Kiwi

This is America, I don't know what to believe any more. But Gibson haven't been known for a lot of things they've done, robot tuners for example.

it's a fiddly system to set up but reliable once done properly. I have an Steinberger R trem with the lever too, it's far less convenient than the VS100C

Wilkinson were THE OEM hardware company for a while in the US, it's not like they lacked profile. But there was a patent clash with Gibson in the US. Gotoh became the US distributor in a deal but I don't recall seeing the bridges being promoted much. Gibson didn't have their own alternative to offer. But the bridges were only restricted in the US, nowhere else and supposedly the restrictions were due to end sometime after 2007...

I'm still lamenting the lack of an equivalent to the NLA Wilkinson VS100C trem. Luckily I have four of these bridges stashed away for future projects after stumbling on Trevor's daughter selling off NOS on Reverb. Nothing else like them. The one change I'd make is to include a fulcrum/bearing based pivot point. https://www.axebition.com/bridge/wilkinson-vs100c-convertible

Just stop playing when your fingers get sore. Start playing again when they're not swollen. That way you'll build the calluses quickly.

Not by plugging it into a mic socket. What you need is a 1/4" to USB cable from Ebay. They're pretty cheap maybe five quid or perhaps less. The computer needs to see something digital in order to do something with it using software. If you have amp software already, then you'll need to set it up so that it takes input from the correct device in the software settings panel and sends output to your soundcard.

I have no experience at all with any apple products but there are bluetooth wireless systems available now. Previously they would have been difficult to use due to lag but perhaps the technology is better these days. Maybe you can pair the wireless transmitter to the iPad but I don't know for sure.

If you just want to make noise then plug the 3.5mm end of the cable into the mic socket. Any more than that and you'll have to spend some money.

No experience playing a Dinky but really, just choose pickups to suit your genre. My choice would be EMG or Lace Sensors due to the noiseless tech and your preference for high gain. But Di Marzio do signature pickups for Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, plus the classic super distortion model. or Seymour Duncan for more classic models like the Pearly Gates, Seth Lover or Antiquity models.

There are all sorts of reasons behind why a retailer will choose a larger margin. Some of them under their control, some of them not, some of them are about sales tactics and others are about simply charging what they feel they can get away with. There are a couple of vintage and rare shops around the country who will charge significantly more for an otherwise unremarkable (and not vintage or rare) instrument because people will accept higher margins in return for outstanding customer service. Sometimes shops will set their asking prices higher and allow themselves to be negotiated down...unless the customer is not that patient or discerning. Then it's all pure profit. And even if they are negotiated down, the agreed price may still be a few percent above retail price for other shops but often the negotiation process provides the shop an opportunity to explore the customers needs and background further giving them an opportunity to develop the relationship a bit more. Sometimes retailers (especially on Ebay or Reverb) will ask outrageous prices because people will then go on forums and give them free advertising by complaining how outrageous the prices are (Starbucks get names wrong on cups for the same reasons).

Welcome aboard - most of us aspire to do the same. Hope you find being here useful and helpful :)

So basically, stop the floating bridge moving by putting a block in of sufficient thickness that it sets the bridge level. Tune it to pitch, remove the block and adjust the spring attachment plate to bring the guitar back into tune. That is, screw it in to make the strings go up in pitch, unscrew to make the pitch go down. When the strings are back in tune it'll be properly set up with balanced tension. You probably can't do much about the amount of tension itself unless you put on lighter strings. I'm not quite sure why as the tension on my MSG is a bugger and I have to wrestle with the trem for any extreme warbling. I think it might have something to do with how stiff the neck is. A stiffer neck resists string tension to a lesser degree...or something like that. I remember trying a PRS and Ibanez Saber/570S and the trems were a breeze. I didn't have to fight them so much.

An early Dean Vendetta perhaps?

Have you set up a floyd trem before?

Lol, yeah I was thinking there was something else about working with yew but couldn't remember it. You just reminded me!

For guitar maybe look at the Graphtec Ghost acoustiphonic. But there maybe cheaper options on eBay, they're not hard to build from scratch, either for an experienced tinkerer. https://graphtech.com/pages/ghost-pickup-systems

Yeah definitely get a buffer preamp. Even if the signal is loud enough the impedance issues may make it sound trebley. The buffer pre's aren't expensive on Ebay and a cheap one should do the job.

Along with crab apple and olive, yew is very tricky to dry because of its convoluted grain. That's quite some achievement.

Daisy Rock did the same thing maybe ten years ago. Andertons, a music store here in the UK, invested in the company with the intention to sell the instruments through their store and distribute them. Major backlash resulted from women guitarists who felt patronised. It seemed like a good idea but... Skip to 7:22 for the story.

Actually learning drums right handed was what screwed me up. Besides which most of the guitars I own and like playing are only available right handed.. with the exception of PRS maybe. I play drums left handed to make things even more complicated. Can't get my right hand to lead around the toms but I can do everything else ambidextrously.

I've seen reviews for the Mosky already and they've been very complimentary.

Ding dong Apparently the guitar is tuned to a G7sus4 open chord - the first chord in a Hard Day's Night by the Beatles.

Some players choose plectrum gauge to compliment their playing technique e.g. thinner, blunter plec if they strum hard. Or a harder, pointier plec if they want to play fast with a lot of control. Everything else kind of fits somewhere between those two extremes. Most common gauge is about 0.6mm but I tend to play with 0.5mm because I'm still a little heavy handed and weak fingered on my right hand. Heavier plecs tend to move around in my fingers too much. I would suggest finding something that works for you and sticking with it. Being used to a plec, whatever it is, is important for developing your touch.

Acoustic is a cheap and convenient way into the learning process but unless they're set up properly and well made, they can be cumbersome to get around on. But I agree with Dad3353 in that passion is the motivation and if the aspiration is electric then it's better to get an electric in the first place. When many of us were in the 12-14 year age range, good quality was hard to find (if not impossible) but these days there are extremely servicable instruments and amps available to all but the most miserly budgets. My Ibanez TSA5 amps were less than a hundred quid and are superb, a nice Harley Benton guitar would be a few hundred quid and be great for a few years.

I started learning casually about ten years ago but only started getting serious about it ten years ago - although still learning casually as time and family permit. I have also dabbled with builds - it's a fun thing but honestly, where I am now I can pick up near identical spec, fully finished guitars for the same price as a kit of parts would cost in the UK. So almost no point until I get more time to myself. My secret to practicing hasn't really changed since I started with drums. I still choose songs that I like and when I manage to nail the part close enough, I get a huge wave of satisfaction - a 'f*ck yeaaaah' moment. I'm also left handed but play right handed so my picking hand can be inconsistent at the best of times. Still can't change string to string very smoothly.