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Lots of discounted, blemished guitars are great deals, but "the neck is twisted in a way that cannot be fixed with a truss rod adjustment" would make me worry that this is not one of them. At the least, I'd want to know what sort of twist it is.
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Aug 11, 2012 03:44
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Pyrthas posted:Lots of discounted, blemished guitars are great deals, but "the neck is twisted in a way that cannot be fixed with a truss rod adjustment" would make me worry that this is not one of them. At the least, I'd want to know what sort of twist it is. Hahahaha. Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't even think to read that the description had any catch like that since for some reason "luthier special" didn't equal to "ruined" in my head.
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Aug 11, 2012 06:09
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Yeah, I've been drooling over the 560 for a month or so now. They had 3 of them in their clearance section a couple of weeks ago that were supposedly cosmetic blems only, but a) the one I was going to pick up from their blem section disappeared just as I was about to pull the trigger on it. b) now literally EVERYTHING has disappeared from their clearance section - it's completely loving empty. And c) like already pointed out, that one seems real screwed instead of just "not the prettiest pig in the sty" kind of deal. I'm guessing that their factory clearance stuff got some solid attention either from some smart luthiers or savvy music shop guys and they stocked the hell up on cheap things from them all in one fell swoop. Warcabbit posted about a sale they were having on regular stock a month or so ago, and seems to have his finger pretty well on their pulse, so I'm sure he'll be able to chime in and give some insight as well. Right now though, I'm thinking the best bet is to try and hold off till they get some more blem stock in the shop or wait for their next sale which should hit in about another 2 months or so. Last sale the 560's were going for around $180-$200 I think, maybe even as low as %150 although I might be thinking of the 550's there. Or alternatively, you could just grab one for $250 and they're still a pretty damned good deal. Personally though, now that I've seen one for $150-ish, I get all harumph-y at having to pay twice as much to get one shipped, so I'm just gonna bide my time.
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Aug 11, 2012 07:21
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Pyrthas posted:Lots of discounted, blemished guitars are great deals, but "the neck is twisted in a way that cannot be fixed with a truss rod adjustment" would make me worry that this is not one of them. At the least, I'd want to know what sort of twist it is. I think it translates to 'the neck needs to be steamed straight.' I'm not sure what that costs, but I'm pretty sure it's over a hundred bucks. Basically, listen to nrr and groove for a bit, or buy new. It'll be at least September and maybe November before they refill the clearance, though.
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Aug 11, 2012 14:12
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chiz posted:that's awesome, you're awesome. Thanks for the link baka. That whole site is awesome! And having that kind of structured progression through the lessons sounds like it would be good for you too, giving you something to work with and something to mark your progress
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Aug 11, 2012 14:27
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Sooooo, Korean Squier Straits then. What's the Musicians Lounge verdict? Obviously Japanese Squiers are highly regarded, but are Koreans equally as good?
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Aug 11, 2012 14:31
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Since there's been a lot of chat about GFS pickups, xposting from the Post Pics of your Next or Newest thread: Got back home last night to find my baby was back from the shop. I got a new GFS Mean 90 in the neck and a coilsplit GFS Loudmouth bucker in the bridge.  I could talk about these pickups all day, I'm a true believer now.
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Aug 12, 2012 15:01
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Go on, Manky. I'm listening. I've got some bodies that need parts, and I was thinking about the Loudmouth and Bigmouth myself. I'm thinking SHH or HSH, with the S being a Mean 90.
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Aug 12, 2012 16:58
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Manky posted:Since there's been a lot of chat about GFS pickups, xposting from the Post Pics of your Next or Newest thread: Mine is on its way. I sent a friend of mine who's in the states the black one as the nickel one was not available... and just yesterday I got an email saying it was already back in stock.  And yes, we need some reviews on that. 
