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New player - need "better than starter" electric


johnchop

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The thing about good Epis is you have to grab them quickly, before Gibson cancels them as eating into the sales of Gibson models. And then they go sky-high on the used market.

 

Blue is a great colour for a Dot or 335. I like the flame accents on your as well, Dave.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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+1 on Epiphone. I bought an Epi Premium ES-175 for $1,000. It came stock with US made 57 Gibson Humbuckers, 500k Gibson pots, orange drop caps, switchcraft 3way, etc. Keeps up with the $4,000 Gibson ES-175. Epi is also making upgraded US parts guitars with P90's. All of their lower end models ($500 to $700) are easy to play and make great sounding starter guitars for new players. A buddy bought the Les Paul semi-hollow body which is a great little guitar. Great guitars for the price IMHO. :cool:

Another Epiphone fan here. I picked up their Dot for my first semi-hollow body.

 

yyTICX0.jpg

 

I have one of their Les Pauls as well. I've heard it said that Gibson's biggest fear is that people figure out that many Epiphones are essential 90% of the way to Gibsons.

 

John - I was I the same boat as you about a year ago. Went with a Telecaster - no regrets.

BEWARE - I've bought six more electrics since. :abduct:

 

dB

 

Cool, I want a DOT!!!! I have a Gibson ES-335 and it's a great guitar but having repaired a few broken headstocks - all but one were Gibsons - I am gun shy about taking it out and thrashing it.

I could get another Dot but the 80's era 335 Studios are hard to find and have a special combination of a fat neck, the steeper angle on the headstock and an ebony fretboard with no binding. LOVE that neck but good luck finding one.

 

No qualms about customizing a Dot either, I'd just put different stuff in it and rock it. The blue is nice, I like it.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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The back and forth on this thread has really pushed me to think about preferences and biases... in a good way.

 

It's been difficult to cut through guitar marketing speak, as it all seems very targeted at "guitar X = style X" when the final output obviously includes amp+effect variables. The YouTube folks who do clean sound demos have been invaluable, albeit hard to find. A lot of online demos go straight to shredland, making me think the guitar isn't for me.

 

I love the look of the Reverend Robin Finck and the control simplicity. Going in another direction, I like the potential of the Hagstrom Super Viking (much better tailpiece than the one I tried).

 

Will see what Epi, D'Angelico, and Gretsch have to offer next.

 

I'm just not that jazzed to pick up a Tele, in that they don't feel particularly special. Sacrilege?

 

-John

I make software noises.
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The back and forth on this thread has really pushed me to think about preferences and biases... in a good way.

 

It's been difficult to cut through guitar marketing speak, as it all seems very targeted at "guitar X = style X" when the final output obviously includes amp+effect variables. The YouTube folks who do clean sound demos have been invaluable, albeit hard to find. A lot of online demos go straight to shredland, making me think the guitar isn't for me.

 

I love the look of the Reverend Robin Finck and the control simplicity. Going in another direction, I like the potential of the Hagstrom Super Viking (much better tailpiece than the one I tried).

 

Will see what Epi, D'Angelico, and Gretsch have to offer next.

 

I'm just not that jazzed to pick up a Tele, in that they don't feel particularly special. Sacrilege?

 

-John

 

Not sacrilege but you may be missing something. The variations on the Tele platform are nearly endless. I've played Teles off and on all my life.

It really is all about the neck, if you found one with a neck you like then you might favor it. Nothing wrong with a nice Strat either. "Screwdriver guitars" super easy to swap out parts on them to suit your purpose - including the necks. My gig guitars both have Warmoth necks, they make a nice variety of shapes, fretboard radius, fretwire etc. so you can get what you want. 4 screws to hold them on.

 

I agree 100% that guitars get "type-cast" as being for a specific purpose.

Here is Ted Greene playing his trusty Tele:

 

And here is Albert Lee, Danny Gatton Vince Gill and Mark O'Connor jamming.

 

Pretty much any guitar can be used to play just about anything.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Nah, Teles are an acquired taste, and they vary quite a bit in quality and sound.

 

My first Tele was a G&L ASAT with a whammy bar! Sacrilege! I hated it.

 

What got me to look at Teles more closely years later, was the roster of players and where they sat on my preferences list.

 

The strings matter too. I don't like super-light strings on a Tele. I use a Balanced Tension 10's set from D'addario currently.

