Calling All Guitar Experts

[SBriand 4]

I like the first one.I've been lurking the last few pages...I play acoustic and just **** about, make up songs that last a week, play a cover. I learned tons of stuff from you all explaining to Fargo. I have no idea if my guitar is in good shape. Do all of you that focus mainly on electric guitars(as in a huge wealth of knowledge about them) play in bands?I don't think I'd ever get one unless I was planning on playing on stage. Dutch said "stage instruments" so thats pretty obvious.

I don't play in a band but I have 4 electrics because I don't play acoustic music for the most part. The music I generally play is the metal and the metal does not work on an acoustic guitar. An electric guitar gives you endless tonal possibilities. You can create your own personal sound using different pickups, using different amps and effect, hell, even the way you wire your pickups. An acoustic has one sound and one sound only (unless it is an electric acoustic) so you are limited.I have 4 because each one has it's own sound and characteristics. Also, I play in various tunings so it's easier to have more than one guitar or you are always tuning and adjusting your guitar just to play different songs.I have my strat, which I have tuned to Eb. I use this mostly for blues and some british style rock.I have my schecter omen 6 which is my metal guitar. Tuned to drop C. Installed a Seymour Duncan SH-6 Super Distortion in the bridge for more output so it does the metal the way I want my metal to sound.I have my Ibanez RG which is tuned to either drop D or standard, since it's fixed bridge and easy to tune back and forth between the two. This is my versatile guitar. Plays metal good but the pickups lack some output. But the pickups are wired in a way that I can get some good strat like tones out of it. I have been playing this guitar the most lately. I get in moods where I favor one guitar over the other. I have a seymour duncan JB and Jazz set but I haven't decided if I install them though. Then I have my Ibanez S which sadly has been at Ibanez getting repaired for over a month. This guitar has a really thin body and it is made of mahogany so it has a nice warm sound compared to my other guitars that are basswood. This guitar has a floating bridge so it is tuned to standard and left there because, well if you knew about floating bridges you would know why. This again is pretty versatile, I don't like the pickups much for metal but it does other things well in the short time I have played it.

[SlapStick 0]

Well that makes a lot of obvious sense....but then how do you pick up chicks?

[SBriand 4]

Well that makes a lot of obvious sense....but then how do you pick up chicks?

I already have one. lol

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

OK, I'm seriously sick. Much like the Mark V, this strat would limit my number of stage instruments to two, so I've rationalized it. But which color do I want, keeping in mind that I dress like an asshole, and that my current main strat is fiesta red? (I have no fingerboard biases.)

Black with White. Strong presence.That red is interesting, but has no "pop". I'd like it better in Candy Apple.Black on Black is tempting, but can sort of disappear and seem a little gimmicky.Two Tone Burst is cool, but doesn't say "Modern Rock" to me. I think of Blues and perhaps some classic rock for two tone.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I like the first one.I've been lurking the last few pages...I play acoustic and just **** about, make up songs that last a week, play a cover. I learned tons of stuff from you all explaining to Fargo. I have no idea if my guitar is in good shape. Do all of you that focus mainly on electric guitars(as in a huge wealth of knowledge about them) play in bands?I don't think I'd ever get one unless I was planning on playing on stage. Dutch said "stage instruments" so thats pretty obvious.

I don't play too actively these days. My playing partner moved to DC a year ago so that really sucked some of my playing momentum away. I do play with a couple of "bands" and we'll do the occasional party gig or open mic nite. I am considering stepping up my commitment to playing a little. Also building a "Man Cave" that will include a recording studio. Should be done by the end of next Summer. Constrained more by time than anything else at this point.Some of my tinkering is to keep my mind in the game. By buying (and now building) guitars, it keeps that part of my brain active.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I already have one. lol

Chicks are like guns and guitars, you can have more than you need, but not as many as you want......ummm, gotta go, here comes my wife.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

Black with White. Strong presence.That red is interesting, but has no "pop". I'd like it better in Candy Apple.Black on Black is tempting, but can sort of disappear and seem a little gimmicky.Two Tone Burst is cool, but doesn't say "Modern Rock" to me. I think of Blues and perhaps some classic rock for two tone.

