Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
- Thread starter Butch Snyder
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Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
I know...I really miss my Albert Lee Model. :crying:
WhoFan said:
I know...I really miss my Albert Lee Model. :crying:
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
How about a Gibson M3? Versatility and unusual looks in 1 package.
How about a Gibson M3? Versatility and unusual looks in 1 package.
CapoFirstFret
New member
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
It's not a triple decker. That guitar has two humbuckers, and two single coil pickups. It's setup to be the most versatile "stock" guitar available. his original before Ernie Ball made this one for him, was a Tele body, with a strat neck, with two gibson PAF pickups (neck and bridge), a strat pickup in the second from neck position, and a tele pickup in the third position. Astounding tonal possibilities...just listen to the work he's done from the Dixie Dregs, to Deep Purple, to the Steve Morse Band, he's incredible versatile. And this guitar is what helps him do it.
jayK said:
It's not a triple decker. That guitar has two humbuckers, and two single coil pickups. It's setup to be the most versatile "stock" guitar available. his original before Ernie Ball made this one for him, was a Tele body, with a strat neck, with two gibson PAF pickups (neck and bridge), a strat pickup in the second from neck position, and a tele pickup in the third position. Astounding tonal possibilities...just listen to the work he's done from the Dixie Dregs, to Deep Purple, to the Steve Morse Band, he's incredible versatile. And this guitar is what helps him do it.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Maybe a HSS Silhouette is the way to go?Butch Snyder said:
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Butch-
I've never tried one, but I've had a couple of do everythign guitars and the Steve Morse model would certainly be worth looking at.
But here's what I have done in the past that has worked well for me-
1. I've started the search for a guitar that feels exactly the way I want it
2. I've confrimed that it has at least one of the sounds I will need to start with and if it already has 2 of the sounds, it's an even better place to start.
So I'm playing entirely 25+ scale these days I wanted an accoustic pup, I wanted to take my Barden powered strat off stage, and I wanted to stop carying my PRS around if I could pull it off.
From this, 4 guitars immediately jumped out that fit my profile- An HSS strat or aTele with a strat pup in the middle and a splitable hum (addign acoustic bridge), the variaxe series, and parker nitefly-
I didn't go the varixae direction as they just dont feel like quality yet, but they sure had the sounds- I had a couple of teles in sight, when all of a sudden I found a mint nitefly for $400- It had a good basic hum sound, half decent strat sounds and a good piezo sound -I've modified the crud out of it (including a JB in the bridge and a coolrail in teh neck) to the point that it does everything I need-
My point is, for an everything guitar I wouldn't pick a single model to start with-I would look for a number of 'platforms' that are close enough that you can make it work, I compare and contrast the work and cost for each candiate and then I have more options when I'm pricing.
On the other hand if the Steve Morris or PRS 513 have everything you need, maybe it's time to say, this might be worth the extra $ up front as I would spend the money modding a less expensive gtr up to standard-
Intersted in hearing what happens!
Butch-
I've never tried one, but I've had a couple of do everythign guitars and the Steve Morse model would certainly be worth looking at.
But here's what I have done in the past that has worked well for me-
1. I've started the search for a guitar that feels exactly the way I want it
2. I've confrimed that it has at least one of the sounds I will need to start with and if it already has 2 of the sounds, it's an even better place to start.
So I'm playing entirely 25+ scale these days I wanted an accoustic pup, I wanted to take my Barden powered strat off stage, and I wanted to stop carying my PRS around if I could pull it off.
From this, 4 guitars immediately jumped out that fit my profile- An HSS strat or aTele with a strat pup in the middle and a splitable hum (addign acoustic bridge), the variaxe series, and parker nitefly-
I didn't go the varixae direction as they just dont feel like quality yet, but they sure had the sounds- I had a couple of teles in sight, when all of a sudden I found a mint nitefly for $400- It had a good basic hum sound, half decent strat sounds and a good piezo sound -I've modified the crud out of it (including a JB in the bridge and a coolrail in teh neck) to the point that it does everything I need-
My point is, for an everything guitar I wouldn't pick a single model to start with-I would look for a number of 'platforms' that are close enough that you can make it work, I compare and contrast the work and cost for each candiate and then I have more options when I'm pricing.
On the other hand if the Steve Morris or PRS 513 have everything you need, maybe it's time to say, this might be worth the extra $ up front as I would spend the money modding a less expensive gtr up to standard-
Intersted in hearing what happens!
Benjy_26
25's Nemesis
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Semi hollows kick butt!!
Get a good quality 335 style axe and install a Phat Cat at the neck and a hoter than vintage (CC?) 'bucker at the bridge (with coil splitting).
It should cover a huge spectrum of sounds and sound damned good doing it. :burnout:
Semi hollows kick butt!!
