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If I dump out 3-5k for a guitar it would be an Aristides or an Australian made Ormsby. Maybe Mayones. But you're definitely in diminishing returns pretty hard at that point. Well, with the Aristides you get a futuristic guitar that is immune to environmental changes at least. edit: I've been through a ton of guitars now and I think the sweet spot is about 1000-1500 for new, less for used. Japan and Korean made instruments typically feel a lot better with less QC issues, and you get the good stuff like locking tuners, SS frets, higher quality hardware, probably better fretwork which is crucial to getting a nice low action. As I mentioned in the discord, I'm generally talking superstrats here, that's my thing. Also as much as I love Jackson and have an ever growing collection of older Japanese ones, I don't think I'd buy a new one ever again. The new MJ one I have is really nice and is probably the most comfortable guitar I have, it's overpriced(2300 vs 1700ish for an Ibanez Prestige made right beside it in the same factory, and the MJ doesn't have a hardcase or SS frets). Jackson cheaps out more than the other major brands. Drunk Driver Dad fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 16:51
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Southern Cassowary posted:I think like, 400 gets you a good guitar (maybe cheaper, haven't personally played a Firefly/Harley Benton/Pacifica/etc) with a Classic Vibe or similar, and the American/Japanese production instruments feel like a step up in terms of fit-and-finish, hardware and pickup quality, resonance, etc once you get to around 1400-1500 bucks. Same thing with acoustics going from Yamaha/Seagull/etc into the production American Martin/Taylors.
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Feb 10, 2023 16:53
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What's my best bet for a kit if I want to learn to do my own setups? This StewMac "Basic Kit" seems like it's a bit expensive if it doesn't come with anything for cleaning up frets or nut slots? https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/stewmac-tool-sets/basic-setup-kit/ On the other hand, the generic-brand $30 do-everything kit from Amazon has reviews saying that the fret files are just pieces of flat bar with some minimal grit glued onto them. I'm looking to get ahold of one of the base model Harley Benton lefty Strat clones for experimentation and learning how to work on guitars, as well as a secondary practice guitar. My boss says we're good to mount a guitar hanger into the wall of the shipping container we use for an office so I can practice on breaks at work, and I think he also just wants to liven up the decor a little. On the other hand, I keep looking at pickups and watching review videos and such, but I'm not really interested in modding my Squier CV60s Strat. It is my first guitar, and to be quite honest, it's probably the only Fender-brand guitar I'm going to own for a long, long time. I like Strat ergonomics, and I've been interested in stuff like the Seymour Duncan mini-humbuckers so I can start figuring out what sorts of higher-gain tones I want to play, but I've pretty much told myself that the Squier stays as-is.
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Feb 10, 2023 18:56
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istewart posted:What's my best bet for a kit if I want to learn to do my own setups? This StewMac "Basic Kit" seems like it's a bit expensive if it doesn't come with anything for cleaning up frets or nut slots? I considered getting a Jem Jr and using it to teach myself fretwork and getting better at soldering as well as upgrading all the hardware to gold Gotoh equipment but I priced it out and it'd be several hundred more than a used RG550 so I passed. StewMac tends to be overpriced for what they offer but it'll probably be quality, whereas I'd be skeptical of the generic Amazon stuff. I've ordered stuff from Philadelphia Luthier Tools and Supplies in the past (they stock Gotoh hardware!) and they (obviously) have luthier tools so I might check out how much it'd cost to get what you want from there.
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Feb 10, 2023 19:06
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I snagged up the holy grail of MiJ Jackson finishes recently for a great price. Unfortunately it has a couple of cosmetic issues the seller didn't mention. A small crack in the fretboard under the 18th fret, and the binding in the bottom corner of the fretboard has been chipped off. But it was only 450 with a hardcase so I'm not too miffed. I could always put my reverse headstock neck from my DKMG on it if I wanted to.  
