What kind did you get?

60's No name Classical with a Fishman p/u system.
90's Danelectro Hodad with dual humbuckers
60's Teisco Del Rey EP-7 with added piezo p/u
00's Fluke Ukulele Tenor with K&K pickup
00's Washburn Lyon Dreadnought converted to 5-String (originally found in the garbage, now one of my favorite instruments)
80's Washburn Piece of Crap 5-string Bass

I usually play my piezo instruments and generally plug into the PA. On the rare occasion I play with a magnetic pickup, I plug first into my Visual Sound Route 66 pedal and then into what ever small, tube amp I can borrow (lately I've used my drummer's 50's Silvertone 5w tube amp and love it.)

3

(22 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

I would love to have a playable guitar from 1954. Sounds amazing.

4

(13 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Guitarpix wrote:
Sworch wrote:

As a rule of thumb, tonewise, use the heaviest strings you can comfortably play. Obviously you don't want to go overboard but this philosophy is one I hold too and it works for me.

True but always be sure to check with the manufacturer to check if the guitar can handle the tension. Some makers don't recommend anything heavier than 12's and going over that will cause bellying and other structural issues. Most guitars don't recommend exceeding medium strings. For instance my '79 Yairi limited edition has an aged cedar top and yairi specifies only light or extra light strings while my '78 Yairi DY-78 Spruce/EIR specifies medium or lighter strings. It depends on the thickness of the top, top wood and rigidity of the bracing. Exceeding those will not only cause damage but ,since that's what the top has been tuned for, would also cause the top to become overdrivin, causing a loss of tonal clarity even if volume is increased. Just some thoughts...-Pix

You are absolutely correct. I should be more careful with statements like that, especially when talking about acoustic guitars.

5

(13 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

As a rule of thumb, tonewise, use the heaviest strings you can comfortably play. Obviously you don't want to go overboard but this philosophy is one I hold too and it works for me.

6

(3 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Berringer stuff is really high quality (soundwise) and really low quality (constructionwise). If this is a PA you're going to be lugging around to shows in the trunk of your car, I wouldn't expect it to last too long before needing some kind of repair. If you're planning on using it in your practice space and you leave it there and you treat it with respect, you should be very happy with it.

7

(22 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Are you near any music stores? I would recommend just going in and seeing what is available in your price range. An other tip is to bring a friend who is a better player than you are and get their opinion. I say this because there may be issues with a particular guitar that you may not notice but may be evident to one with more experience (messed up intonation for one). As always, try before you buy. Look carefully at used models as these are usually the best deals and, if you can help it, try to get an acoustic with a solid (rather than plywood) top.

8

(3 replies, posted in Acoustic)

It is the bass instrument for mariachi. It is fretless and played by plucking chords.

9

(33 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

I hadn't noticed Montana's rock reference until you mentioned it. I stand corrected. If you are looking for a distorted tone, it is hard to argue against a nice tube amp. For $400 your selection may be somewhat limited but I'm sure you'll find something. To be honest, if I were you I'de wait and save an other couple hundred bucks before I started looking at tube amps.

Above all else, trust your ears.

10

(33 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Those are massive generalizations. A tube amp derives it's sound from vacuum tubes where as a solid state amp uses transistors. The net result is that tube amps tend to have a more "natural" sounding compression where solid state amps tend to be somewhat more abrasive sounding when distorted. When played clean (no distortion) solid state amps can be more "accurate" in their reproduction of your guitar's sound. One example of this would be the Roland JC-120, a horrible distorted tone but one of the cleanest (if somewhat cold)( clean tones available.

I generally play acoustic instruments and while a tube amp can "warm up" my sound in a nice way, I generally gravitate toward solid-state amps for their range and versatility with my application.

My advice to you would be to take a friend whose opinion you trust to a local music store and try a few different things out. These things are very subjective. Over the years I have wasted a lot of money buying things I assumed where the best just because they were one thing or an other. Just listen carefully to your own ears. They won't lie to you.

Good luck.

11

(11 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

I would like to request samples please from everyone. I am always interested in new music.

12

(14 replies, posted in Other string instruments)

a_unicorn wrote:

Baritone uke? yes, tuned same as guitar's 1st 4 strings. DGBE but the G is 1 octave higher. when you get the tune correct. put the words to the notes: "(D)My (G)dog (B)has (E)flees". You will never forget it. Ok.---- have fun!

That is not quite correct, on a baritone uke the strings are tuned just like the highest (in terms of pitch) strings on a guitar (low to high) DGBE.
Most other ukes the strings are tuned (low to high) gCEA with the G string being tuned an octave higher than the the others. This is the "My Dog Has Fleas" tuning in C.
Occasionally, people (myself included) will tune a tenor uke with a lowered G string so that it matched the highest four strings on a guitar with a capo at the 5th fret. This is referred to as C tuning with a reentrant G string.
Some old timers will go for a D tuning which is aDF#B with a raised octave for the A string. This is more common on soprano ukes.

13

(11 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

I'm the lead vocalist/songwriter in my band. If you are interested in the details see the link below.
I'd be interested in hearing/seeing some of your stuff too josh?

14

(33 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

You seem a little preoccupied with noisiness. What type of guitar/amp do you currently play? Not that cleanness isn't important but I would caution you against it being your main criteria in selecting your amp. The tone should always be your top priority. If you purchase a quality piece of equipment (and for around $400 that is certainly possible) noisiness will not be an amp problem. Most of the time, static and buzzing can be traced back to a loose connection somewhere (often in the guitar), a bad cord/cords or poor grounding. Also, if you play a guitar with single coils, get used to the idea of some buzzing (especially under fluorescent lights). There is a reason why humbucker pick ups are so named.

15

(11 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

I second the uke suggestion. If you play baritone you won't even have to learn new chords.

16

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

No offense intended but why would you pay anything for a guitar without first trying it out? (unless it's some kind of rare collector's item) Anyway, I'd have a professional set your tele up and spend a few bucks on a descent amp. Half the sound from electric guitars is in the amp.

Basically, turn your radio to any commercial station and bingo! Instant crap!