Red Blaster
Member
excellent value for their price and are actually made to vintage spec unlike the classic player fender jazz and jags. you also want that floating trem if you're doing shoegaze.
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Guitar Gaf |OT| Fingerpickin good
- Thread starter NEO0MJ
- Start date
excellent value for their price and are actually made to vintage spec unlike the classic player fender jazz and jags. you also want that floating trem if you're doing shoegaze.
To further elaborate, they do that chimey and airy tone very well. Part of this is due to their low tension, short sustain and string resonance, in which the strings behind the bridge ring out.
They don't really do bluesy or classic rock guitar lead playing very well due to this, but they do rhythm playing extremely well, and take effects like a champ. Even if you put them through dozens of effects, you still get good note definition since the notes die out fast, and they have an inherently airy tone.
Mr.Monitor
Member
Exactly! That's my biggest problem. I need something that can sit by my chair and will be easy to grab whenever I feel like it.
Absolutely. Here's two tracks with guitar tones close to what I'd like to achieve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6BrTD2FrFM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXuLjUzuXmw
Ideally it would be able to do gentler stuff like this along with your standard smeary wall of sound shoegaze stuff like MBV or Slowdive. If it could also handle the tinnier sounds you can hear in some 90s alt rock stuff I'd be extra happy.
Also thanks for the elaboration, guys. That sounds like exactly what I want. They definitely seem like they're in my price range, too.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Yeah. Sounds like a pig. Does it have a pick guard? I found removing the pick guard made my beastly Les Paul much more comfortable to play seated.
Don't suppose you have a Mac? I can send you a quick multitrack demo of different pickups if you want to then slap on effects. (I'm bored)
Mr.Monitor
Member
It does have one, yup! I might try that a bit later, but it doesn't seem to be adding too much bulk as-is. Also yeah I do, but I don't have garageband or logic installed. I use ableton, but if you send me the stems I'd love to mess with them to sort out some go-to effect chains.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
68MB .zip; both raw and amp-simulation .aif files, along with pics of the settings for the virtual amp/pedal
Didn't really try for the best sound in the world, just wanted something fairly boring and clean. I think it worked much better for the Les Pauls than the Fenders.
I don't listen to shoe gaze (had to look it up, stole a chord progression from bits of Alison by Slowdrive and then put a melody that you should hopefully be able to make sound like the beginning of Foxes in Fiction - Ontario Gothic (I'm not even sure which one of those titles is the song and which is the band— I'm so fucking cool)).
Guitars said:
gollumsluvslave
Member
Is it not? Wow, I thought being a VM squire it was a faded shell pink (Like the way the VM Jag has the faded out surf green) in that picture! Still nice though!
Here's some pics of my totally pro project, kitchen paint shop! The shielding eventually pops over the edges to make contact with the plate, but I buffed it first before I finished that part up.
I bought a wiring kit from MOJO pickups rather than being out of the box soldered and ready to go. It was cheaper to do it myself with their kit, plus I was balls deep into the project at this point and thought bugger it, but it was hard and took me maybe three goes to be happy with my soldering... But it was something that really needed doing as the original wiring was knackered with the whole lead circuit not working at all, so the top switch basically acted like a kill switch and it was cheaper to just redo everything from a kit than take it to a tech, crazy as that is.
Getting there.. The logo style is too old, but in England it seems your options are limited when it comes to Decals and I'm not overly fussed honestly. As much as I love this neck I'm still umming and ahhing if I should get a custom built one with binding or not anyway.
Just proud of my buff job... Buffing is horrible and I thought it would be a couple hours of smug polishing. Nope.. It took me about 10 hours to buff it to this and more sweat than I care to admit.
This is a better representation of the final colour
I took it for a final setup and got a new nut made for the bottom 4 strings all .26 and the top 2 both .13 and I LOVE it. The problem I have now is that I replaced so much, that I almost have enough bits and bobs for a second, slightly more road worn Jazzmaster, which is where the telecaster/jazzmaster mashup custom build comes in
Awesome stuff mate!
I really wish I could solder, tried more times than I can count but I'm useless at it! Lots of props for folks who have the patience and effort to do their own work!