Drunk Driver Dad fucked around with this message at 19:35 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 19:33
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My god, it's like a cross between Giygas and an oil spill I love it
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Feb 10, 2023 19:36
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Drunk Driver Dad posted:I snagged up the holy grail of MiJ Jackson finishes recently for a great price. Unfortunately it has a couple of cosmetic issues the seller didn't mention. A small crack in the fretboard under the 18th fret, and the binding in the bottom corner of the fretboard has been chipped off. But it was only 450 with a hardcase so I'm not too miffed. I could always put my reverse headstock neck from my DKMG on it if I wanted to. If it stays in tune once you’ve leveled out the trem you should keep that neck because it looks cool. Unless it makes it uncomfortable to play. Edit: More superstrats with maple fretboards imo. TheMightyBoops fucked around with this message at 19:47 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 19:43
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I don't love that setup kit, honestly. If you're starting from scratch, I like Feeler gauges (do everything you need with the truss rod, you only need that long straightedge if you plan on recrowning frets). https://www.amazon.com/Hotop-Blades...aps%2C93&sr=8-3 Hex wrenches (just get both sets, you'll need them eventually) https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Wrench...2dDbGljaz10cnVl String action gauge (a fine tool, a 6-inch steel ruler just as good). https://www.amazon.com/MusicNomad-P...2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== Fret-end dressing file (this is a stewmac tool I think is great for the price; so much of what makes a guitar feel good is fret ends and $30 will cover every instrument you ever own). https://www.amazon.com/StewMac-Fret...aps%2C84&sr=8-2 Polishing sticks (these will last forever and you'll find lots of non-guitar stuff to use them on, as well). https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Mark-S...07XQKQMFB&psc=1 Radius gauges (this set costs $15 and will do everything you need to, I don't even have these just eyeball everything). https://www.amazon.com/MusicNomad-Precision-Fretboard-String-MN603/dp/B08M42ZN4G If you need to work with an acoustic saddle, get a good flat surface and a sheet of 400 grit paper. Go slow. If you overdo it, there are a million ways to shim it ranging from free (piece of cardboard) to proper (trimmed mahogany veneer). If you need to work on your nut, you just have to break down and buy a good set of files for $120. I've loved mine, but I play 10s on everything, so one set has me covered forever. Huxley fucked around with this message at 19:51 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 19:49
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Yeah the only reason I might consider changing is because I think maple necks go with plain black guitars better, so I'd still have it, it would just be on my DKMG. Eerie Dess looks cool regardless imo. I actually am 95% sure this wasn't the original neck. I can't find any evidence the 00s MiJ Eerie Dess DK2s came with both maple and HSS. All the DK2Ms had double humbuckers and the HSS ones just had the regular rosewood boards. Plus the neck plate was either changed, or turned around. I'm going to take it off and see what's stamped under there.
Drunk Driver Dad fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 19:50
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Huxley posted:I don't love that setup kit, honestly. If you're starting from scratch, I like Agree 100% with this post. Might also recommend: Neck cradle: https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Formula-Cradle-Maintenance-Station/dp/B001I1PWTY/ Small parts tray: https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Diameter-Magnetic-DTM01/dp/B079W688LC/ Magnetic tip screwdrivers with rubber handles. The Music Nomad action gauge/ruler Huxley linked is 5 sided so that it can act as a fret rocker, so I double recommend getting that.
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Feb 10, 2023 20:10
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Slothful Bong posted:I’ll have to check out a Suhr sometime, I’ve seen the name pop up for years as a premier guitar but haven’t had the chance to play one. Their prices are wild, but if they’re really that good… Last time I walked in a guitar store with intention of leaving with a high budget guitar, the only reason it wasn't the Suhr is that I came to buy a bass, and I walked out with a stingray, but I totally fell in love with that particular Suhr. First of all it's HSS with EMG pickups (I'm super into HSS guitars), second it comes with a Gotoh 510 trem, and I can't remember ever playing a better non locking trem, and it just felt like something that has been played for 25 years, and not like a brand new instrument. And it's just gorgeous  This is the actual photo of the actual guitar I held in my hands.
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Feb 10, 2023 20:18
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i don't know if it's single coil vs. bucker or alnico 2 vs. alnico 3, but i noticed at practice yesterday that there was a certain push/roar/power i always get out of my JB guitar that i couldn't get from a tele bridge pickup. i think one thing i've started to leverage a lot in my playing/songwriting is like, using a RAT for gain-- which definitely compresses the hell out of your signal, but through a guitar pickup that's pretty dynamic(?) so even if the volume is the same, it's still responding differently to how hard/loud i'm strumming and how many notes are in the chord i'm strumming, from the pickup. so not having that was kinda really frustrating
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Feb 10, 2023 20:49
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A JB is a pretty hot humbucker, so that's probably what you are noticing. This new guitar has a Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon which contrary to it's name, is actually more a medium output pickup. I haven't set it up to play yet though to try it. I may stick a JB in this one at some point and some hot rails in the single coil slots.
