The guitar thread

[jeffy777]

Honestly, better finger control is the best solution. That's also the solution if you're talking about the sort of whistle-squeak on the unwound strings.

Nah, it's not my playing style as other guitars don't squeak like this for me. Just doing a simply 3 /5 slide on the A string makes a pretty decent squeak, so there's nothing that could really be done to get around it as far as finger technique/control goes. I really need to get some better strings because these are just some cheapies that came with the guitar (Ibanez), so some of it has to do with the fact that they're new strings and it would probably go away once I broke them in more, but I don't want to take the time to do that since the strings aren't that great to begin with.

 

[toma_alimosh]

Hey, guitar lovers!
I thought of no better place to ask this question. One thing is with all my music production habits and all, I thought I might soon pick up a guitar as a second instrument, especially since it's so damn hard to emulate, and everyone wants the "clean" sound. And I once ran into the following video, and besides Claude Ciari being my favorite guitarist right now, the sound of this guitar of his just captured me and I want one with this exact sound. It would fit very well with the music I want to produce, giving it that little Mediterranean feel. However, I'm not so good with accoustic guitars, so if anyone can tell me what kind of guitar it is or what kind of guitar would give this sound, I'd much appreciate it.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNTe2h7LLOM[/YOUTUBE]

Of mst concern are these questions:
Is it a nylon or steel?
What's with the wire attatched to its back? (at the very end of the vid)? Is it just amplified or is it electric-acoustic? And is the sound processed in any way to give it that certain bright-guitar sound?

Thanks for any replies in advance.

 

[jeffy777]

Looks like a nylon string classical guitar, a Takamine maybe?

 

[Karoug]

Of mst concern are these questions:
Is it a nylon or steel?
What's with the wire attatched to its back? (at the very end of the vid)? Is it just amplified or is it electric-acoustic? And is the sound processed in any way to give it that certain bright-guitar sound?

Thanks for any replies in advance.

It's a nylon!
I think it's just hocked up to an acoustic amp.
And i don't think there's much processing going on except maybe some EQ.
I'm no expert though..

 

[_HighVoltage_]

Speaking of which...I just got some regular electric guitar strings (Slinky) and also Super Slinkys. I normally use the Super Slinkys for the electric guitar. I got the regulars for my acoustic guitar back home - do you think they would work well?
(I know I was supposed to get acoustic guitar strings but....these were cheaper )

 

[NecroJoe]

Speaking of which...I just got some regular electric guitar strings (Slinky) and also Super Slinkys. I normally use the Super Slinkys for the electric guitar. I got the regulars for my acoustic guitar back home - do you think they would work well?
(I know I was supposed to get acoustic guitar strings but....these were cheaper )

Yes electric strings will work on an acoustic, but they won't give you big-n-boomy room-filling depth. They'll sound thin.

I use Hybrid Slinkys on my electric. Thin tops for easy bending, and thicker bottom strings. Like...the EAD from a set of "11s or 12s" and then the three thing strings would come from a set of 9s.

That is a nylon string acoustic (the lead player, anyways...the background is steel/bronze/nickel, etc) Don't know what it is, but it isn't a Takamine. The only thing done to the sound is some EQ. As for the cable, that means the guitar is an electric acoustic. Most modern acoustics have some sort of pick-ups system. I say most, because there is still a market for "purists" (ie: cork-sniffers) who think that the acoustic guitar should be mic'd. Typically, there is a ribbon-shaped transducer pick-up under the bridge that acts as a pick-up. Sometimes, you'll even see a pickup mounted in the soundhole. Those work pretty well if you don't want to cut holes in the guitar for the preamp, but they can be more prone to feedback...which is also why you often see the soundhole blocked. To keep the appearance of the guitar clean, they just use a special bottom strap button that is also a cable jack, rather than having two holes.

Typically, to amplify your electric acoustic guitar you'd want to use either a PA, a keyboard amp, or a specifically-designed acoustic guitar amp. Putting an acoustic-electric through an electric guitar amplifier is just....it's just...fail.

 

[jeffy777]

That is a nylon string acoustic (the lead player, anyways...the background is steel/bronze/nickel, etc) Don't know what it is, but it isn't a Takamine.

The guy playing it posted the vid and said in the comments that it is indeed a Takamine.

 

[toma_alimosh]

Looks like a nylon string classical guitar, a Takamine maybe?

Hmm, yes, apparently it is indeed a Takamine. If I could only know which one ...

It's a nylon!
I think it's just hocked up to an acoustic amp.
And i don't think there's much processing going on except maybe some EQ.
I'm no expert though..

