Your latest discovery guitar-wise.

Blazer · April 8th, 2006, 04:40 PM

Okay let's all share our latest "Gee-never-knew-this-would-work-so-well-for-me" discoveries guitar wise.

As you might recall I am the owner of a heavily modified Les Paul Custom (I re-necked it and substituded its humbuckers in favor of P90 soapbar pickups) and I got my "A-ha" moment when stringing it up with a very hefty set of Flatwound strings (A whopping 015-060 set) and Tuning it in an open D tuning of D-A-D-F#-A-D with the intention of using it for slide. But instead I started experimenting with finding chords in that tuning and the results are very musical and fresh. The dark woody sound of the all mahogany body is beautifully compensated by the bright sound of the P-90 pickups, it's the first solid body guitar in my collection which has a really beautifull clean dropped D sound.

I am now experimenting with incorporating those unusual chords into my songs which I intend to record on my first solo album.

Charlie Bernstein · April 8th, 2006, 04:48 PM

alvin youngblood hart. just put one of his albums on day before yesterday and was blown straight into next year. everything from delta to tin pan alley to metal. and the man can SING.

whew!

ps

the les/p-90 combo (shades of gold-top) sounds cool. ever think about alnicos?

my drop-d sounds just the way the tele god intended.

=O]

trag-o-caster · April 8th, 2006, 07:23 PM

Quote:

alvin youngblood hart. just put one of his albums on day before yesterday and was blown straight into next year. everything from delta to tin pan alley to metal. and the man can SING.

Amen! I first heard Alvin in a record shop in Memphis back in 99 and was blown right off of my feet. I wasn't ready for it, and I'd been a big fan of that Charlie Patton/Tommy Johnson Delta school of guitar playing. I never dreamed that anyone in our modern times could pick up on that stuff, and make it sound genuine. It sounds so simple, yet it's the hardest music in the world to play correctly.

Alvin hangs out here too - hats off to you Alvin - wherever you are!

ednew · April 9th, 2006, 11:07 AM

Recently got a National ResoRocket and am learning delta blues slide. Brozman is a wonderful instructor and reso mentor.

I've been slowly workin' my way thru Son House, Blind Willie Johnson/McTell, Tampa Red, Robt. Johnson.

What 1-2 cd's of Alvin's would you recommend to study?

Appreciate your help!

Tele295 · April 9th, 2006, 03:37 PM

60's Tuck & roll Kustom solid state amps with a vintage C12N - wow. I never would have guess that tone came out of that amp!

The String King · April 9th, 2006, 03:55 PM

I recently installed a Texas Special bridge P/U into my Tele... And through my Tubescreamer this thing can really SING! Beautiful icepick highs, preserved mids, and a nice bass-ey sound. (especially seeing as I keep the bass and mids at around 7 on my amp...)

6bender · April 9th, 2006, 10:26 PM

I just picked up one of these in my local store the other day. http://www.samedaymusic.com/product-...ansparent+Gray I've been wanting something "Stratty" but without the standard Strat look and not too pricey. It's a really nice axe. The workmanship is outstanding, it's lightweight, the pickups sound great and it's a breeze to play. It doesn't have the super shredding neck, feels more like a Gibson slim 60's neck. I'm sold!

Seriously, I did just go in for strings!

Charlie Bernstein · April 10th, 2006, 05:06 PM

...is called territory. it's the only one i've ever heard - but i'm going to track down more.

i'm addicted.

ednew · April 10th, 2006, 05:23 PM

Thanks--I'll check it out.

Meantime, his "Big Mama's Door" is on the way.

Ben Harmless · April 10th, 2006, 05:29 PM

I discovered that's I've all but outgrown my cheap, Alverez acoustic. There are things that I want to do on it that its construction and hardware make difficult, and to add to the problem, I met a Taylor 414-ce the other day that I really bonded with, but can't afford...