Get a good quality 335 style axe and install a Phat Cat at the neck and a hoter than vintage (CC?) 'bucker at the bridge (with coil splitting).
It should cover a huge spectrum of sounds and sound damned good doing it. :burnout:
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Wow, what a nice thing to say!! I love Teles and that's for darn sure. I love having a Tele on stage with me. I guess it's watching Albert Lee and Brent Mason as well as others. But their Teles are a little different. They're more like Swiss Army utility Teles. That's what I'm used to... I have also been to shows where I see the guitarist pull out a "utility" Tele and I knew he was a serious player. Just an observation....
Bludave said:
Wow, what a nice thing to say!! I love Teles and that's for darn sure. I love having a Tele on stage with me. I guess it's watching Albert Lee and Brent Mason as well as others. But their Teles are a little different. They're more like Swiss Army utility Teles. That's what I'm used to... I have also been to shows where I see the guitarist pull out a "utility" Tele and I knew he was a serious player. Just an observation....
Bludave
New member
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
I have a MIJ '52 RI Tele that I love. I am changing out the pups. I will put a Vintage'54 in the neck and a Jeryy Dohahue in the bridge. It already sounds pretty good, but I think this will be a good match.
My second Tele is a Candy Apple Red California Tele. This has a Strat PUP in the Neck and a Tele PUP in in the bridge (Tex Mex). I really like this guitar. When I went to buy it I had my heart set on an American Standard, which was about 250$ more than this. This guitar just felt and sounded better than the others I played. $400 and it plays and sounds great go figure.
I tend to gravitate towards a Strat, but for certain things a Tele is just the right instrument. I can't imagine not having one. Ifeel fortunate that I have 2
Butch Snyder said:
I have a MIJ '52 RI Tele that I love. I am changing out the pups. I will put a Vintage'54 in the neck and a Jeryy Dohahue in the bridge. It already sounds pretty good, but I think this will be a good match.
My second Tele is a Candy Apple Red California Tele. This has a Strat PUP in the Neck and a Tele PUP in in the bridge (Tex Mex). I really like this guitar. When I went to buy it I had my heart set on an American Standard, which was about 250$ more than this. This guitar just felt and sounded better than the others I played. $400 and it plays and sounds great go figure.
I tend to gravitate towards a Strat, but for certain things a Tele is just the right instrument. I can't imagine not having one. Ifeel fortunate that I have 2
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Sounds like Butch already has his mind made up, he just doesn't know it yet.
Butch, I say that an LP is versatile, but I suppose it may be more versatile for you than me. I'm not into the country, jazz, or fusion scenes, but I do think that you can play just about any genre with any axe (there's nothing inherently blues, pop, or metal about the LP, but it'll do all three and everything in between if you want it to. I've had a JB/Jazz combo, CC/Jazz combo, and in the next couple days I'll be looking at a Demon in the bridge).
You have always been a Tele player to me, though, so maybe that's where you ought to be. Why not do a H-X-S tele with a splittable bridge humbucker? that might afford you plenty of versatility and give you a heck of a workhorse guitar.
Butch Snyder said:
Sounds like Butch already has his mind made up, he just doesn't know it yet.
Butch, I say that an LP is versatile, but I suppose it may be more versatile for you than me. I'm not into the country, jazz, or fusion scenes, but I do think that you can play just about any genre with any axe (there's nothing inherently blues, pop, or metal about the LP, but it'll do all three and everything in between if you want it to. I've had a JB/Jazz combo, CC/Jazz combo, and in the next couple days I'll be looking at a Demon in the bridge).
You have always been a Tele player to me, though, so maybe that's where you ought to be. Why not do a H-X-S tele with a splittable bridge humbucker? that might afford you plenty of versatility and give you a heck of a workhorse guitar.
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
You're probably right... :smack:MikeS said:Sounds like Butch already has his mind made up, he just doesn't know it yet.
What is an H-X-S setup? I would probaly go with a Tele bridge pickup and a Strat pickup in the neck and middle. Maybe a minihumbucker in the neck...MikeS said:
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
well, i certainly have always enjoyed butch's tele clips and know that he would make some great music with one should it go that way ...
i still wonder if it is the right axe for the music he says he wants / needs to play ... while some examples of teles can be named in the pop / rock / fusion worlds, they are not what comes to mind first ... of course a tele would be fine for blues / funk ...
butch, how about upgrading the pickups on the samick so you would have your H-H bases covered and then eventually picking up an inexpensive tele (tokai? agile?) to mod ...
two guitars and your bases are covered entirely!
well, i certainly have always enjoyed butch's tele clips and know that he would make some great music with one should it go that way ...
i still wonder if it is the right axe for the music he says he wants / needs to play ... while some examples of teles can be named in the pop / rock / fusion worlds, they are not what comes to mind first ... of course a tele would be fine for blues / funk ...
butch, how about upgrading the pickups on the samick so you would have your H-H bases covered and then eventually picking up an inexpensive tele (tokai? agile?) to mod ...
two guitars and your bases are covered entirely!
gripweed
Jolvisologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Teles rule! You could buy a Standard Tele for roughly 370 and buy some killer Duncans to go in it. If it were me I'd keep the Samick and buy a Tele too -- even though right now I can't afford it -- lmao. If I had to limit myself to one guitar, that is what it would be. You really can do just about any sytle with it. I agree with everybody about your clips too. Killer stuff!
