The Official Guitar Thread

Checking back in. I put the EMGs back in my Epi. I dialed in a decent tone with them but decided to go back to passives in my Gibson. I was pretty surprised at how much I had to re-EQ the LP Custom vs the Epi LP Standard. When I got everything right, they sounded like good ol EMGs, just a bit different. Could be the ebony fretboard maybe.

Anyways, I recently started getting into magnet swapping. My latest "invention" is a Gibson 498T with an unoriented alnico 5 magnet instead of the stock alnico 5. I've always thought the 498T was a decent pickup, although oddly paired with a 490R usually, which is totally different. The 498T-UOA5 though, is a fantastic pickup. It tames the harshness of the stock A5 and also tightens the bottom end, unlike the alnico 2 magnet mod which made the bottom end pretty spongy to me. I have it paired with an Alnico 2 Pro neck. Haven't had the chance to do a thorough test run with decent volume yet though. They seem to go together pretty well from what I can tell so far.

If you're a pickup junkie like I am, I highly recommend reading up on swapping magnets. You can create an entirely new pickup for $5 or less. Now I just have to buy another damn guitar so I can get my fix.

I traded in the PRS and got something else. I'm tentative to post it though because I feel like I've been monopolizing the thread.

Duppin_sl said:

I traded in the PRS and got something else. I'm tentative to post it though because I feel like I've been monopolizing the thread.

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I hope you're buying things that you can return, instead of getting chain-fucked on trade-ins man.

Yeah, it's all been returns. But mostly I'm just in the progress of figuring out what I like and don't like, plus it's all been relatively cheap stuff anyway.

Here it is:


It's a Ibanez Artcore AF75, basically their take on an ES-175. It's hard to tell from that pic due to the lighting, but it is bright orange. Which is unique and makes me laugh.

Man, I love that guitar but it's driving me bonkers. If I touch the trem, it goes out of tune in a heartbeat.

Anybody have any good tips for dealing with a tremolo system and minimizing the hassle? I'm going to try changing strings and graphiting the nut slots today, anybody have any other ideas?

I have an Artcore as well - I think even the same model but in blue. Guitar sucks because of the Bigsby style tremolo. Damn thing sends the guitar out of tune every time. The guitar looks good though, so I keep it as a wall decoration.

THE ENDLESS CHAIN OF RETURNS CONTINUES:

I'm about to add some toys to the arsenal. I started playing Les Pauls back in the late 80's due to my favorite band being The Cult and my favorite guitarist being Billy Duffy. Now Gretsch guitars is making a Billy Duffy signature White Falcon hollow body, based on the late 70's run of the guitar. Here's a pic I took at a Cult concert last Sunday night in Nashville with Billy playing the original, and a pic of the new guitar made by Gretsch. Also about to pick up a new amp to replace my practice 2x12 combo. The new Fender Supersonic heads sound ridiculous and have MUCH more bite than the older versions. The 60watt head through a 2x12 cabinet is absolutely perfect for my needs.

LOVE white falcons. Gorgeous looking guitars. When I am a little further along, I might end up with one.

The Godin sounded great last night, but hoo boy I have to be careful of feedback.

I GOT A ZENDRIVE

So traded in my VOX NightTrain 15/mesa boogie 1x12 cab and an SG standard that I had a love/hate relationship with (neck heavy seems like just a random bullet point until you try to play it awhile) ... for a new AC30.

Complete overkill and at 75 pounds the chances of it making it out of my basement to a random jam are probably zero... but god damn. I guess I need to find a way to gig instead. The fact that I can dial in amazing clean or overdrive tones at any volume is really spectacular though, and the chime works amazingly well with the blender on my strat (or with my tele).

I also finally bought a fuzz pedal (settled on the Keeley Fuzz Head) and what a monster that thing is with the headroom on the AC30. I'm honestly kind of astonished at the crunch I can get with my single coils (granted, ever so slightly overwound given that they're the newest rendition of the CS Texas Specials).

Nice, man, congrats. That Vox tone is something unique. I don't know if it's something I'd want to use all the time, but it's cool in the right places.

