Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => The Dressing Room => Topic started by: Elliot on October 12, 2010, 09:05:12 AM
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Currently for me its:
'Sounds like a microphonic tube to me' - The guitar board poster's answer to all problems relating to amps.
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I personally like:
"My new Epiphone Les Paul is incredible! I'll never need another guitar and I don't know why people pay all that money for a Gibson!"
:roll:
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:lol:
And what about
GAS is officially over for me.....
I've quoted one specific person, but there are three people in this thread already who have expressed similar if not identical sentiments :lol:
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So true :oops:
I'm proper done though. Nothing more required for me. My last GAS was June, so I'm 4 months without buying a guitar. I fancy trying a P90 Les Paul at some time, but given my "one in at least one out" strategy I won't be buying anything anytime soon as I love the ones I've got too much!
I'm also on a serious finances clean up so I can buy a super nice car next year 8)
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Through neck > set neck > bolt on is a favourite of mine.
Ha!
Thats how it works. Yep. Every single time.
More expensive = better. For your ego.
I quite like some amp construction snobery that kicks around. If PCBs and ribbon wire are good enough for fighter jets, satelites, tanks, deep sea exploration subs and the like, I'm fairly sure they can withstand a gig or two.
Tone is in the fingers. Play air guitar then.
That should do for now.
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I almost feel like replying with my feelings about amp construction. I see your point but people being anti-ribbon cable is kind of valid... then again, there are people who build amps that do go beyond sensible construction techniques into gross over engineering.
I personally like it when people claim they can hear the difference between two different (average) cables that are 6 feet long, and when people claim they can tell which direction their cable is plugged in (again at that length).
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Oh, feel free to rebutt if you want. You wont hurt my feelings or anything, and if you can prove me wrong somehow, please do. But it seems to me that with the vast majority of amps being built with such methods, many of them very tonally desirable to many people, getting all worked up about such a thing is a bit pointless. Or, put it this way; if you made two amps with identical components but one was laid out for and wired up with ribbon cable and one was P2P, could you tell a difference at 110dB or once an SM57 has been shoved infront of the speaker?
Something that poeple DONT say that annoys me, and is BS: their room/s. The enviroment/s that you play your gear in have a HUGE effect on its sound. So does where you place it within that environment.
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I'm proper done though. Nothing more required for me. My last GAS was June, so I'm 4 months without buying a guitar.
I don't doubt your sincerity Dave, but take a step back and read that last sentence... :lol:
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Question:
"I'm looking for a small bedroom amp, any recommendations?"
Replies:
"I have a Laney GH100L for sale..."
"Engl Powerball and 4x12. Don't worry about the power, it sounds better with the volume on 0.00005 than any small amp."
:roll:
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Hmmmm...I've said that the PB sounds better at very low volume than any low wattage/small amp I've used. And its true, for my taste at least
I also said thats its completely impractical and wouldnt think for an instant to recommend it to someone just looking for a practice amp (size + price), but that aside feel free to have an MDV BS threadjack! :lol: (you and dmoney sit and have a think, get a good list together :lol:)
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Hmmmm...I've said that the PB sounds better at very low volume than any low wattage/small amp I've used. And its true, for my taste at least
I also said thats its completely impractical and wouldnt think for an instant to recommend it to someone just looking for a practice amp (size + price), but that aside feel free to have an MDV BS threadjack! :lol: (you and dmoney sit and have a think, get a good list together :lol:)
Wasn't in any way aimed at you Mark (I may have been remembering your comments, but I didn't know they were yours! :lol: ).
Peace and love. PDT_002
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For sale ............ hardly ever gigged
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Something that poeple DONT say that annoys me, and is BS: their room/s. The enviroment/s that you play your gear in have a HUGE effect on its sound. So does where you place it within that environment.
That is a good point. I defo notice it but I don't have the freedom to move stuff around. such is the life of living out of one room.
I think using PCB is fine. Using ribbon cable is potentially problematic because if you designed the amp badly, you could have sensitive, unshielded (I've never seen shielded ribbon cable) signal wires in close and exact parallel proximity to high voltages or high-ish current carrying wires. In that situation you could have increased noise. The kind of amp it is in probably matters too. In a high gain amp noise issues could be compounded.
You'd have to consider separating types of signals from certain ribbons and even where the tracks run on the PCB. I'm not always sure that is done. Just like any design, if the PCB layout sucks then it's probably going to effect a few things in the amp. If the layout is good, then it won't matter. Same rules apply to point-to-point builds!
PCB's can also be thin, poor quality, with traces that lift, break, burn off in a fault. If that happens in an amp you need serious PCB repair, repairing tracks and cleaning carbon off, or a totally new PCB. In an amp that means changing a large portion of the amp (maybe you'd loose your mojo? haha). I guess thats why people like using chassis mount power valves. If the amp was on one whole PCB and a valve burnt out, then you'd have a nice cleanup of the pcb on your hands, rather than a socket swap.
(http://www.guitar-amp-repairs.co.uk/g/res_aimg_004.jpg)
(http://www.guitar-amp-repairs.co.uk/g/res_aimg3_003.jpg)
Again, good quality PCB is fine. My Avenger has the power valve sockets on a small PCB, so i guess if ever got ruined I could actually install sockets or order a replacement.
Relating it to other things like jets etc...
You probably would get high quality boards and design practices throughout high cost specialist military equipment or similar. An example, in a Sony XDCAM camera, footage is recorded direct to an optical disc. All the PCB's in the camera are mounted on shock absorbers and all kinds of things. (yes there is an amp company that mounts the internal gubbins on shock absorbing mounts!) They are also built to withstand temperature tolerances that amps usually aren't. I've played in a Montreal winter and the 5150 I used instantly became condensation ridden as soon as it was put in the venue. The fan on the Ampeg SVT we had would barely run due to the cold.
Ribbon cable becomes an advantage in some equipment because if you do have a fault, you can simply swap the PCB with ease. (Provided the gear is designed well)
In work, when I've been adding 5.1 audio decoding boards to HD SDI monitoring gear, its a pretty simple process. helped by the fact that the boards are easily removed and added. If a board breaks, or a capacitor burns out, then the board is not repaired (unless it is maybe a modular power supply unit). The PCB is just swapped for a spare. I imagine this is the same in bigger more complex machines. There would probably be a discussion involving pro's and con's to be had if you wanted to apply that practice to valve amps.
a 5150 is a noisey amp. I have PCB based amps with just as much gain and they are a LOT quieter.
It uses ribbon cable and has a bad PCB layout (allegedly). taking the main PCB out of one is a pain in the backside! 5150's also have big plastic connectors for the transformer wires (kind of like the power supply inputs you get on an old hard disk drive). This makes it a pain in the backside to swap the transformers.
basically it just makes things an issue for a repair guy should your amp ever need to be repaired. The sockets for the ribbon cables are what causes the issue when trying to remove the PCB. That's what I recall anyway.
Other types of wild cable are probably fine if not odd to see in an amp. but doing things like hot glueing wires underneath capacitors that have been pushed together is bad building practice.
I think in conlusion, ribbon cable is useful in certain circumstances, but in amplifiers it seems like it is more often used as a tool to aid mass production through wave soldering and low skilled assembly line workers. Although you do get very high quality hand populated PCB's being used by companies. I think you'd have to look at this on an amp by amp basis. Yes PCB's and Ribbon cable can work in Jets, but in some amps the PCB's and general construction probably look more like what you'd find inside a cheap £30 keyboard rather than a submarine guidance system.
if you want the best of both worlds (PCB contrustion with easy to swap components) then you could always opt for printed turret board!
EDIT: I think it was too early when I started writing this. I think we essentially agree. Bad design is bad design.
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Thanks for going to those lengths, that was interesting (partially, and partially stuff I knew)
But, yes, we agree, and if someones cost cutting (in a manner perilous to the amps longevity)/designing poorly and using PCB and ribbon wire, then its the cost cutting and poor designs fault, no?
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'it sounds so organic'
How? how does something actually sound organic?
Carrots are organic but I don't hear them.
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Carrots are organic but I don't hear them.
Those folks that can hear which direction their lead is plugged in can probably actually hear organic carrots rotting :D
And MDV/Dmoney - good stuff on that "room makes a difference". In my flat I have some guitar/amp combinations that sound utterly @rse in one room but splendiferous in another. Take the same amp with the other guitars, and it's the other way round... :roll:
And don't talk to me about positioning in the room. There isn't a single "good" room position where the missus doesn't stub her toe or bang her knee on the damn thing. Put the amp in the obvious "it'll look nice and you can still hear it over there", and I guarantee you boxy-sh1te tone... (at least she lets me populate the living room permanently with all this gear - loads of partners wouldn't).
Sorry what was this thread about again?
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On reflection, I'm changing mine to 'upper mids'
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'it sounds so organic'
How? how does something actually sound organic?
Carrots are organic but I don't hear them.
The Nailbomb has been described as "organic sounding" so often in this forum that it's been certified by the Soil Association.
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On reflection, I'm changing mine to 'upper mids'
What on earth is BS about ~2 through 5khz?
Or 2 through 6k as this chart represents it (I have to quibble with this; 200 through 400 is low mids in anyones book, but it'll do)
(http://renegademinds.com/Portals/0/GDT/Remove-Instruments/Interactive-Frequency-Chart.png)
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MDV, I'm glad is was at least partially interesting.
I think what I disagreed with really was a comparison between amps and other specialised gear. I would expect pretty high standards of build practice in certain things using PCB's as opposed to amplifiers. I thought it was a bit like comparing apples and oranges.
If you think ahead when buying a product (how might it fail, what might happen when it fails, how can i repair it) then there are probably some construction techniques you might want to avoid. Ribbon cable would be a NIGHTMARE if it was soldered in place. PCB doesn't lend itself to easy repair either. Good design doesn't really stop that later issue and as good as the design is the weak link will be the valves usually, which are probably prone to fail in a more spectacular way than most modern electrical components. PCB mounted Octal sockets have the potential to go out with a smelly wiff of smoke whatever the design.
I was looking for amps with ribbon cable. The herbet is a good example of a nice build using a combination of techniques including ribbon cable.
cost cutting in a perilous way is always bad.
I've read things about...
high frequencies being able to survive better in solid core rather than stranded hook up wire.
The capacitance between two sides of (dual sided) PCB affecting tone.
tonal properties of steel vs aluminum chassis'
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I thought it was an amusing piece of interwebs rhetoric, but still, the point remains; though you have raised valid objections, the proponderance of amps that use PCB and ribbon wire, sound great to lots of people and rarely break, rarer still in an irreprable manner far outweighs the few cases where it does happen.
Plus theres the unspoken benefit thats the flipside of the coin; it is cheaper, and can get an amp to production thats sonically very usable and doesnt cost an arm and a leg. Do you think, say, a JVM or Invader would be as (relatively) affordable as they are without cheaper production? They sound good too (to me at least). Youre likely still in profit in the unlikely circumstance that you have to get it fixed (more than once even), compared to something with the same capabilities that was handmade (like a herbert, but then, thats £2500 and still has ribbon wire!).
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I think if you're the kind of person to be anal about such things then it makes a difference. I dont think THAT many do use ribbon wire.
If you get overly paranoid about things breakin(http://)g, then you might want to look for something put together in a particular way that suits you. Thats how I felt when I was buying an amp a few years back. I'd also wager most amps don't see the harshest conditions they could see. (getting liquids thrown over them, getting dropped out of vans, getting pulled out in minus 42 degrees so the condensation in them freezes).
I think most damage like you say, if any, is repairable. But for me it came down to how much it costs to get those things repaired. I've had people refuse to even look at my amp based on it being high gain. I've had people want me to pay them just for giving me a quote on fixing an amp. I still got a PCB amp though... haha. Just one that I thought would be reliable... much like the Invader i guess, but I don't like the ENGL sound. I also don't trust Marshall build quality.
I don't have a problem with mass production or keeping costs down. again, as long as its not done to level that impacts safety or whatever.
I mentioned the Herbert because I don't think the ribbon wire carries a large voltage but rather FX Loop signal.
Another cool design... the Peavey Classis 30 PCB... simply unfold to fix! by the way, the metal jumpers across the gaps that you bend when opening that are actually in circuit. It's things like this that lead to materials and methods getting a bad rep.
(http://i39.tinypic.com/16i8dgz.jpg)
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"Food colouring is fine to dye quilted maple tops" PDT_038
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"Food colouring is fine to dye quilted maple tops" PDT_038
wow?! thats almost like 'spider are scared or conkers'!
