"You're doing it wrong" I'm the opinionated guitarist

So, I thought it would be a good idea to make a blog on myspace about advice I would like to give out to "new" players on a great many things related to equipment and such. I picked up a piece of gear tonight from a guy that was fairly new to the whole thing. I must have said a few things to him that really sparked his interest...I was there 3 hours as he picked my brain over gear and such.

Anyway, I got there and this guy had a cheap washburn with really hot pups into a SS Crate amp. I had to plug it in just to reaffirm my suspicions that he would have over the top distorted thing going...and of course that's what it was. Looking around I saw quite a bit of budget gear (and what I was there for was a craigslist thing that will remain nameless).

I opened my mouth, and basically told him he needed to rethink his way of buying music stuff (quality over quantity). I basically said if you buy guitars, only buy the american made Gibson's or Fenders...stay away from the far east imports. I pointed to his washburn "if you bought that guitar for $350 5 years ago and sold it today you might get $250-300 for it". If you bought an American Fender Tele or strat for $500 5 years ago and sold it today it would sell for $700-800. Not only will you have a great instrument, but it's a great investment...it's like buying the finacee the diamond to hock in case something happens to you...lol

I'm really a Fender guy, it's what I know. There are some other great gear options of course...so some "recipies" for tone would be a great idea. I think for a lot of new players that are just developing a sound that a good baseline sound would be the starting point to build off of. Depending on instrument scale length and amp selection the baseline tone can be acheived for different playing styles.

He was already slightly interested in tube amps, but was focused on getting a fender twin. This guy has a DAW in an 8 x 8 foot room, and was basically dead-set on finding a tube amp with at least 100 watts of output. This was the point I really tried to beat into his head; there is no way he would ever need anywhere near that type of power. I told him for gigging, all he really needed was about 10-15 watts of tube. I don't think he really got the point, but I tried. I once went that route and know the road well. More power must be better right?

We went on and on about DAW stuff (he's a Sonar user as well).



I'd love to hear some wisdom here. I intend to consolidate what I can into a blog as a guitarist's guide to great tone and gear investment. I don't care if it's overly opinionated; my thoughts are anyway. Maybe as a pool we can do some good here, and help some start-ups stay away from the "almost" or "just like" stuff that goes through the revolving door.

I like your style, inluding the writing style and the way you were at least trying to help this one guy out...until you got to the point about..."More power must be better right", and telling him that he could get by better with a 10 to 15 watt amp. I mean, you are right. Absolutely correct, not only would the twin be way over the top in a bedroom/home studio setting, but the studio size would actually work well live. Quality tone is always better than volume and power.

But, given the choice between a small tube amp with great tone and a fender twin, 100watts of pure ear splitting power, weighs 100 lbs, needs a dolly to get it into the club, never can turn it up past "2" amp, I'm sorry, I would have to have the twin.

Like I said, you are absolutely correct. I just could not resist the power. I know, very sad, foolish even. But...100 watts? Gimme one of them things.

Later
Albert

Tone may start in the fingers, but crap gear will hide the magic.

Vogel's right-- avoid the cheap stuff like the plague. Save up if you have to, work 2 jobs, beg or barter... just don't settle for junk.

ORIGINAL: Ron Vogel
only buy the american made Gibson's or Fenders...stay away from the far east imports.

Hi Ron - I'm a Fender guy myself, in fact I worked at the Fender/Rogers/Rhodes factory in Fullerton in the 80's (OK I was a programmer in the MIS department, but I still got to jam with the guys in final assembly ). I bought some Strats and P-Basses while I was there.

But I've gotta say that what you said about only buying American made Fender and Gibsons might a little over the top. There are some fine instruments by other companies (like PRS), and also from Japan. I also think that us "older" folks (I have no idea how old you are) are more nostalgic about those brands. I guess I'm just saying that you might be able to relate to the "kids" more if you understand that they're watching some of their favorite artists playing an Ibanez, or Puddle of Mudd playing Washburns.

JMHO

ORIGINAL: rstollen

ORIGINAL: Ron Vogel
only buy the american made Gibson's or Fenders...stay away from the far east imports.

Hi Ron - I'm a Fender guy myself, in fact I worked at the Fender/Rogers/Rhodes factory in Fullerton in the 80's (OK I was a programmer in the MIS department, but I still got to jam with the guys in final assembly ). I bought some Strats and P-Basses while I was there.

But I've gotta say that what you said about only buying American made Fender and Gibsons might a little over the top. There are some fine instruments by other companies (like PRS), and also from Japan. I also think that us "older" folks (I have no idea how old you are) are more nostalgic about those brands. I guess I'm just saying that you might be able to relate to the "kids" more if you understand that they're watching some of their favorite artists playing an Ibanez, or Puddle of Mudd playing Washburns.

JMHO

Yeah, there are exceptions. Like I mentioned, these are opinions; and generalizations at that! There are a few guitars (imports) I'd love to have; like a mid 70's Ibanez, or a nice Yari acoustic. The only problem trying to explain all that is there are so many choices, and history there that a book could be written on it! I guess what I was trying to get at is to gravitate toward the core / established brands, and the standards within those brands.

Also, I guess at this point I could be categorized as "older". Today is my 40th birthday!

I'd like to direct quote some of this stuff, it's very good.

my mistake, sorry

mine too

All you guys got it all wrong, even if you're right. I'll do it myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy.

Can't teach experience and common sense other than by example, patience, and *letting people find out the hard way*.

If tone is in the fingers, why do I sound different on different guitars? Granted, I play the same -- no getting around that -- but there are characteristics of the tone of some guitars and amps that I can't mimic if I'm using something else.

Also, if tone is in the fingers, why don't all the big-name guitar legends use the same thing?

I know that if you suck as a player, you're going to suck no matter what you play. But if you're decent, you'll sound better on better gear. Or at least, you'll sound differently decent on different gear.

Here's what I think it is: Different guitars sound different, but different players sound even more different. When you convolve a player with a guitar, you get an opportunity for certain tones. The tones are in the guitar, but it's up to the player to wring them out of it. If that's not happening, you can get a different guitar, modify the guiar, or modify your playing style. Some people find it easier to change or alter guitars than to change the way they play. Some people have so much control over their attack and touch on the instrument that they can adapt to whatever they're playing and "get it done" no matter what.

Good Points

Ron, I was wondering about something related to your post about scale length. Partner had a Rickenbacker, very long neck, and the frets were slanted. He claimed that each fret was slanted at a different angle, and all of the angles had the center of the scale length as their end point.

If you don't have a quick answer to this, I might go research it myself, just don't have my computer at hand right now, I'm using my wife's laptop, and getting those sideways glances that indicate I might be overstaying my welome...


Later
Albert

It was a $1,950 guitar, and it didn't take long at all. The thing is unbelievable, and it's everything I was looking for.

ORIGINAL: keith

3.) . . . If I had a fixed amount of duckets, I'd prefer to to find the right $500 guitar and $1000 amp rather than the other way around.

That would be a good way to start out with a first rig. That proportionality, with an amp and guitar that are well-matched to each other and the desired style, would be better than a $1,000 guitar and a $500 solid-state amp, or a $500 guitar, a $500 amp, and a bunch of effects pedals.

Mine too, what?