lol @ TGP
- Thread starter guitarman3001
- Start date
OGG
Master of the Meh
What's a Bugera? 
I just don't get all of this gear snobbery stuff. I have some pretty pricey gear, and some cheap ass gear as well... And I sound exactly the same playing through any of it. Sure, some of the higher end pieces "feel" "Better", but if I can't make music with a Squier Strat, I'm not going to do any better on a Custom Shop Strat.
I spend a lot of time in studio's with guys who you all know and I can tell you that you'd be shocked how little "boutique" gear is used in a recording environment. And, in most of the cases where it is used, it's more because that particular player is just hung up on that particular piece at that particular time. I've seen plenty Platinum records get recorded with downright shitty gear (according to the cork sniffers anyway)... Stuff you can buy at any GC on a budget, or stuff that is more old and worn than it is "Vintage".
I know I'm lucky, I can pretty much buy whatever gear I want, but MOST of my stuff would get me run out of places like TGP in a heartbeat. Sometimes when I'm gassing for a crazy piece of gear, I go and check it out only to find that as cool as it is... It doesn't make me a better player, and it certainly isn't enough of an improvement over what I'm already using to justify blowing the money on it.
Hell, the last 2 songs I submitted for the various forum contests were recorded on my bedroom PC, not my office studio, but my bedroom while sitting on the edge of my bed. The guitar parts were all done either on an epi LP, or a MIJ Fender from the 80's played through a 10 year old Digitech RP3 and straight into the $125.00 Lexicon interface. The Bass parts were a $129.99 Ibanez GIO played through a $39.99 Korg Bass Multi Effects unit and agin straight into the interface, the drums were played on a Frankenstein electronic kit that all together cost about $500.00 and the vocals were recorded with a Sterling ST51 Mic ($99.99 from GC) through the pre amps on a $89.99 Behringer mixer (then straight to the interface). I slapped them together and mixed them on a $30 pair of headphones... and I'll be damned if at least one of those tracks doesn't sound better than half the crap I hear on the radio every day. Basically, for about a grand, I was able to pull off a pretty solid effort. All with very little... Effort.
It's not the gear, it's how it's used.
I just don't get all of this gear snobbery stuff. I have some pretty pricey gear, and some cheap ass gear as well... And I sound exactly the same playing through any of it. Sure, some of the higher end pieces "feel" "Better", but if I can't make music with a Squier Strat, I'm not going to do any better on a Custom Shop Strat.
I spend a lot of time in studio's with guys who you all know and I can tell you that you'd be shocked how little "boutique" gear is used in a recording environment. And, in most of the cases where it is used, it's more because that particular player is just hung up on that particular piece at that particular time. I've seen plenty Platinum records get recorded with downright shitty gear (according to the cork sniffers anyway)... Stuff you can buy at any GC on a budget, or stuff that is more old and worn than it is "Vintage".
I know I'm lucky, I can pretty much buy whatever gear I want, but MOST of my stuff would get me run out of places like TGP in a heartbeat. Sometimes when I'm gassing for a crazy piece of gear, I go and check it out only to find that as cool as it is... It doesn't make me a better player, and it certainly isn't enough of an improvement over what I'm already using to justify blowing the money on it.
Hell, the last 2 songs I submitted for the various forum contests were recorded on my bedroom PC, not my office studio, but my bedroom while sitting on the edge of my bed. The guitar parts were all done either on an epi LP, or a MIJ Fender from the 80's played through a 10 year old Digitech RP3 and straight into the $125.00 Lexicon interface. The Bass parts were a $129.99 Ibanez GIO played through a $39.99 Korg Bass Multi Effects unit and agin straight into the interface, the drums were played on a Frankenstein electronic kit that all together cost about $500.00 and the vocals were recorded with a Sterling ST51 Mic ($99.99 from GC) through the pre amps on a $89.99 Behringer mixer (then straight to the interface). I slapped them together and mixed them on a $30 pair of headphones... and I'll be damned if at least one of those tracks doesn't sound better than half the crap I hear on the radio every day. Basically, for about a grand, I was able to pull off a pretty solid effort. All with very little... Effort.
It's not the gear, it's how it's used.
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
What's the deal with Bugera amps? do they suck? overpriced? bad toan?
I've never owned one
There's enough fans of the V22 at both TGP and HC that I don't think it can be dismissed as junk. Ultimately, with any amp the sound is rather subjective. It usually comes down to preference.
However, there does seem to be some concern about the overall build quality of Bugera amps. Some of those early mistakes have been corrected. And, it's worth mentioning that plenty of high dollar amps have had their problems....Some of the Vox amps seem to have or had QC issues and at much higher price points than Bugera.
emmaporkchop
The face of emmaporkchop
On guitar I sound the same no matter what I'm using, same on bass but I'm much better at changing up sounds on it depending on the situation. I think a good portion of the "cork sniffer " crowd tend to listen with their eyes and couldn't tell the difference between something recorded on a POD and an actual high end amp.
Dexter Inferno
Serious error
That's hard enough for most people really.
Having recorded and mixed a few albums, and knowing how much processing that goes into a mix these days, it's almost impossible to say with 100% certainty which is which - especially in a pop/rock mix. Not to mention modellers have gotten a whole lot better just in the last 2-3 years.
I know someone did a thread on this in GJ a couple of years (maybe longer) ago, where he had an mp3 with miced amp tracks and tracks done with a POD and they'd switch at various times and in different orders. Can't remember who did it, but it was scary how many who were wrong.