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Feb 10, 2023 21:56
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I'm interested in getting back into guitar after a couple of years of not really playing, but for various reasons I'm kind of moving away from my former goal of getting good at high-tempo metal stuff. I think this time around I want to focus more on acoustic fingerpicking stuff, but it's a little daunting to know where to start with it. I'm thinking of working towards being able to play songs like these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShalqS12hzQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqjUWJtH88c And I'll admit I really like the more over-the-top, flashy fingerpicking style stuff by Andy McKee, Tommy Emmanuel, Antoine Dufour, etc. but it'd be years before I could do any of that, lol. Where's a good place to start in learning this style of playing? Any easier songs I should consider to work up to the more complex pieces? Or good online courses?
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Feb 10, 2023 22:19
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So my AmPro2 tele body is already routed for a humbucker in the bridge and neck plus a middle single coil pickup. If I had a HSH telecaster would that be a SuperTele or would I have to make the bottom horn pointy?
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Feb 10, 2023 22:27
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MockingQuantum posted:I'm interested in getting back into guitar after a couple of years of not really playing, but for various reasons I'm kind of moving away from my former goal of getting good at high-tempo metal stuff. I think this time around I want to focus more on acoustic fingerpicking stuff, but it's a little daunting to know where to start with it. I'm thinking of working towards being able to play songs like these: There’s a Hal Leonard book of Beatles songs transcribed as classical guitar pieces that are not too hard and fun to play. There’s apparently also an “Easy” edition, but idk how that one is.
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Feb 10, 2023 22:31
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zelah posted:So my AmPro2 tele body is already routed for a humbucker in the bridge and neck plus a middle single coil pickup. Fender noiseless in the bridge, lipstick in the middle, SD Jazz in the neck get weird with it
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Feb 10, 2023 23:11
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While I wait for my new guitar to arrive I thought I should investigate ancillary kit to keep it in tip top shape. Are there any must have/nice to have/don't bother bits of kit to get? I've seen talk of fret oil, string cleaner, nut lube, fret guards and polish and so on, and there's so much I'm struggling to filter for what's actually useful or not.
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Feb 11, 2023 00:09
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zelah posted:So my AmPro2 tele body is already routed for a humbucker in the bridge and neck plus a middle single coil pickup. 
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Feb 11, 2023 00:57
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Helianthus Annuus posted:i suggest replacing the tele with a guitar more suited to you! i love an ashtray bridge, but its not for everyone, especially palm-muters. the 3 saddles would be a deal breaker for me. in all likelihood it's eventually getting replaced by an SG jr or something like that. one thing i found at practice yesterday was actually that most of my frets are dead on the D string. have to push down REALLY hard on a lot of them to get any sound. and i don't know how much it makes sense to either get a new neck for a $400 guitar, or even fretwork done.
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Feb 11, 2023 01:28
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Ok avoiding Kiesel. Thx y’all.
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Feb 11, 2023 01:40
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L&M has Epiphone Prophecy Exturas in stock at their warehouse and I'm having a really hard time not pulling the trigger completely blind. I don't like to buy a guitar I haven't had any hands on time with and that's what's keeping me from doing it. If they had one in stock at my local store I'd give it a solid hour of testing through a Mark V (since they have a shitload of Mesas in stock) but no dice.
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Feb 11, 2023 10:34
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Kazinsal posted:L&M has Epiphone Prophecy Exturas in stock at their warehouse and I'm having a really hard time not pulling the trigger completely blind. I don't like to buy a guitar I haven't had any hands on time with and that's what's keeping me from doing it. If they had one in stock at my local store I'd give it a solid hour of testing through a Mark V (since they have a shitload of Mesas in stock) but no dice. You could always buy it to try it out and then return it if it's not your thing, I've never had an issue with Long and McQuade's return policy. Or maybe even go to your local store and see if they could have one sent there so you could try it out before taking it home?
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Feb 11, 2023 15:13
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Kazinsal posted:L&M has Epiphone Prophecy Exturas in stock at their warehouse and I'm having a really hard time not pulling the trigger completely blind. I don't like to buy a guitar I haven't had any hands on time with and that's what's keeping me from doing it. If they had one in stock at my local store I'd give it a solid hour of testing through a Mark V (since they have a shitload of Mesas in stock) but no dice. I’ve bought all my guitars since I got back into it blind from Sweetwater and both are my favorite playing instruments I’ve owned. Edit: not saying it’s a good idea just that I’m lazy and it seems to have worked out. TheMightyBoops fucked around with this message at 18:25 on Feb 11, 2023 |
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Feb 11, 2023 18:20
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I bought my daughter a 1/2 sized acoustic for Christmas and she keeps struggling to fret it properly. I thought she was just not pressing hard enough but I had a bit of time to look at it properly and it seems the action is insanely high. Here's some poor photos, hopefully you can see what i mean. Measurements are at 12th fret and at the bridge, as I'm not sure there's enough of the saddle at the bridge to allow me to take off what's required to fix this, but I'm hoping someone here can advise.   
