The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Green Mountain Gringo on April 25, 2009, 12:25:52 AM
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Ok....I've been into guns for 25 years but only trying to learn guitar for the past 12 months.
The beauty of the guitar is you can practice in the living room LOUDER than you can practice with gun (any almost nobody calls the cops).
I'm learning slowly..........I should have paid more attention when my Dad was trying to show me the basics when I was a kid.
I'm playing a Yamaha accoustic. Mostly cutting my teeth on John Prine, Lyle Lovett.
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It seems like guns and guitars go together like chips 'n dip. I started playing about 12 years ago in an attempt to cure the sickness given me by the likes of Clapton, Page, and Hendrix. I play a special edition Martin HD 28 with an enlarged sound hole most of the time. It has a wonderfully balanced tone with a bell like high end and nice rounded bass. My favorite electric has to be a signature Eric Clapton Strat from around 2000. The V neck plays like butt'a 8). I also have an old Gibson Les Paul, which I keep set up for slide, and an Ibanez arch top with a beautiful cherry burst finish and tone to match. I play these through a Marshall Bluesbreaker Combo. My next investment will have to be another Paul, this time with a sunburst finish, and when I can stop buying guns, a Marshall half stack with a JTM45 head. ;D Alas, too many hobbies, too little money.
Swoop
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Alas, too many hobbies, too little money.
Tell me about it. Add too little time in there as well. After I master the blues harp I thinking about moving in to guitar. Whats my best bet for a beginner? I don't know music, that's why I playing the harp, but I figure playing bass guitar is a simple start. But if I was looking at a six string electric?
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Tell me about it. Add too little time in there as well. After I master the blues harp I thinking about moving in to guitar. Whats my best bet for a beginner? I don't know music, that's why I playing the harp, but I figure playing bass guitar is a simple start. But if I was looking at a six string electric?
I'm with Swoop on all fronts....I have a Martin DM acoustic, one of their lower end models but it's enough for me...Gibson and American made Strats are wonderful instruments and if your into rock-a-billy go with a Telecaster. The Epiphones are Asian made Gibsons these days and a lot of Fenders are made in Asia and Mexico...for beginers, you can pick up an inexpensive Fender Squire with a gig bag and small amp for under 300 bucks...
There are endless possiblilties but for acoustic, go with a Martin....American made since 1833.....
http://www.mguitar.com/
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Martin's are fantastic, but really pricey, check out sweetwater.com, out of Texas, they are huge and will send you a catalog for free.
Since I'm a lefty, I bought my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, Zakk Wilde version from them last year. Real people, very professional.
Yamaha acoustics are fine, try Elixer strings, they have a greatr sound and last longer than the others.
I also use fast fret, its a white mineral oil swabbie thats great for wiping the strings and neck with, you'll be surprised how much "gunk" is on the strings...
I've had my Alvarez 12 String acoustic for 20 years, its just my "goto" guitar.
My six string is a Seagull, handmade in Canada, it was featured on the "How its Made" TV show on the History Channel.
Have others as well, but really enjoy my Black Mountain Dulcimer, a gift from the wife, lays across your lap flat, Jeff Healey style.
Glad your pickin and shootin, its a great combination.
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Ok....I've been into guns for 25 years but only trying to learn guitar for the past 12 months.
The beauty of the guitar is you can practice in the living room LOUDER than you can practice with gun (any almost nobody calls the cops).
I'm learning slowly..........I should have paid more attention when my Dad was trying to show me the basics when I was a kid.
I'm playing a Yamaha accoustic. Mostly cutting my teeth on John Prine, Lyle Lovett.
Tried that about 34 years ago. Bought a used Yamaha accousitic and John Prine song book. Just didn't have an ear for music or the fingers for the strings.
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I've been an on and off again picker for 34 years, get serious for a while then lay off and do something else. I have several nice guitars, need to take some pics.
1) Tokai stratocaster, lawsuit version, because it was indenticle to an american made strat, and at the time sold for about 80 bucks more than the Fender, White with maple neck and is a Joy to play, very fast light action with no mods done.
