Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: MDV on February 23, 2008, 03:01:36 PM
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What the hells all the fuss about?
I wouldnt pay more than £300 for that. Shoddy neck join, un-resonant, thin sound generally cheap feeling.
Asking price was 1500 :?
The only thing it had going for it was its OFR, but I couldnt care less about that anyway.
Anyone had any better experiences? (Asside from Adam duckerwits or whatever his surname is out of KSE).
Is this typical?
Did I just get a bad example?
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I know that Soilwork (reasonably big scandinavian metal band) use them too.
Interesting you didn't find it to be very good. Admittedly, I haven't researched a great deal about them (and never played one), but all that I HAVE heard about them has been very positive.
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Wasn't too keen on the Horus I played. thin sounding bridge pickup, the neck was finished in what I can only describe as 'plasticy' and the overall sound wasn't fantastic that people make out they are. I'd rather have a USA Jackson for the money you have to pay.
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Mnemic use them too.
I heard they were superb - Suprised you disliked it so much :o
I thought they were Schallers not OFRs?
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1500 quid is Feline money, there is no substitute.
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I had the exact same experience, it was mushy and thin sounding (worst guitar sound i have ever heard) and i'd much rather go play my jap Ibanez.
It's my mates and it's still at my house (i was restringing it for him but he never took it back haha). It feels good but the sound is shocking and i wouldn't pay more than £300 for it either.
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1500 quid is Feline money, there is no substitute.
Hell yeah!!!
My legra cost less than that and sh!ts on it from a GREAT height.
So does my custom dean
So does my MIJ Jackson (best MIJ at the time, but still)
I mean Optimus H Christ, in build quality and acoustic tone my RG7321 is better :?
*Still really confused why anyone spending more than £1000 on a guitar wouldnt get Bob, Jon, Wez or someone similar to build them one*
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1500 quid is Feline money, there is no substitute.
Hell yeah!!!
My legra cost less than that and sh!ts on it from a GREAT height.
So does my custom dean
So does my MIJ Jackson (best MIJ at the time, but still)
I mean Optimus H Christ, in build quality and acoustic tone my RG7321 is better :?
*Still really confused why anyone spending more than £1000 on a guitar wouldnt get Bob, Jon, Wez or someone similar to build them one*
:lol: As we say down here ' Ya know what I mean!' or 'Innit' but to be frank I don't but do feel like it here! :lol: I was thinking when I read your post on it you must be taking your benchmark from your Legra from Bob. I bet my 20 year old Charvel would sound and play better too but it has been pimped by the pimp meister.
Don't believe all that hype and marketing. Less is more.
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Not everyone wants to wait months for a custom I guess.
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I thought the one I tried was nice, if it were about £600-£700 (and yeah, it had a schaller). I.e. the price it'd go for in Japan.
£1500? Have a titter of wit, as they'd say over here. :lol:
I played a tyler, huber and suhr next to the caparison, and each of those annihilated the caparison (and were about twice the price of the caparison). And I'd rather have my legra than any of those three. The fact it was half the price of those three...
I'd agree with your final comment, Mark. Generally speaking, I'll only buy an off-the-shelf guitar if it's under about £500 (and kick-ass, e.g. MIJ Fender/Gibbo copies, or second-hand eggles etc.). Any more (unless it's, say, neck-thru or something, where I'd maybe stretch another hundred or two), and as you say, you might as well go legra (or other custom). Longer wait, but better guitar, and exactly what you want.
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Not everyone wants to wait months for a custom I guess.
All good things come to those who wait. :)
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pre 06 non artist Capa's can be pretty bad and some are down right shitety, the ones made after 06 however- are different beasts all together.
Actually owning several Hamers and Suhr's, first hand the Capa's are up there. Guitarist did a fair review of the Deli in april's mag
For the most part they are made for modern metal. I just ordered a Crawler/Mothers milk H-S-S set for my Capa :twisted:
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1500 quid is Feline money, there is no substitute.
Hails to that! :D
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Yes and if you don't have that kind of money, get a Carvin. Haven't heard bad things about their custom shop.
Maybe Caparison is pretty biased about who they send their gear to. Mathias IA Ekhlund isn't exactly someone I'd expect to be fooled into playing shoddy gear.
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Mathias IA Ekhlund isn't exactly someone I'd expect to be fooled into playing shoddy gear.
This is the same Mattias IA Eklundh who recorded his earlier Freak Kitchen albums with really cheap, shoddy guitars, a transitor bass amp (which he claims had a bird's nest in it) and a soviet-built distortion pedal?
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Yes. The same Mattias Eklundh that used to be poor but can now play any piece of gear he wants.
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Guitar snobbery is one thing but elitism is a whole new ball game!
A good guitar tone on a reccord has substantially more to do with a good producer behind you in the studio who knows how to record a live guitar and the player being on the ball than what brand guitar is being used.
As I have previously said, if you look at who uses Caparison you will see it is 90% modern metal, like The Absence/Symphony X/Soilwork/KSE.
Live these guys want and need something that can give them that sound.
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I for one do not like caparison's pickups one bit, so can't stand their stock sound, but i am a pretty big caparison fan. Plus i'm really into a lot of the sponge finishes.
They don't touch the ESP customshop, but they're at least on par with their standard series, and cheaper too (at least where i am)
oh and im a rock boy, through and through.
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I'd rather have a Korean Ibanez anyday considering I'm an MIJ snob pretty much :P :P
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Anyone know a japanese website that sells caparisons and exports?
None on Ishibashi, was wondering about the price of a TATII.
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Curse you threadnomancy!
I havent played a different one since, so I have nothing to add.
Only to emphasise that the neck join looked like it was chiselled out by a C-grade GSCE technology student. I couldnt believe that neck join
I wonder if anyone actually bought it :o
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Curse you threadnomancy!
I havent played a different one since, so I have nothing to add.
Only to emphasise that the neck join looked like it was chiselled out by a C-grade GSCE technology student. I couldnt believe that neck join
I wonder if anyone actually bought it :o
Thanks :P :lol:
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Curse you threadnomancy!
I havent played a different one since, so I have nothing to add.
Only to emphasise that the neck join looked like it was chiselled out by a C-grade GSCE technology student. I couldnt believe that neck join
I wonder if anyone actually bought it :o
I dont doubt you had a bad experience. Capa's made before 2006 before they got their act together can have poor QC and have shitety electronics, they have elimenated loads of customers because of that.
This hasnt been chiseled by a gcse student :P
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/968b/DSC_0083.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/968b/DSC_0079.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/957/DSC_0405.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/957/DSC_0386.jpg
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Curse you threadnomancy!
I havent played a different one since, so I have nothing to add.
Only to emphasise that the neck join looked like it was chiselled out by a C-grade GSCE technology student. I couldnt believe that neck join
I wonder if anyone actually bought it :o
I dont doubt you had a bad experience. Capa's made before 2006 before they got their act together can have poor QC and have shitety electronics, they have elimenated loads of customers because of that.
This hasnt been chiseled by a gcse student :P
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/968b/DSC_0083.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/968b/DSC_0079.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/957/DSC_0405.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s315/dangerdog666/957/DSC_0386.jpg
Both gorgeous guitars.
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I'd have to cough up a lung, one kidney and my liver. And I'd still have to pay ~£1500 for a Caparison.
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Only to emphasise that the neck join looked like it was chiselled out by a C-grade GSCE technology student. I
thats good..... i got an E :wink:
as with all the GCSE's i did badly in that i thought i was brilliant at(woodwork-E, Food technology-E, Art-C)... it was all down to the paperwork!!! (honestly). The C in art hurt more than the other two at the time
all i remember about woodwork at school was the lump on my DT teachers head, the fact there was a rumour he had been done for murder, the fact he had taught my dad, the crazy assemblies he did in his later years(...involving sheep and the pet shop boys)... and the fact i did use a spokeshave back then but not once did anyone teach me the importance of sharpening tools.. a dull spokeshave is like a chocolate teapot
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*Still really confused why anyone spending more than £1000 on a guitar wouldnt get Bob, Jon, Wez or someone similar to build them one*
As other people have said really:
* Waiting time
* Resale
* Brand image/loyalty etc
* Try before you buy
* Known quantity, so less risk
Don't get me wrong - I'm sure the luthiers here make superb guitars and I'd certainly love to try one of their creations one day. It's just that I don't have really defined exacting requirements, so 'off the shelf' works fine for me :)
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How do Caparison necks compare? I find Ibanez great but Jackson a slightly wide feel. Are they more Ibanez, Jackson or in between?
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your spot on twinfan...
at the end of the day those of us that make guitars only do it because we love guitars so we understand how GAS works... the fact it takes us a while to get something completed and in the hands of the guitar playing public is an obvious problem.
resale is an interesting one for me at the moment - it wont be long before resale price is as much as i am charging.... so i reckon i need to hike me prices up :P
try before you buy is always a problem, i like to have some stuff around so people can try before they buy but obviously their guitar will not be the same. the opposite problem is that those demo guitars rarely sell because people want their own twist on it
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No offence posh and wez :oops:
I might add, chiselled not with a chisel. With a sharpened spoon.
Anywho, I think youre right Dave. Of those reasons the only one that resonates for me personally is 'try before you buy'. I was bricking it till my legra got here. All decisions vindicated in the final analysis (lets just say I didnt brak Bobs string of 10s in all catergories for all guitars on HC reviews!). But the gamble would be there again with a different buider or different design.
I have enough guitars though. I'll struggle for space for more. I'm more interested in buying new heads.
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Don't get me wrong - I'm sure the luthiers here make superb guitars and I'd certainly love to try one of their creations one day. It's just that I don't have really defined exacting requirements, so 'off the shelf' works fine for me :)
+1
If I was to ever go for a custom guitar, it would probably look very much like a bog-standard SG or Les Paul Jr (maybe with different timbers or construction refinements). But it seems almost insulting to go to a luthier and say "Hmm, yeah, your designs are nice, but could you just copy my SG?".
And there's always the nagging doubt that your custom creation wouldn't turn out to have "it", that special mojo you hoped for. Not necessarily because of any failing by the luthier, but perhaps because you didn't really know exactly what you wanted.
