randythoades

Yes, as far as I know this is correct. Certainly the way I have read it before. You will often see it like that (and below) but with the chord box above the bar and not the finger tab, but Bo Rhap is a little more complex than your standard 12 bar blues to notate

Welcome @Matt81. I am also in the vicinity of Woking so our paths may cross...!

I can't see his right hand properly for palm muting, but it seems to me like he is effectively stopping the G string from sounding after the note with the flesh of his first finger. He has his fingers positioned unusually for this sort of player. Certainly when I was learning and everyone wanted to be like Steve Vai et al, you were taught to play literally with the very tips of the fingers and the thumb down the centre line of the neck as it gives a lot more freedom to move and stretch across intervals. He seems to play in a bluesy style with thumb slightly over. Also, often on the lick he is adding vibrato on the G string note whilst then going back to the B string, thus masking any extraneous noise. I am sure it isn't deliberate, it is just the way he learned to play.

To be honest, any of them will do it, but you are paying for flexibility with the Fender and the Boss. The Katana is incredibly useful and reliable and sounds great, but really shines in a cover band situation where you cover multiple genres, the Champion a little less flexible but still covers a lot of bases. This makes them great for home practice or when you play a variety of things. But if you are playing blues (which I know can cover a lot of ground) I would pick the one amp that does the sound you like, the only way is to try them out. You might not like the mid gain amp model on the Katana but love the equivalent on the Fender for instance. The you have one you like and the extra voices are just a bonus, but no point getting one that has all the flexibility but no tone that you love. If your blues is at the heavier end then the Orange Crush series is great. I have a friend who has one and that mid to heavy gain sound is really nice. I wasn't so keen on it's lower gain sounds so wouldn't choose this for the style of blues that I like. Out of this choice I would choose the Fender because I really like a blackface tone rather than full on high gain drive tones. In fact, for myself, I would just get a second hand 2000's Fender solid state such as the old Frontman series, late 90s Deluxe 112 or maybe an older Peavey Bandit. But I much prefer a solid state tone than a valve tone so your opinion might vary.

That is lovely. I have a similar Aria that I am struggling to get on with, mainly due to the size. But this style does look beautiful.

I struggle to tune 6 strings accurately. Don't think I would manage 12...! Looks nice though.

I have been trying this on my spare guitar at work. I can't pick fast enough on acoustic for the riff itself, but works for me palm muting it and starting with an upstroke. Even better it I pull off the 15th fret B string and letting the G string finger rest on the 14th fret for a tiny bit longer. The barre hardly makes a noise and is covered by picking back onto the B string again. But I suppose it depends on gain levels needed.

Yes, the barre is closer to a mute and is much less likely to sound clearly than the open G. Certainly in the way I play for right or wrong.

The OP already has an acoustic and is looking to get an compact electric for under £400

That looks like a great solution. I haven't seen one of these before.

It isn't my playing style either, although I used to be very much into thrash. But I would also do as @Dad3353 suggests. I would also barre the 12th fret. And if just doing this lick I would be starting with a downstroke, but it would depend on what the riff was before it.

All valid reasons for wanting small and portable, I have been through this exact process (except for the storage space issue) but you will have to accept the compromise: If you want the compact shape for easy storing and carrying then the Ibanez is out, it is a full size standard guitar. If the Ibanez is acceptable due to it's increased playability, which I wholeheartedly agree with, then you can choose any standard size model. Sitting and playing on the sofa will be much nicer than on the travel guitar. I also have back issues so I have moved back to guitar from bass. I went round loads of the shops with a set of scales to find the lightest I could. Different guitars in the same model range weight surprisingly different. Ended up with a Squier telecaster at 3kg. In the end I just built my own Esquire guitar out of the parts using an even lighter body from eBay (made out of paulownia) and stripped the parts off my Squier. Weights just under 2.3 kg. You could do the same and literally chop off the cutaways, or drill holes through it etc to save more weight as well as using lightweight tuners and hardware and discarding superfluous extras. I have also played gigs seated on a bar stool to relieve pressure on my back - I felt a bit silly but no one commented. If weight is the main requirement for a new guitar then the traveller skeleton type guitars are possibly the best option, but none have the pickup requirement you need. What about something even more cut back like the Aria Sinsonido or Yamaha Silent guitar type thing? Or maybe a Danelectro? My Vintage ZIP les paul juniors are a completely hollow sandwich in the Danelectro style and weight less than 2.5kg. A decent gig bag with shoulder straps is really convenient to travel with in city centre and spread most of the weight across the shoulders so I don't think standard size is an issue. The Donner model you indicate also doesn't have a neck pickup, it has a strat type middle pickup and a bridge humbucker which still won't give you the sound of a neck humbucker. You could always add another pickup in the neck on any of the models but it would add weight. Plus (and not wanting to start any argument...) How much would you actually use 2 pickups? You can do a lot with just the tone knob or EQ on amp or an EQ pedal. I never have a problem getting a fatter clean sound or a spiky lead sound using presets on my multi effects with just one pickup on my tele. As you will know from your jazz bass, balancing pickup outputs is an art and often the EQ setting that sound good on one pickup sound terrible with the other. I would suspect that many people find one general sound and stick with that, just changing it up with the controls on the guitar (like I do) or by using EQ, pedals or presets. Ultimately, it would be up to you to consider which compromise you are willing to accept or not.