The Zendrive is goddamn amazing. Way better tone than any other OD pedal I've tried so far, and it rolls off really nicely with the volume pot on the guitar.

http://www.justinguitar.com/has excellent free lessons.

Duppin_sl said:

Nice, man, congrats. That Vox tone is something unique. I don't know if it's something I'd want to use all the time, but it's cool in the right places.

The Zendrive is goddamn amazing. Way better tone than any other OD pedal I've tried so far, and it rolls off really nicely with the volume pot on the guitar.

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I'm just tired of Fender clean tones. The AC30 can do clean really well, too, but more importantly I find that it is super easy to find that sweet spot between clean and overdrive where you can use dynamics to start causing breakup. Really sweet sound.

Araysar_sl said:

so whats a good way for beginners to start leaning?

i got a nice acoustic that i havent used in 10 years, i forgot everything, and my fingers are old and inflexible.

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Honestly, the best way to learn is simply to focus on motivation. YouTube is awesome for a lot of people because you can find lessons to play simple (or simplified) versions of their favorite tunes quickly and easily. Once you get a feel for the fretboard and basic chords again you'llwantto invest to the time in the theory and mastery part... which is all lessons/books/thinking/practice.

Palum_sl said:

I'm just tired of Fender clean tones. The AC30 can do clean really well, too, but more importantly I find that it is super easy to find that sweet spot between clean and overdrive where you can use dynamics to start causing breakup. Really sweet sound.

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You'd love the Zendrive then. It's super super sensitive to playing dynamics. I don't think I'll need another OD pedal ever.

You might accidentally shoot yourself trying to play it, so that's a plus.

^^^ Congrats on the Zendrive. I didn't know of them by name, did a quick look on the net. Seems to be a really good pedal.

- - - - -

My latest adventure - this might sound a bit trivial/ obvious. It shows my lack of knowledge . . . but I figured I'd share as someone's likely to find interest or learn from it.

I've got 2 guitars, a Strat and Les Paul. I had been getting the same strings for the guitars that it came with them.

Strat: .009 .011 .016 .024 .032 .042 = super light
LP: .010 .013 .017 .026 .036 .046 = regular light

But had ( over a slow course of time ) came to think that the high E string on the Strat felt just a little too light. It never seemed to ring out too loud, so playing it I always had to be mindful that the E needed a bit of extra force with the pick to bring it up to the sound/vol of the other strings.

So when I recently got some more strings I figured I'd get the same for both. Big surprise to me that the step up in string gauge threw out the setup for the trem. I was only half way through tuning the guitar when I noticed that the trem was angled up in the air like the back end of Titanic sinking. I loosened the strings off right away then realised I had to find out how to best setup the guitar. I had been hesitant to take the back off the guitar as I usually have a "If it works, don't mess with it" attitude.

I found this guy's video:



Now note that he speaks with quite a strong accent. It seems strongest during his intro, once he goes into the body of the explanation his speech is clearer so is easier to understand.

His technique worked really well and I'm happy with the results.

To summarize his technique:

Using the G string as a guide you're wanting to achieve 3 semi-tones of tremolo travel. He tightens the claw screws in the back over-tight ( he does it a big amount, I just went in a bit extra, an estimate that was pretty good )

Then uses a pad of post-it notes to hold the tremolo at a height which is adjustable as you go, firstly in the back position, tunes the string to G.

Then uses the tremolo arm to set the tremolo until the string will play an E, which gives you the desired 3 semi-tones, meaning that the G string playing an E now means that the trem is in it's correct and final height.

Here is where the post-it note pad is used cleverly, flipping in or out extra pages until the trem is held solidly in the correct height, tuning in the 'E' by using the Post-it note pages.

When the trem is at the correct height, held by the Post-it note pad, you then tune the guitar all strings correctly.

Take out the Post-it note pad, the over-tight claw screws will mean the guitar will go out of tune again, but you then bring the guitar back into tune by winding out the claw screws until the guitar is in tune. The trem will now be sitting at an ideal height.

Hope that's helpful / clear enough