Making Music

[Happy Blue]

@Dr. Gonzo finally got around to messing about with the low gain + OD pedal and WoW!!  ..i am shocked you can get a good Machine Head tone with the high gain just on 2   ..have to agree with you,the amp does sound better on low gain, try these setting's on yours for that old school Machine Head tone (that's what the MH must stand for on my head unit )  ..excuse the dusty knobs, it's been a while 

I'm also using EMG 81's so you might need to tweek the settings a little  ..bet it sounds even better crank but got a baby in the house so have to keep it low volume

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 hour ago, Happy Blue said:

@Dr. Gonzo finally got around to messing about with the low gain + OD pedal and WoW!!  ..i am shocked you can get a good Machine Head tone with the high gain just on 2   ..have to agree with you,the amp does sound better on low gain, try these setting's on yours for that old school Machine Head tone (that's what the MH must stand for on my head unit )  ..excuse the dusty knobs, it's been a while 

I'm also using EMG 81's so you might need to tweek the settings a little  ..bet it sounds even better crank but got a baby in the house so have to keep it low volume

Yeah isn’t it mental how pretty low gain makes for a really good high gain tone.

The EQ settings you use are pretty close to what I use - but I don’t scoop the mids so much. My next 6505 tip would be... scoop the mids less and you will be surprised

[Happy Blue]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yeah isn’t it mental how pretty low gain makes for a really good high gain tone.

The EQ settings you use are pretty close to what I use - but I don’t scoop the mids so much.

Yeah, it surprised me 4 sure! ..i started the gain on 2 expecting to work it up to half   ..i actual rolled it back down a little under 3 with the OD pedal. i've scooped the mids on the amp to 1 but got the tone just over half on the pedal  ..i will continue to experiment and see what sounds best but very happy with the low high gain sound 

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 minute ago, Happy Blue said:

Yeah, it surprised me 4 sure! ..i started the gain on 2 expecting to work it up to half   ..i actual rolled it back down a little under 3 with the OD pedal. i've scooped the mids on the amp to 1 but got the tone just over half on the pedal  ..i will continue to experiment and see what sounds best but very happy with the low high gain sound 

I think I’ve got my mids at 5 (or somewhere between 4 and 5 actually) and the tone on the pedal just at half. These tube screamer pedals give a pretty prominent boost to the mids so you might be good with how your setup is currently. But yeah, fuck around with it and experiment and see what tones you like best

[Mel81x+]

If you ever wondered how Piezo's work and the sound differences they have with classical guitars this is a great video. I think most of Colin's work when explaining concepts are pretty sound honestly.

[Dr. Gonzo]

41 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

If you ever wondered how Piezo's work and the sound differences they have with classical guitars this is a great video. I think most of Colin's work when explaining concepts are pretty sound honestly.

You ever used an electric with a Piezo?

I love Colin's channel. I also loved how that video has all of these people I've watched on YouTube... seeing Glenn Fricker just drop the knowledge bomb made me think "wow! way to go Glenn" and then he admits he Wiki'd it before the interview 

[Mel81x+]

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

You ever used an electric with a Piezo?

TBH I've only seen Piezo's on classical/acoustic guitars and I figure the reason for that is because electric guitars come with such great pickups already i can't see why you'd want a Piezo there. Also, I think its because most acoustics (the really good ones) generally come with zero electronics in them and this is the best way to get the most out of it with the mic and pickup combo.

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I love Colin's channel. I also loved how that video has all of these people I've watched on YouTube... seeing Glenn Fricker just drop the knowledge bomb made me think "wow! way to go Glenn" and then he admits he Wiki'd it before the interview 

I laughed as well when Glenn started explaining it and I was thinking wow this guy knows his stuff, then he said what he said and I went well atleast he read up before answering haha.

