Guitar-Case

[tjkurita]

Over a period of months/years (which, in the life of a guitar, is not long), it will burn into the nitro.  See this website:

 

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenMaint/Vinyl/vinyl.html

 

Frets.com is an excellent resource for the guitar owner.  When I first discovered the site I browsed and researched it for hours.  It gives great advice on every possible subject from every possible ability.  This is a site dedicated more to the owner than the player. 

 

Also, humidity is REALLY important.  I have had fingerboard cracks happen in a guitar that I never took out of the house, never messed around with.  The mistake I made was keeping it out on a stand, rather than in a case with a "damp-it."  In my opinion, solid wood, fine acoustic guitars should ALWAYS be kept in the case when not playing or confined to an area where the humidity can be controlled.  Plywood guitars, many of which sound and play just fine, by the way, are less susceptible to humidity changes. 

 

 

That is a beautiful guitar.  I am using a Hercules stand that holds it by the neck but it does rest on the back of the guitar on the rubbery surface.

Edited February 11, 2014 by tjkurita

[The Expanding Man]

Here are some shots of the 446 (solid, carved spruce top with a thicker profile to reduce feedback, mahogany back carved hollow):

 

Of course, in order to get the guitar running right you will need to swap out the tailpiece, tuners, and pickups! 

 

I also strongly recommend you cover ANY rubber/synthetic-poly-whatever parts of your stands or hooks with cloth or microfiber.  Over time, the rubber/poly can eat into the nitrocellulose lacquer of most guitars. 

 

 

 

 

That looks like the same size body as a les paul.  Am I right?

[tjkurita]

A bit larger, actually.  The Les Paul is more narrow.  If it was a woman, it would be a size 2.  The 446 is more of a size 8.  It is a similar size body to the old Gibson L6s:

 

[VPI]

Left the house today intending to pick up a Collings Acoustic Guitar.  Went to a few shops and tried several Collings and some Huss and Daltons and really could not find one that I liked as much as my D18.  They all seemed to be less dynamic than the Martin.  Tried a few brands I did not know that well including Froggy Bottom which was awesome but really a finger picking guitar that could not be played all that hard.

 

Came across this Canadian brand that is all AAAA Andirondack tops across their lines and looked good so I tried them out.  Really thought the Dreadnaught was the best I heard all day long so it came home with me.  Similar to my D-18 with less bass, a bit more balanced.

 

 

 

[aardvark baguette]

that looks like it will get the job done!

[tjkurita]

Looks kind of like a larrivee. I wonder if they are related? I like the tortoise pick guard!

[VPI]

Nope.  Evidently Boucher Family owns a large property full of 150 year old forestry and they supplied the wood to all the big guys until they decided to get into the business a few years ago.  Now they use their best wood on their handmade stuff.  Hand carved adirondack scalloped bracing. 

 

[VPI]

Brought another one home today.

 

I wanted to try the Gibson sound and I wanted a Sunburst Guitar so I figured I would try this one to get each.

 

Gibson J-45 Custom.  Quite a bit different than the other dreads, 1 11/16 nut, shorter scale.  Plays really easy and sounds more balanced than the Martin which I can see is a little bit scooped out in the middle compared to this one.  This one has more bling than I would typically look for but I think it looks okay.

 

I also got to try out my instructor's 67 Gibson 335.  Thing sounds awesome when he plays it but the neck is thin that it sounds like a mess when my fat, clumsy fingers try to play it.

 

 

 

 

[aardvark baguette]

are you keeping all of these?  

 

i used to have a taylor with a bunch of bling, even though i don't care about bling

 

my theory was that blingy guitars necessarily require more hand attention, and stand to have the best fret detailing and intonation.

at least in the case of the taylor, this held true.

[VPI]

I intend to keep all of the ones I like.  I am actually already considering dumping the 000-28 so it may end up going.

[VPI]

Also got a very varied selection of picks in the mail today.

 

Red picks are part of the speed pick training system

Carbon Fiber grip Jazz IIIs

V-Pick starter pack

 

Really like the V-Picks, not as good as the Blue Chips but you do get 6 for less than the price of one Blue Chip.  The CF Jazz III are really small and while there is great grip they are not very smooth on the strings.  Haven't watched the DVD yet to figure out how to hell to use the red ones yet.

 

[Voltron]

Holy Mother of Pearl!  The Gibson looks pretty awesome even with the bling, Jeff.

[grawk]

that guitar demands you get a new watch:

 

[VPI]

Thinking about returning the Gibson.  Every time I take it out of the case it is almost a full step flat on all strings.  Can't keep it in tune for anything.  Not sure if it is a fault in the nut or bad tuners.  I am getting some tinging and minimal changes when turner some of the tuners.

[tjkurita]

Thinking about returning the Gibson.  Every time I take it out of the case it is almost a full step flat on all strings.  Can't keep it in tune for anything.  Not sure if it is a fault in the nut or bad tuners.  I am getting some tinging and minimal changes when turner some of the tuners.

