Calling All Guitar Experts

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

Hi, folks...I wonder if someone might be able to recommend an all purpose FX/Amp emulator pod. For example, this Line 6 model comes cheap:Line 6 Floor pod and description...but I'm looking for something that might also house and play back MP3's, either through an amp (though I nkow a guitar amp won't be able to handle the sonic range <?>) and/or headphones.I'm probably in the low intermediate range as far as technique goes. I can't really read music, but I can decipher tabs and chords and I have a pretty good knowledge of music and a decent ear. That being said, i could also use some tips on how to do drills to remember scales and improve lead technique, but that's probably getting off topic.A large part of my reason for asking is that the research I have done has led me to be even more confused, so I'm really just looking for a couple of suggestions I can focus on.Anyway, thanks for taking the time to even read this post, let alone make suggestions. I appreciate the feedback, whatever it might be.

Have you thought about doing it on the computer? For $200, you can get a pretty nice sounding interface with a preamp, and from there you can steal all the software you could imagine...recording, modeling, effects, etc., and obviously play back .mp3s.If you have a laptop, or don't mind practicing at your desk, and care to mess with that stuff at all, I think it's better value. But I get the appeal of the little selfcontained box. I don't know any pedals that will actually house .mp3s, but they pretty much all have AUX input, and all have 3.5mm out, and in that price range they should all have comparable sampling rates, etc. Scrolling through menus is annoying, so the more buttons the better, but they all do what they do, sound pretty good, and other than the built-in mp3 thing which I know nothing about, they all roughly do what you would need from them. I have a digitech 300a that I used to use for practicing quietly, and I used to have the highest end Line 6 but sold it...for our uses, the cheap ones aren't really much worse. You can also get some really nice little amps pretty cheap nowadays. The Fender Mustang I is $99, and has a ton of cool shit, and has AUX and 3.5mm out. Probably better value than a digital effects box as well, really, if this is purely for practicing. As for drills for memorizing scales, I don't know what they teach now. I did -- and continue to do -- it the old fashion way: repetition. Writing them out helps too. But of all the things to practice, scales are the easiest. They are perfect for playing on the couch and just knocking the muscle memory out passively. As for lead technique, I hear a lot of people rave about a book called Chord Tone Soloing, but the technique of chord tone soloing requires a working understanding of music theory imo, and either you grasp it and don't need a book, or need a foundation. Maybe the book is beginner(to theory)-friendly and builds that foundation, but I haven't looked at it. That's about my only idea there, other than lots of improving over records, and lots of lick stealing and reapplication.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

I'm now up to 5 telecasters:1. Highway One, now with stacked buckers, which gigs out with me.2. Custom made 200y/o Georgia Pine broadcaster-type tele with really raunchy Bill Lawrence pickups (butterscotch blonde, black pickguard, maple, etc.)3. Cheap Xaviere thinline that is my beater, that gets played a lot, is insane value, stock. I've recorded it. 4. CVC tele, as mentioned, which I adore. very glassy and beautiful. So I needed a bass guitar, and I decided to get a CV P-bass in sonic blue, and I love my CVC so much that I decided to buy another, and either ruin it with a B-bender or just hoard it, as who knows if they will discontinue this weird ultra-value line. So I am working them over, pretending I don't have enough cash for the deal they just pretended to get cleared for by putting in their mythical "managers' code"...you know, typical Guitar Center shit. And while he was pretending to talkto a manager, I wandered into the used guitar room, and picked up a 62RI. It sounds slightly better than the CVC, feels a bit better, looks a lot better, and costs like $1000 more. So...5. 62RI. I'm a true degenerate.(You have the '52, right RAC? I think I would prefer the '52 slightly, sonically, but I am a very shallow person, and like those faggy colors)I'm down to one SSS strat, I sold my Charvel (took a $300 hit, which is sick, but people are honestly starting to think I'm insane, so I need to thin out the herd), down to one hollow, down to two acoustics, out of SGs, and thinking of selling another LP. Sea change.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I'm now up to 5 telecasters:1. Highway One, now with stacked buckers, which gigs out with me.2. Custom made 200y/o Georgia Pine broadcaster-type tele with really raunchy Bill Lawrence pickups (butterscotch blonde, black pickguard, maple, etc.)3. Cheap Xaviere thinline that is my beater, that gets played a lot, is insane value, stock. I've recorded it. 4. CVC tele, as mentioned, which I adore. very glassy and beautiful. So I needed a bass guitar, and I decided to get a CV P-bass in sonic blue, and I love my CVC so much that I decided to buy another, and either ruin it with a B-bender or just hoard it, as who knows if they will discontinue this weird ultra-value line. So I am working them over, pretending I don't have enough cash for the deal they just pretended to get cleared for by putting in their mythical "managers' code"...you know, typical Guitar Center shit. And while he was pretending to talkto a manager, I wandered into the used guitar room, and picked up a 62RI. It sounds slightly better than the CVC, feels a bit better, looks a lot better, and costs like $1000 more. So...5. 62RI. I'm a true degenerate.(You have the '52, right RAC? I think I would prefer the '52 slightly, sonically, but I am a very shallow person, and like those faggy colors)I'm down to one SSS strat, I sold my Charvel (took a $300 hit, which is sick, but people are honestly starting to think I'm insane, so I need to thin out the herd), down to one hollow, down to two acoustics, out of SGs, and thinking of selling another LP. Sea change.