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Aug 12, 2012 17:00
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Well okay then  I didn't have a problem with the buckers the Agile came with, they were fine, you know, fine. But the immediate difference of picking it up and playing it after the GFS pups went in was unbelievable. The clarity on both of them is incredible, there's an odd sense of responsiveness that overwhelmed me, if that makes sense. The Mean 90 deserves all the praise it gets. The P90s that I have on my Agile Harm are good, they made me realize I really want that P90 sound. But they don't compare to the Mean 90. Considering it's humbucker sized and in a metal case, the sound is unbelievable. Hell, it would be anyway. What's really incredible is that it makes me believe that a solid hunk of wood can sound something like a jazzbox. Woody and warm and bright. Beautiful, beautiful tone up and down the neck. The Loudmouth is also great, and perfect for getting a splitcoil on. In single coil mode it just sounds great, it has that authentic, bright jangliness. In combination with the neck pickup you can get a real warm sound. But in full humbucker, this thing is awesome. It is loud and boy can it snarl. Fills out the sound in a big way. I mean, it is hot. To blend it with the P90, I have to dial it back a little. That's fine, because when you hit it hard you're like half a step away from killer hard rock tone. At this point I don't think I can imagine anything else I need. So far I'm mostly keeping it in SS, but I could spend hours playing with the sounds I get out of it. I really wish I had a band to play with right now, I'm dying to see what kind of sounds I could get in a live mix.
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Aug 12, 2012 19:27
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I'm seriously considering dropping one of these http://www.guitarfetish.com/Neck-Soapbar-180-humbucker-in-Soapbar-P90-Shell-HIGH-OUTPUT_p_1936.html into the bridge of my Malden Liquid, and one of these http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-Alnico-Vintage-Wound-Soapbar-Cream-Pickup-Neck-Position_p_284.html into the neck.
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Aug 12, 2012 19:56
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My Fender Jaguar (the dual humbucker model with the tune-o-matic bridge they made circa 2006) is having trouble with intonation. On a few strings I'm a few cents sharp, but the saddle on the bridge is the furthest back it can go! I currently have it strung up with 10s. Should I restring and re-setup the guitar for 9s?
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Aug 13, 2012 01:44
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This question is more for general discussion then for a yes or no answer. How does everyone feel about practicing electric unplugged? I was noodling on the couch unplugged just now and noticed that I was playing really lovely and hard. I've had friends who swear that practicing unplugged, that it improves technique. It's something I've always done but I really didn't think it might be bad for me until just now. So let's talk about it.
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Aug 13, 2012 03:25
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A good amp makes you sound awesome no matter what you play. No amp lets you hear exactly what you're doing. Great for technique.
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Aug 13, 2012 03:27
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I have a super nice amp, it's just that I can't really use it when the wife is in bed and I'm on the couch. I practice all time with my amp, but I guess my question is, does practicing unplugged possibly do more harm than good? Edit:Oops I didn't read what you wrote correctly. I guess my thought is that, an electric is meant to be played amplified so if you practice unplugged you would play differently than you would when unplugged, at least I know I do. I play harder to be able to hear myself, but when you're playing through an amp, it doesn't matter because if you need to be louder you simply turn up. Hollis Brownsound fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Aug 13, 2012 |
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Aug 13, 2012 03:29
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Sadsack posted:Sooooo, Korean Squier Straits then. What's the Musicians Lounge verdict? Obviously Japanese Squiers are highly regarded, but are Koreans equally as good? Japanese Squiers range from good to better than American. Korean Squiers range from trash to good. The early ones, right when they switched from Japan, are not very good from the examples I've played. If you can find one from around 2009 or so, those are generally pretty good. I haven't played any Korean Squiers newer than that. If possible, try before you buy with the Korean ones, because the two main factories they were made in have both gotten a lot better in the last 15 years, but they still put out clunkers too. On a related note, the Indonesian-made Classic Series and Vintage Modified Squiers have consistently impressed me. Every other Indonesian Squier, not so much.
