Lets look at our guitars thread

[6th Gear]

Cheers Phil. Funnily enough I saw Ramsay just last night.

What have you got?

[Tom_C76]

Mastodon2 said:

JaymzDead said:

They are great guitars for metal, the guitarist in the hardcore band that I used to be in had one, I borrowed it for a few days and it was great for what it was. However although the vast majority of what I play is on the metal end of the spectrum, I just can't get on with EMG pickups, again if you want to sound like Hetfield, Hammett, King or Wylde they're great but they don't offer the broad tonal range that Seymour Duncans or DiMarzios do. I used to have a pre lawsuit ESP Explorer (i.e. Gibson shaped, now worth a fortune!!) that had passives and it was awesome as is my LTD Mirage that has Duncan Designs (basically a Seymour Duncan JB bridge and a Jazz neck pup but made under licence) and my LTD Viper that I've put a Dimebucker bridge and a 59 neck into. It's a major annoyance that the vast majority of ESP Ltds seem to come with EMG as if you buy a Korean made one the build quality is superb.

Some of EMGs new offerings are really good. I must admit to not being a huge EMG fan previously due to the lack of flexibility, the new 57, 66 and 60s are all really nice. The 57/66 in particular is a great combo. The new X line of ERG pickups are really good too, they used to be rubbish - the EMG 707 is one of my least favourite 7 string pickups but the 707X is a great thing. They're still not as expressive as a good set if Dimarzios, but they have their applications.

I had a set of EMGs bunged into my Charvel 475 in place of the stock Jackson Humbuckers (stacked HBs in neck and middle, standard HB in the bridge plus a mid-boost). It's now got an 89 in the bridge, and a pair of EMG single coils in the other two, plus a mid boost and a tap on the 89, and it sounds way better than stock, almost strat like on positions 2 and 4. Plus the EMGs fit the stock routing, which assumes the wires come out the back of the pickups like EMG or Lace, rather than standard Strat style with the bulge on the bottom of the pickup.

[shirt]

I've had an arch top acoustic for a while but it wasn't set up properly and as such I didn't have the impetus to practice. He's sorting that plus installing a p90 and bigsby. Seems like a good bloke.

[shirt]

Speak of the devil and he appears! All done waiting for collection:

https://youtu.be/WggV6rxU_2w

I did provide black bakelite knobs and asked him to source a black cover for the BKP p90 and make a black guard. However I am glad he did his own thing as I think this looks perfect.

Recommendations for a low volume practice amp? My ideal would be a boutique low wattage champ clone but my abilities don't justify one.

[Don1]

shirt said:

Recommendations for a low volume practice amp? My ideal would be a boutique low wattage champ clone but my abilities don't justify one.

I'm thinking of the same...

[The Nur]

I've just got a blackstar ht1r that I'm very pleased with. Might be worth a look?

[rsbmw]

Ht1r is brilliant

[SWoll]

If you've got the funds something from Tone King with the built in 'Ironman' attenuator should do the job.

http://www.andertons.co.uk/combo-amps/pid22715/cid...

Rather more expensive than the HT1R though...

[6th Gear]

Tone King.

Now we're talking.

Also check out Milkman. They do a great 5 watt.

[6th Gear]

https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/MILK-HP-112-V/combo-...

Milkman Half Pint.

Serious tone.

[shirt]

I was looking at the tone King and the milkman looks even better. I just can't justify that kind of kit for my playing ability though.

Can one of the bugera mini amps - t5/v5/g5 - get close to that kind of tweed sound if I paired it with a suitable cab? The heads seem well priced and I could easily make the cab myself

[The Nur]

I feel slightly embarrassed to have suggested the blackstar now

[Don1]

I was wondering about this sort of thing?

[The Nur]

Rob Chapman/Andertons have some good reviews on YouTube for the little orange amps, would provide a link but in work on phone

[shirt]

The Nur said:

I feel slightly embarrassed to have suggested the blackstar now

no need. my ideal amp i think is a victoria 518 champ clone but given i have spent the purchase price of my godin on parts and labour i would feel like i'm very much 'all the gear no idea'.....

blackstar is the right kind of thing as is the bugera. i just wonder if they will fit the bill.

i want that vintage p90/tweed razor quack for rockabilly & blues. this are the kind of things i have in my head when i say i want to learn guitar. probably a very different style and tone to what most on here would go for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUb_m8Dt1RE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TyzAAwJnIw

[Tom_C76]

Don1 said:

I was wondering about this sort of thing?

With those the amp is great, the cab really lets it down though. I used mine with a Vox 1x10 which was a huge improvement.

[6th Gear]

shirt said:

Speak of the devil and he appears! All done waiting for collection:

https://youtu.be/WggV6rxU_2w

I did provide black bakelite knobs and asked him to source a black cover for the BKP p90 and make a black guard. However I am glad he did his own thing as I think this looks perfect.
Recommendations for a low volume practice amp? My ideal would be a boutique low wattage champ clone but my abilities don't justify one.

Looks the business Phil.

Ramsay is a guru when it comes to guitars. So much so that Steve Vai personally reached out to him when he did his guitar clinic here earlier this year to be his tech.

Regarding amps there is a guy selling a Laney Cub 8 here if you're interested. Happy to connect you.

Or what about these...

https://m.thomann.de/gb/fender_bassbreaker_007_com...

https://m.thomann.de/gb/vox_ac4_blue.htm?o=17&...

[Mastodon2]

No pics from me but I've just had my Carvin Legacy I 2x12 repaired. Last weekend it started making some unbelievably loud pops and bangs, so I took it Stoneham amps in Newcastle who diagnosed some failing power tubes. A new set of Electro Harmonix EL34s in the rear, biased and ready to go. Very quick turn around and very reasonable pricing. It seemed that it had been run in 50 watt mode for a long time, which drops the load into the outer tubes (positions 1 and 4) and uses 2 and 3 mainly, as a result these two tubes were goosed and reaching the end of their life. I've got it in 100 watt mode now and don't notice any difference, so it will remain in this setting.

I've had a quick go tonight and everything seems to be in working order, I'm very happy again. I absolutely love this amp, wanted one for years and it's everything I hoped it would be.

Tomorrow I'll give it a proper workout. I've got a Tech 21 OMG Richie Kotzen signature OD / boost pedal in the post to arrive tomorrow, so that will get the run down with my Kotzen Strat. Can't wait to finish work tomorrow and get playing.

[Herkybird]

I use a Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 18. 1 watt for home use with options for 5 and 18 watts.
Can't fault it, compact and easily portable and produces some great sounds.

[JoeCastle]

Have you considered a champ kit? It's probably the cheapest way of getting a real nice Champ esque tone without breaking the bank massively and having fun at the same time.

Alternatively, check out DWJ amplification based in Liverpool. I'm pretty sure you'll end up with a great product, cheaper than "high street" boutique amps and more customization options!