The guitar corner

[7/4]

Solo guitar was what I was thinking. Some voicings don't work, but others sound incredibly rich.

Metheny did a solo album with a baritone guitar...

I know someone who wanted to have a 31tet baritone guitar built - well, at least a neck made. He probably didn't get around to it.

[7/4]

Finally got the Tele issue worked out. New guitar arrived this week and everything seems OK.

There's some good news...

What to buy next???

How much money do you have to spend?

[scottb]

Instead of a baritone, have you considered an alto?

Joe Beck used to have a signature alto guitar built by Cort. Not sure they still make it. Same scale length as his signature guitar (24 3/4 I think) but strung with 2 bass strings A to A.

He used it on the duo album POLARITY with Jimmy Bruno. Sounded great, at least in his hands.

Edited May 19, 2008 by scottb

[BFrank]

Finally got the Tele issue worked out. New guitar arrived this week and everything seems OK.

There's some good news...

What to buy next???

How much money do you have to spend?

Not that I NEED another guitar right now. Although I am "GAS-ing" a bit for one of these at the moment.

Paul Reed Smith SE Custom Semi-Hollow - $599

[7/4]

What to buy next???

How much money do you have to spend?

Not that I NEED another guitar right now. Although I am "GAS-ing" a bit for one of these at the moment.

Paul Reed Smith SE Custom Semi-Hollow - $599

Interesting, I'd like to try one. I have a GP review floating around here, I should scan it and post it.

[7/4]

Goldtop, P90s!!!!

I've never seen Zappa with one...

[BFrank]

Never seen him with a Goldtop or with P90s?

... or both?

[7/4]

Never seen him with a Goldtop or with P90s?

... or both?

either or together.

[BFrank]

Well, he did seem to favor Gibson.

[7/4]

Well, he did seem to favor Gibson.

In the early days, yes. On the cover of Shut and Play Your Guitar, he's holding a Les Paul, but by then he started playing Strats a lot.

Still...he's holding a LP, I'm used to a SG.

[BFrank]

Ah, yes........a Strat. I always think of FZ with a Gibson.

[Joe G]

That's where my pants went!

[Cliff Englewood]

If I'm not mistaken, it's also where one of Hendrix's burned up Strats ended up too.

Zappa's "equipment"...

Edited May 27, 2008 by Cliff Englewood

[7/4]

If I'm not mistaken, it's also where one Hendrix's burned up Strats ended up too.

Zappa's "equipment"...

I think that's the one.

[bluemonk]

I've been playing the guitar for about 18 years. What are all you guys guitar setup (e. g. amplifiers, effects, guitars)?

I have always had a small setup, because I hate breaking down and setting up. It's not because I'm lazy, but I've tried to really nail my tone without having to sit up a bunch of equipment. For years I have carried around heavy amps like a Fender Princeton Chorus, but for the last 4-5 years I have played smaller amps and I have noticed that I'm getting the same tone I always had with a smaller amp. I use only a 25-watt amp, but it's enough for me.

My setup:

Guitar:

Fender Startocaster

Amplfier:

Jay Turser Classic-25RC

Effects:

Lexicon MPX-110

Boss DD-6 Digital Delay

Pro Co Rat distortion

Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler (which I just use for short loops)

Loopers:

Boss RC-20XL (I don't have this hooked up)

Electro-Harmonix Memory Man w/ Hazarai (I don't have this hooked up)

Morley volume pedal

That's it, nothing more, nothing less. I prefer a darker, warmer tone, so I always have the 5-way switch in neck position.

[bluemonk]

1956 Gibson GA-20

What a beautiful amplifier! I heard those old Gibson's are amazing!

[BFrank]

I'm just getting back into it after not playing for many years. So, all I've got is what I've recently purchased.

Deluxe Blackout Telecaster

Line 6 Spider III 15

Line 6 Pocket POD

More to come, I'm sure ...

Edited May 30, 2008 by BFrank

[bluemonk]

I'm just getting back into it after not playing for many years. So, all I've got is what I've recently purchased.

Deluxe Blackout Telecaster

Line 6 Spider III 15

Line 6 Pocket POD

More to come, I'm sure ...

How do you like that Line 6 Spider, BFrank? I haven't heard much about those. How many watts is it?

Here the amplifier I currenty use:

It's only 25-watts and has a 10" Celestion speaker in it. It's a very nice sounding amp. Sounds great clean or distorted, which is rare in any kind of amp. It is also a very cheap amp. I only gave $160 for it. It also has chorus and a nice spring reverb built into it, but I really don't need either of these since I use my Lexicon for reverb.

Edited May 30, 2008 by bluemonk

[BFrank]

Now that's a cool-looking amp (the Turser) - apparently sounds as good as it looks, huh?

My Spider is 15w. I'm not an amp expert or connoisseur by any means. When I bought it, I just wanted something small for apartment-playing purposes. Was planning on getting a Fender or Marshall (yes, they make small ones, too), but the salesguy at GC talked me into this for $100. I'm fine with it. Has several effects options, as well, which I wasn't even looking for but glad I have them now.

[7/4]

Here the amplifier I currenty use:

It's only 25-watts and has a 10" Celestion speaker in it. It's a very nice sounding amp. Sounds great clean or distorted, which is rare in any kind of amp. It is also a very cheap amp. I only gave $160 for it. It also has chorus and a nice spring reverb built into it, but I really don't need either of these since I use my Lexicon for reverb.