[Dr. Gonzo]

6 hours ago, Mel81x said:

TBH I've only seen Piezo's on classical/acoustic guitars and I figure the reason for that is because electric guitars come with such great pickups already i can't see why you'd want a Piezo there. Also, I think its because most acoustics (the really good ones) generally come with zero electronics in them and this is the best way to get the most out of it with the mic and pickup combo.

I laughed as well when Glenn started explaining it and I was thinking wow this guy knows his stuff, then he said what he said and I went well atleast he read up before answering haha.

Yeah I’ve seen electrics with piezos but I don’t know why they are a thing

[Mel81x+]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yeah I’ve seen electrics with piezos but I don’t know why they are a thing

There's one in the video too. I honestly thought it sounded shit but apparently you can control more so thats maybe a thing for live performances?

[Dr. Gonzo]

5 hours ago, Mel81x said:

There's one in the video too. I honestly thought it sounded shit but apparently you can control more so thats maybe a thing for live performances?

Yeah the one in the video sounded especially shit 

ESP sells a couple models with a piezo and I went to their website... because they're actually pretty good about explaining why they go with certain hardware for certain models and here's what they say about their piezos they've gone with and they say it's "to add more acoustic tones to your electric guitar" - sounds like marketing bollocks to me. It also says the guitars have dual output jacks... so one for the regular pickups and one for the piezo output. So maybe it's just about having "maximum tonal versatility."

I don't really understand why you'd ever want one in an electric though.

[Mel81x+]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yeah the one in the video sounded especially shit 

ESP sells a couple models with a piezo and I went to their website... because they're actually pretty good about explaining why they go with certain hardware for certain models and here's what they say about their piezos they've gone with and they say it's "to add more acoustic tones to your electric guitar" - sounds like marketing bollocks to me. It also says the guitars have dual output jacks... so one for the regular pickups and one for the piezo output. So maybe it's just about having "maximum tonal versatility."

I don't really understand why you'd ever want one in an electric though.

i think the part where they have the dual jack makes a lot of sense. A few years ago I read an article on Guitar World which talks about how Ricks have a dual jack for stereo and someone was using tonal variances on the two jacks to actually get better blends. What it does to the sound of the bass/guitar is not something im overtly happy about because to me it sounds shallow and not as nice but some people like it. I also think that if you want some 'acoustic' variance to your electric go get a Gretsch because those are natural hollow-body electrics unlike their solid-body brethren. 

[Mel81x+]

Oddly enough he'd ruin pretty much every song. Also, the reason for posting it here is that he is the arpeggio king.

[Dr. Gonzo]

On 07/10/2019 at 22:22, Mel81x said:

Oddly enough he'd ruin pretty much every song. Also, the reason for posting it here is that he is the arpeggio king.

Hahahaha some of those are terrible once they've been Yngwie'd

I haven't played in about a week because of wedding shit and having family stay over. But tonight that ends, and it's time to torture my neighbors again with massive riffage.

[Dr. Gonzo]

My friend wanted to buy a new bass yesterday and asked if I could give him a lift to the shop, so I tried around a few guitars just to pass the time while he got his bass. I played a Charvel Pro-Mod SoCal with a Floyd... I probably shouldn't have done that because now I want to sell my Jackson and my SG and get that guitar.

[Mel81x+]

On 15/10/2019 at 01:59, Dr. Gonzo said:

My friend wanted to buy a new bass yesterday and asked if I could give him a lift to the shop, so I tried around a few guitars just to pass the time while he got his bass. I played a Charvel Pro-Mod SoCal with a Floyd... I probably shouldn't have done that because now I want to sell my Jackson and my SG and get that guitar.

What was nice about it? I've only heard about Charvels was there anything in particular?

[Dr. Gonzo]

On 18/10/2019 at 23:33, Mel81x said:

What was nice about it? I've only heard about Charvels was there anything in particular?