I don't understand this.
http://www.laboga.pl/cables/english/way_of_sound.html#jak
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"This one's a keeper" or similar wording. I've said this many times and each time proved myself wrong.
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anything which is posted as info for a specific question which then gets turned into black-and-white advice for every situation... that annoys me.
I'm with mark on the powerball- depending on what you're playing, a high gain tube amp turned down will probably sound better than most other options... bar maybe an axe fx or something (which I haven't tried, and which is like two grand anyway). Granted my bedroom volume is probably a bit louder than some people's, I'd never really suggest one if bedroom volume means whisper... but yeah. Again it depends on the specific scenario in question, there's no one-size-fits-all answer.
Also when people are selling something and they wax lyrical about how awesome it is. If it's that awesome, why are you selling it? :lol:
EDIT: oh, now that I think, the opposite of philly's pet peeve- when someone says they play modern metal, and they need a bedroom amp, and someone suggests something like a valve junior. o_O
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Some of the "I'm GAS free forever" statements remind me of my favourite retort to beggars/panhandlers on the street
Beggar: " Have you got any SPARE change"
Me: " I don't know - I haven't finished living yet"
You simply don't kno if you'll have a change of heart further down the line , although everybody gets the gist that you are immensely pleased with your most recent purchases enough to make the statement
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EDIT: oh, now that I think, the opposite of philly's pet peeve- when someone says they play modern metal, and they need a bedroom amp, and someone suggests something like a valve junior. o_O
Good one!
Doubly so when they say to put an overdrive infront of the low gain crunch amp. Because thats going to turn it into a 5150.
I can see selling things you think are awesome though. Sometimes something else you want is more awesome to you or you need the money for whatever reason. But you did ask why ;)
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People who say they hear a difference between cables. I think it's BS, I've never noticed any difference in sound between cable brands. This includes pedal board patch leads. The only difference is the ones I bought with Neutrik jacks have lasted a lot longer than the others! If there was any slight dulling of the tone with a massive lead, this could be put back in with the amps eq anyway.
On the point of being GAS free, I've said it and sort of gone back on it! Whilst I don't really have any guitar gas, I have been after a bass + amp recently. But if I look at guitars I always end up thinking "yes it looks nice but it won't do anything better than what I have now".
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I can hear differences between cables. Some at least. Some, theres none, or its negligable, some its a big difference.
I know for a fact that I'm not alone in this.
Cables the other way round or cable lengths (up to 20ft, never had need to use longer), no, but brands (and therefore materials and design) very much so.
I think I'm reasonably GAS free now. I dont lust after anything specific and havent in a while, but realise that theres a chance that I'll stumble accross something that demands to be bought that wasnt on my radar before, or develop some particular requirement that prompts me to look for something new. But in the mean time, between my powerball and pittbull CL as main amps (especially the CL; I'd been after that amp for years and didnt realise it), my old bandit, vypyr and advt30xl as practice and scratch track Di modellers, and my legras and jacksons I'm very happy with my gear.
I have some serious mic GAS though.
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People who say they hear a difference between cables. I think it's BS, I've never noticed any difference in sound between cable brands.
Even I, ham-fisted and cloth-eared as I am, can hear differences between cables. At least I think I can. :oops:
I have one of those old Radio Shack grey curly leads (as favoured by SRV, apparently - I just bought it because it was cheap). I'm certain it takes a load of treble out of the sound.
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And to add; you cant eq in the differences between cables.
Poor cables cut out high end and obfuscate transients. That clarity cant be returned to the signal with the amp if the amp doesnt have it input into itto begin with.
This is based on extensive A/B testing, most recently (admitedly a couple of years ago) with cleartones Vs my previous (and it has to be noted, more expensive, so this isnt any sort of high price romanticism) planet waves.
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My absolute favourite is "more tone".
'Cause tone is quantitative, obviously.
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Some absolutely belting BS from cork-sniffing amp maker Alexander Dumble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTj08qTwGw
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Boss metal zones are epic!!!
Speaking of BS I think we have to be careful of placebos and priming, if someone says an amp sounds harsh I am more likely to listen for harshness when I hear that amp.
Priming in a basic sense being external factors changing my mood and so affecting how I perceive something, like a cr@p intro song that brings down a whole album, even if the album would have been much better without the cr@p intro song.
