Skinnyman

Done.

I spotted this advert on FB from my local music shop. Seems like a really good price and I thought it might be worth a thread where we could give a heads up if we spot any bargains. I’ll start… These PRS S2s are in Gallaghers Music in Grimsby (I daresay they’d ship them). I actually tried them both when I bought my Custom 24 and it was a very close run thing - and that’s when they were at £999. They may be 2019 models but they’ve never been out of the shop and, given how long the shop was closed for lockdown, I may be the only person who’s actually played them. Worth a silly offer?

There’s Gear4Music in York or Peach in Essex. Both sell online but also have huge stores with a big selection. G4M don’t do used stock but Peach usually have a mixture. Apart from those, Wildwire in Selby, Promenade in Morecambe and Richards in Stratford on Avon are real shops that have more than the usual run of the mill stuff in. Whether they have the full range you want in stock in enough quantity to justify a visit is a different matter but worth a phone call and maybe plan a road trip? In London, there’s Andertons (well, just outside in Guildford, a train ride away) and still a decent bunch of shops in Dean Street even after the demise of Macaris. Plus Wembley Music Centre. There are still some real shops around but it can be pot luck whether they’ll have the range that you want in stock and available to try. Good luck!

Agreed, he’s a superb guitarist and a fine keyboard player too. I’m not familiar with Lifesigns. I must check them out. He’s also working with the current incarnation of the Strawbs, played on their last two (excellent) albums and has guested on Chas Cronk’s recently released solo album. A busy man and with an album of his own due out soon, I think

As I’m plugging delay and reverb into the fx loop on my mixer, I wanted stereo effects so I ended up with a cheapo behringer reverb…. ….and a T-Rex delay…. I’ve had an RC2 for years….. …and use it a lot. I’ve yet to find a need for it at gigs but for trying ideas at home or practicing tricky sections, it’s brilliant. I did go crazy a few years ago and buy an RC30* but it blew my little brain and I could never get my head round it so I flogged it. * One of these RC30s… …not one of these… …although I’ve always lusted after one and if I ever found a decent one at a sensible price I might still be tempted.

My gigging rig is the GR55, a Korg keyboard and my K-line which I put through a Simplifier 0watt amp. All that goes to a mixer so I can balance levels and EQ before sending a stereo signal to the PA. I want to be able to add some FX (reverb, chorus and delay) to both the guitar and synth signals (the GR55 patches all have their own FX set up onboard) as well as having some FX (overdrive/distortion) just for the guitar. I may also get an acoustic IR modeller to improve the acoustic emulation on the GR55 - or not, it’s pretty impressive anyway so the small improvement I might get isn’t worth it for the Dog’n’Spittle. But, you know….new pedal. Hmmmm. GAS is cured! Who was I kidding?

I think I’m cured. I have GAS for a load of pedals

I’ve been looking at the Boss RV6 but there don’t seem to be any for sale (new) in the UK. Most places quote delivery in 6 weeks or so. I’m blaming it on the global supply chain problems caused by the ‘Rona and that boat that got stuck in the Suez Canal. If it’s starting to affect guitar effects, this is getting serious. I’ve panic-bought a Behringer DR600 to get me through the crisis

Greetings 2pods and welcome to the quiet leafy backwater that is Guitarchat. It’s not quite as frantic as BC but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right?

Used just three times so in immaculate condition. I’d like to say “mint” but there’s no box, just the Shure pouch and the manual. The mic itself is mint though The vintage styling doesn’t work for our 80s cover band (which is why it’s up for sale) but it’s perfect for blues, rockabilly, etc. Price includes UK postage. Some blurb from Shure; Shure 55SH Series II Unidyne Vocal Microphone Iconic design brings a touch of vintage class to your performances Get just the sounds you want with the focused cardioid pickup pattern Shock mounted capsule reduces noise from handling the mic or stand Rugged, die-cast housing can withstand whatever you throw at it A timeless sound in a time-honoured design. It's no wonder the Shure 55SH Series II Unidyne Vocal Microphone has been an icon for over half a century. For any performer looking to evoke a classic era of music, there's no other choice. The 55SH marries vintage warmth with the clarity and definition you have come to expect from a modern microphone. An articulate, lush sound makes it perfect for vocalist of all styles, as well as speech and broadcasting. It's a microphone that lets you join the rich history of music. And some pictures….