Yeah, my #1 is a 52RI. Love it. But the 62 is very cool. I'd love to have a Rosewood Neck with a "C" shape. Wildwood had some great 62 thin skins and I nearly bought a light relic in Fiesta Red. I still think of it as the one that got away. I've never been able to A/B the 52/62 pick-ups.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

They sound fairly similar, really. The '62 is a better guitar for me. I like the way it looks, I have girlish little hands, and I like to use telecasters as sort of padding...filling out little spaces with a little bit of guitar here and there, and a twangy, dignified tele is sort of my favorite sound for that. The 62 is a little twangier, a little glassier, a little strattier, which is what I need. But who doesn't want an insane, sex-crazed, angry '52-type sound? I will have one someday.(My pine broadcaster fills that sound, but I still want the AVRI, because there is something deeply wrong with me.)I suppose this guitar will probably be my home #1.Wildwood is like porn. Did you see that insane selection of cool, vintage-color "Wildwood 10" CS strats they used to have? I still kick myself for not buying the Maui Blue one.

[Mercury69 3]

Thx for the nice reply, David. I will continue the research...

[SBriand 4]

Thx for the nice reply, David. I will continue the research...

I may be misunderstanding what you are looking for but I thought I would offer this up to youhttp://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails....mp;ParentId=248

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

They sound fairly similar, really. The '62 is a better guitar for me. I like the way it looks, I have girlish little hands, and I like to use telecasters as sort of padding...filling out little spaces with a little bit of guitar here and there, and a twangy, dignified tele is sort of my favorite sound for that. The 62 is a little twangier, a little glassier, a little strattier, which is what I need. But who doesn't want an insane, sex-crazed, angry '52-type sound? I will have one someday.(My pine broadcaster fills that sound, but I still want the AVRI, because there is something deeply wrong with me.)I suppose this guitar will probably be my home #1.Wildwood is like porn. Did you see that insane selection of cool, vintage-color "Wildwood 10" CS strats they used to have? I still kick myself for not buying the Maui Blue one.

I'm just a "Serious Amateur" with a little passion for the instrument. And I have more Guitars than I "need". I'd hate to see where I'd be if I could "justify" more purchases with gigs, recording sessions, or even at least some actual talent.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

I may be misunderstanding what you are looking for but I thought I would offer this up to youhttp://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails....mp;ParentId=248

That looks like exactly what he is looking for.

I'm just a "Serious Amateur" with a little passion for the instrument. And I have more Guitars than I "need". I'd hate to see where I'd be if I could "justify" more purchases with gigs, recording sessions, or even at least some actual talent.

