JeffB
Let it B
I was starting to pack up the Ibanez that I had some issues with, to send back to SamAsh.com. I had bought a Jackson DK2 @ Guitar Center to replace it.
I was also prepared to take my Valvetronix back tomorrow to Guitar Center as I'd also had some difficulty getting the sounds I wanted out of the Marshall models.
I decided to play the Ibanez one last time...Well the dead notes were still there, but the action just felt SOOOO low compared to the Jackson. And I had raised it quite a bit already trying to elimate most of the buzz and dead notes. So I raised it some more until there were no more dead notes.. I thought it would be way too high...but after the adjustment it was still quite a bit lower than the Jackson, and played phenomenally. And no dead notes...at all....Hmm...
So I plugged in.
WHAM. Missing high frequencies galore (the pickups are brighter in the Ibanez). The Marshall models now sounded exactly like what I thought they should and pretty close to my 1987 RI. The vox now had that high end "sparkle". And the Soldano sounded much better too, as did the Boogie... And the cleans, and the dumble...And I was ripping all over the neck (for my abilities at least), and everything was right..the sound...the playability..I was in the zone.
So my dilemma:
Keep the Ibanez which plays better for me, and has a much better trem..and just change to some better sounding similarly bright pickups....and also keep the Vox....
OR
Keep the Jackson which will need new pickups as well (in order to keep the Vox), that doesn't quite play as well for me, and has a trem that doesn't stay in tune that well.
OR
Keep the Jackson, keep the DD pickups, and just get a new amp with more tonal control over the high frequencies...
Kind of a no-brainer I guess....
Amazing how different things just do and do not go together well in the realm of guitardom. I'm going back downstairs to play some more. This may be a long night...and I think the Jackson may be going back to GC, not the Vox.
I was also prepared to take my Valvetronix back tomorrow to Guitar Center as I'd also had some difficulty getting the sounds I wanted out of the Marshall models.
I decided to play the Ibanez one last time...Well the dead notes were still there, but the action just felt SOOOO low compared to the Jackson. And I had raised it quite a bit already trying to elimate most of the buzz and dead notes. So I raised it some more until there were no more dead notes.. I thought it would be way too high...but after the adjustment it was still quite a bit lower than the Jackson, and played phenomenally. And no dead notes...at all....Hmm...
So I plugged in.
WHAM. Missing high frequencies galore (the pickups are brighter in the Ibanez). The Marshall models now sounded exactly like what I thought they should and pretty close to my 1987 RI. The vox now had that high end "sparkle". And the Soldano sounded much better too, as did the Boogie... And the cleans, and the dumble...And I was ripping all over the neck (for my abilities at least), and everything was right..the sound...the playability..I was in the zone.
So my dilemma:
Keep the Ibanez which plays better for me, and has a much better trem..and just change to some better sounding similarly bright pickups....and also keep the Vox....
OR
Keep the Jackson which will need new pickups as well (in order to keep the Vox), that doesn't quite play as well for me, and has a trem that doesn't stay in tune that well.
OR
Keep the Jackson, keep the DD pickups, and just get a new amp with more tonal control over the high frequencies...
Kind of a no-brainer I guess....
Amazing how different things just do and do not go together well in the realm of guitardom. I'm going back downstairs to play some more. This may be a long night...and I think the Jackson may be going back to GC, not the Vox.
.
