[Muso] Guitars & Gear!

[Des Nilsen]

Seen as someone has bumped this thread, what do you guys think about Digitech Whammys? I was thinking about getting myself one, but want to know what you all think of them because it's quite a lot of money to spend. I'm going to get a Big Muff because my lack of pedals distresses me but I was wondering about whether I should get the Digitech with it (I've got a bit of money to spend and will probably get a new acoustic if you all tell me that it isn't very good). I really like the sound Jack White gets with them both but still, I'd like to here any opinions.

Well, a Whammy is very useful and can give you some lovely effected sounds, but it is quite synthetic sounding even when it's disengaged (It's not completely passive, unfortunately).
I'd certainly recommend you get it if you're sure you'll have plenty of use for it. Mine doesn't get much attention now, but I don't regret getting it. I quite like the synthetic quality to the sound. Quite punchy.

-

[Frinky]

STOP ME BEFORE I KILL AGAIN
Got it on the way to the Bristol meet. Gibson Les Paul Special Doublecut. Two dirty, wrong P90s on a one piece mahogony body, absolutely killer tone, very very cool piece of kit. I really didn't plan on getting it, but it called me...

Spent the last two days playing this thing non-stop for a gig tomorrow night, I am in complete love with the pickups. The guitar is a little too light for me, but you really can't beat that neck P90 with a little overdrive. It's the perfect chugging rock tone. Nails "Frealkin' Out" on the neck, and any kind of punk (great Futureheads sounds) on the bridge.

I'm seriously thinking of converting my Les Paul Standard to P90s, as I've got a new Custom on the way with humbuckers.

[The Region Legion]

You have a Supreme? What finish? What do you think of the tone chambers, do they make that much of a difference? They feel a lot like 335s from what I've played.

A picture says a thousand words..




It definately sounds slightly different to most Les Pauls I've played before and it's funny you should mention the 335 because this definately sounds a lot more "jazz" than they do normally as well. I'm not convinced it was worth the money though when there's Frank Gambale's signature Yamaha or some of the top-of-the-range Godin's available that do more for less, but at least it was an investment...

That was until...



FUCKING SHITBAG COCKING WALL ENCOUNTER.

Give it to me straight Frinkster.. how much of a difference to reselling will that make?

[Frinky]

Oooh, Wine Red. The colour they should be!

A retailer would probably knock £250-ish off the price of a Supreme with damage like that. You could always look at getting it repaired. Should be virtually invisible. Unlike my Special and the headstock break... A good luthier should have too much trouble, and it's a fairly standard Gibson colour.

Les Pauls aren't wise investments, per se, as although they do hold thier value, very few models rise to become collectors items. The only really hot Les Paul I can think of right now is the 1990-1991 Classics, before they downgraded them.

That's a sweet guitar. As for other guitars doing more... you can always get coil taps/etc fitted to it (my LP has coil splitting and out of phase modes on it now), you might warm to it and want to keep it, rather than use it as an investment piece. Those gold frets are meant to have a longer life than normal frets, too...

[The Region Legion]

Oooh, Wine Red. The colour they should be!

Indeed so, couldn't really be anything else.

You could always look at getting it repaired. Should be virtually invisible. Unlike my Special and the headstock break... A good luthier should have too much trouble, and it's a fairly standard Gibson colour.

Yes, a friend of mine (who was going through Gibsons alarmingly fast for someone with no money) had a similar problem with a headstock. His answer was to set fire to it. Would have been a cool looking guitar.. had the headstock not been broken, obviously.

Les Pauls aren't wise investments, per se, as although they do hold thier value, very few models rise to become collectors items. The only really hot Les Paul I can think of right now is the 1990-1991 Classics, before they downgraded them.

Oh yes, I wasn't expecting it to have any added value for at least a decade, it's primary function is for my own use - one thing that I was told about it when I bought it though.. apparently they're limited editions of only a few thousand? I'm not sure I entirely believe the guy but if they aren't I could always go back in and try and get some money back as a result of his lying...

Thanks for the tips anyway.. do you know of any good luthiers in the London area?

[Frinky]

Yes, a friend of mine (who was going through Gibsons alarmingly fast for someone with no money) had a similar problem with a headstock. His answer was to set fire to it. Would have been a cool looking guitar.. had the headstock not been broken, obviously.

Garh, you know, a broken headstock, when repaired properly, is strong than the headstock before the break?