Those are my preferences too, I think...at first I was thinking that the black on black had too strong a David Gilmour association, and the black on white with maple had too strong a Clapton association, but then I remembered my audience is composed of scenesters whose sense of identity and style is a compromise between EMO and VH1's I Luv the '80s, even though they were mostly born in the '90s, and thus I could play Lucile and no one would bat an eye. (For the record, I hate Floyd and Clapton pretty hard)Still, I always like them on paper, but in person the black ones seem a little sterile. I think it's down to the black ones and the red one.

[SBriand 4]

Chicks are like guns and guitars, you can have more than you need, but not as many as you want......ummm, gotta go, here comes my wife.

haha

Those are my preferences too, I think...at first I was thinking that the black on black had too strong a David Gilmour association, and the black on white with maple had too strong a Clapton association, but then I remembered my audience is composed of scenesters whose sense of identity and style is a compromise between EMO and VH1's I Luv the '80s, even though they were mostly born in the '90s, and thus I could play Lucile and no one would bat an eye. (For the record, I hate Floyd and Clapton pretty hard)Still, I always like them on paper, but in person the black ones seem a little sterile. I think it's down to the black ones and the red one.

I don't know, I like the black/black for some reason. Though I would prefer it to have a maple neck.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

The main reason I prefer the electric guitar, aside from its technical advantages, or possibly as an extension of them, is that the electric guitar can be a featured, lead instrument with a fully arrange band. An acoustic may be a pantie soaker in small, party trick settings, but if you want to be deeply impressive, asserting yourself as an alpha male and ****ing other people's girlfriends, you have to master the electric guitar.

[SlapStick 0]

Quality.I prefer the black on black because I just feel like all the other ones I've seen a million times. So yea the black is my best of a bad bunch pick.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

It's also on order in agave blue, and if I were even more patient they could order it in literally any color, as they are a dealer-select CS run.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

I don't know how customizable they actually are...I've ordered a CS guitar from one of these major CS dealers, and they seemed to be willing to do whatever. So picture that, but with the black plastic, and a humbucker.

[SBriand 4]

I don't know how customizable they actually are...I've ordered a CS guitar from one of these major CS dealers, and they seemed to be willing to do whatever. So picture that, but with the black plastic, and a humbucker.

Ok that wins

[SlapStick 0]

Yea I prefer that one already. For some reason at my first glance at the photos I automatically keep thinking its a bass.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I dunno. There is something about the combination of chrome HW, aged plastic knobs/switch tip/pup covers, the metallic paint color, RW fretboard, and that paper bag colored PG that really feels schizo to me. Not my favorite. Plus the others had the HB in the bridge.

[SBriand 4]

I think with black pups and black knobs that thing will look much better. I don't like the white. Maybe an ebony fretboard as well.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

**** it, I don't have the patience. I'm going to order the murdered out one. I could have it in time to set it up with 11s and rehearse with it before next weekend.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

