Skinnyman

Bumped with price drop

To answer the question though, if you know what BPM is needed for the track in question, there are lots of metronome-type apps available for smartphones. One of those and a set of earbuds would give the drummer the tempo and a click to play to.

There’s a discussion here... https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/154452/hofner-senator ...in which someone suggests Phosphor Bronze 12s. In the pictures later in the thread, the guitar does indeed seem to have acoustic phosphor-bronze strings on so, in the absence of any better/more knowledgeable answers, I’d try those.

Edit: This has to go so reduced to just £95!!! I bought this off a fellow bass chatter and it's (been) my favourite guitar amp. Regrettably, we're now moving and I've had to quit the band. That means I no longer have a need for this, so... Up for sale is my Vox AV60 (Analogue Valve) Combo Amp. It's in excellent condition overall with a couple of minor scuffs and some faint marks on the Tolex that were there when I bought it. It works perfectly and I've been really impressed with the versatility of the amp. I've not had chance to gig it and so, although I bought it with the intention of gigging with it, it's just been used as practice amp (thankfully, there's a headphone socket). Price of these new is £300 plus £50 for the foot switch - I'm looking for £95 all in. The only caveat is that it needs to be collected from me in sunny Cleethorpes (or a meet arranged within an hour or so of me) - PM me if you're interested and we can discuss what's practical. What isn't practical, unfortunately, is me posting it, Sorry. Here are some pictures Loads of reviews on the Web plus these specs... Full Description Variable Analog Preamp Circuits The innovative new AV series features a completely analog preamp circuit with a variety of resistors and capacitors which allow you to select between 8 unique preamp circuits. This impressive design effectively allows you to switch between the sound of 8 classic valve amplifiers. Each preamp circuit is based on an iconic Vox amplifier model such as the AC30 top boost sound and AC15 with EF86 tubes making the AV60 Combo a versatile and powerful valve amplifier. 12AX7 Preamp and Power Amp The AV60 uses two 12AX7 tubes, one for the preamp and one for the power amp, delivering an even more dynamic sound. The internally supplied voltage is 60V; this high voltage allows the potential of the vacuum tubes to be fully utilized, and lets you obtain natural and powerful distortion reminiscent of some of the most iconic tube amplifiers. Preamp and Power Amp Mode Switches Four slide switches allow you to modify the response of the vacuum tube peripheral circuitry. For the preamp tubes, there are two switches: ‘Bright’ boosts the high frequencies, and ‘Fat’ boosts the low end. For the power tubes, you can change the operating point of the vacuum tubes by using the ‘BIAS’ switch to select either a clear and modern sound or an easily distorting vintage sound, and the ‘Reactor’ switch lets you vary the amount of feedback to the power amp, changing the damping factor to obtain a more dynamic, wide-ranging, and crisp sound. 8 Selectable Amp Models Combined with the tonal versatility of the selectable power amp circuit, the Vox AV60 also features 8 selectable amp models which range from clean to crunch and even high gain. Each amp model has its own distinct tonal flavour and can be further modified with the 3 band EQ and switchable power amp circuit. On Board Effects & Cabinet Emulation Vox are no stranger to providing high quality digital effects on their amplifiers and the AV60 is no expectation. Including modulation, delay and reverb effects the Vox AV60 packs in all the essentials whilst allowing you to control each effect independently for impressive tonal shaping versatility. Additionally, the headphone output incorporates impressive cabinet emulation which offers realistic presence and cabinet warmth perfect for silent practise. Innovative Cabinet Design The Vox AV60 features a superior baffle cabinet design to provide efficient sound projection whilst the front mounted speaker offers a loud and spacious sound. Combined with a proprietary bass-reflex design the Vox AV60 offers a natural sound balance with rounded lows and dynamic response. Features Eight analog preamp circuits to reproduce the sounds of eight tube amps Clean to high-gain tones, with careful attention paid to circuit design Pre and power amp sections use the 12AX7 dual triode tube, delivering real tube sound Four modes modify the response of the vacuum tube peripheral circuitry Two channels each with independent amp models and EQ controls High-quality modulation, delay, and reverb effects Send/Return FX loop connections Integrated baffle cabinet design for efficient sound projection Front mounted speaker provides loud, clear, and spacious sound Proprietary bass-reflex structure delivers natural sound balance Power level control allows the volume to be adjusted while maintaining the tonal character Headphone output is equipped with a cabinet simulator for realistic sound & presence Hi-Fi spec AUX input allows an audio input source to be faithfully reproduced Specifications Inputs: 1 x 1/4" Instrument, 1 x 1/8" Aux Outputs: 1 x 1/8" Headphones, 1 x 1/4" Speaker Output Other Connections: 2 x 1/4" FX Loop (Send/Return), 1 x 1/4" Footswitch Channels: 2 Power Output: 60 Watts Amp Models: Clean 1 Clean 2 Crunch 1 Crunch 2 OD 1 OD 2 H.Gain 1 H.Gain 2 Power Level Effects Controls: Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass, Volume Valve Controls (Pre Amp): 2-Way Bright Switch, 2-Way Fat Switch Valve Controls (Power Amp): 2-Way BIAS Switch, 2 Way Reactor Switch Effects: MOD, Delay, Reverb

