# The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 31, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172 "2010-01-31T23:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 139
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2763 "2013-01-23T04:04:26Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Yes, something like that. I don’t try to stay current with models, but that’s an “R9” - a replica they say is based on their '59. It is, in many ways, based on a '59, but the '59 (or R9 in online lingo) is a model designation referring to materials and design features used. In the past, they also made R8’s - still do, based on my quick check. R8’s have a non-flamey “plaintop” and can have a bigger neck profile - and list for $2 grand less and you can find them on sale or used for ~$2,000 or less (yeah, R9’s cost that much more for flame-bling and the '59 designation. Sigh.) A buddy got an R8 at the SJ GC for $1,800 a few years ago. Great guitar. Thanks for clarifying, **WordMan** , as always. I’m surprised you could get an R8 at that price at GC. I should keep an eye out, although “bigger neck profile” isn’t my territory. Does that mean a used R9 is +$2k from that $1800 R8? Yes, I can google etc, but just getting what you meant clear. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2764 "2013-01-23T12:09:56Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Thanks for clarifying, **WordMan** , as always. I’m surprised you could get an R8 at that price at GC. I should keep an eye out, although “bigger neck profile” isn’t my territory. Does that mean a used R9 is +$2k from that $1800 R8? Yes, I can google etc, but just getting what you meant clear. Thanks. I haven’t been tracking R9 used prices - check the usual spots, GBase and eBay, etc. I would assume that ones in decent shape start around 50% of new price in shops… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2765 "2013-01-26T01:48:55Z")
Played a Blackie (Fender Eric Clapton Artist Series Signature Stratocaster) today, along with a bunch of others - LPs, ES 339, other strats. Blackie is a really odd guitar. I had it run through a Blues Jr with the amp gain at 2ish, the Fat switch off, and it drove the thing like I had 2 boosts pedals attached and the gain way up, lotsa gain, lotsa drive, from just being plugged straight in sans pedals. I really couldn’t get a bead on how you’d keep it under control and play clean. As near as I can tell, Clapton didn’t like stomping on pedals, so the guitar itself is a pedal. Anybody have much experience with this guitar? How does one approach it, tone-wise? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2766 "2013-01-26T11:38:32Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Played a Blackie (Fender Eric Clapton Artist Series Signature Stratocaster) today, along with a bunch of others - LPs, ES 339, other strats. Blackie is a really odd guitar. I had it run through a Blues Jr with the amp gain at 2ish, the Fat switch off, and it drove the thing like I had 2 boosts pedals attached and the gain way up, lotsa gain, lotsa drive, from just being plugged straight in sans pedals. I really couldn’t get a bead on how you’d keep it under control and play clean. As near as I can tell, Clapton didn’t like stomping on pedals, so the guitar itself is a pedal. Anybody have much experience with this guitar? How does one approach it, tone-wise? To my knowledge, that model has a Mid boost - active, i.e., battery powered. That’s what I’ve never understood about Clapton - he made his reputation playing Gibsons, doesn’t use a Strat’s whammy (he blocks the mechanism so it can’t be used), but then has a mid boost on his Strat - so it sounds more like a Gibson. Whatever. So, yeah, you should be able to dial up or down that boost to tame the overdrive you were experiencing. I think a lot of folks don’t use or even disable the boost because they want to use the Strat as a Strat… ETA: [Fender Pre-Amp Mid Boost Kit 25 DB | Musician's Friend](http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-pre-amp-mid-boost-kit-25-db) ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2767 "2013-01-29T16:26:26Z")
I have a question re: specific guitar sound. I have [Highway One Stratocaster](http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-highway-one-stratocaster-electric-guitar) and [Fender GDEC-10 amp](http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/fender/g-dec/index.html). The sound I’m after is guitar sound on Black Keys “Brother” album, specifically songs like “Tighten Up” and “Howlin’ For You”. What type of pedal(s) should I put to get closest to it? Thanks… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2768 "2013-01-29T16:34:26Z")
IIRC, those songs have guitar tones that are old/cheap guitar, overdriven tube amp, drenched with reverb. Don’t know that you need a pedal, but maybe an overdrive if you don’t like what you have on the amp. I’d search on Dan Auerbach’s rig: [The Black Keys - Dan Auerbach Guitar Gear Rig](http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-what/350-the-black-keys-dan-auerbach-guitar-gear-rig) Then go to a Fender amp site - I’m sure there are plenty official and unofficial and search on how to replicate his specific tone, or how to manipulate your amp’s settings to replicate the specific parts of his tone… ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2769 "2013-01-30T02:08:53Z")
I am pretty sure I read somewhere. Maybe on this thread. Guys were taking old tube type radios and reworking them into amplifiers. Am I remembering correctly? I am wondering if an old radio I found was worth anything. It is a Zenith console radio that was built in 1938. All the tubes are there and seems intact. The cabinet is in bad shape but the innards look a bit dusty but not tampered with. I just wonder if it would be better to try to repair the radio to working order, or sell it to someone that might want to convert it . I haven’t been able to find much info on the thing online. But the model is 9S293 Zenith. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2770 "2013-01-30T12:27:03Z")
