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Showing content with the highest reputation since 28/02/24 in Posts

  1. Spotted a Chapman ML3 modern on facebook marketplace at a good price last weekend so pulled the trigger and absolutely loved it. So much so I bought an ML1 Pro this weekend ( I really do need a bigger house !) This is one of the best looking and playing guitars I've owned (it's so bassy !)even when compared to custom build territory like my Ambler. Now I need the green sparkly semi - hollow one and a baritone to complete the collection !
    2 points
  2. Hi Everyone! I am new here and this is my first posting... Just a Dream Theater guitar solo in my studio room... Hope you all like it!
    2 points
  3. That is a Fazley Midas FLP318GT. Fazley is Bax Music's own in-house brand of guitars; they are pretty decent guitars for the money, and that one sounds great. Mahogany body and neck, poplar fretboard. I was considering swapping the P90s on it when I ordered it, but when I plugged it in, the P90s surprised me with how good they sounded, so they are staying. I will be putting some Grover tuners on it though and I might stick some upgraded wiring, pots and switches in, but for the moment it's doing okay as it came.. Considering they are 143 quid new (I paid a 126 quid for that one because it had a minor blemish on it), you can't really go wrong with them. I paid a ton for a second-hand plywood Columbus Les Paul copy with a bolt-on neck nearly forty years ago, so it just goes to show how far we've come these days in terms of bang for your buck. :
    2 points
  4. Originally, resonator guitars were invented for just this reason : cut through against competition from the brass section, without an amp..!. Worth a try, especially if the repertoire is suitable. One or two points to consider : many players use a reso guitar like a lap-steel; these models have a square neck profile, unsuitable for 'standard' guitar playing position. Look at models with a rounded 'C' or 'U' profile instead. Some models have a piezo mic built in, but more rarely with a pre-amp, which makes amplifying a little trickier, as either the amp has a piezo input, or an external pre-amp is required. The reso part of the guitar is fragile, so a stout case is needed for anything but home use. They're louder than a folk guitar, especially in the 'medium' frequencies, but won't fill a large hall unaided just the same. Trying a few models would be recommended; proces start at around £300 and go up quite quickly. On the other hand, it's not uber-effective, but a piece of felt over the accordion grill could be tried to mute it a little..? Some folk remove the grill, line the inside with masking tape or similar, then put the grill back. Choice of register has an effect, with some 'bassier' registers being less strident. Other than that, it's just playing technique to play with less volume. Hope this helps; sounds like a nice project.
    2 points
  5. It's getting a little bit serious now as I have bought my first pedal, a Tone City Nobleman overdrive pedal, at £35 I feel its a great little buy. It is just what I want giving the sound a little bit of an edge. The only issue is that I forgot that it needs power, fortunately I have been able to use the 9v psu for the RC30 looper that i obtained from my son. I understand that it is possible to run two pieces of kit from one psu, am i correct in this understanding? If so what do i need to do this? I haven't really used the looper much and need to work out how to use it properly, and my intention is to play a backing track to then be able to play over the top. I assume I can use the overdrive pedal with this and I assume the best way to wire the overdrive pedal in is between the guitar and looper rather than the looper and amp, as if between looper and amp then both the looped played tracks would be affected by the pedal, whereas the other waywould enable one or the other or both to be played in overdrive? Finally any tips for how to use the various controls etc on guitar and amp as i dont feel that i am getting maximum benefit and i doingthi gs verymuch by trial and error. Any thoughts or observations please?
    1 point
  6. That seems to be a good choice for a mid-level player.
    1 point
  7. They look great. (What would KDH say, though? )
    1 point
  8. 2 NGDs in the space of a week, good work! Love the paint job on the T type.