I usually don't like pastel colour guitars but that blue works nice
mattiewheels
And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
I just got the budget model of the Gretsch Jet as my first electric, and I have to say I'm really impressed with how nice it is for such a cheap model since I don't really need the tremolo bar and other features. I was looking to get a Les Paul, but I ended up wanting something lighter and cheaper, and I thought it would lend itself to a more jangly, chiming sound that I like.
One cool thing about having a Rocksmith USB cable is that when I plug into my Mac I have all those garageband pedals to mess around with. So much fun messing around with all those, and free is awesome.
One cool thing about having a Rocksmith USB cable is that when I plug into my Mac I have all those garageband pedals to mess around with. So much fun messing around with all those, and free is awesome.
teruterubozu
Member
You should try the GarageBand amp modelings. Free for Mac too and way better than Rocksmith's presets.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Having an extra hand helps a lot. You can get little stands with articulated arms and clips to help. I use a surgical clamp at home.
Yeah, Rocksmith's aren't convincing to me.
Here's a list of Logic/Garageband's amp models and their real world inspirations.
One complaint in GB though when you select a pre-set from the library, it sets the track icon and the amp displayed in the knob drawer regardless of how you fuck with it in the Amp Designer. GB's UI has become more cumbersome over the years, sometimes needlessly, with added features.
theepicoftyler
Member
I don't use a Mac, so I'm not sure if GB supports VSTs, but if it does, definitely check out Bias Amp or Bias FX. Top tier amp sims/effect sims. They're on sale right now for a low price and they're def worth it.
I absolutely love it. I use a Scarlett 2i2 and run my own pedals straight into the computer and get some fantastic tones.
veryslowhand
Banned
Hi, what would be the cheaper way to play through a PC? I need a practice amp and though giving this other option a shot.
Thanks!
Thanks!
theepicoftyler
Member
See my above post! I invested in that setup because I couldn't really use an amp in my apartment. If you have a nice pair of headphones get a Scarlett 2i2 or similar audio interface and a DAW (Garage Band, Logic, ProTools, Mixcraft, etc) with amp sim capabilities.
Bias makes standalone versions of their amp sims if you don't care about recording so you can skip the DAW all together.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
They do, both VSTs and AUs. Positive Grid shows Logic a lot in their marketing videos. Currently pretty happy with the models already in GB, but it's something to look into in the future if I can't get a sound I want. I'm pretty boring, though.
teruterubozu
Member
NGD! New Guitar Day!
My Vintage V6M24 Laguna Blue finally arrived! I don't think I'm gonna order a guitar online again. Way too much anxiety with shipping and shitty Ground tracking. Next time it will be a physical in-hand purchase.
Anyway, the Vintage brand is from UK with factories in Indonesia (like Ibanez) and Vietnam. They basically make really good copies of various guitars like Fenders and Les Pauls. Some say the Vintage brand Les Pauls are way better than Epiphones, but I haven't tried them. The V6M24 is their ode to 80s shredders like Charvel San Dimas and Jacksons. I bought this for $300 on a Black Friday sale (took frikkin' forever to get here!) on a whim. It's definitely a shredder, from the maple neck to the reverse headstock and to the eye-melting color (it also comes in Daytona Yellow and Venture Green). The hardware is all Trevor Wilkinson including the pickups, tremolo bridge, tuners, knobs, etc. - so it's really solid. The pickups are insanely hot, obviously for continuous hot lead play, but the cleans are kinda meh. I might change them out some day. The Vintage brand is really hard to find in the US (thus I ordered online) but apparently they are everywhere in the UK (can anyone confirm this?). Anyway, I have another guitar arriving tomorrow (LOL) so I will post another mini-review soon.
My Vintage V6M24 Laguna Blue finally arrived! I don't think I'm gonna order a guitar online again. Way too much anxiety with shipping and shitty Ground tracking. Next time it will be a physical in-hand purchase.