2) Jackson flying V, Randy Rhoads edition, with Seymore Duncan Pickups, black, ugly, and I hate it, except for one thing, it has got balls, it will do anything rock and roll, speed metal, death metal you name it and give back change.
3) Gibson ES345 BB King lucille, black with gold trim, has the vari tone switch and stereo or mono jacks. I want to sell or trade this one, its in great condition. With Gibson hardshell case and a locking black leather strap, that I think go's for over a hundred bucks, but it will never let the guitar go unless you want it to.
4) Baby Taylor acoustic, not expensive, a great learner guitar, or for like me, a knockaround I can take to work or parties and not get upset if it gets knocked over, or at least not real upset.
5) My pride and joy, a Taylor K22c, front back and sides are made of Koa wood, the c stands for cutaway, so you can get low on the neck, and it is Gorgeous, and plays fantastic, it has an LR Baggs dual source pickup, that allows the guitar to played through a pickup for large rooms, or a built in microphone for small rooms.
These get played through either a Fender Champion 110, good for practice at home, or a Randall RG100, when you want to get nasty, plugged into a Mesa Boogie slant back twin 12" cabinet, really good combination. On 5 it will run everybody but me to another room. ;D
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Ok, I've GOT to weigh in here. M2- that Taylor sounds fabulous. I've never owned one but they are really well made and beautiful to boot. I'm also very big on Elixir strings, although in the spirit of full disclosure I have to admit that the band has a string endorsement deal with them. Having said that, I wouldn't use any other strings because I have very caustic skin oils (that go with my personality evidently) and after I play a show on Ernie Balls or Fenders or something else I can wipe the axe down and 36 hours later the srings are shot. Elixir, not so. I also play really hard and they can take it. I RARELY break an Elixir string. I think they're REALLY great for people who don't play all the time because they last and keep decent tone for a really long time. The two bass players I work with regularly rave about the bass strings as well.
I started playing Hammond organ at 7 and have played guitar since I was 11, and have been doing paid gigs since I was 13. No fame, no big time, but I've loved it and kept at it and still get paid regularly to play. I wish I still had most of the guitars I sold. I've had just about everything in the electric line: strats, teles, Pauls, ES, Schecter, SG, Firebirds, Explorer, Ibanez, Flying V, Carvin, Danelectro, Framus, Les Paul Jr., etc. I had an old Les Paul Gold Top that was really nice, but sold it. For most of my life I was obsessed with electric guitars and amps...Fenders, Marshalls, Hi Watt, Mesa. Wheeee!!!
My best two guitars were a 1966 Gibson ES 335, Cherry color, and a 1964 Pre CBS sunburst Strat. Years ago I had to sell them to a guitar trader friend (at least I got as much as I could get for them at the time which was at least 10 times what I paid for them). Had a sick baby and my furnace died and all that... but I learned something then. I loved those guitars- they were beautiful and valuable (today the strat is probably worth 40 grand) but I didn't play them at gigs because I was worried that they'd get banged or stolen. So they sat....
Now I own only guitars that play well and aren't necessarily worth a lot- I REALLY like them all, but if one gets destroyed or stolen it won't be the end of the world.. I'm down to a few that you can actually see on my band website...there's a link to "Jay's Guitars". No big thing really. I have shed everything except a stock 2000 American strat (actually I switched the bridge pickup to something else when the original broke), I've got a stock 2000 tele with that nice teal see-through finish and Fender noisless pickups. There's a nice Ibanez Artist floating around- maybe at my friends house...it's really nice but I don't like the tone. I've got an Epiphone Sheraton- a new one made in Korea. It's really well done. AND I've got Frankenstrat- see my avatar. It's a @'93 Hendrix reissue that was a junker at a guitar show. The only thing original on it now is the mahogany body (yup, some strats have mahogany bodies) the whammy bar, and the bridge plate. All else is after market. I routed it out and put Seymour Duncan humbuckers in it. It screams and it's my favorite gig guitar. I can hear you strat purists clicking your tongues at me...but wait. I'll pass on a little tidbit. I didn't screw the buckers down to the body like a Gibson, I hung them on the pickguard like a strat, and so it still sounds like a strat- an angry, 400 pound strat, but still a strat.