    1 point
  9. Even though it looks and feel a bit whacked, that posture sure made it a lot easier to fret the frets, though I found it very hard to accurately fret. Probably just practice, but I'll throw that one in for a change. Aah, also made it a lot easier to fret. I'm doing it that way for this particular song since that's what he's doing and it was the only way for me to play the E string together with the other notes. I'm not sure how he does it on the recording and everytime I see him live he seem to be playing differently. I think it's supposed to be a muted tone too but that's far over my league at the moment. But with practice comes experience, so It seems I need to practice a lot more and for the hand easier riffs to build up the core strength. That tip was especially useful when playing Poison since that far stretch in the intro was a whole lot easier doing with the thumb in the center back! I'm not entirely sure what you mean, you mean while playing the same string(s) on different frets? That's something I've been practicing but wow, it's pretty hard. Though that along with the tips from Plucking the strings economically sounds like something I should embrace and practice more. I can up pick one single string, like when playing temple of the king. But if it's two or more, I have to use a very thin pick to even somewhat succeed and I find them hard to get a good sound out of. I'm not a fan of shedding or fast play myself, I like it clean. Ritchie tends to keep it so with good rythms, like the pre-intro when he plays man on the silver mountain live in munich, I like that kinda play. I found out, by accident that for me, resting the palm on the bridge is the easiest way for me to play good sounding muted notes as I can't do that with the fretting hand yet. Though it feels as if the hand is so far back there that it's hard to pick the strings accurately, so I haven't really practiced plucking them there. Usually when something hard we tend to go easiest route and not really bother. But you make me realize that it's all just practice and it'll get better over time. I think you're absolutely right! A very good observation!! I just measured the lowest part of the low E down to the 12th fret and it measures 3mm, I think that could be chopped down a good 1mm. Maybe even more, I'll have to bring it to the shop. I think you have a very very good point here, might be due to the high action. But I'll keep that one in mind when playing! Also, I just played and I slowed it down quite a bit. I noticed I had a lot more control over my fretting hand, the fingers wasn't moving anywhere near as much as in the video nor as far away from the neck. Interesting, maybe I should take it a bit slower, though a hard thing to do when the mind and body never wants the same heh. But to be realistic, I don't think I have the accuracy to play well yet, I think it's all just muscle memory from my side, my hand knows where to move. Which is not the way to go, so slower it is. Thank you very much guys, very exhaustive and detailed answers!
    1 point
  10. He may well be amenable to you sitting in whilst he goes through the check-up and rectification process, which could give some insight as to how to look after your (and your son's...) instruments. It might take him a little longer, to explain what he's doing, and enable you better to appreciate exactly what's involved in guitar upkeep. Just a thought..?
    1 point
  11. Hi guys, thanks for the advice and guidance. Originally my thought was that I would perhaps have a go myself if it's fairly straightforward to learn more about guitars, however I have given it some thought and decided that I will probably seek further advice and pay somebody else to do any required work. I don't really want to spemd a great deal of time "tinkering" and then possile having to go to an expert after all. I have a local guitar tech who is friendly and highly recommended, he has done some work on my guitar previously and has set up/serviced several of my sons guitars and basses, his rates are also very reasonable. I don't know what I could have done to affect anything as all I have done is change the strings and cleaned it regularly, it is kept in a warm dry house only going out occasionally in a gig bag to jams etc. I notice that will obviously affect the tuning due to temperature change etc, and it is transported in a gig bag. Re playing it was not used very much until recently so wouldn't have thought it would be wear due to the amount of use. I have until recently largely been playing an old nylon acoustic and a 6 month old LagT88ac and have really only started to pick up the electric as my skills have developed, so I am sure that there maybe some credence in the observation that my playing technique may be contributing to the issues. I am taking the occasional lesson every 2 or 3 weeks (with the Lag transported in a hard case for protection), so I may change the routine and take along the electric next time to get an expert opinion. I appreciate any further comments and Will update on my progress. Alan
    1 point
  12. UPDATE: my Behringer SF300 has arrived. Does the job just nicely! Really useful having the three modes, too: I can see myself using the more "vintage" sound of Fuzz 1 the most, but the scuzzier tone from Fuzz 2 has been quite fun to play with so far. Popping the guitar into drop D with Fuzz 2 certainly gives a nice All Them Witches-type vibe! Thanks again for the recommendation!
    1 point
  13. Well, when I first read on the specs that it had a poplar fretboard, I was a bit 'oh, erm....', because poplar isn't a particularly hard wood as far as I'm aware, but in fact it's fine. Dunno whether they've treated it in some way to make it tougher or something, but it seems okay
    1 point
  14. Proper nut files are extraordinarily expensive, and the cheaper ones not really good at all for that job. If it's just to get rid of the 'jerking' of the string over the nut when tuning, a light sprinkle of graphite powder does a fine job. Some folk get the graphite from quality pencil lead, but it's easy enough to obtain. Amazon propose various versions, as a little flaçon of 50ml for 9€86, or a 1 litre tub for 10€10, and everything in between. Try that first, if unsmooth tuning is the issue..?