Anyway, the Vintage brand is from UK with factories in Indonesia (like Ibanez) and Vietnam. They basically make really good copies of various guitars like Fenders and Les Pauls. Some say the Vintage brand Les Pauls are way better than Epiphones, but I haven't tried them. The V6M24 is their ode to 80s shredders like Charvel San Dimas and Jacksons. I bought this for $300 on a Black Friday sale (took frikkin' forever to get here!) on a whim. It's definitely a shredder, from the maple neck to the reverse headstock and to the eye-melting color (it also comes in Daytona Yellow and Venture Green). The hardware is all Trevor Wilkinson including the pickups, tremolo bridge, tuners, knobs, etc. - so it's really solid. The pickups are insanely hot, obviously for continuous hot lead play, but the cleans are kinda meh. I might change them out some day. The Vintage brand is really hard to find in the US (thus I ordered online) but apparently they are everywhere in the UK (can anyone confirm this?). Anyway, I have another guitar arriving tomorrow (LOL) so I will post another mini-review soon.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Happy NGD! My first Stratocaster was lost in shipment from Japan. After three weeks I piped up to Ishibashi (the retailer), and they sent me a new one out which arrived in a week without issue.
theepicoftyler
Member
I will post for the 3rd time today about Bias I suppose.
I really like Bias Amp and Bias FX. I feel like they do a really great job of generating realistic sounds. I downloaded it on the recommendation of my brother a few months ago and was blown away at how far amp sims have come.
Mr.Monitor
Member
Thanks! Gonna play around with these a bit tonight.
So I just got back from the guitar center nearby and tried out a Squier VM Jaguar based on everyone's recs; on the rack it looked a bit big to me, but it felt really nice on my lap and from my messing around it seems like it's really comfortable to use. I didn't get to really feel out the tone of the guitar too well with my time there, but based on what I hear online it'll more than suffice. They didn't have a Jazzmaster there, so I am wondering if you guys would recommend one over the other. I like how the switch mechanism on the Jaguar seems to give you a bit more to play around with in terms of tone, but aside from that is there anything I should know when picking one over the other?
Also, what would you guys recommend I ask for my Les Paul? It's an ebony Les Paul Custom Pro with a case. It could use a bit of polishing but aside from that it's in good shape. My friend said to start at 500, but don't go any lower than 300, I'd be happy to get 400 for it though, since that would cover the cost of a JM or Jaguar. Does that sound right? Thanks again for your help.
Clockwork5
Member
Assuming the LP Custom Pro is an Epiphone $350-400 is a fair price if it is in good shape. It might be hard to get more than $400 but you could try starting at $500 to give yourself some negotiating room.
This is a pretty good showcase of how the Fender offsets differ in tone
My personal evaluation is that Jazzmasters are a bit more versatile compared to Jaguars. Jaguars has the strangle switch added which adds 3 more tones in theory, but all of the tones of Jags sound like variations of a single tone. Jazzmasters sound closer to other Fender guitars like Strats and Teles, have longer sustain and have a rounder, more fuller otne so they can cover a wider range of music.
Jazzmasters also have a 25.5" scale, which is the standard Fender scale compared to Jags, which are 24". Some people dislike how Jags play because of the shorter neck, but I vastly prefer the shorter scale because I have baby hands. If you're jumping from the Gibson scale you might not feel that much of a difference though.
The thing about Jags is that they're very idiosyncratic guitars. They do a few things well, and they do them fucking well, but expecting them to play like run-of-the-mill guitars won't work. You kind of have to adapt to them, using the plinkiness of their sound and short sustain to your advantage. Jaguars take the tonal characteristics of Jazzmasters and take them to eleven, so you kind of have to know what you're getting into when you play Jags. It's one of the reasons why there was so much misinformation and misguided hate towards them, just a few years back. People tried to play standard blues and rock on them when it just doesn't work.
But from what I've seen guitarists who gel with Jags seem to swear by them. Rowland S Howard played only a Jag for his entire career, and Marc Ribot and Johnny Marr seems to have been playing Jags exclusively since they first laid their hands on them.
If you liked Jags when you played them in a shop, you'll probably like them enough, but if all of this sounds a bit intimidating, I'd go with a JM first and feel things out. This coming from a guy who pretty much only plays a Jag these days.
