The Official Guitar Thread

I'm sure the cork sniffer crowd could use their golden eardrums to tell me why the Dumble is worth 50k, but they're the same guys that tout the merits of oxygen free 24k instrument cables and all that shit.

I'm sure they say the same thing about us metal guys. I could probably pick out most of the common/popular metal amps in a blind test just by listening to them, but most "classic" shit sounds the same to me. I'm sure the average blues player thinks that a 5150 sounds like a Recto. On the other hand, it's that kind of thing that makes gear whoring fun. I've owned a 6505, a Roadster and a Mark V within the last couple of years, along with the two Axe-Fx II's that I own now. Every one of them has something cool about them, know what I mean?

I've owned a Mesa Triple Rectifier, Mesa Boogie Mark IV, Marshall TSL60, ENGL Fireball, ENGL Powerball, ENGL Blackmore, Peavey 5150, VHT 2/90/2 + various preamps. They all had their own unique sound for sure.

90Proof_sl said:

I'm a noob guitar player, but I thought I would post my generic practice routine.


1. Maker's Mark Whisky, straight and splashed into a small glass of ice.

11. Might noodle, depends on how sore fingers are.

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that is my practice schedule

I never appreciated bass tone until I started recording and mixing bass. Shelling out for a new set of strings every time I track anything is also something I'm not used to, haha.

Which Verellen did you get, again? The Meatsmoke?

Slaythe_sl said:

Yeah. Meatsmoke which will be run into an Emperor 6x12 w/ Webers. And then an old vintage Acoustic 370 through an Emperor 4x12. Effects through the Meatsmoke with a just real clean vintage solid state sound underneath with the Acoustic. I think it'll end up being a really cool combo.

And yeah bass strings are nuts. I use Circle K because they're one of the few companies out there that specialize in really thick gauges. I think you can get ones all up to like .180 with them, but a 5 string set runs nearly $50. Can't afford to change those out too often.

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I think I already said this, but I'm getting old and sometimes I forget things... My buddy who has the Meatsmoke raves about the thing constantly. He has their preamp (the Skyhammer, which has a much cooler name) too. As a guitarist, I can't justify the money but I'd love to grab one for my studio someday. The recordings that he does with it aren't my thing (sludge/crust metal) but it certainly works in the mix.

I've been using the Elixir 5 string sets on my Warwick. The only time I actually play it myself is when I'm tracking my own shit, so it's nice to have strings that'll "keep" for a bit. I record a few buddies' bands at my place, and when they use it I make them bring a pack a day. It's a night and day difference in the mix, and just makes my job easier. I hate that obnoxious fret clack when the track is soloed, but once it's mixed it's such a big part of the tone that it needs to be there.

My little Vibro Champ has a very distinct tone. It is exactly the tone I think of when I think Fender.

If it could compete with drummers in a live setting without being miked, I'd never have anything else.

Also, Heriotze, your shit looks nice. Those Artcores are underrated little guitars. A friend of mine uses one as her main guitar.

I've got an Artcore. Tt works best as a wall decoration. Looks far better than it plays and sounds. The Artcore pictured above doesn't have the shitty Bigsby tailpiece on it though. That "tremolo" system is trash.

Duppin - There are plenty of affordable amps that do the job you're requesting. I'm pretty sure the Fender Blues Jr and the Orange Tiny Terror have been discussed at great length in this thread.

Hah. I had a Blues Junior and got rid of it. That was a mistake.

Is it going to be loud enough for a small room gig/jam session without being miked?

My friend's Artcore plays and sounds nice. It's probably like a lot of cheaper guitars in that you just have to get lucky.

15 watts of tube action is plenty.

Alex_sl said:

I've got an Artcore. Tt works best as a wall decoration. Looks far better than it plays and sounds. The Artcore pictured above doesn't have the shitty Bigsby tailpiece on it though. That "tremolo" system is trash.