    1 point
  15. I would be inclined to use a resonator guitar and add a pick up to it, going into something simple such as a Caline Lorcan amp, which is small but loud enough for what you want, can even run without mains for three hours, and has a built in delay effect, then go through an EQ pedal to the Lorcan (up to three pedals can take power from the Lorcan - it comes with the cables for that purpose). In that way, if the resonator isn't doing it all on its own, you can use the EQ to give the pickup on the guitar the necessary frequencies to have it poke through a suitable frequency hole in the accordian's range. I can recommend the Recording King RPH-R1-TS Dirty Thirties resonator, which is comparatively inexpensive (abut 300 quid), but with its spruce top and resonator, it is bright yet has some warmer undertones too, so it hits quite a broad range of frequencies, and if you added a pick up to it, its range could be further tailored to suit you requirements even more via an EQ pedal.
    1 point
  16. The 'biscuit' tone is louder and more 'brash', used more on 'standard' guitars. The 'spider' would be warmer, and usually found on lap-steel players' guitars (with their square neck profile...). I'd suggest looking at 'biscuit'. I don't think that 'tricone' would bring much to the party.
    1 point
  17. It's quite a long time since I bought my resonator, so I don't have a very clear memory of which types I tried out on the day! My Ozark is definitely a single cone / biscuit bridge type; I remember also trying a couple of Stagg resonators which I believe were spider bridge. I seem to recall the Staggs sounding a bit mellower, but fundamentally still like a resonator - definitely some difference, but probably not enough that you'd mistake it for a "normal" acoustic guitar. If you are able to get to a shop to try a couple, it might be worthwhile to. But if not, I don't think the type would make too much difference - a biscuit, spider or tricone are probably all equally capable of making their presence felt against the accordion!
    1 point
  18. Brilliant, much appreciated indeed. I do feel that a more boxy tone would be of benefit. I am not averse to playing through PA when needed, but like the idea of a small house party or coffee shop type gig, maybe a wedding to just be there as background music mainly without the need of full PA. But true acoustic would be good and convenient for practice and possibly busking.
    1 point
  19. Thanks @Dad3353. That is a good idea about muting the accordion. Currently I arrange songs based on my pre-conceived ideas and skills and I feel that I ought to play a little more of that stabbing rhythm/comping to keep everyone in time, but some songs definitely benefit from the guitar melody too. So I think there is an element of modifying the approach somewhat. Not to blow a trumpet about it, but I am both the most accomplished musician and vocalist, so I feel it my place to arrange the songs appropriately. It is hard though to arrange with the best overall sound in mind rather than just the parts that I would like to play!! Thanks for your opionion about resos, I did think from various youtube vids that it seemed a little more brash and mid orientated, but haven't had the chance to ever play one. A slightly more aggressive tone might indeed just make it different enough.
    1 point
  20. Mine - and a few others other I've seen - has a magnetic pickup, which definitely benefits from a pre-amp on its way to the desk. On the plus side, I have found it plays very nicely with a Joyo American Sound in that role!
    1 point
  21. A resonator could be just the ticket! My two acoustics are an Epi dreadnought and an Ozark resonator - and the latter is a lot louder! For context: when I play acoustic gigs, I pop both guitars into the PA for a bit of support, but in smaller venues I hardly need to bring up the fader at all on the resonator. (And I also play fingerstyle on these gigs.) It is a much more "boxy" tone, but it sounds like that might be a better fit with the accordion. And if you're playing Americana, it fits a similar space sonically to a banjo. If it's at all useful, this is the guitar I have: https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/04112612521018--ozark-3515e-resonator-black-electro-cutaway
    1 point
  22. I just found the link to the stuff they were talking about. https://www.montysguitars.com/collections/department-of-component/products/montys-montypresso-relic-wax
    1 point
  23. A few tips that I may adopt for my playing/practice I think! It's good to see others progress and to be able to see that I am not alone and am having the same progress and struggles as others. @ShawnE thanks for sharing your progress it is inspiring and encouraging. Alan
    1 point
  24. @Musical Mystery Tour that goldtop with P90s .
