The guitar corner

[jazzbo]

I guess PRS is dumping the SE Custom 22. Amazon now has some for $399 - other onlne retailers for $449, both with and without tremolo.

I'm REAL tempted.

According to their web site, it's been "discontinued." Sam Ash had a Custom 24 on sale for $389 on Black Friday, which Guitar Center matched so I purchased it. Well, actually my wife got it for me as a Xmas present so it's under wraps until then. My first real guitar.

Congrats Brad!

[Brad]

We were looking at a variety of guitars, with my son helping me and he liked PRS. He told me to shy away from Epiphone because he didn't think they were very good; thought the strings were too stiff. Another brand he doesn't like and has never seemed to is Fender. I pointed out that the likes of Clapton and Beck play them and his comment is that the real expensive ones are probably ok but that's about it. He plays a Schecter himself.

[jazzbo]

Welll, after the PRS for a while you can try out other guitars yourself. I didn't get "Fender" for a long time but one day they just clicked and now I'd get rid of every nonFender guitar I have before I let any Fenders go (and he's right in that the American made ones I find much nicer, but still like Mexican and "parts custom" ones.)

[Brad]

Welll, after the PRS for a while you can try out other guitars yourself. I didn't get "Fender" for a long time but one day they just clicked and now I'd get rid of every nonFender guitar I have before I let any Fenders go (and he's right in that the American made ones I find much nicer, but still like Mexican and "parts custom" ones.)

The kid is very opinionated so chalk it up to the experience of youth.

I've only been playing about nine months and obviously have a long, long, long way to go but I'm curious as to what you mean it clicked one day for you?

[jazzbo]

Just one day I found one that had a wonderful neck, which was what never worked well for me before. And then I learned to look for THAT neck, and every guitar that I played with a neck in those specs played very easily and well.

And when I finally spent a lot of time with Fender guitars, I figured out how to make the sounds I like from them. I don't know why, but Fenders now feel really "right" for me. They "strum" really easily and I get exciting sounds from them. That led me to explore Fender basses and I now play my Fender American Deluxe Jazz basses (one with a fretless rosewood fingerboard, one with a maple fretted fingerboard) almost exclusively, haven't been playing guitar much lately, mostly basses. All the guitars and basses sound wonderful to me through my '59 Fender Bassman reissue amp, and the '63 reissue reverb head. I'm "set."

[Brad]

Just one day I found one that had a wonderful neck, which was what never worked well for me before. And then I learned to look for THAT neck, and every guitar that I played with a neck in those specs played very easily and well.

And when I finally spent a lot of time with Fender guitars, I figured out how to make the sounds I like from them. I don't know why, but Fenders now feel really "right" for me. They "strum" really easily and I get exciting sounds from them. That led me to explore Fender basses and I now play my Fender American Deluxe Jazz basses (one with a fretless rosewood fingerboard, one with a maple fretted fingerboard) almost exclusively, haven't been playing guitar much lately, mostly basses. All the guitars and basses sound wonderful to me through my '59 Fender Bassman reissue amp, and the '63 reissue reverb head. I'm "set."

Cool Lon. That sounds great

[Joe G]

John Stowell just sent me an email out of the blue; got my name from a mutual friend. He said he wants to hook up in the spring when he swings through Michigan to do some teaching and a concert with me. I'm teaching at Michigan State, and would love to have him do a masterclass. Not so sure I'm ready to share the stage with him, though!

[7/4]

John Stowell just sent me an email out of the blue; got my name from a mutual friend. He said he wants to hook up in the spring when he swings through Michigan to do some teaching and a concert with me. I'm teaching at Michigan State, and would love to have him do a masterclass. Not so sure I'm ready to share the stage with him, though!

Check that out!

I'm just getting around to checking out his Jazz Guitar Mastery DVD (Mel Bay).

I was playing the Godin at the store this afternoon again, the solidbody with nylon strings. I don't have the cash, but I'll have to sell a Strat and get one soon.

I think Strats unclicked when I started playing Teles! There's something about Teles...maybe it because they don't have a hole in the body where the Strat has a whammy bar mounted on springs. Better tone for me.

Edited December 3, 2009 by 7/4

[Joe G]

I picked that book/DVD up just a couple of weeks ago on a whim. Some good stuff in there.

[jazzbo]

I think Strats unclicked when I started playing Teles! There's something about Teles...maybe it because they don't have a hole in the body where the Strat has a whammy bar mounted on springs. Better tone for me.

Oh I can understand that. My favorite Strat has a hard tail. And it makes a difference. And the Strat I have with a tremolo (which I don't use) is different in that it's a mahogany bodied Strat, with the tremolo blocked. Has amazing tone (and yeah, it's a bit heavy).

