Lets look at our guitars thread

[Pupp]

singlecoil said:

Pupp said:

...Bling hardware is good, right?...

I suggest that you give as much as possible of the gold hardware a couple of good coats of clear lacquer while it's still in good condition. The plating is very extremely thin and is inclined to look really manky after a few years.

I don’t think I’ll be doing that, ‘though I did wonder how durable the finish might be (have seen reports of earlier run guitars acquiring a ‘patina’).

It’s not going to be hammered or gigged around so hopefully will be okay

[OldSkoolRS]

I like the bling hardware, though as above it might be delicate. I got a 40th Anniversary Squier Strat last year as a retirement present. Wasn't over keen on the gold bits but it's grown on me (plus it's a nice book end to my 1982 JV Squier Strat). Doesn't get played a huge amount, so the gold is doing fine, unlike my main gigging Strat where the standard Fender bridge is looking quite worn after only 2 years.


I got this B stock Harley Benton to take on holidays with me. I was away for over 3 weeks earlier this year and missed playing, plus it took a bit of effort when I got back to get back up to speed again. We're planning some other longer holidays, so this should fit in my suitcase (maybe have to take the neck off, but not sure yet).



It's very light and slightly neck heavy, but it plays fine. I'll probably do a fret level and crown, maybe change the nut too since I have the tools and spares, just to get it playing absolutely spot on, but for £58 I really can't complain. I'll mostly be playing it unplugged anyway, but the pickups sound good enough if I manage to find any jam night/open mics on holiday too.

[SD_1]

Pupp said:

I’ve done a thing… always wanted a telecaster, flip flopped between traditional ‘pure’ all single coil iterations and ‘deluxe’ all humbucker models. Couldn’t decide as have both bases covered already.

So, tripped over the Richie Kotzen sig tele with a single on the bridge and a humbucker behind.. Japanese build; oh my just on execution. Bling hardware is good, right?

That is stunning, reckon that will all age very nicely. What's the bridge humbucker like? My Tele has been on the chopping block for years, considered fitting it with one of those or just selling and getting another.

[chemistry]

Pupp said:

I’ve done a thing… always wanted a telecaster, flip flopped between traditional ‘pure’ all single coil iterations and ‘deluxe’ all humbucker models. Couldn’t decide as have both bases covered already.

So, tripped over the Richie Kotzen sig tele with a single on the bridge and a humbucker behind.. Japanese build; oh my just on execution. Bling hardware is good, right?

Love that. Apparently they are great to play; big chunky neck but very comfortable.

[chemistry]

OldSkoolRS said:

I like the bling hardware, though as above it might be delicate. I got a 40th Anniversary Squier Strat last year as a retirement present. Wasn't over keen on the gold bits but it's grown on me (plus it's a nice book end to my 1982 JV Squier Strat). Doesn't get played a huge amount, so the gold is doing fine, unlike my main gigging Strat where the standard Fender bridge is looking quite worn after only 2 years.


I got this B stock Harley Benton to take on holidays with me. I was away for over 3 weeks earlier this year and missed playing, plus it took a bit of effort when I got back to get back up to speed again. We're planning some other longer holidays, so this should fit in my suitcase (maybe have to take the neck off, but not sure yet).



It's very light and slightly neck heavy, but it plays fine. I'll probably do a fret level and crown, maybe change the nut too since I have the tools and spares, just to get it playing absolutely spot on, but for £58 I really can't complain. I'll mostly be playing it unplugged anyway, but the pickups sound good enough if I manage to find any jam night/open mics on holiday too.

£58?! What a bargain! You’d have had to steal one to get it any cheaper!

Edited by chemistry on Saturday 27th May 22:39

[cherryowen]

OldSkoolRS said:

if I manage to find any jam night/open mics on holiday too.

See, I'd love to do that, but stage fright kills me.

I'd like to think I'm OK as a guitar player; recently I came up with a solo version of Gershwin's "Summertime" complete with an improvised ascending intro using A natural minor starting on the open A and ending on an E9 chord before starting the verse with an Am7. I warm up with a fingerpicked "Greensleeves" every evening. The opening solo to "Comfortably Numb"? Not a problem.

Put me in front of even the smallest audience, and I crash and burn (apart from NYE 2019 at my local with my mate Jan on vox, where we did stuff like "Kiss Me", "Take Me To Church", and I did a guitar transcription of "Fly Me To The Moon")

I don't know. On my own, I'm OK, but - largely - in front of people I play like a fking beginner.

Anyway. O/T as you were, all.

[OldSkoolRS]

It's only a Harley Benton Chemistry, but £58 does feel like I stole it.

cherryowen said:

See, I'd love to do that, but stage fright kills me

I do appreciate that. I used to play at school and local talent competitions, but I was a cocky kid I guess. Had a big gap until my mid 40s only playing at home and then started going to Rock Project and I was nervous back then, even just playing in the class sessions. Off the back of that I started playing open mics and our end of term gigs and I got hooked and ended up in a professional band.

Now I just love getting up on stage and doing vocals was an amazing experience when a crowd is singing back at you, like when I did a few terms of vocals at Rock project. I know people who have been almost physically ill before a gig, but once they'd done it they were itching to get back the next term and go again. I know it's easy for me to say having got over the nerves, but just getting out to play some jam night type gig with a house band might help...no one really cares if it goes a bit wrong (half don't even notice to be honest).

[Pupp]

SD_1 said:

That is stunning, reckon that will all age very nicely. What's the bridge humbucker like? My Tele has been on the chopping block for years, considered fitting it with one of those or just selling and getting another.