I've never been a fan of contemporary Gibson flat tops.  I had two AJs, one mahogany and one rosewood.  They both had sympathetic resonances right in the "F" region, causing dead spots on the fingerboard.  As you get more experienced you will find this also and be sensitive to it to whatever degree.  I am rather sensitive to dead spots.  So I bought a flattop built by Steve Andersen in Englemann Spruce and Brazillian rosewood.  It was Scott Nygaard's guitar for a long time and he played it in really well, practically no dead spots.  The guitar is almost 25 years old now and sounds really open and dry.  New guitars tend to be really tight sounding. 

 

Check for sympathetic resonances in your guitar by humming into the soundhole.  In a flattop, it is often in the "F" and "G" range.  Really good luthiers can tune this spot to somewhere between notes.  Anyway, hum into the guitar, using a bass note and increase the pitch until the entire guitar feels like it is resonating.  Play this note on the fingerboard and you will notice that the sound seems kind of dead.  This is due to resonances in the guitar cancelling the fundamental note.  As the guitar gets played (A LOT) these resonances are alleviated.  But new guitars are very susceptible.  There are "guitar shakers" that can break in a guitar quicker, but they seem a little bit dangerous.  edit: actually, that Tonerite thing looks REALLY cool...

 

As far as tuning goes, it might be because of new strings that your guitar is dropping out of tune.  If it is consistent on all strings, it is likely the strings loosening up.  After you put on new strings, try stretching them out.  Those look like Grover tuners.  Generally OK.  Gibson klusons are possibly the worst tuners in the world.  String binding at the nut is a common problem and can be fixed by any competent luthier or by yourself as you gain more experience. 

Edited February 15, 2014 by tjkurita

[VPI]

Very informative.  I would like to see that Brazilian Steve Anderson.

 

I kind of like the sound of the J45 and this morning most strings were in tune, though E was a bit sharp so that is different.  Maybe it is settling in.  The case is far inferior to the Martin and Boucher cases so it is difficult to keep the thing at a proper humidity level so I am hoping it is not doing much growing/shrinking in there overnight.

[Dusty Chalk]

Went to Action Music Guitars today, got a little overwhelmed by all the pedals.  I could easily have spent over a thousand dollars, just on pedals.  They also had a really pretty purply pink PRS, and a wicked cool Mel-o-Bar.  Ended up getting a tube based overdrive distortion and a Timmy.

 

Chris, I can't find it, but did you say you were lookinig for an optical based something?  They had a whole bunch of the Carl Martin stuff, and a couple things were on sale (I want to say the Fuzz and the Term O'Vibe, but I don't remember the third one but it was probably the phaser).

[Grahame]

Dusty, ever been tempted to consolidate?

Doesn't mean you can't expand ...

Later ...

Edited February 16, 2014 by Grahame

[aardvark baguette]

I forget what I said

 

I went nutso on pedals, considering I bought them before I had an amp (which i only just ordered)

 

I bought an MXR phase 45.  I like the more subtle, slow always-on phaser sound.  I hate wah. Hate it.

 

I made a list since I knew I'd lose track:

 

poly tuner

keeley compressor

mxr phase 45

keeley-modded boss blues driver

hudson electronics stroll-on mk2

boss vb2 

boss dc-2 

boss dm2

 

(lava cable coily everything)

 

check this one out.  

 

the vintage stuff i bought off of reverb or buyvintagepedals.  yeah, i blew through some of my bitcoin funny money pretty fast...

come to think of it, the tuner is the only cheap pedal in the lot.

 

oh, and for the lols:

(i dont have this one)

Edited February 16, 2014 by aardvark baguette

[aardvark baguette]

double post 

 

laggity lagggg

Edited February 16, 2014 by aardvark baguette

[Grahame]

double post 

 

laggity lagggg

 

Just Digital Delay ( with a touch of reverb)

[Dusty Chalk]

Dusty, ever been tempted to consolidate?

I actually have the Digitech RP10, but I've always hated the distortions on those older models.  I also have the more recent TC Electronics Nova system, which is digitally controlled analog ditortions, which I'm much more alright with.  The Alesis Quadraverb GT also has an analog section, which I love.  But those are the only two I know of that do their distortions analog-ly, and I want a wider palette.  I'm sure there are other good ones, but when you're talking tone, most advice I get starts with "oh just get a <umptyump> pedal."  I haven't given up -- on the contrary, I am not entirely unpleased with the direction with systems like the Fractal Audio Axe FX II.  It's just a bit more dosh than I'm ready to lay out just yet, and I haven't seen it trickle-down yet.

[tjkurita]

Oh just get a Tube Screamer...

 

 

 

I actually have the Digitech RP10, but I've always hated the distortions on those older models.  I also have the more recent TC Electronics Nova system, which is digitally controlled analog ditortions, which I'm much more alright with.  The Alesis Quadraverb GT also has an analog section, which I love.  But those are the only two I know of that do their distortions analog-ly, and I want a wider palette.  I'm sure there are other good ones, but when you're talking tone, most advice I get starts with "oh just get a <umptyump> pedal."  I haven't given up -- on the contrary, I am not entirely unpleased with the direction with systems like the Fractal Audio Axe FX II.  It's just a bit more dosh than I'm ready to lay out just yet, and I haven't seen it trickle-down yet.

[Dusty Chalk]

See? 

[Dusty Chalk]

 

I'm in no rush to get a pedal board, I'm going to be more a worktable kind of guy, swapping shit in and out all the time, but I think once I do settle, I'll do something like this.