Introduction/Lucille/Mesa

[Omaha]

Hello everyone! New member here.

 

I've been an acoustic only player forever. 30+ years. Recently my band is getting into some stuff that really makes me think I need an electric. This is all totally new to me, so I'm learning fast.

 

I spent an hour today playing an Epiphone Lucille through a Mesa F100. WOW! That was FUN! I think I should have done this years ago. Acoustic is wonderful, but I was amazed at all the different tones I could get from the Epiphone.

 

Any thoughts for a new convert? Like I said, I'm new to this. I picked the Lucille just because I like BB King and the guitar looked good on my dealer's wall. I love the way it played. It took me a while to find an amp I liked. The Mesa seemed to have a much "better" sound. Other amps I tried were a Vox, a Peavey and a Marshall. I've already decided (I think) to go with a all-tube design. Seems like the thing to do.

 

One specific question: The amp is used. Is that an issue? How long do the tubes last? The thing looks pretty new, and sounds fine. Should I worry?

[Warthog]

I think you did it the right way: you played some amps and picked the one that sounded best to you. Many come on this forum and ask how to pick a guitar and want to know which brands are best.

 

I don't think you have much to worry about with newer amps, especially high quality ones like the Mesa. Tubes wear-out over time, but just carry a few extras with you in case and they're not too expensive anyhow. I play 95% acoustic but love the dexterity of electric now and then. In addition, many songs require an electric to sound right. Ever try to play "Working Man" on an acoustic? (Great song, BTW!)

 

I would love to buy a real Lucille if I ever had the $$. Solid choice for many types of music, though if you venture into high-gain territoey you'll want a solidbody.

 

With amps, lots of anti-Mesa-ites on the forum. I've never played one.

 

Welcome to the forum!!

[EmptinesOf Youth]

hey and welcome.

 

assuming youve played other electrics outside of that epiphone, then like warthog said, you on the right path. If you know how other electrics play and you especially liked the lucille over the others than go for it. Same with the amp. Just buy what makes you happy.

 

see ya round

[Bluesape]

I've got an amp I've owned since before Elvis died - never changed a tube. Don't worry about used.

[Durockrolly]

What kind of electric music will you use the guitar and amp for? Also, what tone(s) will you be looking to create? With this info. perhaps we can be a little more helpful.

 

Fernando

[Omaha]

Originally posted by Durockrolly:

What kind of electric music will you use the guitar and amp for?

I just started a new band. These are the songs we have worked up so far:

 

A Face In The Crowd - Tom Petty

Ain't No Sunshine - Neville Brothers

Authority Song - John Mellencamp

Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

Californication - RHCP

Crossroads - Cream

Do You Voodoo - Mikey T and the Wanton Destruction

I Saw Her Standing There - Beatles

Island In The Sun - Weezer

Layla (Acoustic version) - EC

Love Her Madly - Doors

Love Song - 311

My Best Friend's Girl - Cars

Mustang Sally - Every Band Ever

Never Know - Jack Johnson

Paint It Black - Stones

Runnin' Down A Dream - Tom Petty

Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats

What I Like About You - {Can't think of the band}

You Don't Know How It Feels - Tom Petty

 

Instrumentation is two guitars (me on acoustic and another guy playing lead on electric), bass, drums. The acoustic/electric combination works really well on most of this, but a few songs is just doesn't. Crossroads for example. We'd like to add some edgier, bluesier stuff.

[A String]

Have you thought about a Telecaster? Might be just what you're looking for.

[picker]

I never liked the F series Boogies, but if it works for you, that's all that matters. I can tell you that Boogie gear is made very well, and even if it is used it should hold it's value and work/sound great for a very long time. If you like it, buy it without fear.

[ThisSiteSucks]

What's the other player's electric?

 

Don't know what your budget is, but what you picked-up is probably a good choice. Semi-hollow body (e.g. Gibson ES 335) would probably be perfect. Note the Gibson brand name will set you back some coin! Other brands' semi hollows can be had for cheaper.

