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[TommyTosser]

The high end tube amps are awesome. The solid state combos are just OK. Which ones are you looking at?

Just the Crush 20RT, although this seems to have more features

It's only for bedroom usage so don't need it so loud. Got a Squire Jaguar yesterday and since i've been using the same amp bought from Argos about 14 years ago it's about time i buy a real amp.

 

[rObit]

I have way too many guitars, here are some of my favorites, can elaborate more if anyone would like

Is that one with the Black Hawks a Skervesen? If so, how do you like it? Also, how do you like the Black Hawks in general?

 

[sankt-Antonio]

So this is what my pedalboard looks right now.
Only thing thats missing is the King of tone - i got on some mailinglist... don't really know how long it'll take to be allowed to actually buy it.

 

[Sobriquet]

So this is what my pedalboard looks right now.
Only thing thats missing is the King of tone - i got on some mailinglist... don't really know how long it'll take to be allowed to actually buy it.

Around 8 months IIRC

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

 

[theechrisfox]

Anyone here ever bought a guitar off sweetwater? I was thinking of ordering a 72 Thinline Telecaster from them (the made in Mexico version ~$900) but wanted to make sure they are reputable first.

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

They're just as reputable as any of the other vendors. I buy from them from time to time.

 

[Sobriquet]

Anyone here ever bought a guitar off sweetwater? I was thinking of ordering a 72 Thinline Telecaster from them (the made in Mexico version ~$900) but wanted to make sure they are reputable first.

They're definitely reputable. Great service, but they won't give you the sort of discounts that larger retailers will.

Awesome guitar, by the way.

 

[HigherLevel]

Anyone here ever bought a guitar off sweetwater? I was thinking of ordering a 72 Thinline Telecaster from them (the made in Mexico version ~$900) but wanted to make sure they are reputable first.

I made a 5 hour drive there back in December for a sweet new Epi Les Paul. Awesome place. Definitely recommend buying from them online or in store if you are close enough.

 

[besada]

I bought a guitar finally. I don't really know how to play, but I'm trying to learn. Any advice is appreciated.

I picked up a Telecaster this weekend at Guitar Center during their president's sale. It was sort of funny, because the dude sold me on it in five minutes, and then preceded to play guitar for me for another fifteen.

 

[Seanspeed]

I've never really been interested in Schecter before but I've just seen their 2015 models and holy SHIT is this one gorgeous :

http://www.schecterguitars.com/guitars/banshee-elite/banshee-elite-7-detail

I want a 7-string guitar and this one has almost everything I'm looking for, with none of the ugly shit (e.g. abalone bindings and stuff) found on many Schecters. I hope this model will be sold in Europe and I can get enough money this year.

Oh wow, that thing is gorgeous. I really wish we got more natural tops like this with electric guitars. Stick some EMG's in there and it would basically be my perfect guitar(short of a custom made 7 string PRS).

I think that might be a new frontrunner for when I need a new guitar.

I bought a guitar finally. I don't really know how to play, but I'm trying to learn. Any advice is appreciated.

I picked up a Telecaster this weekend at Guitar Center during their president's sale. It was sort of funny, because the dude sold me on it in five minutes, and then preceded to play guitar for me for another fifteen.

http://justinguitar.com/en/BC-000-BeginnersCourse.php

This site in general is super helpful, especially for getting started.

Main advice you can ever give to somebody learning to play is to practice, practice, practice. Much of getting better and learning is simply muscle memory and takes repetition and time to build up. If you're not playing several times a week at least, you're unlikely to improve any at all.

Don't stick strictly with what others tell you to play/practice, but try and mix in stuff you enjoy yourself. After all, that's why most people want to play in the first place, right?

 

[TommyTosser]

I bought a guitar finally. I don't really know how to play, but I'm trying to learn. Any advice is appreciated.

I picked up a Telecaster this weekend at Guitar Center during their president's sale. It was sort of funny, because the dude sold me on it in five minutes, and then preceded to play guitar for me for another fifteen.

Haha.

Just get comfortable with the guitar. Search for the basic chords A - E - G - D etc once you can get the figure positions down and strumming you'll be set to start learning songs.

 

[Red Blaster]

I bought a guitar finally. I don't really know how to play, but I'm trying to learn. Any advice is appreciated.

I picked up a Telecaster this weekend at Guitar Center during their president's sale. It was sort of funny, because the dude sold me on it in five minutes, and then preceded to play guitar for me for another fifteen.

as listed, justinguitar is great for absolute beginners--clear and to the point lessons.

second, once you get your feet wet and can comfortably play some basic chords, sit down with a favorite record and guitar in hand and try to play along. trial and erroring your way through helps so much with developing your ear and overall feel.