    1 point
  25. On a strat-type vibrato it would effectively lower the action a touch and make the strings ever-so-slightly flatter in pitch because it would lengthen them a bit and lower them, meaning you might have to raise the action a touch and possibly adjust the intonation slightly' on a Bigsby, it'd make no real difference since the lever action is after the bridge (although as you say, it's a floating type, so not a Bigsby). I do that on my LP with a Bigsby - i.e. lock it back by spinning the vibrato arm all the way round to jam it in position on the bck of the mount because I have that vibrato on the guitar for the effect extra mass of it has on the tone, rather than for actually using it. And because you have to have at least one LP with a Bigsby on it (I'm pretty sure that's the law):
    1 point
  26. There are some guitars which are theoretically a bit less comfortable, depending upon whether you are playing seated or standing to some extent - for example the Gibson SG (and usually any copies of it) are notorious for being prone to neck dive owing to the fairly thin body with the neck join right at the end of the fretboard imparting a lot of weight leverage on the neck, the Flying V and anything similarly shaped is absolutely useless to play when seated, not that a guitar like that was designed with that in mind of course, but still true. In both cases, you are forced to be holding the neck in position somewhat if seated, which isn't conducive to making fretting easier. Having said that, if you sort them out with a strap so they are well positioned, some are really great guitars, notably Harley Benton's SG copy, which is one of the best cheapish humbucker-equipped guitars you can get. On the other hand, Harley Benton's TE52 Telecaster copy is a great guitar as well and it costs peanuts, but it weighs a goddam ton and you can really feel that when it is hanging off a strap, although it is okay when seated. The really important thing for playing comfortably, if you are seated which you invariably will be when learning, is to either use a foot stool or somethng similar to raise the neck up, or do the same thing with a strap on a fairly short length (think, typical seated classical guitar player and you'll get the idea of where the neck should be). What that achieves, is to position your hand so that you don't have to crank your wrist around a lot to be ble to fret properly, which makes fretting in the correct way easier and also helps to get your thumb in the back of the neck. Now of course many people want to look all cool and punkish on stage and have the thing hanging two inches from their knee, but that sort of thing really doesn't make playing anything other than a basic punk riff easy. When you get better and more experienced as a player, you can afford to get sloppy and do things such as getting your thumb over the top of the neck to do lazy G chords and the like, but when you are starting out, you really should have your thumb in the centre of the back of the neck to aid with correct finger positioning and to stop your fingers and wrist aching. Beyond how the thing sits, what probably matters more, is the neck relief, action and intonation. So knowing how to adjust the truss rod, level the frets and tweak the bridge saddles is useful and really not that hard; the tools necessary to do it all are fairly inexpensive to get hold of (youtube is your friend where that is concerned), or you can pay someone to do it if you have about fifty quid to waste on that rather than spending that fifty quid on the tools and doing it yourself, which is definitely the smarter way to go. Any inexpensive guitar is pretty good these days if set up properly, but what all cheap guitars will benefit from, is having a good set of tuners put on them (Grover, Kluson etc); this is the best upgrade you can do to something like that and will ensure less frustration with having the thing stay in tune. After that, sticking some better quality electrics in it is worth the effort. Doing all that will turn pretty much any sub-two hundred quid guitar into a good one. Brands which are inexpensive and still decent for starting out if you take the time to sort them out, include Harley Benton, Jet, Fazley, Donner, Squier, Epiphone, all of which make usuable models for well under two hundred quid and sometimes under one hundred quid. This means you can throw a bunch of upgrades on them and still not have spent a lot of cash, and what that does, is get you familiar with construction and setting up, which is something that will always be useful going forward, even with more expensive guitars, which in spite of their cost, usually also need setting up too.
    1 point
  27. I've realised in the last few years that I feel more comfortable on a 44mm wide nut than the standard 42mm. This has lead me to commission custom strat necks with ebony fingerboards from a trusted supplier here in China with those dimensions which, more or less, match those on my Yamaha MSG. And the bodies on those strats are lightweight mahogany, making overall for a wonderfully playable and comfortable instrument. Nearly worthless in terms of resale value but up there with the best for effortless playability given I've moulded them to my taste. It's way cheaper to go to a city and spend a day trying stuff out in various music shops if you can, than doing what many of us have done. Spaffing loads of cash on stuff that we decide ultimately isn't for us. Stick to cheap or easily customisable stuff until you settle on something that really works for you.
    1 point
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