Skinnyman

Santa brought me the Nux looper pedal and I’m very impressed. So impressed, in fact, that I’ve bought the MG-30 multi-fx unit which is superb. Rock solid build and the tones it offers are excellent. The supplied patches are, as usual (looking at you here, Zoom) a bit too gainy and OTT for practical use but that’s easy enough to dial out

It’s sold.

I like that GuitarGuitar is employee-owned and I’d also give another recommendation for Peach. I’ve also had good experiences with Absolute Music in Bournemouth.

Thomann are another good site - I didn’t mention them because a) my post was already turning into a list of all the online retailers and b) they’re in Germany so stuff may be a bit cheaper ( depending on the value of the Euro against the pound) but it takes a few extra days to ship. I’ve used them a lot over the years but typically for things like mixers and cables. I prefer to have guitars spend as little time as possible being subjected to the tender mercies of the couriers so hence I’ve tended to buy instruments from UK retailers. On which note, be aware that Gear4music have warehouses in York and in Sweden so if something on their site has a lengthy delivery date there’s a fair chance it’s coming from Sweden. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but worth being aware of…. Despite what many say about no two bits of wood being the same, I doubt there’s much variation between two Squier Teles from the same range. It’s handy that Peach show the weight of each instrument and gives you a handy guide for comparing the ranges. One thing that may have an influence on your choice is that many Telecasters are quite square-edged. Some have a cut-out at the back (known as a belly-cut which paints a charming picture) and some have some shaping of the bout where the arm sits but typically the bodies are quite squared off. The Affinity Deluxe one has the belly cut - compare it to the regular Affinity https://www.peachguitars.com/squier-affinity-telecaster-deluxe-laurel-burgundy-mist.htm?opt=22905 That said, people have played telecasters since before the dawn of time and never really had an issue so a squared-off body isn’t a bad thing - but if you can find a guitar in your price range that has the belly cut, it’s a nice feature that makes the guitar just a little more comfortable. (I hope all that’s helped and I haven’t fallen into my usual trap of mansplaining obvious things. Mrs Skinnyman says I’m a bugger for it )

You could check out Richards Guitars in Stratford upon Avon or Wildwire in Selby - both quite small shops and may not be quite as cheap as the big boys; Andertons, GuitarGuitar, GAK and Gear4Music but I think they both offer (might even include) a free set up with any guitar. Other online retailers worth checking out are Peach in Colchester, Absolute Music in Bournemouth or Music Matter in Preston. I’ve bought from all the above over the years and had good experiences with all of them. The big guys tend to be box shifters - good service if things go wrong but everything’s necessarily a bit impersonal and you get the guitar as shipped from the factory. Which, as discussed, isn’t the end of the world as they’re generally perfectly playable straight out of the box (I’m convinced that a lot of the self-proclaimed experts online just fiddle with things for the sake of it and they often seem to ruin a perfectly well set up guitar. It’s a bit like cars. I’m happy to go with the suspension set up and tyres that the manufacturer fitted to the car I bought - if I was doing track days I might consider making some changes but for a run to the shops, standard is fine. Ditto guitars. In most cases, the manufacturer sets them up perfectly well and unless you’re a shredder there’s not much that you really need to alter). Have fun finding and getting your new guitar (have you thought about an amp yet?) Let us know how you get on and, when you’re ready, put a shout out on here for a jam partner!

What Dad said. To add a little more… There are some incredible guitars at very reasonable prices these days and it’s hard to buy a real ‘lemon’. A Squier Tele should come set up pretty well from the factory (or order from a shop that offers a setup service if you really feel the need). Certainly, it will be set up well enough to see you through the initial phase of learning the instrument. For versatility I think a Tele is hard to beat and all of the big online retailers have good returns policies - just keep the packaging and leave the plastic film on the pickups until you know you’re keeping it. Happy hunting!

Putting a year to this will be hard without any sort of serial number to go on. Encore have been under the JHS umbrella since 1980 (there’s a little bit more of the brand history here; https://jedistar.com/encore/amp/) and I’d guess that a Strat copy with a Fender-style headstock has been a regular part of their catalogue from day one. There may be some clues in the pickup cavities, in the neck pocket or under the pick guard if you feel like stripping the guitar down - otherwise, all we have to go on is the aged appearance of the pickups and that, to my mind, puts it somewhere in the late eighties or nineties. Which is a wild guess on my part but with nothing else to go on….

I like that. Reminds me of a lot of things but at the same time, is very different. I can’t make out the name on the headstock but I like the guitar too

Good luck with it - let us know how you get on!

Interesting choice. I’d argue that the Tele is the most versatile of that bunch - it can cover a fair bit of the ground that the other two do as well as doing its own thang. Les Pauls look cooler though and 339s cooler still… Or you could get one of each? Welcome!

These are direct replacements for Gibson SG and Les Paul (according to the review comments). https://www.thomann.de/gb/grover_135n.htm I suspect that Epiphone use a variety of hardware up to and including GIbson OE Grovers and I doubt they alter the drilling rig to accommodate different sizes so my guess is that they’re a common fit. The only way to be sure of course is to compare the specs of these (and other Grovers) against the physical dimensions of the ones currently fitted. At £58 for the set, I’d be tempted to fit these anyway as a minor upgrade.

