Help me pick my guitar rig.

fuzzbrew

First post to boards.ie

I was playing bass but now I'm moving back to guitar and will be selling my bass rig which should raise about 700 quid and I will be adding about another 100 quid. I am already sorted for an amp, just picked up a Vox AC50 but need to get a cab and a Guitar. Hopefully some people on this site can give me some of their opinions on what they would do considering my budget. I'll also provide some info on what genres i play, sounds i like and gear i have been looking at etc...

I don't want to spend too much on a cab so this is what I have been looking at..
http://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_g212_vintage.htm
or
http://www.musicstore.de/en_EN/EUR/Guitars/Electric-guitar-amps/Fame-GN212-Vintage-30-Cabinet-/art-GIT0017545-000

They both carry celestion speakers and come at a decent price, has anyone had any experience with these? Would any recommend or advice against these? I could go used also. I might find something on Adverts.ie

Now for the guitar, I would love to get a Jazzmaster personally but after buying the cab i won't have the money for a new Fender Classic Player, the model i have been looking at as it comes with the tune-o-matic style bridge. I like the look of the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster but i am worried about buying a Squier especially as i have been playing for a good 12 or 13 years now and i sort of feel i should have a top class instrument. Don't get me wrong I am not one of those guys who thinks you can only get a good guitar if you spend thousands of pounds but i am looking to buy something that i will be happy with for a long time and that i won't feel like i need to upgrade from after a few months. I have seen some used Jazzmasters but i think they are just out of my price range.

I am open to suggestions of other guitars used or new and to give you the idea of the kind of sounds i need to achieve i will list some of the bands that i listen to and play in the style of:

Band of Skulls, Soundgarden, The BLack Keys, Queens of the stone age, Rory Gallagher, Free, Fu manchu, Peter Green etc...

Basically Heavy rock and blues,bit of folk/acoustic stuff too, but nothing in the metal territory, not into playing metal anymore.

fuzzbrew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaYSj6ZBgeM

I also seen this strat out in music minds in Dublin and i played it briefly. For just short of 400 quid it was actually a really decent guitar. In addition if i buy that i'll be left with a small bit of change, but again i am worried about buying a cheap guitar and not being pleased with it after i get over the initial "honeymoon period"!

fuzzbrew

also a few things on Adverts.ie interest me, such as:

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/framus-hollywood-dc-white-guitar/2337333

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/hanson-chicagoan-p90-as-new/2504184

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/hanson-firenze-ii-as-new/2504216

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/reverend-jetstream-390-sunburst/2722964

as you can probably tell i am looking to get something a bit different from your usual Teles, Strats and Les pauls

Ravelleman

I´d go for the Reverend of all of those. The build quality is meant to be top notch!

CianRyan

Id look second hand for a cab, they really get hit with depreciation so they're a good buy on the uses market.

The Rev looks lovely, from watching Pro Guitar Shop reviews, I want one.

wild turkey

Reverend or framus for me
Musicmaker had the framus in there recently
If its something different your looking for
try a Peavey T-60, has a great tonal range & superb build quality

Dord

I'd go with the Framus, but that's just my own personal preference. The Framus or Reverend are good choices.

fuzzbrew

wild turkey wrote: »

Reverend or framus for me
Musicmaker had the framus in there recently
If its something different your looking for
try a Peavey T-60, has a great tonal range & superb build quality

I had a peavey t60 before and absolutely loved it but i started to play bass in a band and had to sell it to buy a bass :(

fuzzbrew

Dord wrote: »

I'd go with the Framus, but that's just my own personal preference. The Framus or Reverend are good choices.

I was considering that framus until i seen that bridge. Could cause all sorts of problems if not set up properly.

fuzzbrew

I'm now thinking about going down the semi-hollowbody route as i will be emigrating soon and would like to take the guitar with me, I don't have an acoustic at the moment and the guitar can double as an about the house acoustic guitar.

The epiphone ES-339 pro seems like a good option for me as it will cover both single coil and humbucker tones and it's got the centre block too, so it won't feedback too much when i pile on the gain. I had a casino,which has no center block, before and although i loved it it was a killer for the feedback, although a bit of feedback now and then can be pretty nice

http://www.waltons.ie/Product/View.aspx?id=30903&cid=63

I Seen this in waltons recently, was pleased to see epiphone doing a ES-339 model.
I didn't spot any of these while i was in there but if they had one i have to say i would be very tempted to go for it:

http://www.waltons.ie/Product/View.aspx?id=3349&cid=63

Any comments or suggestions lads?