That is a nylon string acoustic (the lead player, anyways...the background is steel/bronze/nickel, etc) Don't know what it is, but it isn't a Takamine. The only thing done to the sound is some EQ. As for the cable, that means the guitar is an electric acoustic. Most modern acoustics have some sort of pick-ups system. I say most, because there is still a market for "purists" (ie: cork-sniffers) who think that the acoustic guitar should be mic'd. Typically, there is a ribbon-shaped transducer pick-up under the bridge that acts as a pick-up. Sometimes, you'll even see a pickup mounted in the soundhole. Those work pretty well if you don't want to cut holes in the guitar for the preamp, but they can be more prone to feedback...which is also why you often see the soundhole blocked. To keep the appearance of the guitar clean, they just use a special bottom strap button that is also a cable jack, rather than having two holes.

Typically, to amplify your electric acoustic guitar you'd want to use either a PA, a keyboard amp, or a specifically-designed acoustic guitar amp. Putting an acoustic-electric through an electric guitar amplifier is just....it's just...fail.

Hmm, so that's how amplifying acoustics goes.
So a few other questions for people in the know:
How does an acoustic amp differ from an electric amp and why can't you combine an acoustic guitar with an electric amp? As in what happens?

Also, is the same true for hooking up an electric guitar to an acoustic amp?

And another thing: what I'll be doing is hooking up the guitar to my computer, not to an amp, for computer recording. I know you can do that with electrics and you can use all sorts of digital effects to modify the sound and make it sound crazy and sorts. But I'm trying to get a nice clean acoustic sound out of this one, that's what I'd want to record. Anyone ever try hooking up an acoustic-electric to their computer before? What were the results?

And thanks to everyone for the feedback, it helps.
/off to look at Takamine guitars.

 

[NecroJoe]

An electric guitar's amp has a preamp which is specifically designed to "color" the signal from an electric guitar. Have you ever tried to play a cdplayer/mp3 player through a guitar-input on an electric guitar amp? It sounds like ass.

An acoustic amp is very similar to a simple PA, in that it's a very clean signal. Really the only things it's doing to the signal is EQ.

Computer recordings can sound pretty lifeless unless you've got a really rockin' mic. However, you can use "acoustic" pedals that are made to make an electric a little bit more acoustic sounding...but when you use 'em with an acoustic, it helps a bit ad some "sparkle."

As for the Takamine...the logos don't look right...but...if it is, it is.

I'm a big fan of Carvin guitars and they make a couple nylon-string guitars. All of their electric/acoustic guitars play like electrics. If you're in the US, you get a 10-day trial period, even though the build the guitar for you.

https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guitars/index.php?model=cl450

https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guitars/index.php?model=ns1

 

[Hidden_Hunter]

My old mans got a maton that he's been very pleased with,


Can't remember the exact model but is very similar to this

 

[jeffy777]

Man, those Carvins are beautiful.

And another thing: what I'll be doing is hooking up the guitar to my computer, not to an amp, for computer recording. I know you can do that with electrics and you can use all sorts of digital effects to modify the sound and make it sound crazy and sorts. But I'm trying to get a nice clean acoustic sound out of this one, that's what I'd want to record. Anyone ever try hooking up an acoustic-electric to their computer before? What were the results?

When I took Audio Production in college, we always mic'ed the acoustics to get as pure of a sound as possible, then we did all the EQ on the mixer, and some post processing stuff as well on the computer.

A good home studio setup would be to get a nice studio quality condenser mic, run that through a mixer, and then go from the mixer into your computer.

 

[Hidden_Hunter]

My dad also bought an r taylor last month, aparantly they even send you the cut offs from when they made your guitar


On a side note,
[youtube]TQJ1k2HMoRU[/youtube]

The version on the "Tommy Emmanuel and the australian philaharmonic orchastra" is better again.

I've been to see Tommy live and he's fantastic

[youtube]6lbvSBNLLoo[/youtube]

[youtube]9FilipwW4qQ[/youtube]

 

[toma_alimosh]

An electric guitar's amp has a preamp which is specifically designed to "color" the signal from an electric guitar. Have you ever tried to play a cdplayer/mp3 player through a guitar-input on an electric guitar amp? It sounds like ass.

An acoustic amp is very similar to a simple PA, in that it's a very clean signal. Really the only things it's doing to the signal is EQ.

Computer recordings can sound pretty lifeless unless you've got a really rockin' mic. However, you can use "acoustic" pedals that are made to make an electric a little bit more acoustic sounding...but when you use 'em with an acoustic, it helps a bit ad some "sparkle."