I have no talent. I just practice just enough to retain some of the skill I developed when I was 12 years old and practiced a lot. I think it's exactly 50/50 whether or not you are better than me.I certainly can't justify a $1,300 guitar that sounds like a $350 guitar I already own, to do little guitar fills on an occasional home recording. Even I can't really listen back and tell you which telecaster I used where, and I am working from memory. And I don't even use this stuff live. I bought that $2,000 HSS, which was my #1 stage guitar for months. Then I put the same pickups in an MIM, and it sounded the same. Then I upgraded some squiers, sold the MIM, and retired the $2,000. I don't even like gigging nice guitars, because I WILL break them, and my night after the gigs is ruined if I have $6,000 worth of shit sitting somewhere while I try to sleep with some coked up 18y/o's chubby girlfriend. There is no justification for these guitars at all, and I am exceptionally sick for buying them.

[Mercury69 3]

I may be misunderstanding what you are looking for but I thought I would offer this up to youhttp://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails....mp;ParentId=248

That's pretty much exactly it, Steve. Thanks for the link. I will take a good long look at this cool tool

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

So. We have a cool 100 year old home that we've been renovating. A few years ago we moved out for an entire year while we did some pretty major work. 2 story addition, full kitchen, lots of other stuff. We also built a Garage. It is a "Dutch Colonial" design (like a barn). So there is space above the main level. It is approximately 20X20. It has always been the plan to turn this space into a Studio area. With the economy and other issues, we've been delaying finishing off the space. There was a bathroom we needed to do get done. Replace some windows. This month we decided to do a rebuild on our front porch to get it up to the standards of the remainder of the home. This past week I had to go to Austin for work and the porch work was due to start the day after I left for Austin.When I returned home on Friday my wife's car was parked in the Drive. She never does this. She came out and took me into the Garage. She had decided to have the Contractor do the finish work on the garage. My wife is a pretty big enabler of my music gear addiction. She'd hoped for it to be complete by the time I got back to surprise me. They did everything but the Dry Wall - wiring, insulation, door frames and other stuff is complete and looks GREAT......so freaking cool!

[mk 11]

...so freaking cool!

sweet, let us know what gear you start filling it in with so we can all be jealous

[LongLiveYorke 38]

...so freaking cool!

Pics!!

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Pics!!

I'll try and get some today.Electricians are here right now. Need to get a 220 line so I can heat the space. Then they can drywall. After that, I'll paint & put in a Floor and the actual base board heating units. And then finally start putting in some gear.For recording equipment I'll probably go with some sort of Mac set-up. I also have my eye on a reel to reel recorder (8 tracks). I can probably get a good Tascam 388 for $500 if I can wait for the right one.

[mk 11]

For recording equipment I'll probably go with some sort of Mac set-up. I also have my eye on a reel to reel recorder (8 tracks). I can probably get a good Tascam 388 for $500 if I can wait for the right one.

My 2c, I'd say don't even bother with the tape machine. This plug-in sounds awesome to me, even on drums and stuff. I bought it after hearing Michael Brauer rave about it. I really can't tell the difference between the new UA tape modeling plugs and real tape. The PSP vintage warmer plug sounds great on a lot of stuff too. I find myself reaching for it maybe a little too often... If you're thinking of buying any outboard gear, I'd spend money on some really good mic pres and a compressor or two.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

My 2c, I'd say don't even bother with the tape machine. This plug-in sounds awesome to me, even on drums and stuff. I bought it after hearing Michael Brauer rave about it. I really can't tell the difference between the new UA tape modeling plugs and real tape. The PSP vintage warmer plug sounds great on a lot of stuff too. I find myself reaching for it maybe a little too often... If you're thinking of buying any outboard gear, I'd spend money on some really good mic pres and a compressor or two.

Great advice & I appreciate it. I definitely hear you on the pre-amps and compressors. Those get expensive fast. If I do get the R2R Machine it will be because I am a geezer and just like R2R and tubes.