Nor me... Is it something after 1990? In which case, count me out

I have no experience of any of those specific options, but not sure why it needs to be quite so compact if you are playing at home or in a regular duo where you are already taking acoustic, PA etc. The ergonomics of a compact guitar are definitely a compromise and generally make it less easy to play and certainly less comfortable. The Ibanez is just standard electric sizing, so something like a Squier Strat might be a better option for clean and jazz style playing. I don't think you would need to upgrade to locking tuners for that sort of material. If it needs to be compact for the sake of transportability (I ride a motorcycle so really appreciate the ease of transporting a smaller instrument), ones I have tried are the Blackstar Carry-On and the Traveller Ultra Light. Both seem more compact than the Donner. Both were good and quite a bit less £. Very acceptable sounds and fine to play standing up but I found uncomfortable to play seated as the shape just didn't feel natural, particularly on the Blackstar. I had both and sold both and just went back to a standard guitar size as I now have use of a car too, but if I had to choose one to keep it would be the Blackstar. Much easier to carry with a gig bag on a bike with cables and preamp etc in top box. Felt more 'guitar like' and doesn't look as space age as the Traveller / Donner style

Had a listen to the Flying Microtonal banana album. Really good and interesting. Almost sounds to me like 2 guitars out of tune with each other harmonising together in a meaningful way. Plays with your mind at times with the Eastern sounds coming out of a regular rock environment. The drums are great on this too. Like it a lot. Highly recommended.

There is definitely something nice about doing your own, even from a kit. Gives you a chance to make it personal rather than just the way the factory thought would be good. Good jobs.

Never tried one but I do really like the look, particularly a thinline. As well as 'other' brand versions, particularly the G&L ASAT deluxe. Depends what I get for the Aria and how much I have available to add in at the time. A nice afternoon trying out guitars is always a pleasure.

Just as an update. I did go and have a play on a variety of resonators. None really floated my boat. The high action wasn't ideal at all for my arthritis, and the overly metallic nature started to grate on me after an hour or so. So, I can see one as a nice addition to the stable, but not as a main instrument. Strangely, the Fender PR180 E seemed the best for me - much more guitar like, lower action and less aggressive sound than the others. I am sure that this is intentional from Fender to sell to their normal customer base, and it would definitely suit me better. But I felt it kind of missed the point. It wasn't resonator enough for most, and not acoustic guitar enough for others. Not enough aggression to cut through my mix, not much better than my regular acoustic (with EQ tweak) and not as nice to play. But purely acoustic it is definitely quite a bit louder which was the original requirement. The Fender will definitely be on my list as a 'nice to have' but I have started looking at battery powered acoustic amps or speakers as a short term alternative. In all honesty, I have started doing the same band as a duo, same singer and myself but without the accordion player which is a lot easier to work through. Not exactly split up the trio, but just meeting up less frequently!

Just as an update after pricing up the different options. I have decided to just leave it alone and not improve (butcher) a nice guitar just for the sake of it. I will clean the pots and sell it as is to let someone else enjoy it. I will buy a gift for my benefactor and get another guitar with the money, which will then hold a more emotional attachment and something I would actually play. Maybe I will go looking for a new acoustic or even a tele with humbuckers (heresy)... who knows.

Cool. Keep us updated. If he can get this it will certainly set him apart from other guitarists locally. Might be an issue to just borrow someone else's guitar though!

That sounds good. In that case, is there any benefit to this as opposed a fretless guitar? Is it better for tuning and accuracy (or is too early for your son to tell as yet)? I really struggled with fretless bass but strangely ok with upright bass so not sure it would be for me!!

Confuses me just to look at it !!! Very impressive indeed. Is it actually possible to get fingers in and play in any of the higher positions? Are the extra frets just between between the normal ones? Genuine questions as I haven't seen one before and very curious. I assume it creates opportunities to play between 'standard' intervals like you would on a fretless.

I love that look, looks awesome. Always fancied a Dakota red tele with gold scratchplate.

Thanks for these comments, much appreciated! Kind of goes with my own thinking. Decided to price up a complete pickup and re-wiring swap out last night and I don't think the guitar is worth it overall and/or I don't think it will make enough of a difference. I had a long play on it last night and I am getting more used to it, but playing the same way as I would on the acoustic. I couldn't get that big fat rich jazz tone that I hear on records but I assume that it a lot to do with playing style as much as anything. I will have a look on popular auction site and see if I can find a neck PAF like pickup at reasonable cost and do the Pat Metheny thing. Initially I could remove the bridge pickup and just bypass controls and go straight to the jack and do controls on the amp. If I prefer it I could then go to the effort of rewiring as appropriate. If I can then remove the whole wiring loom complete I should be able to re-instate it further down the line. If nothing else I can clean the pots with electrical cleaner to take away the odd crackles at that stage. If that doesn't help I think that selling it might be the better option and agree with @Crusoe that a nice gift with the money would be a good touch (an experience rather than a thing, otherwise that is something else to find space for in a smaller home). It is a very nice guitar and I do really want to love it and play it. Although I am not very sentimental about 'things', I do think a guitar needs the right person and perhaps it just isn't the right one for me. Thanks all and have a good day

Hi Dave... why all the Screaming...? Just buy a new guitar, that'll stop the screaming for a couple of weeks, then you can buy another, and another... You are very welcome here.