El Toro's Official Guitarded Thread...

[ElToro]

If you guys look at www.mylespaul.com in the member's classifieds, there are ceriatone clones

[Space Bear]

My oddball amp spree continues... picked up an Orange Crush Micro for cheap on eBay:



Teeny little thing, runs on a 9v battery. It's got clean and dirty channels, and a tuner. The little bastard sounds really good! The distortion is remarkably good for such a small amp. I was rockin' my PRS Custom 22 through it a few minutes ago, and I was getting pinch harmonics like Zakk himself had possessed me.

They sell new for around $50, great to have for practicing, or to have something you can easily take with you if needed. I know a guy who's going to mod it for me so it will have a 1/4" speaker output... he says they sound even better driving a cab.

[ElToro]

I'm gonna sell my VHT Special 6. Just not there for me.

[ElmoLynchFox]

Picked up one of these today at Guitar Center:

i just tried one of these today and almost bought it on the spot! this is the first modeler i've hear in person that does justice to the plexi!!! i might get a 30 watt solid state for practice and maybe the 120 tube head for gigs. if i do that, i'm gonna retire the stiletto.

you still dig it, space?

[PAF Pro]

Sent the Peavey Heritage 212 back to my buddy....was cool of him to let me "live with it" for a few months.

Does an "ok" early-80's rock tone(think 1980-1982), but that amp series just has issues with "clarity". Tried 3 different sets of tubes(JJ's, Tung Sols and GT's), 3 different sets of speakers(the stock refurb'ed Scorpions, the Black widows from his Mace, and a 412 cab loaded w/Texas Heats)...still had that annoying tonal "quirk" and muddiness that i've found that ALL of those damn things have.

Great for southern rock/power chord/double-stop leads(which covers all of my friend's bases), but can't chord with it...no clarity(like listening to music with a stopped-up head), and what I call "fuzziness" on the edge of the tone in the lead channel. No amount of knob-twiddling would change it...tried all 3 of my electrics(LP, Tele thinline/Custom hybrid(humbuckers), and Strat)....plus the friend's LP and Tele, same end result.

Back to the old standby, my little Squier 15(versatile little shit)....gonna get the SVK Thinline/Custom hybrid paid off(moment of weakness....SWEET neck/frets), and then back to the search. Sorta/kinda looking at the Kustom Defender 50W...the 112 is kinda pricey for a single-channel. Starting to soften my stance on the modeling amps(those Vypyrs are just WOW).

Tried a set of DR "Pure Blues" 10's on the LP.....may have found my new brand

[Liquid Boom Boom]

anyone ever try the Auralex Gramma acoustic pads?

You put your amp on them and they suck up the woofiness and you are left with pure tone. My buddy just got one and he told me to get over to his place asap and check it out. I was shocked by how different the tone was with and without it. I'm gonna have to give it a whirl, I was that impressed.

[Space Bear]

i just tried one of these today and almost bought it on the spot! this is the first modeler i've hear in person that does justice to the plexi!!! i might get a 30 watt solid state for practice and maybe the 120 tube head for gigs. if i do that, i'm gonna retire the stiletto.

you still dig it, space?

Oh hell yeah. Loving the tones in this thing. The 30 watt is perfect for bedroom/practice, and from what I've read the tube versions are seriously killer.

[Space Bear]

New Guitar Day: '86 Ibanez Roadstar



Got it cheap off eBay. The only Ibbys I like are the ones from the late 70s to the mid 80s, so this one is right on the tail-end. I can't believe how overlooked these are... you get a made in Japan guitar for next to nothing, and it kicks the ass of any current cheapo from Fender, Epiphone, etc. Playing it side by side with my MIM Strat, I can feel the difference in the build quality.

I haven't had the chance to set it up yet, but it plays very nice even with slightly high action. The pickups are nothing special, you'd expect that in this price range. Not sure if I'll swap them out. I guess I shouldn't be pointing out how nice these are... I don't need you bastards snagging good deals from under me.

[ElmoLynchFox]

New Guitar Day: '86 Ibanez Roadstar



I guess I shouldn't be pointing out how nice these are... I don't need you bastards snagging good deals from under me.

only if they have floyds

i agree with what you said about the country of origin of a guitar being important. imho, as far as import guitars go, japan is the top of the mountain (mij jacksons are niiiiiiccee) and mik (made in korea) is acceptable. i won't waste money on anything else! slicing your hand open on protuding fretwire on a mexican tele will do that to you!

[ElmoLynchFox]

Oh hell yeah. Loving the tones in this thing. The 30 watt is perfect for bedroom/practice, and from what I've read the tube versions are seriously killer.

i stumbled across the 120 watt tube head when i was trying the ltd phoenix that caught my eye. i was just looking for whatever was plugged in. that thing is amazing! the tones are awesome! i guess that was a good move on the store's part because everything i plugged in sounded great!

the guys at my store said they just got in 30 watt solid state vypyr heads and they are going to get matching 1x10 or 1x12 speaker cabs to go with them to make microstacks!