Thanks. The bridge p/u is great to my ears; warm but crunchy and rings for ever… no tone control in this application but there’s a phase switch that certainly adds another layer.
I’ve got a Meteora with all humbuckers (Mod Vs I think), it’s a very different sound to that (and that sounds good).

[Pupp]

chemistry said:

Love that. Apparently they are great to play; big chunky neck but very comfortable.

Very early days but it seems very comfortable to me, although I do have large hands

[SD_1]

Pupp said:

Thanks. The bridge p/u is great to my ears; warm but crunchy and rings for ever… no tone control in this application but there’s a phase switch that certainly adds another layer.
I’ve got a Meteora with all humbuckers (Mod Vs I think), it’s a very different sound to that (and that sounds good).

Do you still get the classic Tele twang with the humbucker? Didn't realise these had phasing switches, sounds like a cracking guitar.

[singlecoil]

SD_1 said:

Do you still get the classic Tele twang with the humbucker? Didn't realise these had phasing switches, sounds like a cracking guitar.

In my opinion the 'classic twang' owes much to the light construction of the biscuit tin bridges of the early models, which has an effect on the ASDR curve with a sharp attack and a short sustain which favours the higher frequencies, especially the overtones. A single coil pickup will also favour overtones but I expect a humbucker with the opposing poles physically close together wouldn't lose much over a single coil as long as it doesn't have too many windings.

[chemistry]

cherryowen said:

OldSkoolRS said:

if I manage to find any jam night/open mics on holiday too.

See, I'd love to do that, but stage fright kills me.

I'd like to think I'm OK as a guitar player; recently I came up with a solo version of Gershwin's "Summertime" complete with an improvised ascending intro using A natural minor starting on the open A and ending on an E9 chord before starting the verse with an Am7. I warm up with a fingerpicked "Greensleeves" every evening. The opening solo to "Comfortably Numb"? Not a problem.

Put me in front of even the smallest audience, and I crash and burn (apart from NYE 2019 at my local with my mate Jan on vox, where we did stuff like "Kiss Me", "Take Me To Church", and I did a guitar transcription of "Fly Me To The Moon")

I don't know. On my own, I'm OK, but - largely - in front of people I play like a fking beginner.

Anyway. O/T as you were, all.

I feel much the same. Tempted to do this, just to force myself to play with (and then in front of) others.

https://www.igf.org.uk/bath-summer-school-2023/

[mart 63]

New arrival.




4th guitar and only been playing 15 months, but manage to practice most days of the week. I wish i would have started years ago.

[OldSkoolRS]

That looks lovely Mart. Iced tea if I'm not mistaken.

That's good going having your first Gibson after only 15 months of playing. I bought my first as a 50th birthday present, having started playing about age 7.

Enjoy it in rude health.

[Don1]

Love it, but I can't stand pick guards on LPs. I'm a funny old sod.

Neighbour came round today returning a borrowed Explorer and tested a few others (Red Special, Chapman Norseman, Epi November Burst and a JS25 amongst others). I think he rather enjoyed it!

[WindyCommon]

Any Thinline Teles in the house…?

I have gas for one. Ideally sunburst, a rosewood ‘board and humbuckers or something more raunchy than than standard Tele pickups.

[OldSkoolRS]

WindyCommon said:

Any Thinline Teles in the house…?

I have gas for one. Ideally sunburst, a rosewood ‘board and humbuckers or something more raunchy than than standard Tele pickups.

I did a fret level and crown on one for a band mate a while ago. It was fitted with dual P90s. Wasn't much lighter than my solid body Tele, but was nice to play and did sound different to a regular Tele. I've got a standard 2x single coil, another with a neck humbucker and a higher winding bridge, plus a Cabronita I built from parts. All quite different (no point otherwise) and his P90 Slimline was different again.

[ben5575]

Lovely Gibson there

I bought a snide Dave Grohl in pelham blue a few months back which has been in the very slow boat from china ever since.

Just picked up that (typically) it’s looking like they’ll be rereleasing it again on both Gibson and Epi. So order has been cancelled and name down for the epi version.

[chemistry]

WindyCommon said:

Any Thinline Teles in the house…?

I have gas for one. Ideally sunburst, a rosewood ‘board and humbuckers or something more raunchy than than standard Tele pickups.

I've got one; a Fender (MIM) Special Edition 72 Thinline Deluxe in Seafoam Green (from 2016).

I've changed the stock 'fake' WRHB pickups for some Creamery ones (which are absolutely great, also swapped out the volume/tone pots and capacitor), swapped the tuners for Kluson Revolution trapezoid ones (work well, but look similar to the stylish-but-cheap-feeling originals) and the bridge for an Axecaster hipshot-style one (more comfortable and no chance of knocking the saddles up or down, unlike the original).

Overall I think its a great guitar and I play it a lot. Nice and light, resonant (I know they aren't truly semi acoustic, but you still can hear a difference if you cover the F-hole up), easy to play (mine has medium frets and a 9.5 inch radius) and the WRHB pickups have a P90 type feel about them.

Let us know if you get one...

[MrOnTheRopes]

TorqueDirty said:

Bought this the other day off ebay. I have been looking for a nice one for a while (I'm a lefty so hard to find).

Nice to see another lefty on here
My main bunch were EC Strats from the Fender custom shop. Had to be because they don't build a lefty version at the factory.
Had to sell the two I loved most (Goldleaf from Yuriy and Oly White from Todd).