Joel Terry · April 10th, 2006, 08:19 PM

I've discovered that I like Strats a lot better with the Tele's wiring configuration/pickup combinations. I get three sounds I like instead of only two. (Never really cared too much for the sound of the Strat's middle pickup and the 2 and 4 quack tones.)

Joel

bebopalula · April 10th, 2006, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Terry

I've discovered that I like Strats a lot better with the Tele's wiring configuration/pickup combinations. I get three sounds I like instead of only two. (Never really cared too much for the sound of the Strat's middle pickup and the 2 and 4 quack tones.)
Joel

the Neck pup alone can be round and full(and deep),
but there's a clarity to the Middle pup
that really sings with a slide.

it can be very "horn-like" too.

respond well to fingers.

don't write it off.

genelovesjez · April 10th, 2006, 10:38 PM

My latest discovery is the fact that to get my Flying V sounding the way I want it to (with that nice "woody" sound), I had to raise the pickups to as close to the strings as possible. Who would have thought?

Old Doc Skinner · April 11th, 2006, 09:03 AM

Lollar P-90's - I LOVE these pickups!!!

Regarding Alvin's CDs, you can't go wrong, but "Big Mama's Door" (1996) has the biggest dose of acoustic blues. "Territory" (1998) found him stretching out a bit, with a little Western Swing and Reggae, etc. Let's face it, Alvin can and will do musically whatever he wants, and it oughta work every time. His latest, "Motivational Speaker", just flat-out ROCKS. "Start with the Soul" (2000) and "Down in the Alley" (2002) are also excellent. Check out his re-working of the Cornelius Brothers' "Treat her Like a Lady" on "Start with the Soul" 8) Hats off, for sure, Alvis!

Durtdog · April 11th, 2006, 09:22 AM

Alvin's a great perfomer, for sure. I saw him years ago at Merlefest, and was blown away. Saw him walking around the festival later, stopped to chat and bought "Big Mama's Door" from him. Great stuff.

BB · April 11th, 2006, 12:04 PM

While not really "discoveries"......the recent aquisition of a discontinued Telestar "Mona" has rekindled my love of the old funky, greasy Dano/Silvertone style guitars.

Not only is Mona is a delight to play....the action and intonation are excellent....but the tone.....oh, the tone!!! This guitar rings when stummed de-amplified. Plugged in, the excellent sounding lipstick tube pickups take that wonderful acoustic tone to another level altogether. The cheap, dime sized tone and volume pots are as well voiced as any guitar I've played.

Another eye opener is an Ibanez EW20 acoustic guitar I picked up for my daughter recently. Not only is it a visually stunning guitar, the tone and playability are in a league with guitars costing 2-3 times as much.

I've always been a fan of low cost, off the wall guitars. These two have quickly risen to the top of the class.

Nub · April 11th, 2006, 05:57 PM

A while back, I went shopping for a jazz guitar. I looked at the Ibanez Artcores, Gibsons (335, 137), and a Heritage (505). In the end, an orange Yamaha AES-1500 caught my attention, and it is quickly becoming my favorite guitar. The finish work on it is beautiful, the neck is comfortable, and the pickups are fantastic; they are DiMarzio humbucking Q-100's, they sound like warm P-90's, and can be individually split to single coils. This guitar is making it hard to play my Teles...

http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/produc...RODUCT,00.html

simonc · April 11th, 2006, 10:52 PM

Having the few allen keys required to adjust ANY guitar handy is an important thing.Not just for Floyd Rose type trem equipped ones.

OutlawSteph1975 · April 11th, 2006, 11:17 PM

I've been learning some traditional jazz in hopes of understanding fusion eventually. I figure I'd start with the more traditional end of the genre. It's a very rewarding genre to learn, not as hard as I thought it would be, and I find that it helps me be more creative in rock and blues.

simonc · April 12th, 2006, 08:57 AM

Just tried this one also, & it didnt seem o warrant the need for a new thread so here goes....

I used some "turtle wax" brand scratch & haze remover to polish up my sunburst tele tonight, & she came up a beaut! what got me hooked was on the bottle it said "ideal for clear finishes"
so it sounded like the go, & it sure was.So I guess if you are anal retentive like me, give it a go! (Id check its ok with your finish 1st though , mine is a poly sunburst).