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Some absolutely belting BS from cork-sniffing amp maker Alexander Dumble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTj08qTwGw
Legendary nonsense. Amazingly, I reckon that he genuinely believes what he says.
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Good one!
Doubly so when they say to put an overdrive infront of the low gain crunch amp. Because thats going to turn it into a 5150.
I can see selling things you think are awesome though. Sometimes something else you want is more awesome to you or you need the money for whatever reason. But you did ask why ;)
haha, yeah :lol:
And yeah, I'm not saying if you're selling something it has to be rubbish, maybe it just doesn't suit you or whatever, that's fair enough. I'm talking about the people, on ebay say, who completely rip the ass out of it with ridiculous compliments which just can't be true. :lol:
I can hear differences between cables too, certainly between cheaper ones and better ones.
LOL at the fragile harmonics link :lol:
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Dunno, dont use ebay.
But I have sold/otherwise parted with things that really were good, and I had very good and genuine things to say about them, but other concerns outweighed it (just taking a break from tracking, through my lovely VHT CL, for example, which I wouldnt have if I didnt part with 2 rather nice ibanezes; I needed the guitars less than the amp, sold an epi LP that rivaled decent gibsons in built, woods and general sound and feel because I didnt get on with the neck, etc etc etc)
Crystal lattices destroy electrons. Presumably then transistors make positrons. And metals in fact arent made of crystaline structures (which they are).
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Some absolutely belting BS from cork-sniffing amp maker Alexander Dumble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTj08qTwGw
This is, flat out, one of my favourite videos on YouTube, there's just so much to enjoy.
My biggest eyeroller is the use of "organic", as mentioned by others. I generally find changing "organic" to say "free-range" whenever it's used on a board or in conversation. It gives a good sense of its meaningless quality as an adjective for discussing anything pertaining to guitars (apart from those who insist that hide glue obtained from organic livestock has a better tone of course).
It's not just musos who use organic when they shouldn't. I've lost track of the number of times we've been asked to make a visual effect shot look "organic" by a client. :roll:
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i liek the term 'organic'... it could just as easily be 'woody' - but generally i know what i am referring to it when i say it... i just need a larger vocab
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I'm talking about the people, on ebay say, who completely rip the ass out of it with ridiculous compliments which just can't be true. :lol:
this recent ebay auction made me laugh:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1983-Gibson-Explorer-Project-Great-Vintage-/220676926082?pt=Guitar&hash=item33615eaa82
Now, Here Is A GREAT VINTAGE Project Guitar ! In Very Good Overall Condition For It's Age.
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Some absolutely belting BS from cork-sniffing amp maker Alexander Dumble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTj08qTwGw
This is, flat out, one of my favourite videos on YouTube, there's just so much to enjoy.
My biggest eyeroller is the use of "organic", as mentioned by others. I generally find changing "organic" to say "free-range" whenever it's used on a board or in conversation. It gives a good sense of its meaningless quality as an adjective for discussing anything pertaining to guitars (apart from those who insist that hide glue obtained from organic livestock has a better tone of course).
It's not just musos who use organic when they shouldn't. I've lost track of the number of times we've been asked to make a visual effect shot look "organic" by a client. :roll:
Its great, innit?
But whatever you do, dont listen to that guy that introduces him play. By christ its dreadfull.
I take, and when I use it mean organic to be basically the opposite of 'sharp'; its a softer attack in the top end, lower resonant peak, less tight bass, more in the 300-800hz fatter sounding mid-mids.
I find it a clear and unconfusing term. But then I assume everyone else that uses it uses it for the same things I do, which I suppose I cant know. But then I cant know that what we both call green, we actually see as the same colour either.
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Some absolutely belting BS from cork-sniffing amp maker Alexander Dumble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTj08qTwGw
This is, flat out, one of my favourite videos on YouTube, there's just so much to enjoy.
My biggest eyeroller is the use of "organic", as mentioned by others. I generally find changing "organic" to say "free-range" whenever it's used on a board or in conversation. It gives a good sense of its meaningless quality as an adjective for discussing anything pertaining to guitars (apart from those who insist that hide glue obtained from organic livestock has a better tone of course).
It's not just musos who use organic when they shouldn't. I've lost track of the number of times we've been asked to make a visual effect shot look "organic" by a client. :roll:
Its great, innit?