I don't know if anyone ever got the right order, before that thread got ugly. Guitar players' egoes tend to get hurt when failing at things like that.
Chihlidog
Kick Henry Jackassowski
That's hard enough for most people really.
Having recorded and mixed a few albums, and knowing how much processing that goes into a mix these days, it's almost impossible to say with 100% certainty which is which - especially in a pop/rock mix. Not to mention modellers have gotten a whole lot better just in the last 2-3 years.
I know someone did a thread on this in GJ a couple of years (maybe longer) ago, where he had an mp3 with miced amp tracks and tracks done with a POD and they'd switch at various times and in different orders. Can't remember who did it, but it was scary how many who were wrong.
I don't know if anyone ever got the right order, before that thread got ugly. Guitar players' egoes tend to get hurt when failing at things like that.
I remember that thread and I agree with your post. I dont even use a "good" modeler and I can get good tone.Live I truly feel is a different story, but for recording I really dont think most could tell the difference.
emmaporkchop
The face of emmaporkchop
That's hard enough for most people really.
Having recorded and mixed a few albums, and knowing how much processing that goes into a mix these days, it's almost impossible to say with 100% certainty which is which - especially in a pop/rock mix. Not to mention modellers have gotten a whole lot better just in the last 2-3 years.
I know someone did a thread on this in GJ a couple of years (maybe longer) ago, where he had an mp3 with miced amp tracks and tracks done with a POD and they'd switch at various times and in different orders. Can't remember who did it, but it was scary how many who were wrong.
I don't know if anyone ever got the right order, before that thread got ugly. Guitar players' egoes tend to get hurt when failing at things like that.
It'd be cool if someone did that here, this would be a great down to earth group to try it on. The upcoming Country Recording fest would be good to try to figure out the gear used too.
Anyone have any ideas on compiling a comparison test?
Chihlidog
Kick Henry Jackassowski
I think we could do that. Maybe agree on 3 or 4 well known riffs and invite people to record them with the gear of their choice, then send them to one person we all trust to keep tabs on what tracks are done with what and see where it goes. Could be interesting. Sounds like fun to me actually.
I tried a CV Tele at NAMM and was amazed at how much I liked it vs. some of the other more expensive guitars there.
Right now I'm in love with my 1979 Tokai strat...just pulled it out of the case after about 15 years, set it up and put some new pickups in it and I haven't touched either Suhr except to case one for a gig last week in nearly a month
Granted, I did put fairly cork-sniffery pickups n the guitar but I already had them laying around
This would be incredibly cool. Maybe have a crunch riff, a clean riff and something in-between?
For the record, I hate using modelers live but use them quite a bit to record with..
Recent example:
Modeler:[MP3] http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/duncans.mp3[/MP3]
1971 Deluxe Reverb: [MP3]http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/duncans2.mp3[/MP3]
guitarman3001
Elite Corksniffer
Granted, I did put fairly cork-sniffery pickups n the guitar but I already had them laying around
nah, corksniffery doesn't really apply to gear but rather to a person's attitude. You could play through dumbles and have custom made $1000.00 pickups and still not be corksniffery about it.
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
I don't belong, but i do occasionally read the posts there. I very much get the impression, that the TGPers are very much in the habit of practicing the "proper gear needs to be used use for playing a specific genre of music" type of cork sniffing. So in other words, a lot of the gear I use (7-string guitars, and hollowbodies for high gain stuff), would get me the business from the regulars over there, since they aren't the "cool" stuff, like Les Pauls, PRS, Two Rock Amps, etc. Nah, I think I'll stay away from there.
Dexter Inferno
Serious error
nah, corksniffery doesn't really apply to gear but rather to a person's attitude. You could play through dumbles and have custom made $1000.00 pickups and still not be corksniffery about it.
Thats pretty much it. They were Seymour Duncan Antiquities, though
Didn't you use a modeller on our Black Dog cover? Iirc that one sounded quite good.
Thanks!
Actually I've used modelers for all of the recordingfest entries:
markwein, Prages, Micwalt and Dexter Inferno:
Black Dog
markwein, Prages, Dexter Inferno and Micwalt:
Still of the Night
Prages and markwein Round and Round
Help! http://markwein.com/soundfiles/helpv2.mp3
emmaporkchop
The face of emmaporkchop
Chililidog has a pretty good idea for test process, if people want to send in a quick sample with the gear information, or both modelled and mic'ed examples?? I'll leave it to you guys and look forward to it hopefully in the near future.
Chihlidog
Kick Henry Jackassowski
If we're doing it like I suggested we will also all need to agree on some riffs. I'm up for it if theyre ones I know and dont mind playing. This could be fun. I actually think you should be the monitor since we all trust you. :P
Maybe we could plan it for May, then...suggestions for riffs?
Chihlidog
Kick Henry Jackassowski
May, really? I figured we could just slap down a few tracks, not whole songs, only reasons I suggested everyone doing the same stuff was for consistency, if everyone's playing the same thing then focusing on the sound itself is easier, IMO. I kinda thought this would be something done in a few days.
emmaporkchop
The face of emmaporkchop
Whole Lotta Love?
Layla?
Sleepwalk?
Oh Well?
I'm just suggesting riffs I think everyone here would recognize right away...
Layla?
Sleepwalk?
Oh Well?
I'm just suggesting riffs I think everyone here would recognize right away...