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Post by Rusty on Feb 3, 2009 2:20:33 GMT -6
Your money on gear that is. I've seen guys that will go out and spend big bucks on a Gibby or a Fender,and not really even be able to play that well.This makes no sense to me. I tend to shop and look for that one instrument that speaks to me,last year it was the Charvette in my avatar,year before it was a squire project,which I enjoyed building and playing ,and I'm gonna be finishing my Les Paul project this week if UPS doesn't hold me up. I usually always buy top drawer dinosaurs,meaning brand name stuff that is outdated,such as the Peavey SP-1's and FH-1 subs, I fell in love with the sound of them back in the day,and that's what I went shopping for. Now I do buy some things new,and usually because it's a killer deal.But as a rule I buy stuff that is a little older just so I can get a better quality instrument,and save some money for different gear.Plus the older gear is broken in and seasoned guitars just plain play better IMO.
So do you buy new or look for something better quality that has a little character?
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Post by robotiko180 on Feb 16, 2009 9:33:40 GMT -6
Speaking in terms of drum equipment. I like the New stuff they are putting out now. Drums are being made better now days IMO. I'm saying that about Cymbals and Hardware too. My set is from the 80's era but would like a New set of Pearls that are really expensive...its the Reference Drum line they carry now and each drum is made for that size pitched drum by changing the type of wood use and bearing edges done on it and also the ply's use to make them differ...to make the perfect sounding drum set piece by piece from one drum to the other! They didn't make them like that in the day. Not saying older Drums are crap....Just saying I like the New drums making process that are going on now a days. I've seen lots of Vintage Drums that I would love to own too.
Samuel
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Post by vanman on Feb 17, 2009 1:19:59 GMT -6
I'll second that on Pearls Reference series kits: In general the mainline kits are getting better as well when it comes to materials. The new Yamaha Stage Customs for example are now all birch shells (Gretsch as well as other makers are doing the same thing). Don't mean for this to be strickly a comment on drums BUT thats what I know more about. I suspect the same could be said for guitars, etc. as well. The main reason for all of this though? China! If you want the BEST quality in, say all birch shells, you are gonna still go with Brand name instruments equipped and assembled in their country of origin, but alot of the main companies seem to selling their Chinese made lines which affords REALLY NICE quality and still affordable instruments.
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Post by Rusty on Feb 17, 2009 2:10:29 GMT -6
Yes a lot of companies,well most now are selling quality instruments for a fair price because of imports,and I must say that they are good,even back in the 80's when the japanese market was flooding us with guitars there were some great instruments. I just like the feel of a vintage guitar I guess,it's a personal taste,the neck is worn a little and the paint is a little disclolored,just the way I like it...lol
I do like the new electronics though,and the technology that is available now,and again it is very reasonable,and reliable,something that wasn't available together for a long time.It makes owning a nice guitar setup or drumset completely possible for everyone.
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Post by vanman on Feb 19, 2009 3:33:56 GMT -6
What about putting those new electronics in an old body???
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jamiea
Beginner
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Posts: 9
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Post by jamiea on Feb 19, 2009 14:05:31 GMT -6
You can improve a lot with electronics. Tollerances of guitars has gotten better and better so electronics can make a big difference (bang for buck wise).
Also, make sure everything is shielded very well.
If you like the way an old guitar plays/looks - it's really all you can do to get it tone wise where you want it.
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Post by Rusty on Feb 19, 2009 17:12:53 GMT -6
lol 3 of the 5 electrics I have I have upgraded the pups in.And 2 of them are my main guitars.If it plays well then all else is trivial.Plus the aftermarket is making some really good stuff compared to what the manufacturer offers in a new guitar
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Post by vanman on Feb 20, 2009 5:35:00 GMT -6
Also, make sure everything is shielded very well.quote] Shielding... thats the focus of my dad's profession in electrical engineering- grounding and sheilding of electro-magnetic equipment..... wait...DAD...is that you?
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Post by vanman on Feb 20, 2009 6:26:24 GMT -6
AFTERTHOUGHT, unrelated to previous post... I suppose that I'd have to evaluate the purpose for the purchase. If I'm buying something that is a quick fix vs. something I intend to keep forever. I'm certainly not spending top dollar if I don't have to but when it comes to a major purchase you gotta think about what you really want and is new always better??? Say you want a new cymbal... the cymbal is always goin to sound the way it is. you don't really have many options to change the cymbals sound qualities- so go play as many as you can, decide what you can spend and get the best you can afford (or save up for a bit longer and get that one that sounds best to you). DRUMS on the other hand...there are so many things you can do to get a killer sound. I've seen the extremes to. One purchaser spent way too much money on a kit that had pretty good resonance to just put all manner of muffling on it and dampen the shells to death. He could have done that with a $300 kit. Drums, with options in tuning and head selection and dampening- there are just really so many things you can do that a medium grade kit, say like Yamaha Stage customs, can sound really good if you work at it a bit. Will they sound like the Recording Customs (also all birch shells) or the Birch customs of today??? No. but for 1/4 the cost or even more in savings- you'll have something you can make sound really good. I've made this comparison before and it bears repeating. Its similar to archery, as one of my old high school coaches used to say. You can shoot the best arrow straight and true with an OK bow, but even the BEST bow can't shoot a crappy arrow. The drums are the Bow. The heads are the arrow (I'd include cymbals in here too). Another thing dealing with the musician. A skilled drummer can make a poor set sing, whereas a poor drummer can't make even the best set of drums sing. most of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle of all that. Competent in our skillset, while irritatingly mindful of EVERYONE of our short comings, shooting for that perfect sound that we hope somehow will hide all our flaws and make us sound better than we really are...........
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