[ElToro]

I had a 30w and loved it. Great practice amp.

Tony Krank is making a 20 watt tube 1x12" combo for me. It will be a prototype for his new amp line. I'm totally on board with this!

[Sleek]

i agree with what you said about the country of origin of a guitar being important. imho, as far as import guitars go, japan is the top of the mountain (mij jacksons are niiiiiiccee) and mik (made in korea) is acceptable. i won't waste money on anything else! slicing your hand open on protuding fretwire on a mexican tele will do that to you!

Meh. I got good guitars that are Chinese and Indonesian, too. Computers are the same everywhere.

...protruding fretwire is more about the wood not being aged enough when the guitar is built than build quality, so it tightens up a bit and the frets don't.

2 minutes with some 600 grit takes care of that.

[ElToro]

Anyone want a Black Epi ES335 Dot Studio with hard case for $250?

[lerxstcat]

New Guitar Day: '86 Ibanez Roadstar



I guess I shouldn't be pointing out how nice these are... I don't need you bastards snagging good deals from under me.

only if they have floyds

i agree with what you said about the country of origin of a guitar being important. imho, as far as import guitars go, japan is the top of the mountain (mij jacksons are niiiiiiccee) and mik (made in korea) is acceptable. i won't waste money on anything else! slicing your hand open on protuding fretwire on a mexican tele will do that to you!

I have a sweet Chinese Squier from 1998 that has a neck comparable to a USA Strat. Some do have protruding frets but a few minutes with sandpaper fixes that. I do agree that MIJ and MIK are better but the Chinese have gotten a grip on things. I even had an Indonesian Washburn BT that was really sweet, and the Squier Standard Strats from Indonesia are also pretty nice. Of course you can get a nice guitar pretty cheap from Japan or Korea, but you can stil get a nice guitar for DIRT cheap from the other Asian countries.

[Captain Morgan]

Anyone want a Black Epi ES335 Dot Studio with hard case for $250?

How does it play?

[ElToro]

It's sold...

[exitflagger]

New Guitar Day: '86 Ibanez Roadstar



Got it cheap off eBay. The only Ibbys I like are the ones from the late 70s to the mid 80s, so this one is right on the tail-end. I can't believe how overlooked these are... you get a made in Japan guitar for next to nothing, and it kicks the ass of any current cheapo from Fender, Epiphone, etc. Playing it side by side with my MIM Strat, I can feel the difference in the build quality.

I haven't had the chance to set it up yet, but it plays very nice even with slightly high action. The pickups are nothing special, you'd expect that in this price range. Not sure if I'll swap them out. I guess I shouldn't be pointing out how nice these are... I don't need you bastards snagging good deals from under me.

Surprising. A friend of mine had one of those back in the day and I absolutely HATED it. He did too. He flipped it for something else first chance he got. Maybe he just had an atypically bad one but it really sucked.

[Space Bear]

New Guitar Day: '86 Ibanez Roadstar



Got it cheap off eBay. The only Ibbys I like are the ones from the late 70s to the mid 80s, so this one is right on the tail-end. I can't believe how overlooked these are... you get a made in Japan guitar for next to nothing, and it kicks the ass of any current cheapo from Fender, Epiphone, etc. Playing it side by side with my MIM Strat, I can feel the difference in the build quality.

I haven't had the chance to set it up yet, but it plays very nice even with slightly high action. The pickups are nothing special, you'd expect that in this price range. Not sure if I'll swap them out. I guess I shouldn't be pointing out how nice these are... I don't need you bastards snagging good deals from under me.

Surprising. A friend of mine had one of those back in the day and I absolutely HATED it. He did too. He flipped it for something else first chance he got. Maybe he just had an atypically bad one but it really sucked.

Generally speaking, most Ibbys from that time frame are very good quality. I'm sitting here playing it right now, the neck is really comfy. Every manufacturer puts out a dog now and then. I suppose your buddy got one... did he like any other Ibanez from back then? Some people are just anti-Ibanez for whatever reason.

[exitflagger]

Every manufacturer puts out a dog now and then. I suppose your buddy got one... did he like any other Ibanez from back then? Some people are just anti-Ibanez for whatever reason.

No, it was just a bad guitar. Awkward action, shitty sounding pickups, machines were sticky and it wouldn't stay in tune... I have two early 80's Ibanez's and I like them a lot, especially my AR-50 Artist. Like I say, I'm just surprised to hear any positive comments on those old Roadstars. But hey if you like it, you like it. I only have the experience with that one my friend had, and it was enough for me.

