Guitarists: Let's see the weaponry

mr dave · 09-07-2009, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loose_lips_sink_ships

I've got a question for dave. Do you use a detune pedal when playing shoegaze stuffs or was that a wah and volume pedal in your suitcase?

always happy to answer any questions

never even heard of detune pedals before right now haha, i just keep guitars in different tunings. usually strat is standard, LTD is dropped to C a la josh homme.

as for the pedals in my suitcase, yes there are 2 volume pedals and 2 wahs. i use the volume pedals the most, the industry standard is the ernie ball volume pedal, while they're awesome to use as a filter or gate (set them at one spot and they stay there), i like using mine to fake a tremolo effect so i get the cheapest plastic ones out there. being plastic they're obviously low quality but it makes for a rocker pad that can be manipulated way faster by your foot than a EB pedal.

one trick i like pulling with volume pedals is to start in the 'off' position, play a chord, swell up the sound smoothly, then rock the pedal as fast as possible while bringing it back down to nothing. the real trick is to not rock the pedal as far as its full range, just enough to make the sound wobble. it doesn't translate that well in most of my mp3s due to horrible recording quality but it doesn't mean i'm not going for it. the technique also works really well to get dubstep style 'wobble bass' action too.

~~Farfisa~~ · 09-08-2009, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

always happy to answer any questions

never even heard of detune pedals before right now haha, i just keep guitars in different tunings. usually strat is standard, LTD is dropped to C a la josh homme.

as for the pedals in my suitcase, yes there are 2 volume pedals and 2 wahs. i use the volume pedals the most, the industry standard is the ernie ball volume pedal, while they're awesome to use as a filter or gate (set them at one spot and they stay there), i like using mine to fake a tremolo effect so i get the cheapest plastic ones out there. being plastic they're obviously low quality but it makes for a rocker pad that can be manipulated way faster by your foot than a EB pedal.

one trick i like pulling with volume pedals is to start in the 'off' position, play a chord, swell up the sound smoothly, then rock the pedal as fast as possible while bringing it back down to nothing. the real trick is to not rock the pedal as far as its full range, just enough to make the sound wobble. it doesn't translate that well in most of my mp3s due to horrible recording quality but it doesn't mean i'm not going for it. the technique also works really well to get dubstep style 'wobble bass' action too.

Oh, i thought that maybe you had a whammy pedal or something... I was asking because my guitar doesn't have a vibrato mechanism and wanted to know what you use to achieve that effect.

Dr_Rez · 09-08-2009, 10:16 PM

I also have a question. Who here has played alot on a gibson sg classic? I play alot of heavy rock/metal (kyuss, maiden type stuff) and am getting tired of my semi hollow i use now. What are you views a a detuned sg with basic effects like bass up hi/gain/fuzz.

Typically when i play i lower the the E a 3rd or just tune them all 2 steps down, So you know where im coming from. This will be the guitar I use playing shows and whatnot since its a lot less heavy and better suited for this genre.

mr dave · 09-09-2009, 01:33 AM

can't comment specifically on the SG but when it comes to dropping down to C you're going to have to get used to how floppy the strings feel. being that you're looking at a gibson you'll have a 24.75" scale neck length, which naturally makes the strings feel looser than a fender style 25.5" length at standard pitch.

even using .13 strings on a 25.5" scale length it was a huge adjustment in getting used to how loose the strings felt under my fingers. it's significant enough to keep in mind when eyeballing new guitars.

then again... it WAS good enough for Tony Iommi back in the day...

Dr_Rez · 09-09-2009, 04:00 AM

I dont mind the floppy aspect, as it makes it easier to bend for me, just that the sound is good on that guitar.

I know a lot of guitarists that use it for that kind of music...like Brant Bjork, and Boris, but they also have insane amounts of expensive parts and effects.

It sure is a sexy guitar.

And the faded is like 2-3oo less because they didnt put as much finish and varnish on

Its not like a give a ****, gona just paint it anyways

!!

GuitarBizarre · 09-09-2009, 05:40 AM

floppy strings means saggy tone, and at the tunings you're talking about, its going to be like playing rubber bands.

trust me on this, an SG can't support that tuning. No way no how. Hell, I just bought a 7 string and the low B is a difficult proposition, even on a 25.5 scale. I'm actually using a .066 guage string on it right now, which is very slightly TOO thick, but not by a massive amount.

Go for a long scale guitar if you need low tunings. Maybe even buy a baritone, where the 27" scale will make a really good difference.

Also, thinner or less tense strings are harder to keep in tune, exacerbating that problem is a bad idea.