 

[adamsappel]

I picked up a Telecaster

Good man.

 

[besada]

Thanks! I started looking for beginning guitar stuff on the net and there are millions of them, so it's nice to get consensus on what's good.

 

[adamsappel]

Get Rocksmith for your preferred gaming platform.

 

[Shadybiz]

Get Rocksmith for your preferred gaming platform.

Definitely do this. Rocksmith has been a super-helpful tool for me. If anything, I find it far preferable to reading off tabs. Session mode is also great for learning scales, and playing with a metronome.

Practice at least a half hour a day if you can, Besada. As soon as I started to commit at least a half hour a day, I started to see tremendous improvement.

Oh, also check out martyzsongs on youtube. He's pretty cool, and will get you playing a lot of pretty easy songs in a short time.

 

[rObit]

Anyone here ever bought a guitar off sweetwater? I was thinking of ordering a 72 Thinline Telecaster from them (the made in Mexico version ~$900) but wanted to make sure they are reputable first.

I haven't bought a guitar off of them, but have gotten a bunch of other stuff like cables and DAW plugins and stuff like that. They have really good service. One of their techs sent me an email to make sure I got my plugins registered and working right.

 

[Sobriquet]

I bought a guitar finally. I don't really know how to play, but I'm trying to learn. Any advice is appreciated.

I picked up a Telecaster this weekend at Guitar Center during their president's sale. It was sort of funny, because the dude sold me on it in five minutes, and then preceded to play guitar for me for another fifteen.

Doin' it right

 

[TommyTosser]

Who's in a band? I've always wanted to form one but never looked into it, plus my friends that also play instruments like comepletely different music

 

[HigherLevel]

Who's in a band? I've always wanted to form one but never looked into it, plus my friends that also play instruments like comepletely different music

I play in my church band, mostly modern church music with a little rock/country vibe to the stuff we play. Probably not what you were looking for though. I want to do some blues type stuff with other people but my skills aren't there right now.

 

[Xun]

Who's in a band? I've always wanted to form one but never looked into it, plus my friends that also play instruments like comepletely different music

I'm in a band, although unfortunately we're still not gigging yet.

It's actually partially down to the fact we don't have a name yet.

Spoiler

Someone help, please.

 

[Red Blaster]

Who's in a band? I've always wanted to form one but never looked into it, plus my friends that also play instruments like comepletely different music

i'm in pavement/smashing pumpkins/radiohead inspired 5-piece with two other guitar players

it's as fun as it sounds but getting 3 guitars to sound good in a live mix is obnoxious as shit

 

[Ray Wonder]

I made a thread for all Music Makers. If anyone wants to join in over there.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994961

Spoiler

I was permitted to advertise the thread by besada.

 

[adamsappel]

Picked up a cheap Rogue RLS-1 lap steel guitar for giggles.

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

We needed a second guitar player, so my bassist bought the guitar player in his OTHER band a cheapo Airline steel and now we have a slide player.

 

[Slackbladder]

Picked up a cheap Rogue RLS-1 lap steel guitar for giggles.

I want a lapsteel so I can learn to (badly) play the solo from Shine On You Crazy Diamond pt.2.

Oh wow, that thing is gorgeous. I really wish we got more natural tops like this with electric guitars. Stick some EMG's in there and it would basically be my perfect guitar(short of a custom made 7 string PRS).

I think that might be a new frontrunner for when I need a new guitar.

I think I may be after the same axe, except this has a Floyd Rose and Sustainiac. I love Sustainiacs!
http://www.schecterguitars.com/international/guitars/banshee-elite-7-fr-s-detail £1179 in the UK.

 

[FuuRe]

I'm considering (given the specs) of importing one of those sweet ass looking 8 string Agile guitars, sadly there's zero chance to try one before buying.

Any opinions and/or recommendations?

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

I want a lapsteel so I can learn to (badly) play the solo from Shine On You Crazy Diamond pt.2.

Surely you could just use a bottleneck and the appropriate tuning? There are lap steel techniques that can't be done with a bottleneck and a guitar in Spanish position, but I don't think this song has any.

 

[rObit]

I'm considering (given the specs) of importing one of those sweet ass looking 8 string Agile guitars, sadly there's zero chance to try one before buying.

Any opinions and/or recommendations?