Gibsons in the 70's had "volutes" added under the headstocks to prevent these kinds of breaks... but purists argued they shouldn't be there, because they weren't on the 50's models, so they're no longer there. Thus, you are again prone to headstock snaps.

No tips for anywhere in London. My old luthier is in Hitchin, but he wasn't so hot on finishing (the filled holes for the tailpeice where my Bigsby now sits is ok at best).  The one I have in Derby is shit-hot, as it goes, but that's not much help. All I can suggest is scour the guitar mags, most of the best ones are in London. If you can take better pics, you could always email them to the stores there (also: London guitar stores NEVER email you back).

Edit: they were going to be a limited run, but they're now not. Gibson do that kind of thing aaaaall the time.

[El Unicornio, mang]

It was an odd weekend for Frinky-related sightings. On Friday morning I saw a DeLorean parked at the 7-11, and on Friday night we were round at a friends house and the woman got out a guitar which belonged to her dad. It was a 1978 Les Paul Classic in black (if I remember correctly, I was a tad drunk), and she even had photos of it being played by Chuck Berry in the 1980s. I got to play it too, the sustain was verrry nice. Probably worth quite a bit.

[Frinky]

It was an odd weekend for Frinky-related sightings. On Friday morning I saw a DeLorean parked at the 7-11, and on Friday night we were round at a friends house and the woman got out a guitar which belonged to her dad. It was a 1978 Les Paul Classic in black (if I remember correctly, I was a tad drunk), and she even had photos of it being played by Chuck Berry in the 1980s. I got to play it too, the sustain was verrry nice. Probably worth quite a bit.

You probably mean a Deluxe, you crazy drunk you, as the Classic didn't exist untill 1990.

If it's in good nick, most Deluxes of that era have been modded beyond repair, it's probably worth about $1300.

Tomorrow: You will snog Sophie Ellis Bextor.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Yes, that's the one. I think she said "It's a classic" as in "it's a classic" rather than "It's a Classic" which got me confused in my drunken stupor

Sophie Ellis Bextor was there actually, dressed as a Ghostbuster, with a proton pack on that was used in the film. No, really.

[Frinky]

Was she drinking Sella Artiois?

[Spiteface]

I have a query to make, does anyone know what guitar Kevin Shields is playing here?



Judging by the headstock it's probably a Mosrite, but I don't know what Mosrite model - I've seen video footage of him playing a Johnny Ramone Mosrite as well as this one.

[Robot Devil]

(great Futureheads sounds)

A little off topic, but can you actually figure out any Futureheads guitar besides the "Decent Days..." riff? I'm pretty crap at tabbing stuff out, and that's all I can get.

[Lt Plonker]

I've been thinking about taking up the guitar again, but jumping straight for an electric one. Nice and cheap, like.

What sort of things should I avoid/look out for? How much should I be paying for a reliable, budget guitar and amp?

[Marty McFly]

I've been thinking about taking up the guitar again, but jumping straight for an electric one. Nice and cheap, like.

What sort of things should I avoid/look out for? How much should I be paying for a reliable, budget guitar and amp?

squier strat or tele (130 quid-odd) or yamaha pacifica. i think they can be had for £150 or so now.

amps? plenty of cool little practice amps out there. yamaha, marshall/park, laney, etc..

ooh, have a look at this.

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?StockCode=EG00299

[9]

May very probably buy an electric guitar this weekend. Willing to spend 300 to 350 maximum.  Any suggestions? I know absolutely nothing about electric guitars. I just know my 3/4 size Argos special edition isn't cutting it anymore. Is there anything I should look out for?

[FraggleShock]

May very probably buy an electric guitar this weekend. Willing to spend 300 to 350 maximum.  Any suggestions? I know absolutely nothing about electric guitars. I just know my 3/4 size Argos special edition isn't cutting it anymore. Is there anything I should look out for?

Depends what your into really....If your into Metal nothing beats a B.C.Rich Warlock!

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

My Ibanez in was in that price range I think, it's always been reliable and great to play so I'd definitely recommend one of them. My mate had a Warlock for a while, I played it and didn't really like it much to be honest. Also, I hate the spikiness of it, I'm not really that fond of spiky guitars.

[the hum]

I've been thinking about taking up the guitar again, but jumping straight for an electric one. Nice and cheap, like.

What sort of things should I avoid/look out for? How much should I be paying for a reliable, budget guitar and amp?

