Guitar for $2500 and under

[King Of Spain]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

Paul Reed Smith. I see right now a couple of 10 tops with birds for that price. Real conflict though. I really love those guitar. I unfortunately met the man in person and he was the biggest A-Hole I ever met. No, he is tied with Travis Tritt. (For the record, the nicest guy in the biz is Bo Diddley)

maybe he was having a bad day...met him at the Dallas geetar show last year and he seemed pretty nice & available to talk about his stuff/sign geetars etc...

[Blindside]

I'm a Tele lover, but in a way I agree with AC....

I had been looking for years at Fender Telecasters and wanted one horribly, because I once heard this custom Tele (Warmoth/Callaham/Kinman) that this guy had and we talked about. The neck pickup was smooth and warm, the middle position was well balanced, and the bridge was brighter and twangier, but not thin. (I HATE thin sounding guitars)

I searched far and wide for a Fender Tele that fit me. I played hundreds, and NEVER found one that I totally fell in love with. The stock Fender bridges/pots/components/pickups etc just seemed cheap and I heard a lot of guitars with the (sorry for the cliche) "ice-picky" sound.

So, I decided to put together a custom guitar (not myself) even though I had no idea what I was doing. So I found a body, ordered a neck from Warmoth, got the Callaham Tele kit, and some Lindy Fralin pickups and had it buit. It ended up costing almost $1500 total, but in the end I had an incredible guitar and fairly versatile with good (not great, like my friend's neck-thru ESP CS) sustain.

I mean, a guitar with a three way switch can only be but so versatile, and that goes for LPs as well. Yeah, with a Tele, you get the warm neck, smooth middle and bright bridge, all single coil sound, but with an LP, you're just getting three different humbucker sounds.

I agree that alot more goes into making an LP and the quality of the parts is better than Fender, but the Callaham parts I recieved are superior to any I've heard.

We're really comparing apples to oranges here. Totally different animals, and that's why I have to have both, because neither style of guitar will do all I need.

I'd say it's okay to bash Fender teles, because I have played many a poor quality USA tele, but bashing a Tele-style guitar is silly, because they can be phenomenal guitars. I know because I have one.

I've got a Carvin strat-looking guitar with Humbuckers and coil taps. I put Fralin high-output humbuckers in it, and to me, THAT is a versatile guitar.

It's a little bright for my taste (Swamp-ash/Koa top/Maple/Ebony), but those humbuckers tap incredibly well, and if you ride the volume knob and use a boost, you can get some PAF-ish sounds from it.

Nicest guitar I ever played, though was this ten-year-old kid's '58 LP reissue. Not verasatile, but an incredible guitar.

[allencollins]

First off Ive been building for 20 year now. I really don't need a lecture from someone who doesn't BUT......

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

Sorry but most of what you mentioned makes little difference to a guitar as an instrument, just to it's looks.

I never said it made a difference as far as sound . Though in some cases it does. Though again I NEVER SAID THAT IN MY FIRST POST. GOT IT? I was purely talking about why some gtrs cost 2500. It may or may not have an influence on sound but all the stuff I said WAS TRUE!!!! And is on reason why some guitars cost more than others. Im not saying one is better or worse. just better built. And the materials were mose costly.

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

potentially greater sustain and more pleasant resonance plus a more shapely feel when playing the higher frets,.

With high frets you will never attain perfect inntonation. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE unless you finger so lightly. So if you finger lightly guess what? you juts erased any advantage the high fret gave you.

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

Second the body material, a more dense and harder material will sustain a strings vibration for longer and will have less interaction with the sound itself,
.

Bullshit!!!!! Ever hear of a wood called Limba? I have a 58 Flying V 5.5 lbs. Yes 5.5 more sustain than a les paul. I have a 58 custom shop explorer 6.9 lbs yes a gtr that large under 7. More sustain than a less paul. Maybe this is true with the cheopo woods found in some gtrs but not all. What give wood its sustain has to do with many factors. My 5.5 lb V sustains and sound much bigger than my 10lbs Les Paul Custom . Korina is more pourous maybe? It resonates better?
Im not sure why it has more sustain but it is a light wood and sounds bigger than mahogany. And not as dark

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

Woods for a body do not cost that much, you can use virtually any material you want to great and varying effect, in an electric guitar most body resonance is reduced to the point where the materials used become largely immaterial .

You have no clue what you are talking about. quality wood is expensive. Also a Les paul made of Ash sound drastically different than one built from mahogany. NIGHT AND DAY.

