Your guitar gear

[Cursed]

So I looked a bit deeper at this Artist brand. The ebay store links back to here:
https://www.artistguitars.com.au/buy/fa ... tric/90004

They're a local rebrand of some stuff coming out of China (much as the Harley Breton seem to be from a quick look). They appear to be located here in Sydney and offer 3 yr warranty and a 100 day free return policy. A colleague I work with has heard of the brand through his instructor and the feedback was fairly positive. Being a local re-brand, there's not a lot of opinions available out there in the webs, but what I have found hasn't been negative. I'm still tempted to go this path.

[Dr. Pain]

Being mahogany, it will be heavy. My Les Paul weights in close to 10 pounds and you notice it.

[Cursed]

Thanks for the opinions, folks. I've decided to go in on this Artist LP60. I plan to take them up on their 100 day return policy if somehow this turns to custard.

To be honest I am more concerned about my physical limitations than I am about the guitar. I have some arthritis in my fingers and wrists. It mostly manifests as lesser grip strength in my hands, but my wrists can be a bit iffy when worked at awkward angles. So if the weight of the guitar turns out to be too much or just plain old playing is going to cripple me, then I have an exit path available at no cost.

[Dr. Pain]

You want the strap to take the weight of the guitar. With that shape of guitar, I man spread when sitting and let it hang. I got a 3.5 in DLS leather padded strap.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DSL-Strap-G ... 2345729075

But the man himself, Les Paul, use to play them like this


It will be very awkward to begin with. It does hurt until you get strong enough and your finger tips toughen up. But there's only one way to find out. Either you're gonna love it or not.

[Cursed]

Well the kit arrived today, so I went over to justinguitar.com and started from zero.

Two chords (D and A) and my fingers are hurting. Time to call it for the day. I'm hoping the feeling of one's fingers being too fat will pass.

I don't have an amp yet, but I do like the way it sings au naturele. It might be a cheap knock-off but I don't have a reason to hate it yet.

(Starting to assemble the shopping list now : rocksmith cable, capo and hard case are probably next)

[Dr. Pain]

I think almost everyone goes through that fat finger stage, 'cept me. I've got little hands so I have trouble playing majors and stretching but AC/DC showed me it can be done. But where there's a will there's a way...

[w00dsy]

I got one of these today, so now I run direct into the computer. I'm loving Amplitude and Guitar Rig 5.

[Dr. Pain]

I got a peavey xport and I've only just got it running lag free on my current PC. I have Peavey's Revalver so I can use it again. It's awesome. A tube screamer into a 6505 on the red channel into a stereo widener (for the headphones) then a signal splitter with 2 British (Marshall) 4 x12 cabs in channels A and B. If this was real, I wouldn't have any hearing or a house left standing

[Tommy two pints]

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2009 Les Paul standard, 2012 Fender HSS Strat, PRS semi, 2016 PRS Custom 24 exotic wood, 2014 PRS Tremonti

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And my baby a 1971 Gibson ES-347

[w00dsy]

That's some quality gear there

[Tommy two pints]

Cheers, I had more, I’m a bit compulsive, but had to trim down a bit as I moved and didn’t have enough room for ‘em all

[w00dsy]

I assume the LP color is Ice Tea Burst?

[Tommy two pints]

Correct, I’m hoping it will grow up and mature in time to be like Bernie Marsdens “Beast”

Have a look at:



The whole thing is entertaining but fast forward to nineteen minutes and you’ll see what ageing really is.

[w00dsy]

I think the original bursts were close to the sunburst, then obviously they faded to that awesome colour we see a lot now. I've always wanted a honey or tea burst because they look close to what some of them look like now. But now there's a color I love called Mojave burst. It's on my wishlist. It's the one the Captain is playing.

[Dr. Pain]

I'm with you on the honey burst. I'd be torn as I'd never want it to age but I already have that with my Epi Les Paul. It wont lose its colour being plastic coated and always in its case.

[w00dsy]

Yeah I think Epiphone use a gloss whereas Gibson use a thinner nitro. I actually really like the look of the Maybach Lester's. A rich German dude decided to make new old guitars so he measured a bunch of late 50's and early 60's bursts and copied them. They are built in Czechoslovakia and then finished in Germany. By all accounts they're at least as good as a Gibson, but not quite as expensive. I guess they're aiming at the guys buying the custom shop R8, R9 and R0 aged gear, and they're super expensive.

[w00dsy]

Not guitars, but the family got me an electronic drum kit for my birthday(Alesis Nitro Mesh). It's been fun trying to figure out which bits to bash and when. Wife filmed my son and i while we had a quick jam after work. My only complaint is it's a bit low, and the drums are small diameter so they're a smaller target to hit when you're learning.

[Dr. Pain]

That looks cool. It would be fun to mess around on drums without driving everyone crazy.

[w00dsy]

The good thing about an electric kit is being able to use headphones. Plus having the mesh pads its quieter.

[Dr. Pain]

Have you ever played drums before you got this kit?

[w00dsy]

No, I tried my mates kit when I was 18 but no. I'm a newbie.

[Dr. Pain]

So I've been doing this wrong for over 25 years it seems. I've had a Boss Metal Zone since 1992 and it gives a glimpse of something good but it's always been a funny pedal to live with. But since the interwebs came along it's been branded the biggest turd ever laid. Turns out to be a not half bad preamp pedal. I gotta try it tomorrow through my Blackstar's loop.

[Dr. Pain]

...and the above worked even on my HT-5.

It would have been better if my amp had tubes in the power amp. The pedal straight into the return on the loop became the preamp. I need a 6505 MH now... Dear Santa....

[w00dsy]

I watched that video when it came out and wondered how many people didn't know it was meant to be used that way, and probably sold them thinking it sounded shit. It's amazing how much better it sounds through the loop. That's why I like Phillip McKnights Know Your Gear channel as well, he covers a lot of simple stuff people probably overlook or just don't realise how easy some stuff actually is.

[Dr. Pain]

Of all my pedals though including a Boss HM2 and a Boss Metalcore, the Metal Zone was the only one that worked in the loop. The other are meant to be in front of the amp. But I did find a limited range with the Metal Zone because of its parametric eq. If I had a bigger amp it would sound amazing with power tubes and head room. The MXR 10 band eq I have works so damn well in the loop of the Blackstar. But until I got that amp I must admit that I didn't know you could go straight in to the loop.