Author Topic: The best Les Paul alternative? (Read 28594 times)

noodleplugerine · « **Reply #45 on:** February 15, 2007, 07:14:38 PM »

Yeah, those PRS Se's are extremely nice guitars to be frank.

Think the Soapbar is lurvely.

LazyNinja · « **Reply #46 on:** February 15, 2007, 08:55:26 PM »

Those Schecter Tempests look awesome and so do the Eastwoods! I'm not sure about the schecter's quality though they tend to be a bit of hit or miss. I have tried a really nice C1 Exotic at soundcontrol a while ago though.

I've tried an Ibanez SZ ages ago and I remember it had the most awful neck I've ever encountered. Maybe the top of range stufff are different I dont know.

I dont like Tremonti SE too much it's thin, light and felt like a cheap guitar (which it is, to be fair).

the_bleeding · « **Reply #47 on:** February 15, 2007, 08:59:34 PM »

Quote from: Mr Ed

DUDE!! You have impeccable timing, I'm always looking at the Ultra-GP's and wonder one thing... I'm convinced by everything... apart from the wrapover bridge.

I know it has adjustable saddles but how do you find it? Does it stay in tune well even with wicked bends? Easy to setup and intonante and such?

Its wierd to string because you have to hold it in the saddle with one hand while you use the other to stick it through the tuner and tune it, but other than that its balls easy. Usually i just get my girlfriend to hold the ball in the notch while i stretch it and wind hahaha.
Another thing to note is that it is NOT a wraparound bridge, it just has little notches where the ball end sits tightly behind the tune-o-matic bit. Also, it stays intune VERY nicely, i do full 2 step bends on every string and it comes back perfectly. (queens of the stone age solos have alot of huge bends)

Quote from: LazyNinja

Those Schecter Tempests look awesome and so do the Eastwoods! I'm not sure about the schecter's quality though they tend to be a bit of hit or miss.

Funny that you say that, my next guitar (after i sell my Jr. V) is either going to be a Tempest Custom or a BCR Mockingbird exotic or special.

sgmypod · « **Reply #48 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:29:23 PM »

edwards...looks nice..but a bit pricy
http://www.wesleyguitars.co.uk/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=44184&c=773852&i=231305469

LazyNinja · « **Reply #49 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:32:54 PM »

Quote from: sgmypod

edwards...looks nice..but a bit pricy
http://www.wesleyguitars.co.uk/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=44184&c=773852&i=231305469

That is a friggin rip off. You could save over £200 if you imported it from Japan yourself.

the_bleeding · « **Reply #50 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:55:30 PM »

skip the edwards, you're paying an escalated price for a cr@ppy guitar that they beat the shite out of before putting a simple circuit in it that they advertise as fancy and special. Honestly, if you wanted, i could wire in 3 push pull pots to do the same thing for ya.

LazyNinja · « **Reply #51 on:** February 15, 2007, 10:06:20 PM »

Quote from: the_bleeding

skip the edwards, you're paying an escalated price for a cr@ppy guitar that they beat the shitee out of before putting a simple circuit in it that they advertise as fancy and special. Honestly, if you wanted, i could wire in 3 push pull pots to do the same thing for ya.

I would take the cr@ppy out of that sentence and I disagree about the relic-ing I think they look pretty cool. Just replace the pups with BKP unpotted mules and its good as real, well, near enough. Gibsons are way more overpriced than the Edwards, at least when new.

Mr Ed · « **Reply #52 on:** February 15, 2007, 11:41:17 PM »

Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL

I'd add Schecter to the list too

Schecter's are great, I love the Tempest models but I'd steer clear of Epiphone solidbodies unless you plan on getting the electrics sorted out and replacing the pickups.

And the bridge on the PRS SE models is terrible, that's why I sold my Tremonti.

Mr Ed · « **Reply #53 on:** February 15, 2007, 11:43:03 PM »

Quote from: the_bleeding

Its wierd to string because you have to hold it in the saddle with one hand while you use the other to stick it through the tuner and tune it, but other than that its balls easy. Usually i just get my girlfriend to hold the ball in the notch while i stretch it and wind hahaha.
Another thing to note is that it is NOT a wraparound bridge, it just has little notches where the ball end sits tightly behind the tune-o-matic bit. Also, it stays intune VERY nicely, i do full 2 step bends on every string and it comes back perfectly. (queens of the stone age solos have alot of huge bends)

Thanks very much for the info mate, much appreciated. That bridge sounds bloody weeeeird. :?

the_bleeding · « **Reply #54 on:** February 16, 2007, 12:25:08 AM »

Quote from: Mr Ed

Thanks very much for the info mate, much appreciated. That bridge sounds bloody weeeeird. :?

its wierd, but its damn easy. I've had this thing for well over a year and i've never had problems.