[Space Bear]

Every manufacturer puts out a dog now and then. I suppose your buddy got one... did he like any other Ibanez from back then? Some people are just anti-Ibanez for whatever reason.

No, it was just a bad guitar. Awkward action, shitty sounding pickups, machines were sticky and it wouldn't stay in tune... I have two early 80's Ibanez's and I like them a lot, especially my AR-50 Artist. Like I say, I'm just surprised to hear any positive comments on those old Roadstars. But hey if you like it, you like it. I only have the experience with that one my friend had, and it was enough for me.

The Roadstars were the lower end of the line at that time, maybe he had the cheapest one they made? I worked in a music store in '85 where we carried Ibanez and got to play a bunch. Don't remember coming across any that were really bad.

I'll bet your Artist is sweet. I have a '79 version, when they were known as the 2618 model. A Les Paul killer for sure.

[exitflagger]

I'll bet your Artist is sweet. I have a '79 version, when they were known as the 2618 model. A Les Paul killer for sure.

It is way better than I would figure it should be. Jap guitars have always had the rep of being inferior, more then (it's an '80 model) than now. I ran it down a few pages ago on this thread but I've been jonesing hard for a Les Paul and shopping them steadily but I can't find one I like better than my Artist. I recently found a really good repair tech/luthier and he did a thorough sprucing up on it, new Seymour '59s, total re-set up and re-adjustment and the damn thing plays just incredibly hot right now.

I've given my Les Paul hunt a rest indefinitely.

[ElToro]

I absolutely love the early 80's set neck Destroyers and V's. Those things KILLED!

[lerxstcat]

I'll bet your Artist is sweet. I have a '79 version, when they were known as the 2618 model. A Les Paul killer for sure.

It is way better than I would figure it should be. Jap guitars have always had the rep of being inferior, more then (it's an '80 model) than now. I ran it down a few pages ago on this thread but I've been jonesing hard for a Les Paul and shopping them steadily but I can't find one I like better than my Artist. I recently found a really good repair tech/luthier and he did a thorough sprucing up on it, new Seymour '59s, total re-set up and re-adjustment and the damn thing plays just incredibly hot right now.

I've given my Les Paul hunt a rest indefinitely.

That whole Japanese being inferior thing dates from the early 70s when the shittiest guitars around were MIJ. But Ibanez was still making quality guitars then. In 1976 I bought a PF350 bolt-neck LP Custom copy - they had just changed specs from the lawsuit version cosmetically but man, what a sweet guitar. In '78 I got a Gibson LP Standard for my 20th birthday present to myself, and it is a sweet LP - but the Ibanez still played WAY better. I sold it to a friend and have regretted it ever since.

Since that time the story about Japanese-made being inferior has mostly been spread by guys owning American-made guitars and trying to talk up their value. There was a learning curve way back when but the Japanese do a better job than some USA builders - not all, but some, for sure.

The Koreans do a damn good job nowadays too, and the Chinese and Indonesians are learning fast. The materials they're given are not the best but todqy's cheapos are so much nicer than the cheapos of 30 years ago.

[Jack Sabbath]

Here's a tip to test your string height at the nut:

Press down on any string at the 3rd fret. The string that you pressed down should be
just about touching the 1st fret. If it is touching the fret, the slot on the nut for that string
is probaly too deep.

If it's nowhere near the fret you need to cut the slot deeper.

[Space Bear]

I absolutely love the early 80's set neck Destroyers and V's. Those things KILLED!

I used to have the unofficial Phil Collen model with the three pups, kick-ass player. The second guitar I ever owned is my original, not reissue, Paul Stanley Iceman. One of the best playing instruments I've ever had. I stupidly traded it away because at 14 I thought the world revolved around whammy bars. The local tech (who still works on my gear to this day) convinced me not to route and destroy it. About three years later, it showed up for sale at another store... I traded three guitars to get it back. It has never left me since.

[ElToro]

I'm assembling a Floyd'd Destroyer right now...

[ElToro]

I have a few guitars with stainless steel frets. I gotta tell you guys, it's an amazing upgrade. I don't think I will buy many guitars without them in the future...

[Jack Sabbath]

One of my old Sg's is breaking in half. It's one of the early ones with the sketchy neck joints,
the crack started there. Noticed it's getting bigger. Heading from the neck joint towards
the back strap button. It's has one the better finishes that I've shot too.
Sucks. Looks like a resto is in my future.

[lerxstcat]

One of my old Sg's is breaking in half. It's one of the early ones with the sketchy neck joints,
the crack started there. Noticed it's getting bigger. Heading from the neck joint towards
the back strap button. It's has one the better finishes that I've shot too.
Sucks. Looks like a resto is in my future.

Sounds like you know how to fix it, at least. Much cheaper if you can do it yourself.

[Jack Sabbath]

The crack goes around to the back.