The neck was just incredible. It's like a mix between a Fender neck and a Jackson neck - it's not quite as flat and wide as a pure shred machine, but it's very comfy. And it's still got the Jackson patented compound radius fretboard (which makes sense as Fender bought Jackson-Charvel… so both brands had the compound radius fretboard). Really nicely rounded off frets as well. Comes with either an Ebony fretboard (which I love) and a Maple fretboard (which I surprisingly liked a lot as well).

But it just played excellently.

Also as someone who started playing on a strat (granted a shite squier, but my second guitar was also a MIM strat), I've always been partial to the strat style. But I've always hated the top volume knob on strats (and also the middle pickup) - always gets in my fucking way when I strum and then I hit the volume/pickup. That issue's been solved with an HH configuration (with coil tapping) - and the tapped coils make a really really great tele-sort of tone with the maple fretboard models IMO. And as full humbuckers, the Seymour Duncan Distortion set is IMMENSE for the type of music I play. They're seriously just some angry sounding pickups. But they clean up nicely as well when you roll the volume back. Got a Floyd Rose with a steel block too - it's not a US made Floyd Rose, but it's a Korean made one - but a higher grade than the Floyd Rose Special (I had a superstrat with a Floyd Rose special, it was a bit shit tbh).

It was just a really great playing guitar. The only cons I'd say about it are: 1.) 21 frets, I'd prefer a guitar with 24 frets like my SG (which is my only guitar with more than 21/22 frets) - not necessarily because I'll use those extra frets, but because it makes using the other higher frets feel easier to me. 2.) as far as "shreddy" super-strat guitars go, the Charvels feel dated... which is what I think they're going for as they're a very traditional 80s super strat kind of guitar with that model. So you don't get the tapered heel cutaway for easier fret access, the bolt on neck has the old school metal plate with the screws (as opposed to the neck joint having recessed screws, to make it more comfy for your hands).

I'm actually pretty glad I didn't buy it though because I see there is a cheaper competitor model out by Schecter - the Sun Valley Super Shredder. Very similar speced - a Floyd Rose special bridge though, which isn't great, but apparently it's a special "Schecter hot rodded" version of it - with stainless steel parts. But it's also got 24 frets & those modern-shred accoutriments. It's got a pair of EMG retroactive pickups - which don't sound like any other active pickups I've ever heard, going by the youtube videos of the guitar. And in my (very limited) experience Schecter necks are pretty similar to the neck on my ESP E-II - which is fantastic.

So in the coming months, I'll be looking to buy either one of those guitars. I'm leaning towards the Schecter now, but I'm hoping I'll be able to play both models side by side before I make a purchase. I've already sold my Jackson RRXT in anticipation.

[Mel81x+]

10 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The neck was just incredible. It's like a mix between a Fender neck and a Jackson neck - it's not quite as flat and wide as a pure shred machine, but it's very comfy. And it's still got the Jackson patented compound radius fretboard (which makes sense as Fender bought Jackson-Charvel… so both brands had the compound radius fretboard). Really nicely rounded off frets as well. Comes with either an Ebony fretboard (which I love) and a Maple fretboard (which I surprisingly liked a lot as well).

But it just played excellently.

Also as someone who started playing on a strat (granted a shite squier, but my second guitar was also a MIM strat), I've always been partial to the strat style. But I've always hated the top volume knob on strats (and also the middle pickup) - always gets in my fucking way when I strum and then I hit the volume/pickup. That issue's been solved with an HH configuration (with coil tapping) - and the tapped coils make a really really great tele-sort of tone with the maple fretboard models IMO. And as full humbuckers, the Seymour Duncan Distortion set is IMMENSE for the type of music I play. They're seriously just some angry sounding pickups. But they clean up nicely as well when you roll the volume back. Got a Floyd Rose with a steel block too - it's not a US made Floyd Rose, but it's a Korean made one - but a higher grade than the Floyd Rose Special (I had a superstrat with a Floyd Rose special, it was a bit shit tbh).

