A question for the opinionated

Slaanesh

Right lads I've finally cracked.

I own a unholy piece of ****e that calls itself a Kramer.

It has a floyd rose tremelo system (I disabled it because I never used it). The floyd rose used to cause strings to become temporarily off key if I bent a string, this was really annoying.

Now my problem is the intonation and the constant out of tunedness of the E and B strings. It's a nightmare of a guitar. I intend buying a new one at some stage within the next few months.

I posted a thread asking what kind of guitar I should buy, but I think I have a few more requirements in my mind after playing this piece of crap for so long. I need a guitar that has a wide variety of sounds. Needs a great clean sound, I like doing bluesy riffs. Also needs have a good distorted tone, not sure if this is guitar or amp I should be looking at here. I have a Marshall AVT 100.

I do not want a guitar that will go out of tune all the time, ****ed up intonation, severe loss of tune when bending strings. My own guitar has made me lose a degree of interest in playing, I think a new guitar will renew that interest. I don't listen to punk rock much, but when I do I tend to like it, I could imagine enjoying playing it from time to time, that would also be a factor.

I need good feedback from you guitar experts, on the guitars that you have and the reason for your choice and why you love playing that guitar so much. I don't want to hear, "WTF ??? THAT GUITAR IS TEH SUCK MAN". Just a wide variety of opinions and guitars that seem to suit the different playing styles.

Maybe it could be made a sticky if there is enough information

Slaan.

seamus

A bad workman......



Sorry, someone was going to say it

feylya

I believe something along the lines of this could be right up your alley. Coil tapped humbucker in the bridge, single coil in the middle and neck positions. Mmmm. Of course, you didn't tell us what your price range is.

TBH, I love Floyd Roses almost as much as I love EMG's. Did you ever get that Kramer set up properly by someone who knows their arse from their elbow? It makes all the difference with a Floyd.

Giblet

I just bought the 1995 ebony Gibson Les Paul that was advertised on boards a while back.

Remember this?

I likes!

Maybe you should just save up and get something like a Tele with a lil '59 in it. I bet it would suit you to the ground, and I've heard ya play, so I know it'd suit ya.

Quatre Mains

Hi there
I'm sure its a v obvious answer but you should probably go for a fixed bridge guitar like a Les Paul or SG maybe. I used to own a Washburn which had the exact same problem so I can appreciate your problem - the worst part is when you bend the b-string to the same note as the high E, what a racket! If you use drop d tuning you can forget about it altogether.
If you don't want to be restricted to fixed bridge guitars then you could alternatively buy a guitar and have a professional put in a wedge to stop the trem moving.

Neil

Karl Hungus

Originally posted by Slaanesh
It has a floyd rose tremelo system (I disabled it because I never used it). The floyd rose used to cause strings to become temporarily off key if I bent a string, this was really annoying.

er... how exactly did you 'Disable' it!?
Because that could be your problem right there.

feylya

I assume he meant he blocked it.

Karl Hungus

Originally posted by feylya
I assume he meant he blocked it.

That's what I assumed too, but I had to ask.
In my experience, blocking a floyd rose is a very, very bad thing that can create lots of problems.
Just like the problems Slaanesh has stated.

feylya

I don't know. Steve Vai had his blocked for the Grammy performance with Nelly Furtado. If he blocked it and didn't try to use it, it should have been ok. Still, if had been set up properly, none of that would happen. Except if i was using it. I can destroy Floyds in a couple of months.

Oeneus

To disable a floyd rose you basically have to tighten the springsas much as possible so's that the tremelo bridge is tight against the guitars body eg. Not floating at all.

feylya

No no no no no. No, that is not how to disable a floating bridge. That'll **** up the bridge, the action, the intonation. Urgh, I'm shuddering just thinking about it. The proper way to disable a FR is to block it with the right size piece of wood, place between the sustain block and the guitar body.

Oeneus

That's not what I read.

I'm sure there's something on the Floyd Rose site about disabling them.

feylya

Trust me on this. Tightening the springs completely on a recessed floating FR is NOT the way to disable it.

Giblet

Ah ya can tighten the springs, a block of wood is more dangerous. Remove strings, tighten springs, loosen the small allen key on top of the saddle, and raise the action and then place strings back on. Fix the intonation and it works fine, especially with 5 springs.

feylya

The main problem with doing that though is changing strings cos the screws are beneath the wood.

Karl Hungus

Christ lads...
All you'd be doing is creating more problems for yourselves!

If you dont want to use a Floyd Rose, don't fecking block it! Get a guitar with a fixed bridge!!!

Doctor J

The Fender Big Apple Strat for $725 will do exactly what you want and much, much more. Just tighten the trem screws so it sits flush against the body and it will never go out of tune... ever.

musician.ie

You could look at the Line 6 variax if you want a guitar that tries to be all things to all men. It's got electronics to digitally model most of the classics. http://www.line6.com/variax/home.asp

NeMiSiS

Gibson Les Paul.

Tom

fitz

How much are you willing to spend?

I've a Gibson Blueshawk that I'd sell, pm me if your interested. Sounds like it might suit what you're looking for...

