Messages

1

Electric Guitars / Re: NGD- Epiphone Dot Deluxe!

« on: September 16, 2012, 09:33:50 AM »

Hey DB...I was just curious, so I checked your posts for "NGD" over the past several months, and discovered seven (LOL)!!

Do you think we should both seek professional help for our affliction? 

Don't bother, it's incurable.....but at least it isn't fatal! 
Many side effects however, such as spousal abuse for one. 

2

Amplifiers / Re: Name Some

« on: September 16, 2012, 09:28:10 AM »

"and does the job all right, anyway..." I quoted that because that's what counts. I love my '09 Squier CV 50's Tele and it's "seasoned to taste". Works for me!

One of the reasons I really like this group of forums.....very few gear snobs in attendance. If it sounds good (to you), it is good, regardless if it cost $100 or $4000. 

3

Amplifiers / Re: Name Some

« on: September 14, 2012, 03:49:34 PM »

zag, i repeatedly go back to the epi valve jr.  it's chinese made, but it is so sweet and simple...forgetting i had put a celestion vintage speaker in the epi cab, i was playing a schecter pt through the epi head and cab, and thought 'my gosh! i forgot how clean and sparkly this thing really is'.  yeah, very under the radar what one can get out of the epi setup. wish i had bought one of the combos when they were around and not 'changed'.

Yeah, I'd like to nab one o' those Epi combos too. Saw one awhile back, but the opportunity caught me off guard (aka, out of dough).

Looking for a very simple low wattage combo tube amp (it's made in China) full of tone & reasonably priced, check out the new Fender Excelsior. I've had mine several weeks now and am lovin' it.

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Amplifiers / Re: Name Some

« on: September 02, 2012, 04:56:19 PM »

Hang on a minute are you saying if something is not made in the USA it is no good?.....

I didn't read that anywhere in this post. 

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Amplifiers / Re: Name Some

« on: September 01, 2012, 12:34:29 AM »

............. Peavey is USA made, sub $1k................

Yeah, the Peavey classics and Delta Blues are the first that come to my mind. I'm not sure if Fender's Super Sonic 22 is made in USA or Mexico. It's price is just over $1k most often, but you can find them for <$1k.
In general, there aren't many!

6

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 16, 2012, 10:47:27 PM »

Reb,
You're exactly correct about pup changeouts, and that's why I'm not jumping into it immediately. So far I've played it through my Ibanez TSA15H w/ 2X12 (V30 and G12H), Fender Supersonic 22, and Fender Blues Deluxe reissue w/ matching ext. cab. Tonight I played it for the first time @ band practice with the super sonic 22. Early in the practice I felt the low "E" was weak. Toward the end...not as much, so who knows. This weekend I'm going to a party/jam picnic and should get to try it with a makeshift group, so I'll be watching and listening again. Maybe I can get someone else to play it while I step back and listen closely.

I did measure the FG-101n (SD stock neck pup) versus the TV Jones filtertron and the width is identical, but the length (along axis of strings) is 1/8" more for the TV Jones. So if I decide, 1/16" per side shouldn't be too much trouble to open up. I'd hate to go to the trouble and expense and then find out it's more related to another electronic component in the guitar's wiring and not the pup. I have two other guitars w/ Seymour Duncan HB pup's and they certainly have no weaknesses IMO.

Well, patience is a virtue and I struggle to find any 

7

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 15, 2012, 02:07:13 PM »

That's possible, but I'd like to get the filtertron sound since I already have two other guitars w/ humbuckers. I played some more this morning including on another amp and for sure, the filtertron is a little weak on the low "E" string. I tweaked pu height and pole piece hts. and got it as good as it's going to get. Don't get me wrong, it isn't bad, but not perfect and I'm cursed w/ striving for perfection  . I own 5 tube amps, and there is something "wrong" with every one of them. 

It's going to stay the way it is for now and then I'll start measuring and looking @ the options w/ TV Jones later.

All in all, I do like the guitar and this is the only negative thing I can say about it.

8

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 15, 2012, 09:58:49 AM »

A lot of people replace their stock pickups on budget friendly guitars.  You could always swap them out for TV Jones or Powertrons (higher output Filtertrons).  Of course you can add some humbuckers too..

Yes, I'm giving that some thought....especially a TV Jones filtertron for the neck. Don't know about the physical fit to replace the FG-101n Seymour Duncan filtron, but it's somewhat premature as I want to thoroughly test the stock one before doing anything.

I was on the TV Jones website last night checking out the various pu's and I read about Brian Setzer. So I dug up some old Stray Cats tunes plus Brian's version of the old Santo and Johnny 'Sleepwalk". WOW, that guy can play a guitar!

In the past, I've always been satisfied w/ stock pickups in the guitars I've bought and I always buy the same price range guitars....$500-$600. More testing today including another amp.

9

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 14, 2012, 02:51:31 PM »

Wow, cool looking guitar.. I've never associated with the brand for that style of guitar.  Congrats and happy new guitar day!