 

An ES 335 through an all-tube Fender amp will produce tones that fit your song list quite nicely.

 

What's your budget on amp and guitar? What size venues do you play (i.e do you need 100 watt amp or will 20 watts suffice)?

[Omaha]

Originally posted by A String:

Have you thought about a Telecaster?

I tried a couple of Fenders, and I like the sound but I don't like the necks. I guess this comes from my acoustic background, but I found them to be a little thin. I also thought I got a richer sound from the (dual coil, right?) pickups on the Epi.

 

To the other questions: Budget? No real number, but certainly I want to keep the total setup under $2k. The sticker price on the Epi Lucille is $700. I'm sure there is some room there. They have a price tag of $1k on the F100. No doubt there's even more room there.

 

Brings to mind a question: How does Epiphone ship guitars? Is a factory hardshell case included? Gig bag? Anything?

 

In terms of amp size, the 100W would really be more than I need. Today, what we do is that each player runs into an individual amp, but then each amp is lined to the main board. The only exception that that is my acoustic which I run straight into the board. Anyway, there is another store in town with a new Mesa F-50 and I actually like the sound of that a little better than the F100. But being new it costs quite a bit more. Hmmm...

[Omaha]

Originally posted by Warthog:

With amps, lots of anti-Mesa-ites on the forum. I've never played one.

I hate to ask (I feel I'm stumbling into a religous war), but what's the knock on Mesa?

[Gruupi]

Welcome to the forum Omaha. Buying used can save you lots of money, and if the amp seems fine then I would go for it. Any tube amp is going to require maintenance at some point and if your gigging carrying spare tubes is a good idea. I would always carry a spare amp myself, I would hate to not be able to finish a gig from equipment problems.

 

If you like the Epiphone then go for it, sound and feel are personal. I don't like Mesa amps but thats because I don't like the sound of myself playing through them, I do like the sound of some players that use them however. 100 watts is alot of amp, it should allow you to get a good loud clean sound. You might also try some Fender amps like the Deluxe or Blues Deville.

[Big Red 67]

Welcome to the forum!

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yeah, plug that Epiphone into some Fender amps:

 

Super Reverb Reissue

Blues Deville

Deluxe Reverb

 

All will produce nice clean sounds and get crunchy around 4 and up on the volume.

[picker]

Originally posted by Omaha:

Originally posted by Warthog:

With amps, lots of anti-Mesa-ites on the forum. I've never played one.

I hate to ask (I feel I'm stumbling into a religous war), but what's the knock on Mesa?

Yeah, I'd be interested to know that one myself. I've never heard anyone knock Mesa's stuff before.

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by Rootstonian:

What's the other player's electric?

 

Don't know what your budget is, but what you picked-up is probably a good choice. Semi-hollow body (e.g. Gibson ES 335) would probably be perfect. Note the Gibson brand name will set you back some coin! Other brands' semi hollows can be had for cheaper.

 

An ES 335 through an all-tube Fender amp will produce tones that fit your song list quite nicely.

 

What's your budget on amp and guitar? What size venues do you play (i.e do you need 100 watt amp or will 20 watts suffice)?

Not being a jerk, Rootsonian... Do you know what a Lucille is? Technically, it's a Gibson ES-355.. an ES-335 with special features.

 

The Lucille sports micro-tuners on the stopbar, a vari-tone switch (which provides 6 very different tones) and gold hardware, plus it has not f-holes which reduces most any chance of unwanted feedback.

 

I don't know if the Epi version carries over all these features, but I'd venture to say it would.

[fantasticsound]

Whoops! A look at the Epi site reminded me of one more feature... It's wired for stereo operation. In mono, both p'ups work normally from one jack. But plug in a second jack to a second amp and the neck p'up goes to one amp and the bridge p'up to another.

 

Here's a guide to the vari-tone circuits...