TG · April 12th, 2006, 09:53 AM

My last big guitar discovery was telecasters.

And it might well actually be the last.

Sorry to sound cliche...but I suspect it's the truth.

TB72 · April 12th, 2006, 07:34 PM

I recently acquired a Gibson Blueshawk, and I'm really taking a liking to the thing (to the point that it even gets more attention than my teles at some gigs).

The best way to describe it is "the love child of a Thinline Tele and an LP Junior."

It's got a pair of P90 style pups (with a dummy coil to cancel hum), 25.5" scale length, and a Varitone (which I removed and replaced with a second volume control).

I'm not sure why, but these guitars have seemingly flown under the radar since their inception. Mine has turned the heads of quite a few of my guitar-playing friends (hardcore Fender guys at that). If you come across one, be sure and have a go and see what you think....vastly under-rated IMHO.

Later...

Ben Jammin' · April 12th, 2006, 07:43 PM

And the Axxx Custom Shop.

You really need to check this guy out.

:D :D :D

vic108 · April 13th, 2006, 07:59 AM

I got my greedy little paws on a Gibson L6-S
that's just pure joy to play. With the "MID"
knob on it, I get into tonal territory I've never
been before! The maple neck on this Gibby
is sweet and snappy too.

It's light and contoured and beats all my other
guitars hands down - except for the Teles...

bo · April 13th, 2006, 10:14 AM

I've put Duncan Vintage P90s and a lightweight tailpiece on my Hamer Special and it performs great in all the situations I'd have only used a Tele for in the past.

April 8th, 2006, 04:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Blazer Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3,265	Your latest discovery guitar-wise. Okay let's all share our latest "Gee-never-knew-this-would-work-so-well-for-me" discoveries guitar wise. As you might recall I am the owner of a heavily modified Les Paul Custom (I re-necked it and substituded its humbuckers in favor of P90 soapbar pickups) and I got my "A-ha" moment when stringing it up with a very hefty set of Flatwound strings (A whopping 015-060 set) and Tuning it in an open D tuning of D-A-D-F#-A-D with the intention of using it for slide. But instead I started experimenting with finding chords in that tuning and the results are very musical and fresh. The dark woody sound of the all mahogany body is beautifully compensated by the bright sound of the P-90 pickups, it's the first solid body guitar in my collection which has a really beautifull clean dropped D sound. I am now experimenting with incorporating those unusual chords into my songs which I intend to record on my first solo album. __________________ "I reject your reality and subsitute my own." - Adam Savage, Mythbusters

April 8th, 2006, 04:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Charlie Bernstein Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 2,466	easy: alvin youngblood hart. just put one of his albums on day before yesterday and was blown straight into next year. everything from delta to tin pan alley to metal. and the man can SING. whew! ps the les/p-90 combo (shades of gold-top) sounds cool. ever think about alnicos? my drop-d sounds just the way the tele god intended. =O]

April 9th, 2006, 11:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
ednew Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Age: 61 Posts: 412	Alvin cd recommendations Recently got a National ResoRocket and am learning delta blues slide. Brozman is a wonderful instructor and reso mentor. I've been slowly workin' my way thru Son House, Blind Willie Johnson/McTell, Tampa Red, Robt. Johnson. What 1-2 cd's of Alvin's would you recommend to study? Appreciate your help!