Here's a tip on Jags:
Buy heavier strings. Keep in mind that when Jags and JMs were first released, most guitarists were using flatwound, high gauge strings. Using 09 gauge or 10 gauge strings will just make them sound shrill and you'll get strings popping out all the time. I find that you should be using at least 11 gauge, 12 gauge being preferable to get a fuller tone and prevent strings popping out of the saddles. But since the inherent design of Jags brings low tension, they won't feel hard to play even if you slap on some heavier strings, so it isn't much of a problem.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
I'd put .012s or .013s on a Jag.
... but I am weird and have .011s on Strats and Teles in standard tuning.
... but I am weird and have .011s on Strats and Teles in standard tuning.
You're not weird, heavy strings for life. I remember when I had 016s on a Tele. That was overkill and probably fucked the neck but it was still pretty fun.
I will post for the 3rd time today about Bias I suppose.
I really like Bias Amp and Bias FX. I feel like they do a really great job of generating realistic sounds. I downloaded it on the recommendation of my brother a few months ago and was blown away at how far amp sims have come.
Does it do low gain sounds well? The think I really disliked about Amplitude and Guitar Rig was that it was either anemic cleans and distortion that even a metalhead would wince at, and pretty much nothing between
nabe_shogun
Member
Nice. Though your video description is a bit inaccurate about more FF songs coming soon, lol.
Mr.Monitor
Member
Woah, thanks a ton for that. Based on that video and your reply, I think I'm gonna aim for a Jazzmaster. Something about the tone sounds vaguely throaty to me in a very good way, and when clean it sounded really nostalgic for some reason. Made me think of 90s emo or something. It's really close to the tone I wanted when I originally started playing guitar, so I think that's a good sign that I should go for it. Looks like I know what I'm getting myself for Christmas 🎅
Yeah, the Squier VMs are great, you're in for a treat.
You need to get heavier strings for JMs as well, 011s work great in my experience]
Personnel recommendation, Jazzmasters take RATs like a champ
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Truss rod exists for a reason.
I don't even use .016s on my acoustics. I guess I had them on one of my resos for a while.
Isn't the JM a 25.5" scale? Wouldn't the usual sort of preference to stupid little strings not work on it?
I'm not sure if I even knew what truss rod was back then lol
The floating trem setup and bridge of JMs require heavier strings due to the shallow break angle and inherently lower string tension, unless you really like your strings popping out of the bridge and saddle buzzing
Some of the newer Fender models have the trem plate placed closer to the bridge to ensure a higher break angle, but I think it's a very inelegant solution that doesn't do much other than sucking a lot of the character away from what makes Jazzmasters Jazzmasters. Same goes for buzzstops and tune-o-matics.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Ah.
FWIW, my Gibson-likes with tune-o-matics seem to work fine with small strings. Not for me, but for others. Apparently. My Greco LP came with a new set of 8.5s in the gig bag from Japan. ...nope! Also came with "Screamin' '82" pickups, so it's just purple spandex all around. .011s, a magnet swap and moving the tone control wire over a lug fixed that all up.
FWIW, my Gibson-likes with tune-o-matics seem to work fine with small strings. Not for me, but for others. Apparently. My Greco LP came with a new set of 8.5s in the gig bag from Japan. ...nope! Also came with "Screamin' '82" pickups, so it's just purple spandex all around. .011s, a magnet swap and moving the tone control wire over a lug fixed that all up.
Most guitars shouldn't need heavier strings, afaik. Just another one of the numerous design quirks of Fender offsets
8.5s? Must have felt like spaghetti, lol. Didn't even know they made them that small
CrudeDiatribe
Member
I didn't put them on, and not sure what was on when it arrived. Think I set it up pretty quick with .011s.
Used the .0085 for dental floss.
adamsappel
Member
Billy Gibbons plays with .007! Sevens! I have a set of his Rev. Willy's brand, but I couldn't bring myself to get lower than eights. And they're still in their package.
So I found out the guitar I had is a classical but already spent money to replace the strings. Is there any huge difference in learning this vs steel strings?
I don't want to waste the guitar and the money I spent so I will still use this to learn and maybe pick up a steel string when I'm serious.