I had a Faith which I liked a lot, I have a Takamine which is excellent and I’ve always fancied a Breedlove because they look nice

Hi Alby An interesting journey, thanks for sharing. I had a Nighthawk for a while and really liked it. In fact, I’m now wondering why on Earth I sold it....

I think, for most of us, it’s the latter. Perhaps if you’re playing an intimate gig with an unamplified acoustic but as soon as you add in effects, amps, cabs, room acoustics, a mad drummer and a screaming vocalist and the subtleties of tone wood start to disappear. I think I prefer the feel of an unglossed rosewood fretboard - all the maple ones I’ve played have had a high gloss finish on and been really hard under the fingers. Probably my imagination but RW seems to have have just a little “give” which I like.

I think we need a bit more data to try and diagnose. I’m guessing that those DiMarzio pickups are pretty hot so the extra input gain might be why this guitar is exposing the issue rather than your others? So it would be good to try and pin down the issue to either the amp or the guitar. Can you try a different amp? Try a similar guitar into the Katana? How does this noise manifest itself? Is it constant or does it sometimes sound more noticeable than others? If you can try altering things to see what effect it has on the noise it might be possible to narrow it down to either the guitar or the amp. Does this happen at all frequencies or just with particular notes? Does it only happen at specific places on the neck? With both pickups or just one? What happens if you roll the guitar volume back a bit? Or the guitar tone? What if you roll the amp tone back? Switch effects in and out? If your amp had tubes I’d be suspecting one of those starting to go microphonic but while Boss’s tube emulation might be good I doubt they’ve gone to the trouble of emulating a knackered tube. . So this could be a resonance thing that’s exacerbated by the high gain of the PAFs. Or something else entirely. So - can you give us a bit more to go on? Even record it and post a clip here? And if you do sort it, let us know how it got resolved!

Couldn’t agree more. I don’t mind it so much on my acoustic but I much prefer unbound necks on my electrics. And rosewood* rather than maple. * or whatever the modern, sustainable version of rosewood is

I’m very much a believer in the “getting bored, must buy something new” approach to maintaining motivation but I’ve also found that having a “project” helps. Whether its composing and recording your own music, recording a cover of someone else’s, learning a new technique or a new style of music... it doesn’t really matter what it is, just pick something that’s out of the comfort zone and give it a go. In my case I’ve used lockdown to work on areas of my playing that are weak (which, to be honest, was most of them. I do a decent palm mute but beyond that it all needs work) and I’ve set about trawling the hours of material on YouTube to improve my production techniques, especially the dark art of mixing. And I think your approach is a good one - in these constrained times a forum is a good place to bounce ideas off others and try to get some inspiration. So welcome and good luck!

That’s lovely. Enjoy!

Hi Tim and welcome. I enjoyed the two tracks, thanks for posting. Are they recent? I’m guessing that’s not Oklahoma in the videos?

In fairness, I think you can get “nail strengthener” which may save any embarrassment. Although a nice pillar box red does go well against a sunburst finish and a tort ‘guard

I’ll echo what Matt has said. If you’re not sure if you’re a lefty or a righty then it’s probably worth going used and cheap for your first guitar (and to give yourself the widest choice later down the line, go right-handed if you can!). Yamaha Pacifica, Vintage, Squier, Epiphone, LTD - there are lots of good makes around at decent prices. If you spot something you fancy, feel free to post on here for a second opinion. I also write left-handed but I do everything else right-handed so maybe a more telling assessment is; which hand do you catch or throw a ball with? Which way would you swing a golf club or cricket bat? At the risk of getting personal, which is your “wiping hand”? You may be truly ambidextrous - but those questions will probably tell you which is your dominant side. And I’ll second the choice of a Zoom multi-fx unit with headphone output. Or you could look at a small practice amp with a headphone output - that allows you the option of “rocking out” on the rare occasion you’ve got the house to yourself. I use a small Fender Mustang amp which has a bunch of effects built in and almost always use it with headphones. There’s a lot of choices out there so, again, if you find something you like the look of, feel free to solicit advice on here. There’s generally no shortage of opinion Good luck with the search and setting out on the journey! I started learning in my fifties and it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