April 9th, 2006, 03:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Haunted Amp, CA Posts: 3,270 14 Photos	60's Tuck & roll Kustom solid state amps with a vintage C12N - wow. I never would have guess that tone came out of that amp! __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

April 9th, 2006, 03:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
The String King Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: East Sussex, U.K. Age: 16 Posts: 1,065 22 Photos	Hmmm... I recently installed a Texas Special bridge P/U into my Tele... And through my Tubescreamer this thing can really SING! Beautiful icepick highs, preserved mids, and a nice bass-ey sound. (especially seeing as I keep the bass and mids at around 7 on my amp...) __________________ I twang therefore I am

April 9th, 2006, 10:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
6bender Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southwest PA Age: 49 Posts: 105 2 Photos	An Ibanez! I just picked up one of these in my local store the other day. http://www.samedaymusic.com/product-...ansparent+Gray I've been wanting something "Stratty" but without the standard Strat look and not too pricey. It's a really nice axe. The workmanship is outstanding, it's lightweight, the pickups sound great and it's a breeze to play. It doesn't have the super shredding neck, feels more like a Gibson slim 60's neck. I'm sold! Seriously, I did just go in for strings!

April 10th, 2006, 05:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
Charlie Bernstein Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 2,466	the alvin y. hart i have... ...is called territory. it's the only one i've ever heard - but i'm going to track down more. i'm addicted.

April 10th, 2006, 05:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
ednew Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Age: 61 Posts: 412	Thanks--I'll check it out. Meantime, his "Big Mama's Door" is on the way.

April 10th, 2006, 05:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ben Harmless Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany, NY US of A Posts: 3,155 6 Photos	I discovered that's I've all but outgrown my cheap, Alverez acoustic. There are things that I want to do on it that its construction and hardware make difficult, and to add to the problem, I met a Taylor 414-ce the other day that I really bonded with, but can't afford... __________________ "I think I'll go for the life of sin, followed by the last-minute, presto-change-o, deathbed repentance." - B. Simpson

April 10th, 2006, 08:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
Joel Terry Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Old Hickory (Nashville), Tennessee, USA Age: 40 Posts: 4,405 17 Photos	I've discovered that I like Strats a lot better with the Tele's wiring configuration/pickup combinations. I get three sounds I like instead of only two. (Never really cared too much for the sound of the Strat's middle pickup and the 2 and 4 quack tones.) Joel __________________ Jesus saves--and He passes the savings on to YOU! ASPCA "Well...."

April 10th, 2006, 10:38 PM	#13 (permalink)
genelovesjez Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 41 Posts: 3,735	My latest discovery is the fact that to get my Flying V sounding the way I want it to (with that nice "woody" sound), I had to raise the pickups to as close to the strings as possible. Who would have thought?

April 11th, 2006, 09:03 AM	#14 (permalink)
Old Doc Skinner Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 673	Lollar P-90's - I LOVE these pickups!!! Regarding Alvin's CDs, you can't go wrong, but "Big Mama's Door" (1996) has the biggest dose of acoustic blues. "Territory" (1998) found him stretching out a bit, with a little Western Swing and Reggae, etc. Let's face it, Alvin can and will do musically whatever he wants, and it oughta work every time. His latest, "Motivational Speaker", just flat-out ROCKS. "Start with the Soul" (2000) and "Down in the Alley" (2002) are also excellent. Check out his re-working of the Cornelius Brothers' "Treat her Like a Lady" on "Start with the Soul" 8) Hats off, for sure, Alvis! __________________ There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life. -Frank Zappa

April 11th, 2006, 09:22 AM	#15 (permalink)
Durtdog Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 3,245	Alvin's a great perfomer, for sure. I saw him years ago at Merlefest, and was blown away. Saw him walking around the festival later, stopped to chat and bought "Big Mama's Door" from him. Great stuff.

April 11th, 2006, 12:04 PM	#16 (permalink)
BB Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Pacific NW Age: 53 Posts: 3,113	While not really "discoveries"......the recent aquisition of a discontinued Telestar "Mona" has rekindled my love of the old funky, greasy Dano/Silvertone style guitars. Not only is Mona is a delight to play....the action and intonation are excellent....but the tone.....oh, the tone!!! This guitar rings when stummed de-amplified. Plugged in, the excellent sounding lipstick tube pickups take that wonderful acoustic tone to another level altogether. The cheap, dime sized tone and volume pots are as well voiced as any guitar I've played. Another eye opener is an Ibanez EW20 acoustic guitar I picked up for my daughter recently. Not only is it a visually stunning guitar, the tone and playability are in a league with guitars costing 2-3 times as much. I've always been a fan of low cost, off the wall guitars. These two have quickly risen to the top of the class.

