Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Mountain is great stuff!
Mountain is great stuff!
Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
- Thread starter regan
- Start date
Archer250
Well-known member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
You don't seem to be able to spell "HSS Strat" right.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
A Les Paul Junior, or any single pickup guitar for that matter, probably wouldn't do it for me as my sole guitar. I'm happiest when I can take multiple guitars to a gig, and there have been some where I've used as many as seven instruments. For the most part I can get by with a Strat, like my G&L Legacys. But I HAVE to have an acoustic dread too....like a Martin D-18 or D-28. And it's always nice to have a 2HB handy.
Still, if I found myself on a desert island with only an LP or SG Junior, or a Fender Esquire, I'd feel damn lucky to have it!
Bill
A Les Paul Junior, or any single pickup guitar for that matter, probably wouldn't do it for me as my sole guitar. I'm happiest when I can take multiple guitars to a gig, and there have been some where I've used as many as seven instruments. For the most part I can get by with a Strat, like my G&L Legacys. But I HAVE to have an acoustic dread too....like a Martin D-18 or D-28. And it's always nice to have a 2HB handy.
Still, if I found myself on a desert island with only an LP or SG Junior, or a Fender Esquire, I'd feel damn lucky to have it!
Bill
regan
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
I'd say the HSS strat is the swiss army knife of guitars, a dozen or so options but you only ever use the blade & screwdriver, perhaps the bottle opener on a Friday night
I'd say the HSS strat is the swiss army knife of guitars, a dozen or so options but you only ever use the blade & screwdriver, perhaps the bottle opener on a Friday night
Archer250
Well-known member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
what is wrong with ya?
>Not using every pickup position and whamy bar every gig
what is wrong with ya?
regan
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Let me put it another way, if your favourite artist/band offered you a recording deal & tour dates on the proviso that you used a solitary lp junior guitar would you decline the offer, & do you think you could get past the limitations of the instrument to access a wider palette of tones than expected?
We're just talking electrics, altough I agree a decent acoustic is a must also
Let me put it another way, if your favourite artist/band offered you a recording deal & tour dates on the proviso that you used a solitary lp junior guitar would you decline the offer, & do you think you could get past the limitations of the instrument to access a wider palette of tones than expected?
We're just talking electrics, altough I agree a decent acoustic is a must also
regan
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Only ever use positions 2 & 4 on a strat, though I reckon I couls get by on just position 2
I lost my strat's bar years ago, could never get along with those trems. Now bigsbys on the other hand
Only ever use positions 2 & 4 on a strat, though I reckon I couls get by on just position 2
I lost my strat's bar years ago, could never get along with those trems. Now bigsbys on the other hand
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Regan, I think the only way I could possibly see participating in your band scenario would be if I were joining say, a Mountain tribute band, where I'm playing Leslie West's parts, as he was known for using a Junior. It's a situation where you're NOT looking to get past the tonal limitations of the instrument, but deliberately limiting your options. If the touring band I'm joining only needs the sound of a single bridge p-90, then I guess I'd be okay with that, though I think I'd hate playing in a tribute band--I'd get bored in a hurry! And I'd want a truckload of money, LOL! And oh...is the band buying me a guitar and a backup to use on tour?
But...here's the real problem for me...
If you're hiring me for my skills and experience as a guitarist, singer, songwriter and performer, then trust my judgment and let me choose my tools. I wouldn't want to set limitations on my auto mechanic and say he can only use a Vise-Grip plier to fix my car. As a musician with 45 years of experience, to not trust my judgment would be very insulting. And I probably would not take the gig. I like being able to play with a lot of different tones. I love the variety.
This actually happened to me. I was working with a band led by a woman who was playing some punk rock tunes with a Celtic Harp. So I'm learning all these tunes and bringing an electric guitar to band practice...and then the week of our first gig, she tells me she want's me to only use an acoustic. Ack! I did the gig, but left after that. Not going to waste my time with the drama of poor communication and passive-aggressive behavior.
