Got any "sleeper" gear?
- Thread starter Chistopher
- Start date
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I almost forgot about the Arion Tubulator. Surprisingly nice little dirt pedal. MF was blowing these out at one time for $10. I had two for awhile. I thought I sold them both. Turns out, I lent one to a friend who moved to Tennessee. Now he's moved back, and I just got it back. I forgot how sweet these things can be when dialed in correctly.
I almost forgot about the Arion Tubulator. Surprisingly nice little dirt pedal. MF was blowing these out at one time for $10. I had two for awhile. I thought I sold them both. Turns out, I lent one to a friend who moved to Tennessee. Now he's moved back, and I just got it back. I forgot how sweet these things can be when dialed in correctly.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
That reminds me, I bought a mahogany Regal Dobro that is fantastic. There wasn’t even a photo when I bought it, but I had seen an old model somewhere. I had to wait a couple months while they made it. Turns out I was the first customer on this reissue run, so they did an exceptional job - the one I bought got used as the official photo across all their dealers. Learned a trick there.
That reminds me, I bought a mahogany Regal Dobro that is fantastic. There wasn’t even a photo when I bought it, but I had seen an old model somewhere. I had to wait a couple months while they made it. Turns out I was the first customer on this reissue run, so they did an exceptional job - the one I bought got used as the official photo across all their dealers. Learned a trick there.
RorySquier
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I have an Arion Fat Chorus stereo pedal that is a great sounding pedal...made in Japan.
;>)/
I have an Arion Fat Chorus stereo pedal that is a great sounding pedal...made in Japan.
;>)/
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
Yup. It's supposed to simulate "tube" distortion. While it may or may not do that, it does have a nice dirty/fuzzy sound.
Yup. It's supposed to simulate "tube" distortion. While it may or may not do that, it does have a nice dirty/fuzzy sound.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I think the right 90s Mexican Fenders should be on this list.
In the 1990s MIM Fenders were pretty inconsistent, but if you tried several and re-set them up with some Duncans and maybe tuners -you had a guitar pretty equal or better in sound than the American one -Probably because the woods and parts were mostly if not the same -not cut down/thinned or separate suppliers like some later years. They were essentially American parts shipped for assembly in Mexico for Labor and tax savings from what I understand -not sure how it's done now.
Anyways, Mexicans in the 90s were hit or miss but could be made to rule.
I think the right 90s Mexican Fenders should be on this list.
In the 1990s MIM Fenders were pretty inconsistent, but if you tried several and re-set them up with some Duncans and maybe tuners -you had a guitar pretty equal or better in sound than the American one -Probably because the woods and parts were mostly if not the same -not cut down/thinned or separate suppliers like some later years. They were essentially American parts shipped for assembly in Mexico for Labor and tax savings from what I understand -not sure how it's done now.
Anyways, Mexicans in the 90s were hit or miss but could be made to rule.
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I had this very same guitar when I was about 17 & to date it was one of the best stock off the shelf used guitars I’ve ever bought!!!
Well I can say this is a sleeper guitar that I bought back in 1989 for just over $2k not including the hard shell case. I've eyed quite a few other guitars before this like a '59 reissue Gibson Les Paul Standard with an amazing flamed maple top and I wanted that guitar so bad when I first saw it in the music store. It was selling for around $5k at the time and that was a lot of money back then and working as a janitor didn't pay much. This guitar below combined elements of other guitars like the Stratocaster and Les Paul with it's arched top. It's a Yamaha RGX Custom that is a top-line model. It has a 5-piece maple/mahogany neck thru-body. The body is select ash wood. It has an ebony fretboard and 12F crystal inlays. It also has 24 Jim Dunlop 6100 jumbo frets. It's been about thirty years I've had this wonderful axe. I plan to keep it 30 more.
;>)/
I had this very same guitar when I was about 17 & to date it was one of the best stock off the shelf used guitars I’ve ever bought!!!
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
Best Strat I’ve ever owned!!!
It started out its life with me as a 1999 MIM $300 Reverb purchase. When it arrived the action was so low that I couldn’t really play it & the neck fit was perfect! I knew right then that with some work it could be amazing so I started to mod...
Replacement steel & titanium bridge was a huge deal since this originally had the old skinny zinc block! I had a few sets of pickups in it before sitting down & thinking instead of trying new stuff that I’d just go ahead & install my favorite bridge pickup along with my favorite neck pickup then see how they worked together.
In the end I ended up getting a perfectly balanced & completely different humbucker set in the form of a Custom/Custom bridge & a SuperTron neck! A single 300k Gibson pot & a jack make up the harness..
She might not be the most pretty girl at the dance, but her lowered inhibitions & lovely albeit slightly worn/scarred body certainly makes her the best to go home with!!!
Best Strat I’ve ever owned!!!
