I need some stuff to go with my new Guitar, recommendations for amp, cable, strap all sorts

Raymond Lin said:
Besides, if you had a roadie, who carries all these gear with you, like all these artist out there filling stadiums, they just change guitars song to song. Clearly you find the JTV works for you but it is also clear it isn't for everyone else.
Click to expand...

My rhythm guitarist also plays in a Status Quo tribute band and takes 7 Telecasters with him all tuned differently and our roadie Chappo has to hand the guitars to him for different songs.
He is now waiting for James Tyler to bring out a Telecaster version so that he changes key by turning a knob.
Embrace the technology.
It's quite weird because at 56 I should be stuck in the past with the old ways but I've never followed the rule books.
 
Dimple said:
My rhythm guitarist also plays in a Status Quo tribute band and takes 7 Telecasters with him all tuned differently and our roadie Chappo has to hand the guitars to him for different songs.
He is now waiting for James Tyler to bring out a Telecaster version so that he changes key by turning a knob.
Embrace the technology.
It's quite weird because at 56 I should be stuck in the past with the old ways but I've never followed the rule books.
Click to expand...

Again, its for work.
 
easyrider said:
For three chords?:eek:

Doesn't he know Barre Chords?:D
Click to expand...

The myth that even Quo perpetuate with the album In Search Of The Fourth Chord.
Parfitt uses lots of different tunings like Jimmy Page and that's why it's hard to emulate Status Quo properly unless you're tuned correctly.
 
Last edited:
On JVT/modelling front, I am also proud owner of the original, mark 1, US made Fender Stratocast VG. Similar idea to Variax, perpetrated by Roland in the middle of last decade but unlike early, pre-Tyler Variaxes, it was not fugly and if the battery runs out in the middle of the sesion you are still left with proper American strat on your hands.

Tyler Variaxes are much more elegant solution than original variax lineup, which was by far the most ugly serial manuactured guitar of the early 2000's, but I think UK prices for basic Tyler Variax got slightly out of hand for what meant to be bedroom rehersal one-for-all Korean guitar. That said, if your budget stretches to half a grand and after playing one in local shop you are happy with the sounds it produces, the "eighties" shaped JTV-89 purchased via continental shops, like Thomann, only cost a tad over £500, which is very good value for what the instrument offers.
 
v0n said:
On JVT/modelling front, I am also proud owner of the original, mark 1, US made Fender Stratocast VG. Similar idea to Variax, perpetrated by Roland in the middle of last decade but unlike early, pre-Tyler Variaxes, it was not fugly and if the battery runs out in the middle of the sesion you are still left with proper American strat on your hands.

Tyler Variaxes are much more elegant solution than original variax lineup, which was by far the most ugly serial manuactured guitar of the early 2000's, but I think UK prices for basic Tyler Variax got slightly out of hand for what meant to be bedroom rehersal one-for-all Korean guitar. That said, if your budget stretches to half a grand and after playing one in local shop you are happy with the sounds it produces, the "eighties" shaped JTV-89 purchased via continental shops, like Thomann, only cost a tad over £500, which is very good value for what the instrument offers.
Click to expand...

The Variax 300 is one of the best guitars I ever owned for playability but I was embarrassed to take it on stage with me :D
The Korean made JTV-59s are the best guitars I've ever owned and I've owned & played a few in the last 44 years.
They also look great if you're in to Les Pauls and sound awesome on their own pickups.
 
Dimple said:
The thing is what is 'real' nowadays?
With a blind test it would not be easy to pick out real against modern day technology and don't let anybody ever tell you they can.

I went through all the valve is best BS and single pedals are best BS and so on but now realise that in a blind test nobody really knows.
You've also got the musician who can make anything sound good, for example my lead guitarist can play the worst guitar into the worst amp and make it sound like a million dollars.
Click to expand...

I agree with you in principle but it's never quite as simple as that for everyone. It Might Get Loud is a great example of three (arguably) great guitarists in their own right and each having their different styles, the opening sequence shows Jack White making a homemade diddley bow slide guitar out of odds and ends which sounds really good IMO. Yes, ultimately the musician is the one that can make junk sound like a gem but there is the case to be made for people spending lots of money on gear if it furthers what they want to do. There will always be those with “all the gear and no idea” but not the case for all. If someone wants to spend on the same gear as their 'hero' then why not I guess - a waste of money to some, sure, but a fantastic investment to others!

A mate who is into his pure jazz has the most awful looking bodged guitar you've ever seen but he regularly gigs with it, even though he has £4k handmade Gibson hollow bodies, vintage US Strats and Les Pauls, he appreciates all his gear for what it is, how it plays and the craftsmanship behind each and every one of them but ironically he feels most comfortable playing his skip-worthy axe that I'm sure nobody here would want if it came with £10 taped to it! He’s got a beauty of a Mesa Boogie combo but prefers to use a decades old Carlsbro bass amp as it does what he wants it to do. Helps that he can REALLY play!