A couple of weeks ago I made my Sunday afternoon trip to the Hardware Store. It is becoming a ritual for me to need to get some small item to complete the weekend project list. At the checkout the guy looked at me and said: “You have a Telecaster on your Chest.”Indeed, I was wearing a Fender T-Shirt.“Yeah, and I have a couple at home. Telecasters, not shirts.”Turned out he was a drummer and his guitarist buddy played a Tele. We talked music for a couple of minutes and he said they were looking for a lead player to jam with them, would I be interested? I told him, sure. Why not? And gave him my basic contact info. I did warn him that I might be a little unreliable since I work full time and was often busy on the weekends. He was cool with that.A few days later he calls and says they are practicing that afternoon, did I want to come by and jam? This was a Wednesday @ 2:00I said I had to work, but thanks for the invite.Over the next couple of weeks we spoke several times on the phone mostly about music. I wanted to get a set list of songs they played so I could learn a couple of tunes to sit in with them. He was strangely vague on specific songs.So this weekend on Saturday he calls and says they are about to jam at his place, did I want to come by? Again, I was in the middle of a project and told him I’d try and make it by but was doubtful. He understood that it was very short notice.I finished what I wanted to get done faster than I’d expected and decided that I’d swing past and meet the guys. I grabbed the Les Paul, the BJ, and my pedal box and drove the ½ mile to the drummer’s place.As I got out of my Jeep I could hear the tell-tale sounds of a live band. He had told me to just come in when I got there and head down to the basement. They were in the middle of a song so I just sort of stood politely off to the side while they played. Drummer Dude nodded to me. After a few minutes the song turned into a train wreck and sort of fell apart.Bass Dude clearly knew I was there, but still hadn’t acknowledged my presence. He started in a very patronizing tone: “Why did we stop? Who decided we were stopping? Did I miss something, who said stop?”Drummer Dude said: “Well, you stopped.”Bass Dude: “When did I say stop?Drummer Dude: “After the break there is a vocal. You didn’t come in.”“Oh…”I got the distinct impression that Bass Dude was acting tough for my benefit.At some point during a break between songs I nodded to Guitar Dude who seemed very introverted and hadn’t said much. “Nice Telecaster, what year is it.” It was worn, but a natural relic. Clearly a heavily played instrument.He lit up a little and smiled: “Late sixties.”“Very cool. I have a 52 reissue, which I love, but not at cool as a vintage Tele like that.”Drummer Dude trying to encourage the conversation, said: “You have a 71 Les Paul too don’t you?”“Yeah, 70, 71, or 72. Gibson serial numbering is pretty crappy. I have more gear than talent.”Bass Dude jumps in: “Yeah. Well I have a lot of gear too. I own everything you see down here. All of this gear belongs to me. I built some of it.”Me: “Oh.”They started a song and Bass Dude stopped them immediately. He was trying to record their rehearsal. “How about we don’t start a song until AFTER I take my finger off of pause?” After that tune, Guitar Dude suggested they play “Oh Well”I said: “Cool tune, do you do the Rockets* version or the Fleetwood Mac version?"Bass Dude: “Rockets, even though we don’t have anyone to play lead.” In the Rockets version of the song there is a great solo, which I can fake my way thru pretty well.Figuring this was my opening, I said: “Well I have a guitar…” and pointed in the general direction of my Jeep.Bass Dude in a very condescending tone: “Yeah. I have a guitar too. Lots of guitars. See those in the stand over there. Those are guitars. And they’re mine. I even play them sometimes. This is a guitar too.” indicating the Rickenbacker Bass he was playing, “I’ve heard it's pretty good, at least that's what people say.”Me: "Yeah, I love the Rickenbacker."Bass Dude: <random bass notes>In general I got them impression that Bass Dude was sort of the leader of the gang and desperately wanted me to know he was in charge. I think he was trying to be sort of funny but instead just came across as rude.While they debated about the next song to play, my phone rang and I went upstairs to answer it. It was my wife and there was an emergency with one of the dogs. He’d been playing in the yard and came up lame on one leg. Given our recent history of dog leg injuries we are a little hyper aware of leg issues. She asked me to come home and go to the Emergency Vet with her.I went back downstairs and shouted a quick goodbye, that I had to split for an emergency. Drummer Dude and Guitar Dude waved. Bass Dude ignored me.I was a little worried about my dog, but glad to have an excuse to leave.*The Rockets were a Detroit band in the late 70s. Great Rock & Roll, but never really hit it on a National level.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

The CS HSS is ****ing ridiculous. So much so that I put the same pickups in my Mexican strat, since otherwise I would have to carry two backups. They are exactly what I need. I'm thinking about putting modern 2-point, staggered tuners (no tree) and a roller nut on the MIM, just out of curiosity...there is no one reason the trem on this CS should hold tune like it does, and I'd like to know if it's magical CS craftsmanship or just the some of a few clever little things.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

The CS HSS is ****ing ridiculous. So much so that I put the same pickups in my Mexican strat, since otherwise I would have to carry two backups. They are exactly what I need. I'm thinking about putting modern 2-point, staggered tuners (no tree) and a roller nut on the MIM, just out of curiosity...there is no one reason the trem on this CS should hold tune like it does, and I'd like to know if it's magical CS craftsmanship or just the some of a few clever little things.