It started out its life with me as a 1999 MIM $300 Reverb purchase. When it arrived the action was so low that I couldn’t really play it & the neck fit was perfect! I knew right then that with some work it could be amazing so I started to mod...
Replacement steel & titanium bridge was a huge deal since this originally had the old skinny zinc block! I had a few sets of pickups in it before sitting down & thinking instead of trying new stuff that I’d just go ahead & install my favorite bridge pickup along with my favorite neck pickup then see how they worked together.
In the end I ended up getting a perfectly balanced & completely different humbucker set in the form of a Custom/Custom bridge & a SuperTron neck! A single 300k Gibson pot & a jack make up the harness..
She might not be the most pretty girl at the dance, but her lowered inhibitions & lovely albeit slightly worn/scarred body certainly makes her the best to go home with!!!
Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I've got an amp built by an amp tech in NW Arkansas whose last name is Twist. He based it off of a wide panel pro, and seems to have given it a bit more low end girth. It's very low headroom and grindy sounding. With a boost it cuts off just enough low end and makes it just rip off heads. Had a lead singer laughing at it when I went to a benefit for a local drummer that died. After the first tune he walked up to the stage and apologized. I'll grab a pic.
I've got an amp built by an amp tech in NW Arkansas whose last name is Twist. He based it off of a wide panel pro, and seems to have given it a bit more low end girth. It's very low headroom and grindy sounding. With a boost it cuts off just enough low end and makes it just rip off heads. Had a lead singer laughing at it when I went to a benefit for a local drummer that died. After the first tune he walked up to the stage and apologized. I'll grab a pic.
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
I'm on a budget and have limited funds, so I have to find deals. I usually fix stuff up, sell it, and then upgrade or find great deals on Craigslist or Facebook.
Fender Showmaster SSS with a flame ash top. Made in Korea. I got a great deal on this as it's relatively unknown to many people. Essentially a superstrat with a great look, flat radius top, great FIXED neck. Has Seymour Duncan SSL-52's. Great guitar.
Schecter C1+. Got this dirt cheap from a guy that had it for a while and gigged with it. It has some dings but is a great sounding and feeling guitar. Cheaper than a Squire Strat! Also a fixed neck.
Laney LH50H. Also a relatively unpopular amp for some reason. Found it cheap. Svetlana EL34's. Great pedal platform. Master volume works all the way through the range. 2 channels. Nice cleans, pretty good distortion. Sounds great with a treble booster.
BYOC Flanger. This thing was pre-made and I bought it cheap. It already had the upgraded BBD. This thing sounds the closest to a classic EHX Electric Mistress that I've heard.
Any homemade pedal I've made.
I'm on a budget and have limited funds, so I have to find deals. I usually fix stuff up, sell it, and then upgrade or find great deals on Craigslist or Facebook.
Fender Showmaster SSS with a flame ash top. Made in Korea. I got a great deal on this as it's relatively unknown to many people. Essentially a superstrat with a great look, flat radius top, great FIXED neck. Has Seymour Duncan SSL-52's. Great guitar.
Schecter C1+. Got this dirt cheap from a guy that had it for a while and gigged with it. It has some dings but is a great sounding and feeling guitar. Cheaper than a Squire Strat! Also a fixed neck.
Laney LH50H. Also a relatively unpopular amp for some reason. Found it cheap. Svetlana EL34's. Great pedal platform. Master volume works all the way through the range. 2 channels. Nice cleans, pretty good distortion. Sounds great with a treble booster.
BYOC Flanger. This thing was pre-made and I bought it cheap. It already had the upgraded BBD. This thing sounds the closest to a classic EHX Electric Mistress that I've heard.
Any homemade pedal I've made.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
LLL
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
Biggest sleeper has got to be my Marshall head.
IIRC... bought used in 2003 or so for $650... a 1996 Marshall JTM45 reissue.
Another $500 later and a complete gutting (by myself) and I had a true-to-circuit 1966 JTM45.
A decade-plus later and maybe $150 more... some component changes (by myself) and I have a true-to-circuit 1968 Plexi (with tube rectifier).
...with a .68uF on V2a (tone secret!)
So to summarzie, a $650 '96 JTM45RI... plus ~$650 and my own elbow grease = 1968 Plexi.
Biggest sleeper has got to be my Marshall head.
IIRC... bought used in 2003 or so for $650... a 1996 Marshall JTM45 reissue.
Another $500 later and a complete gutting (by myself) and I had a true-to-circuit 1966 JTM45.
A decade-plus later and maybe $150 more... some component changes (by myself) and I have a true-to-circuit 1968 Plexi (with tube rectifier).
...with a .68uF on V2a (tone secret!)
So to summarzie, a $650 '96 JTM45RI... plus ~$650 and my own elbow grease = 1968 Plexi.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Got any "sleeper" gear?
Which ones? and how? -you really had to look hard sometimes to get one that was done right every way.
Which ones? and how? -you really had to look hard sometimes to get one that was done right every way.