I see. Hm, sounds like I can do a bit of experimenting on this one with hooking up an acoustic to my computer. Will have to look for some good processing plug-ins for guitars and see what they can do.

When I took Audio Production in college, we always mic'ed the acoustics to get as pure of a sound as possible, then we did all the EQ on the mixer, and some post processing stuff as well on the computer.

A good home studio setup would be to get a nice studio quality condenser mic, run that through a mixer, and then go from the mixer into your computer.

Yeah, a condenser mic is always a better choice for acoustic instruments, but the thing is, it may not be an option for me right now. Even if I do get the money to buy one ... which after buying a good guitar might be hard ... my problem comes from my studio setup.

My studio mainframe is basically a desktop computer. It's a beast in terms of processing power, but all that power needs powerful fans to cool it down. Unfortunately that means that the hum from this thing can be quite loud, and in a room as small as mine with a very good mic, it's sure to pick it up.

That's why, with all this background noise, mic-ing can be a problem. When I move out of my parent's house (which will be after I graduate) I may just have an idea to build a soundproof room in my house, but until then, it looks as if recording by mic is out of the question. And honestly, there's no point in doing a half-ass job.

So I might have to experiment in recording it the electric-acoustic way until recording by mic becomes an option.
As for a mixer, don't need one, I can do EQ digitally, very easy and with very good precision.

Thanks again, guys.

 

[NecroJoe]

One thing you can do, too, is just get a large sheet of cardboard, and wrap it in a blanket. Put that in between you and your "beast of many fans." You might be suprosed how well it works.

Heck, I was just helping a friend shoot a short film and we needed lights...so we used his car battery. To make sure the battery didn't go dead, the car was running the whole time with the hood open. We had some large sheets of foam core that we just stood up in front of the car, and you'd never know it was running 30 feet away when watching the film. It blocked SO much sound!

 

[melbournian]

My old mans got a maton that he's been very pleased with,


Can't remember the exact model but is very similar to this

Matons are freaking NICE. I somehow managed to scrape together the $1500 I paid for my EBG808CL from my crappy waitressing wage and it's the best $1500 I've ever spent.

 

[Hidden_Hunter]

The mastersounds are also extremely nice as well

 

[Punisher Bass]

After waiting for ages, I finally have a new bass.

http://pic.armedcats.net/p/pu/punisherbass/2008/12/25/SchecterBass1.jpg

It's a Schecter Stiletto Studio 4. It came with the case and it's absolutely stunning. It's a neck thru body with 24 frets (vs 20 on my Peavey), active 3 band EQ electronics, passive EMG-HZ pickups, and grover tuners. I haven't had a whole lot of time to play it yet, but it has low end punch coming out of its ass. It came setup almost perfectly from the factory, the action was just set way too low and had to be raised a bit. The only minor complaint is that the neck is a little fat compared to my Peavey, but I can get used to it.

 

[NecroJoe]

Very nice...I'm partial to the translucent black-on flamed maple look, myself.

Dig the case, too. My guitar could only come with a tweed case. Laaaaame! I tried a coffin case, but they simply suck ass. Maybe the super expensive ones are better, but their "normal" ones are so crap-tastic.

 

[Labcoatguy]

I can now play the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme on my guitar. Sometimes, it can take a really cheesy song to drag me into playing some more.

I'm getting some Seymore Duncan STK-P1 stacked pickups; I'm getting tired of the standard Epiphone P-90s. At the very least, it'll solve that single-coil hum when I'm not using both pickups, and hopefully it'll make the bridge pickup something more than muddy uselessness.

 

[Punisher Bass]

Very nice...I'm partial to the translucent black-on flamed maple look, myself.

Dig the case, too. My guitar could only come with a tweed case. Laaaaame! I tried a coffin case, but they simply suck ass. Maybe the super expensive ones are better, but their "normal" ones are so crap-tastic.

Big for Carvin. Why spend several grand for a Les Paul/PRS/Strat/ect when you can get the same thing custom made all in the USA for about half the price.

And while I already made a thread about it here, here's a picture of my other bass after some recent upgrades.

http://pic.armedcats.net/p/pu/punisherbass/2009/04/16/Rebuild_54.jpg

http://pic.armedcats.net/p/pu/punisherbass/2009/04/16/Rebuild_55.jpg

That's the end result of about 4 months of work. More details are in the link above and full coverage from start to finish is in a link in that thread. It was taken down to bare wood, new custom paint job, all the hardware was replaced, custom aluminum pickguard, brand new pickups and electronics.