I've read that when Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac, they asked him to give up his Strat for a Les Paul. Eventually, he settled on the Turner, with its single pickup. I've been in a band where the obvious choice was to use a Strat to contrast with the other guitarist's LP, but the choice was still mine to make.
In many cover bands, I think guys can get away with using only one guitar, if it's a versatile guitar like a Paul, Strat, SG, Tele or 335--the Big Five. In my band, we do such a wide range of material that If I want to get close to those recorded tones, I HAVE to use multiple guitars. I haven't played a LP Junior for years and don't own one, but I'm sure I could get some tasty tones from it. (BTW, I did own a LP Special Reissue, and I loved that guitar.)
It is an interesting question. I have to say that the Junior is a fine guitar, and many guys use them. I'd prefer to have more versatility. But honestly, in your scenario, the issue for me is more about the trust and the politics than the guitar.
I hope this helps.
Bill
Regan, I think the only way I could possibly see participating in your band scenario would be if I were joining say, a Mountain tribute band, where I'm playing Leslie West's parts, as he was known for using a Junior. It's a situation where you're NOT looking to get past the tonal limitations of the instrument, but deliberately limiting your options. If the touring band I'm joining only needs the sound of a single bridge p-90, then I guess I'd be okay with that, though I think I'd hate playing in a tribute band--I'd get bored in a hurry! And I'd want a truckload of money, LOL! And oh...is the band buying me a guitar and a backup to use on tour?
But...here's the real problem for me...
If you're hiring me for my skills and experience as a guitarist, singer, songwriter and performer, then trust my judgment and let me choose my tools. I wouldn't want to set limitations on my auto mechanic and say he can only use a Vise-Grip plier to fix my car. As a musician with 45 years of experience, to not trust my judgment would be very insulting. And I probably would not take the gig. I like being able to play with a lot of different tones. I love the variety.
This actually happened to me. I was working with a band led by a woman who was playing some punk rock tunes with a Celtic Harp. So I'm learning all these tunes and bringing an electric guitar to band practice...and then the week of our first gig, she tells me she want's me to only use an acoustic. Ack! I did the gig, but left after that. Not going to waste my time with the drama of poor communication and passive-aggressive behavior.
I've read that when Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac, they asked him to give up his Strat for a Les Paul. Eventually, he settled on the Turner, with its single pickup. I've been in a band where the obvious choice was to use a Strat to contrast with the other guitarist's LP, but the choice was still mine to make.
In many cover bands, I think guys can get away with using only one guitar, if it's a versatile guitar like a Paul, Strat, SG, Tele or 335--the Big Five. In my band, we do such a wide range of material that If I want to get close to those recorded tones, I HAVE to use multiple guitars. I haven't played a LP Junior for years and don't own one, but I'm sure I could get some tasty tones from it. (BTW, I did own a LP Special Reissue, and I loved that guitar.)
It is an interesting question. I have to say that the Junior is a fine guitar, and many guys use them. I'd prefer to have more versatility. But honestly, in your scenario, the issue for me is more about the trust and the politics than the guitar.
I hope this helps.
Bill
Archer250
Well-known member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
OFC I can, but I'd still feel limited AF.
OFC I can, but I'd still feel limited AF.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
One thing I will say about certain 1-pickup guitars is, I actually have gotten a different variety of sounds out of them that I haven't been able to get out of equivalent multi-pickup guitars. In particular, I have a couple Melody Makers with an HB102 and if I play up by the neck I get a real nice dramatic warm jazzy rhythm tone out of it, while just moving my picking hand back over the pickup it brightens up (but with more mids than top) and turns all Kossoff-y. Guitars with more than one pickup and similar humbuckers at the bridge don't respond the same when moving my picking hand around without changing the pickup selection.