It was just a really great playing guitar. The only cons I'd say about it are: 1.) 21 frets, I'd prefer a guitar with 24 frets like my SG (which is my only guitar with more than 21/22 frets) - not necessarily because I'll use those extra frets, but because it makes using the other higher frets feel easier to me. 2.) as far as "shreddy" super-strat guitars go, the Charvels feel dated... which is what I think they're going for as they're a very traditional 80s super strat kind of guitar with that model. So you don't get the tapered heel cutaway for easier fret access, the bolt on neck has the old school metal plate with the screws (as opposed to the neck joint having recessed screws, to make it more comfy for your hands).

I'm actually pretty glad I didn't buy it though because I see there is a cheaper competitor model out by Schecter - the Sun Valley Super Shredder. Very similar speced - a Floyd Rose special bridge though, which isn't great, but apparently it's a special "Schecter hot rodded" version of it - with stainless steel parts. But it's also got 24 frets & those modern-shred accoutriments. It's got a pair of EMG retroactive pickups - which don't sound like any other active pickups I've ever heard, going by the youtube videos of the guitar. And in my (very limited) experience Schecter necks are pretty similar to the neck on my ESP E-II - which is fantastic.

So in the coming months, I'll be looking to buy either one of those guitars. I'm leaning towards the Schecter now, but I'm hoping I'll be able to play both models side by side before I make a purchase. I've already sold my Jackson RRXT in anticipation.

Really nice stuff. Sad to hear you had to let the Jackson go. My next guitar will be an Ibanez just not sure which one its going to be yet. I like what he JEMs offer but then its so out there I can't really say I'd enjoy them. I did think about trying to get a Fireman from somewhere but those are so hard to find much less the one with the four-pickup system which I really really like. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Mel81x said:

Really nice stuff. Sad to hear you had to let the Jackson go. My next guitar will be an Ibanez just not sure which one its going to be yet. I like what he JEMs offer but then its so out there I can't really say I'd enjoy them. I did think about trying to get a Fireman from somewhere but those are so hard to find much less the one with the four-pickup system which I really really like. 

The Jackson wasn't getting any play anymore really after I got the SG - they had similar sounding pickups. But the SG has better pickups and 24 frets, so that made me play it much more than the Jackson. Then I got that ESP (in a swap for the white Jackson superstrat I had for a short while + some cash) and that guitar still remains the best guitar I've ever played - so 90% of the time I'm playing on that guitar. I was going to have the ESP and SG as my 2 guitars in standard tuning and have the Jackson in D standard - but I ended up just tuning the SG to D, so I wouldn't entirely neglect playing that guitar 

And after getting rid of my super strat and having 3 guitars with hardtail bridges... it felt like all of my guitars were too "samey" so I'd made the decision a while ago to have a super strat as my other guitar in standard tuning - but it'd be a bit different to the ESP. So I don't feel too bad about getting rid of a guitar I didn't play at all anymore. I know it's in good hands now - sold it to a kid who works for one of my pals I jam with, he's in a local death metal band who was looking for a slightly cheaper RR style guitar as his onstage backup. Now at least it'll be going to someone who'll play the fucking thing from time to time.

I've always thought JEMs are very pretty guitars. I don't think I've ever seen a Fireman (I've seen the Iceman though) - so I'll go give that a quick google. Ibanez makes some great fucking guitars mate, especially if you get the made in Japan ones. I actually tried out the reissues of their 80s legendary guitar, the RG 550. Because... if you're in the market for a superstrat, it makes sense to try out an iconic model of superstrat, right?

I've only got 2 issues with Ibanez guitars that I've played - and one of them is totally down to personal preference. 1.) Their model names for their guitars are fucking terrible, it's just a series of numbers and letters like a serial number; 2.) I used to like how they had paper thin necks when I was younger... now I still like thin necks, but I do like a bit more chunkiness than the Ibanez style neck - something more along a Jackson/ESP neck suits me perfect. But neck thickness and what feels good is always really personal to whoevers playing.