The Epiphone is really nice considering the price. I had a Schecter that was also nice for cheap, and I highly recommend if you want a solid guitar with nice finish for not-as-much take a look at those asian models.
My amp for about ten years has been Line 6 Flextones(digital modeling amps. Yup, I'll admit it!). I've gone through four or five of them, but it's the right combo of power and versatility for me in the different types of shows I do.
After the kids grew up my wife and I got back into shooting for our old age hobby. Now I play the guitars a lot and take them to my mechanic every 3000 miles, but I don't need to keep buying them. My obsession has turned to pistols. At least I still HAVE an obsession.
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From Jay,
My best two guitars were a 1966 Gibson ES 335, Cherry color, and a 1964 Pre CBS sunburst Strat. Years ago I had to sell them to a guitar trader friend
:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
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My amp for about ten years has been Line 6 Flextones(digital modeling amps. Yup, I'll admit it!)
Heresy!! Well, since you actually get paid to play, I guess I have no right to criticize your choice, Jay. I, however, have a soft spot in my heart for all tube amps. Even the hybrids with tube preamps don't compare in my opinion. That warm tube tone, (especially from a Marshall) just makes me feel all funny inside. Team it up with a Gibson with PAFs and I feel as though I need to repent, or something. ;D
Swoop
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Heresy!! Well, since you actually get paid to play, I guess I have no right to criticize your choice, Jay. I, however, have a soft spot in my heart for all tube amps. Even the hybrids with tube preamps don't compare in my opinion. That warm tube tone, (especially from a Marshall) just makes me feel all funny inside. Team it up with a Gibson with PAFs and I feel as though I need to repent, or something. Grin
Swoop
I am still trying to work my way into a tube amp, Andy Summers said, all these pedals and computer aided systems are trying to reproduce what we got with tubes ???
Swoop, lets Jam.
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Heresy!! Well, since you actually get paid to play, I guess I have no right to criticize your choice, Jay. I, however, have a soft spot in my heart for all tube amps. Even the hybrids with tube preamps don't compare in my opinion. That warm tube tone, (especially from a Marshall) just makes me feel all funny inside. Team it up with a Gibson with PAFs and I feel as though I need to repent, or something. Grin
Swoop
I am still trying to work my way into a tube amp, Andy Summers said, all these pedals and computer aided systems are trying to reproduce what we got with tubes ???
Swoop, lets Jam.
Ok. I read an interview with Clapton about the solo in Sunshine of Your Love. About his sound in the solo he said he had two or three Fender Twins connected together, turned up to 10, and that's how he got the sound. Do you know how LOUD that would be at 120 watts each?
YES. .... Guys, get over it... I played a Fender Showman for years with 4- 12s....I worked for an Elvis impersonator with the thing....
All of the old timers tried everything that was coming out including all the pedals and overdrives, and THAT was the classic sound you hear on particular recordings. You also have to remember that a recording is a snapshot- some of my OWN recorded stuff is awesome and it's hard to re-creat live. Sometime's I kick ass live over the studio version of songs...it's all performance, sound, and wha't s going on around you....not JUST the guitar.
I love the Police but Andy Summers played a lot of rythmn because Sting was the superstar. Andy Summers is not Clapton or SRV or even Leslie West (haven't seen HIS name on here yet. Saw him live....awesome!) Andy Summers is not Robin Trower he's not Dicky Betts, and he's not James Burton.
The new modeling amps sound and REACT like the originals. That's why it is quite a task to take a modeling amp and balance 4 sounds (4 stop foot pedal) in sound, volume, etc. so you can switch live and be right live without great big FARTS while you're trying to look like a pro and you don't have a guitar roadie that set everything up for you. Oh, by the way....Clapton turned me on to electric guitar, but ....jeez....he has a guy walk out and hang a friggin guitar on his neck that has been setup, tweaked, tuned and polished....that's how he starts a show. The rest of us need help.