Al Pinionpants

I'm selling an ESP horizon H-100 this colour, tune-o-matic bridge, no more tuning problems EVER. they don't make this model anymore, it has a flame maple neck
and sounds fantastic clean or distorted to ****. I'm lookin for 400 Euros
if your interested call 087 2944372 or mail pinion@pinionwebhole.com
and I can let you try it out.

It's in perfect nick.

Doctor J

Lads this ain't the f*cking Buy & Sell

feylya

Doctor J for mod.

Al Pinionpants

...no it's not the buy and sell, but here's a guy lookin for a guitar, and I'm selling one...so I feel it's a good time and place to tell him about the guitar I'm selling.

is that ok?

I'm actually selling a rake of music equipment for my band and myself, but I didn't mention any of the rest of it, only the guitar.

feylya

What's wrong with sending him a PM?

Doctor J

Read the charter before posting

Al Pinionpants

first of all, I don't pm people on this board any more, cos the last few peole I PMed
didn't bother checking their user cp, and it's a waste of time.
second of all, I did read the charter many moons ago, but I never thought anybody would have a stick up their arse about me helping out a poster who's looking for advice and options in their post, or about me trying to sell an item in a RELEVANT thread.

sorry if I've offended
I won't do it again.

lighten up guys it's just a discussion forum.
peace.

Alan

Oeneus

I'll make this case an exception considering he's only trying to do someone a favour.

musician.ie

Would this be a bad time to mention that I'm selling my stamp collection?

<...ducks...>

Slaanesh

Thanks for all the replies lads. I have a bit of an idea as to what I may want now, I should still really try some of these guitar out. Where in Dublin is a good place to buy these kinds of guitars ?

I still think I need more info. Are any of you lads going to the next boards beer ? Maybe we could sit down and have a chat and I'll buy whoever a pint

Cheers,

Slaan.

feylya

Hmm, free beer. Nice. I'll not be there though. What's your price range by the way?

Oeneus

When's the next Boards beer?

feylya

5th March I think.

fitz

I'll be along to the Beers after Aussie Pink Floyd...

Doctor J

Originally posted by Slaanesh
Thanks for all the replies lads. I have a bit of an idea as to what I may want now, I should still really try some of these guitar out. Where in Dublin is a good place to buy these kinds of guitars ?

For Fenders: Musicmaker, for Ibanez: Musician Inc, For Gibson: Waltons, For ESP: Instrumental.

You may be better off buying second hand, depending on how much you want to spend. Hit the shops, try as many guitars as possible out, see what you like, then try and find a second hand one.

Slaanesh

I think I'm looking at €800 - €1000. Gonna go splash out a bit I think. 2nd hand would probably be the best option. Playing the guitars too, although I hate playing guitars in music shops !

Slaan.

Doctor J

You'd get a PRS for that, with a bit of work and a bit of luck. For example this

Ryanair flight to the UK to check it out and I guarantee you'll never find a guitar like this uninspiring.

Slaanesh

Looks like such a sweet guitar Doctor J but I think I really need to try out a few first before I dive in at the deep end

Slaan.

Doctor J

PM dabhoys and ask him how he felt about playing his €900 PRS he got off ebay for the first time. The PRS is as close to a perfect guitar as you'll get. Try one out in Musician Inc. Seriously, if you don't like it I'll buy it off you for €100 more

Slaanesh

Dragging this up again !

I still haven't found the guitar I would like, mind you I ain't played many at all. I was at a Big Generator gig last night and the lads were playing Ibanez and strats. I think this is the kind of sound I like and the Ibanez are a lovely looking guitar. Anybody have any experience with Ibanez guitars ? Big G's Dave Hockedy is some savage guitar player.

Slaan.

Doctor J

I have an Ibanez bass. The neck is a work of art. Seriously They build excellent instruments, especially at the higher end.


Go into Musician Inc, they have Ibanez guitars. If you can afford it go for one with a 'Prestige' neck.

dabhoys

Originally posted by Doctor J
PM dabhoys and ask him how he felt about playing his €900 PRS he got off ebay for the first time. The PRS is as close to a perfect guitar as you'll get. Try one out in Musician Inc. Seriously, if you don't like it I'll buy it off you for €100 more

PRS was the best 900 yoyo I ever spent. I also play a Fender Strat and plan on adding a Tele and Les Paul to my array by the end of the summer.

PRS are an amzing instrument. The Quality is top class I can assure you that. I knew buying it that I didn't have to play it to know I was getting a grade A instrument.

Rock on...

Fungtank

I'd have to advise you in the direction of

Epiphone SG400

I have had a fender strat and an ibanez rg470. Niether have a 'monkey spit' on the sg. If ,as you say, you don't use the wammy bar then the sg is perfect. Its way lighter then the les paul and the tone is wonderful. On the sg400 you get some sweet seymour duncun pickups. Real nice. I'd only say that the bass one(neck) is a bit flat but you can really wail with a bit of distortion on it.

You could always, if mr.budget allowed, upgrade to a gibson equivalent. I was looking at the Gibson SG special but couldn't afford it in the end.