[AmScray 355]

Picked up this exact Ovation 4861, with hardshell, on craigslist....... for $100. It had a hairline crack in the top (as damn near all vintage Ovations do, due to the polymer/wood interplay and how climate effects that). He had it advertised as "cracked top due to missing internal X Brace member". I suspected the seller had freaked out about the crack, received very shitty info about root cause of said crack and was panic-selling for peanuts... Sure enough, internal bracing fine. Just a run of the mill vintage Ovie with a hairline on the top. These were Korean made, but as fine an instrument as the American models. Shallow bowl. This is from that time in the 80's when imports were lower labor cost, exact same quality specs. It's as good as any of my other American Ovations. Been playing the **** out of it for the past few hours- with Elixr nanos, sounds great. Haven't plugged it in yet.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I'll try and get some today.

The Man CaveInside 1:Inside 2Outside (Note the Vicious Pitbull Guard Dog):

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Picked up this exact Ovation 4861, with hardshell, on craigslist....... for $100. It had a hairline crack in the top (as damn near all vintage Ovations do, due to the polymer/wood interplay and how climate effects that). He had it advertised as "cracked top due to missing internal X Brace member". I suspected the seller had freaked out about the crack, received very shitty info about root cause of said crack and was panic-selling for peanuts... Sure enough, internal bracing fine. Just a run of the mill vintage Ovie with a hairline on the top. These were Korean made, but as fine an instrument as the American models. Shallow bowl. This is from that time in the 80's when imports were lower labor cost, exact same quality specs. It's as good as any of my other American Ovations. Been playing the **** out of it for the past few hours- with Elixr nanos, sounds great. Haven't plugged it in yet.

Great score. In the Early 80s that was THE Guitar to have. It was everywhere.

[mk 11]

The Man Cave

looks great. the low ceilings should help keep any acoustic treatment to a minimum.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Dry wall is in. Mud and tape done. Just waiting for the sanding then I can paint and put in the floor.And my guitar build is going nicely. Just put on the color coats. Daphne is a little darker than I'd expected. Next comes the clear coat and then I have to wait for 30 days before wet sanding.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Dry wall is in. Mud and tape done. Just waiting for the sanding then I can paint and put in the floor.And my guitar build is going nicely. Just put on the color coats. Daphne is a little darker than I'd expected. Next comes the clear coat and then I have to wait for 30 days before wet sanding.

So...I made this post from the local Coffee Shop. Literally moments after making the post, my cell phone rang. It was my wife telling me that the Sander was working on the dry wall. Of course he was supposed to be at the house @ 8:30. When he hadn't shown by 10:00 I figured he was a no show or the Contractor had gotten confused and meant the guy would be working on Monday, not Sunday. So it was off to the Coffee Shop for me. With my freshly painted guitar drying in the middle of the room.After getting the call from my wife I hightailed it home. When I entered the Man Cave he was blaring Black Sabbath. Everything (including the sander dude) was covered in 1/4 inch of drywall dust. Instead of blue, my guitar was white.I looked at him. "Are you ****ing kidding me?!?" I was so pissed, my hands were shaking.I dismantled my little paint stand and went to clean the dust from the body. I think it'll be OK, but geez.

[Mercury69 3]

Stupid Workman Tricks

Oh, jeez...talk about oblivious...Workman: "I will not consider the fact that there is a blue guitar carefully laid out in the middle of the floor in my work area, nor will I consider the consequences of what hours of drywall residue creation will do to said guitar. In fact, i won't even think about moving it or covering it up"

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Decided to put a little more color on the body. Very glad I did. Then today a little light sanding and she was ready for Clear. I am using Nitro so the paint needs to gas out for 30 days before wet sanding and buffing. Even with the extra Color coats this is a VERY Thin Skin. I won't be shocked if I see some sand thru with just the Wet Sanding. Which is fine - I'm not building her as a Relic, but am fine with the fact that she is going to age very quickly.Need to order a Neck Plate and a custom decal for the Headstock.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Clear Coat all done and she is resting comfortably as the Nitro gasses out.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Clear Coat all done and she is resting comfortably as the Nitro gasses out.

Wet sanded, polished, and buffed.Neck is coming along nicely. Ordered custom decals.Next comes hardware, wiring and completing neck (tuners, nut, string tee). And then finally putting neck on the body.