I don't want to waste the guitar and the money I spent so I will still use this to learn and maybe pick up a steel string when I'm serious.
What are you trying to play?
You could play one like you would an steel-stringed guitar, but I don't recommend it. It's what I did before I bought my first electric and I was just constantly wishing I had an acoustic or electric the whole time.
Now I really wished I had a classical guitar because those sweet ass velvety tones, but I certainly wouldn't be playing one to bash out chords like I would on a steel-stringed guitar.
teruterubozu
Member
And he uses a Mexican peso as a pick. How the hell does his strings not snap every song?
LOL indeed, i lost my mic and camera a couple weeks after uploading my last vid.
I'm starting to record again though.
Excellent writeup EVOL, as a Jag player. Just wanted to note that in that video they're using a Japanese Jazzmaster and unless it's modded, it essentially has Strat pickups.
Just ordered a couple of pedals today. I was struggling at getting a nice clean tone at higher volumes, and also getting a nice low gain overdrive sound. I bought an Xotic EP clean boost pedal and an Electro Harmonix Crayon overdrive. I'm hoping these will help my quest for tone.
I fear I have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a 'clean boost' does, but I'm all for tone experimentation.
I fear I have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a 'clean boost' does, but I'm all for tone experimentation.
Tell us how it goes!
Just got my catalinbread talisman but....it didn't occur to me that it doesn't come with a power supply. Looksl ike i'll have to look around for a good power supply.
They make your guitar louder. The EP Booster is not a clean boost, it colors your tone.
teruterubozu
Member
OK, NGD part 2!
I scored a mint Ibanez RG450DX for $275 (retails for $400). I'm pretty stoked! The RG450DX is basically the high-end of Ibanez's entry-level guitars. Ibanez purists generally scoff at any RG model below RG550, because they are not "MIJ" (Made in Japan), however Ibanez's Indonesian factory, which produces the RG450DX, is quickly becoming a reputable factory. I'm very impressed with the build on this axe, it feels like an $800 guitar.
I scored a mint Ibanez RG450DX for $275 (retails for $400). I'm pretty stoked! The RG450DX is basically the high-end of Ibanez's entry-level guitars. Ibanez purists generally scoff at any RG model below RG550, because they are not "MIJ" (Made in Japan), however Ibanez's Indonesian factory, which produces the RG450DX, is quickly becoming a reputable factory. I'm very impressed with the build on this axe, it feels like an $800 guitar.
So, loopers. I want to get one, looking at the Ditto Stereo cause I could potentially hook up my electric and acoustic at the same time. Should I consider anything else in that price range? I know I can go better and better, but then Im looking at pedals twice the price that I dont really need lol
Ampersands
Member
Does anyone know of any good recording software for PC? I've been using Audacity but I wouldn't mind paying a bit for something a little more polished and robust.
Lionheart1827
Member
Reaper is pretty good and its not that expensive for a user license(I think 60 bucks).
You can try the full version for 60 days.
http://www.reaper.fm/
Teknopathetic
Member
It's hard to argue against Reaper at any price point.
sankt-Antonio
:^)--?-<
You can "try" Reaper for as long as you want. Its a trust based system. I paid for it, still got back to use Logic, which imo is even "priced better". For 200$ you get so much in therms of samples, libraries, guitar modelers, "pedalboards" , Synts, mastering tools etc.
Getting started immediately >>> trying to instal amp and speaker IR to work and sound good in Reaper.
We tracked our last EP with Reaper - damn it gets ugly (from a UI standpoint) very fast. Looks like a app straight of the the early 2000s.
Getting started immediately >>> trying to instal amp and speaker IR to work and sound good in Reaper.
We tracked our last EP with Reaper - damn it gets ugly (from a UI standpoint) very fast. Looks like a app straight of the the early 2000s.
teruterubozu
Member
Logic is definitely the most guitarist friendly. Can't beat the price too.
Lionheart1827
Member
Isn't this only available on Apple computers? What if he doesn't have a mac?
sankt-Antonio
:^)--?-<
Cubase > Reaper but still costs a fortune.
So I guess Reaper. It will get better with time, they update it like every three days.