Category: Guitar GAS

There’s no tone without the guitar, right? Anything and everything to do with guitars.

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The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Les Paul Tone

Over at The Guitar Magazine, Huw and the team have published a lengthy read on how to get vintage Les Paul tone without selling a kidney to pay for it.

http://www.theguitarmagazine.com/features/vintage-les-paul-tone-guide/

This is a topic that come up all the time on the two main Les Paul forums. The debates are long (and often become unpleasant), and they usually condense into three points:

  1. Most people don’t know what a vintage Les Paul actually sounds like.
  2. Some people insist that they can’t hear a difference, therefore there isn’t a difference.
  3. Some people think the difference isn’t worth the cost.

I’m very much in the first camp. I have no idea what a vintage Les Paul sounds like. I’ve never played one, and if I did get the chance to, I’d need to either play it through my rig or compare it with some of my guitars to have a reference point to help understand what I’d be hearing.

Have a read of the full article, and see what you think.

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Do Thicker Strings Sound Better?

Chris Buck is back with another Friday Fretworks video. This week, he’s looking at how string gauge affects tone,

Have a listen, and then head over to YouTube to leave a like and say which string gauge you preferred the sound of.

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Road Trip to Ernie Ball Music Man Factory

For this week’s Tuesday Talk, Mary Spender has shared her experience of driving up through California to visit the Ernie Ball Music Man factory.

It’s always cool to see how and where guitars are built. Most of us will never get a tour around a factory, so it’s awesome that Mary shared this with us. And California is just such a beautiful part of the world … 🙂

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Mary’s video.

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Squier Contempoary Series Telecaster 2018 Dual Humbucker Demo

Shane’s posted a demo of the new-for-2018 dual humbucker Squire Contempoary Series Telecaster. Check it out.

A Squier with a satin finish neck? That alone is likely to make it a popular choice. Squier necks are known for having thick glossy finishes that can be a little sticky for some players.

It’s hard to say how good this guitar sounds. The clean tones, and the dirt tones with the volume rolled down sound nice and clear. The full fat tones? Not so much. Shane does say that he thinks the guitar does sound clear, so maybe what we’re hearing is the effect of YouTube’s audio munging.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shane’s video.

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Andertons Unveils New Fender Signature Models

Andertons are back with a world exclusive! After PRS took a Fender Strat and stuck a PRS headstock on it, Fender are hitting back with new signature models from Slash and Carlos Santana. After all, if PRS can take an iconic guitar and slap a new headstock on it, why can’t Fender slap one of the most iconic headstocks of all time on a PRS guitar too?

This is an April Fools’ joke from Andertons, based on how the guitar community has reacted to the PRS Silver Sky. The two guitars in the video do exist, and are currently being auctioned on eBay for charity. Full links are in the video description on YouTube, so click through if you fancy bidding on either of these instruments!

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PRS Silver Sky vs Original Fender 1965 Stratocaster

The first batch of PRS Silver Sky guitars is out in the wild. Tim Pierce has borrowed one, and he’s posted a comparison of the Silver Sky vs an original Fender Stratocaster from 1965 – a guitar that costs about 10 times as much as the Silver Sky.

Have a listen.

I couldn’t hear a difference between the two guitars, not in the mix at any rate. And, honestly, I think that’s impressive.

Folks have been trying to recreate the fabled 59 Les Paul tone for decades, and so far no-one – including PRS – has managed to do so. We’ve ended up with some really good instruments to choose from if we don’t want a Gibson, but that hallowed tone has remained elusive. (In part because no-one can agree on what it is …). The PRS McCarty 594 is a fantastic guitar, but it does not sound like a Les Paul.

With the Silver Sky, it appears that PRS have managed to recreate that 60s Strat tone, and then improve on both the tone and the playing experience.

Once people get over the headstock, I’m sure this guitar is here to stay.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Tim’s video.

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Leo’s Shuriken / Helix Live Setup

Leo from Frog Leap Studios has posted a demo of his Line 6 Shuriken Variax, and how it enables him to perform his famous metal covers live.

It’s really cool how far the Variax has come from the early days. I had the original Variax – boy was that a long time ago – and it was so bad it ended up in the recycling. I couldn’t even give it away. But the Shuriken – especially paired with the Helix – looks worlds apart. Check out Leo’s video to see just what it can do.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Leo’s video.

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Comparing Two Fender Custom Shop Teles: 52 and 63

Dan and Mick have posted a video all about Dan’s new Fender Custom Shop Telecaster 52 Reissue, and how it compares to the Custom Shop 63 Reissue that he’s been using on That Pedal Show for the last couple of years.

This video is full of surprises: side by side, the 52 reissue doesn’t sound anything like they (or I) expected. It’s nowhere near as bright or sharp as a modern maple-boarded Tele would be, and of course it doesn’t rock like Dan’s red Tele famously does – yet it still has its own thing going on.

Even if you’re not into Fender Teles, it’s still worth watching just to watch them geeking out over gear, and trying to learn licks off each other. There’s an important lesson there: it’s no different to the last time you and your mates did exactly the same thing.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed this video.

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Fender Reliced Guitars Discussion

Ariel and Danish Pete are back with another Guitar Paradiso. This episode, they’re looking at reliced Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

This one quickly turns into a wide-ranging discussion about the whole concept of relicing Fender guitars, how different guitar finishes do (and don’t) wear over time, and why a reliced guitar might be a good choice.

Both Ariel and Pete are hugely experienced touring musicians, and it’s great to hear them sharing their experiences and personal preferences. Along the way, Pete digs out several of his personal Strats to help demonstrate the points he’s making, including guitars that he’s toured all round the world.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed this Andertons video.

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Squier Contemporary Series Telecaster Demo

Shane’s posted a first look at Squier’s Contemporary Series Telecaster. This demo is a bit different, as we get to hear it alongside live bass and a live second guitar.

We can’t all play Custom Shop guitars, and the days of “budget brand” guitars being utter trash are long gone. Whether it’s Squier, Epiphone, PRS SE, or other budget brands, these are perfectly usable instruments to learn on and use as a home hobbyist. And they’re getting better and better each and every year.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shane’s video and Ryan’s playing.