# 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:** 165
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3283 "2013-08-15T00:10:54Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > **squeegee** , thank you. That’s the color I was thinking of. I’m relieved to learn middle age hasn’t created too many false memories. Yet. > > **WordMan** , my thinking is the thing to buy a Tele for is the sound of the bridge pickup. We used to call it the “Fender Zang” and it can be pretty distinctive if you don’t use a lot of effects. So, if I’m reading your comment correctly, by going with the 500KΩ/0.047uF with your p-90 neck pickup, you lost some of the highs from the OEM bridge pickup? Yes, but not drastically - if you like super-clean, compressed, bright chickin pickin, then probably - otherwise, I get plenty of twang when I want it. I have an SD Jerry Donahue, a beloved bridge pickup on the TDPRI message board… ---
**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:** [August 15, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3284 "2013-08-15T02:16:11Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I have an SD Jerry Donahue, a beloved bridge pickup on the TDPRI message board… Also at my house. Great Tele pickup. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3285 "2013-08-15T12:45:24Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Also at my house. Great Tele pickup. I know, right? What’s so cool is that I had been toying with the idea of assembling my own Parts-o-caster when I found someone’s orphaned one at a local music store for $400. It had $1,200 in parts - including a super-chunky Allparts Tele Fat neck, the Seymour Duncan Phat Cat at the neck, and the type of bridge I wanted. Those were parts I would have picked for my project and together would’ve cost over $400 new. I gave it a once-over and realized why it had been traded in - the neck angle wasn’t right so the whole thing played off. I offered $300, they took it - I got it home, loosened the strings, popped off the neck, shimmed it with a business card and replaced the neck - 15 minutes, tops. Played great and I was so happy. But I quickly realized I _loved_ the bridge pickup - amazing cleans, but totally responsive to tweaking the knobs - roll off the tone and back the volume off a tad and it thickened up perfectly. I figured out it was a SD-JD and did some research and realized it was a top choice amongst Tele-masters. Who knew? So the poor shlub who originally assembled the guitar got great parts but didn’t quite know how to bring them together. If he’d gotten a decent setup, it would’ve been a different story. I, on the other hand, got an amazing deal - with parts I wanted and parts I didn’t know I wanted 😉 - and after swapping in a new body and some better electronic components, I have my main electric to this day. ETA: Sorry, **squeegee** ; pretty sure you’ve heard that tale before, but it was worth repeating 😉 ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3286 "2013-08-15T17:24:25Z")
You guys are mean. I just got the Silvertone’s reverb (sounds awful) and the tremolo (sounds completely awesome) fixed, I have a Bass VI on the way, and I need a pocket amp. Now, I have incredible lust for a pickup. Just disgraceful. ETA: And I also have a desire to re-wire the SX tele copy with 500K pots and a .47 cap. Yep, just mean. I could be practicing scales. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3287 "2013-08-15T18:43:04Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > 2 questions: > B. In my days of modding telecasters, I’d replace the neck pickup with a mini-humbucker. I thought it was a better complement for the bridge pickup and I didn’t have to change the pots/capacitor. I’m wondering if I were to replace the neck pickup with a full size humbucker and changed the pots/cap to 500KΩ/0.047uF as most online schematics for that mod seem to show, how is that going to effect the sound of the bridge pickup? Why not replace it with a mini-humbucker? Works fine for me. > **[Firebird Style Metal Trim Ring](https://www.guitarfetish.com/Firebird-Style-Metal-Trim-Ring_c_236.html)** > > Firebird Style Metal Trim Ring - New from GFS- GREAT sounding Mini Humbuckers. These all use the typical Firebird style case- which is 2 5/8 x 1 1/8 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3288 "2013-08-16T05:16:59Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Why not replace it with a mini-humbucker? Works fine for me. > [Firebird Style Metal Trim Ring](http://www.guitarfetish.com/Firebird-Style-Metal-Trim-Ring_c_236.html) As I said, in the mods I have done I replaced the OEM neck pickup with mini-humbuckers and kept the original pots/caps. I was asking about how changing the pots/caps to accomidate a large humbucker neck pickup would effect the sound of the OEM bridge pickup. I’m imagining if you only flick the selector switch the volume of a large humbucker neck would be louder than that of the OEM bridge, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3289 "2013-08-16T05:18:44Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > You guys are mean. I just got the Silvertone’s reverb (sounds awful) and the tremolo (sounds completely awesome) fixed, I have a Bass VI on the way, and I need a pocket amp. Now, I have incredible lust for a pickup. > > Just disgraceful. > > ETA: And I also have a desire to re-wire the SX tele copy with 500K pots and a .47 cap. Yep, just mean. I could be practicing scales. Yeah. We’re just a bunch of miserable bastiches to do this to you. 😛 😃 How are you going to set up your Bass VI? Like a standard guitar an octave lower, or a standard bass with an extra string on top and bottom? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3291 "2013-08-16T10:52:07Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Yeah. We’re just a bunch of miserable bastiches to do this to you. 😛 > > 😃 Yeah, some days, I don’t even know why I open this thread. \ Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash. \ [QUOTE=Ranger Jeff] How are you going to set up your Bass VI? Like a standard guitar an octave lower, or a standard bass with an extra string on top and bottom? [/QUOTE] I’m gonna set it up E-e an octave lower than a standard guitar. I expect that the 30" scale won’t let me go much lower with reasonable gauge strings, and if I want to punish my bass amp’s speakers, I’ll get an octave pedal. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3292 "2013-08-17T19:59:54Z")