Thank you - it looks even nicer in the flesh. Well, in the wood. You know what I mean. I don’t usually go for high gloss finishes but the top on this is really striking with everything else a nice satin. I’ve played it a lot today and the strings have lost their initial ickiness and are feeling much better now. It’s a very different sound to both the Taylor I had and the Faith Venus I had before that - not better, not worse, just different. More “woody” if that makes sense. I’ve also discovered today that I have the attention span of a two year old full of sugar and E-numbers. I’ve set myself a couple of songs to learn with classical arrangements and I keep distracting myself and end up playing random bits and bobs rather than sticking to the piece I’m trying to learn.

There’s a piezo with an LR Baggs preamp and tuner. I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve got a Fishman Aura DI box which I need to try it with too.

I’m very impressed. The overall finish is superb. Fret edges are beautifully chamfered smooth, action is low but with no buzzing or rattling anywhere. There’s obviously a difference in the quality of the components but there’s really not much difference in terms of construction between this and my £3k Taylor. At any price, this is a nicely made guitar. I like the dark finish and the satin feel of the neck. It comes with d’addario EXP strings and I’m not a fan of the feel of them - I might stick a set of Elixirs on. Apart from that, I’m well pleased with this.

I like a slightly less “bright” sound and I had a noodle on a mahogany Washburn a while ago (which would have been a contender but that particular guitar was quite clumsily finished and sort of put me off Washburns). It should (DPD permitting) turn up tomorrow so we’ll see if it’s staying or going.

After a lot of reading, YT videos and review trawling, I’ve just pulled the trigger on an Alvarez Artist. OM size, solid mahogany top and laminated mahogany back and sides. Nobody within easy reach has one I can try so I’m taking a bit of a punt but I figure if it’s not what I’m hoping it will be, I can return it and I’m just down the cost of return shipping. I did try a Cort, a couple of Yamahas and an Ibanez. Nice guitars all but there was something about each of them that put me off a bit. What impresses me most is the sheer number of very good guitars available these days for £200-£300.

I’d love to be able to play with a pick but my tremor won’t let me. My biggest issue is constructing a decent solo. I’ve read all the theory about targeting chord tones but it goes out of the window after the second bar

I had a Strat which I considered too heavy. I fixed this by buying (and subsequently selling) a Les Paul Traditional which is like a Standard Les Paul but without the chambers. Having played one set with this boat anchor round my neck, I found the Strat to be as light as a feather. On a more serious note, I concur with the comments above about balance and the importance of a good, wide strap. A light guitar and a decent strap are things of joy. If it also sounds decent and plays well, that’s a bonus How’s the HB, Frank? I’ve heard nothing but good reports about them….

I’m probably leaning towards Alvarez then Sigma. There’s no good reason for that other than I like the bevel feature on some of the Alvarez models. Cort are at the bottom of the list but if I find a nice one, I’d have no qualms about getting it. The slim dimensions of the SFX are quite appealing- though I’ll need to try one to be sure. Apart from the actual playing experience, which I suspect may be similar across all three makes, it’s going to come down to how well the instruments are finished and set up.

Having recently sold my very-nice-but-just-lived-in-the-case-because-it-was-too-nice-to-have-out-in-the-living-room Taylor, I’m in the market for a ‘budget to mid-range’ acoustic. One that’s cheap enough not to care about the odd ding here and there but good enough to be well constructed and sound reasonable. Around £300-£400. Modern CNC machining means that there’s decent quality at this price these days so I’ve a good range of choice but I think I’ve narrowed it down to three. The Cort SFX range has caught my eye, as has the Alvarez Artist series and Sigma have a couple of candidates. Sigma used to be tied to Martin and Cort make guitars for absolutely everyone but Alvarez is quite new to me. Anyone any experience of any of these? I’m going to try before I buy but that will involve a fair old trip as no single dealer near me has all three makes. If I can rule anything out before I set off, that will help

Good to know, thanks. I think Santa may bring me one. Their Klon Centaur clone (Horseman?) looks interesting too….

I was toying with the idea of updating my old Boss RC2. The RC3 would be the next logical upgrade but it’s discontinued and I was baulking a bit at the prospect of spending two hundred pounds on the RC5. Then I spotted this… https://www.nuxefx.com/loop-core-deluxe.html …which looks like an RC3 clone for about £100. Reviews seem generally positive - anyone on here used Nux pedals before?

Ah, right. Sorry, dunno

Up for sale is a Barefaced GXii Guitar cab. This is the original version of what is now known as the Reformer. Mine is the “American voiced” model which has an Eminence 12” speaker rather than the Celestion that was fitted to the “British Voiced” version and the current model. I bought this new direct from Barefaced in 2019 with the intention of gigging it. Then, for some reason I can’t quite recall, all our gigs were cancelled and this, plus a little Bugera Infinium T5, became my home practice rig. By the time the world started to turn again I’d gone FRFR and IEMs so the cab became redundant. It’s too good to just sit unused so up for sale it goes. The Reformer is £599 plus delivery and a long wait - I’ve priced this to (hopefully) shift. Condition is mint - even the Tolex covering! I’d prefer collection or to meet somewhere but I can post within the UK for an extra £20.

I had a good play with the G-DEC today and got it sounding…..okay. For the price, the Katana 50 looks like it would do the job. I just need to find somewhere that has one to try.