ALSO, even if you're thinking 'Just use thicker strings', bear in mind that the thicker you make a string, regardless of tuning, the more sharp its going to be when you first pluck it. On a low B, with a crazy thick string, that can often be exacerbated to the extent you're noticably out of tune when you're playing at one level of force, and IN tune when playing exactly the same thing at another level of force.

BUY A LONGER SCALE GUITAR FOR LOW TUNINGS!

mr dave · 09-09-2009, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RezZ

I dont mind the floppy aspect, as it makes it easier to bend for me, just that the sound is good on that guitar.

I know a lot of guitarists that use it for that kind of music...like Brant Bjork, and Boris, but they also have insane amounts of expensive parts and effects.

And the faded is like 2-3oo less because they didnt put as much finish and varnish on

Its not like a give a ****, gona just paint it anyways

!!

it's not bending the strings that becomes the issue when tuning low. the challenge is NOT bending the strings when trying to play a chord.

GB is also right about the thick strings going sharp when they're new. you REALLY need to stretch them out and wear them down a bit before they get 'in tune'. it's not something to consider if you're one of those guys that prefers using fresh strings and can accurately remember the last time they changed the whole set of them.

and while the SG is nice have you considered the ESP/LTD Viper series? similar but still unique, cheaper, and usually loaded with EMGs so you get less hum if you run a lot of effects.

The ESP Guitar Company :: LTD Deluxe Guitars - Viper-1000 Series

~~Farfisa~~ · 09-10-2009, 12:43 PM

Since we are talking about SGs...

By the way, did I mention these cost as much as a standard SG? ****ing beautiful.

GuitarBizarre · 09-14-2009, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

it's not bending the strings that becomes the issue when tuning low. the challenge is NOT bending the strings when trying to play a chord.

GB is also right about the thick strings going sharp when they're new. you REALLY need to stretch them out and wear them down a bit before they get 'in tune'. it's not something to consider if you're one of those guys that prefers using fresh strings and can accurately remember the last time they changed the whole set of them.

and while the SG is nice have you considered the ESP/LTD Viper series? similar but still unique, cheaper, and usually loaded with EMGs so you get less hum if you run a lot of effects.

The ESP Guitar Company :: LTD Deluxe Guitars - Viper-1000 Series

Its not just if they're new btw. The main factors that cause it are tension and thickness. It happens worse if they're new because the strings are more elastic and therefore effective tension is lower, but it still happens on any age of string.

My 7 string has a .66 on the low B and it still goes sharp when you whack it hard, and i've been playing the crap out of it for a couple weeks now. And thats on a guitar with the more 'correct ' scale of 25.5", which should minimise the effect. End of the day, I'd say a B tuning on a short scale guitar is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE.

GuitarBizarre · 09-14-2009, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loose_lips_sink_ships

Since we are talking about SGs...

By the way, did I mention these cost as much as a standard SG? ****ing beautiful.

They look cool, but heres a list of things that makes me think they're form over function.

1 - They're made by Gibson.
2 - Not an established tonewood, at least for solid bodies. Also a very very soft and pliable wood. (I don't trust it to be durable or to last long without warping on the neck or sustaining serious dings to the body very easily. Also, mounting a bridge in such a soft wood might oval the holes.
3 - HOW MUCH GLUE? Seriously, this thing must be made half of glue half of wood. Thats not exactly going to promote good tone.
4 - SG necks are all held in by a finger width strip of wood, since the pickup route takes out a lot of wood. This makes the joints very weak, liable to damage and again, not great for tone.
5 - Its a gibson.

09-08-2009, 10:16 PM	#93 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,361	I also have a question. Who here has played alot on a gibson sg classic? I play alot of heavy rock/metal (kyuss, maiden type stuff) and am getting tired of my semi hollow i use now. What are you views a a detuned sg with basic effects like bass up hi/gain/fuzz. Typically when i play i lower the the E a 3rd or just tune them all 2 steps down, So you know where im coming from. This will be the guitar I use playing shows and whatnot since its a lot less heavy and better suited for this genre. __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

09-09-2009, 04:00 AM	#95 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,361	I dont mind the floppy aspect, as it makes it easier to bend for me, just that the sound is good on that guitar. I know a lot of guitarists that use it for that kind of music...like Brant Bjork, and Boris, but they also have insane amounts of expensive parts and effects. It sure is a sexy guitar. And the faded is like 2-3oo less because they didnt put as much finish and varnish on Its not like a give a ***, gona just paint it anyways !! __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew* Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

09-10-2009, 12:43 PM	#98 (permalink)
~~Farfisa~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2,773	Since we are talking about SGs... By the way, did I mention these cost as much as a standard SG? ****ing beautiful.