randythoades

19 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

You can do a lot with a Thinline Tele Deluxe, but for compact, it's hard to beat the Hofner Shorty guitars. Everything that full-sized will do, for much less than £200. It ticks all the boxes you need, I think. Worth a look..?

 

Thomann : Hofner Shorty Deluxe ...

That looks like a great solution. I haven't seen one of these before.

17 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

 

I don't know the song concerned (and I'm a drummer, so...), but I tried this and barre the 12fret 'G' and 'B' strings, so never get an open 'G'. I used only upstrokes (no pick; I never knew how to use 'em...), and use the Ring finger to alternate between the B-15 and the G-14. I can't get stupid fast (did I say that I'm a drummer..?, but it sounds clean to me. Not sure if this helps at all. 

It isn't my playing style either, although I used to be very much into thrash. But I would also do as @Dad3353 suggests. I would also barre the 12th fret. And if just doing this lick I would be starting with a downstroke, but it would depend on what the riff was before it.

9 hours ago, Jonrh98 said:

The primary reasons for going for a compact option are:

- I live in a limited space which already houses a number of instruments, and I want something I can easily store away.

- I want something I can happily sit and pluck away at on the sofa without having to weild around a big heavy body.

- I want something lightweight for longer standing gigs as I play a LOT on my jazz bass and it takes a real toll on my back.

- I live in a city centre, and while I do drive, many of my gigs will be me walking to the venue or travelling by tram with my guitar, modeller, mic and stand plus cables, so a smaller and/or lighter unit is a benefit.

 

I'd considered the blackstar but no neck pickup is a no go for the sounds I want unfortunately. 

 

Funny you mention a strat - my MIM was a brill guitar which I unfortunately had to sell a while ago to fund a house move, but I want something now with humbuckers ideally. 

 

The locking tuners thing certainly isnt a must for me, it's just a preference as I end up restringing on the move a lot, and across all my instruments it becomes tedious far too easily.

 

The difference in playability with a compact guitar is my biggest fear, which was why the Ibanez stood out to me.

All valid reasons for wanting small and portable, I have been through this exact process (except for the storage space issue) but you will have to accept the compromise:

If you want the compact shape for easy storing and carrying then the Ibanez is out, it is a full size standard guitar. If the Ibanez is acceptable due to it's increased playability, which I wholeheartedly agree with, then you can choose any standard size model. Sitting and playing on the sofa will be much nicer than on the travel guitar.

I also have back issues so I have moved back to guitar from bass. I went round loads of the shops with a set of scales to find the lightest I could. Different guitars in the same model range weight surprisingly different. Ended up with a Squier telecaster at 3kg. In the end I just built my own Esquire guitar out of the parts using an even lighter body from eBay (made out of paulownia) and stripped the parts off my Squier. Weights just under 2.3 kg. You could do the same and literally chop off the cutaways, or drill holes through it etc to save more weight as well as using lightweight tuners and hardware and discarding superfluous extras.

I have also played gigs seated on a bar stool to relieve pressure on my back - I felt a bit silly but no one commented.

If weight is the main requirement for a new guitar then the traveller skeleton type guitars are possibly the best option, but none have the pickup requirement you need. What about something even more cut back like the Aria Sinsonido or Yamaha Silent guitar type thing? Or maybe a Danelectro? My Vintage ZIP les paul juniors are a completely hollow sandwich in the Danelectro style and weight less than 2.5kg.

A decent gig bag with shoulder straps is really convenient to travel with in city centre and spread most of the weight across the shoulders so I don't think standard size is an issue.

The Donner model you indicate also doesn't have a neck pickup, it has a strat type middle pickup and a bridge humbucker which still won't give you the sound of a neck humbucker. You could always add another pickup in the neck on any of the models but it would add weight.

Plus (and not wanting to start any argument...) How much would you actually use 2 pickups? You can do a lot with just the tone knob or EQ on amp or an EQ pedal. I never have a problem getting a fatter clean sound or a spiky lead sound using presets on my multi effects with just one pickup on my tele. As you will know from your jazz bass, balancing pickup outputs is an art and often the EQ setting that sound good on one pickup sound terrible with the other. I would suspect that many people find one general sound and stick with that, just changing it up with the controls on the guitar (like I do) or by using EQ, pedals or presets.

Ultimately, it would be up to you to consider which compromise you are willing to accept or not.