My Jazzmaster is my favorite of the guitars, and it has tremolo, but floating springs in a tailpiece, which actually improves the sound somewhat, makes it seem as if it were an archtop in some aspects of the sound. The hole is at the bottom of the body, covered, and rather small in comparison to Strats.

I just don't like the few Teles I've played very much. I was excited about my '72 Thinline reissue for a while, but ultimately the sound is not variable enough, and the fingerboard is too curved for my hand.

[7/4]

and I'm not playing rock with my Tele, I like that clean neck p/u tone.

edit: I'd save the Strat for rock, but I don't have the rock 'n' rolls these days...ain't feeling it.

.

Edited December 3, 2009 by 7/4

[jazzbo]

I'm mainly playing a sort of clumsy jazz on my own with all my planks of wood. . . . And playing along mainly to blues, jazz and what my neice calls "Bazillion" music.

The '59 Bassman LTD amp makes it all sound right for me. Neck pickup plus warm head and 4 10s. . . now that's the sound I love.

Edited December 3, 2009 by jazzbo

[BFrank]

Jazzmasters do seem to be making a MAJOR comeback these days. I should try one out sometime.

BTW, that was GREAT price for that PRS on Black Friday. I wish I had known - then again, I was out of town, so I guess it didn't matter.

[Jim R]

I'm mainly playing a sort of clumsy jazz on my own with all my planks of wood. . . .

Hey, you're describing me!

And playing along mainly to blues, jazz and what my neice calls "Bazillion" music.

That's cuz you know a bazillion brazillion tunes, right? Playing along with recordings is something I used to enjoy quite a bit, particularly back when I was getting started and was really focused on blues. Played along with a lot of T-Bone, Gatemouth Brown, Freddie King ("Bonanza of Instrumentals" was a great source of inspiration), Fenton Robinson, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Philip Walker... all the blues greats, actually. For some reason, when I got into jazz, I got away from doing that as much. I think I gradually got more and more focused on chord/melody playing and creating my own arrangements.

The '59 Bassman LTD amp makes it all sound right for me. Neck pickup plus warm head and 4 10s. . . now that's the sound I love.

Ditto once again. Neck pickup, 4X10 Bassman- great sound. I love the functionality and performance in terms of the amp's tone controls, too. I've had my Bassman reissue since the early 90's (I think mine is one of the earliest ones, although I got it used via a trade), and no other amp has sounded as good to me since. The only reason I've ever thought about selling it is that even though I know it still weighs about 50 lbs, it seems to get heavier every year. I really don't have to move it very often, though. I just wish I had a nice quality, lightweight solid state amp- maybe with one 15" speaker- that I could throw in the car when I do need to take an amp someplace. I probably wouldn't really be satisfied with the sound, though.

[AllenLowe]

nice amp, but play a real Tweed Bassman circuit and it will knock you over - all those older Fender higher powered tweed amps are similar - the Pro, Tweed Twin - and until I played a Victoria Bassman I had no idea what people like Buddy Guy were talking about - wow - perfect mids, enough head room, sweet sustain. Add a few RCA or GE 6L6s and you got heaven.

I have a 5C3 which sounds similar with a high powered Weber - and the 5E3 can almost get you there if you reduce the bass on it and use a 5R4 in as the rectifier -

Problems is that that those Tweed Bassman (even the replicas) are too damned expensive.

[jazzbo]

I know Allen, I'm sure I'd love one, but am keeping myself from checking one out til I'm working again and have more money coming in than going out.

I did pick up an interesting amp that needs a little work: a Fender Bantam Bass (30 watt, two channel, hand wired) in a custom built walnut cabinet with two 12" Eminence, white diaphragm speakers. A little noisey, but a really fine guitar amp (I was hoping that it would be a better bass amp than it is, but part of the reason it isn't is that the bass channel's bass control is not functioning). Really pretty cabinet, very well built, with a custom flame maple face for the amp! Solid. When I get it checked over and up to snuff, it will be my bedroom amp.

[Brad]

Thought this article about Guitar Apps for the iphone in today's New York Times might be of interest.

Here's the first couple of paragraphs:

****

To Strike Just the Right Chord, Pick the Right Guitar App

By BOB TEDESCHI

Smartphones loaded with Guitar Hero have emerged as critical tools for aspiring rock stars. Now comes the second wave. Call it Guitar Hero: the Real Deal.

For a growing number of actual guitarists, their smartphones — O.K., their iPhones — are suddenly as important as tuners, metronomes or recording equipment, because an iPhone can now do everything these other devices can do, for less money and with less hassle.