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Don't get me wrong - I'm sure the luthiers here make superb guitars and I'd certainly love to try one of their creations one day. It's just that I don't have really defined exacting requirements, so 'off the shelf' works fine for me :)
+1
If I was to ever go for a custom guitar, it would probably look very much like a bog-standard SG or Les Paul Jr (maybe with different timbers or construction refinements). But it seems almost insulting to go to a luthier and say "Hmm, yeah, your designs are nice, but could you just copy my SG?".
And there's always the nagging doubt that your custom creation wouldn't turn out to have "it", that special mojo you hoped for. Not necessarily because of any failing by the luthier, but perhaps because you didn't really know exactly what you wanted.
I know what you mean on the 'getting it wrong'. But I went to Bob with a tone in mind, and he gave me advice on how to get it and we hammered out ideas between us and decided on a spec that would do the job. And so it does. I think if you go with a set spec and dont have that discussion, you could get a guitar that falls short of expectation in unexpected ways, for you (but probably not so much for the luthier: I think tone is still a black art to even experienced luthiers, but they certainly have a better idea how a guitars going to turn out). If you talk it out, youre going to get much closer to what you want.
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How do Caparison necks compare? I find Ibanez great but Jackson a slightly wide feel. Are they more Ibanez, Jackson or in between?
They are pretty big by super strat standards.
Chunky and wide, nothing like an Ibanez, the radius of the board gets flater as you get further up the neck. It has as dead flat center in the middle of a U shape. The frets are like rail tracks ;P
You can spend 2k and get a Hamer/Suhr/Anderson and they are always floating around the used market, they may not be any better a guitar than the customs but they have the street cred/brand.
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No offence posh and wez :oops:
I might add, chiselled not with a chisel. With a sharpened spoon.
Anywho, I think youre right Dave. Of those reasons the only one that resonates for me personally is 'try before you buy'. I was bricking it till my legra got here. All decisions vindicated in the final analysis (lets just say I didnt brak Bobs string of 10s in all catergories for all guitars on HC reviews!). But the gamble would be there again with a different buider or different design.
I have enough guitars though. I'll struggle for space for more. I'm more interested in buying new heads.
my biggest problem was actually deciding on a final spec as i'm the most indecisive person on the planet.
the wait's the annoying thing too. worth it, no doubt, but it is hard.
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[my biggest problem was actually deciding on a final spec as i'm the most indecisive person on the planet.
the wait's the annoying thing too. worth it, no doubt, but it is hard.
I'm sure there is the temptation that you want to buy something else within that time too.
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yeah. or at least, the major concern is that you might change your mind once you've placed the order.
this sounds like i'm down on custom-builds... i'm really not, i'd do it again. just it's only fair to point out the (possible) problems and/or concerns to others.
:)
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I think that people are different in the fact that people after a custom are often after the guitar that is going to stay with them, whereas other people like to have a lot of off the shelf guitars (isn't that right Mr King :wink: ). If your after a guitar for keeps then you wont mind the wait so much.
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If I can remember back far enough, the initial reason I went down the custom build route for my Strat was simply colour - I wanted a translucent black quilted maple finish which at the time wasn't available stock. As soon as I had, my discussions with the luthier lead to other subtle variations - the body contouring is slightly different, the neck join has been contoured slightly to allow better access, as well as a subtle larger scoop for the bottom horn. Also I wanted a fixed bridge.... I guess I am saying there are loads of ways to make a guitar just that little bit more personal that a luthier brings - and I think it's always great to have a 1 off :)
I would definitely do it again...just got to keep saving!
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I think that people are different in the fact that people after a custom are often after the guitar that is going to stay with them, whereas other people like to have a lot of off the shelf guitars (isn't that right Mr King :wink: ). If your after a guitar for keeps then you wont mind the wait so much.
To be fair, I think Phil has everything - vintage, modern, off-the-shelf, home-builds and customs. :wink:
The thing with off-the-shelf guitars is that - obviously - they're already built. So you can pick something up with no particular expectations of liking it, and it turns out to be magic.
I wouldn't rule out a custom build one day though - in fact I know pretty much exactly what I'd want. But I feel like I ought to be a decent player to "justify" a custom build.
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I wouldn't rule out a custom build one day though - in fact I know pretty much exactly what I'd want. But I feel like I ought to be a decent player to "justify" a custom build.
That rules me off the list.
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The only I'd really see myself trying a Caparison is due to the fact I'm a big fan of Matthis 'IA' Eklundh. But in all honesty I don't really feel the need to try them out.
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I hear that the stock bridge pickups on the Horus models suck, while the Dellinger/TAT bridge pickups are pretty good.
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I hear that the stock bridge pickups on the Horus models suck, while the Dellinger/TAT bridge pickups are pretty good.
Ye, I thought the bridge pickup was shite in my horus, but the PH-R in my deli is a good metal pickup.
I dont like the single coils in either models, but that 's why I have a Crawler/Mmilk/Mmilk on order 8)
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I think that people are different in the fact that people after a custom are often after the guitar that is going to stay with them, whereas other people like to have a lot of off the shelf guitars
that's very true.