It’s a new one on me but it looks like an excellent idea. Trustpilot reviews are good and the few negative ones don’t suggest that it’s a con or that there’s anything systemically wrong with the site. I’d take a punt on it - it looks better value than a Songsterr subscription

Sold I bought this a little while ago to satisfy my craving for a guitar with a good range of tonal options, including an acoustic tone. As things have turned out, I’ve carried on using my Roland GR55 live and my actual acoustic at home so I’ve ended up not using this anywhere as much as it deserves. The colour is Peacock Blue. Comes with a nice hard case and there isn’t a mark on the guitar - it is absolutely pristine. Available to try in sunny Lincolnshire or I can travel to meet/deliver - PM for details. I don’t have suitable packing so I’d really rather not post but if there’s no other option, let me know and I’ll get some quotes. Shipping would be at the buyer’s expense, to UK addresses only and to established Guitarchat or Basschat members. I’ll get some photographs in the next day or so. In the meantime, here’s a stock photo of the model in question… And a video of (a brown) one in action And now some pictures of the guitar itself…

Been there, done that, flogged it.

My birthday approaches and my beloved wife has offered to put a few hundred pounds towards a guitar (“or whatever you’d like”). Clearly, this makes her a keeper and underlines the wisdom of my marrying her in the first place but here’s my dilemma….. I can’t think of anything I really want. I can add more to the birthday money from the recent sale of a bass and some car stuff so I’ve probably got £1000 or so to spend if I really wanted. But nothing is floating my boat. Not guitars, amps, basses, keyboards….. Nothing. Does this mean that I’m cured? Or ill? If I can’t think of something soon I’ll end up with a dressing gown.

My guess is that flat wound, heavier gauge strings were more prevalent back then and would typically last longer. Wasn't there also a tendency to boil them to rejuvenate them? Or am I thinking of motor cycle chains?

I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. I’ve had a few amps do it and it’s never caused a problem - I’ve just got into the habit now of turning the volume down whenever I turn the power on or off.

I’d suggest a stomp box or something like the Simplifier and FRFR rather than a dedicated guitar amp. Or there’s a Roland Cube which has a mic input, I believe?

It’s strange but I’ve never really got into the guitar (or bass) mags. I used to get motorbike and car mags regularly but I’ve never really bothered with the guitar titles. In general, I think the magazine sector is now holding on after a period of consolidation. While we may have turned away from printed media for our news, we still like to sit on the loo on a Sunday and read up on our hobbies. Given their reach into commercial radio, I’m surprised Bauer Media don’t have any music or guitar titles. That seems a strange omission from their portfolio. From what I remember of the ones I’ve read, Total Guitar was quite heavily focused on learners and Guitarist is a bit “coffee table, lifestyle” for my taste. That seems to leave a gap in the market for a mainstream review magazine but perhaps that’s the area that YouTube now owns and the only place left for magazines is the high-end, glossy boutique stuff or the “How To Play Sweet Child Of Mine”-type tutorials.

Interesting question and one I struggle with too. I’m another who starts out looking for something mid-priced but decent and then gradually talk myself into the top-spec, super-duper model with the go-faster doohickey and the Unicorn horn inlays. In reality, I think that (assuming that the amp is at least reasonable) below a certain quality level the guitar is the limiting factor. At the very top level, you’re mainly paying for finish and decoration which have either a limited impact on tone or are so subtle that you need a much better amplifier/cabinet to hear them. Somewhere between those two is the Goldilocks point where the instrument has decent pickups, bridge, but, etc and is put together properly. After that point, I’d start looking at upgrading to a better amp and speaker combo…

I have a Boss DS1 which is excellent for heavier stuff. I also have an EHX Soul Food which is really nice for more subtle, less “grainy” drive. I’d recommend either or both of those but going off your post, it sounds like the EHX would be just the ticket

That’s a lovely neat job. I have similar levels of Untidy Cable Hatred but less aptitude to do anything meaningful about it.

Looks like he’ll need to check on the rules in Germany. Or you take it over in person and “forget” to take it home

Oddly, my GAS has subsided for a while as I’ve got the ideal (for me) stable of guitars. I will be moving some basses on (don’t play them any more) and will then start gassing for a new synth/workstation - but for now the GAS has settled down. I must be coming down with something

Great topic! Gallaghers Music in Grimsby is trying hard in the face of the online giants to maintain a decent stock of guitars, basses and amps. They have a decent range of PRS and some good quality budget offerings (Vintage, Cort and the like) and they always have a good supply of interesting second-hand stuff. A real old-school guitar shop and I really hope they can keep going in the face of the online competition

That’s my thinking too (just need to convince the others that it’s the “right” approach). The Mackie system looks interesting too, depending on the capabilities of their mixing app. I feel a trip to G4M or PMT coming on….