The Musical Instrument Thread
- Thread starter Casual Fan
- Start date
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
So, I've been buying guitars.
Took a little Christmas money and bought a cheap (although in perfect condition) used black Squier strat.
Then today I learned I got a bonus at work, so I took a chunk of it and bought a new Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro in Cherry Burst.
The Epi is a lot of guitar for the money. Grover tuners, split-coil custom Alnico pickups (the bridge is a vintage burstbucker), set neck, binding...and I'll finally have a nice fat humbucker tone after a couple of years of single coils.
My band is still trudging along. We've tried unsuccessfully to record some stuff the past two weeks due to equipment malfunction/operator error by the lead guitarist (I am the RHYTHM guitarist who takes the occasional lead break!), which is shame because we sounded good last weekend. I play my telecaster with these guys, since the lead is usually on a strat or occasionally on an old 70's Japanese Electra LP style.
I'm supposed to play ukulele with some people Saturday evening, opening up for a bluegrass band at a local microbrewery.
So what's up with you guys?
Took a little Christmas money and bought a cheap (although in perfect condition) used black Squier strat.
Then today I learned I got a bonus at work, so I took a chunk of it and bought a new Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro in Cherry Burst.
The Epi is a lot of guitar for the money. Grover tuners, split-coil custom Alnico pickups (the bridge is a vintage burstbucker), set neck, binding...and I'll finally have a nice fat humbucker tone after a couple of years of single coils.
My band is still trudging along. We've tried unsuccessfully to record some stuff the past two weeks due to equipment malfunction/operator error by the lead guitarist (I am the RHYTHM guitarist who takes the occasional lead break!), which is shame because we sounded good last weekend. I play my telecaster with these guys, since the lead is usually on a strat or occasionally on an old 70's Japanese Electra LP style.
I'm supposed to play ukulele with some people Saturday evening, opening up for a bluegrass band at a local microbrewery.
So what's up with you guys?
HecticArt
Administrator
Nice picks Casual!
A set neck on the Epi. I didn't realize they did that on axes in that price point. It looks great.
We finally started playing again two weeks ago. I'm LOVING the Reverend! I've been picking up more leads since our #1 guy hasn't been able to make it out very often. He made it this week though, I'm guessing it's because I learned some of his parts. (He didn't know it though, it's just the luck of it all.) We just picked up Cage the Elephant, Ain't No Rest For the Wicked. I'm doing the slide parts. Never played slide before, but this is about the easiest tune to learn on. Also started doing Stray Cat Strut. Cheesy, I know, but it sounds great on the hollow body, and the Setzer leads are fun to play. Doing Sex on Fire too. It's another one that sounds huge on the Reverend.
I missed playing.
A set neck on the Epi. I didn't realize they did that on axes in that price point. It looks great.
We finally started playing again two weeks ago. I'm LOVING the Reverend! I've been picking up more leads since our #1 guy hasn't been able to make it out very often. He made it this week though, I'm guessing it's because I learned some of his parts. (He didn't know it though, it's just the luck of it all.) We just picked up Cage the Elephant, Ain't No Rest For the Wicked. I'm doing the slide parts. Never played slide before, but this is about the easiest tune to learn on. Also started doing Stray Cat Strut. Cheesy, I know, but it sounds great on the hollow body, and the Setzer leads are fun to play. Doing Sex on Fire too. It's another one that sounds huge on the Reverend.
I missed playing.
HecticArt
Administrator
We played a few parties the first 2 summers we had gotten back together, but didn't play any last summer. We're hoping to play another this summer. One of the guys knows someone that said we could play their bar, but I won't let us do that till we sound much better. Two of the guys really hold us back, but we're really doing it more for the fun of hanging out together and playing, than with any intent of really gigging. We're all too busy with families, work, and our lives to try to gig. It's soooo much work and there's soooo little money it isn't worth it for us old guys. Is suppose it would be different if we were young and single. It really is a great way to pick up chicks. Even when you suck like us.
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
This Epi model also comes with Gibson's strap locks attached, so it save me $15 on a set of Schallers. And the back and neck are satin finished, which I hope will be good because I hate glossy necks. Interestingly, the fretboard radius is 14", flatter than I'm used to (strat and tele are 9.5"), but no one seems to complain. And my acoustic is 12", so...
Epiphone goes from the $99 single pickup single cutaway to guitars in the $2,000 range, while Squier tops out considerably lower ($500?). But you can get a MIM Fender for $599 list, and you can't touch a Gibson for under $700. They've just price pointed their products a little differently.
I've never owned an Epi but the reviews are all good, especially for this model. It seems to produce jazzy tones and crunch equally well, like a strat but fatter. Which is great for many things, but not SRV.
Hectic, those are all great genres. We do some Brian Setzer (many of whose songs are covers), and our lead guy plays some slide. I have a slide but have only dabbled in it to play "Happy" by the Stones. Kings of Leon are great. Their sound has really matured over the years.
HecticArt
Administrator
A lot of the Epi's are really nice and run into the exceptional category. It's like most of the brands out there, they have their budget/starter sticks too.
