Dad3353

3 hours ago, solo4652 said:

I've been playing bass for 20 years. I'm starting to think about buying a half-decent (electro) acoustic guitar for strumming along to some simple songs. I've done some research, and Yamaha F310 keeps cropping up. Plenty on ebay for under £100. This seems pretty cheap to me - are they any good? I'd happily spend up to £200, and I'd happily consider used. Any other makes to consider? Tanglewood? Takamine??

A good shout-out for the F310, but be aware that it is an acoustic guitar. If you want an electro-acoustic, Yamaha offer the FX400, but at a higher price (£255 from Thomann, for instance...). Do you really need the 'electro' part, though..? For 'playing out', it's very useful, but for home use, the only real advantage is for recording, and even then, it's not the same sound as using an external mic. Your call, of course.
The other makers cited are very good, too, especially second-hand, where one may get a better instrument, if there's enough knowledge to judge the instrument offered. Hope this helps. 

44 minutes ago, EdwardMarlowe said:

... Maybe there will be fewer acts late on now, though, if it's easier to fins the venues.  

For those swimming in, perhaps..? 

45 minutes ago, EdwardMarlowe said:

...fewer bands using traditional maps on stage ...

I blame the advent of GPS. 

...

I concur with the advice above : one speaker cable with a 1/4 mono jack at each end is all that's required. It can be plugged into either of the cab sockets; these are doubled up to give the option of linking to a second cab, if desired. This is called 'daisy-chaining'. Probably moot in your case, but one should be aware that the total impedance of cabs connected in this way must not be below the minimum impedance of the amp. Two 8Ohm cabs connected in this 'daisy-chain' fashion would present a 4Ohm load to the amp. If the amp supports this, all well and good. If not, expect costly 'magic smoke'. The 'Baby Bomb' pedal amp, for instance, will not support two such cabs (the output socket is labelled : 8-16 Ohms...), but your single cab should be fine. Ignore, then, the second cab socket. Hope this helps.

Good evening, @Iain Douglas, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

Found s/h (in France...), all under £150...

Fender Super Champ XD..?

Ibanez TSA 5..?

Blackstar HT-1R..?

Fender Champion 600

Bugera V22..?

Blackstar HT5..?

Nothing similar near you..? 

3 hours ago, chyc said:

... "real valves cannot be properly emulated" ...

I'll admit to not understanding; if the sound you're after comes from a small valve combo, with reverb, why not look for and buy a small valve combo with reverb..? It would cost no more (possibly much less...) than the Yamaha, and solve the issue, no..? 

Good evening, @alpro, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

3 hours ago, Graham50 said:

If Fender Standard series guitars are now made in Indonesia, what’s the difference between a Fender and a Squier to justify a different price?

Here's what Andertons offer as information on the subject...

Andertons Blog : Fender Standard vs. Player II vs. Squier Classic Vibe...

Not quite 'chalk and cheese'; the differences are down to personal preference and budget, maybe..? 

Good evening, @otoledo, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

Good evening, @StairliftToHeaven, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

1 hour ago, Jensen said:

... I find I'll manage to get the next string across to ring out. ...

Plenty of Youtube videos on the subject; here's one...

Here's another ...

Hope this helps. Ignore the 'choice of string gauge' stuff, you'll want 10-48 gauge, really. Others will be along too, soon... 

Good evening, @Jensen, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

A little patience; others will be along to help you. Meanwhile, could you please specify if you play acoustic or electric guitar, and in what song you want to be getting this 'bend' effect..? That'll help with suggesting solutions. Thanks in  advance. 

1 hour ago, KingBollock said:

... So, any advice or/and help with this, would be greatly appreciated...

I'm afraid that I can't help with the 'compulsion' aspect of things, not being medically qualified, but the tuner ratio is quite easy to sort out. To get finer tuning, one needs a higher ratio. Imagine, if you will, a 1:1 ratio; each full turn of the tuner 'bean' turns the string shaft one complete turn (as on a violin or cello, for example, with tapered, non-geared, tuners...). The slightest turn would change the pitch a lot. Now, at another extreme, imagine a ratio of 1:100; it would take forever to change strings, as the 'bean' would have to turn so many times before even taking up the slack of a new string (a string winder would help, but still...).
The 'average' tuner has a ratio of 1:12 or 1:14; this can easily be checked by noting, carefully, exactly where the string currently goes through the hole in the shaft. De-tune, counting the turns of the 'bean', until the string is at the exact same position after one complete rotation of the shaft. The number of turns of the 'bean', for one complete shaft rotation, is the ratio.