The moisture content in wood has a big factor on tone. As does the figure and quality of the wood.

Ever wonder why 90% of teles and 75% of Fenders have an opaque finish? Uh duh, cuz they have used poorly graded woods since the 50's. Worm holes, knots etc... They paint it solid colors so you can't see the crappy wood.
Not ot mention the wood they use is the cheapest and most easily harvested of all the exotic woods. If you even consider ash to be exotic.

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

most light woods grow fast.
.

Are you a botonist ? Tree growth has to do with elements such as climate altitude, moisture etc... Why does swamp ash sound different than White Ash why does limba sound different than mahogany? Why does white Limba sound different than black limba? Why does Eastern maple sound different than Maple from Oregon? THE CLIMATE and the surroundings

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

Most of this tone difference is instantly destroyed as soon as you put the signal into a guitar amp.

I'm almost speechless. Almost... YOU WIN!!!! This is the most inacurate thing I have every read on a message board. I guess all gtrs sound the same to you? Oh that goes back to your original post that there is no difference between a $200 and 2500 gtr. Mind boggling really. NO WAY!!!!! That is the dumbest thing I have ever read. PERIOD

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

The lacquer, sorry does bugger all for an electric guitars sound, it makes a difference on an acoustic but on an electric, you're having a laugh (an expensive one at that, especially a NC is no longer allowed to be used in a few countries).
.

Nitro is pourous the wood breaths. Poly coat is like a trash bag.
Play a gtr without finish. Finish the same gtr . then play it again IT WILL SOUND DIFFERENT.
It matters. Studies have been done. The finish alters the vibration which in turn
alters the tone. Tape a plastic hefty bag to your gtr. Tell me it doesn't kil lthe tone.
Why do you think Violins are french polished and get ultr thin nitro coats? Stradavarious has nothing better to do?
Maybe they shoudl take your advice and paint it with lead paint or enamel. Unbelievable

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

A telecaster sounds as it does because of it's scale length, it's pickups, and it's through body strings

I agree but a tele made from mahogany sounds different han one made of poplar. A tele with the strings through a bridge is still gonna sound liek a tele. BAD!!!!

And a tele sounds bad because it
A. uses cheap pickps. B. Uses a flawed scale length C. Has a bolt on neck D. Uses cheazeball woods. E. All of the above

Why does a Gibson or MAX les paul sound different than an Epiphone or Cort?
Same shape, same basic pickup design, same basic hardware....
uh...... duh......nuk nuk......The wood........ Beavis!!! yuh yuh he he




Guitars sound the way they do cuz of many factors

1. The shape
2. Quality of wood
3. The species of wood or woods
4. Neck construction/neck materials
5. Pickups
6. Scale
7. Fretboat material
8. Fret material/size

The wood and the shape/construcion of the gtr is 75% of the sound.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by allencollins

B. Uses a flawed scale length

What do you believe is flawed about a 25.5" scale length?

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by octatonic

What do you believe is flawed about a 25.5" scale length?

All guitar scale lengths are flawed. If a gtr has frets and cannot be 100%

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by allencollins

All guitar scale lengths are flawed. If a gtr has frets and cannot be 100%

Granted, but that doesn't really answer the question.
The context you presented above reads to me as though you believe 24.25 is superior to 25.5.

BTW- tried Novax? or Buzz Feiten? Earvana?
I have an Earvana nut on my '79 strat and it intonates perfectly to the 21st fret.

JR

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by octatonic

Granted, but that doesn't really answer the question.
The context you presented above reads to me as though you believe 24.25 is superior to 25.5.

BTW- tried Novax? or Buzz Feiten? Earvana?
I have an Earvana nut on my '79 strat and it intonates perfectly to the 21st fret.

JR

Actually yeah I have feiten on 1 gtr and earvana on 3 and I have the monte allum system on 1.

When you say intonates perfectly. Compared to what? Not a piano that's for sure.

A guitar can be inntonated (almost) perfectly (never perfect) to itself. But because the timbre of the 6 individual strings is so different with respect to each other what difference does it really make?

Play and open g string and then fret the the G on the 5th fret of a D string. They sound totally different. For a gtr players who do alot of harmonies and doubling thiscan be a nightmare. The fundametal and harmonic may be perfectly in tune on a strobe but yet the vibrate differently due to tension and do not blend properly. Like on a piano

To answer your original question maybe it's my imagination but for some reason 25.5 seems to exagerate these inconsistencies. Same with Gibson scale. The G string sounds worse on a Paul than a tele if that's even possible. I have no scientific backing of why this is, I'm just going by my gut and my hearing. Heaver strings seem to help this. It has to do with tension or something.