I actually just bought one of their cheaper 8 strings very recently. For the $400 range I'd say you're probably better off going with an Ibanez or something similar. Build quality is decent but it's pretty barebones and was set up pretty poorly when I got it (first fret buzz across all strings.) The weird thing is I've had an Agile 7 string (again, the $400 range) for around a year and it's one of my favorite guitars. I guess they are just hit or miss, and if I could do it again I probably would have gone with a different company. Now that 7's and 8's are "in" there's competition in that market and I think you can get better quality for cheaper with the bigger name brands than you could have 3-4 years ago.

I can't speak for the upper range, though. I wanted to test the waters of whether or not I even liked playing 7 and 8 string guitars before I put too much money into it.

 

[Blue Submarine No. 6]

I picked up an Ibanez SA1260 recently in a trade for a Strat I had acquired but pretty much loathed. This particular Ibanez Prestige model was available for a short period in 2004 only, and is unusual in a couple of ways, but predominantly in regards to its neck shape: the neck is very much a Fender modern C shape with jumbo frets, far meatier than most Ibanez S, RG or SA series guitar necks, and I fell in love with the guitar's playability. It has a solid mahogany body and a terrifically smooth and stable trem on it, and is very comfortable sitting or standing.

Unfortunately, I hated the S1 single coils and V2 humbucker in the bridge. However, the guitar played so brilliantly and was so wonderfully resonant and loud acoustically that I decided rather than sell the guitar and look for something more my speed, I would load it with pickups I did like and see what happened. A Phat Cat, SSL1 and mystery Duncan Tele neck pup later, here's the result:

I'm right pleased with this; the guitar plays, sounds and looks absolutely fantastic. The five positions are all great tones, and it's got what's probably the best middle pickup alone tone I've ever had in a guitar!

 

[Slackbladder]

Surely you could just use a bottleneck and the appropriate tuning? There are lap steel techniques that can't be done with a bottleneck and a guitar in Spanish position, but I don't think this song has any.

I tried. Feels odd because you're right up over the bridge pick up virtually for the last part and it's easy to get lost. I could use a whammy pedal/pitch bender but it sounds artificial. Not just that but I guess I'd like a new toy to learn.

Anyone know much about Dean guitars? Always struck me as being non too popular but I saw one that looks stunning on ebay.

Dean Vendetta 4 with Tiger Eye maple top. Not an expensive guitar but wow, what a looker. Seriously tempted.

 

[Slackbladder]

Well I didn't get that Dean. Instead I got a PRS SE Custom 24 Floyd in Amethyst. And I must say it's perfect for me. The neck is a little wider accross the fretboard than a Fender but the neck thickness is comparable. It's like a cross between a Les Paul and a Strat. It feels like a strat but the two coil-tappable humbuckers and mahogany body gives it a tone not unlike a Les Paul. Of course this is an SE model, made in Korea which I got for £599. They're usually £799 but I got lucky with the price. I'd say it's as good as my Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR-S which cost £200 more and my Ibanez JS24p which cost £400 more. I really like it. Lovely action and very easy, smooth feel to it. And it's pretty too.

Also got a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 combo amp. It has a fantastic hifi like sound and a decent driven tube amp sound. It may only be 18w but I have it on 5w and it's loud enough. Really nice. And the red box output is great for recording. Great stuff!

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

I'd like an HK but they seem to be strictly for shredders.


I have a new hollowbody. ES 330L. Will post it soon.

 

[Slackbladder]

I'd like an HK but they seem to be strictly for shredders.


I have a new hollowbody. ES 330L. Will post it soon.

The Hughes and Kettner I have has a fantastic sound for single coil guitars, really clean and 'hi-fi'. It's drive channel is good but not really comparable to an Orange or something similar if you want serious distortion and gain. For me it's perfect for subtle and dynamic effects.

 

[Red Blaster]

thread is deader than dead but whatever:

anyone know if japanese teles are any good or have the mexican models surpassed them?

 

[Waveset]

Anyone have experiance of replacing tubes?

I bought a second hand Blackstar HT5 amp and there's squealing on the overdrive channel. I can walk out the room with the guitar and the squealing does not alter at all - same pitch and volume which leads me to believe it's the preamp tube.

I'm used to fixing my own stuff and getting my hands dirty but I've no experiance with tubes.

Any advice you guys can offer or point me towards some decent online info?

 

[teruterubozu]

Anyone have experiance of replacing tubes?

I bought a second hand Blackstar HT5 amp and there's squealing on the overdrive channel. I can walk out the room with the guitar and the squealing does not alter at all - same pitch and volume which leads me to believe it's the preamp tube.