I'm not a great fan of the newer solid state digital amps after having tried quite a few, I'm sure they are good for their purpose but my amp demands are pretty basic which I don't find I get with the newer stuff.

I couldn't bring myself to get a T5, no matter how nicely they play, just not a fan of how they look at all which does factor into what I buy as far as guitars go. Horses for courses as they say!

Talking about the 335 a few posts up, I’ve tried one after hanging around for an hour while another guy noodled around on it at Andy's Guitar Shop in Denmark Street - they ARE something special. Taking that off the table as being unaffordable luxury (to me) there are a couple of budget alternatives that do hold their own for the money:

Epiphone Sheraton
Epiphone Dot

Both play nicely and won’t break the bank, plus they look the business IMO.
 
Last edited:
Have you seen the new T5z? I've tried the first edition, koa top, it's a dream but the price is way out there, and sound no different to a regular T5 since it has all the same electrics.
 
Yes, still not my cup of tea. I do appreciate it must play great as top end Taylors are a joy to play. I like my acoustics to look like acoustics I guess...
 
boxman2000 said:
Yes, still not my cup of tea. I do appreciate it must play great as top end Taylors are a joy to play. I like my acoustics to look like acoustics I guess...
Click to expand...


The T5 is bit of both really, they do a T3 which is semi hollow which is electric. They did up until November do a solid body too but nobody bought them so they stopped making them, which is a shame as it has all the trademark of Taylor build quality – the NT neck, the in house pick-ups, the in-house tuners. But like I said before, people buy guitars because of what their idols have and since no Springsteen or Jimmy Paige had one of these or even many modern rock artist or uses one of these, it just died. Taylor is more synonymous with their acoustic rather than electric. So if you are spending £2k on a solid body guitar, you think of your Les Paul, Strat etc, and not a Taylor Solid Body…I can't even remember its name, it sold that bad.
 
to be honest i think its more the video than the guitar thats making it sound off, as to me it sounded muffled all th way through like it was being played through a sock.
 
I have to admit I haven't really paid attention to the Variaxes before, but I looked up a few other demo videos based on this thread and I think it seems like a quite neat and interesting concept... But I'm still not sure I'd buy one :p

I've had a go on a little box thingy that does modelled de-tuning before (can't think of the name of it right now) and although it's cool that it can be done I just didn't like it very much - especially when playing at lower volumes being able to make out the twang of the strings at a different pitch and even to a lesser extent being able to feel the body and neck resonating differently to the sound... no I didn't like that at all... Maybe the JTV is better in some way but I can't imagine how it would be

I also don't really like the look of the JTVs except for the LP looking one, and even then I'm not a huge fan of LP-like guitars which are clearly designed to look like an LP but aren't *quite* the exact shape

:D Very picky I know, but each to their own!
 
I think they are Naff on all levels.

If you want an acoustic guitar sound

Pick up a ******** acoustic guitar FFS its not hard even if doing a gig.

The whole point of the acoustic part of the set is the chill out mellow part of the show

And getting out an acoustic reinforces this.

GIMMICK :mad:
 
easyrider said:
I think they are Naff on all levels.

If you want an acoustic guitar sound

Pick up a ******** acoustic guitar FFS its not hard even if doing a gig.

The whole point of the acoustic part of the set is the chill out mellow part of the show

And getting out an acoustic reinforces this.

GIMMICK :mad:
Click to expand...

110% spot on.

I can appreciate all the modelling kit these days and they have a place and for a working band covering vast amounts of material where practically it makes sense.

To me the greatest classic guitar sounds have always been achived from a simple and pure set up, whether elec or acoustic.

My preference is a tube amp with at most a boss delay pedal.

The elec guitars I make are simple designs for this reason, functional electronics (so no fancy and unecessary switching combinations), natural oil finishes and just well balanced.
 
easyrider said:
I'm sorry but it sounds crap when modelling.Its sounds weedy and fake....
Click to expand...

I'm not biting because we've been through this before :D

In fact I can remember (and don't deny it) pretending I had Martin acoustics and I linked to an MP3 sample and you were impressed with the sound.
If I also remember correctly I never told you it was a Variax 300 and let you carry on believing.
It was a bit sneaky but several years ago you were horrible with peoples tastes in audio type equipment because you thought you were the 'expert' but you have mellowed out a bit.
 
Last edited:
Dimple said:
I'm not biting because we've been through this before :D

In fact I can remember (and don't deny it) pretending I had Martin acoustics and I linked to an MP3 sample and you were impressed with the sound.
If I also remember correctly I never told you it was a Variax 300 and let you carry on believing.
It was a bit sneaky but several years ago you were horrible with peoples tastes in audio type equipment because you thought you were the 'expert' but you have mellowed out a bit.
Click to expand...

Never God Damn it!:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom