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Guitar Lounge / Walking away from a sale

« on: May 09, 2020, 06:46:56 AM »

Hello there everyone, I hope everyone is staying safe and well during these crazy times.

I wanted to share a story and maybe get people's thoughts on an experience I had before the lockdown kicked off, and wondered if anyone has had something similar because I'm still wondering if I did the right thing. I know certainly some people may call me mad.

I was in my local guitar store deliberately checking out Les Paul's comparing 50's and 60's style models. I was literally on the verge of purchasing what would be my first Gibson Les Paul when I noticed a very small hairline crack on the nut. I did mention this and they said it may just be a tooling mark. The rest of the guitar was fine and played great.

While I know full well that wether it's a crack in the nut or just a mark as they said, it's an easy fix. I just didn't feel comfortable any more. It was nothing to do with being able to afford it but it just didn't fit right to me having spend 2 grand on a new guitar that I may then still have to get extra work done. To me that just didn't seem like value for money. Not when I have 2 strats that play great and I used them straight from the box from the get go, neither of which needed any work.

In the end I walked away, I did feel bad for what I thought may have been wasting their time but they said they understood.

To this day I still think about it and wonder if I did the right thing, but it has seriously made me think about Epiphone again because while there may be some differences to the Gibson the value for money seems way higher, especially for some of the things they are putting out. I guess while I would potentially spend money on a Gibson I would prefer one without any defects.

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The Pickup Place / Injector Bridge in neck position?

« on: March 04, 2020, 08:32:25 PM »

Has anyone ever tried the Injector Bridge in the neck position? I ask because I was looking at the eq chart on Dimarzios website and it has a very similar eq chart to the HB 2 just a tad more bass, which is fine with me. I have a HB 2 in the neck position in one of my strats which tbh I do like but at times find myself wanting just a touch more output. I'm trying to retain the aesthetic of my strat to hence why I'm not going for a rails design.

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The Pickup Place / Dimarzio SDS 1

« on: March 04, 2020, 01:39:35 PM »

Hi there again

As the topic suggests I have a question with regards the output of the SDS 1. I've recently been liking the tone Jake E Lee gets with the SDS 1 in the neck and middle positions on his charvel. I have an HSS set up I like with an AT 1 in the bridge which so far I've been really happy with. My question is would the SDS 1 pair reasonably well with the AT 1 as I don't want to overpower the main humbucker in my guitar.

Also I know Jake E Lee uses the Seymour Duncan JB is that hotter or roughly about the same as the AT 1. Please note I'm not looking to replicate anyone's tone but this is how I get my ideas is all!

At the moment I have the HB2 in the neck and middle and I'm not getting exactly what I'm after. I'd like something with just a tad more output and something warmer still than the HB2. I'd like to avoid the rails design because I like the look of the pole piece design so ideally that would be my preference.

As always your thoughts are always appreciated. Thank you.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Solo

« on: February 29, 2020, 09:50:12 PM »

Thanks for all the responses guys, as electricbhakti my amp and style of music or sound may help the discussion.
I play through a 50 watt Marshall Origin tube head paired with a 2X12 cab, it's a very simple and relatively bright amp, single channel so no separate overdrive which is my preference. I'm not into multi channel amps. My basic crunch comes the old school way of cranking the amp till break up, I never really ever use a pure clean sound. I find turning the volume down on my guitar puts me in that sonic space adequately. I prefer Pickups with a fair bit of out put to them so medium output at least to high, as I like the saturation they provide, and I like the fact that the amp gets a little kick in the guts so to speak.
I prefer more modern saturated sounds and I like the neck pickup sounds Jake e lee gets with the SDS 1 in the neck hence why I was thinking Virtual Solo in the neck of my guitar, VS also because it's noiseless. Also would the Virtual Solo balance well with the AT1 in the bridge?
I tend to like sounds with enhanced bass response and mid response to and I've played the HB2 in the neck position and even that I find turning the treble down with my tone control! I don't play metal, my style being firmly Blues based but I really love the low end bass response and clarity some of the metal guys get, which sonically is more my thing than the Texas blues thing (it's great! Just not my preference is all)
Apologies for going on a bit but if that helps shed any more light into where I'm headed then great

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Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: The AT-1

« on: February 06, 2020, 03:07:11 PM »

I have the AT-1 installed in the bridge of my HSS strat. For me it brought my guitar to life waking it up. Where as once I was fighting my guitar to get more out of it, it now feels effortless to get the required output, depth and body to my sound. Chords for me are full and leads sing out with the required sustain I like. In many ways I could not be happier.
Only once when I guested with a more progressive style band did I find myself wanting a little more output which has left me toying with trying a Tone Zone or Super Distortion but it happens very rarely so I have not felt the push to do that yet simply because I very much like what I can get out of my AT-1.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Solo

« on: February 05, 2020, 07:47:43 AM »

Hi there thanks for the replies guys.

In the neck I want something that's smoother and mellower than a regular single coil. I have a Heavy Blues 2 in my other HSS strat which I love but in my other SSS strat (which is the one I'm modding) I'd like to try and get an even mellower sound than the HB2 but with the out put to sustain notes. Also i simply want my SSS strat to be totally different to my HSS to. I don't mind dark in the neck, I'm fine with dark as long as it's not flubby. I don't like that.

The injectors I've looked at but the clips I've heard tend to be very bright with a lot of top end which I don't like, that being said I do think they sound absolutely awesome with gain but clean they sound really bright, that being said, the people I've seen demo them may not be using their tone controls and I live on my tone control!

I prefer my Pickups to be on the slightly hotter side also as I like something that drives and helps my amp fold over a bit more.

Would a combination of injector in the neck work with Solo in the bridge maybe? I want them to both kind of match is all.

Cheers again guys I really value your input.

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The Pickup Place / Dimarzio Virtual Solo

« on: February 04, 2020, 07:18:30 AM »

Hi there guys, it's been a while since I've been on. Was exceptionally busy with my band but now hit a quiet patch and changing jobs so has been manic. Anyway I have always found this site helpful and you guys informative over gear which I value hence why I'm here.

As the title suggests I have questions with regards the Dimarzio Virtual Solo. I realise this pickup has been spoken about before but I'm struggling to find examples or experiences of people's use of them.

I have an American Pro Series maple neck strat with three single coils. I'm not happy with the output and frankly not digging the sound of the current Tim Shaw singles any more! I'm not bothered about the traditional strat tones the quack etc so something a bit more modern I'm fine with. Would prefer if possible to avoid rails purely from an aesthetic point of view but may consider one in the bridge.

I'm interested in the Virtual Solo in both neck and bridge with a Heavy Blues 2 in the middle. What are people's experiences of using the Solo in either or both of those positions and being the same output would they balance ok? I'm after a more powerful rock based sound which can handle sustain and in the neck position can handle sustainy kind of lead solos. I already have a HSS strat with a Heavy Blues 2 in the neck so I was after this to be different hence why I'm looking at the Virtual Solo as I don't want my strats to be the same.

Any thoughts and opinions would be most helpful, thank you very much guys.

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The Pickup Place / PAF Master in strat

« on: January 12, 2019, 01:56:25 PM »

Hi there guys I hope everyone is well. Well I'm back to playing around with pickups again and I have become very interested in the PAF master pickups.
One of my questions is regarding the output, with it being a low output humbucker would it balance ok with the Heavy Blues 2 single I have in the neck? I don't want a massive volume jump between the pickups. The HB2 I know has a higher DC resistance rating than the master and wondered if they would balance out ok.

Also as it's a strat which are naturally brighter instruments would the master be too bright? One thing I do love about it from what I've heard is the articulation under gain which I love as it would suit some of the complex chordal arrangements I write for my bands music. That being said I do want it to retain the girth and beefiness of a humbucker. Most of my gain comes from having a TS808 into a driven amp. Not metal but a definite classic crunch.

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Gear Closet / Re: In ear monitors.

« on: November 24, 2018, 06:27:44 AM »

Thank you for the response guys I really appreciate that. I'm going to dig a bit deeper because I don't want to end up forking out lots of money for the wrong set yet at the same time get a really cheap set that won't do what I need it to.
Another one of my concerns to stem from the fact I don't want to loose that "live" feeling you get from being in a Live band context. I'm admittedly a little worried in ears would disconnect me from what's really going on and produce more of a studio sound in my ears which I don't want. I really find it easier, when it is my turn to step forward and solo to hear everything that's going on so I can play the right thing for the situation.

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Gear Closet / In ear monitors.

« on: November 04, 2018, 07:44:22 PM »

Hell there guys,

I've always found this place really helpful and informative with regards gear and stuff so hopefully you all may be able to shed some light into a dilemma I'm having.

The singer in my band uses in ear monitors and swears by them and has suggested I need them as during rehearsal I have found myself struggling to hear certain cues the singer "sings" for me to know exactly where I'm at. I know in a stage mix I'd want to hear, besides my guitar, vocals first then drums second. Also I do provide backing vocals and am working on harmonies as well, so hearing the singer to harmonise is key. That being said my forte is the guitar.

My concern comes admittedly from lack of experience, in all my other bands and performing even in bigger theatres we never used them as there were wedges. If I had I.E.M's would that give more control to the sound guy over my guitar sound? I'm thinking as in turning me down etc? I play through 2X12 or 4X12 cabs as they give a depth and fullness to the sound I'm going for and don't want someone turning me down just because I've got ear pieces in.

Also what are the benefits of in ear monitors, having never used them I don't really know what I'd be buying into, and I'd rather hear from anyone specifically guitar players with any experience of them what they think of them and why they use them and or like to use them.

Any help advice would be greatly appreciated, with guitars, amps pedals and pickups I can talk about and kind of hold my own but this is completely new to me!

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The Pickup Place / Gravity Storm

« on: October 14, 2018, 11:56:07 AM »

Hello there everyone, due to being absolutely swamped by that evil thing called work I've been unable to message as much! But anyway I'm still here! 😀.

Anyway I have decided for my American H.S.S strat to go for Heavy Blues 2 in neck and middle with Gravity Storm in the bridge. Where I do become unsure is wether the G.S bridge would be too high output when balancing it with the H.B 2. I was looking at putting the G.S Neck in the bridge of my strat because the Dimarzio site does say it can be used in that position, and the output number does look like it would balance more, I don't want high output but at the same time I want something hotter than a standard PAF.
Also would I need to change the pots in my guitar for this? If so would it just be for the humbucker or would it be for everything?

Hope everyone is well and all the best.

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The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Tablature quest

« on: July 02, 2018, 06:58:40 AM »

Thank you for that. 🙂

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The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Tablature quest

« on: July 01, 2018, 11:47:35 AM »

Hi there,

Was wondering if anyone could help as I have been looking around for the tablature online for Jason Beckers track Perpetual Burn and can't find it anywhere! Admittedly I'm not great at online stuff so it could be me lol, but if anyone could either show or provide a link for it that would be amazing.

Cheers.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Gravity Storm Revisited...

« on: June 29, 2018, 05:01:50 PM »

Recently I've had the guys from the Dimarzio tech team online suggest the Gravity storm F spaced neck model for the bridge of my strat. After checking it out I like the sound for my HSS strat. My question however is what does F spaced mean when referring to this pickup or in general?

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Gear Closet / Re: Amp choices

« on: June 27, 2018, 06:39:24 AM »

I'm now in the market looking for a new amp for gigging in small to medium venues, but have had my share of players experience to know what I like and don't like.
My first amp was a very small 10 watt Squire transistor amp which was pretty much my first practice amp however that was soon traded in for a 20 watt Solid State Marshall which was my main amp and at first loved it. Used it for a few gigs but realised soon that due to being drowned out but both the other guitarist and drummer I upped the horsepower to a 50 Watt, the cleans I loved but the drive not so much.
That was the last amp I physically bought but my playing continued just using or borrowing other people's gear cheaper but so much more hassle! During that time I played a Randall 100 watt in a 4X12 cab which convinced me I would never go back to using single speaker amps for live or rehearsals! Also a line 6 with two 12 inch speakers which I did like but could never bond with all the controls on it. Had a brief flirtation with a Peavy (forgotten the actual model!) but was an 80 watt monster!
Recently though I was looking at the Hot Rod Devilles and was and still am taken by the Michael Landau model. However practically I don't think a combo of that size word work for my situation. Sonically it would be great but am now back where I started looking at getting a 50 watt Marshall head with a 2X12 cab. This for the reasons being it will be a lot easier to move a separate head and speaker cabinet with the side carry handles rather than one 60 watt 2X12 combo with one little carry handle.
One thing I can say about my experience with Marshall so far is that generally my experience has been good but I've never had to spend a great deal of time getting what I want from them. Even though the Randall thus far has been the best one the amount of headroom was immense and it did take me longer each time to dial in the tone I wanted.