Electric Guitar

[LJohn]

Intonation is a cinch. Just remember to insert the intonation adjustment tool before you undo the pinch bolts. It's a thumb crew in the bridge so it's hard to miss.

Otherwise, I fully recommend it, but make sure you can like the neck profile. I'll post a picture of why I'm not such a fan all the time.

For clarity's sake, I'll note a couple of things.

The stock wiring is a little noisy. As far as wiring goes. I wired my tele up, unshielded, with a single coil, and it is quieter if you point it in the right directions. This makes me think the pickups are a) biased. and b) very hot.

The neck pickup has a tendency to 'sink' down. If you pick somewhere where it doesn't touch, you'll be apples. Otherwise, loctite'd do the trick.

Also, it lacks an allen key holder. That'd be a bonus, but a minor gripe.


The trem is fantastic. Easy to set up, easy to use, holds tune, and the sustain is actually great.

 

[syphon_the_python]

Has anyone here learnt Daughters by John Mayer?

I've just started with a new teacher...do you think this would be a good song to learn for technical development? Any other song suggestions for an acoustic player? I really want to build skills fast. Happy to practice a lot.

As an aside, what do y'all consider Mayer's best album to be? I have heard a few of you raving about his work. I've got "Heavier Things". Nice music but doesn't blow my socks off.

 

[bitterbro]

Has anyone here learnt Daughters by John Mayer?

I've just started with a new teacher...do you think this would be a good song to learn for technical development? Any other song suggestions for an acoustic player? I really want to build skills fast. Happy to practice a lot.

As an aside, what do y'all consider Mayer's best album to be? I have heard a few of you raving about his work. I've got "Heavier Things". Nice music but doesn't blow my socks off.

Have you just started? or have you just got a new teacher. i haven't learnt that john mayer song but i've tried stop this train and neon, and they're extremely technical. mayer has a habit of playing something that sounds so easy and simple, but to play it right and like he does can be very tricky. try learning 'the heart of life' or 'why georgia'. they're the first two john mayer songs i learnt.

or other acoustic stuff try 'babe i'm gonna leave you' by zeppelin. that helps with finger picking which is an essential skill if you want to play acoustic. all those should keep you busy. also, try open tuning and buying a slide. when i just want to play guitar for the sake of playing guitar i just slide around to the beat of 'hats off to roy harper' or 'treat you mama'. so much fun

hope that helps

also: get continuum or room for squares. i much prefer them to heavier things

 

[Richo 18]

Depending on your point of view, Continuum or Room for Sqaures (not including Where the Light Is)

Room for squares is full of interesting acoustic chordal stuff that takes tabs or time to figure out.

Daughters is a piece of piss, you'll have it down in no time.

I find Heavier Things to be the classic "second album" that he got through by going to the trio.

Definitely look at Why Georgia, Neon, (My Stupid Mouth/Your Body is a Wonderland/No Such Thing for theoretical view and applicability) and even more importantly, find good live versions of all these songs to get a hang of his acoustic "bass and harmonised groupings" kinda soloing.

Continuum is the more bluesy, look-at-life album.
For the acoustic stuff, Stop This Train and The Heart of Life for the 'slap and note' technique that you'll find in Why Georgia if you look around.

That technique is seriously helpful, as well as the Neon picking pattern, get it under your belt and familiar. I use those three as my fingerpicking technique basis, it makes pretty much anything possible with fingerpicking until you start looking at Tommy Emmanuel stuff.

My favourite of his albums is Continuum, but his Trio stuff is amazing, as well as the Where the Light Is concert, which is pretty much an amalgam of RFS, Trio and Continuum.

 

[Joy]

hdtvkss: I have an RG350DX. I've had this guitar for years and it's an absolute beast. Everything you've read is pretty much right, the pickups are the only thing only this guitar back. The Trem has seen very little adjustment from me (and 1 service in the 3-4 years I've had it) and stays in tune even after some heavy Vai-whammying.

As far as John goes, I love Continuum. Seems like a much more polished album and texturally broad compared to Room for Squares. Heavier Things has a few standout tracks, but the rest is pretty much filler.

Have you guys heard the bootlegs of his latest stuff?

 

[Richo 18]

hdtvkss: I have an RG350DX. I've had this guitar for years and it's an absolute beast. Everything you've read is pretty much right, the pickups are the only thing only this guitar back. The Trem has seen very little adjustment from me (and 1 service in the 3-4 years I've had it) and stays in tune even after some heavy Vai-whammying.

As far as John goes, I love Continuum. Seems like a much more polished album and texturally broad compared to Room for Squares. Heavier Things has a few standout tracks, but the rest is pretty much filler.

Have you guys heard the bootlegs of his latest stuff?