 

Before I splurged on my Fender Select Tele with Chambered Ash Body, I had a Squier Classic Vibe for a while in Pine!

 

Don't forget the Tele Thinlines, which got popular in the 70's, especially with country players, and have their own sound.

 

My own Tele is kind of in between a standard solid Tele and a Thinline in its sound. It's my favourite solid body guitar!

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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It's been difficult to cut through guitar marketing speak, as it all seems very targeted at "guitar X = style X" when the final output obviously includes amp+effect variables. The YouTube folks who do clean sound demos have been invaluable, albeit hard to find. A lot of online demos go straight to shredland, making me think the guitar isn't for me.

 

I love the look of the Reverend Robin Finck and the control simplicity. Going in another direction, I like the potential of the Hagstrom Super Viking (much better tailpiece than the one I tried).

 

Will see what Epi, D'Angelico, and Gretsch have to offer next.

 

I'm just not that jazzed to pick up a Tele, in that they don't feel particularly special. Sacrilege?

Not to me...we like what we like. :idk:

 

I wanted to learn the differences between some of the standard axes, so I dealt with the amp/pedal variable by using my POD XT (wired in stereo through PA speakers - why not?*). With that, I could work with a bunch of pretty well-built presets and just worry about exploring the differences between the acoustic instruments I've been playing for years and the electric guitars. When you see a preset called "Breathe Phaser", you pretty much know what to expect. ;)

 

The reason I ended up with all the guitars so fast is that I reeeeeally wanted to know the difference between a Tele, Strat, ES-335, SG, Les Paul, etc. I got two Les Pauls, - one with P90s and one with Humbuckers - so I could hear that difference. I also just got a gorgeous Gretsch 5655TG that I may like better than any of the others. :love:

 

Now, having explored how those sounds were made on the POD, I've built a real pedal board...and just got my second amp (Supro Blues King, Princeton).

 

dB

 

 

* I do feel sorry for my wife, who thought she was marrying a keyboard player. :duck:

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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Supro! On my long list for later this year (once I have income again, which is real soon; just awaiting final offers), is their Black Magick amp head, which ha a unique vintage sound unlike any other amp.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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Teles are...interesting. I have a Teleclone made by Jon Kammerer, but the bridge pickup is a modified Charlie Christian. Can deliver some nice raw singlecoil goodness...

 

And a lot of builders try their hand at reinterpreting them. Reverend has a few takes on the Tele, as does Godin. But one of the most unusual ones I ever saw was the Parker P-36:

parker-guitars-p-36-41022.jpg

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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There is no "one-size-fits-all" Guitar, so don't worry about what other players prefer, find the Guitar that works for you, whatever it may be. Here's one way to look at it . . .

 

Look at a photo of any solid-body, or semi-solid Guitar model you're considering, then take two pieces of paper, and cover everything but the neck, pickups, bridge and tail of the Guitar. Whether you're looking at a Strat, a Les Paul, a Tele, a Ric, even something like the Parker Fly, in essence, every one of them is a variation on Les Paul's log, or a Steinberger. The shape of the body has little or no influence on the sound - materials and mass do make a difference, but the shape, not so much. That's where feel comes in.

 

I have exactly one semi-hollow Guitar, a 2005 MIK Epiphone DOT, from the Samick factory. I got it for $300, new, at GC, and it's held its value, which is very unusual for an import model. It is one of the nicest feeling Guitars I have ever picked up, and compared more than favorably with brand-new Gibsons.

 

Oddly, I see listings for two Epiphone DOT models, at $450 and $500, then an Epiphone 335 for $550-600. I don't know what the differences are among them?

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

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Oddly, I see listings for two Epiphone DOT models, at $450 and $500, then an Epiphone 335 for $550-600. I don't know what the differences are among them?

 

Differences would primarily be what I call "gingerbread". Fancier inlays instead of dots, possibly fancier veneers like figured maple on the top of the body, sometimes gold plated parts. Nothing that affects the essential functionality of the instrument.

For all that, you might play a a specific Epi 335 and love that particular one or not so much.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Oddly, I see listings for two Epiphone DOT models, at $450 and $500, then an Epiphone 335 for $550-600. I don't know what the differences are among them?