I'm used to fixing my own stuff and getting my hands dirty but I've no experiance with tubes.

Any advice you guys can offer or point me towards some decent online info?

Replacing an amp tube is super easy. You just pull it out of its socket and replace it - as easy as exchanging a battery.
Just make sure you get the right ones.

 

[Waveset]

Good to hear, I guess I read a lot of scaremongering.

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

anyone know if japanese teles are any good or have the mexican models surpassed them?

Have only played a couple Tokai-made Fender Japan guitars, but they were excellent. Have not read a bad thing about them. What model are you thinking of?

Good to hear, I guess I read a lot of scaremongering.

You have to properly bias new power tubes in many amps with multiple tubes. This doesn't apply to pre-amp tubes.

I don't more than that-- my amp has a FET power section.

 

[Red Blaster]

Have only played a couple Tokai-made Fender Japan guitars, but they were excellent. Have not read a bad thing about them. What model are you thinking of?
.

a standard single coil only model with a 7.25 radius maple neck is my ideal choice but could settle for the 72 custom

 

[Teknopathetic]

I had a Japanese Jaguar that, electronics-aside, was a very well-made instrument. That is not the case for *every* Japanese Fender (The Japanese 65RI Mustangs are reportedly superb, including the electronics), the Japanese offset Fenders were kind of notorious for this. However, that's something that can be fixed easily. The craftsmanship of the instrument was fantastic and that's not something that can be fixed so easily.

I'll also say that IIRC Fender is killing off Fender Japan, so don't let a Japanese Fender pass you by if you see one you like (and it's well made), they might start getting scarce.

 

[kasane]

thread is deader than dead but whatever:

anyone know if japanese teles are any good or have the mexican models surpassed them?

i have an american standard tele but my friend prefers his japanese fender

 

[Sobriquet]

Should I pull the tubes from my amp for a cross-country move?

anyone know if japanese teles are any good or have the mexican models surpassed them?

They're pretty great. Well-made, but tend to have cheaper electronics. I love that they're mostly vintage spec. Unfortunately Fender Japan is dead. Less cool colors for us.

 

[Waveset]

You have to properly bias new power tubes in many amps with multiple tubes. This doesn't apply to pre-amp tubes.

Yep, that's what I was looking at. Had a bit of a read and biasing is not difficult.

New tube is ordered

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

They're pretty great. Well-made, but tend to have cheaper electronics. I love that they're mostly vintage spec. Unfortunately Fender Japan is dead. Less cool colors for us.

Electronics in my Strat were pretty decent.

Sad to read about the end of Fender Japan, Ltd. Assume Fender's replacement is just going to sell guitars made in Fender's own factories to the Japanese market?

 

[The Llama]

This is my current setup. Mark V head, Avatar 2x12 cab with Celestion V30's, and an Ibanez SZ320. Absolutely love it. Versatile and sounds amazing. Probably gonna sell the guitar and get a different one in a few months though, I've had it for a few years and I'm ready to move on to something a little nicer.

 

[adamsappel]

My guitar collection has felt incomplete without a Strat, and I was interested in the Fender Classic Vibe 60's series, but I didn't really want to spend that much money. So I decided to try a copy from Rondo. I've always recommended them to new players as an inexpensive entry, but hadn't owned one myself.

It's not a bad guitar at all. My sister has a Squier Bullet from 20 years ago, and it's a piece of crap in comparison. The neck is tight in the pocket. The paint is smooth and blemish-free. 3-ply pick guard. I plan on replacing the tuners with some from an old Telecaster and give it roller string trees, and replace the plastic nut with bone. The pickups are a little hot by themselves (I'm sure the cavities are unshielded), but I've ordered some new Bill Lawrence Keystones. I'm also going to add a Deaf-Eddie switch. I'm not sure if I'll keep the tremolo or block it; I sound awful with it. I like that there's no branding on the headstock. The frets aren't rounded, but they're not sharp either. The neck is thin and flat, no skunk stripe. For anyone wanting to start playing, or someone wanting a guitar to mod, I think it's a great deal at $79.99.

 

[Slackbladder]

Almost at the point of purchasing a Schecter Banshee Elite-6 FR S in Natural Gloss Finish. I have two Shecters and I'm very impressed with their build quality and feel of their guitars. Hopefully by the end of this month (but might have to wait until end of July, not sure) I can get my hands on one.

 

[TheFNEffecT]

Well...I wanted an Axe-FX 2, got this instead.

No regrets, cause this thing plays like butter!