Hmm - don’t recall that. I only know amps a bit, so don’t know if that specific radio/tubes are desirable. But I am sure there are sites that cover this. Also, **Crotalus** here in the Dope is doing some tube amp work; perhaps he’s come across this. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2771 "2013-01-30T12:27:55Z")
> [@Craneop2](#): > > I am pretty sure I read somewhere. Maybe on this thread. Guys were taking old tube type radios and reworking them into amplifiers. Am I remembering correctly? > > I am wondering if an old radio I found was worth anything. It is a Zenith console radio that was built in 1938. All the tubes are there and seems intact. The cabinet is in bad shape but the innards look a bit dusty but not tampered with. > > I just wonder if it would be better to try to repair the radio to working order, or sell it to someone that might want to convert it . > > I haven’t been able to find much info on the thing online. But the model is 9S293 Zenith. Check out this [list of results](https://www.google.com/search?q=convert+old+tube+radio+to+guitar+amp&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) from a Google search. You will find that there are lots of people out there making such conversions. I have no idea if you will find references to your specific radio, but you will find a community of people with lots of knowledge and experience. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2772 "2013-01-31T01:07:33Z")
Thanks guys . I will follow the links. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2773 "2013-01-31T03:34:17Z")
> [@Craneop2](#): > > I am pretty sure I read somewhere. Maybe on this thread. Guys were taking old tube type radios and reworking them into amplifiers. Am I remembering correctly? > > I am wondering if an old radio I found was worth anything. It is a Zenith console radio that was built in 1938. All the tubes are there and seems intact. The cabinet is in bad shape but the innards look a bit dusty but not tampered with. > > I just wonder if it would be better to try to repair the radio to working order, or sell it to someone that might want to convert it . > > I haven’t been able to find much info on the thing online. But the model is 9S293 Zenith. [Previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-634038.html). ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2774 "2013-02-09T02:48:08Z")
_Is_ there such a thing? I know I can go to YouTube and learn chords and their sounds that way, but I wanted to check in with y’all to see what you are using before I download some program with rogue malware. Okay, what about one which isn’t free but is an excellent program? Either way, I’d like to have something such as this to help me practice. I do have Fretboard Warrior but it’s only the program which helps one learn the notes on the fretboard. Thanks everyone! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2775 "2013-02-09T12:27:10Z")
Sorry; I’m not familiar with those. Maybe go to Youtube? I would assume some teachers play chords string by string to hear the notes when they introduce them? ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2776 "2013-02-09T13:06:09Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > _Is_ there such a thing? I know I can go to YouTube and learn chords and their sounds that way, but I wanted to check in with y’all to see what you are using before I download some program with rogue malware. > > Okay, what about one which isn’t free but is an excellent program? > > Either way, I’d like to have something such as this to help me practice. I do have Fretboard Warrior but it’s only the program which helps one learn the notes on the fretboard. > > Thanks everyone! > > Quasi I like this one - when you want to find out how to play a chord and all its variations and having capo at a certain fret [http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/transposer.php](http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/transposer.php) When you want to build a chord you saw someone did on video and you cant guess it - [Chord Identifier (Namer)](http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/chord_name.php) Hope it helps. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2777 "2013-02-09T22:30:20Z")
I can always count on my guitar-playing Doper buds to help me out! Thanks for the links, **newcomer**! I also subscribe to Andy Partridge and Claude Johnson for their free lessons, so this will be a great adjunct! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2778 "2013-02-10T19:24:47Z")
I had no idea that GAS was so contagious. I’ve only had my Strat for 3 weeks and I’ve already added an Fender acoustic. This will not end well. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2779 "2013-02-11T02:11:57Z")
I recently learned that blues shuffle in E (E7, A7, B7). My only problem is muting the strings. I play that with a felt bass pick to help with the muting. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2780 "2013-02-11T03:34:59Z")
I also wanted to add that I have chosen to play the B7 by barring at the 4th fret and putting one finger on the 1st string at the 5th fret. Sure is a lot easier that way, and makes me want to ask you, is it possible to just bar _everything_? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2781 "2013-02-11T20:36:08Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I had no idea that GAS was so contagious. I’ve only had my Strat for 3 weeks and I’ve already added an Fender acoustic. This will not end well. It gets worse if you post online in guitar threads. Trust me on this. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/2782 "2013-02-11T20:38:18Z")
**squeege** nailed it. Epecially when posters start showing off their axes! 🙂 Q [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=138) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=140)