I've used a wound G for 15 years now and it helps. But it still always sounds funky to me. Teles and les paul being the worst. The G on a PRS sounds the least funky to me. I also have an Ibanez and a custom shop schecter that sounds good to. Although Im not even sure what the scales are. I mean lets face it teles and even les paul are not made for
technical flawless playing.

It's impossible to get every note on every string to ring out properly like it does on a piano. No (phony) tempered tuning system like feiten is gonna solve all the problems with fretted instuments.

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by allencollins

All guitar scale lengths are flawed. If a gtr has frets and cannot be 100%

You're not answreing the question, a 25.5 scale is not more flawed that 24.5
actually, mathematically it's less likely. But there's others variant which all play a role in the equation. (fret spacing, action, neck board curvature etc...) Actually I played and have some really acceptable short scale guitars with a 24 scale (Fender jaguar and mustang)
Same with bass I have and played some really just 34' and some damn just 30' but as per my experience it's easier to set up a good intonation on a full scale guitar or bass (25.5 and 34) than on shorter scale. It actually makes sense when you think about it.
That said, it's ok you love Gibsons, It's ok but Personally, I'm not a fan of humbuckers, i always prefered single coils, my favorite guitars being Jazzmasters and Mosrites, i also have a really nice sounding 60's Mustang, Danelectros, we also have a '58 Gibson (ES 330) in our studio, we had an old Gretsch for awhile too...There's not absolute guitar or absolute tone.Just different, all with their own quirks and idiosyncrasis! Just try to find the ones you like and play the damn thing.
Peace

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by allencollins

Actually yeah I have feiten on 1 gtr and earvana on 3 and I have the monte allum system on 1.

When you say intonates perfectly. Compared to what? Not a piano that's for sure.

Ehrm... no, like a guitar.

A guitar can be inntonated (almost) perfectly (never perfect) to itself. But because the timbre of the 6 individual strings is so different with respect to each other what difference does it really make?

Timbre and intonation are totally different.

I mean using a strobe tuner on each note to make sure it is pitching correctly.

Play and open g string and then fret the the G on the 5th fret of a D string. They sound totally different. For a gtr players who do alot of harmonies and doubling thiscan be a nightmare. The fundametal and harmonic may be perfectly in tune on a strobe but yet the vibrate differently due to tension and do not blend properly. Like on a piano

That is immaterial.
Piano strings are all different thickneses and tensions.
The difference in timbre doesn't make any difference in tuning.

To answer your original question maybe it's my imagination but for some reason 25.5 seems to exagerate these inconsistencies. Same with Gibson scale. The G string sounds worse on a Paul than a tele if that's even possible. I have no scientific backing of why this is, I'm just going by my gut and my hearing. Heaver strings seem to help this. It has to do with tension or something.

I agree light strings tend to be more problematic- I use either 10-52's or 12's depending on the guitar and the tuning. Again this tend to be more of a tonal issue than one of tuning.

I've used a wound G for 15 years now and it helps. But it still always sounds funky to me. Teles and les paul being the worst. The G on a PRS sounds the least funky to me. I also have an Ibanez and a custom shop schecter that sounds good to. Although Im not even sure what the scales are. I mean lets face it teles and even les paul are not made for
technical flawless playing.

I have an early PRS custom. I don't use it much- I find there is a bit of 'neither fish nor foul' about it, but that is a different discussion.

[Flying_Dutchman]

Originally Posted by gergface21

I'm curious what electric guitar you guys would get for $2500 or less

check out warmoth.com, well you need to put it together...

Waht kind of music do you want to record with this guitar, or do you just need a studio standard guitar?

Gibson LPs are great, no question, but they are gibson scale. I cant play on this, cause i play fender scale since 20 years. The Gibson bridge makes me feel uncomfortable, too. Theres just one model with floyed rose and its very expensive i know at the moment. I couldn´t be satisfied with a LP model...
Well, i ever wanted a guitar that can be heard nex to a good Gibson LP and you don´t think "what the fxxx". I tried all common stuff avaiable in germany and ended up with Caparioson. Great craftmanship, sounds like guitar.

[Keldog]

Carvin.

I've got a DC400 neck-thru custom that just plays sweet. Tone, action...

Check em out if you haven't already.