So I was showing my son how to play Cream’s version of Born Under a Bad Sign - it has a great hitch in the groove that takes a bit of competence to play - when I had a bit of a realization. It was 35 years ago in July that I got my first guitar, a Yamaha FG-75 for $68 at a pawn shop in Monterey, California. Whoa. I was just getting a guitar; he’s grooving Albert King. Oy. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3293 "2013-08-18T21:48:40Z")
I made my “professional” debut today to a captive and unwilling audience, our church congregation. I was attempting to show the kids that it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks. I played a little bit of Folsom Prison Blues in my best Johnny Cash impersonation voice. The audience clapped for me when I was done. It was somewhat intoxicating. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3294 "2013-08-19T11:28:57Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > As I said, in the mods I have done I replaced the OEM neck pickup with mini-humbuckers and kept the original pots/caps. I was asking about how changing the pots/caps to accomidate a large humbucker neck pickup would effect the sound of the OEM bridge pickup. I misread what you said - I thought you’d said you’d done it in the past, possibly to another guitar. It depends on the winding of the humbucker you choose, I’d say. If you find one that’s wound weaker than the bridge pickup you have, you might be able to balance it okay, and you can play with distance from strings to do things okay. [http://www.voxamps.com/guitars/series33/](http://www.voxamps.com/guitars/series33/) Got one of these, in a single cutaway, new, Music123, $180. Blackburst. I was done buying guitars, but how could I turn a deal like that down? Check this guy playing one. The heel is gorgeous, the pickups are basically humbucking P90s… or attempts at it. Hardware off the $1000 guitar, aluminum bridge, good tuners. And let me be the first to congratulate you, Nars. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3295 "2013-08-19T19:47:44Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I made my “professional” debut today to a captive and unwilling audience, our church congregation. I was attempting to show the kids that it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks. I played a little bit of Folsom Prison Blues in my best Johnny Cash impersonation voice. The audience clapped for me when I was done. It was somewhat intoxicating. Hey, Congrats. Getting competent at performing is a huge rush. Good on ya! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3296 "2013-08-19T20:35:03Z")
Wow, **E-Sabbath** , I’ve been seeing those on close-out at GC recently. I haven’t plugged one in, but they looked very interesting. I thought I was done with new guitars and basses - I only had severe amp and pedal lust, but have you received yours yet, and do you think it’s totally worth $200? And **Nars** , congrats, I can’t recommend playing live enough. Even if you’re aggressively adequate, crowds seem to respond. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3297 "2013-08-19T22:05:04Z")
Thanks guys. It was really weird. I’ve sung in the choir before but have always had stage fright when it came to singing solo. Somehow, when I was playing my guitar, I didn’t have time (or the mental capacity) to be nervous. It just all came out almost like I had planned it. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3298 "2013-08-19T22:57:06Z")
The other thing that I did to break the ice and put myself at ease was to have my helper (a 2nd grade girl) strum my guitar while I fingered the E chord. I had secretly hit the “Insane” preset button on my amp to wake everybody up. They got a good laugh out of it and it was a piece of cake from there. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3299 "2013-08-20T18:05:50Z")
Won’t show till Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3300 "2013-08-23T15:36:33Z")
I needed to distract myself while dealing with a few issues, so I drove down to RetroFret in Brooklyn. If I didn’t own a couple of wonderful old archtops I am not prepared to sell or trade, I would be all over this guitar: > **[Gibson L-7 Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1935) | RetroFret](https://retrofret.com/default.asp?ProductID=5862&CartID=)** > > RetroFret Vintage Guitars 1935 Gibson L-7; at the time a more affordable version of their seminal L-5. Light, resonant, heavily played but no structural issues. Plays and sounds _wonderful_. The back is highly figured maple with a dark walnut stain - there’s a repaired crack on the back that a player loves (reduces sale price while not affecting long-term stability or playability at all). $3,200 - a relative steal. If I can talk any Dopers into checking this guitar out, well, I would be doing them a favor. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3301 "2013-08-26T18:06:27Z")
It’s here. It chimes like a bell, even unplugged. The tuners are insanely smooth. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3302 "2013-08-26T20:28:17Z")
My Egnater is back!! They fixed it! Squeeeeeeeeee! \ How does the not-P90 sound, Sabs? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/3303 "2013-08-27T01:47:01Z")
Anybody ever visit Guitars 'N Jazz in Summit, N.J.? Know anything about Palen guitars? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=164) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=166)