But pretty much every Ibanez I've ever played has felt like a more expensive guitar than what the purchase price for the actual guitar is. So says something about them as a company - I've only ever heard good things about them and my personal experience lines up with that as well.

[Mel81x+]

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The Jackson wasn't getting any play anymore really after I got the SG - they had similar sounding pickups. But the SG has better pickups and 24 frets, so that made me play it much more than the Jackson. Then I got that ESP (in a swap for the white Jackson superstrat I had for a short while + some cash) and that guitar still remains the best guitar I've ever played - so 90% of the time I'm playing on that guitar. I was going to have the ESP and SG as my 2 guitars in standard tuning and have the Jackson in D standard - but I ended up just tuning the SG to D, so I wouldn't entirely neglect playing that guitar 

And after getting rid of my super strat and having 3 guitars with hardtail bridges... it felt like all of my guitars were too "samey" so I'd made the decision a while ago to have a super strat as my other guitar in standard tuning - but it'd be a bit different to the ESP. So I don't feel too bad about getting rid of a guitar I didn't play at all anymore. I know it's in good hands now - sold it to a kid who works for one of my pals I jam with, he's in a local death metal band who was looking for a slightly cheaper RR style guitar as his onstage backup. Now at least it'll be going to someone who'll play the fucking thing from time to time.

I've always thought JEMs are very pretty guitars. I don't think I've ever seen a Fireman (I've seen the Iceman though) - so I'll go give that a quick google. Ibanez makes some great fucking guitars mate, especially if you get the made in Japan ones. I actually tried out the reissues of their 80s legendary guitar, the RG 550. Because... if you're in the market for a superstrat, it makes sense to try out an iconic model of superstrat, right?

I've only got 2 issues with Ibanez guitars that I've played - and one of them is totally down to personal preference. 1.) Their model names for their guitars are fucking terrible, it's just a series of numbers and letters like a serial number; 2.) I used to like how they had paper thin necks when I was younger... now I still like thin necks, but I do like a bit more chunkiness than the Ibanez style neck - something more along a Jackson/ESP neck suits me perfect. But neck thickness and what feels good is always really personal to whoevers playing.

But pretty much every Ibanez I've ever played has felt like a more expensive guitar than what the purchase price for the actual guitar is. So says something about them as a company - I've only ever heard good things about them and my personal experience lines up with that as well.

I have a very long history with Ibanez. As a kid everyone had one in music class and I was playing a bass so I would try them and think ooo look its so nice and thin why can't everyone do this. I even owned an Ibanez bass at one point and I tell you what they are a company that knows what they are doing. The electrics are fantastic, the neck setup out-of-box is superior to most other guitars in that price-range an the look of some of them (not all lol) fits in my wheelhouse. But then they went and got a bit too flashy for my liking and if you want their signature necks now its almost comparable to paying for some more higher-end stuff that to me isn't always worth it. A few years ago someone said pickup a fireman you'll really like it and I said sure so I went to a store in Singapore on vacation and they had one an FRM100TR and that bridge is so weird I can't put my finger on it but I think Gilbert works it well because he has such huge hands. The nice thing is that it has a fast neck and its a heft neck too.

Moving back to bass has made me appreciate thinner necks a lot more and I like them when they are not just smaller on the radius front but also on the face as well just because I have average fingers haha. Recently, I was in class and saw someone with a white guitar and said that looks like a Fireman but its weird its not your regular fireman and I was told its the newer model so I played it and I really really liked it. I don't know if its because I have been playing a jazz bass for so long or I really want to spend a few years now getting my guitar skills back on track but that guitar doesn't feel like my strat or the thin-line acoustic I have from Yam. 

https://www.ibanez.com/asia/products/detail/frm200_01.html

For reference btw if you're looking around for the Ibanez models.