The model name, pickguard, knobs, switch-tips, headstocks and inlays, and marketing, perhaps? The "335's" have reflector-knobs, pickguards, switches, and headstocks that more closely resemble those of classic, vintage Gibsons, whereas the "Dots" have the larger, differently shaped Epiphone headstock and pickguard with the giant "E" logo. The Epiphone "335's" look the part a little more for those for whom that's important.

 

Aaah. There's fretboard-binding on the "335" (albeit without the fret-end "nibs", I think), a different neck profile, and different pickups, as well.

 

So, it seems the Epi "335" is a bit more authentic and 'vintage correct' than the "Dot", and in some ways, perhaps an upgrade. Both seem a great bargain, though!

 

For all that, you might play a a specific Epi 335 and love that particular one or not so much.

\Much agreed! And the same with two or more "Dots"!

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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I have been on an off again on again search for another guitar myself. I have been looking for HB's and have looked at almost every brand available. I have finally had to except the the fact that I have Fenderitist, also Voxitist, so I'm going with a Squier Contemporary Telecaster. It will be a while before I get one, but the search has been fun.
Jenny S.
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I have been on an off again on again search for another guitar myself. I have been looking for HB's and have looked at almost every brand available. I have finally had to except the the fact that I have Fenderitist, also Voxitist, so I'm going with a Squier Contemporary Telecaster. It will be a while before I get one, but the search has been fun.

 

Well, the Telecaster is one of the most basic food groups in all guitardom. Which doesn't explain why I've never owned one, but I've been doing a lot of looking this last year. No visits to stores during Covid times, but lots of looking & reading. Been looking at the Squier Classic Vibe & the MIM Player models. Maybe after my second vax dose I might venture into some stores to actually get my hands on something.

Scott Fraser
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I can"t believe I forgot to mention G&L"s Tribute product series! For the unfamiliar, G&L was Leo Fender"s third (and last) guitar company after Fender and Music Man.

 

Basically, Tributes are G&L guitars made in Indonesian factories, but using many of the same parts as their USA made guitars. They"re typically priced in the $400-700 range, depending on model and where you live. Really good bang for the buck.

 

For that matter, Sterling by Music Man ain"t no slouch, either. One nifty thing about Sterling is that they do have some interesting and unconventional designs in their lineup.

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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I can"t believe I forgot to mention G&L"s Tribute product series! For the unfamiliar, G&L was Leo Fender"s third (and last) guitar company after Fender and Music Man.

 

Basically, Tributes are G&L guitars made in Indonesian factories, but using many of the same parts as their USA made guitars. They"re typically priced in the $400-700 range, depending on model and where you live. Really good bang for the buck.

 

For that matter, Sterling by Music Man ain"t no slouch, either. One nifty thing about Sterling is that they do have some interesting and unconventional designs in their lineup.

 

Those are nice! Some of the Peavy stuff is nice too. Pre Covid our little Guitar Center had a lightly used Ovation solid body, recent model - sort of their take on a Les Paul. It was a great guitar, neck a little slim for me but most people would have loved it. Not too heavy and it sung not plugged in.

 

I forgot about that - all good electric guitars sound really nice unamplified. I always try guitars not plugged in first and if I still like them then I want to plug in and check it out.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Although the Epiphone Emperor Swingster has been in the line-up now and then, this appears to be a serious rev for the 2021 model year, just released and demoed above by the Andertons channel in the UK.

 

I'll review some other recent demos if I find them (others found so far are ten years old), as the Andertons channel drives me batty with its inane banter and wasting of time.

 

Also, I rarely plug an electric guitar into an amp for the first 30-45 minutes of playing. It is indeed true, as stated by others above, that a good one will also sound good unplugged.

 

Note that the Sweetwater site is incorrect in calling this a semi-hollowbody guitar with a center block. It is in fact a true full hollowbody model. No center block.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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A side note on guitars with FillerTron style pickups: although they"re usually associated with 'twangier' music like country or rockabilly, they can be surprisingly versatile. Rival Sons" Scott Holiday uses a lot of guitars with TV Jones" take on these classic pickups, and their sound ranges well into classic rock/hard rock territory.

 

They"re a good option for players who like a brighter tone than your typical humbucker, but want/need to avoid the hum issues associated with singlecoils (of all kinds).