Nor me... Is it something after 1990? In which case, count me out

I have no experience of any of those specific options, but not sure why it needs to be quite so compact if you are playing at home or in a regular duo where you are already taking acoustic, PA etc.

The ergonomics of a compact guitar are definitely a compromise and generally make it less easy to play and certainly less comfortable. The Ibanez is just standard electric sizing, so something like a Squier Strat might be a better option for clean and jazz style playing. I don't think you would need to upgrade to locking tuners for that sort of material.

If it needs to be compact for the sake of transportability (I ride a motorcycle so really appreciate the ease of transporting a smaller instrument), ones I have tried are the Blackstar Carry-On and the Traveller Ultra Light. Both seem more compact than the Donner. Both were good and quite a bit less £. Very acceptable sounds and fine to play standing up but I found uncomfortable to play seated as the shape just didn't feel natural, particularly on the Blackstar.

I had both and sold both and just went back to a standard guitar size as I now have use of a car too, but if I had to choose one to keep it would be the Blackstar. Much easier to carry with a gig bag on a bike with cables and preamp etc in top box. Felt more 'guitar like' and doesn't look as space age as the Traveller / Donner style

Had a listen to the Flying Microtonal banana album. Really good and interesting. Almost sounds to me like 2 guitars out of tune with each other harmonising together in a meaningful way. Plays with your mind at times with the Eastern sounds coming out of a regular rock environment. The drums are great on this too.

Like it a lot. Highly recommended.

There is definitely something nice about doing your own, even from a kit. Gives you a chance to make it personal rather than just the way the factory thought would be good. Good jobs.

22 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

 

A Thinline Tele Deluxe is a fine beast indeed. Well worth considering, I'd say. 

Never tried one but I do really like the look, particularly a thinline. As well as 'other' brand versions, particularly the G&L ASAT deluxe.

Depends what I get for the Aria and how much I have available to add in at the time. A nice afternoon trying out guitars is always a pleasure.

Just as an update.

I did go and have a play on a variety of resonators. None really floated my boat. The high action wasn't ideal at all for my arthritis, and the overly metallic nature started to grate on me after an hour or so. So, I can see one as a nice addition to the stable, but not as a main instrument. Strangely, the Fender PR180 E seemed the best for me - much more guitar like, lower action and less aggressive sound than the others. I am sure that this is intentional from Fender to sell to their normal customer base, and it would definitely suit me better.

But I felt it kind of missed the point. It wasn't resonator enough for most, and not acoustic guitar enough for others. Not enough aggression to cut through my mix, not much better than my regular acoustic (with EQ tweak) and not as nice to play. But purely acoustic it is definitely quite a bit louder which was the original requirement.

The Fender will definitely be on my list as a 'nice to have' but I have started looking at battery powered acoustic amps or speakers as a short term alternative.

In all honesty, I have started doing the same band as a duo, same singer and myself but without the accordion player which is a lot easier to work through. Not exactly split up the trio, but just meeting up less frequently!

Just as an update after pricing up the different options.

I have decided to just leave it alone and not improve (butcher) a nice guitar just for the sake of it. I will clean the pots and sell it as is to let someone else enjoy it. I will buy a gift for my benefactor and get another guitar with the money, which will then hold a more emotional attachment and something I would actually play.

Maybe I will go looking for a new acoustic or even a tele with humbuckers (heresy)... who knows.

Cool. Keep us updated. If he can get this it will certainly set him apart from other guitarists locally. Might be an issue to just borrow someone else's guitar though!

11 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Yes you play the higher frets, the finger pad can squash enough behind the fret.

Frets are not quite exactly in the middle - using the magic number / scala ratio, the front half is fractional smaller, like deriving standard fret positions, but, close enough for Jazz half way.

The extra positions along with different tunings lend for a turkish Baglama and eastern vibe, together with some odd timings can take your western ears far away

Check out KGLW Flying Microtonal Banana album

That sounds good.

In that case, is there any benefit to this as opposed a fretless guitar? Is it better for tuning and accuracy (or is too early for your son to tell as yet)?

I really struggled with fretless bass but strangely ok with upright bass so not sure it would be for me!!

Confuses me just to look at it !!!

Very impressive indeed.

Is it actually possible to get fingers in and play in any of the higher positions? Are the extra frets just between between the normal ones?