Yeah I'm a bit pissed, not too keen on the whole chick-attractive-album-to-grab-some-more-cash thing. It's alright but seriously, a breakup album? I'll wait for the next Trio album or Continuum-follow on.

 

[hdtvkss]

ok tried an S Series 620, 670, RG 350 and Jackson Super strat thing.

the Jackson was nice sounding, but the neck was all wrong for me

the ibanez's necks were all great. im not cnvinced on the S series pickups, also the finish on the 670 looks like it may wear quickly with the unfinished body. i also saw an SA series ibanez that had cracked on the surface near the volume knob - a concern as well ( was brand new, still on the shelf)

the 620 i quite like, i dont think id lose anything by not having the middle pickup. one of the toughts i was entertaining was putting a set of EMG's in whatever guitar, but given that the S series is the width of a 9V battery, i dont think thats gonna happen! i also like the way it looks (vain yes, but kinda important). i like the barrel adjuster on the S series for leveling the trem.

the S series picups im not sold on, it seems they have gone for a darker sounding pickup to compensate for the thinner body. that said, they are really hot and harmonics just fly off the thing. maybee a super distortion and an Air Norton will fix that issue in the future.

the RG i do like kinda, but i dunno, theres something really cheap about it that i cant put my finger on. i do like it, i may even end up with it but the S Series seems infront.

sooo in the space of 2 days im now considering buying a guitar with 2 things ive never really liked - floating trem and an S series!!

 

[ajay]

ok tried an S Series 620, 670, RG 350 and Jackson Super strat thing.

the Jackson was nice sounding, but the neck was all wrong for me

the ibanez's necks were all great. im not cnvinced on the S series pickups, also the finish on the 670 looks like it may wear quickly with the unfinished body. i also saw an SA series ibanez that had cracked on the surface near the volume knob - a concern as well ( was brand new, still on the shelf)

the 620 i quite like, i dont think id lose anything by not having the middle pickup. one of the toughts i was entertaining was putting a set of EMG's in whatever guitar, but given that the S series is the width of a 9V battery, i dont think thats gonna happen! i also like the way it looks (vain yes, but kinda important). i like the barrel adjuster on the S series for leveling the trem.

the S series picups im not sold on, it seems they have gone for a darker sounding pickup to compensate for the thinner body. that said, they are really hot and harmonics just fly off the thing. maybee a super distortion and an Air Norton will fix that issue in the future.

the RG i do like kinda, but i dunno, theres something really cheap about it that i cant put my finger on. i do like it, i may even end up with it but the S Series seems infront.

sooo in the space of 2 days im now considering buying a guitar with 2 things ive never really liked - floating trem and an S series!!

S Series guitars look amazing... but pay attention to the tone, compared to an RG they lack a lot of the meat.

Be careful on impulse buying (or making quick decisions) a guitar with a floating trem. A well set up vintage trem can give you 90% of the use, with better tone and less fuss. But of course, if you want epic dive bombs, there is simply no substitue! I love the low pro edge system too, far better than the standard floyd rose system.

 

[LJohn]

I love the springy feel of the ZR.

Overall, it's a nice sounding guitar.

I must have got a set of bright pickups. That said, they lack dynamics. For average pickups, they aren't bad.

Although, my kit tele has been getting more recording use lately. It's a strummy guitar, whereas the S670 feels like a scalpel trying to dissect long runs, if that makes sense. Whatever fits the need. I like having 3 vastly different guitars and an acoustic.

 

[hdtvkss]

hmmm i think i may have had a case of " new shiny thing" sydnrome

last thing i need at the moment is another guitar! i have like 6 of them at the moment, however its my frustration with the others thats leading me to look at a new one.

Guitar 1 - Les Paul, lawsuit model. - awesome , my fave guitar, but has high level of fret wearing, will need refret in next year or so. also being traditional les paul has sweet FA upper fret access.

Guitar 2 - Epi Les paul + alnico II's - cool guitar, but again was bought for the slash fan in me. not a shred guitar by any means, again restricted upper fret access.

Guitar 3 - Onyx Les paul - my 1st guitar, was sold then i bought it back this year. prev owner dicked with it and the action is now pretty out. pickups aint good, but being a bolt on has excellent upper fret access. also has a surprisingly good neck radius. cheap wood though. has a very acoustic type sound when played unplugged this is now being looked at for a setup and EMG 81/85 install

and then onto the strats....

Strat 1 - Fender Squire Vintage style model, circa late 80's. 2nd guitar. samick factory model, kinda nice, has Dimarzio rail which i don't like, very poor electronics. i tried to redo the electronics and it was fie but seems to have a dry earth that come and goes. will now look at a full electronic refit. love the neck. ppl complain about the tuners but i think they are OK. may look at a new bridge as well.