Day to day....if you take one of the new modeling amps and set it up next to the original tube amp you might hear a 5 % difference in tone, but you will get the same tone you want at a volume that isn't 90% of the db of a 44 magnum. I love the tube sound but to get the grit and the compression you have to turn them up. And that means, even at a 30 watt amp, you need hearing protection. No matter how good the protection, it doesn't sound that great.
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All of the old timers tried everything that was coming out including all the pedals and overdrives, and THAT was the classic sound you hear on particular recordings.
Andy Summers is not Clapton or SRV or even Leslie West (haven't seen HIS name on here yet. Saw him live....awesome!) Andy Summers is not Robin Trower he's not Dicky Betts, and he's not James Burton.
Day to day....if you take one of the new modeling amps and set it up next to the original tube amp you might hear a 5 % difference in tone, but you will get the same tone you want at a volume that isn't 90% of the db of a 44 magnum. I love the tube sound but to get the grit and the compression you have to turn them up.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying, Jay. I have nothing against using different pedals to achieve different sounds, a la Hendrix (guy tried darn near everything from what I've heard and read). Honestly, I have nothing against modeling amps either, although I'll never buy one, I just wanted to bust your chops a bit. I do, however, remain steadfast in my belief that no modeling amp can compare tonally to an over driven all tube setup, whether the overdrive is achieved by "cranking it up" or through the assistance of a box like the old Tube Screamer like SRV used, for instance. Their is no real comparison in my opinion as the "modelers" are devoid of the warmth and subtle nuances of the real thing. It's like a photocopy of a Rembrandt, its pretty and the colors are right, but you can't feel the brushstrokes. By the way, have you tried using a Marshall Power Brake or anything similar. I thought about getting one due to the volume issue you eluded to, but haven't been able to try one out yet. As for Andy Summers, no he's not Clapton, SRV, or Dickey, but his point is valid. You should know, look at most of the great blues men. B.B. King, for example. I don't believe you can say he is a rhythm guitarist, nor could you argue anything about his tone sans pedals and effects. On the other end of the spectrum is Pete Townsend, LOTS of effects and a rhythm player if their ever was one. No hard feelings, man. Just my opinion, which usually means it's not worth much. ;D
Swoop
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Swoop, lets Jam.
Rock on! All we need is groupies and a fog machine! I'm sure, with both of us being shooters, we already have the laser show covered. :)
Swoop
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I agree with a lot of what you are saying, Jay. I have nothing against using different pedals to achieve different sounds, a la Hendrix (guy tried darn near everything from what I've heard and read). Honestly, I have nothing against modeling amps either, although I'll never buy one, I just wanted to bust your chops a bit. I do, however, remain steadfast in my belief that no modeling amp can compare tonally to an over driven all tube setup, whether the overdrive is achieved by "cranking it up" or through the assistance of a box like the old Tube Screamer like SRV used, for instance. Their is no real comparison in my opinion as the "modelers" are devoid of the warmth and subtle nuances of the real thing. It's like a photocopy of a Rembrandt, its pretty and the colors are right, but you can't feel the brushstrokes. By the way, have you tried using a Marshall Power Brake or anything similar. I thought about getting one due to the volume issue you eluded to, but haven't been able to try one out yet. As for Andy Summers, no he's not Clapton, SRV, or Dickey, but his point is valid. You should know, look at most of the great blues men. B.B. King, for example. I don't believe you can say he is a rhythm guitarist, nor could you argue anything about his tone sans pedals and effects. On the other end of the spectrum is Pete Townsend, LOTS of effects and a rhythm player if their ever was one. No hard feelings, man. Just my opinion, which usually means it's not worth much. ;D
Hey Swoop- certainly no hard feelings here...it's just like anything else- everyone has opinions and preferences, and mine have changed countless times. In fact I have always used the different amp or different guitar as a kicker to get my interest level back up. I agree with you that there is no substitute for the magic flux that happens when tubes are cooking- that's where all the cool stuff happens. I have found over the years that there are a few tone types I like and no matter what equipment you give me I eventually get back to sounding the same- it may take some time to figure out, but I find my way back to where I'm comfortable.
