I’ve read this several times, and tried to repro what you’re describing, and I can’t seem to do so. I hear… something different, but only if I tap, not gentle picking. Searching for an example on YouTube seems hopeless using “clarinet” “guitar” “harmonics” has been unproductive. I remain curious, this sounds like an interesting tone. ETA: I did try it on both acoustic and Tele (bridge and neck).
BTW, the new Takamine is going back. I started changing the strings and noticed that only on the low-E, only at the fifth fret, the note had almost no sustain, less than half the sustain as other nearby positions. OK, I thought, so I had a bad string. I replaced it with another, same gauge, and the dead spot was still there. As discussed above, I’d had some misgivings already, so back it goes, and back I’ll go shopping. Next!
Eastwood has reissued faithful replicas; no idea of any relationship between Eastwood and the original companies, licensing or otherwise…
Sorry to hear about your Tak; finding a great acoustic is in some ways harder than an electric - it’s all baked into the build of the guitar, or it’s not. You can’t swap out a pickup or pot or play through a better amp.
Wiki sez:
In the early to mid 2000s, the Eastwood guitar company acquired the rights to use the “Airline” brand-name; however, the Eastwood guitar company has never been directly affiliated with the long defunct Valco company.
Which is what I suspected, because they call them Airline Maps. That’s a brand name and all.
… in other news, guess what’s back in stock.
http://www.guitarfetish.com/XV-JT90-Hybrid-Offset-GFS-PIckups-Caramel-Ash-Body-Rosewood_p_1118.html#
So very pretty.
I have a question - what is it supposed to mean if an amp (or modeler) can be voiced as “vintage” vs “modern” ? For example, the Egnater Tweaker has these two settings, but I’ve seen this on other amps as well. I take it that this is a dog whistle to mean a somewhat specific amp configuration, but what configuration (Fender Twin? Marshall Plexi? Vox ACwhatever?) (or maybe EL84s? 6V6s?) would each choice be referring to?
vintage = Fender-type distortion - clean headroom up to a point, then increasing distortion but up to about hard-rock levels
modern = often used to refer to Mesa Boogie Rectifier-type tones - e.g., metal, harder grunge - fuzzier highs, scooped mids, tighter lows…
Ah, that’s very helpful, thanks! It’s interesting terminology, but I have no idea how someone like me would know what it means (well, without asking you, WordMan). Esp. since Mesa Boogie built it’s first high-gain amp in 1972, according to wiki. I have trouble grokking that 39 years ago = “modern”. 
It’s more imprecise, jargon-y crap that is used more for marketing than anything else.
“We’ve completely redesigned this year’s Stratocaster - so it is even more retro-authentic!” 
I always understood that they used those sorts of terms to avoid any legal trouble. On the Vox modeling stuff (e.g. Tonelabs and Valvetronix amps) they use Tweed/Blackface for Fender, UK for Marshall, US for Mesa Boogie, and Boutique for Dumble.
I tried out a Blacktop series strat at the shop the other day. That one is a genuine redesign, and quite interesting to play around with. It’s got the same sort of fancy switching options you might find on a high-end Ibanez.
I was tempted to buy it, but at the end of the day it sounded a bit too much like my Maton Mastersound (which is not a bad thing, only – you know – I’ve already got the Maton).
That’s true, too - you end up with this trademark-infringement-avoiding set of code words. Reading manufactures describe there “T-type” guitars as having the “twang of a time-honored design” or some such crap always makes my eyes roll up a bit…
Maton Mastersound - that’s like the one Josh Homme played in the video, right? I would like to try one. So many guitars, so little time. I can’t believe how little time I have logged on Rickenbackers, Gretsches, and so many other guitars - but I love the fact that I know my way around the designs I have focused on - always a trade-off.
Matons are Australian, made right here in Melbourne. They’re better known for their acoustics, which are very common and highly regarded here. I’ve never owned a Maton, but I’ve played plenty of them, they’re good quality.
So… is it safe to assume that The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread also covers electric basses? Because I just bought a bass, and I’m anxiously awaiting delivery.
One of these, to be precise. Squiers are getting a lot of praise for the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe ranges, and I’ve been wanting a decent cheap bass for a while. I’ve owned basses before, but haven’t owned one for a while now, and I think it’s time I did.
This one (VM Jaguar Bass) covers the “looks cool” part of the equation admirably, and it’s full scale (34 inches) has a Jazz Bass neck (slimmer than P-Bass) and the P/J pickup combo, which is, for me, ideal. To me, nothing says BASS like the P-Bass pickup, and with the J-Bass bridge pickup you can add some J-Bass gnarl as well. The stacked volume/tone knobs are a very nice touch, too.