Nice.I don't use my trem, I put 5 spring on my Strats to effectively make them hardtails.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

So eventually I had to go to the HW Store and of course Drummer Dude was working. He followed me around the store talking about my experience with his bandmates and my impressions. I kept it polite and complimented him on his playing. I apologized for having to split and explained the Dog Emergency. He said: “Yeah. We just figured your wife had you on a short leash. Heh heh. Uh, just kidding.” (He wasn’t kidding.)“So what did you think? Do you want to come play with us sometime?”I was a little hesitant to tell him how I’d felt about the previous day. I didn’t want to sound like a whiner or prima donna and certainly didn’t want to put him in a position where he had to take sides and defend Bass Dude. But I hate passive-aggressive wimps who often make things worse by avoiding conflict. I decided to keep it cool, but also let him know what I was thinking: “Well, to tell the truth, I didn’t get the best vibe from Bass Dude. I don’t think he was really on board with having a fourth guy in the room.”“Oh. He wants a lead player too. But, you know, he didn’t find you, I did. So…”“Yeah, he wants to be the leader. That much was clear, he seemed to want to make sure I knew he had the biggest dick."I didn't come right out and say I wasn't interested in playing with them, but I didn't commit to coming back either.

[mk 11]

but if you want to be deeply impressive, asserting yourself as an alpha male and ****ing other people's girlfriends, you have to master the electric guitar.

nah, you just have to be able to sing and not sound like a fgtactually, chicks don't even really mind if you sound like a fgt

[SBriand 4]

Guitar project.I need a hobby. Or at least that is what my wife tells me.So that old strat I worked on has more problems than I can deal with. The neck is totally fubared. Seems warped and not worth the time and trouble since it should probably get new frets. So I disassemble the whole thing last night and started sanding down the body. Going to repaint it some funky orange. Haven't found the exact color yet but sanding by hand will give me enough time to find that perfect color. Also hunting down a new neck. Might just end up with a maple neck from guitarfetish. New black trem, black tuners, and replacing the white pickguard with a black one. So funky orange and black. It's going to take awhile but should be fun and hopefully worth it in the end. I am admittedly not one who likes to "tinker" with things but I figure that if I f it all up it won't be devastating since I have 3 other guitars and this one is unplayable at the moment. I will try and post up progress pics as I go.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Guitar project.I need a hobby. Or at least that is what my wife tells me.So that old strat I worked on has more problems than I can deal with. The neck is totally fubared. Seems warped and not worth the time and trouble since it should probably get new frets. So I disassemble the whole thing last night and started sanding down the body. Going to repaint it some funky orange. Haven't found the exact color yet but sanding by hand will give me enough time to find that perfect color. Also hunting down a new neck. Might just end up with a maple neck from guitarfetish. New black trem, black tuners, and replacing the white pickguard with a black one. So funky orange and black. It's going to take awhile but should be fun and hopefully worth it in the end. I am admittedly not one who likes to "tinker" with things but I figure that if I f it all up it won't be devastating since I have 3 other guitars and this one is unplayable at the moment. I will try and post up progress pics as I go.

Cool. I'm still waiting to start on my project until I have all of my parts. Got pretty much everything except the Neck which I ordered nearly 3 weeks ago.The neck was by far the most expensive single element for this project. Went with the One Piece Quarter Sawn Maple.Went with reranch for my paint.

[SBriand 4]

Cool. I'm still waiting to start on my project until I have all of my parts. Got pretty much everything except the Neck which I ordered nearly 3 weeks ago.The neck was by far the most expensive single element for this project. Went with the One Piece Quarter Sawn Maple.Went with reranch for my paint.

Yeah I discovered reranch yesterday actually. Can't find the color I want there. But I think I have found it and can just get it from duplicolor I hope.