This is the TR (older) and the one I really like

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ibanez-frm100tr-fireman-paul-gilbert-signature-electric-guitar

[Dr. Gonzo]

Oh the Fireman is the Paul Gilbert signature... I've seen this before!

[Dr. Gonzo]

@Mel81x have you ever played a guitar made in Japan that wasn't great? Because in my experience... that shite is just top fucking tier, regardless of whatever brand I've played. I know they've got to have some shit budget brands somewhere... but I haven't seen them.

I've always though it's weird to praise a guitar based on where it's been made - because I've actually played guitars made from places that are supposedly "shite" and they've been actually really good guitars, just not as nice as some of the more expensive things. But the stuff from Japan has always impressed me.

[Mel81x+]

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

@Mel81x have you ever played a guitar made in Japan that wasn't great? Because in my experience... that shite is just top fucking tier, regardless of whatever brand I've played. I know they've got to have some shit budget brands somewhere... but I haven't seen them.

I've always though it's weird to praise a guitar based on where it's been made - because I've actually played guitars made from places that are supposedly "shite" and they've been actually really good guitars, just not as nice as some of the more expensive things. But the stuff from Japan has always impressed me.

Two things about Japanese manufacturers and why I think they are good.

1. Their quality control is excellent. From the wood to the electronics to making sure the grounds are done right you just cannot go wrong. Indonesian manufacturers tend to be rather shit with their work but Japanese ones never can I ever fault them.
2. They have some ridiculously good wood. If you look at the Fender work in the late 90s all the way up to early 2000s for Precision and Jazz bases with the J models they are so good. The pickups aren't the classic ones that come on the American models but they are just as good imo and they dont cost  you a bomb. MIM (made in mexico) is sub-par to that era of Japanese Fender basses. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

8 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

Two things about Japanese manufacturers and why I think they are good.

1. Their quality control is excellent. From the wood to the electronics to making sure the grounds are done right you just cannot go wrong. Indonesian manufacturers tend to be rather shit with their work but Japanese ones never can I ever fault them.
2. They have some ridiculously good wood. If you look at the Fender work in the late 90s all the way up to early 2000s for Precision and Jazz bases with the J models they are so good. The pickups aren't the classic ones that come on the American models but they are just as good imo and they dont cost  you a bomb. MIM (made in mexico) is sub-par to that era of Japanese Fender basses. 

Have you played the new MIM Fenders though? At least the higher end ones... are ridiculously good. The Fender Ensenada factory is actually fucking great at quality control now though. Do Fender still make guitars in Japan? Because I know in the 90s Japanese Fenders/Jacksons were legendary - but I think they're a lot more rare now.

I've never played a guitar from Indonesia that didn't have sharp fret edges though, which I hate.

[Mel81x+]

Just now, Dr. Gonzo said:

Have you played the new MIM Fenders though? At least the higher end ones... are ridiculously good. The Fender Ensenada factory is actually fucking great at quality control now though. Do Fender still make guitars in Japan? Because I know in the 90s Japanese Fenders/Jacksons were legendary - but I think they're a lot more rare now.

I've never played a guitar from Indonesia that didn't have sharp fret edges though, which I hate.

Thought they were getting rid of MIM and calling it Player Series now? If so then yes I have. I also like their tribute series for older Strats and Precision Basses from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Fender doesn't do work in Japan anymore it got too costly apparently haha.

[Dr. Gonzo]

33 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

Thought they were getting rid of MIM and calling it Player Series now? If so then yes I have. I also like their tribute series for older Strats and Precision Basses from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Fender doesn't do work in Japan anymore it got too costly apparently haha.

I think the player series is the old MIM “Standard” line. But they had quite a few models made in Mexico other than the MIM Standards. Even some of the signature guitars are made in Mexico now. But yeah the Player Series and a few other of their product lines are Hecho en Mexico - and I played some recently that I thought held their own compared to their more expensive American cousins.

In fact, that Charvel I loved was made in the Fender Ensenada factory!