Seen these on adverts also:

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/epiphone-riviera-custom/2751996

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/limited-edition-custom-shop-epiphone-riviera-guitar/2650115

Like the look and the idea of a semi-hollow with mini humbuckers but i think i read that the Riviera model has no solid center block and is prone to feedback, can anyone confirm or disprove this?

Dord

A semi won't have much more volume than a solid body. Especially not a 339. No centre block would mean that it's more prone to feedback but that doesn't mean that it will always feedback. Once you get used to it and knowing what it can do, you can control it somewhat... or let it go wild like Ted Nugent.

fuzzbrew

Dord wrote: »

A semi won't have much more volume than a solid body. Especially not a 339. No centre block would mean that it's more prone to feedback but that doesn't mean that it will always feedback. Once you get used to it and knowing what it can do, you can control it somewhat... or let it go wild like Ted Nugent.

I know it won't have much more volume than a hollowbody but i had a casino before and it was great for jamming on around the house with out having to plug in, gave me a little extra volume.

il gatto

Don't know about the Mascis jazzmaster, but I've been playing for over 18 years and bought a Squier Classic Vibe Tele 6 months ago. It's top notch. If I'd payed 3 times the price, I would've been satisfied with the finish, playability and sound. Plays as good as any Tele (better than most) I've tried (including a 1966 Tele).
I would've been snobby about gear when I was younger and had money to burn, but I'm glad I got that out of my system as I don't think I would've been any happier with a 52Ri Tele that cost €1,700-€1,800. It's the real deal in a way that I've never played an Epiphone Les Paul that felt like a Gibson.
Read the reviews and if it looks good a set up or a few upgrades won't break the bank.

mickgotsick

I can personally vouch for the Harley Benton G212 Vintage cab, great build quality and sound.

CianRyan

il gatto wrote: »

Don't know about the Mascis jazzmaster, but I've been playing for over 18 years and bought a Squier Classic Vibe Tele 6 months ago. It's top notch. If I'd payed 3 times the price, I would've been satisfied with the finish, playability and sound. Plays as good as any Tele (better than most) I've tried (including a 1966 Tele).
I would've been snobby about gear when I was younger and had money to burn, but I'm glad I got that out of my system as I don't think I would've been any happier with a 52Ri Tele that cost €1,700-€1,800. It's the real deal in a way that I've never played an Epiphone Les Paul that felt like a Gibson.
Read the reviews and if it looks good a set up or a few upgrades won't break the bank.

How are the pick ups, tuning pegs and nut?
I'd imagine if it had any let downs it'd be here.

wild turkey

CianRyan wrote: »

How are the pick ups, tuning pegs and nut?
I'd imagine if it had any let downs it'd be here.

All Classic vibe pickups are made by Tonerider
The only thing I would mabye consider is changing the pots & caps
but I do that on all of my guitars

I have a CV strat & would agree with Il Gatto.
You wont get better value for money

il gatto

Pickups are alnico (as opposed to just ceramic in the Mexicos) Bridge is a little hot but overall they have a nice punch and clarity. No problems with feedback, microphonics or hum (any more than usual with single coils anyway).
Nut looks neatly cut and the strings don't seem to drag. Tuners seem to be stable. Feel solid enough too. Really doesn't require any upgrades. I've seen it mention that people replace the jack because it doesn't feel very heavy duty rather than it actually fails. As mentioned some people replace pots and caps and maybe that would be a good upgrade but you'd do it out of a love of tinkering rather than necessity.
For me it encapsulates Leo Fender's vision of a simple, effective tool for working musicians rather than the increasingly pricey U.S. reissues (lovely as they are). It's alot of guitar for the money.

fuzzbrew

Well lads, In the end i got an Eastwood Airline Town and Country and a Marshall 1922 2x12 to go with my Vox AC50, both from adverts.ie. I am very happy with the cab, it's got plenty of bottom end while still retaining clarity, and most importantly doesn't sound like a box which is exactly what i was trying to avoid after owning a Blues JR. for so long. As for the guitar, it needs a set up but once it has that i am sure it will be fine. The Eastwood Airline will satisfy all my vintage tone needs but I am now on the look out for another guitar to do some more heavy/modern rock tones. I'll be starting another thread on this website about it so if you see it please feel free to comment