One thing I will say about certain 1-pickup guitars is, I actually have gotten a different variety of sounds out of them that I haven't been able to get out of equivalent multi-pickup guitars. In particular, I have a couple Melody Makers with an HB102 and if I play up by the neck I get a real nice dramatic warm jazzy rhythm tone out of it, while just moving my picking hand back over the pickup it brightens up (but with more mids than top) and turns all Kossoff-y. Guitars with more than one pickup and similar humbuckers at the bridge don't respond the same when moving my picking hand around without changing the pickup selection.
TimmyPage
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Hey man I'm not a strat guy at all (just because I'm pictured with one
) I didn't mean to come off as like.. disliking the Les Paul. I just mean that like.. longer scale guitars and other mixtures of wood tend to be a lot more pianistic and harmonically complex sounding. The simplicity of a Les Paul is what keeps it sounding so good without any of the disadvantages of 'harmonically rich' guitars when played really loud. It sounds negative but it's not at all, I'd say its a huge positive for the guitar, and part of the reason that the Les Paul became such an iconic and highly saught after guitar. It's tone is rich, dark, and simple, like a huge chunk of milk chocolate.
FWIW I'm a jazz player, through and through, have a degree in jazz guitar and I play more jazz gigs than any other genre of music. You aren't always looking for harmonically rich in a jazz guitar. For the 'traditional' guitar tone what you're really looking for is simplicity, brightness and punch, then you roll the tone knob most of the way down to get that smoothness and darkness. Les also comes from a much different era of guitar, he was seeking volume and consistency, two traits that the hollowbodies of the time weren't good at. He built it BECAUSE it wasn't as acoustically or harmonically 'alive' as the guitars of the time so it would fit better in the multi-tracked studio environment he played in.
Hey man I'm not a strat guy at all (just because I'm pictured with one
) I didn't mean to come off as like.. disliking the Les Paul. I just mean that like.. longer scale guitars and other mixtures of wood tend to be a lot more pianistic and harmonically complex sounding. The simplicity of a Les Paul is what keeps it sounding so good without any of the disadvantages of 'harmonically rich' guitars when played really loud. It sounds negative but it's not at all, I'd say its a huge positive for the guitar, and part of the reason that the Les Paul became such an iconic and highly saught after guitar. It's tone is rich, dark, and simple, like a huge chunk of milk chocolate. FWIW I'm a jazz player, through and through, have a degree in jazz guitar and I play more jazz gigs than any other genre of music. You aren't always looking for harmonically rich in a jazz guitar. For the 'traditional' guitar tone what you're really looking for is simplicity, brightness and punch, then you roll the tone knob most of the way down to get that smoothness and darkness. Les also comes from a much different era of guitar, he was seeking volume and consistency, two traits that the hollowbodies of the time weren't good at. He built it BECAUSE it wasn't as acoustically or harmonically 'alive' as the guitars of the time so it would fit better in the multi-tracked studio environment he played in.
Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Fair enough, your statement definitely came off as being pretty negative towards the mahogany bodied/Les Paul type of guitar. I can definitely agree with the more pianistic tones from say a swamp ash bodied guitar with a maple neck or even an all maple bodied Les Paul with a maple neck such as the 2009 Gibson Raw Power Les Paul series. Those types of guitars sound great even in the 24.75" scale though. I think having brighter woods is the real secret here and not so much scale length though.
Fair enough, your statement definitely came off as being pretty negative towards the mahogany bodied/Les Paul type of guitar. I can definitely agree with the more pianistic tones from say a swamp ash bodied guitar with a maple neck or even an all maple bodied Les Paul with a maple neck such as the 2009 Gibson Raw Power Les Paul series. Those types of guitars sound great even in the 24.75" scale though. I think having brighter woods is the real secret here and not so much scale length though.