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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Don't agonize too much; and don't suffer from 'option anxiety' from the mounting pile of guitars suggested by all us well-meaning and enthusiastic peoples of the internets, excellent suggestions though they may be.

 

I think that you've already answered your question in some of your comments above, indicating that you dig the Reverend Robin Finck Signature and are drawn to it. What with its locking-tuners, brilliantly designed pickups, unusual and useful control features, dual-action truss-rod, set-neck, Korina wood, Strat-like ergonomic body sculpting, etc. etc. etc., you won't be wondering about upgrades or a replacement and will enjoy that guitar more and more over time. I think THAT'S a SAFE BET.

 

Get a guitar! Get playing it! Have a blast.

 

A side note on guitars with FillerTron style pickups: although they"re usually associated with 'twangier' music like country or rockabilly, they can be surprisingly versatile. Rival Sons" Scott Holiday uses a lot of guitars with TV Jones" take on these classic pickups, and their sound ranges well into classic rock/hard rock territory.

 

They"re a good option for players who like a brighter tone than your typical humbucker, but want/need to avoid the hum issues associated with singlecoils (of all kinds).

 

>cough< >MALCOLM YOUNG< >cough<

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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A side note on guitars with FillerTron style pickups: although they"re usually associated with 'twangier' music like country or rockabilly, they can be surprisingly versatile. Rival Sons" Scott Holiday uses a lot of guitars with TV Jones" take on these classic pickups, and their sound ranges well into classic rock/hard rock territory.

 

They"re a good option for players who like a brighter tone than your typical humbucker, but want/need to avoid the hum issues associated with singlecoils (of all kinds).

 

One of my favorite guitars ever was a vintage Gretsch Roc-Jet (or some kind of Jet) with the Supertron II pickups. It sung, it screamed, it just sounded great. No hum. Interestingly, Gretsch and Gibson both patented very similar basic designs for Humbucking pickups around the same time and neither of them disputed it. They'd both developed simultaneously and applied for patents. Both got their patents, somebody at the patent office was not paying attention.

 

As of Friday, TV Jones has a Supertron I shipped for rewinding. It's a beauty, a vintage Gretsch pickup that somehow was only 156 ohms. I asked to have a vintage spec and to keep the original magnet. TV himself emailed me back to let me know he would be rewinding my pickup.

Then I'll have that tone again!

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Did he [Malcolm Young] use those [Gretsches with Filter'Trons]? I never really looked at his rig.

 

 

http://cdn.antiquiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/MalcolmYoung.jpg

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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I can"t believe I forgot to mention G&L"s Tribute product series! For the unfamiliar, G&L was Leo Fender"s third (and last) guitar company after Fender and Music Man.

 

Basically, Tributes are G&L guitars made in Indonesian factories, but using many of the same parts as their USA made guitars. They"re typically priced in the $400-700 range, depending on model and where you live. Really good bang for the buck.....

Or even better bang for your buck get a used USA G&L.
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I just worked on a couple of USA G&L Teles (It was Leo's company, they make a hell of a nice Tele).

 

Both rosewood boards - the owner's preference, very nice but I'm a maple guy with Teles and Strats. Flawless players, both of them. A friend has their Strat style guitar - blue over ash with a maple neck, gorgeous and the vibrato is probably the best non-locking one that I've used. Great stuff any way you slice it and the Tributes are nice too.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Did he [Malcolm Young] use those [Gretsches with Filter'Trons]? I never really looked at his rig.

 

 

http://cdn.antiquiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/MalcolmYoung.jpg

 

Most definitely a Gretsch Filtertron in the bridge position. It's the two invisible pickups that give it that tone though...

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Did he [Malcolm Young] use those [Gretsches with Filter'Trons]? I never really looked at his rig.

 

 

Most definitely a Gretsch Filtertron in the bridge position. It's the two invisible pickups that give it that tone though...

 

Airy, transparent tone, with the ultimate scooped-mids...

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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That's a whole lotta knobs for just one pup LOL! Now if he would just move that pup to the neck position, all of that magnetic pull reduction could be very useful for his jazz tone settings... :rolleyes:

Well, that guitar started out with three (or two?) pickups; I don't know what controls were actually still connected and functional.

 

And, if that pickup was moved to the neck-position, that glorious tone that Malcolm got for AC/DC would've been gone... THAT would've been a CRIME.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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