But whatever you do, dont listen to that guy that introduces him play. By christ its dreadfull.
Oh I love that bit too. It's just when you think you're just witnessed the most astonoshing thing you'll see on the net all day you suddenly realise you haven't and it kicks up an extra weird gear. Genius.
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I'm talking about the people, on ebay say, who completely rip the ass out of it with ridiculous compliments which just can't be true. :lol:
this recent ebay auction made me laugh:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1983-Gibson-Explorer-Project-Great-Vintage-/220676926082?pt=Guitar&hash=item33615eaa82
Now, Here Is A GREAT VINTAGE Project Guitar ! In Very Good Overall Condition For It's Age.
"Still has the old warranty card !"
Now that could come in handy, eh?
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Most vintage pedals were made with whatever components they had to hand and they most always have huge tolerances. As such, yeah, things sound different to each other. But modern kit with 'mojo' components wind me up royally. Pure marketing yet the likes of TGP lap it up. For example: "Kind of crazy but the inner components seem to justify the cost." (in reference to a Boutique pedal costing £400 that has some old Mullard transistors in it).
Now don't get me wrong, this comes from a position of envy on my part, in that the builder in question has rabid fans who will pretty much sell there own mothers for these pedals and I doff my cap to him. I'm certainly not dissing his pedals either, the build quality of them is exceptional (though I've built some clones of his silicon stuff and *really* don't like them), but there's about £50 in bits 'n' finishing (which to be fair costs more than you'd expect). I don't begrudge him a bit of profit either as we've all got to eat. But 800% is taking the piss a little... Still they're happy to pay it I suppose so I should probably STFU on this one!
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Carrots are organic but I don't hear them.
Those folks that can hear which direction their lead is plugged in can probably actually hear organic carrots rotting :D
Oh don't get me started on 'directional' cables. :gib: That utterly winds me up. As does oxygen free copper cables. Copper being of course well know for it's oxygen content...
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"Special methods"
For anything.
Example: WCR claim to have a 'special' potting technique. Tims rewound a few and told me it is in fact simply barely potting the pickup at all. They were sent for rewind because they were microphonic :lol:
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Marketing John, marketing ;) And adoption by a big name or two. It's worth big bucks...
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Transparancy
This is transparent, that's transparent. Even plectrums sound transparent nowadays. So you spend a small fortune on a pedal becuase it sounds so transparent you can't actually tell that it is on. In fact it's one of those leave on all the time pedals that put's nothing but a bit of fairy dust on your tone. But really a £10 buffer would do the same rather than a boutique ultra pristine clean boost set at unity gain.
Military Grade
Just say they are good components, everything has become Military Grade now. The Military do not fight battles with guitar amps.
Transformers
Transformers with more iron than an anchor. Tough enough to be used on the national grid. On a 12W Tweed Deluxe clone.
[
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Although I do have a pedal that uses tubes that were designed to be used in guidance systems for missiles ;-)
(http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/stompage/images/prom2-i.jpg)
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I'll let you off with that one then :D
I wonder if a missile with NOS valves would sound better than a missile with JJ's in it?
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I'll let you off with that one then :D
I wonder if a missile with NOS valves would sound better than a missile with JJ's in it?
Oh yeah, Mullards would make the sonic boom much more crunchy.
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I'll let you off with that one then :D
I wonder if a missile with NOS valves would sound better than a missile with JJ's in it?
The detonation will be more organic.
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They're these (http://www.tubecollector.org/cv4501.htm) by the way. They can take 500g making them ideal for guitar related applications.
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Semiconductors cant be used in missiles?
Whyevernot?
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I would guess they'd be susceptible to EMP... Pure speculation on my part of course, but it's the only reason I can think of.
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Thats the only thing I can think of as well.
I like the Mig 25. Mach 3 plane that uses valve electronics so it can survive the EMP blast from a nuke detonation and can be serviced in a desert. I swear the russians were happiest they've ever been in the cold war.
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Although I do have a pedal that uses tubes that were designed to be used in guidance systems for missiles ;-)
(http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/stompage/images/prom2-i.jpg)
There is a guy at my local car boot who sells military stuff (I got a Spitfire bullit from him for a bridge - although decided not to use it in the end). He has a proximity fuse from a red top missile which I would love to inlay into a guitar, it would look super badass.