[King Of Spain]

Originally Posted by allencollins

I've used a wound G for 15 years now and it helps. But it still always sounds funky to me. Teles and les paul being the worst. The G on a PRS sounds the least funky to me. I also have an Ibanez and a custom shop schecter that sounds good to. Although Im not even sure what the scales are. I mean lets face it teles and even les paul are not made for
technical flawless playing.

I order non-wound 26s for Gstring in bulk from juststrings.com & use them instead of the wound Gs that come in all sets of 13s (as far as I can tell) since a wound G is dead on non-staggered pickups...

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by King Of Spain

I order non-wound 26s for Gstring in bulk from juststrings.com & use them instead of the wound Gs that come in all sets of 13s (as far as I can tell) since a wound G is dead on non-staggered pickups...

cool I'll check that out. I but my stingsthere too. At least my G strings....
26 is stiff though can you bend it easy enough?

thx

[mdme_sadie]

allencollins - You have an opinion, congratulations, tend it another 20 years and it might turn into wisdom and roses. Where to start... look perhaps I'd better not, but really man you come across as unnecessarily rude to people you know absolutely nothing about, patronizing, snobbish, defensive and exceedingly closed minded. Is this how do you want to come across? Is this the person you want to be? Do you really want to argue the toss with everyone about everything?

What you say applies to acoustic instruments perfectly well and is accurate there, but for the humble electric guitar - frankly it's just like rock and roll, all pomp and posture. It's a (decorated if you insist) plank with strings on it and to answer one of your questions, yes, I do not believe anything that you mentioned originally has any significant impact on the sound of an over driven electric guitar, the mistake is to think this doesn't mean they're versatile or that means I think all guitars are alike. Case in point here the Telecaster a very versatile instrument.

I'm also pretty sure that I explained I believe the body material it's density, structure and volume do impact the sound of an electric guitar (try an aluminium or carbon fiber guitar sometime, it can be an eye opening experience), and of course I know that Fender paint over poorer quality materials even using composite materials, it's hardly a revelation, doesn't seem to damage the tone much or stop people making great music with them.

I must also say that you must be being ripped off, Ash for example is very cheap, you can buy enough for a guitar for $30 - $100, Mahogany too and even Maple, Alder the cheapest of course, the figured and bookmatched maple used for the cosmetic tops only is expensive, but only a fool would use more than a thin laminate of the stuff, basically I've tried really hard, but the most I can spec up the cost of building my own guitar to is around $500, that's me trying hard to get overpriced parts and not buying in bulk orders or anything and not just getting wood from a proper lumber yard but from one of these hobby build your own guitar while we rip you off type places.

...the thing is it's the work and logo that you pay for not the components themselves, this is a business and business are in the business of staying in business, if you want to read an enteratining little rant on the specific subject by someone who apparently has a little more experience of high end guitars and their markups than you appear to then read this. If you need to believe in the superiority of Gibson by all means do, I like Gibson guitars a lot, but I also have no problem with for example SG's by Epiphone - solid mahogany body and neck same as Gibson SG, with higher quality craftsmanship on the fretboard (Gibson are notoriously poor with the fretwork), nicer neck feel, poorer quality electronics, better winders, no tasty Gibson logo though, so yeah I do believe a cheap electric guitar is as good as a more expensive one, especially for the purpose of making music, it's hardly unprecedented now is it?

I'm really not sure what you're talking about with regards tree growth though, it's irrelevant. Why you should take offense at the assertion that light woods come from faster growing trees which is common knowledge is really beyond me. It can't be that you confuse softwoods with light woods as you mention Ash, though you apparently aren't aware that Ash can mean a number of different genus within the Fraxinus family, Fraxinus Nigra (Black or Swamp Ash) is a completely different species from Fraxinus Americana (White Ash), it's not merely the same tree transplanted to a different environment, it seems you're no botanist either sir. I know I'm not a botanist, I don't need to be to know basic everyday facts about them, I assume when someone points out a tree to you you respond with an accusatory"Are you a botanist?!?!?!". I can't lay claim to significant knowledge about the different structures in gymnosperm and angiosperm, the quantities of tracheids, paranchyma and pores and their effects on timbre and timber, flexibility and resonance but I'm not going to get into a pissing contest over whether woods that grow faster are also lighter, because next we'll be arguing that the sky is blue (it isn't right now in California) and grass is green (verdant and very much so). So fine... YOU WIN!