I might upgrade some parts on this bass, but all that I’ve read about these indicates that it’s worthwhile trying them as-is before spending more money. I might replace the pots and wiring, that’s where these cheaper instruments skimp a bit on quality, but I hear the Duncan Designed pickups are pretty good, especially the P-Bass one. The J-Bass pup is a much more likely candidate for replacement, since I’m not keen on cheap ceramic-magnet single coils, but I’ll try it out and decide whether it’s worth my while to put something better in there.
I don’t own a bass amp, but I’ve already arranged to borrow a very nice one from a bassist pal if I end up gigging with the bass. I do love playing bass, though I’m not interested in being the bassist for a regular band. I could imagine playing melodic bass with a non-standard line-up, that’d be more interesting. But my first aim is to record with it, and maybe figure out some solo pieces like I do with guitar. It might even inspire me to get my looper out again.
I’m glad I’m finally getting a bass again, I’m really looking forward to hitting some low notes.
Oh yeah - I know of their Aussie origin and rep down there; I was asking if that specific Maton model is the one that they based Josh’s guitar on (I am pretty sure his was either a sig or otherwise custom built for him…)
ETA: **Shakester **- speaking as a GOGT regular, heck yes talking bass is allowed. Heck, anything strung up and playable for that matter. Congrats on the acquisition!
http://www.guitarsquid.com/Latest/20-guitar-tattoos-youve-gotta-see.html
Some are cool, some…not so much.
Then there’s the one of Keef. Truly excellent work, but now you have one of the most broken-in, weathered faces possible on your arm…um, congrats?
A couple more links from that Guitar Squid email…
-
Guilty of RWB: Recording While Blonde: http://guitarsquid.com/Video/so-this-blonde-vocalist-walks-into-a-recording-studio.html
-
Guitar auction - just oy: http://www.guitarsquid.com/Squid_Picks/May2011/vintage-auction.html
-
oh, and the $10,000 Led Zep t-shirt: Vintage 1979 Led Zeppelin T-Shirt Sells for $10,000
As always, there’s a cheap-but-good option at GFS. That JB Pro model is the J-Bass style, right?
Wow, that Keef one sure got my attention. Almost too well done.
Yes it is.
GFS make some good pickups, but I doubt they’d be particularly better than the Duncan Designed pups that are standard in these basses. The GFS one uses AlNiCo magnets, which usually sound nicer than ceramic, but that’s more of guideline than a rule.
Anyway, more important to me than magnet material is that I just can’t stand the hum from straight single-coil pickups. I prefer the sound of S/Cs, but I can’t take the hum. Fortunately, modern science has advanced to the point where S/C-voiced 'buckers are an acceptable substitute.
Researching the options on bass forums, the consensus seems to be that with JBass pups, split coil 'buckers sound nicer than stacked ones. Of course, that’s where it starts to get spendy.
So I’ll just try out the standard pickup and see how I feel about it. Given my taste in bass sounds, I’ll probably just use the P-Bass pup alone most of the time, but if I end up feeling that it’d be worthwhile to upgrade the J-Bass pup, I’ll get a humbucker.
I have a guitar (Epi Dot) with “Duncan designed” pups, and I’m not particularly enamored of them. That said, I don’t play bass, maybe yours are just fine.
My feeling about guitars like Epiphones - decently made budget instruments - is that the pickups they put in them are place-holders. You’re meant to swap them out for something decent.
Duncan Designed are OK pickups, but for a semi, I’d be wanting something more refined. In my semi (Hagstrom Viking - not all that different to an Epi Dot), I installed Bill Lawrence “Wilde” pickups; a P-90 type in the bridge and a Jazzmaster type in the neck. L-610 bridge, L-609 neck.
They’re great; very clean and free of harshness. If I had another 'bucker guitar I’d probably try some L-600s in it; more bucker-y while still not as midrange-y as regular PAF-style 'buckers. However, that’s my taste in pickups. Most people prefer “fatter” sounding pickups for a more “bluesy” sound. Less hi-fi, more midrange.
There is a practically infinite choice of “bluesy PAF-style humbucker” pickups, ranging from GFS to expensive boutique makers. And pretty much all of them will sound better than what comes standard in an Epi, even if Duncan did Design them.
Bass, of course, is a different kettle of fish. I expect that for what I want out of it, the DD P-Bass pickup will be fine and the J-Bass one might be acceptable.