Grogg's guilt free new guitar **Now with pics

CavemanGrogg

Ungulate said:

How are you finding the noiseless pickups? They seem to get mixed reviews

I'm honestly not sure, they're better than the other noiseless pickups that I've used and have, but I'm not sure if I'm a noiseless pickup guy.  I spent a good 2 months or longer trying out different models of Fender Stratocasters, everything from Mexican, American, and Custom Shop, and these honestly where the best sounding to my ear of all the various pickups I tried.  Though I wouldn't say I had much of a chance to properly try them out yet, I've only really been able to really try them out on the amps in the store, not my usual amps of choice, and a couple of practise tube amps I grabbed from my self storage unit, along with what I thought was an American Texas Specials equiped Stratocaster to A/B against  that turned out to be a 2013 Fender Mexican Telecaster Standard instead.  From what I've heard of them so far, I don't think they're my favourite single coils yet alone Fender single coil pickups, there something to be said for having that 60 cycle hum.  Though I do plan to install a base plate on the bridge pickup when I next change strings.

GoFish said:

@CavemanGrogg ;; - That's a fair haul of small ticket items to go with the guitar. Do let us know about the different strings when you get around to it.

Have you any specific plans with the iRig Pro?

I've used the standard Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-42 since I first picked up an electric guitar close to 30 years ago, I've tried other brands, but I've always gone back to the Ernie Ball Super Slinky,  I noticed the stainless steel, cobalt, coated, and another type of Ernie Ball electric guitar strings close to 10 years ago, I never bothered to try them, instead prefering to stick to what I know and trust, but since I was given a couple of packs to try, I plan to give them a try.  Though how relevant that try will beremains to be seen, typically I really don't like stainless steel frets, byt this guitar has them, usually sith guitars that come with stainless steel frets that Ilike enough to play, I have them refretted with nickel frets, so I dont really havea point of referance for comparrision between the different strings on this guitar.

My original plan and idea for the iRig Pro was to use it so that I can use my iPad as a modeling amp, instead of my amp I have in storage - since the breakup I've moved from a 4 bedroom detached house into a 2 bedroom semi-detached house.  However I don't know it that is a feasable plan or idea, I have no current plans for recording, and I've only used the thing for a little over an hour, so it's probably me, or me not knowing how to use it properly or set it up right, but for some reason it won't let me hear what I'm playing through the iPad's speakers - I don't wan't to use it on my Android tablet as I keep what I use my Android devices for completely seperate and unlinked to my Apple devices, and can only hear what I'm playing through headphones, whether through Amplitude or Garage Band, which gets tiring quite fast given the weight of good quality headphones. It's probably me, or me not setting it up right.  But I'm now currently thinking of treating myself to a really good low wattage plexi amp with reverb, something between 5 to 10 watts, if I manage to pass my up coming classical guitar practical LRCM exam.

Greatape said:

Nice guitar, well done

Thanks, I must say the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster is really worth the extra cost.  After 2 months or more of trying various Fender Stratocasters at all price points, it hands down is the most comfortable one I played, the new enhanched neck heel is brilliant, the new D enduro neck is simply a dream to play on, the satin finish on the back of the neck is to die for it feels almost like naked wood, and the shape is simply heavenly, the best description I have for it is instead of a traditional Fender ''C'' profile neck, it's closer to a Gibson ''D'' neck profile, but crossed with the neck thickness and profile of the first generation of Ibanez JEM Wizard necks - between the thickness of a Gibson 50's Tribute Les Paul and Gibson 60's Tribute Les Paul, it's by no means a skinny neck, but neither is it a full hand full, it's very very comfortable with enough meet on the bone for the leverage needed for extreme bends.  You really have to try one to see just how good these necks really are, Fender are really on to a winner with these necks if they keep this neck profile going, I honestly half tempted to buy myself the Fender American Ultra Luxe Floyd Rose HSS they are that good.  I'm also seriously tempted to have the Eric Clapton 25DB mid boost circuit that was thrown in for free installed if it can be done without having any more routes done to the body of the guitar, from memory the circuit board has a corner that is designed to be clipped off so that it fits in the cavity under the volume and tonde controls, and the battery can be placed by the claw between the springs.

I must say the guitar has a very SRV vibe to it with the colour scheme, and the contrasting black pickguard with white pickups, control knobs and switch tip.  I'm half tempted to copy him, but instead of getting a ''SRV'' decal/vinyl for the pickguard, get one made that says ''Grogg'' in white instead, and yes I'm currently Googling for a company that offers such a service, so if anybody knows of one, please let me know.

GoFish

I'd guess that the Audio interface wants you to plug in the "output" from it, as it passes audio via usb and does the conversion itself. An alternative would be some desktop monitors, but that depends on whether you're happy to stay ampless (G.A.S. can be an unrelenting companion).

Oh, and congrats for passing the exam and chosing a classical guitar!

CavemanGrogg

GoFish said:

I'd guess that the Audio interface wants you to plug in the "output" from it, as it passes audio via usb and does the conversion itself. An alternative would be some desktop monitors, but that depends on whether you're happy to stay ampless (G.A.S. can be an unrelenting companion).

Oh, and congrats for passing the exam and chosing a classical guitar!

I really don't wan't to go down the DAW route, if I can't do what I want to do on my iPad with the iRig Pro Dou, amplitude, and Garage Band, basically use it as a modeling amp, and hopefully without having to use headphones all the time, I don't mind not having everyday access to a traditional tube amp.  I'd much rather fork out for a really good low wattage plexi amp with reverb, than add yet more periphals to my iPad - besides the iRig bluetooth peda thing, a laptop or mac book, or a DAW and studio monitors.

usedtobe

I used to love a bit of parsley, back in the day