Guitars

[Rob1742]

On 02/05/2020 at 16:03, RoboFox said:

Also, just to go off on a tangent slightly.

 

Does anyone understand why someone would pay a fortune for the Fender custom shop relic models? “Hey, here’s £2,000, knacker my guitar for me.”

 

It is a strange one. I felt the same as you, and just didn’t get it. Then I purchased a replica of Joe Knaggs guitar which is only available as a relic.

I was shocked as it just feels like its old and worn in, just more comfortable. I am also not worried about dinging it.

I can’t understand the need to spend an extra £2k buying a battered version, but if they arrive with that feel my Knaggs did, then maybe there is a value to that. But it’s very very odd in my book and although I have an experience with it, I find it a confusing concept and still don’t get why you would favour that option. 

[Rob1742]

On 02/05/2020 at 16:00, RoboFox said:

Rob, I think you have a gear addiction. And I’m totally envious. 

I’d swap my gear for being able to play it any day. Truly wonderful to watch good guitarists in action. 

[Costock_Fox]

Anyone taken this up in the lockdown? Glad I’ve forced myself, I’m not very good but considering I’ve only been playing for less than 2 months I’m pretty happy.

[Flamey]

9 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

Anyone taken this up in the lockdown? Glad I’ve forced myself, I’m not very good but considering I’ve only been playing for less than 2 months I’m pretty happy.

Good for you!!👍Did you by a new one or was there one lying around? Acoustic/ electric??

[Costock_Fox]

1 hour ago, Flamey said:

Good for you!!👍Did you by a new one or was there one lying around? Acoustic/ electric??

I got a second hand electric Ibanez off the internet for a bargain £90 and had an amp from when I had a few lessons in my teens.

 

I think the guy painted this himself but I think it looks alright and it sounds miles better than the basic starter ones.

 

 

[Flamey]

26 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

I got a second hand electric Ibanez off the internet for a bargain £90 and had an amp from when I had a few lessons in my teens.

 

I think the guy painted this himself but I think it looks alright and it sounds miles better than the basic starter ones.

 

 

Great guitar to learn on! I've got an ibanez  rg550....easiest playing guitar I've ever owned. 👍

[Costock_Fox]

36 minutes ago, Flamey said:

Great guitar to learn on! I've got an ibanez  rg550....easiest playing guitar I've ever owned. 👍

Oh shit, if this is the easiest I’m in trouble haha

[RoboFox]

Well, @Rob1742, you convinced me. I took the plunge. 

 

 

HOWEVER, it is a brand new guitar and I've noticed an imperfection in the grain that has caused a slight, but noticeable blemish in the finish. It looks to be natural and and not a manufacturing error. 

 

I'm just wondering what your thoughts are. Grounds to send it back? Or do we just accept the character of the wood?

 

I've never owned a burst finish guitar before and would appreciate your advice @Rob1742, @Dr Marco, @Flamey, @FerrisBueller, @Line-X.

 

 

Maybe I’m just being paranoid, because... You know... New stuff.

 

Edited 8 May 2020 by RoboFox

[Dr Marco]

nothing to worry about imo

[Rob1742]

4 hours ago, RoboFox said:

Well, @Rob1742, you convinced me. I took the plunge. 

 

 

HOWEVER, it is a brand new guitar and I've noticed an imperfection in the grain that has caused a slight, but noticeable blemish in the finish. It looks to be natural and and not a manufacturing error. 

 

I'm just wondering what your thoughts are. Grounds to send it back? Or do we just accept the character of the wood?

 

I've never owned a burst finish guitar before and would appreciate your advice @Rob1742, @Dr Marco, @Flamey, @FerrisBueller, @Line-X.

 

 

Maybe I’m just being paranoid, because... You know... New stuff.

 

Absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s a piece of wood and they are all different. You can pay £5k and get that. It’s perfectly fine, no issues whatsoever. Go and enjoy.

 

But I do sympathise, you spend your money and you worry and check on every little detail.

 

No problem, go and enjoy your time with it 

[Flamey]

Oh fantastic!!!! She's a beauty!!! 😊👍I wouldn't worry about the 'blemish' it's just character to me. Hope you enjoy playing the hell out of it!!🎸

[FerrisBueller]

17 hours ago, RoboFox said:

Well, @Rob1742, you convinced me. I took the plunge. 

 

 

HOWEVER, it is a brand new guitar and I've noticed an imperfection in the grain that has caused a slight, but noticeable blemish in the finish. It looks to be natural and and not a manufacturing error. 

 

I'm just wondering what your thoughts are. Grounds to send it back? Or do we just accept the character of the wood?

 

I've never owned a burst finish guitar before and would appreciate your advice @Rob1742, @Dr Marco, @Flamey, @FerrisBueller, @Line-X.

 

 

Maybe I’m just being paranoid, because... You know... New stuff.

 

Wow, what a beauty! As others have said, I'd probably just put it down to character of the wood! Consider it a beauty spot, like Marilyn Monroe 

 

On a a side note I did used to work in the Timber industry, I'd order in ridiculously expensive/rare species of wood and they would almost always come in with really noticeable blemishes.

[RoboFox]

Thanks guys. I knew I was being a bit daft, but you know what it’s like when you get new things... Especially new guitars. You get a bit obsessive. 

[Rob1742]

3 hours ago, RoboFox said:

Thanks guys. I knew I was being a bit daft, but you know what it’s like when you get new things... Especially new guitars. You get a bit obsessive. 

How does it play? I think the PRS’s are lovely bits of kit. Look nice and great to pick up.

[Flamey]

3 hours ago, RoboFox said:

Thanks guys. I knew I was being a bit daft, but you know what it’s like when you get new things... Especially new guitars. You get a bit obsessive. 

