This time it was to either decide once and for all that my dream guitar aws in fact the Epipnone Prphecy GX. The other was to see how the single coil world of Stratocaster was doing.
Oh, and I was on a brand new Blue Deluxe Reissue, just like my 3 year od at home dishing out sweet tones one right after another. It did give me my central point. My common ground, so to speek.
The Prophecy: First, the good. I was surprised at how decent the splitting of the coil worked. It was not in the same ball park as a Strat single, but would most certainly do. Second, the bad. This sucker was deep and muddy sounding. I enjoy playing strummy rhythm in the neck position. This was awful. Not sure if bad guitar or bad design. The lead playing both single and HB was good, So if you're not an old fuddy-duddy and like the deep muddy tone, this is the guitar for you. Mind you, I own two epi LPs and love them. That's how muddy these were to me. I didn't spend much time at the bridge, but it was because I knew it was wall bound based on what I heard from neck pick
Next up for sale was three Fender Strats. No MIM this time. I was scounting out the big boys. The American Deluxe, the American stard. I pplayed an American Standard, American Stadard Deluxe and anotjr pne that was being discontnued fo some unknown reason. First, the Deluxe played very well. It more than likely had some sort or spray one it tht made it a breeze. I will investigate. The two standards up next. Little different tone, and the nect did not have this mystery coating. Were the tones worse? That's subjective. I said no,, my wife said yes.
And finally out adventure ends with a Squire Affinity Strat. Laughable one might say. But, it had one very impressive thing going for it, It soundend like a Strat. I ws imoressed. After my ie year hiatus from all things strat, I might have finally warmed uo to them. None of the necks were twisted. With all of the Strats I tried today, I didn't feel like shoving one out the window.
So, in closing, I am bummed that my favorite playing and sounding Strat is $1,500. I am bumed that the Epi LP Prophecy GX was too muddy. (the pickup heights looked good to, btw). I am happy ti find out that a Squire Affinity sounds like a strat, only a little thin, and it didn't play all that wel compared to th $1,500 gem. That all got me thingking about TR's fun with his SX this summer and the fact that the place he got his parts from have those parts on two sunburst guitars of their own fo $169. Hmmmmmmmmmmm Oh, and Rosewooed fretboards, too. I just like 'em that way. :D
Feel free to pipe in, and thanks for giving this a read.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Roy, keep one thing in mind. It's for you. You are worth whatever you have to pay to get what works best.
For my hands, the PRS was all things guitar. From the playability to the neck size and shape. It was a total package.
When you find that guitar (and I'm NOT saying it has to be a PRS, but) you'll really know it and the price won't matter.
You are not done looking yet.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Roy, I'd suggest you go by Fat Sound Music in Cary and check out what they have in stock for Tribute Series by G&L guitars.
Specifically:
Comanche - "superstrat" with Fullerton MFD Z-coil pickups
Legacy - Leo's strat "clone"
S-500 - Strat clone with MFD single coils
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
Moonrider, is the guitar at the bottom of this page one of the ones that one you're speaking of? http://www.shop.localsguitars.com/category.sc?categoryId=71
At any rate, you've sung the G&L praises for quite some time. Have you ever played the two lesser expensive ones that you mentioned, and if so, what are your impressions of them? I do have to confess to being a bit down on the mid level strats due to previous bad luck with a MIM. My current train of thought is uber-cheap mail order. That could change.
Oh, and btw. I don't know if I mentioned it. A couple years ago, I made note of my MIM woes and seeing twisted necks in a great many of them. Not one American nor Squire that I looked at this week had twists. I even picked up one MIM to see how it was. Just fine. I felt that seeing how I ragged on them for twisted necks, I need to do right and mention that I didn't see any twisted necks from the $1,500 deluxe down to the Squire Affinity.
You are not done looking yet.Bish, those were all very good points as always. I do have several in my little mini collection that fit right and/or play right. In order to have a collection, my per guitar $$ needs to not be outrageous. My Strat search seems more like an infantile desire to fill a slight void and get a new shiny toy. Truth be knownst, I'm starting to get sick of all the upkeep. I think that this strat-like object and a resonator are probably going to round out the low-lowmid range collection of mine. You never know, though. My PRS SE and any PRS I've ever touched has been outstanding. There are just so many nice, pretty and fun toys on the market.
GAS is one of the most fun diseases out there. :mrgreen:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
All this got me thinking about Eddie VanHalen's "FrankenStrat". High end guitar? Hardly. :lol: Very cheap parts. I also love how people figure he was some sort of guitar building genius also. Read this ...... he didn't know what he was doing but boy could he play the thing!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstrat
I say Roy it depends on what you are looking for. If your looking for "The One" well then money is not an issue. In my case, I wanted to build a Strat and Rondo's entry had a 3 piece alder body sans bathtub rout (thats good) and a decent neck so it was a good platform to start with. It's not my favorite guitar but it probably is my favorite Strat. I tend to favor it over my MIM Fender Strat. It could well be because the neck profile is more like that of my LP guitars. It is meaty with a flat radius. I noticed the GF Strats you are looking at have a flat radius as well. It was a 12" wasn't it? I'm looking at the green one with the maple board. MUST RESIST!!!
Ohhhh but look at her!
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
yanno sumtin? Sam Ash stores are having it's own little Black Friday thing. Get this. $350 or $360 PRs SE single cuts. (I can't remember the exact amount. It's around here somewhere....)
Dang!
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
A couple of yoears ago, I played a couple of G&L Tributes along with a George Fullerton Signature (MIA). They were all very well finished and were well setup. I considered buying the GF signature but the neck was a bit too heavy for my liking.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
Moonrider, is the guitar at the bottom of this page one of the ones that one you're speaking of? http://www.shop.localsguitars.com/category.sc?categoryId=71
At any rate, you've sung the G&L praises for quite some time. Have you ever played the two lesser expensive ones that you mentioned, and if so, what are your impressions of them? I do have to confess to being a bit down on the mid level strats due to previous bad luck with a MIM. My current train of thought is uber-cheap mail order. That could change.
I own a swamp ash Tribute series ASAT, and it's usually the one packed to gigs along with my Squier CV50's Tele. The MFD pickups are much hotter than traditional Fender style single coils, think of them as Fender style on steroids with a bit of 'roid rage on.
I also own a Tribute Invader XL (another you might want to check out). It's a killer rock axe, with a speedy, flat neck, and it spends most of it's time in my son's room. I play it whenever I can pry it loose from him (NOT an easy task!).
I've also put in a bit of play time on both the Legacy and the S-500. Both are very nice guitars, but at the time I couldn't justify buying them since I have my battle-scarred 15 year old road dog of an MIM strat that's been poked and tweaked to perfection.
Ultra-cheap mail order huh? I'd love to check out one of these:
XV-JM-Series
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
I was looking at those as well. 8)
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