Genuine questions as I haven't seen one before and very curious.

I assume it creates opportunities to play between 'standard' intervals like you would on a fretless.

I love that look, looks awesome. Always fancied a Dakota red tele with gold scratchplate.

Thanks for these comments, much appreciated!

Kind of goes with my own thinking. Decided to price up a complete pickup and re-wiring swap out last night and I don't think the guitar is worth it overall and/or I don't think it will make enough of a difference. I had a long play on it last night and I am getting more used to it, but playing the same way as I would on the acoustic. I couldn't get that big fat rich jazz tone that I hear on records but I assume that it a lot to do with playing style as much as anything.

I will have a look on popular auction site and see if I can find a neck PAF like pickup at reasonable cost and do the Pat Metheny thing.

Initially I could remove the bridge pickup and just bypass controls and go straight to the jack and do controls on the amp. If I prefer it I could then go to the effort of rewiring as appropriate. If I can then remove the whole wiring loom complete I should be able to re-instate it further down the line. If nothing else I can clean the pots with electrical cleaner to take away the odd crackles at that stage.

If that doesn't help I think that selling it might be the better option and agree with @Crusoe that a nice gift with the money would be a good touch (an experience rather than a thing, otherwise that is something else to find space for in a smaller home). It is a very nice guitar and I do really want to love it and play it. Although I am not very sentimental about 'things', I do think a guitar needs the right person and perhaps it just isn't the right one for me.

Thanks all and have a good day

Hi Dave... why all the Screaming...? Just buy a new guitar, that'll stop the screaming for a couple of weeks, then you can buy another, and another...

You are very welcome here.

This is a bit of a tongue in cheek question asking for sensitive suggestions.

I have 'inherited' an Aria Pro ii FA65 hollow body guitar (similar to the Epiphone Joe Pass) from a good friend. The gentleman in question is moving to a smaller house and giving away some of his collection and he knows that I have a real love and affinity for Aria guitars and basses.

Similar to

Whilst I am very touched and flattered, it isn't the sort of guitar that I would normally use, even though it is perfect for and sounds great for 50s rock and roll/rockabilly which I play a lot - but on a tele. It feels like a quality guitar all round, the build quality is excellent, good tuners, solid bridge.
BUT: This guitar is just too big, too bulky, too heavy for me to play standing up and I just don't think I will play it! I don't generally like Gibson setups of 2 pickups and 2 sets of controls, I find the controls annoying and my hand never seems to fall naturally between the pickups, it is either over one or the other and keeps getting in the way. In this case the bridge pickup is spiky and wiry, ideal for the slightly dirty raw rockabilly that I play, but the neck pickup is too muddy and dull for me - probably perfect for jazz comping which isn't really my bag. The controls are a little bit crackly, so need cleaning, and there are a couple of little hardware rattles from the switch and pickup surrounds when playing acoustically which is probably very common to a hollow guitar - you don't notice when at decent amp volume but I am not likely to do this, I would just prefer to play my esquire or LP junior.

So I am trying to think of options of what to do:

SELL IT... I could just ignore it's providence and sell it and get something else. It is a perfectly good guitar for someone that wants this style. But I feel very guilty for considering this ...

REWIRE IT... I could spend the considerable effort to remove and clean the controls and re-install or replace the pickups and all the wiring loom but this is time consuming and quite costly. In fact I don't know how I would go about completely re-wiring this myself. I could just remove the bridge pickup, switch and wiring loom and go for a Pat Metheny kind of vibe by replacing neck pickup and one set of controls, which would be an easier option wiring wise..

CHANGE IT UP...Remove the pickups and wiring loom and put on a floating pickup and controls on the pickguard which would be relatively easy and be easily reversible. I could then use it when seated in place of my electro acoustic when playing at the clean blues/country improvised jams that I often seem to attend. Like this models sister in the range, the Aria FA71. But possibly would want to cover up the resultant holes in the top with wood effect sticky vinyl or a thin wood veneer.

LEAVE IT... Or I just leave it as is and make the best of it, probably completely unloved and unplayed in it's case. This is the most like option as it requires no additional expense or thought, but also carries similar guilt to the selling it option.

So it is more like a small poll. What would you do?

On 07/06/2024 at 12:33, Alex_Rivo said:

Hi everyone

 

I’ve been playing for almost 1.5 year (self-taught) and I often feel “behind” in terms of progress.