Good job you didn't put it off too long. It's no longer available on Andertons 👍

[SpacedX]

39 minutes ago, Rob1742 said:

How does it play? I think the PRS’s are lovely bits of kit. Look nice and great to pick up.

Gorgeous guitars. Such a shame they became the Nu-Metal weapon of choice in the early noughties. 

[RoboFox]

1 hour ago, Rob1742 said:

How does it play? I think the PRS’s are lovely bits of kit. Look nice and great to pick up.

It’s sounds incredible. I love being able to coil-split, such versatility. The humbuckers in single coil mode sound better than an American Strat I used to own. Absolutely phenomenal tones.

 

The action is pretty high at present - it needs a truss-rod adjustment and a bit of a set-up which I haven’t had chance to do yet.

[Flamey]

First guitar I ever bought myself, not my favourite player, but I could never part with it.🤗

[BrummieFOX]

I've used the lockdown as an excuse to pick up the guitar again.

 

Played an Epiphone Les Paul growing up and have just bought a Squier Fender Affinity Telecaster. Loving it so far and feels great to play again.

 

I'm always at a bit of a loss of what to actually play though to help me improve. I tend to think of a song I like, search on UltimateGuitar and give it a go. But if it seems to difficult, I'm quite quick to move on. 

 

Any suggestions for improving my skills/patience?

[Flamey]

3 hours ago, BrummieFOX said:

I've used the lockdown as an excuse to pick up the guitar again.

 

Played an Epiphone Les Paul growing up and have just bought a Squier Fender Affinity Telecaster. Loving it so far and feels great to play again.

 

I'm always at a bit of a loss of what to actually play though to help me improve. I tend to think of a song I like, search on UltimateGuitar and give it a go. But if it seems to difficult, I'm quite quick to move on. 

 

Any suggestions for improving my skills/patience?

Very good question! Personally I have been writing songs for a long time, so I mainly jam around those structures. 

[FerrisBueller]

3 hours ago, BrummieFOX said:

I've used the lockdown as an excuse to pick up the guitar again.

 

Played an Epiphone Les Paul growing up and have just bought a Squier Fender Affinity Telecaster. Loving it so far and feels great to play again.

 

I'm always at a bit of a loss of what to actually play though to help me improve. I tend to think of a song I like, search on UltimateGuitar and give it a go. But if it seems to difficult, I'm quite quick to move on. 

 

Any suggestions for improving my skills/patience?

I think learning tunes is actually the best way to go about it.

 

It helps to have a basic understanding of theory and scales etc, but I personally found that setting yourself songs to learn that you would perhaps consider 'too hard' is a useful way to learn.

I'm learning songs now that a 16 year old me would never have thought I could play, it's just a case of getting out that comfort zone and practising as much as your life will allow.

 

I talk like I'm an accomplished guitarist, but I am so average in comparison to all my peers 

[SpacedX]

5 hours ago, BrummieFOX said:

Any suggestions for improving my skills/patience?

Choose songs that you like, but also a range of styles and genres - even those that are unfamiliar to you.Try and challenge yourself but understand your limitations and set expectations accordingly. If it's too advanced or complex you'll simply get frustrated. Guitar playing is relative and it's about feel. There are many guitarists that simply get it - and have evolved their own sound and identity, others that capture the mood and soul of a number. There are some technically brilliant musicians out there, yet they don't play for the song. Some shredders for example, that have zero emotion. Choose songs that you like, that move you - that may be in part lyrical, but chances are, it's because they are well composed, structured and performed.Try and listen to expressive, emotive and economical guitar players - because they can impart so much. Embrace different styles of rhythm, soloing and fingerpicking...and make sure that you are enjoying it, that it doesn't become onerous or a chore.

 

Also find You Tube tutorials that you can trust - that are faithful to the piece (many are shoddily done or woefully inaccurate). Some are painfully slow and lack continuity. When I first started learning, we had tab, and records to figure it out from - so it was a case of repeatedly the stylus and repeatedly playing a section. We also jammed a lot - but it was easy to learn bad habits. Today we have access to vast amounts of video footage, both in terms of live performances and online instruction. The latter may also teach you some theory, a scale or a technique, but these can also be learned within a song. Once you've chosen something that you want to play, break it down into sections and methodically perfect each part before putting it together. Also, record/video yourself on your phone. If you've just learned something there may be blind spots, timing imperfections - you may even be playing it wrongly. Have patience. The more studiously you practice, and as your repertoire grows, the better you'll get.

 

Finally, my advice to anyone starting out, or returning to the instrument such as yourself after a lay off, get hold of a reasonable acoustic and play it to death. You'll be so glad that you did. If you broaden your skills on an acoustic guitar and can hold your own unplugged, you'll be a far better electric guitar player imo. 

[BrummieFOX]

Thanks a lot everyone, some great suggestions there and thank you @Line-X for such a thoughtful response.

 

I think recording myself playing is a really good shout and I do think using video tutorials could be the way forward for me. I think someone talking me through a song that I would normally see as a too hard will really help.

[RoboFox]

With seemingly 0 guitar techs in operation at the moment, does anyone have any experience with setups?

 

I'm fine setting up an older guitar, but a brand new one... I'm a bit more apprehensive.

 

The action on my new SE Custom 24 is too high for my liking: about 1.75 on the 1st string. I prefer it to be quite a bit lower.

 

Neck relief seems OK.. I think, but I'm not going near the PRS floating tremolo. Seems like there's a load of horror stories about knackering the knife-edge, damaging the body etc.

[Wolfboy]

I’m wanting to buy a classical guitar but I’ve got no idea what I’m looking for.  Really want to get into playing more bosa nova/jazz to develop new ideas on my electric. Anyone got any ideas on what would be best?