The Vintage range seem to come highly recommended these days...

http://www.guitars.co.uk/acatalog/Catalogue_Vintage_296.html


Ooh, and anyone else see that Kramer guitars are back...

http://www.musicyo.com/brandland.asp?dept_id=1

[9]

I splashed out on this Epiphone Les Paul Custom today; my first proper electric.

I will now have to eat crackers for a year, but fuck it, it was love at first sight:



:-)

[Frinky]

Very nice! Can we be Custom buddies?

[9]

Blimey! Three pickups eh? I think i need a lie down. That's quite enough guitar-porn for one evening!

[Goldentony]

whaa. it all reminds me of that ace frehley signature les paul ive wantes for ages upon aaaages.



lightning bolts on it and everything.

[Frinky]

The third pickup might look good, and sound good, but it's a fucker if you're not the lightes of pickers (ie, me). I got that one as a replacement for the fucked one I sold in the "I have been done" thread. It wieghs 16lbs *sob*

(great Futureheads sounds)

A little off topic, but can you actually figure out any Futureheads guitar besides the "Decent Days..." riff? I'm pretty crap at tabbing stuff out, and that's all I can get.

Haha, no, that's the only Futureheads song we do that I know. Most of the songs they do sound like 5ths, E and D and C a lot, I think. I've never really paid that much attention to them, sorry.

[shatnersbassoon]

Plenty of talk about guitars, but you are but an hollow bell tolling in an empty room without a decent amp:

Suspiciously obsolete-looking site, but have a look at all the awesome gear!

http://www.toneheaven.ndirect.co.uk/

I want this. want it. now. gimme!

http://www.toneheaven.ndirect.co.uk/marshall_plexi_superlead_1967.htm

btw, on the subject of the futureheads, I saw them on Tuesday - one of the guys (with glasses, don't know his name) tripped over his amp, went flying and broke his guitar. Still, good gig though (although I preferred Kaiser Chiefs and the Killers).

[Spiteface]

I splashed out on this Epiphone Les Paul Custom today; my first proper electric.

I will now have to eat crackers for a year, but fuck it, it was love at first sight:
:-)

I wanted a White one of those once, because I wanted to be James Dean Bradfield, then that twat from the Darkness started playing one, put me off my Epi Les Paul standard for a while I can tell you - That's partly why I got an Epi Dot last year.

I'm so chuffed that I finally cracked how to get my Big Muff to sound  really good with my Marshall MG 30 amp - once you've got the right settings on the amp you really need to spend some time tweaking the big muff, as it were, especially the Tone control.  I found that what I used to do with my Russian Big Muff - Turn everything up full - doesn't work on a US one; for some reason you get a drop in volume, so you need to back off on the tone a bit.

Today's lesson?  With amost all overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals, even if the controls on them are simple, sit down and spend some time finding the right setting

Dull lesson, but one I learned this weekend.

[9]

Does anyone know what kind of pedal would have been used to get the sort of echoey, stretched out effect that comes in at about 2minutes 8seconds of the way through Compliments by Bloc Party?

I'm glad you're now getting the most out of your Muff, Spiteface.

[micanio]

Does anyone know what kind of pedal would have been used to get the sort of echoey, stretched out effect that comes in at about 2minutes 8seconds of the way through Compliments by Bloc Party?

I'm glad you're now getting the most out of your Muff, Spiteface.

You could try the
Electro Harmonix 16 Second Delay

(just a guess as I havent heard the song but this pedal is perfect for for those kind of effects.....)

Btw, anyone got any ideas how to fix a Big Muff pedal? Mine made a funny noise when I plugged it and now won't work, but the light the still comes on.

Am gonna listen to the song tho and make an more educated guess...

[Frinky]

Both Bloc guitarists use Boss Digital delays, probably a DD6.

[falafel]

ART Tube MP Studio v3

It's my new mic preamp for recording to PC. It's very nice, with lots of presets that subtly adjust the sound according to what you're recording and the amount of compression you need, and has a really warm feel to it. Literally, as well, it being a valve-based type of thingy.

It's lovely.

That is all.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I might get one of those as the setup I have right now (mic straight into PC) is a pain and requires a lot of tweaking afterwards to make it sound decent.

I'm also thinking of getting a condensor microphone (like the kind they use in studios). Anyone have any experience of these, or able to suggest an alternative?