 

I’m more into rhythm guitar, and so far I’ve learned basic open chords, power and bar chords (E shape, A shape, minor, major7, min7 and Dom7) sus chords as well.

I also know some basic fingerpicking and palm muting to add dynamics.
Lead-wise I only play some easy riffs and major and minor pentatonic. 

How am I doing honestly and what should I tackle next?

That's a lot more chords than I ever use. And I only play major and minor pentatonics. Kept me going for almost 40 years of playing. That is plenty to get you up and running in a pub band playing blues, rock and pop.

As other comments indicate, knowing the chords and putting them together in a meaningful way in a band context is a different concept. As @Dad3353 says, a local guitar tutor will help with preventing some bad habits and getting you on in terms of progress. But playing in a band environment was the best experience for my own progress, playing things outside your normal comfort zone

A quick google just points to their website if you want pictures: http://www.gilmourguitars.com/musicchina2016/musicchina2016.html

But nothing for sale in their online shop unless you want to buy directly from Korea.

They look like nice guitars, some models slightly different from the norm.

As you say, not a lot of other info around so probably no big distriubtors in Europe or US

Wow, that's pretty impressive!

Maybe you are correct...

If the looper outputs to the amp, the OD pedal distorts the output from the looper and guitar overdubs if placed AFTER?

But yes, if the OD pedal was BEFORE, then you could record a clean loop and then overplay with OD second guitar sound.

I stand corrected

It is definitely a pretty guitar. I am a Tele guy and don't really like the look of a Gibson style, but this is very good looking, a little more svelt and curvy. I would prefer dot markers than block, but that is just my inner Fender...

On 23/03/2024 at 20:40, The Pinky said:

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?

 

 

This is the way that i understand it too. If the OD is before the looper, then everything will have the drive if it were on, whereas if it was afterwards then the loop itself could be clean that would then be overdriven if desired. All you can do is experiment to find which way works best for you. The result must be the same in reality, if the OD is on the loop will be dirty, if it is off the loop will be clean.

I am not a large pedal user so i think there will probably be a more permanent solution, but I have a pedal adapter with multiple output leads (I have this one, but I am sure others are available  https://www.gak.co.uk/en/truetone-1-spot-combo-pack/29511?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw34qzBhBmEiwAOUQcF0Uu9e4JIEf28SYSmVsDCLvr9P0Znf37-TUYGbIreTAj05EC_S60JBoCtKgQAvD_BwE)

This works well with the 3 pedals that I use (separate tuner, clean booster, preamp/amp sim or multi FX). I am sure that some pedal need a bigger draw than others and might not be happy in a chain, but works ok for me.

looks like you can get the daisy chain part separately just to connect to your existing power supply (https://www.amazon.co.uk/SONICAKE-5-Way-Right-Guitar-Pedals/dp/B07L8VBR7P/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=FLIO9FJKDHBG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.AjQQDw37hjYbzVeaTzkJSn_sxPcZj5bzA2EK4jziSHoeZtsnRxPplrnNBWqlB6PEBU634diiSCNyrfCYlFazjJL7IG5im_ZeD-_licYOYYs3A9yvtc4fJERrzMdp071FNbKg4Zbw8nPt1h_ZOzD4cZcEOT0aO6vHev7xMyR_gC4W_t4xtlvyTSbvNMSWkT5-68OvAKsUl6YzID-vdHiC6wxcWPGsmUleib0wTzfrSBFGNYIOoHmUL-Kn8CrI-foIJjqTRti76o2Fk6KqL6He_OZrgnhYtsleOsE3oFayqPs.MiWyCOGALzz5lSD3fQtKthHG6my9Jn1SnmBj8NFTc10&dib_tag=se&keywords=guitar+power+multi+daisy+chain&qid=1717763181&sprefix=guitar+power+multi+daisy+chain%2Caps%2C66&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1)

28 minutes ago, ezbass said:

You really can’t go wrong for that money. Pics as soon as please.

Except having yet another guitar that doesn't get played after the first couple of weeks...!!  And then buying a RevStar anyway...

Have fallen into this GAS trap more times than I like to remember...
I posted another thread about not been able to gel with any stratocaster and subsequently sold my last strat for a loss... but yet I find myself looking at them again... When will we learn?