Newbie - Mules on the way

[indysmith]

I think that's the sexiest LP in the world.

[NotSoEasy]

That look awesome mate  :)

My LP Standard Faded looks Dull Dull Dull in comparison  :(

[ToonLP]

Thanks for your comments and best wishes folks - I look forward to further discussions on the forum - it looks great and seems to cover a wide range of topics.

I love the axe - all I have to do now is learn how to play the b**tard. The photos don't really reflect the colour perfectly - sunrise teaburst, a very unusual finish somewhere between sunburst, tobaccoburst and brown! I'm pleased I paid the extra for the aged covers as they finish the job off perfectly.

If I can give a plug for the guys who fitted the Mules - Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick - they have done an awesome job. Anyone needing quality guitar repairs........ I would highly recommend them. They also have the only Plek professional setup tool in UK now and I think there are only a few in Europe so this means they can give your guitar the perfect once-over. Probably not the cheapest around but top top quality. Given his experience and background, I don't regret paying for their expertise.

[tomjackson]

I think that's the sexiest LP in the world.

It will be when the scratchplate goes!  Free your LP man!

Aside from that you will have one of the best sounding guitars on the planet!

[indysmith]

It will be when the scratchplate goes!  Free your LP man!

DON'T YOU DARE.

Toon what do you think of the blackstar?

[ToonLP]

I LOVE the Blackstar. I had the Artisan 15 at first then upgraded it to the 30 and have never looked back. I've had 8 amps in the last 10 years - Marshall, Mesa/Boogie, Fender the lot. The Blackstar is the best I've had and I don't reckon I'll be changing it. I wrote the first 2 reviews for them on Harmony Central (one for the 15 and the other for the 30) so you can have a butchers at them if you like? http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Blackstar 

[Fikealox]

Looks awesome, and I bet it sounds great too :) Mules are next on my to-buy list, to replace the NBs in my LP :)

[ToonLP]

I now have the Blackstar Artisan 30H head/2 x 12" cab setup rather than the combo (as it was far too heavy and nearly did my back in moving it last week). It's exactly the same amp as the combo with the same spec and is £100 more but far more luggable. Looks the business too. Audition the Blackstar stuff - it's amazing.

[Fikealox]

+1! Blackstars are awesome amps. I was tossing up between the Artisan 30 and the Lionheart (though I eventually settled on the latter for a variety of reasons, which boil down to personal taste and budget). What do you think of the mules so far?

[ToonLP]

The Mules are amazing. I had a set in a Les Paul in the past and loved them so it was an easy decision for me this time around. I was looking for that classic / vintage early Les Paul PAF sound and the Mules deliver that in spades. I was weighing up Stormy Mondays and PG Blues but decided in favour of the Mules. I'm glad I did. There is no microphonic feedback or squeeling (not sure if they're wax potted or not?) and the balance between neck and bridge is perfect. The range of tones available is awesome and streets ahead of the stock Gibson Burstbuckers. Have a listen to Gregor Hilden on YouTube at http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Ujm4HEXGc&feature=related  and you get the idea. You can very nearly get this tone with the Mules (but that is a 59 original he's playing and I don't have £200,000). The neck pickup will take you there.

In summary, I found the Mules the best use of £200 on any guitar I've owned. I paid the extra for the aged covers too as they look the business and just finish things off nicely. Good luck and happy Mule'ing

[AndyR]

£200,000 for an original PAF? :o

That's sick, S-I-C-K, sick!!!  :lol:

Tim, mate, looks like you could put yer prices up!! 
(please don't, not just yet...)

Toon - yeah that's my experience of the Mules as well (had to grow on me though - I don't think I actually appreciated what vintage PAFs were all about!). It's also my experience of the Riff Raffs - the later "patent supplied" tone is probably more immediately up my street.

[ToonLP]

Don't you just LOVE that Gregor Hilden tone though.......... I watch that clip every couple of weeks or so just to bathe in it's glory and wish for the day...........

[AndyR]

I'm already planning on giving it a go when I get home (work PC at the moment - no sound, no pictures, no streaming, no swearing, no nuthing...)

BTW, I've just figured out that you meant £200,000 for the geetar - I thought you meant the pickup!!! :oops:

(I was thinking, if it's that much for a pup, how much is the whole guitar??!)

[Fikealox]

Thanks for the review, Toon :) I just ordered some SMs for my SG, and Mules are most definitely going in my LP now, and maybe a RR/SM set in the strat, so between those three I think I'll have blues and prog rock covered. I'm becoming a huge fan of Gov't Mule and the Allman Bros, but somehow I never put two and two together with the name of the Mules, haha. I'm loving that youtube video, by the way. I'm coming to appreciate the blues more and more.

I'm like Andy in that it took me a while to come to appreciate vintage pickups, and I've been trying to figure out why that is. I think part of it is to do with my listening to metal (even though I never play any), and part is to do with being turned off low output alnicos by Seymour Duncan's Jazz model (which I haaaated), and only being able to find the articulation and clarity I wanted in their ceramic and higher-output models.

I'm starting to think realise the search for the perfect sound is an endless one... I'm just glad it's a fun one too.