I'm finished with this now, I don't have any need to justify my purchases be they expensive or cheap by anything other than I like them, how 'bout you?

[cardinal]

My $179 Fender Squier Telecaster suits me fine.
Prince plays a Hohner guitar tele knock off that costs under $500.
Robert Johnsons acoustic guitar didn't cost over $500.
Jimmy Page played a Danoelectric from sears.
An expensive guitar doesn't make you a better player.

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

allencollins - You have an opinion, congratulations, tend it another 20 years and it might turn into wisdom and roses. Where to start... look perhaps I'd better not, but really man you come across as unnecessarily rude to people you know absolutely nothing about, patronizing, snobbish, defensive and exceedingly closed minded. Is this how do you want to come across? Is this the person you want to be? Do you really want to argue the toss with everyone about everything?

What you say applies to acoustic instruments perfectly well and is accurate there, but for the humble electric guitar - frankly it's just like rock and roll, all pomp and posture. It's a (decorated if you insist) plank with strings on it and to answer one of your questions, yes, I do not believe anything that you mentioned originally has any significant impact on the sound of an over driven electric guitar, the mistake is to think this doesn't mean they're versatile or that means I think all guitars are alike. Case in point here the Telecaster a very versatile instrument.

I'm also pretty sure that I explained I believe the body material it's density, structure and volume do impact the sound of an electric guitar (try an aluminium or carbon fiber guitar sometime, it can be an eye opening experience), and of course I know that Fender paint over poorer quality materials even using composite materials, it's hardly a revelation, doesn't seem to damage the tone much or stop people making great music with them.

I must also say that you must be being ripped off, Ash for example is very cheap, you can buy enough for a guitar for $30 - $100, Mahogany too and even Maple, Alder the cheapest of course, the figured and bookmatched maple used for the cosmetic tops only is expensive, but only a fool would use more than a thin laminate of the stuff, basically I've tried really hard, but the most I can spec up the cost of building my own guitar to is around $500, that's me trying hard to get overpriced parts and not buying in bulk orders or anything and not just getting wood from a proper lumber yard but from one of these hobby build your own guitar while we rip you off type places.

...the thing is it's the work and logo that you pay for not the components themselves, this is a business and business are in the business of staying in business, if you want to read an enteratining little rant on the specific subject by someone who apparently has a little more experience of high end guitars and their markups than you appear to then read this. If you need to believe in the superiority of Gibson by all means do, I like Gibson guitars a lot, but I also have no problem with for example SG's by Epiphone - solid mahogany body and neck same as Gibson SG, with higher quality craftsmanship on the fretboard (Gibson are notoriously poor with the fretwork), nicer neck feel, poorer quality electronics, better winders, no tasty Gibson logo though, so yeah I do believe a cheap electric guitar is as good as a more expensive one, especially for the purpose of making music, it's hardly unprecedented now is it?

I'm really not sure what you're talking about with regards tree growth though, it's irrelevant. Why you should take offense at the assertion that light woods come from faster growing trees which is common knowledge is really beyond me. It can't be that you confuse softwoods with light woods as you mention Ash, though you apparently aren't aware that Ash can mean a number of different genus within the Fraxinus family, Fraxinus Nigra (Black or Swamp Ash) is a completely different species from Fraxinus Americana (White Ash), it's not merely the same tree transplanted to a different environment, it seems you're no botanist either sir. I know I'm not a botanist, I don't need to be to know basic everyday facts about them, I assume when someone points out a tree to you you respond with an accusatory"Are you a botanist?!?!?!". I can't lay claim to significant knowledge about the different structures in gymnosperm and angiosperm, the quantities of tracheids, paranchyma and pores and their effects on timbre and timber, flexibility and resonance but I'm not going to get into a pissing contest over whether woods that grow faster are also lighter, because next we'll be arguing that the sky is blue (it isn't right now in California) and grass is green (verdant and very much so). So fine... YOU WIN!

I'm finished with this now, I don't have any need to justify my purchases be they expensive or cheap by anything other than I like them, how 'bout you?

That's cool but someday you will get it. I personally don't think you need to spend
2500 but the bottom line is a quality gtr is going to run 1000+ new
I wish it wasn't the case. Im very selective I like thick tone. I can't play fenders epi's squires and cheapo shit. I need quality. It sounds like youve never really experienced a quality gtr since you have little appreciation for them.
One day you will have the pleasure and wish you didn't wait so long.

