JeffB
Let it B
And I have hardly been able to put it down for the past 9 hours.
Lately I've bought alot of stellar guitars. A couple Les Pauls, a McCarty, a Firebird,and I've raved about all of them on here, and all of them deserved it.. The McCarty played so easy and had such a glorious singing lead tone. The Firebird is so ergonomic to my body, plays well, and totally does the Michael Schenker/Mathis Jabs thing. The Black Standard has THE classic Les Paul sound and also is hell of a player.
But this thing has SERIOUS Mojo, and I was NOT expecting it.
It's def *NOT* a shred-axe. I'm sure people are put off by Yngwies name on it, but this basically feels like any "vintage reissue" Strat barring the scalloped board. I dare say, that I don't find it any better or worse that the NOS Custom Shop 65 I played about a week ago, at least in any major category.
TONE MONSTER. I've never played a bolt on neck with this much sustain. Guitar resonates like crazy. And the tone is EXTREMELY clear and full.
I know there are alot of DiMarzio haters here, but the HS3 & YJM are damn good Strat pickups. They are actually quite warm and far from sterile (been many years since I've fooled around with an HS3). I'm getting tones out of this thing I NEVER could get before. Yes, It DO sound like Yngwie through the Rivera goosed with a pedal. It also NAILS Ritchie Blackmores tone (A tone that has eluded me on 4 or 5 other strats over the years). Uli Roth? No prob. Early 80's Gary Moore? not an issue. It also does a damn fine Hendrix/Trower or country twang. This is a VERY stratty sounding guitar. Not a metalhead axe.
Of course the BIG thing is the scalloped board. I immediately warmed up to it. It def does require a light touch (which I wanted since I'm too agressive and sloppy). My first few open chords were so out of tune it scared the crap out of me
The added control in bending and using vibrato is HUGE. It WILL show off your mistakes in fretting (especially chords..and again a feature I wanted). But already it's helping me with the sloppiness and fretting mistakes. I'm really surprised that scalloped boards aren't more popular regardless of playing style/music style...maybe because they ARE less forgiving of mistakes?
My only major gripe is the tuners. I've had a devil of a time getting it in tune. They are just not sensitive enough, and I seem to overshoot the proper pitch no matter how little I turn the key. I thought it may be an issue with the nut, string trees or the saddles , so I nut sauced them all (heh). That helped some, but unless these things just need to break in, I may need to get some replacements.
Selector switch tip keeps coming off, but a dab of superglue or something should take care of that.
Also the Vintage Tweed case, is kinda flimsy, and does not hold the guitar that securely...there is quite a bit of space for it to move back and forth at the neck as well as the body.
I know we all get giddy like a schoolgirl about new toys, and I'm worse than anyone.....but I think this could be *THE* Strat ...the one that has eluded me all these years. Here's some more pics
Lately I've bought alot of stellar guitars. A couple Les Pauls, a McCarty, a Firebird,and I've raved about all of them on here, and all of them deserved it.. The McCarty played so easy and had such a glorious singing lead tone. The Firebird is so ergonomic to my body, plays well, and totally does the Michael Schenker/Mathis Jabs thing. The Black Standard has THE classic Les Paul sound and also is hell of a player.
But this thing has SERIOUS Mojo, and I was NOT expecting it.
It's def *NOT* a shred-axe. I'm sure people are put off by Yngwies name on it, but this basically feels like any "vintage reissue" Strat barring the scalloped board. I dare say, that I don't find it any better or worse that the NOS Custom Shop 65 I played about a week ago, at least in any major category.
TONE MONSTER. I've never played a bolt on neck with this much sustain. Guitar resonates like crazy. And the tone is EXTREMELY clear and full.
I know there are alot of DiMarzio haters here, but the HS3 & YJM are damn good Strat pickups. They are actually quite warm and far from sterile (been many years since I've fooled around with an HS3). I'm getting tones out of this thing I NEVER could get before. Yes, It DO sound like Yngwie through the Rivera goosed with a pedal. It also NAILS Ritchie Blackmores tone (A tone that has eluded me on 4 or 5 other strats over the years). Uli Roth? No prob. Early 80's Gary Moore? not an issue. It also does a damn fine Hendrix/Trower or country twang. This is a VERY stratty sounding guitar. Not a metalhead axe.
Of course the BIG thing is the scalloped board. I immediately warmed up to it. It def does require a light touch (which I wanted since I'm too agressive and sloppy). My first few open chords were so out of tune it scared the crap out of me
The added control in bending and using vibrato is HUGE. It WILL show off your mistakes in fretting (especially chords..and again a feature I wanted). But already it's helping me with the sloppiness and fretting mistakes. I'm really surprised that scalloped boards aren't more popular regardless of playing style/music style...maybe because they ARE less forgiving of mistakes? My only major gripe is the tuners. I've had a devil of a time getting it in tune. They are just not sensitive enough, and I seem to overshoot the proper pitch no matter how little I turn the key. I thought it may be an issue with the nut, string trees or the saddles , so I nut sauced them all (heh). That helped some, but unless these things just need to break in, I may need to get some replacements.
Selector switch tip keeps coming off, but a dab of superglue or something should take care of that.
Also the Vintage Tweed case, is kinda flimsy, and does not hold the guitar that securely...there is quite a bit of space for it to move back and forth at the neck as well as the body.
I know we all get giddy like a schoolgirl about new toys, and I'm worse than anyone.....but I think this could be *THE* Strat ...the one that has eluded me all these years. Here's some more pics