April 11th, 2006, 05:57 PM	#17 (permalink)
Nub Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal Posts: 856	A while back, I went shopping for a jazz guitar. I looked at the Ibanez Artcores, Gibsons (335, 137), and a Heritage (505). In the end, an orange Yamaha AES-1500 caught my attention, and it is quickly becoming my favorite guitar. The finish work on it is beautiful, the neck is comfortable, and the pickups are fantastic; they are DiMarzio humbucking Q-100's, they sound like warm P-90's, and can be individually split to single coils. This guitar is making it hard to play my Teles... http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/produc...RODUCT,00.html

April 11th, 2006, 10:52 PM	#18 (permalink)
simonc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Perth Western Australia Age: 29 Posts: 1,493 4 Photos	Having the few allen keys required to adjust ANY guitar handy is an important thing.Not just for Floyd Rose type trem equipped ones. __________________ Never, EVER, stop in the middle of a hoe-down" -Homer Simpson

April 11th, 2006, 11:17 PM	#19 (permalink)
OutlawSteph1975 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,811 7 Photos	I've been learning some traditional jazz in hopes of understanding fusion eventually. I figure I'd start with the more traditional end of the genre. It's a very rewarding genre to learn, not as hard as I thought it would be, and I find that it helps me be more creative in rock and blues.

April 12th, 2006, 08:57 AM	#20 (permalink)
simonc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Perth Western Australia Age: 29 Posts: 1,493 4 Photos	Just tried this one also, & it didnt seem o warrant the need for a new thread so here goes.... I used some "turtle wax" brand scratch & haze remover to polish up my sunburst tele tonight, & she came up a beaut! what got me hooked was on the bottle it said "ideal for clear finishes" so it sounded like the go, & it sure was.So I guess if you are anal retentive like me, give it a go! (Id check its ok with your finish 1st though , mine is a poly sunburst). __________________ Never, EVER, stop in the middle of a hoe-down" -Homer Simpson

April 12th, 2006, 09:53 AM	#21 (permalink)
TG Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beside a bog in the west of Ireland Age: 46 Posts: 4,427 7 Photos	My last big guitar discovery was telecasters. And it might well actually be the last. Sorry to sound cliche...but I suspect it's the truth.

April 12th, 2006, 07:34 PM	#22 (permalink)
TB72 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ottawa Canada Posts: 475	Oh No....a Gibson!!! I recently acquired a Gibson Blueshawk, and I'm really taking a liking to the thing (to the point that it even gets more attention than my teles at some gigs). The best way to describe it is "the love child of a Thinline Tele and an LP Junior." It's got a pair of P90 style pups (with a dummy coil to cancel hum), 25.5" scale length, and a Varitone (which I removed and replaced with a second volume control). I'm not sure why, but these guitars have seemingly flown under the radar since their inception. Mine has turned the heads of quite a few of my guitar-playing friends (hardcore Fender guys at that). If you come across one, be sure and have a go and see what you think....vastly under-rated IMHO. Later... __________________ Why is easy-listening music so hard to listen to?

April 12th, 2006, 07:43 PM	#23 (permalink)
Ben Jammin' TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 47	Tim Wallis And the Axxx Custom Shop. You really need to check this guy out. :D :D :D

April 13th, 2006, 07:59 AM	#24 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 52 Posts: 947 9 Photos	I got my greedy little paws on a Gibson L6-S that's just pure joy to play. With the "MID" knob on it, I get into tonal territory I've never been before! The maple neck on this Gibby is sweet and snappy too. It's light and contoured and beats all my other guitars hands down - except for the Teles... __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

April 13th, 2006, 10:14 AM	#25 (permalink)
bo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 1,739	I've put Duncan Vintage P90s and a lightweight tailpiece on my Hamer Special and it performs great in all the situations I'd have only used a Tele for in the past.