I spent a year a/bing guitars and amps for recording purposes. I always wondered what the differences in woods and tubes really made as far as tone and recording. I recorded a song with 40 different guitars and 10+ different amps. I switched pickups and experimented with string gauges and even guitar picks.
I switched out and experimented with different preamp and power tubes

It was very enlightening not to sound corny. You wouldn't believe how different woods translate to tape. How some guitars sound better in certain keys than others. Same with tubes.

anyway play your cheap shit. It won't make a difference in 100 years anyway

[jamsmith]

Originally Posted by King Of Spain

maybe he was having a bad day...met him at the Dallas geetar show last year and he seemed pretty nice & available to talk about his stuff/sign geetars etc...

I think the keyword there was "guitar show". He was working. I met him at a Paul Rodger concert.

================

Seriously fellas, I hear a lot of BS going on here about this, that, and the other. Extremely high quality guitars, many from with exotic woods have always been available from Gibson. If you stop for a moment and ask yourself why the lions share of the greatest guitarists (Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Page, SRV, Morse, Malmsteen, Van Halen, etc, etc, etc) have prominently played cheesy bolt-on, unbound, swamp ash, single coil, bent metal, and plastic planks of wood, you will start to get a clue. All that BS is just BS. Your peronal touch, tone, and feel is infinitely - INFINITELY - more important than anything else. INFINITELY! Jimmy F-ing Page on a guitar made out of Masonite. Masonite is fancy cardbord! It that same shit on the sliding doors you grandads records sit behind!

And those cheezy fender planks of wood - they catch the highest prices in the world for guitars - The Paul Allen Hendrix Strat, Blackie, Lenny. Get a freakin' clue!!!! Its who play them and HOW they played them!

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

I think the keyword there was "guitar show". He was working. I met him at a Paul Rodger concert.

================

Seriously fellas, I hear a lot of BS going on here about this, that, and the other. Extremely high quality guitars, many from with exotic woods have always been available from Gibson. If you stop for a moment and ask yourself why the lions share of the greatest guitarists (Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Page, SRV, Morse, Malmsteen, Van Halen, etc, etc, etc) have prominently played cheesy bolt-on, unbound, swamp ash, single coil, bent metal, and plastic planks of wood, you will start to get a clue. All that BS is just BS. Your peronal touch, tone, and feel is infinitely - INFINITELY - more important than anything else. INFINITELY! Jimmy F-ing Page on a guitar made out of Masonite. Masonite is fancy cardbord! It that same shit on the sliding doors you grandads records sit behind!

And those cheezy fender planks of wood - they catch the highest prices in the world for guitars - The Paul Allen Hendrix Strat, Blackie, Lenny. Get a freakin' clue!!!! Its who play them and HOW they played them!

Yes, also expensive doesn't always mean better sounding...Well first we have to define what is 'better" sounding...Example: Danelectro, yes they were cheap guitar and still are but they do sound great. it will be hard to get the Dano sound with a Gibson. Same with Fender they became extremely popular since the 50's because they were /are cheap, but also because they have a distinctive sound. Their distinctive sound come from their design. A fender sound like a Fender because they have a bolt on neck, single coil pickups and made of Alder or Ash and maple...Nothing wrong with that. Same with Danelectros the fact that they are made of masonite probably contribute to their sound...Who want a Dano made of rain forest endangered wood? And would it sound 'better"? Lipstick pickup or GigaUltra Hot- wired by swedish virgins- on the night of the winter soltice fukking humbucker?

[FFTT]

One guitar I'd like to add to my collection is the Rickenbacker 325C58

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by FFTT

One guitar I'd like to add to my collection is the Rickenbacker 325C58

Rickenbackers are such a love/hate thing for me.
I love how they sound, I love how they look- but playing one is like swimming the English channel when it is made of treacle.
There is something in the neck design that makes it really tough work.

It is the only thing stopping me from getting one.
I think it might be the lacquer they use on the fingerboard- anyone else have this problem?

Jim

[FFTT]

I've heard that several players have the necks professionally de-laquered
to help with that problem.

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/ricke...etboardmod.htm

They also slightly de-glaze the back of the neck with fine steel wool.

[FFTT]

Just for an overview of available guitars, you can sure see that anything is possible.

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/electric.htm

[eligit]

Originally Posted by FFTT

Just for an overview of available guitars, you can sure see that anything is possible.

Ed Roman Guitars, World's Largest Guitar Store - World's Largest Online Guitar Resource - (702) 875-4552

oh, lord.....not ed roman....what a piece of work he is.