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Aug 13, 2012 05:45
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HollisBrown posted:
Ideally, you would just set the amp to the loudest you want it when you play loud and just control it with right hand dynamics, but that's pretty hard to do in theory (especially at louder volumes that rock bands always end up at, even the ones who are restrained), but I can't see how there would be long term hurt caused by practicing this way.
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Aug 13, 2012 05:55
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HollisBrown posted:I guess my thought is that, an electric is meant to be played amplified so if you practice unplugged you would play differently than you would when unplugged, at least I know I do. I play harder to be able to hear myself, but when you're playing through an amp, it doesn't matter because if you need to be louder you simply turn up.
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Aug 13, 2012 07:03
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You should practice how you intend to perform. And try doing left hand legato exercises without an amp - it gets a bit muddy, aurally.
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Aug 13, 2012 13:46
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Is there a be-all-end-all component that makes an electric guitar sound its best? Is it the amp, the pickups, the cable from guitar to amp, the strings or the guitar itself? OR, is there an order of operations with all of these factors, if you know what I mean?
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Aug 13, 2012 13:49
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chiz posted:Is there a be-all-end-all component that makes an electric guitar sound its best? "Your fingers."
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Aug 13, 2012 14:22
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butros posted:"Your fingers." well yeah I get that.  I'm just starting out, I know like three chords and that's it. I'm just asking so I don't start out lovely, with the wrong poo poo. .....ok for instance I got this http://www.rondomusic.com/rst3ts.html and I know it's cheap and not the best but I'm broke and really want to learn to play. If I were to be specific about myself, I'd ask "should I get a new cord, amp or strings?" that kind of thing. After the OP recommendation of Rondo I figured I'd go with them and the reviews on Amazon were all positive and it was economical for me so I went with it.
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Aug 13, 2012 14:53
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chiz posted:well yeah I get that. It's really tough to say what the end all be all factor in tone is. The guitar itself has a lot to do with it - the quality of the wood that was selected, the level of workmanship in the assembly of the guitar, the quality of the pickups are three major things that really play into it. There are poo poo Les Pauls that sell for thousands of dollars that won't sound as good as a cheaper guitar. Also, generally, a good amplifier can make a subpar guitar sound better than a subpar amplifier, but a good guitar will sound like crap through a crap amp. I wouldn't worry too too much about cords or strings or picks or anything like that at this point. With strings, I've been playing for over a decade and still don't really have a preferred brand or composition of strings (besides not really liking Elixers) - I'm more concerned about the guages - lighter strings are easier to play, but may not sound as good as heavier strings (but once again that's all in the hands), and starting out I'd suggest just going with lighter guage as it'll make your fingers happier as you try and learn the instrument. The only other thing with strings starting out that you should really worry about affecting your tone is how often you change them. New strings sound a million times better than old strings and just swapping out a set of strings once every couple of weeks depending on how often you play can make a big difference. A cable can affect tone, from what I hear the shorter the cable the better, but honestly if you're just starting out you're not going to notice (hell I am sure I can't tell the difference). Overall, starting out I'd be less worried about tone and getting the best sound and instead just try and get the mechanics of playing under my belt (with the caveot that you want notes/chords to ring clearly without buzzing etc.). Try and work on getting fluent at switching between chords, and being able to play some songs. Learn to play single note lines (some scales and arpeggios). As you start to master the mechnics of playing, your tone will develop with it (going back to my "your fingers" snark), and the longer you play and the more enjoyment you get, the more you'll be able to distinguish what you do and don't like about different guitar tones (including your own) and by that time you'll probably have been playing a year or two and will be able to justify buying a nicer guitar/amp.
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Aug 13, 2012 16:47
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thanks for that extensive and informative response butros, as being a beginner at this is rather overwhelming. Oh and also what is the learning curve like in general with guitar?