My Guild started with a satin neck and it was great. I've played it so much over the 30 odd years that it's become glossy.
I've read where guys will sand the gloss off of their necks, but I'm too chicken. I don't want to end up with an unfinished neck.
My Guild started with a satin neck and it was great. I've played it so much over the 30 odd years that it's become glossy.
I've read where guys will sand the gloss off of their necks, but I'm too chicken. I don't want to end up with an unfinished neck.
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
It's amazing what people will do/say they're going to do to their new guitars. Sanding the neck is probably relatively harmless...I was reading about some guy who was going to swap his rosewood fretboard for a thicker one by heating it until the glue loosened. Which is they way to do it, but why? WHY?
And that doesn't count the guys who automatically switch pickups, tuners, nuts, bridges, caps, switches, necks (on Fenders)...I'm not sure what they actually bought. I get a strap and strap locks, and even play the stock strings until they wear out. And I set it up. But everything but the strap pins stays stock.
Which reminds me...that strat I was going to refurbish...parted out that bad boy on eBay because what in the actual hell was I thinking...
And that doesn't count the guys who automatically switch pickups, tuners, nuts, bridges, caps, switches, necks (on Fenders)...I'm not sure what they actually bought. I get a strap and strap locks, and even play the stock strings until they wear out. And I set it up. But everything but the strap pins stays stock.
Which reminds me...that strat I was going to refurbish...parted out that bad boy on eBay because what in the actual hell was I thinking...
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
This. Anything else and you're just a wanker.
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
My ukulele group "opened" for a bluegrass band at a local microbrewery tonight. Here's a photo of us onstage. I'm the one with "Casual Fan" over his head. 
Also, my wife strangely enough got after me for not owning a mandolin, so I bought a cheap mandolin online.
She doesn't know that I have a Les Paul being delivered Monday.
Also, my wife strangely enough got after me for not owning a mandolin, so I bought a cheap mandolin online.
She doesn't know that I have a Les Paul being delivered Monday.
HecticArt
Administrator
Dig. I can picture you guys getting into a full on bar brawl and trashing the joint after the gig.
Ya gots to love it when the womenfolk suggest new equipment. Never question or delay. ALWAYS get something as soon as possible.
When I brought the Reverend into the house, I may have been the first man in existence, not named Clapton, to NOT get the glare from the Mrs. For buying another guitar. I'm a lucky man, but I'm not going to press my luck for a little while, unless she suggests something.....
Ya gots to love it when the womenfolk suggest new equipment. Never question or delay. ALWAYS get something as soon as possible.
When I brought the Reverend into the house, I may have been the first man in existence, not named Clapton, to NOT get the glare from the Mrs. For buying another guitar. I'm a lucky man, but I'm not going to press my luck for a little while, unless she suggests something.....
JHDK
Release Robin's Bra
My ukulele group "opened" for a bluegrass band at a local microbrewery tonight. Here's a photo of us onstage. I'm the one with "Casual Fan" over his head.
View attachment 2732
Also, my wife strangely enough got after me for not owning a mandolin, so I bought a cheap mandolin online.
She doesn't know that I have a Les Paul being delivered Monday.
that looks fun!
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
If there were a brawl, thank God we have a bass player who can swing something heavy!
It's fun. The people are dorks, in a good way. I can rock out properly tonight at band practice. We are attempting to record for a THIRD time. Last week after it was clear that the setup wasn't working AGAIN our lead guitarist said, "Let's play" and we tore through Roll Over Beethoven at 11. Those old guys knew what they were doing.
It's fun. The people are dorks, in a good way. I can rock out properly tonight at band practice. We are attempting to record for a THIRD time. Last week after it was clear that the setup wasn't working AGAIN our lead guitarist said, "Let's play" and we tore through Roll Over Beethoven at 11. Those old guys knew what they were doing.
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
HecticArt
Administrator
Getting a decent recording is a beotch. Decent equipment, a good room, plenty of patience, and just thinking about your playing and not the recording are important. We did some demo stuff back in the 80's to try to take to bar owners to get some gigs. So much harder and soooo much more time that you would expect. I record digitally on my laptop now. It's mostly just stuff I noodle around with, and the bass player. We haven't bothered trying to get the rest of the clowns we play with recorded. There's not much of a point to it.
Is that the version you guys are playing? \m/ Rock on!
Is that the version you guys are playing? \m/ Rock on!
Casual Fan
Surprisingly nice
It's indeed a bitch. Tonight the equipment worked, but I think everyone was up too high. Our lead guitarist records with one of these:
It's a nifty gadget, I guess, but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to check your levels while you're recording...or if there is, Steve ain't using it. We sounded pretty good, though. We really need someone to just work the board and keep us mixed properly, and we'll just play.
That's not the exact version of Roll Over Beethoven, but it felt like it last week.
It's a nifty gadget, I guess, but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to check your levels while you're recording...or if there is, Steve ain't using it. We sounded pretty good, though. We really need someone to just work the board and keep us mixed properly, and we'll just play.
That's not the exact version of Roll Over Beethoven, but it felt like it last week.