Duppin - There are plenty of affordable amps that do the job you're requesting. I'm pretty sure the Fender Blues Jr and the Orange Tiny Terror have been discussed at great length in this thread.

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No offense to anyone that owns one (amps being subjective and all) but the Tiny Terror is one of the worst sounding amps I've ever played. I don't get the love, the Blackstar HT-5 packs it's lunch for half the money.

I don't think the Orange tone is what I want, anyway.

I might check out a Vox a little bit though, since I like their tone. I just don't know how usable it'd be for blues. I could see the scooped mids being a problem.

I'm a fan of the Tiny Terror. Packs a punch and it runs a bit bright - which I like.

Been away for a while, but came in to say that I have committed what many old schoolers would call the ultimate in blasphemy.

I dropped a set of EMGs (81/60) in my Gibson Les Paul Custom.

And it sounds like shit. I haven't had a chance to give them a proper test drive but even at bedroom volume my Epiphone LP sounds great (if you like the EMG sound, which I do), much better than the Gibson. Either something is wrong or EMGs sound much more differently in different guitars than people let on. I did a quick double check on the wiring and made sure the pickups were set at the same height, but other than that I don't have a clue. I did it for shits and giggles anyway but I thought I would at least get some amusement out of it.

Alex_sl said:

I'm a fan of the Tiny Terror. Packs a punch and it runs a bit bright - which I like.

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I love you bro, but that thing sounds like smelly flatulent ballbags.

Um, anyway I guess I'll post this up. I got another Axe-Fx II, so that I can direct record entire jams when I have people over. So now I have a Mark 1 in my desk with my DAW that runs stereo to my FRFR setup (a pair of HD1221s in stereo):



And another one (Mark II) running mono to a Recto 4x12.



This setup is ace, because the Axe-II has two outputs that are individually routable/assignable. I can have a stereo signal from the first one feed my wedges, mono from the second one feeding the cab, and a separate stereo signal (DI or wet) from both of them going into my DAW, all at the same time. It's extra badass not only because I can reamp it all, but if I don't feel like it and if (for example) one of the guitarists likes to play with a shitload of effects or too much gain, I can have the uber-fun tone cranked up in my studio but send a "normal" tone into Reaper.

It's especially cool for metal, because everyone tends to play a little more relaxed/loose (in a good way) when they have too much gain for recording, so I can record a signal that's mixable while at the same time letting me or whoever is playing hear a giant balls to the wall tone live or through headphones. It's pretty damn spiffy.

Rhaiq_sl said:

Been away for a while, but came in to say that I have committed what many old schoolers would call the ultimate in blasphemy.

I dropped a set of EMGs (81/60) in my Gibson Les Paul Custom.

And it sounds like shit. I haven't had a chance to give them a proper test drive but even at bedroom volume my Epiphone LP sounds great (if you like the EMG sound, which I do), much better than the Gibson. Either something is wrong or EMGs sound much more differently in different guitars than people let on. I did a quick double check on the wiring and made sure the pickups were set at the same height, but other than that I don't have a clue. I did it for shits and giggles anyway but I thought I would at least get some amusement out of it.

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Fresh 9v battery? I'm not a big active pickup fan, but every time I've had a guitar and thought "man, this sounds fuckin' awful", it's usually because the battery is on the way out.

Seventh_sl said:

Fresh 9v battery? I'm not a big active pickup fan, but every time I've had a guitar and thought "man, this sounds fuckin' awful", it's usually because the battery is on the way out.

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Fresh out of the box. Did the 18v mod at first, but swapped it back to the single 9v. I'll have to play around with it some more when my wife is at work and not whining about being too loud.

Rhaiq_sl said:

Fresh out of the box. Did the 18v mod at first, but swapped it back to the single 9v. I'll have to play around with it some more when my wife is at work and not whining about being too loud.

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Weird. Can you toss up a clip? Is it getting the full output and just doesn't sound good, or does it sound wrong?

Perhaps it's the Guitar Gods smiting you for putting EMGs in a LP.