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Aug 13, 2012 17:05
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chiz posted:Oh and also what is the learning curve like in general with guitar? Sorry to say it again, but it really depends. The biggest factor is how many hours a week are you able to put in, are you disciplined enough to keep up with that goal? Like everything in life, the more time you put in, the more you'll get out of it. Setting up a disciplined schedule might help - say that every day you'll spend 20 minutes working on chords - learning new shapes, learning transitions from chord to chord. Spend another 20 minutes working on scales or arpeggios or other single note things. Spend another 20 minutes working on learning a song you want to be able to play. BAM 60 minutes a day, but you're not just noodling - rather you're actually making progress. Keep track of what you're doing and things you're having trouble with, and after a few months, look back, and you'll be amazed at your progress (if you stick with it of course). Another factor is what style of music do you want to learn how to play? If you want to play Dream Theatre songs, the learning curve will be much much steeper than if you want to play songs by the Ramones. Finally, another influencing factor woudl be what musical background (if any) do you have? If you've got at least a basic understanding of what a scale is from your time playing clarinet in your junior high wind ensemble, you'll be in better shape than if you have no musical background. If you're an accomplished jazz pianist and you're picking up the guitar on the side, you'll be in even better shape.
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Aug 13, 2012 17:21
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chiz posted:thanks for that extensive and informative response butros, as being a beginner at this is rather overwhelming.
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Aug 13, 2012 17:57
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The biggest factor for me while I'm learning is who I'm playing with. My most ineffective moments are when I practice the same songs over and over. Yes, I'm getting better, but only at those songs. It took me way too long to realize that I should be doing what everyone else is and playing along with the radio and figuring stuff out on my own. But the thing that's always pushed me the most, and led to the biggest improvements, was finding people of similar or greater ability to play with. The times I've gotten to play with older and more experienced players, that's when I learned the most and the fastest. Playing with worse musicians kind of sucks, but even there you can learn some invaluable skills - patience, for one. e: Which is not to say you shouldn't do practices and stuff from books. It is a great way to shore down your technique, and god knows when I started doing more exercises I started improving. Manky fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Aug 13, 2012 |
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Aug 13, 2012 18:05
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Manky posted:The biggest factor for me while I'm learning is who I'm playing with. My most ineffective moments are when I practice the same songs over and over. Yes, I'm getting better, but only at those songs. It took me way too long to realize that I should be doing what everyone else is and playing along with the radio and figuring stuff out on my own. I've had the exact opposite experience. I feel like I learn the most when I want to learn a single song. It pushes me to get out the metronome and to learn things I didn't think I could ever play. When you have your favorite song figured out except 4 measures you find yourself doing crazy things to learn them. I remember one time I became obsessed with Amon Amarth and learned ~12 songs in a month. I was practicing 4-6 hours a day and ended up with an hour and a half playlist that I could go through start to finish. To me the trick to getting better at guitar it to find something that obsesses you like that. You have to be kind of crazy about it honestly.
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Aug 13, 2012 19:09
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Salt Fish posted:I've had the exact opposite experience. I feel like I learn the most when I want to learn a single song. It pushes me to get out the metronome and to learn things I didn't think I could ever play. When you have your favorite song figured out except 4 measures you find yourself doing crazy things to learn them. That's really interesting, and that's a great example of how people can have very different learning styles.
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Aug 13, 2012 19:19
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Salt Fish posted:I've had the exact opposite experience. I feel like I learn the most when I want to learn a single song. It pushes me to get out the metronome and to learn things I didn't think I could ever play. When you have your favorite song figured out except 4 measures you find yourself doing crazy things to learn them. Yeah I think sitting down and learning an entire album is such a great learning experience. Legend has it that when Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited came out Jimi Hendrix had worn that album through the grooves within a month from figuring it out.
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Aug 13, 2012 19:28
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As far as switching from chord to chord it's all muscle memory right? I mean, I'm using that right now while I type. I figure if I can type I can learn this right?