I would love to have some old tube equipment to record with...in fact on the last cd I did some lead tracks with an old Fender Bassman cranked way up and mic'd out in the hallway...we ended up going over them again because of noise, but it was fun trying it. For what I do regularly now though I still have a big pedalboard and I can get a LOT of different sounds with one rig. In a live setting with the room dynamics, people talking, glasses clinking...it works fine, and I'm carrying one amp and a pedalboard box. If I had roadies...that would be different story! I think I'd have about 4 amps and a switching device.
Anyway like BB says, "It's all good". As long as people are enjoying music and making music it's a wonderful thing.
Swoop
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I love my guitars......I just don't play as often as I used to since I broke my left hand. Doing a lot of bar chords starts to make it hurt after a while.
I do like M25 said.....get hot and cold with my playing. I might go several months and not touch a guitar and then spend a month playing every day.
I have an early 80's Strat that I bought off a friend for $100 bucks. Ivory paint with a maple neck and a locking tremolo (that I blocked with balsa wood). He played in a country bar band and did a short tour in the far northern states (Michigan, the Dakotas) in the middle of winter. He left the Strat in the U-Haul overnight and it put a few cracks in the paint. The neck pick-up is a Seymour Duncan Hot-Rail and sounds great with 12ga. strings.
I bought a new Strat in '99. It is a 50's re-issue, black with antiqued maple neck, and is all stock. Still looks new.
I bought (from the same friend above) a 70's model Epiphone Genesis (looks like a Les Paul, but with double cut-outs) with a tobacco sunburst and gold hardware. It flat rocks ass through a FuzzFace and a Vox Wah pedal and a Marshall amp. Mucho tone with 12 or 13 gauge strings. Beautiful guitar, and heavy.
I have a no-name Telecaster copy that actually sounds pretty good. Ivory with a maple neck.
Alvarez is my go to six string acoustic, but I have an Ibanez classical that was left to me by a very close friend after he passed away. It plays well, but the neck is almost too wide for my comfort. I also have an el-cheapo (Ventura?) 12 string that needs some work but was free.
I still have my first guitar. It was a no-name acoustic that I bought from the Sears catalog in 1982. I worked in the tobacco patch to save up the $125 to buy it for a guitar class in 9th grade. For a cheap guitar, it sounded good and played better than some more expensive guitars. The Alvarez mentioned above was also bought by a friend for the same guitar class. Fifteen years later I bought it from him for $100.
I only have 2 amps, a Marshall Valve-State 80 stereo and a small Fender. They both do well especially through a PA.
The only effects I use are a Fuzz-Face and a Vox Wah. I have an old Korg G-3 with 3 pedals. It's good when you need to go from playing something like blues to something like Pink Floyd without changing guitars or amp settings.
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I started playing guitar in my late 40's, just got the urge. Learned to play on my own. I like classical and concert guitars. I have a Pimentel concert, a Pimentel classical cut-away with pickup (had this one made for me) and a Takamine small body acoustic all in koa wood. Had a Fender Strat (Japan made) for a while, did not like the narrow neck, traded it in for an Ibanez classical, cheap with great sound, gave it to a sister. I play Mexican music from the revolution in 1900's to today's. Also play in a Spanish choir at my church. After the Beatles came in, I got away from rock&roll and went to Mexican music. Love mild jazz, don't know anybody here that plays it and I am not current on it. Also play and sing for folks at one of our nursing homes. Don't read music, so play by ear.
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Received this link from a friend today. Not guitars but still great. I can listen to this just about anytime, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles and Fats Domino. Oh yes, I use Peavy acoustic amps.
http://vodpod.com/watch/1116988-ray-charles-jerry-lee-lewis-fats-domino