“I’m amazed at the quality of some of the apps out there,” said Mike Mueller, contributing editor at Guitar Edge magazine and manager of GuitarInstructor.com. “At this point it’s kind of ‘buyer beware,’ because everybody’s looking to get in on it, but this certainly has legs.”

***

[7/4]

All this talk of amps...since I can't carry heavy things for now, I don't have any of my tube amps near the computer. I've been using a Line 6 POD with a Peavy keyboard amp when I hang at the "office".

Over by the TV, I'm still using the '67 Bassman head with a Hotplate and a 12" ported cabinet.

On Friday I'm giving a lesson (!) and I'll have to bring a Pro Jr. because it's small.

For jams with a keyboard player at a coffee shop (@Rutgers Newark) I use his Roland Cube modeling amp into his keyboard amp so I all I have to carry is my guitar, a chord and a Real Book.

Edited December 3, 2009 by 7/4

[jazzbo]

Thought this article about Guitar Apps for the iphone in today's New York Times might be of interest.

Here's the first couple of paragraphs:

****

To Strike Just the Right Chord, Pick the Right Guitar App

By BOB TEDESCHI

Smartphones loaded with Guitar Hero have emerged as critical tools for aspiring rock stars. Now comes the second wave. Call it Guitar Hero: the Real Deal.

For a growing number of actual guitarists, their smartphones — O.K., their iPhones — are suddenly as important as tuners, metronomes or recording equipment, because an iPhone can now do everything these other devices can do, for less money and with less hassle.

“I’m amazed at the quality of some of the apps out there,” said Mike Mueller, contributing editor at Guitar Edge magazine and manager of GuitarInstructor.com. “At this point it’s kind of ‘buyer beware,’ because everybody’s looking to get in on it, but this certainly has legs.”

***

Wow. Too bad I HATE PHONES. Wouldn't make sense to get an iPhone and never use the phone part, right?

[Jim R]

I did pick up an interesting amp that needs a little work: a Fender Bantam Bass (30 watt, two channel, hand wired) in a custom built walnut cabinet with two 12" Eminence, white diaphragm speakers. A little noisey, but a really fine guitar amp (I was hoping that it would be a better bass amp than it is, but part of the reason it isn't is that the bass channel's bass control is not functioning). Really pretty cabinet, very well built, with a custom flame maple face for the amp! Solid. When I get it checked over and up to snuff, it will be my bedroom amp.

Love to see a photo (or three), Lon. One thing I hate about shopping around for amps is that so many of them are one shade or another of... black. I've seen some gorgeous custom-cabinets in maple, birch, walnut... and a few with more exotic woods, but they're not exactly common.

[six string]

I recently purchased a Taylor T3-B w/Honeyburst finish. It's an amazing guitar and it plays and sounds as good as it looks. My Tele's going to be in the closet for a while.

[jazzbo]

I did pick up an interesting amp that needs a little work: a Fender Bantam Bass (30 watt, two channel, hand wired) in a custom built walnut cabinet with two 12" Eminence, white diaphragm speakers. A little noisey, but a really fine guitar amp (I was hoping that it would be a better bass amp than it is, but part of the reason it isn't is that the bass channel's bass control is not functioning). Really pretty cabinet, very well built, with a custom flame maple face for the amp! Solid. When I get it checked over and up to snuff, it will be my bedroom amp.

Love to see a photo (or three), Lon. One thing I hate about shopping around for amps is that so many of them are one shade or another of... black. I've seen some gorgeous custom-cabinets in maple, birch, walnut... and a few with more exotic woods, but they're not exactly common.

Sorry Jim, didn't notice this post til today.

Here's a few photos:

Edited December 16, 2009 by jazzbo

[7/4]

I recently purchased a Taylor T3-B w/Honeyburst finish. It's an amazing guitar and it plays and sounds as good as it looks. My Tele's going to be in the closet for a while.

The description on Musician's Friend looks nice. I haven't seen one in the stores yet, I wouldn't mind checking one out.

about that amp:

The custom flame maple face is a nice touch!

.

Edited December 16, 2009 by 7/4

[jazzbo]

One last one, with my favorite bedroom guitar, a sort of custom Tele, US made, Kona and walnut chambered body, mahogany set neck, PAF pups. Warm and deep bluesy guitar.

[Jim R]

No problem, Lon, and thanks for sending the heads up (my first "personal conversation", or "PC", which has replaced the old "PM").

That amp looks great. I hope that finished wood cabs will become more popular in general. I like a nice tweed, and there are shades of tolex that look fine, but sometimes when I walk into a shop it's black, black, black as far as the eye can see.

What material was used for your amp's faceplate? It's a nice contrasting look.