Just noticed this is my 666th post. Must mean I'm an evil influence :laugh2:
B Bent said:
Teles rule! You could buy a Standard Tele for roughly 370 and buy some killer Duncans to go in it. If it were me I'd keep the Samick and buy a Tele too -- even though right now I can't afford it -- lmao. If I had to limit myself to one guitar, that is what it would be. You really can do just about any sytle with it. I agree with everybody about your clips too. Killer stuff!
Just noticed this is my 666th post. Must mean I'm an evil influence :laugh2:
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
With my 50's Tele, I was able to cover most every base effectively. I had, at any given time, a JD, Muy Grande, & Vintage Stack in the bridge position. I had a decent Strat pickup in the middle and a Gibson mini-humbucker in the neck. It always came through for me and was a really cool-looking guitar. I would come to auditions or studio sessins or open jams and I was instantly taken seriously. It just had this utility look to it. It wasn't a show piece by any means. But the guys who would come to the open jams, who brought their PRS 10-Tops and Les Paul Reissues and such, regardless of whether or not they were good players, they would not be taken as seriously from the start. I mean no disrespect to those players. The Samick does look cool and is comfortable to play. I know the pickup combo I want. I just might install a new set of pickups and look for a cheap Tele that I can hot rod.
tone4days said:
With my 50's Tele, I was able to cover most every base effectively. I had, at any given time, a JD, Muy Grande, & Vintage Stack in the bridge position. I had a decent Strat pickup in the middle and a Gibson mini-humbucker in the neck. It always came through for me and was a really cool-looking guitar. I would come to auditions or studio sessins or open jams and I was instantly taken seriously. It just had this utility look to it. It wasn't a show piece by any means. But the guys who would come to the open jams, who brought their PRS 10-Tops and Les Paul Reissues and such, regardless of whether or not they were good players, they would not be taken as seriously from the start. I mean no disrespect to those players. The Samick does look cool and is comfortable to play. I know the pickup combo I want. I just might install a new set of pickups and look for a cheap Tele that I can hot rod.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
Sounds like you've got yourself a plan!
Sounds like you've got yourself a plan!
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
At least for the moment. I tend to change my mind more than a woman... :wall:
stevie_bees said:
At least for the moment. I tend to change my mind more than a woman... :wall:
JeffB
Let it B
Re: Please Help Me Pick a Guitar...
I have not read everyone's replies Butch, so excuse me if some of this has been repeated.
IME, when I've tried to go *versatile* with a "do it all" axe, I end up not being happy. Simply because tone suffers.The "Super strats" never do strat tones as good as a strat, and they never do heavy humbucker sounds as well as a paula or even an Explorer or similar.
I think for versatility while still being economically minded, it's best to go 3 or 4 axes deep, but keep them decently made but nothing special mid priced models
For example:
1) Epi Les Paul (there ARE good ones out there, I had a killer sounding one. ErikH does as well). Agiles are supposed to be pretty nice too!
2) Hwy 1 Strat
3) Hwy 1 Tele
Those three will run ya about as much as LP standard and cover all your bases. They are not "prestigious" by any means (who cares, though), but with good pups, they are all serviceable nice sounding guitars (of course ya gotta play through a few of each to find the right ones)
Thats my opinion anyway.
I have not read everyone's replies Butch, so excuse me if some of this has been repeated.
IME, when I've tried to go *versatile* with a "do it all" axe, I end up not being happy. Simply because tone suffers.The "Super strats" never do strat tones as good as a strat, and they never do heavy humbucker sounds as well as a paula or even an Explorer or similar.
I think for versatility while still being economically minded, it's best to go 3 or 4 axes deep, but keep them decently made but nothing special mid priced models
For example:
1) Epi Les Paul (there ARE good ones out there, I had a killer sounding one. ErikH does as well). Agiles are supposed to be pretty nice too!
2) Hwy 1 Strat
3) Hwy 1 Tele
Those three will run ya about as much as LP standard and cover all your bases. They are not "prestigious" by any means (who cares, though), but with good pups, they are all serviceable nice sounding guitars (of course ya gotta play through a few of each to find the right ones)
Thats my opinion anyway.
