randythoades

This is a genuine question as I have always had poor experiences with FX pedals: How do you manage to get a drive or distortion pedal to sound good? Whenever I have used one it just completely takes over the character sound of the amp so you just sound like the pedal. Seems to me to defeat the reason for having an actual amp, might as well just use a power amp. I have always preferred to set up a crunch sound on amp and then use pick attack or volume knob to clean or dirty up as appropriate. I can't get that with a pedal for some reason so I am intrigued and impressed when people actually use FX pedals.

It's an interesting question. I struggled with this as I think I use very little in the way of accessories. I don't use any extra effects pedals or tremolos or capos or slides. Just guitar into amp, or guitar into preamp into PA. So probably the only thing I wouldn't like to live without is a tuner and a plectrum (and maybe my kindle with the lyrics on...)

Well, I find it very unlikely that different guitars and different brands of strings have exactly the same issue on the same strings. It must be a different contributing factor that is common to all instruments... maybe environment, temperature, humidity... and dare I say... the user. Maybe it is something about the way you fit your strings or the angle of your strumming hand. Maybe it is just a bit heavy handed and you need to look at your technique or use heavier gauges to accommodate. Although, if it was technique you would probably get the same issue with banjo and uke too. I had an issue years ago breaking the top E string pretty much once a week. I realised that it was the was I used the pick and that I didn't need to be quite so aggressive. I managed to train myself out of it and now have quite a light touch and use incredibly light strings now. haven't broken a string now for years.

Lovely. Really nice tone and touch, excellent job.

Wow. Any particular reason? I thought it had to be valves? I have not played the newer Katanas, but played a lot with an earlier version and they are excellent amps with loads of great tones and options. If you play a variety of material, just like changing your tone dramatically, or play mainly at home they are awesome. If you only stick to one tone then it might be a bit overkill.

Are Gibson struggling again? Is the aim to create a stir on the internet and get people talking about the brand? Let's be honest, no publicity is bad publicity. I am happy for signature guitars to exist. Plenty of players want to more emulate their heroes, and doesn't take away the fact that they are also fine instruments for non fans to play. But this seems a bit silly, bringing out signature guitars that most wouldn't associate with. And with such a massive price tag.

Ouch. That would make a dent in the bank account. I also don't associate a black LP with Clapton. Yes, the sunburst LP during the Bluesbreakers time, a 335 or SG with Cream and then obviously a black strat. A quick Google does pull up a handful of photos, but I certainly wouldn't associate this with him specifically. And £17500 when you could get pretty much 10 Clapton signature strats...? No thanks. Although, I suppose that is cheaper than an original 1958 one. You can buy a new (non signature) one for about £6000. So a 'signature' is worth over £10,000?

You might get more response to this over on Basschat as this is more guitar focused. There are plenty of members who cross over so might be more experienced. I haven't used active pickups so don't really know.

Goodness, I have several. I go through stages of a full clear out and then end up buying some of it back again a year later, usually losing money on the deal. My biggest regrets are selling my first 'proper' strat, a MIJ 62 reissue and my first bass, an old 1980s Aria TSB. Loved them both but sold them to get 'better' instruments that really weren't that much better. I have bought several more strats and 3 or 4 other TSB basses to try and replicate them but never really gelled with them. As pointed out elsewhere, my memory is probably much better and more rose tinted than the reality.

Fantastic looking. I also have Gretsch GAS on a regular basis, I love the look of the hollow bodied and the Bigsby, even though I don't use vibratos usually. But I also just play for my own amusement so try to content myself with the numerous guitars I already have. In fact, I have enough parts to probably make another 2 or 3 complete instruments, so that should keep me busy. My wife says I tinker with them more than I actually play them these days.

Very impressive. Good job.

Ah yes, I see. You could use a multi DI such as the Behringer Ultra DI800 as that would give 8 DI inputs and 8 balanced XLR outputs into the H8. A much cheaper option than changing your interface.

Never heard of them. But it looks very cool though!

I haven't used those particular DI boxes before but I have used others and have and use several Zoom recorders for different applications. The H8 wouldn't be my choice for multitrack recording, it is more of a compact field recorder to capture band recordings, podcasting away from your desk etc. But it will do the job fine as long as you don't need the extra functionality. If you are at your desk, just use it as an audio interface and make all the corrections and parameters in your DAW. But I don't think you will need to run the DI at all, you should be able to plug straight into the combo jack, they are meant for guitar level signals and have switchable Hi-Z. Should be no problem if you have an onboard preamp or powered pickup. If it is just a passive pickup then you are still be able to plug in if you increase the gain enough but accept that there will be additional noise. There isn't a massive amount of EQ etc in the Zooms themselves so if you don't want to export into computer then your editing options are limited (not always a bad thing!) so you want as good a signal as possible going in. My own solution is to get an old Zoom 504ii acoustic effects box off eBay for like £25 and use that to boost and modify the signal as best I can before it gets to the recorder and ignore the PC until final mastering.

Looks great, especially with the Marshall!!

I was never about rhythm alone, but I started to imitate the guys who mixed lead and rhythm together in that slightly muted but melodic way rather than distinct rhythm and lead roles. Usually from small single guitar bands such as Eddie Van Halen, Fast Eddie Clarke, Scotty Moore, James Burton, Brian Setzer, Billy Gibbons, Pete Townsend

Very nice. Sorry the Laney didn't work out. Looked like it had lots of potential.

What's up the tree?? The dogs seem to like whatever it is.

I do happen to really like Gold tops, but I also have an 'attraction/repulsion relationship with PRS'. I love to look at them, but I have been disappointed with all the ones I have played (granted they have mainly been SE models). Just something about the way they are doesn't work for me, the neck feels too flat and too wide and I can't get many of the tones I like, they just seem too 'polished, smooth and grown up'. I can't seem to get that fat LP tone, a spiky punky tone, nor the direct Fender type tone. But watching other players use them is often jaw droppingly good!!

That is a great idea. I dabbled with mandolin but struggled with the string and fret spacing due to fat fingers!

I'm with @Dad3353. Even running at 10w, a valve amp is far too loud for home use (I would say that even a 1w valve amp is pushing it volume wise for me). A modelling amp provides much better flexibility and give you all the other options as well. The tones are excellent. Just a slight point though, to me they always sound like a 'recorded guitar tone' and you don't get that visceral, trouser flapping monster tone in your face. But for home and rehearsal levels they are a great option without a lot of the cost and the weight.

That looks really good actually. Not tried one but I would be interested in your thoughts when you have time to test it out.

Great track. Very good job.

There isn't an easy way, it is mostly just muscle memory. I don't think about what notes are which, I just know which note I start from, the rest is purely muscle memory and experience from playing various licks and melodies. If I am learning a new melody that needs to be precise rather than just improvised then I would do as I would suggest and start SLOW. Half speed usually until I can play that and just then speed it up gradually. I would normally dedicate a practice session to just play the same lick or melody over and over again until fingers do it automatically. Finding the start point is usually the hardest for me. Don't worry about getting it wrong at full speed, just slow it down again until you can play each section over and over one after the other then begin to speed it back up.

I respectively disagree about barre chords. I much prefer them to open chords. As @Dad3353 points out, you don't have to play all the strings. I don't like the way that the open strings sometimes resonate longer than the fretted strings when I change chords, but I can cut off or mute the whole sound whenever I like with a barre chord, especially on acoustic to add a percussive element. And all I am saying about simplifying is that whilst most players do simplify to a degree, you effectively restrict your guitar technique and vocabulary by avoiding chords or techniques you can't yet do and will not improve.