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Author Topic: Taking the plunge  (Read 5954 times)

Bradock PI

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2009, 06:55:39 PM »
I tend to listen to a wide range of music and would prolly like to play from within that range on the rock side -- Deep purple, rainbow AC/DC, pink floyd, fleetwood mac, boston, UFO, Chile Peppers, Bowie (early), Shadows, Black Sabbeth, Kings of Leon, BJH etc etc

MDV

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2009, 07:54:24 PM »
Wouldnt worry too much about that for the time being. Ignore us pontificating on attaining the perfect rig for the sounds we want. Join us when youre ready

For now you need something thats going to give you a passable sound, be reliable, comfortable and playable.


My best advice for you:

Get a yamaha pacifica 112 and use your wifes amp or get a vox valvetronix, 15W will be fine.

MDV

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2009, 07:58:40 PM »
Alas, though, the 112 is not in the shape of a dragon, nor does it have dragons on it. I hope its still acceptable to you?

dave_mc

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2009, 08:26:02 PM »
i think HSS (e.g. the pacifica) would be good for that range of tones. :)

Bradock PI

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2009, 09:34:20 PM »
Is the 112V different to the previous models or just an update?

indysmith

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2009, 09:53:16 PM »
Update to the old 112. They're very similar, although I think the 112V version has a bigger tremolo block (better toneage :D ) and different "improved" pickups (I can't comment on these as I haven't tried them.)

Generally the Pacifica is considered "THE" beginner's guitar, and for good reason.
LOVING the Mules!

Bradock PI

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #21 on: April 01, 2009, 10:23:05 PM »
I was kidding with my wife that you all had recommended one at around £800 for example the modded SG at felineguitars

Philly Q

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #22 on: April 01, 2009, 10:32:51 PM »
+ another vote for the Pacifica 112 (or 112V).  I don't think there's a better starter guitar, they've spent their money very cleverly on making a really functional instrument, it's fine out of the box but also perfect for later upgrading.  And it looks good too.
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

Bradock PI

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #23 on: April 03, 2009, 12:42:31 AM »
The 112V has a low grade tremelo it seems and I am not sure the string spacing is wide enough I struggle on an SG to not make contact with adjacent stings. There were some comments about the PRS SE custom stoptail or SE singlecut being good for thicker fingers?
« Last Edit: April 03, 2009, 01:52:29 AM by Bradock PI »

hamfist

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #24 on: April 03, 2009, 07:20:31 AM »
The 112V has a low grade tremelo it seems and I am not sure the string spacing is wide enough I struggle on an SG to not make contact with adjacent stings. There were some comments about the PRS SE custom stoptail or SE singlecut being good for thicker fingers?

Yep,
Most of these guys just are not appreciating your comment about large fingers.

  I have pretty chunky  fingers and I simply cannot play anything with a nut width less than 43mm. Unfortunately that excludes the vast majority of guitars around. I don't have a problem at all with the slightly shorter (ie. Gibson 24.75" scale length) but nut width  and therefore string spacing is a key factor.
  The music you mention liking is largely music played on twin humbucker-loaded guitars, which is handy because the main instruments available a 43mm+ nut width are twin humbucker.
  the Pacificas are too narrow, so are ALL squires, so are virtually all Fender strats (apart from the American std, which is a bit pricy). So are most teles.
  Definately try the PRS SE's.  Epiphone & Chinese/Korean Tokai Les Pauls and SG's also have a 43mm nut.
If you could find a good used Gordon Smith, near enough to try out, that would be great, as I find their necks to be some of the very best for thick fingers. But definately try one out before buying as you can get some really duff ones.
  You're pretty limited with strats and teles. The Nashville tele has a 43mm nut and is a v. nice guitar, but has 3 single coils, which you may not like ..... you can always stick a single coil sized humbucker in the bridge position though, which is what I have done with mine.
  As for superstrats, Ibanez and Jackson have a number of models with 43mm nuts in your price range
Washburn do a few guitars, like the Idol series with 43mm nut widths.

  I think you're getting my point .... don't even consider a 42mm or 42.5 mm  nut width guitar. It will only frustrate you in the long run, and there really are plenty of choices out there in 43mm.

 Or if your fingers really are "bananas" then get a bass !

ToneMonkey

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #25 on: April 03, 2009, 12:50:50 PM »
[run away] How about a nice acoustic? [/run away]

I play my acoustic about 5 times as much as my electric, just pick it up, play it and put it down.  No farting about with wires and bits when I've only got a couple of minutes.
Advice worth what you just paid for it.

