What pieces of gear are you "not supposed" to like, that you've been successful with?

[Driver Blues]

What pieces of gear are you "not supposed" to like, that you've been successful with?

I've recently been having great success making good sounds playing in a small venue with nothing more than a pair of JBs in a Les Paul into a DS-1 into an amp sim into a soundboard. On paper this sounds like an awful combo, but it's really been working out for me.

Yall have any gear that conventional forum wisdom says is bad, but actually works rather well for you?

 

[JOLLY]

Amp modeling devices.

 

[Securb]

I play mainly hard rock and metal. My main amp is a solid-state Roland JC-120. I have a Marshall and other tube amps but the JC-120 has always delivered the best metal tone for me. I have been playing them since the 90's.

 

[TVFV]

What gear are we supposed to dislike?

 

[beaubrummels]

Zoom MS-50G

 

[NegativeEase]

People often hate on Fender HRDs -but Ive used them for backline with no problem

 

[some_dude]

The midrange knob.

 

[Chistopher]

I get a ton of mileage out of the stock pickups that a lot of guys will just through out because they're stock. That's a dirty word for a lot of people around here, as if companies specifically design guitars around not being able to sound good with the factory electronics.

 

[Demanic]

Metalzone. Duh.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Mexican Fenders, partscasters and DIYs:14:

 

[AlexR]

For a nominally creative, experimental, inventive type pursuit (music) I'm amazed how many rules that guitar players try and invent for themselves.
I guess thats where the delineation between 'musician' and guitar player lies.

 

[El Dunco]

90s Randall/Washburn PG100H. Rare, punchier and gainier than a stock RG. It’s my secret weapon, it’s got a truly killer heavy tone. Don’t know anyone else with one orsee it talked about.

 

[Sirion]

The closest would probably be a Rockman. Honestly speaking I rarely care to go for unproved solutions.

 

[Sirion]

I get a ton of mileage out of the stock pickups that a lot of guys will just through out because they're stock. That's a dirty word for a lot of people around here, as if companies specifically design guitars around not being able to sound good with the factory electronics.

The cringiness of people on FB saying that they have just bought a new guitar and asking what pickups they should put in it is matched only by people wondering which overdrive they should put in front of their new three-channel amp.

 

[Securb]

The cringiness of people on FB saying that they have just bought a new guitar and asking what pickups they should put in it is matched only by people wondering which overdrive they should put in front of their new three-channel amp.

I always felt the same way until I bought my B.C. Rich. The price on the guitar was too good to pass up, it was around 50% off the list price due to a Musician's Friend pricing mistake. However, it came with active pickups, which I generally do not like. I bought it knowing I would have to change the pickups. I did try to gel with the guitar and original pickups, and it didn't happen. Lindy Fralin built a prototype set of Super High Output pickups for the guitar I could not rip the old pickups out of the guitar fast enough.

There are a lot of inexpensive guitars that are great modding platforms. I think some people buy them knowing there is work to be done to dial the guitar to their liking vs. dropping a lot of money on a guitar that checks all of their boxes.

 

[uOpt]

iRig HD 2. Works great for me, even the headphone amp is competent. Despite what the name implies it is right up there with professional audio interfaces.

 

[Artie]

"Cheap" guitars in general.

 

[DCikes88]

After liking and agreeing with half of your answers, I'd like to add...Danelectro Fab Flange.
It's so cheap and plastic and limited, BUT, an LP with JB/Jazz, through that and a Boss OD-3 (also cheapish but delivers although Boss def makes better ODs than this one), into a JCM800 with 2 speakers in a 4x12 cab, I got Tool's No Quarter cover sound as close as I could get in a Tool cover band.
Paid 20$ with shipping. Still have it

 

[Chistopher]

For a nominally creative, experimental, inventive type pursuit (music) I'm amazed how many rules that guitar players try and invent for themselves.
I guess thats where the delineation between 'musician' and guitar player lies.

Honestly, I think most of that is the sheer number of guitar products and combinations make people scared to trust their own ears and rather stick to the "tried and true" anecdotal rules of guitar playing.

 

[DCikes88]

I play mainly hard rock and metal. My main amp is a solid-state Roland JC-120. I have a Marshall and other tube amps but the JC-120 has always delivered the best metal tone for me. I have been playing them since the 90's.

Dimebag, Chuck and alot of other metal gods also had monster sounds with solid states. They're definitely not to be underestimated. I use them almost exclusively since band crap-out.
Ocassional big tube rig will be used on a jam session with some buddies, but is it needed for finding a great tone? In most cases, no.