 

http://www.epiphone.com/BBUPCLOSE/bbvaritone.jpg

[A String]

Crap Neil! Now I have G.A.S.!

[Pappy P]

I think your first choice was excellent. The BB King Lucille is a versatile model and Epiphones are excellent and affordable guitars.

 

Mesa amps are phenomenal. I would recommend trying a Mesa Lonestar also. Mesas are expensive though. I own a Fender Hotrod Deluxe. It's all tube but affordable and it sounds great.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by fantasticsound:

Whoops! A look at the Epi site reminded me of one more feature... It's wired for stereo operation. In mono, both p'ups work normally from one jack. But plug in a second jack to a second amp and the neck p'up goes to one amp and the bridge p'up to another.

 

Here's a guide to the vari-tone circuits...

 

http://www.epiphone.com/BBUPCLOSE/bbvaritone.jpg

I've got the Gibson version of that an it's a fantastic guitar! Tons of difference between my 335 and my Lucille, closed body with the varitone makes loads of difference.

[Griffinator]

Originally posted by Bluesape:

I've got an amp I've owned since before Elvis died - never changed a tube. Don't worry about used.

Let me guess - 40th birthday present?

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

About the tubes... they'll last a lifetime and you'll know when to change them because the amp will start to lose volume and the sound will be fuzzier. But it'll take a good long while for it to happen.

 

But yeah, carrying spares (and spare fuses for the amp) to a gig is always a good idea.

[Warthog]

Originally posted by Omaha:

Originally posted by Warthog:

With amps, lots of anti-Mesa-ites on the forum. I've never played one.

I hate to ask (I feel I'm stumbling into a religous war), but what's the knock on Mesa?

Maybe I'm smoking crack, but I seem to remember a thread a few months back where a few folks here hated Mesas. Come on folks, sack up...

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by Warthog:

Originally posted by Omaha:

Originally posted by Warthog:

With amps, lots of anti-Mesa-ites on the forum. I've never played one.

I hate to ask (I feel I'm stumbling into a religous war), but what's the knock on Mesa?

Maybe I'm smoking crack, but I seem to remember a thread a few months back where a few folks here hated Mesas. Come on folk, sack up...

Wart, I honestly don't recall anyone disliking Mesa? at least not any large number of guys? I'm going to try searching for a thread like that.

[Rock Soldier]

No F'ing F holes!!!! F'ing A!!!!!! I never really paid attention to that detail. No F holes, I like that. My advice is, If you played it and liked it get it. If the Mesa is used so what. It is a quality brand and can be serviced and tubes are fairly cheap. I mean a total retube might add up but a set of tubes should last a long time. You always should have a backup set if you are a gigging musician anyhow.

[Durockrolly]

Try that Epi Lucille through a Fender amp! I have the reasonably priced Hot Rod DeVille 4X10 60 watt. That guitar sounds awesome through it.

[skipclone 1]

Welcome to the forum!

From your set list, `What I like about you` is by The Romantics.

Okay, that`s my input. Carry on.

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yes, fantasticsound, I know the difference.

 

I was suggesting if he liked that to try the ES 335 (with the F holes) as it produces a different sound than the Lucille as Ellwood points out.

[Omaha]

Thanks for all the feedback and input. "The Romantics"! Yes, that's it. Fun song. It gives me a chance to display my harmonica chops!

 

When did guitar playing get so complicated! So many choices! I'm heading over at lunch to try it out again. The only thing I'm not sure of is the amp. The Mesa is great, but there was a Vox that was pretty cool too.

 

BTW... I\'m selling my Ovation Adamas to make room for Lucille. Awesome guitar. If anyone is looking for a smoking deal on a really great, performable acoustic, check it out.

[EmptinesOf Youth]

Even if you dont decide on an amp, get the guitar. Each amp of a certain kind is essentially the same. But if theres a guitar you really like, and someone else buys it, you may never find one like it again. The same model sure, but it wont play the same. So dont let it slip away!!