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Feb 11, 2023 18:42
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TheMightyBoops posted:I’ve bought all my guitars since I got back into it blind from Sweetwater and both are my favorite playing instruments I’ve owned. I am probably drinking the advertising Kool-Aid on this one but I watched a video about their inspection process and I'd bet that does a pretty good job at catching duds or problems on the lower-end.
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Feb 11, 2023 18:55
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sweetwater makes mistakes too, my first d28 from them had a small crack in the bridge. however they're unparalleled imo in return/exchanges without hassle. For me, they also overnighted the replacement
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Feb 11, 2023 18:58
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Lungboy posted:I bought my daughter a 1/2 sized acoustic for Christmas and she keeps struggling to fret it properly. I thought she was just not pressing hard enough but I had a bit of time to look at it properly and it seems the action is insanely high. Here's some poor photos, hopefully you can see what i mean. Measurements are at 12th fret and at the bridge, as I'm not sure there's enough of the saddle at the bridge to allow me to take off what's required to fix this, but I'm hoping someone here can advise. What model is it? Unfortunately a decent amount of short scale classicals are built more as instrument-shaped decorations than as functioning instruments. If she's actually interested in learning then it's worth investing in something like a cheap Yamaha shorty, and it least it will hold some value if you want to sell it. Edit: taken a closer look at the photos and I would be more worried about the pitch of the neck than the bridge saddle. That's significantly more action and relief than you can compensate for with shaving the saddle down.
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Feb 11, 2023 19:31
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Lungboy posted:I bought my daughter a 1/2 sized acoustic for Christmas and she keeps struggling to fret it properly. I thought she was just not pressing hard enough but I had a bit of time to look at it properly and it seems the action is insanely high. Here's some poor photos, hopefully you can see what i mean. Measurements are at 12th fret and at the bridge, as I'm not sure there's enough of the saddle at the bridge to allow me to take off what's required to fix this, but I'm hoping someone here can advise. That is pretty high but as I recall for every X mm you take off at the nut, you lower the action at the 12th by 1/2X so if you shaved it down by even half a millimeter you'd make some headway on that. I'd say shave it down a bit, you can always shim it back up with a bit of credit card or something if you take it a bit too far. Better yet, buy a spare and keep the original. Figure out how low you can get the spare and work from that. And like darkwasthenight said, do consider buying something like a Martin backpacker or a johnson travel guitar and throwing some extra light silk and steel or nylons on it Bonus on that is if she doesn't take to it, you get a decent travel guitar out of the deal.
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Feb 11, 2023 19:43
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If you want to start easier, loog makes 3 string minis that are a decent quality and tuned to GBE so skills are transferable to the high strings on a guitar and I believe they also make 6 string less mini guitars. If you end up keeping it you can tune it to open d (f# a d) or open g (gbd) pretty easy and have a fun alternate guitar.
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Feb 11, 2023 20:12
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darkwasthenight posted:What model is it? Unfortunately a decent amount of short scale classicals are built more as instrument-shaped decorations than as functioning instruments. If she's actually interested in learning then it's worth investing in something like a cheap Yamaha shorty, and it least it will hold some value if you want to sell it. It's a Thomann C402NT. I've been looking at an Ibanez Mikro for her with an agreement that if she stuck to the acoustic for 6 months then she could have it for her birthday, but I don't want to force the acoustic on her if it's so badly setup she can't play it properly. Good Soldier Svejk posted:That is pretty high but as I recall for every X mm you take off at the nut, you lower the action at the 12th by 1/2X so if you shaved it down by even half a millimeter you'd make some headway on that. I don't currently have any nut files so can't deepen the slots, and don't have the tools to entirely remove and replace the nut . I think buying a couple of spare saddles and seeing what can be done just by dropping the saddle as low as possible is a reasonable first step.
