A potentially long post about guitars and amps and worrying too much about things

Jonathanthomas83 · December 2018

Wazmeister said:

learn to know what YOU like; that’s the only way to find the sound in your head,,,,

This hits the nail on the head for me. Absolutely spot on. This is a lot harder than people think. At least it is for a detail hunter like me.

LuttiS · December 2018

pmbomb said:

by the time I got to end of OP I had forgotten the start.

what was the question again?

I think he wants permission to buy a new guitar...

CALLING THE GAS NEGOTIATOR!

octatonic · December 2018

We are at a different point in our playing career and giving you an opinion about what I would do will make things more confusing not less.

I'd say you already know what you want to do, but are balking at the hassle, expense or concern that you won't get something better, but rather something that is just different.

But, since you asked, my opinion is be patient and buy a Les Paul and a DRRI when you can afford to do so without selling anything you currently have.

Mark1960 · December 2018

gringopig said:

I'm in a flat and have a 135 Watt Fender Twin Reverb. It has a volume control on it remember!

I think the obsession with driving power valves until they red plate and burst into flames is a daft concept. It doesn't sound very good to me and past a certain volume it just hurts no matter where you are. If you want distortion, use a pedal. there are soooooo many of them to choose from. I'd rather do that than buy a matched set of Winged C 6L6GCs and a new windows every time I turn the Twin to maximum.

For what it's worth I totally agree with the above, get the amp you want (or already have) and get a decent O/Drive pedal, that works with the amp and guitar without changing the characteristics, and control the volume on the pedal. I have a Thorpy that works really well at home volumes. Sounds great IMHO.

Skipped · December 2018

Living in an apartment is an unsolvable problem if you are chasing a particular result. And it seems to me that finding what you want is not the problem in your case.

Will you return to the UK at some point? If so, your compromise could be temporary and easier to deal with. A detached property in the UK is still "affordable" for a very large group of people that I will describe as skilled workers, for want of a better term. But not in London........

In the meantime, you can get the R7. But I would ask 2 or 3 musicians who you know, and respect, to pop into Coda and play the guitar. (Put the guitar on hold).

If several people, that I trust, tell me that a guitar is a wonderful player, and that I am going to love it, and that the risk of me not loving it is less than 2%, I will buy that guitar unseen. A great guitar is a great guitar.

If 10 of us (reading this thread) are shown 10 Les Pauls, I do not expect us to agree about the best colour. But I would expect 9 of us to agree which guitar has the best, most desirable, impossible to put down, neck feel which results from the stars somehow aligning.....even though the 10 instruments have the same spec. And the neck is "everything".

I am a bit surprised that you might be willing to ship a high end instrument without these steps.

stickyfiddle · December 2018

octatonic said:

I'd say you already know what you want to do, but are balking at the hassle, expense or concern that you won't get something better, but rather something that is just different.

But, since you asked, my opinion is be patient and buy a Les Paul and a DRRI when you can afford to do so without selling anything you currently have.

I think that about nails it. To be honest, it's more a space issue than a money issue. I'm 100% sure those are the right components to get the thing in my head, in conjunction with pedals I already have. But it is a pain getting decent quality gear out here.

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Wazmeister said:

learn to know what YOU like; that’s the only way to find the sound in your head,,,,

This hits the nail on the head for me. Absolutely spot on. This is a lot harder than people think. At least it is for a detail hunter like me.

I think this is good advice, and generally my instincts are good. In recent years I seem to have a pattern that each guitar I buy is either great but not "me", or just suits me perfectly. I just need to trust that, and hopefully buy fewer of the "odd number" choices, I guess!

The hollow/P90 thing is annoying in a lot of ways. The ES330 is a fantastic guitar when played loud, but realistically that just isn't my current situation, and it loses something somehow at home volumes. Combined with a preference for quite bright low-output hum buckers there is a lot of overlap and my existing HB guitars just work better for what I'm using them for.

And I could always get another if and when circumstances change.

JDE said:

stickyfiddle said:

Would would you do?

Fwiw, do really try and spend some time with an LP and a Deluxe Reverb. For many it’s a real corker, but I have been deflated every time with that combo. Just my 2p.

As for amps, I'm well convinced some sort of Deluxe Reverb is the right answer - I've tried a handful of them with different guitars in the last couple of years (including Les Pauls and similar) and every time they've brought a smile to my face.

So it's just a question of whether to go DRRI plus attenuator/loadbox or something bit more "boutiquey", perhaps with power scaling. Its not an option you see that much compared with Vox or Marshall flavoured circuits. Maybe that's a commentary on how amp makers view the quality of Fender's own stuff? Who knows.

stickyfiddle · December 2018

Still itching for goldtops and blackfaces...

How good old does this look...?! Anyone near Coda fancy having a play and telling me if it’s a really good one?

Image: https://www.coda-music.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/5/7/57_lp_78299_03.jpeg

noisepolluter · December 2018

Re the DRRI - I’m assuming you’re aware of the effect of the bright cap on the trem/reverb channel at lower volumes with drive/distortion pedals. It doesn’t bother some folks at all, if it does bother you there are various ways round it (modding or jumpering). I went for the modding approach - had the ‘normal’ channel wired up permanently to the reverb, which is what they’ve done with the recent hand wired ‘64. Google fritz mod for more details.

If you’re going to be using mostly power amp drive or are happy to use the normal channel with a bit of reverb channel jumpered and blended in (so long as they’re not at the same level as stock wiring is out of phase) then it’s not an issue. TS-based pedals also seem to be less prone to harshness/fizziness with the bright cap.

Edit: or just disconnect the bright cap. I very rarely use the bright channel these days, even blended in.

stickyfiddle · December 2018

noisepolluter said:

Re the DRRI - I’m assuming you’re aware of the effect of the bright cap on the trem/reverb channel at lower volumes with drive/distortion pedals. It doesn’t bother some folks at all, if it does bother you there are various ways round it (modding or jumpering). I went for the modding approach - had the ‘normal’ channel wired up permanently to the reverb, which is what they’ve done with the recent hand wired ‘64. Google fritz mod for more details.

If you’re going to be using mostly power amp drive or are happy to use the normal channel with a bit of reverb channel jumpered and blended in (so long as they’re not at the same level as stock wiring is out of phase) then it’s not an issue. TS-based pedals also seem to be less prone to harshness/fizziness with the bright cap.

Edit: or just disconnect the bright cap. I very rarely use the bright channel these days, even blended in.

Ta. I'm aware of the foibles of the channels and potential mods. I would be most likely to put the bright cap on a switch, though I like bright amps and haven't had issues whenever I've demoed pedals

It's also possible I'll go "posher" than a boggo DRRI - the Dr Z Z-Lux looks really attractive with sensible mods & tweaks to the basic setup, together with a master volume, which would be good for home.

fandango · December 2018

Freebird said:

munckee said:

stickyfiddle said:

munckee said:

Princeton reverb smaller and quieter than DRRI.

But not as good sounding, imo...

Maybe in the flat?

B-flat?

No, just a flat.

57Deluxe · December 2018

@stickyfiddle ;...your post is best responded to in a conversation down the pub one night than solving a series of conundrums by a tickbox referendum. The real answer is that no-one knows what you specifically want to hear and see(!) so, as ever, this process is one of trial by luck and error more than second-hand judgement.

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A potentially long post about guitars and amps and worrying too much about things

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