TimmyPage
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
I always feel like scale length plays a huge role in it, I tried fitting one of my teles with a Gibson scale neck, and it immediately sounded a LOT darker. As with everything else though, it's a mixture of all the parts. I have an all maple semi-hollow, 24.75 (that, firstly, is heavy as hell) that is fairly dark and flat sounding. Like nothing you'd expect a guitar made from those materials to sound like. I'm not a PRS worshipper (I don't even own one) but I definitely agree with what he has to say, that SO much of the fundamental sound of your guitar comes from the neck.
I always feel like scale length plays a huge role in it, I tried fitting one of my teles with a Gibson scale neck, and it immediately sounded a LOT darker. As with everything else though, it's a mixture of all the parts. I have an all maple semi-hollow, 24.75 (that, firstly, is heavy as hell) that is fairly dark and flat sounding. Like nothing you'd expect a guitar made from those materials to sound like. I'm not a PRS worshipper (I don't even own one) but I definitely agree with what he has to say, that SO much of the fundamental sound of your guitar comes from the neck.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Go directly to posts 1, 2 and (possibly) 3.
Do NOT collect 200 monetary units.
Go directly to posts 1, 2 and (possibly) 3.
Do NOT collect 200 monetary units.
Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
I agree scale length plays a role too, don't get me wrong, but as someone who plays primarily 24.75" scale guitars these days (but owned and played a lot of 25.5" in the past too) I can tell you the difference between my Indian rosewood 24.75" and my Bocote 25.5" is very small compared to the difference between my Indian rosewood 24.75" or wenge 24.75" and my roasted maple 24.75". The roasted maple 24.75" sounds very clear, articulate and bell-like with piano-like chords compared to all the other necks I mentioned. Yes, it can sound very fat on things such as power chords or "5" chords but it never loses it's articulation.
Anyway, it has been a awhile since I have played a 25.5" maple neck but I brought my 24.75" roasted maple neck to a guy who swears by the 25.5" scale maple neck and he was very impressed with the tone coming from the 24.75". I agree the neck plays a very big role in shaping tone for sure though.
I agree scale length plays a role too, don't get me wrong, but as someone who plays primarily 24.75" scale guitars these days (but owned and played a lot of 25.5" in the past too) I can tell you the difference between my Indian rosewood 24.75" and my Bocote 25.5" is very small compared to the difference between my Indian rosewood 24.75" or wenge 24.75" and my roasted maple 24.75". The roasted maple 24.75" sounds very clear, articulate and bell-like with piano-like chords compared to all the other necks I mentioned. Yes, it can sound very fat on things such as power chords or "5" chords but it never loses it's articulation.
Anyway, it has been a awhile since I have played a 25.5" maple neck but I brought my 24.75" roasted maple neck to a guy who swears by the 25.5" scale maple neck and he was very impressed with the tone coming from the 24.75". I agree the neck plays a very big role in shaping tone for sure though.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
How in God's name are we on page effing three of this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Yes, everybody needs a P90 axe, they just don't know it.
Sure, I'd LOVE to have a Single P90 LP - ultra-zen-bad@$$ (Of course, I'd get a Duncan Custom Shop Hot/Vintage tapped pup made for it.
But as said, see post number 2.
How in God's name are we on page effing three of this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Yes, everybody needs a P90 axe, they just don't know it.
Sure, I'd LOVE to have a Single P90 LP - ultra-zen-bad@$$ (Of course, I'd get a Duncan Custom Shop Hot/Vintage tapped pup made for it.
But as said, see post number 2.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
Ace,didn't Kulick have a LP Jr Sig-thingie?
Ace,didn't Kulick have a LP Jr Sig-thingie?
regan
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
I guess we have your position on this sewn up,thanks fot your contribution
perhaps others still wish to add or continue to debate
I guess we have your position on this sewn up,thanks fot your contribution
perhaps others still wish to add or continue to debate
regan
New member
Re: Is a LP junior the only electric guitar you ever really need?
No need to shout,
No need to shout,