Thanks DB.

Yes, I always thought of Schecter as making guitars for the heavy metal crowd, but this one is as it's name suggests- Vintage

Checked out the action today, and tweaked it a bit...that's all good. Only negative I have so far on the guitar, is the bass side, and mainly only the low E, on the filtertron (neck) pu is a bit weak. I adjusted the height and the individual pole piece as much as I could, but it is still a little weaker than the other 5 strings. And this guitar is definitely more trebly than any of my others, so that takes some adjusting on my part. I had to make major setting changes to the amp to compensate.

Maybe it's partly the combination of the amp and guitar. I'll try another amp in the next few days.

In the process I broke the #1 e string, so I changed them all. My Epi Wildkat also has a Bigsby so I new what I was getting into and was reminded of what a PITA changing strings is on a Bigsby equipped guitar. So far I've never had to do that on a gig, but I didn't use the Wildkat a lot for gigs. It's only a matter of time.

Tradeoffs 

10

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 14, 2012, 12:14:41 AM »

Tested the Schecter Solo Vintage (http://www.schecterguitars.com/products/guitar/solo-vintage.aspx) tonight and purchased it. Excellent workmanship...couldn't be better. Brought it home and played it for a couple of hours. The sound is definitely different with the filtertron pu in the neck paired w/ the humbucker in the bridge. I like that. I doubt if I'll use the coil tap much, if at all. Sounds a bit weak and thin, but that may be because all I ever play is humbuckers and p-90's.

Playability and action is quite good as received. I did adjust the bass side of the filtertron up since the low E string was weaker sounding than the others. Now tomorrow I'll get out my feeler guages and compare the action height with my other guitars just because I'm curious. I have tweaked the others.

I think the video I previously linked http://vimeo.com/17789011 gives a good representation of the tones you can expect. Quite happy so far, but let's see in a couple months and after a couple gigs once the 'new' has worn off.

Thanks, Reb for suggesting Schecter. I probably wouldn't have looked there otherwise. 

EDIT: Forgot to mention...this guitar is very heavy even though it is slightly thinner than a LP...solid mahogany. Should sustain very well.

11

Amplifiers / Re: Marshall's new 1 watt amps

« on: August 06, 2012, 11:05:11 PM »

Not for me. Nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away and I play in a well insulated (6" walls), large room attached to my garage.
I can just let 'r rip . My dog sings along if I get too crazy though. 

12

Electric Guitars / Re: NGD---- GIBSON SG 60'S TRIBUTE

« on: August 06, 2012, 10:56:13 PM »

watching some movie with carl malden last night...they were running from the cia in berlin...and hid out in a 'transvestite bar'...i can see where a person might think to toss a tranny through a window...reminds me of the kinks song....

L-O-L-A, Lola

I was thinkin' "You really got me".

Nah, listen to the words of Lola....she was a tranny.  i.e. "...walked like a woman, talked like a man..." 

13

Electric Guitars / Re: NGD---- GIBSON SG 60'S TRIBUTE

« on: August 06, 2012, 07:17:33 PM »

watching some movie with carl malden last night...they were running from the cia in berlin...and hid out in a 'transvestite bar'...i can see where a person might think to toss a tranny through a window...reminds me of the kinks song....

L-O-L-A, Lola

14

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 05, 2012, 05:03:11 PM »

One word...... Nice! Question is, what kind do YOU think? After lookin' at that, I'd think it'd be worth a try. Me, I'm not much of a trem guy, otherwise I think you'll be cool with it.

Prior to hearing that demo I was very neutral, having only catalogue pictures and written descriptions to go by. Now, I'm fairly confident about the features, and sound. I really, really like what I heard on the video. It will be a matter of playability and 'up-close' quality of construction. The nice thing about tremelos is that if you don't care to use them, their presence doesn't hurt anything, EXCEPT that string changes are more difficult/time consuming. I'm already familiar with the best ways to use a tremelo to minimize it's tendency to go out of tune.....the Bigsbys all have that tendency.

15

Electric Guitars / Re: Looking for a new solid body w/ tremelo.

« on: August 05, 2012, 02:45:54 PM »

Have you seen the Agile guitars? I have (2) AL-2000 guitars, both of which I like very much. I do not have the Floyd models, but the AL-2000 models are very nice for the price.

Here are a couple of AL-2000 Floyds...
http://www.rondomusic.com/cgi-rondomusic/sb/productsearch.cgi?search_field=AL+2000+floyd&storeid=*0e5ce43b1b6d411cec

I'm totally unfamiliar w/ Agile Guitars. From your link, looks like they would be a candidate for further investigation if I don't like the Schecter.

BTW, the local Schecter dealer emailed me yesterday to advise that the Solo Vintage he ordered was in stock and has been shipped....so hopefully this week I can give it a try.

And meanwhile, some of my further research turned up this video, which is quite convincing: http://vimeo.com/17789011
Opinions?