I’m sure that others will chip in with suggestions that he sit with his nails in a saucer of vinegar or paint them with clear nail polish or similar. Ive always just filed mine short on both hands and use the pads of my fingers rather than the nails. Almost certainly a poor technique that’s frowned upon but it works for me.

Just had a look at the Coda website and the price has rocketed up since I got mine. The one listed has humbuckers and a trem bridge but is still way over a grand more than I paid for mine. Interesting to see that fender have embraced the P90 - I might have to try one when I’m next allowed in a music shop.

About eight years ago I spotted this in my local music shop. A “closet classic” K-Line San Bernardino in Lake Placid Blue. Originally it had K-Line’s own P90s but I found them incredibly noisy so I swapped them out for a set of Kinman noise-free P90-a-likes instead. Mine must have been one of the first K-Lines in the country (the shop owner brought it in as a one-off after seeing Chris Kroenlein’s stand at a trade show in the USA). Shortly afterwards, Coda Music in Stevenage became the UK importer. I must admit, I’m not a fan of artificial ageing and, being me and always tinkering, I might swap out the P90’s for a set of humbuckers but I really like this guitar. The body shape is really comfortable (I need the belly cut these days) but mostly, I love the neck on it. It’s got quite a narrow radius to it compared to my PRS and Tele and it’s just so easy to play. The observant may notice that I’ve fitted my Roland MIDI pickup to it - largely because it’s a direct fit to the bridge posts so I could attach it without the sticky pads or screws I’d have needed for anything else. I don’t see of hear much about K-Lines in the UK but they deserve more attention.

Welcome! And no need to be ashamed of anything - a good friend of mine learnt using Rocksmith (I think it was an earlier incarnation under a different name....guitarbot? Or maybe a different thing entirely but the same concept). As a way of getting familiar with what actual sounds are where on the fretboard, picking technique, etc, I think it’s brilliant. What you now have is a really strong foundation on which to build - but the bottom line is, you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve and, presumably, got some enjoyment and satisfaction from doing so. That’s got to be something to celebrate.

After years of using multi-fx units, I’ve moved to a pedal board; A Strymon Ojai power supply (very impressed with that), EHX Soul Food drive pedal, Boss OS2 overdrive/distortion, Boss DD2 delay, EHX Oceans 11 reverb and a Boss RC2 looper. Seen in proper context here with the EHX wah pedal and a Zoom A1 Four acoustic multi-fx. I plug the piezo pickup of my PRS into the Zoom and set it to emulate a Martin D28 (and any other effects I want on the acoustic side) while the magnetic pickups go into the pedal board. Great fun

In addition to the little Mustang (which I use as a practice tool because of the aforementioned play-along capabilities), I also have a little Bugera T5 Infinium which is perfect for home use. It has three power settings (0.5w, 1w and 5w) and does that valve breakup thing really nicely. I’d love a blues junior but to get them to sound “good” they’re just too loud for my needs

I agree - and I also think there’s a degree of “shorthand” in the choice; I’m a rock guitarist. I play a Les Paul I play mainly blues. I play a strat.. I’m a country boy. I got me a telecaster. Etc. Certain guitars are associated with certain genres and if you play that genre, you expect, and you’re expected, to play that guitar. Until you find the confidence to make your own choices, the path of least resistance is to conform to the stereotypes.

And greetings to you too, Bleu! Or do we say “bonjour”?

I’m missing the band although I’d never admit that to their faces Other than that, I’ve taken the opportunity to practice more and try to improve my technique. It’s working slowly so progress is encouraging and making me want to keep at it - but not that fast that there’s no challenge and I get bored. The big problem I have with lockdown is GAS and the siren call of internet shopping. Who knew I needed that boutique compressor pedal?

That would be even better if they plugged together and did away with the need for patch cables.... Ah. I just spotted the connector on the side. Genius

Hi simondo and welcome!