Mr Ed · « **Reply #55 on:** February 16, 2007, 01:47:51 AM »

I know the pickups are Super 2 copies, I remember reading several glowing reviews when they first came out... like TG and Guitarist... and they said they cut through superbly.

How hot are the pickups? They sound pretty hot to be honest, I don't suppose you have any idea on the sort of output? Do they sound good on a clean channel... with all that top-end, I'd imagine so.

the_bleeding · « **Reply #56 on:** February 16, 2007, 02:06:15 AM »

theyre beautifully sparkly. First neck pickup i've had that isnt muddy as shite. I can go from a decent clean to awesome gain. The clean sounds somewhat accoustic, not very fat (which i can attribute to my amp), but very sparkly, almost fender twin reverb sparkly. I plug this thing into my marshall 30th anniversary head and play anything from progressive punk (fall of troy, circa survive) to stoner rock (like the Sword, High on Fire, Open Hand) to hardcore and death metal (Between the Buried and Me, Job for a Cowboy, Dark Tranquillity, Bloodbath (with a boss HM-2 of course...) It has all the gain without the muddiness.

My other guitars are a bc rich JR. V with emg 81/85, and an ibanez RG stock.
They do not have as much output as the emg's, but they have essentially the same amount of bass with slightly looser attack (to be expected when comparing passive to active), and a bit more trebel. They arent as sterile and hollow sounding.
Compared to the ibanez stocks, theyre WAY tighter, alot more output, and have slightly less bass, and a bit less mids.

I've had a problem though with old pots, and i took them into a tech who replaced them with 250k's instead of the standard 500k, which cut off some of my trebel and adding a bit of darkness. I'm upgrading to 500k once i have some free time so i can get its true tone back.
The only thing i find it lacks is a bit of punch and mids, but its amazingly clear and articulate.

sgmypod · « **Reply #57 on:** February 16, 2007, 08:48:42 AM »

sorry..edwards I posted cause never seen them in the uk sites.....and a lot here rate them...the schecters are great guitars...have a great neck quite different to other guitars I played

LazyNinja · « **Reply #58 on:** February 16, 2007, 09:33:30 AM »

Quote from: sgmypod

sorry..edwards I posted cause never seen them in the uk sites.....and a lot here rate them...the schecters are great guitars...have a great neck quite different to other guitars I played

Oh, no no I wasnt having a go at you at all just the website :? I cant stand these importers who mark up a great amount on the imported instruments. Talking of imports, I think the Schecters are great value in US prices, but in the UK, with the Soundcontrol being the sole distributor, theyre only average imo. Having said that, I actually cant remember too well how they played. I may go play one this weekend.

Mr Ed · « **Reply #59 on:** February 16, 2007, 12:21:56 PM »

Quote from: the_bleeding

theyre beautifully sparkly. First neck pickup i've had that isnt muddy as shitee. I can go from a decent clean to awesome gain. The clean sounds somewhat accoustic, not very fat (which i can attribute to my amp), but very sparkly, almost fender twin reverb sparkly. I plug this thing into my marshall 30th anniversary head and play anything from progressive punk (fall of troy, circa survive) to stoner rock (like the Sword, High on Fire, Open Hand) to hardcore and death metal (Between the Buried and Me, Job for a Cowboy, Dark Tranquillity, Bloodbath (with a boss HM-2 of course...) It has all the gain without the muddiness.

My other guitars are a bc rich JR. V with emg 81/85, and an ibanez RG stock.
They do not have as much output as the emg's, but they have essentially the same amount of bass with slightly looser attack (to be expected when comparing passive to active), and a bit more trebel. They arent as sterile and hollow sounding.
Compared to the ibanez stocks, theyre WAY tighter, alot more output, and have slightly less bass, and a bit less mids.

I've had a problem though with old pots, and i took them into a tech who replaced them with 250k's instead of the standard 500k, which cut off some of my trebel and adding a bit of darkness. I'm upgrading to 500k once i have some free time so i can get its true tone back.
The only thing i find it lacks is a bit of punch and mids, but its amazingly clear and articulate.

Good stuff! I've been sold on the guitar for a while, the pickups is the only concern for me.