What I really enjoy about this site!
- Thread starter Coralkong
- Start date
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
So you don't think putting GFS pickups in a.....Dusenberg guitar is a good idea?
You HAD to bring up that trainwreck of a thread didn't you?
How do I put this? If it doesn't mean making any physical modifiactions to the guitar (such as routing out the body), I see nothing wrong with giving them a try if you want to (after all it's the guitar owner's right to do with the guitar, whatever he wants to do). BUT, IMO, the chances of the GFS pickups giving you that magical tone you want, aren't very good. Some of 'em are good pickups, some of 'em sound generic at best to me.
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You HAD to bring up that trainwreck of a thread didn't you?
That was one of the stupidest threads I've seen on the internet. Ultimately it's up to the player to make themselves happy with their gear. The only reason to buy a specific guitar or amp or to modify it is to make yourself happy with the results. There is a reason why some things cost more money than others though. Being expensive doesn't by itself make an object better, but many "better" things take more time or better materials to yield a different result. If you want that particular result then spend the money. If you don't then buy something else.
On the other hand, as someone who has made a living playing guitar for 25 years I feel comfortable in saying that a $100 chinese guitar is not going to be the equal of an American-made Les Paul or one of my Suhrs. How many people need a $3000 strat though? I bought my Suhrs because I needed a higher degree of accuracy with the intonation for recording sessions and I could justify writing off a more professional axe. That's how I make a living...
It's an argument that can turn circular on the internet though...do you need expensive gear to be pro? No. Is cheap gear good enough all the time? No. Is it good enough to gig most gigs with? Yes. The audience can't see the price tag from on stage....
funny...I looked back over this and see that howie and I are arguing the same side of the debate and disagreeing...
You guys are just programmed that way.
jelloman
Couch'd Tater...
You guys are just programmed that way.
THAT'S what I like here...howie and I can disagree and argue and fight, but it never gets PERSONAL...hell, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him...I talked him through an amp problem diagnosis before one of his gigs, and he PM'd me to get over here...I'm grateful to him for it...yeah we catfight all the time but, really, I LIKE the guy...and I think he would say the same...
chears
'course, that ain't saying he's RIGHT or anything...
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
That was one of the stupidest threads I've seen on the internet. Ultimately it's up to the player to make themselves happy with their gear. The only reason to buy a specific guitar or amp or to modify it is to make yourself happy with the results. There is a reason why some things cost more money than others though. Being expensive doesn't by itself make an object better, but many "better" things take more time or better materials to yield a different result. If you want that particular result then spend the money. If you don't then buy something else.
On the other hand, as someone who has made a living playing guitar for 25 years I feel comfortable in saying that a $100 chinese guitar is not going to be the equal of an American-made Les Paul or one of my Suhrs. How many people need a $3000 strat though? I bought my Suhrs because I needed a higher degree of accuracy with the intonation for recording sessions and I could justify writing off a more professional axe. That's how I make a living...
It's an argument that can turn circular on the internet though...do you need expensive gear to be pro? No. Is cheap gear good enough all the time? No. Is it good enough to gig most gigs with? Yes. The audience can't see the price tag from on stage....
Good points Mark. I cleaned up my post (I noticed that besides spelling errors, I missed a few words I meant to put in), because I gave the impression that I was completely against using el-cheapo guitars and pickups. I'm not, otherwise I wouldn't have the Stagemaster 7. In retrospect, I guess what bugs me, is the belief that some have over in HCEG, and in general have, that a cheapo is more than enough to do the job every time.
paulskirocks
Blue Zone Compliant
I have an SX tele from balsa wood and spit... When dismantled, you can see that it is was put together by monkies... It cost 109 bucks, and that is all it is worth...
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
As it should. That's the bottom of the barrel right there. But what about the $300 models? Do they rate higher? Because most makes can, with a little help.
Oh and I love you too, Jello.
jelloman
Couch'd Tater...
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
your Tokai is a dead nuts clone. one of the best strats i've ever played. and at the same time, one of the guitars that started this argument in the first place. even Fender knew it. just look at your headstock for reference.
Ellen, i disagree that you can't completely transform a guitar with a pickup change. no, i can't make a strat sound like the best LP ever. but it'll sound thicker and get you closer, while losing the "strattiness". and IMO, that's what pickup changes are all about.
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
I won't disagree with you on that point Howie, after all they called the Fender Strat with a bridge humbucker, a Fat Strat for a good reason. But it won't sound like a Gibby IMO.
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Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
they call it a "fat strat" because they needed a name for the marketing team to work off of.
what i don't understand about guitarists is why a guitar with a humbucker has to sound like a Gibson, or it's a failure. heaven forbid a company try to do something unique.
jelloman
Couch'd Tater...
maybe it's because we've been told for years that there are 2 iconic guitars, fenders and gibsons, and that every other maker must strive to make a better, cheaper, or clone version of one or the other...when they're not too busy trying to make the "best of both worlds" super-guitar that plays like a strat but sounds like a les paul...
...unique is evil...different is dangerous...odd is scary...
...BAAAAHHHH....BAAAAHHHH...
Lerxst
spaghetti and blankets
I think Jello is on the right path...when people make comparisons or benchmark something, they generally pick the most iconic or well know example of what they consider exhibits the standard qualities of X. In the case of 'buckers for the average guitarist it's that PAF/LP tone that most seem to hold as the standard. Just like how auto mfgs love to compare their reliability & mileage against Honda or Toyota (well, not so much Toyota these days
)I'm with you on the point about guitarists embracing change. Though there have been some pretty significant new tech items, like modeling, that have taken hold. Basic guitar design always seems to come back to LP/S & T types though.
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Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
and yet, we all became guitarists to differentiate ourselves from others.
you guys can have the herd mentality. i'll be over here.
jelloman
Couch'd Tater...
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
I agree with you 100% Howie.
Maybe it's because I'm an old-timer on guitar (been playing for 31 years), but I could care less if my guitars sound like the guitars of <insert guitar hero of choice>. I just want to sound like me, and play guitars because I like the way they sound. I got my Ric because I know for a fact that while they sound good doing chimey stuff, they sound soooooo cool, at high gain - not because the Beatles, Petty, or R.E.M. played them. I am NOT a fan of the way so many players pigeonhole guitars into certain musical categories or roles. When I was active in the Gretsch forums, that attiude used to drive me crazy! I even had a few times, where I came to posting blows with a guy on the Gretschpages, because he felt it wasn't proper to play heavy rock with Gretsches and Rics. I also don't believe the nonsense about a guitar being best for playing lead guitar, or rhythmn guitar. I play lead on my Ric all the time. Sorry, my guitars are not one-trick ponies.
OK, off the soapbox - notwithstanding the above comments, you know as well as I do that pickups have been marketed by citing the fact that such and such a guitar god uses them in his guitars (remember all the ads by Seymour Duncan, that used Jeff Beck?). By doing so, the inference is made to the potential buyer, that he or she can sound like said guitar god, if they use the same pickup shown in the ad.
Still, nevertheless, I prefer to sound like myself!
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