Strat 2 - Jap 80's Strat heavy metal model. this was invaded by ants and has been stripped down till i can be bothered with it. looks like i need to be bothered now, need some parts as the kahler is well past its used by date. if i fix thi theres no real reason to buy an ibanez.

Strat 3 - Cimar MIJ strat, early 80's, late 70's - very cheap, picked it up at a garage sale but i didnt look hard enough and it has a very bad wear groove in the 2nd fret 3rd string where the prev owner had the action too low. needs refret or new neck. this is the final priority, and will probably get done in 10 years.....

sooooo same amount of money spent and i should get the majority of all these up and running nicley.......

then onto getting some new amps....

 

[Moggio]

hmmm i think i may have had a case of " new shiny thing" sydnrome

last thing i need at the moment is another guitar! i have like 6 of them at the moment, however its my frustration with the others thats leading me to look at a new one.

You need to become a snob a take on the idea to heart that money is needed to buy a truly great guitar. You will get picky and only insist on the best instruments, but won't be able to afford them and will stop (or slow down).

Alternatively you may just find one that suits you perfectly and just settle down with it and live happily ever after.

..... well that was my story of solving "shiny thing" syndrome.

 

[Richo 18]

shiny thing syndrome = gear acquisition syndrome = GAS

You've got gas.

 

[Richo 18]

Double Post.

John Mayer's new single is out.

The main line is "Who says I can't get stoned?"
hehe.

http://www.johnmayer.com/whosays/

 

[Joy]

Think I've listened to a bootleg of that....but I'll listen again when my internet is unshaped.

Do you guys know anything about Ovation acoustic guitars?

 

[Moggio]

Do you guys know anything about Ovation acoustic guitars?

I've always been partial to them and I play an Ovation Adamas....

What do you want to know about them?

 

[Joy]

Just seeing if you guys had played them. The company who we get our Schecters through is trying to get all the artists signed to Ovation acoustics as well. Might get out to the shops and play a few!

 

[Moggio]

Just seeing if you guys had played them. The company who we get our Schecters through is trying to get all the artists signed to Ovation acoustics as well. Might get out to the shops and play a few!

Well I will give you my minor rant on Ovations... basically all the low end ones are pieces of shit and are what give ovations a bad name in some circles. You need to go for things like the Legends, Elites and Adamas... ie expensive. The problem is an expensive one is the price of a Martin... so tricky to weigh up.

Nice thing about Ovations is the neck is lovely (especially for an electric player), they play evenly all up and down the neck (also nice for an electric player who just expects that). The electronics are great when plugged in and sound good, well as good as any plugged in electric can sound (which I personally think means sounds awful). Their unplugged sound, if you happen to like it which I do, is really cool. Their body shape can take a bit of getting used to... I like them but I am very tall.. smaller people and people with big guts can find them awkward.

So basically you get an instrument that is a terrific tool to keep up with everything you want to ever play, but they don't have the sensual massage aspect that a Martin has.

Check out early Mahavishnu with John McLaughlan or especially Larry Coryell (my big hero) to see their sound. This clip (which is genius) is also a great example of the Ovation sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORz02UikcSs

 

[Joy]

Well I will give you my minor rant on Ovations... basically all the low end ones are pieces of shit and are what give ovations a bad name in some circles. You need to go for things like the Legends, Elites and Adamas... ie expensive. The problem is an expensive one is the price of a Martin... so tricky to weigh up.

Nice thing about Ovations is the neck is lovely (especially for an electric player), they play evenly all up and down the neck (also nice for an electric player who just expects that). The electronics are great when plugged in and sound good, well as good as any plugged in electric can sound (which I personally think means sounds awful). Their unplugged sound, if you happen to like it which I do, is really cool. Their body shape can take a bit of getting used to... I like them but I am very tall.. smaller people and people with big guts can find them awkward.

So basically you get an instrument that is a terrific tool to keep up with everything you want to ever play, but they don't have the sensual massage aspect that a Martin has.

Check out early Mahavishnu with John McLaughlan or especially Larry Coryell (my big hero) to see their sound. This clip (which is genius) is also a great example of the Ovation sound.

Ah cool, thanks for that! I'll get out and play a few and see how they go. Can't watch the vid as my internet's shaped

 

[hdtvkss]

http://www.sydneyguitarsetups.com/acatalog/Guitar_Photos.html

some interesting guitars there, Daniel Johns has a rather large collection as well by the looks of it.

 

[ajay]

http://www.sydneyguitarsetups.com/acatalog/Guitar_Photos.html

some interesting guitars there, Daniel Johns has a rather large collection as well by the looks of it.

holy crap!