that might go some way to explaining it.
The mandolin was cheap as chips and doesn't get played although I'm going to start working on it in the next few weeks.
Not pictured is a Chapman Stick which was a gift that I still haven't worked out how to play.



And here's the effects.. from left - Digitech Whammy Pedal, Russian-built Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, the controller for the JC-120 and a Roland GR-33 guitar synth. Not pictured is a Line6 Filter Modeller.

The Big Muff suffers from not having a power source other than batteries and may have to be replaced at some point as it's just not the kind of distortion I'm after.


And there you have it, Studio Devlin.

[Gazeuse]

Frank Gambale released a signature guitar through Yamaha and it's probably the easiest guitar I've had the pleasure of playing. On the 1st and 2nd frets, there was a slight bend in the bars so that the guitar is more in tune - can't remember what this system was called, but it definately worked.

Fretwave www.fretwave.com

I'd love to fit these to my Hohner Steinberger...Aparrently they do kits but I've never seen them

[Spiteface]

Guitar - Epiphone Les Paul standard in black, festooned with a ramones "Wanted" sticker on it

Amp - Marshall MG30DFX

Effects - Just one - Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi (russian)

[didgeripoo]

Gibson SG, Danalectro U2, Yamaha some-kind-of-electroacoustic, Marshall 8080 Valvestate, Korg "shit" A4. Jim Dunlop Wah. And studio stuff too.

I never really cared about guitar equipment that much, can't see myself buying too much more...I would like a Telecaster though. I'm very happy with my SG. All my money these days seems to go on bloody microphones and soft-synths.

I always thought my little Marshall combo was respectable, but I joined a band recently who only play through valve things and stacks and whatnot. I think I've been playing through a JCM800, and it's been quite fun. I can't get too het up about vintage guitars. I think my SG is from 1997 or something, and it does the trick.

[kyaputen]

A WEM Dominator MkIII. It can peel paint at 20 yards.

Feck , I didn't know that any more of these had survived. I've got one and it is the meanest sound amo ever - absolutely love it - marshall eat your heart out.

[Gazeuse]

Feck , I didn't know that any more of these had survived. I've got one and it is the meanest sound amo ever - absolutely love it - marshall eat your heart out.

Nice to know there are more out there 'in the wild.'

You can't get these things past 2 on the volume dial, or they'll knock your windows out!!!

[Frinky]

Woo, I finally found a pic of it... My Dad - only he would be insane to mod it this way - added two horn speakers to the side for extra, um, something.... I have a 50W Marshall Digital thingy that I use as a pre-amp for this, and yes, you're right, it will kill anything that comes near it. Scary shit. Beautiful reverb on it, too, proper spring tray on the bottom.

[Frinky]

Yes, it's true, I have a very small cock.

[The Region Legion]

*drool*

[Frinky]

Heehee, thanks, it's ok, I guess, an Epiphone rather than a Gibson. Does look lovely, wish it sounded a bit better (typical poo Epi electronics). It's a nice day for photographing the stuff, actually:

[Des Nilsen]

(This post should start a second page, hopefully).

More self-indulgent gear talk from me because I've now got a tiny bit of spare cash for some bits and bobs.
I'm thinking of getting an Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger & a Small Clone Chorus from the same people.
The Clone obviously would have most guitarists saying outright that they're *not* buying it because Kurt Cobain played one on Nevermind; as it's apparently embarassing to admit to liking it for that example alone.
BUT I'm more than happy to admit I'm getting one because of Cobain's influence - it's a lovely pedal with some lovely sounds (Clichéd, but 'Come As You Are' shows what it can do water-wobbly-wise).
I'm looking forwards to it's more subtle sounds on a clean bass in particular.

The Mistress has a nice 'Filter Matrix' setting that allows you to move around the flange (watch it Dekion!) range and make 'guitar through a trashcan' sounds.
And David Gilmour used one on The Wall 1980-81 live shows, so nyerr.

I might just get a DigiTech X-Series DigiVerb (fucking jargon hell, that one) because it's actually quite brilliant.
Apparently you can limit the attack noise on it so with delay and modulation you can have pulsing swells of reverberations - I'd think that'd be great for synth pad-type sounds.

So, that's my semi-regular ramble over. Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff.

Oh, and I saw two of those Roland Jazz Chorus 120's in the used section of my local big music shop yesterday and just fiddled around with them. Thankyou DevlinC for mentioning yours, which drew my attention to them. (YOUR AMP HAS ALSO GONE ON ZE LIST!)

:glug:

-

[Borboski]

I plug it into a POD II then straight into the computer. Between the pair of them, they do everything I need.

Could you or anyone else explain what this POD II does, how it connects to your PC (do you need a specific port)? What software you use with it?

Seems to cost about £190 - is that right?

[elderford]

Des, the Clone Theory pedal has always interested me:

http://guitargeek.com/gearview/134/

Crop up on Ebay.com as opposed to .co.uk, used to produce the live sound for Hooky's bass in Joy Division.

Funnily enough there's one up there now for £50.

[mr rou-rou]

while I found it,



other rude things by the same guy

http://www.erotic-awards.co.uk/2003/julianmurphy.shtml

[Benny J. Fish]

Pah guitars...

My latest aquisition is the ultimate indie geek hard on inducer the

Microkorg

Mmmm

Guitar and amp wise I'm a meat and potatoes type. '60's Strat played through an 80's Marshall 4x10.

Effects- Boss Pitchshift/delay, Voodoovibe trem/chorus pedal, XXL Distortion, Another cheap delay pedal and a frontline flanger.

Good clean fun for all the family

[The Region Legion]

Gotta love those MicroKORGs.. such great sounds

[Des Nilsen]

BUMP!

Yep, another bump for this thread, because I'm going to be hopelessly anal again. Hehehehehe.

There's a great site called Guitargeek, where you can view these very cool looking drawings of various artist's live guitar and effect rigs.
Here's Kurt Cobain's from the 1994 In Utero tour.

I spent half an hour (no more, mind) last Sunday taking bits and pieces from other people's rigs and made my own pedalboard piccy - a bit tatty, but hopefully it will be a bit interesting to someone.
Like I said - Hopelessly anal. Chuh.

Here's the picture:

From bottom right to top left: E~H Sovtek Big Muff Pi > Boss MD-2 Distortion > E~H Deluxe Electric Mistress Flanger > E~H Small Clone Chorus > Marshall SV-1 Supervibe > DigiTech Whammy 4 > Morley Classic Wah-Wah > Red Witch Moon Phaser * > Boss DD-3 Digital Delay > DigiTech X-Series Digital Reverb.

* - I don't have this one yet; they're very expensive but sound absolutely fantastic.

-

[Frinky]

Do you ever go on the forums there, Des?

I have to say I spend far too much time there myself, I think I've topped over 500 posts....

[easytarget]

There's a great site called Guitargeek, where you can view these very cool looking drawings of various artist's live guitar and effect rigs.
Here's Kurt Cobain's from the 1994 In Utero tour.

-

heh - look at the discription of Angus Young's set up.
Ace.

[The Region Legion]

My dream guitar:



Just look at that - http://www.teuffelguitars.de/instrumente/tesla/index_e.html. If you can't be bothered to go there, all those little black circles near the strings are buttons - one controls feedback, the other is a 60-cycle hum, and the third is a killswitch, so plenty of noise to be made. And what does it look like in the dark?




The drawback? £3000.