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Feb 11, 2023 20:43
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That is my bad. I meant saddle, not nut! I always reverse those
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Feb 11, 2023 20:51
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landgrabber posted:in all likelihood it's eventually getting replaced by an SG jr or something like that. Can you unpack "or something like that?" Instead of naming a specific model of guitar, let's think about what features are best for you. My picks for your specific needs (and where i don't know what you like, i say so and pick the option i would choose): stainless steel frets because your nickel silver frets on the strat are already played out. i think you must have a monkey grip!  i dunno what height frets you might want... i like medium jumbo, because it makes bends easy, but slides might be bumpier. some kind of jumbo would give you a longer lifespan on the frets, too.  guitar neck width, shape, radius, etc: no idea! depends on your hand and your technique. i have owned different guitars with different necks, and i like playing on all of them. but maybe i just got lucky. just to throw something out there, my G&L that i like is 1.625" nut width, 9.5" radius, Medium C shape carbon rod reinforced neck if you're gonna leave your guitar in the hot trunk of a car, those carbon will help. this could very well be why your strat is hosed, by the way! another premium feature that makes the guitar durable. also makes it lighter! scale length: 24.75" i think you said? which wouldn't be my pick, but plenty of people like it a lot. 25" and multiscale should also be considered. some kind of hard-tail bridge that's comfy for palm muting. i think the tuno-o-matics on the gibsons are only so-so for this, but a lot of people disagree with me  light weight body, ideally less than 6.5 lbs total. with belly cut and forearm bevel. pickups: no idea, i like both humbuckers and single coils! whatever you like, the guitar should have stock pickups with usable sounds in every switch position, because it's more fun to play guitar than it is to think about electronics IMO. is that it? ...what am i forgetting? Now, i know what you're thinking: "sunflower guy, you moron, i dont have any money, and this poo poo sounds expensive!" and to that i would say, "it is! and all the more reason to spend your money judiciously... once you have gotten a few pay checks". landgrabber posted:one thing i found at practice yesterday was actually that most of my frets are dead on the D string. have to push down REALLY hard on a lot of them to get any sound. and i don't know how much it makes sense to either get a new neck for a $400 guitar, or even fretwork done. it doesn't make economic sense to get a new neck on a 400 dollar guitar. but for some people, it might make aesthetic or sentimental sense. it can make sense to get fretwork done IMO, unless you're somehow bringing the same guitar in for work over and over. at some point, i think its throwing good money after bad.
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Feb 12, 2023 00:50
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Lungboy posted:I bought my daughter a 1/2 sized acoustic for Christmas and she keeps struggling to fret it properly. I thought she was just not pressing hard enough but I had a bit of time to look at it properly and it seems the action is insanely high. Here's some poor photos, hopefully you can see what i mean. Measurements are at 12th fret and at the bridge, as I'm not sure there's enough of the saddle at the bridge to allow me to take off what's required to fix this, but I'm hoping someone here can advise. i haven't set up my own acoustic or classical guitar before, so i don't have much advice. just wanted to say that this action looks extremely high! web search says it should be like 3 or 4 milimeters, not 12! it looks to my untrained eye like you could file material off the bottom
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Feb 12, 2023 00:58
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Helianthus Annuus posted:Can you unpack "or something like that?" Instead of naming a specific model of guitar, let's think about what features are best for you. My picks for your specific needs (and where i don't know what you like, i say so and pick the option i would choose): Counterpoint, look at this $500 SG though:  Edit: Why does this not have black pickup covers? I take it back. TheMightyBoops fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Feb 12, 2023 |
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Feb 12, 2023 01:11
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I saw one of those $200 squier hello kitty strata reduced to $600 from a store in Japan and seriously considered just no longer saving money for post-grad
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Feb 12, 2023 01:14
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TheMightyBoops posted:Counterpoint, look at this $500 SG though: Epiphone SGs are super light, and the push/pull coil split on them actually gives really good tones in both settings. It's not a bad call if size is a concern
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Feb 12, 2023 02:07
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TheMightyBoops posted:Counterpoint, look at this $500 SG though: bro that's perfection. 
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Feb 12, 2023 02:14
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Helianthus Annuus posted:i haven't set up my own acoustic or classical guitar before, so i don't have much advice. just wanted to say that this action looks extremely high! web search says it should be like 3 or 4 milimeters, not 12! Where are you seeing 12mm? The first photo looks like 4mm at the twelfth fret. OP could take a bit off the bridge, but it doesn't strike me as super out of spec? My nylon string is about 3mm. Nylon strings move more than steel so they have higher action to avoid fret buzz. It might seem too high if you're not used to it. E: Also it's short scale which means less tension, so higher action/relief to compensate, right? ColdPie fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Feb 12, 2023 |
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Feb 12, 2023 02:30
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I don't know if you've already discussed this before but the Epiphone Probucker IIs on aliexpress are legit. They measure out at about 8kOhm, 4.5H and 120pF which is bang-on standard PAF specs. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801254710528.html They sound great.
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Feb 12, 2023 02:34
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