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Aug 14, 2012 21:04
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Pretty much, yeah. You just need to make sure you learn good technique while you're training your hand, otherwise you'll build muscle memory with bad positioning and whatever. So make sure you go slow and learn to do it right, then speed up gradually. If you're following that justinguitar video he stresses that your chords need to ring out pretty cleanly, if not perfectly. When you're starting out they'll be a little squirrely, so you want to focus on getting them as well-formed as possible. Once you get better, then you can start on speeding up - and by that point you should be able to form a clean chord, so they should all be perfect
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Aug 14, 2012 21:44
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chiz posted:As far as switching from chord to chord it's all muscle memory right? I mean, I'm using that right now while I type. I figure if I can type I can learn this right?
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Aug 15, 2012 13:37
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duckfarts posted:Yup, some chords are harder, but it gets easier through practice. I surprised myself when I noticed I could snap to a C chord decently, and now I just need to get that down for everything else... I think C and F are the biggest "walls" I encountered so far. When I began playing I couldn't even get an E to sound correctly and I remember thinking it was physically impossible for my sausage fingers to make a chord sound right, but it started getting better and I suddenly I could snap to them without even thinking. Then I got to C and that "no way" feeling returned, I just couldn't get the bloody thing to sound nice, and then history repeats itself with F (I still can't get F every single time, but at least it sounds good when playing it within a song). Just keep at it, concentrating on technique and finger placement and you'll get better in no time. Speed will come naturally after a while.
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Aug 15, 2012 14:38
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Edmond Dantes posted:I think C and F are the biggest "walls" I encountered so far. When I began playing I couldn't even get an E to sound correctly and I remember thinking it was physically impossible for my sausage fingers to make a chord sound right, but it started getting better and I suddenly I could snap to them without even thinking. Then I got to C and that "no way" feeling returned, I just couldn't get the bloody thing to sound nice, and then history repeats itself with F (I still can't get F every single time, but at least it sounds good when playing it within a song). Anybody have the Guitar Aerobics book? It's pretty nice so far and is helping out with alternate picking and string skipping for me, but I'm getting hosed on the Friday sweep picking riffs because I'm not sure how I should be properly doing the fingering on them.
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Aug 15, 2012 15:33
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duckfarts posted:Yup, some chords are harder, but it gets easier through practice. I surprised myself when I noticed I could snap to a C chord decently, and now I just need to get that down for everything else... I always had trouble getting the fingering down on D major chord when I first started. All it takes is dedicated practice and your muscles will do the rest in time.
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Aug 15, 2012 15:51
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duckfarts posted:F is just an E with a barred bottom so you can move around anywhere you want on the fretboard, so learning to slide that shape around is really handy. Yeah I play F like this now - it's much easier to make it sound clearly and if you're playing with a bass, the F on the low E string is pretty unnecessary: code:code:code:butros fucked around with this message at 16:04 on Aug 15, 2012 |
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Aug 15, 2012 15:59
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duckfarts posted:F is just an E with a barred bottom so you can move around anywhere you want on the fretboard, so learning to slide that shape around is really handy. Yeah, but that's what kept throwing me off at the beginning. I was doing an E with my 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers, and then trying to add the index finger to form the F, but I was doing that with my thumb still "behind" the E shape and not supporting the index, which made it sound like crap. Once I started forming the chord the other way round, that is, starting with the barre and then the E, it finally started making sense. Did that make sense? 
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Aug 15, 2012 16:00
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Edmond Dantes posted:Yeah, but that's what kept throwing me off at the beginning. I was doing an E with my Pebber Brown tip: thumb behind the neck thumb behind the neck thumb behind the neck god dammit just do it THUMB BEHIND THE NECK
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Aug 15, 2012 17:48
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duckfarts posted:Was your thumb over the top of the neck? Hahaha, no, but it was opposite the E shape instead of opposite the index finger, and that was causing me to apply more strength than I needed and in an odd way.
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Aug 15, 2012 18:12
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