MDV

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #26 on: April 03, 2009, 12:57:05 PM »
The 112V has a low grade tremelo it seems and I am not sure the string spacing is wide enough I struggle on an SG to not make contact with adjacent stings. There were some comments about the PRS SE custom stoptail or SE singlecut being good for thicker fingers?

Yep,
Most of these guys just are not appreciating your comment about large fingers.

  I have pretty chunky  fingers and I simply cannot play anything with a nut width less than 43mm. Unfortunately that excludes the vast majority of guitars around. I don't have a problem at all with the slightly shorter (ie. Gibson 24.75" scale length) but nut width  and therefore string spacing is a key factor.
  The music you mention liking is largely music played on twin humbucker-loaded guitars, which is handy because the main instruments available a 43mm+ nut width are twin humbucker.
  the Pacificas are too narrow, so are ALL squires, so are virtually all Fender strats (apart from the American std, which is a bit pricy). So are most teles.
  Definately try the PRS SE's.  Epiphone & Chinese/Korean Tokai Les Pauls and SG's also have a 43mm nut.
If you could find a good used Gordon Smith, near enough to try out, that would be great, as I find their necks to be some of the very best for thick fingers. But definately try one out before buying as you can get some really duff ones.
  You're pretty limited with strats and teles. The Nashville tele has a 43mm nut and is a v. nice guitar, but has 3 single coils, which you may not like ..... you can always stick a single coil sized humbucker in the bridge position though, which is what I have done with mine.
  As for superstrats, Ibanez and Jackson have a number of models with 43mm nuts in your price range
Washburn do a few guitars, like the Idol series with 43mm nut widths.

  I think you're getting my point .... don't even consider a 42mm or 42.5 mm  nut width guitar. It will only frustrate you in the long run, and there really are plenty of choices out there in 43mm.

 Or if your fingers really are "bananas" then get a bass !

I dont really see how you can say 'dont consider 42 or 42.5mm' when you have no idea how big his fingers are.

That extra 0.2mm between the strings makes all the difference, huh?

There are other ways as well - the vast majority of new and bad players fret way too hard, which forces the fingertip to flatten out, and play with their fingers at at too shallow an angle, which obviously doesnt help. Lighter touch, lighter strings and good technique rank well above that precious 0.2mm extra spacing.

Braddock - try the guitars out. Form some chords on them, really slowly, using the best technique you can (light touch, right behind the frets, fingers coming into the fretboard perpendicular to it) and see what you get on well with.

Plus it'll get better as your fingertips harden and deform less when fretting.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2009, 12:58:37 PM by MDV »

dave_mc

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #27 on: April 03, 2009, 05:58:31 PM »
i agree about trying them out. for years i couldn't play anything slimmer than 43mm either, but i think i've got over that now. that being said i still prefer 43mm, given the free choice... :lol: if you ask me, most of those bands are single coils, though, i think... again, i'd say probably go HSS... jackson pro series dinky perhaps? i'd say ibanez rg as well, but ibanez prices have almost doubled in the last few months, and if you're looking at an RG with a trem, in ibanez' current lineup, you really don't want to be going below a prestige model (i.e. rg1570, which used to be around £450, but is now more like £750 for the exact same guitar :( ).

Bradock PI

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #28 on: April 03, 2009, 06:46:39 PM »
Well I took advice and went and held a few picked the neck shapes that suited my hands - they are stocky not huge I used to lift weights. The only one I didn't try that I had sorta looked at was a Jackson Dinky. I tried a few PRS SE custom stoptail an SE singlecut trem,  a tremonti SE, A gretsch G6128T Duo Jet w/ Bigsby, and an epiphone les paul standard plus top. I chose a few and one of the techs played them we went through three epiphones and it came down to the best epiphone and a PRS singlecut trem. There was also an american standard strat 2008 model secondhand (but it had an issue with the intonantion aparently). So it came down to the PRS and Epiphone which by coincidence were both in tobacco. The Epiphone had the better acoustic sound and the PRS the better marginally through an amp but I and the luthier thought that mostly due to better pick-ups on the PRS and I could always change those later. In the end it came down to the fact that the flatter neck on the epiphone was more comfortable for me.
so here it is ............................................

MDV

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Re: Taking the plunge
« Reply #29 on: April 03, 2009, 06:57:04 PM »
Happy NGD! (New guitar day....n00b!! j/k Enjoy!)