Tuner companies have different ratios available, but tend to be more costly as the ratio increases. 1:18 is common enough, some offer 1:20, or 1:22. Again, this can be helpful when fine-tuning, but becomes a bit of a beggar when changing strings without a string winder. If there is any change to be made, I might suggest 1:18 as being the reasonable upper limit. 1:14 is an improvement over 1:12, but if there are still issues with ratios, I might also suggest that the method for tuning is maybe suspect. One always tunes from low to high; if the correct pitch is overshot, tune back down and start again, raising the pitch, slowly. Once it's overshot, it's not a Good Idea to go back down to meet the correct note; go back enough to only ever be tuning up to pitch.
I've nothing to add concerning the other mods you're envisaging, as it's so dependent on one's tastes and budget. I would only cite the expressions 'gilding the lily' and 'diminishing returns' and leave it there. Hope this helps; meanwhile... Have a splendid day. 

Douglas 

2 hours ago, Noctua69 said:

Oh Lord! I will be 110

My next birthday, in a few weeks, I'll be 75, and I am still very much a learner. Ain't it just fun, though..? 

Good morning, @Noctua69, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

Please allow me to congratulate you on your wisdom, getting the right help from Someone Who Knows. Well done. May I also offer my standard words of encouragement..?

'It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things sometimes tend to get slightly better. '

Good evening, @Chris Wood, and ...

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

4 minutes ago, Catpain Scarlet said:

I've just noticed when set to rhythm I can hear it very faintly through the amp at volume, don't know if that's a clue.

A clue, certainly, but confirmation that it needs the attention of someone capable of fixing whatever it is that's amiss. It could still be something simple; just take it to a vet guitar tech. 

1 hour ago, Catpain Scarlet said:

I’m a complete newbie to electric guitars ... what the compartment in pic 3 is for?...Any help much appreciated. 

The trap is to access the battery for the built-in tuner (on the bridge pick-up ring...). See here ...

 But unlike vintage models, the Slash “AFD” Les Paul also comes with a built-in Shadow® E-Tuner built into the bridge pickup mounting ring. The tuner is powered by one #2032 Lithium long-lasting battery, easily accessed from a compartment on the back of the guitar.

As for the pick-up, it may well be just the selector switch not adjusted properly, or a wire fallen off inside. I would suggest taking it to a trusted guitar tech, to be checked out and set up properly. It shouldn't cost much for an easy fix, and a good set-up will do wonders for your enjoyment for years to come. It's rare to have a pick-up completely faulty (but does, of course, happen...); it's much more likely to be something very easy for a tech to determine and fix. He/she can also give tips on the other functions of the guitar, such as how to 'split' the pick-ups.
Let us know how you get on..? It's a fine guitar with a good reputation; enjoy. Hope this helps.  

Bravo..!

This looks to be a 335 copy, fitted with Artec 'filtertron-type' pick-ups. Probably a little more 'chimey' than standard humbuckers;  not particularly outrageous as a choice. Your ears will judge.
You may find some info inside the body, using a dentist's mirror or such; sometimes there are maker's marks or pencilled information. Worth a look..?
To strip the paint from the headstock, the simplest way is to rub it down with sandpaper. You could, of course, merely paint over it, if it's the finish you want to change. There's unlikely to be any info beneath the paint; this was probably, originally, just a cheap copy from the Far East, or maybe bought as a kit. Worth spending some time on, but not worth spending too much money on. A nice project, and a Good Find. 

It won't do the poor thing any favours, and won't fix any issues. If you really want to play Spanish from time to time, I'd suggest buying, locally second-hand, a modest nylon-strung guitar that plays properly, and not inflict any more suffering on this one. A quick glance at my local 'LeBonCoin' (I'm in France...) brings up a whole slew of such guitars, from 50€ upwards, that would be far better value. Just my tuppence-worth. 

26 minutes ago, delitz01 said:

... Could I fix this with some wood glue?...

Short answer is 'No'. The neck has to come off to be reset; this can only be done correctly and securely by someone with experience in the job. It doesn't look to be a very expensive model, so not worth sending off for this job, so I'd suggest either keeping it 'as is', hung on the wall as decoration and sentimental value, or reading up on how this job can be done and doing it yourself, or with a local wood-working buddy. Basically, the neck has to be removed from the body; this involves using heat (usually steam...) to soften the current glue, cleaning it up, then putting it back together, at the correct angle, using the correct type of glue. It's a simple enough job for a guitar tech who handles acoustic guitars, and can be done on the kitchen table yourself, once the appropriate knowledge (and courage..!) has been assimilated, but can't be done by any other 'brute force and ignorance' method. Lesson learned, but too late, maybe; hope this helps (a little...). 

1 hour ago, Andico said:

... I want to see your thoughts on this guitar...

You can't go far wrong with an Ibanez, whatever the price point, and this model has an excellent reputation, especially as a starter guitar. There are many models on the market in this range of prices; this Ibanez has nothing to fear from such rivalry. A matt black finish may be subject to marks from use, rather more than a gloss finish, but that's about the only remark not in its favour. Ignore the 'hype', for this and any other that piques your interest, and try it out yourself. You're not likely to be disappointed. Hope this helps.