That's a sweet lookin' amp!

[7/4]

1956 Gibson GA-20

What a beautiful amplifier! I heard those old Gibson's are amazing!

That's the word or so I hear, I don't own it. Some my posts was just equipment that looks cool.

I have a ton of equipment, but here's what I use the most:

- D'Angelico DXL1

- '52 Tele reissue

- mid '90s MIJ Tele Thinline w/Seymour Duncan humbucker by the neck

- G&L S500 with a JI microtonal fretboard

- various Fender tube amps, a newish Pro Jr., two '60's Bassmans, two Line 6 DL4s, Boss RV-3 reverb

* there's a Univalve amp that needs work too, I just wore that thing down...

* a Martin OOOC-15E that needs a truss rod adj with one of their magic proprietary wrenches that I don't own.

and a bunch of other stuff.

[AllenLowe]

ah, I love equipment talk - been selling off some stuff, but my final set includes:

1) custom made head, re-pro of a Tweed Champ with a bright cap added -

2) a Bogen PA rebuilt for guitar, has 4 7868 tubes, though I play it with 2 7868s (still gives it about 50 watts) - and soon to come:

3) a Knight PA rebuilt for guitar, 15 watts, with 2 6v6s (both of these PAs, by the way, were re-built by an amazing guy in Minesota named Jay Graf - they are works of art - what I like about them is that they have no mulitple gain stages, transparent tone controls, are all tube, and are so responsive that they return me to the sense of connection between musician and instrument - also, all his amps have great power tube distortion) -

speakers - basically P12Rs, P12Qs, C12N - all repros made by Weber speaker -

guitars - 1) a weird old cheapo Japanese type semi-hollowbody 335-type refretted with two of the classic '60s Teisco pickups - p90ish in sound wih a bit less depth - 2) a guyatone '60s with a harmony neck and a Lollar P90 in the neck -

3)another weird old cheapo japanese re-fitted with old '60s Japanese pickups (love almost all of these pickups, including the goldfoils; they have a nice mid-range bump without the current-day metal squash that makes everything sound the same) -

though I have virtually no gigs, been practicing daily for about 6 years (1 cd on guitar) - my current wish is for a drummer who would play a SMALL set (just one ride cymbal, bass drum, high hat, maybe snare or tom) - than no matter how hard they play it will be QUIET - all in the service of hillbilly/delta blues gone the way of free jazz -

[7/4]

though I have virtually no gigs, been practicing daily for about 6 years (1 cd on guitar) - my current wish is for a drummer who would play a SMALL set (just one ride cymbal, bass drum, high hat, maybe snare or tom) - than no matter how hard they play it will be QUIET - all in the service of hillbilly/delta blues gone the way of free jazz -

Try a Marshall stack and set 'em straight. Just spin the stack around and point it at the drummer to get a bit of control over the volume. No reason you should get beamed.

I'm thinking you could still use the small amp with an a/b amp switcher. Anytime they get out of line...step on that switch and let 'em know what loud is.

[AllenLowe]

now we're talkin' - drummers - they're so damned EVIL -

[six string]

ah, I love equipment talk - been selling off some stuff, but my final set includes:

1) custom made head, re-pro of a Tweed Champ with a bright cap added -

2) a Bogen PA rebuilt for guitar, has 4 7868 tubes, though I play it with 2 7868s (still gives it about 50 watts) - and soon to come:

3) a Knight PA rebuilt for guitar, 15 watts, with 2 6v6s (both of these PAs, by the way, were re-built by an amazing guy in Minesota named Jay Graf - they are works of art - what I like about them is that they have no mulitple gain stages, transparent tone controls, are all tube, and are so responsive that they return me to the sense of connection between musician and instrument - also, all his amps have great power tube distortion) -

speakers - basically P12Rs, P12Qs, C12N - all repros made by Weber speaker -

guitars - 1) a weird old cheapo Japanese type semi-hollowbody 335-type refretted with two of the classic '60s Teisco pickups - p90ish in sound wih a bit less depth - 2) a guyatone '60s with a harmony neck and a Lollar P90 in the neck -

3)another weird old cheapo japanese re-fitted with old '60s Japanese pickups (love almost all of these pickups, including the goldfoils; they have a nice mid-range bump without the current-day metal squash that makes everything sound the same) -

though I have virtually no gigs, been practicing daily for about 6 years (1 cd on guitar) - my current wish is for a drummer who would play a SMALL set (just one ride cymbal, bass drum, high hat, maybe snare or tom) - than no matter how hard they play it will be QUIET - all in the service of hillbilly/delta blues gone the way of free jazz -

It's too bad you don't live in the Sacramento area, 'cause I'm that kind of drummer and I'm also a guitarist first and foremost. I did a practice session with a band that was looking for a new drummer and after we had played a few songs they asked me if I could play louder! Of course, this was a rock band and not a jazz band, but still I just looked at them kind of sheepishly and said, I'll try. I don't think I really was able to do it satisfactorly. A drummer once told me that he tried to draw the sound out of his drum or cymbal instead of simply striking said instrument to get his sound.

I always think of that when I'm playing. I hate drum solos for the most part and I don't do drum solos myself.

I really prefer playing the guitar most of the time but drums are so much fun to play so I try to keep a balance between the two as far as keeping my chops up.

Not ALL drummers are evil. Some of us listen and serve the song.

Edited June 8, 2008 by six string