Well today i went off to Academy of Sound (sort of a british "guitar centre" it seems)
Going in on a weekday is so much better, you get really good service as the shop workers aren't tied up trying to control 14 year olds playing blink riffs on PRS's.
So anyway first guitar i found was this
a Tokai Love Rock Double Cut with a gorgeous blue quilt top
Ok so i sat down and tuned up. the guitar sat so "wrong" on my leg it was pretty obvious i wasnt gonna sit down with it, it seemed to want to veer off towards my left hand side and the playing position was also too far towards the left hand side.
I plugged it in regardless, and was slightly dissapointed. It was nice, but nothing special, and a little too bright for my tastes on the higher strings but it did get a little muddy on the low E under a bit of gain.
As I do with any guitar i think of getting i asked for a strap to play it stood up. The guitar was very neck heavy and the body too small. The strap pin was on the upper horn but the body was so compact it just didnt sit right with me.
So the next guitar i saw was this
an Ibanez SZ 320
I know Sly D has the higher up the range maple top version (this one is the cheapest in the range) so i thought it might be worth a shot, if only for the experience.
I sat down with it, and it lay right where i wanted it to (probably because its more strat like which is what im used to) but then i played it.
The strings were obviously 9's and were way too slack for my tastes, and plugged in the guitar was very muddy sounding with no bite at all. I didnt even bother playing it stood up.
Another "just for the experience of it" guitar caught my eye -
a PRS Soapbar SE
I only picked it up to see what it was like but i was actually quite impressed. I was really digging the Neck P90 tone a lot. The bridge tone was a bit too trebly, i found myself turning down the tone pot each time i switched to it but the neck and middle positions were very usable and it was a pleasant surprise.
Strapped on it felt nice also, but again, it seemed it was set up with 9's so it didnt play "right" for me, but the neck seemed an ok shape.
The guy who was bringing the axe's in for me to try was talking to me every 5 mins or so seeing what i liked/didnt like about them.. and then turned up of his own accord with this -
A JJ Retro
It had a humbucker in the bridge and a P90 at the neck, mahogany body with flame maple top, and set mahogany neck with rosewood board
Perfect.
The only set neck guitar that's ever said BUY ME OR I'LL EAT YOUR BALLS
It played very nicely, had a very clear and not too bright tone. The bridge pup was nice and beefy, and got quite Tele like when split, and the neck P90 had that huge single coil tone that i like in my neck slot. Completely not muddy sounding guitar, and the neck and setup was spot on to my tastes - although i wish the neck was slightly fuller.
I tried it stood up and it balanced perfect.
The shop guy so knew that i'd like it, shame the price is £950!
Well.. at least i know what i like now
I was quite surprised i ended up liking the P90 tone in the neck slot, but hey you dont know what you like till you try it.
I'm thinking about getting something similar built for me, with the changes to a beefier neck and Tune O Matic bridge. I think that would rock.
Anyway thanks for reading (if you have lol)
Going in on a weekday is so much better, you get really good service as the shop workers aren't tied up trying to control 14 year olds playing blink riffs on PRS's.
So anyway first guitar i found was this
a Tokai Love Rock Double Cut with a gorgeous blue quilt top
Ok so i sat down and tuned up. the guitar sat so "wrong" on my leg it was pretty obvious i wasnt gonna sit down with it, it seemed to want to veer off towards my left hand side and the playing position was also too far towards the left hand side.
I plugged it in regardless, and was slightly dissapointed. It was nice, but nothing special, and a little too bright for my tastes on the higher strings but it did get a little muddy on the low E under a bit of gain.
As I do with any guitar i think of getting i asked for a strap to play it stood up. The guitar was very neck heavy and the body too small. The strap pin was on the upper horn but the body was so compact it just didnt sit right with me.
So the next guitar i saw was this
an Ibanez SZ 320
I know Sly D has the higher up the range maple top version (this one is the cheapest in the range) so i thought it might be worth a shot, if only for the experience.
I sat down with it, and it lay right where i wanted it to (probably because its more strat like which is what im used to) but then i played it.
The strings were obviously 9's and were way too slack for my tastes, and plugged in the guitar was very muddy sounding with no bite at all. I didnt even bother playing it stood up.
Another "just for the experience of it" guitar caught my eye -
a PRS Soapbar SE
I only picked it up to see what it was like but i was actually quite impressed. I was really digging the Neck P90 tone a lot. The bridge tone was a bit too trebly, i found myself turning down the tone pot each time i switched to it but the neck and middle positions were very usable and it was a pleasant surprise.
Strapped on it felt nice also, but again, it seemed it was set up with 9's so it didnt play "right" for me, but the neck seemed an ok shape.
The guy who was bringing the axe's in for me to try was talking to me every 5 mins or so seeing what i liked/didnt like about them.. and then turned up of his own accord with this -
A JJ Retro
It had a humbucker in the bridge and a P90 at the neck, mahogany body with flame maple top, and set mahogany neck with rosewood board
Perfect.
The only set neck guitar that's ever said BUY ME OR I'LL EAT YOUR BALLS
It played very nicely, had a very clear and not too bright tone. The bridge pup was nice and beefy, and got quite Tele like when split, and the neck P90 had that huge single coil tone that i like in my neck slot. Completely not muddy sounding guitar, and the neck and setup was spot on to my tastes - although i wish the neck was slightly fuller.
I tried it stood up and it balanced perfect.
The shop guy so knew that i'd like it, shame the price is £950!
Well.. at least i know what i like now
I was quite surprised i ended up liking the P90 tone in the neck slot, but hey you dont know what you like till you try it.
I'm thinking about getting something similar built for me, with the changes to a beefier neck and Tune O Matic bridge. I think that would rock.
Anyway thanks for reading (if you have lol)
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fftopic: At the same time I met the International sales director for Hamer whilst he was in the shop and he had a beautiful Monaco Elite that he had bought over from the US - lets just say that he and I came to an arrangement and that guitar is now mine!!
