Buying The Right Guitar |
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Aug 10 2012, 12:18 AM
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This thread will talk about Buying The Right Guitar ( For You and Your Style of Play)
As I'm often heard bangin on saying "There's no Best anything." Just what's best for you. So let's see if we can work out some details to help you make your decision. First up! FRETBOARD WOOD CHOICES The choice of wood has a real impact on the tonal structure of an instrument IMHO (Though it's only one of many factors that give a guitar it's "Tone"), and should not be taken granted when considering a purchase. Don't choose a fretboard wood simply because "it looks cool", but also because it "Sounds Cool!"  Your main choices are EBONY, MAPLE, and ROSEWOOD  Ebony Fretboards Ebony is known for its clear, crisp attack which is often even brighter than maple. It has a similar density to maple, but has oilier pores and more brittle grains. Due to the very tight grains in the wood, ebony does not require a finish and this gives the fingerboard a very slick, fast playing quality which many players favor. Although many variations exist, ebony is generally the darkest fretboard wood you will find on most guitars, making it very popular on guitars designed for heavier music where everything must be black! Although rosewood can also be dyed to give a darker finish it is easy to spot the difference between the two woods due to the size of the grain which is much larger on the rosewood. Ebony fretboards are generally favoured by guitarists who prefer a very bright, razor sharp top end or a very tight, well-defined low end. Variations : Gaboon Ebony, Macassar Ebony Maple Fretboards Maple is similar to ebony in that it produces a well-defined, crisp and bright sound. It is a very dense, strong wood which is more often than not found on Fender guitars. However unlike ebony and rosewood, maple does require a finish. This means that any maple fingerboard which has received a glossy finish can feel a little too sticky for some players – however satin finishes are also available. A further problem with maple is that due its light color it does tend to take on a dirty appearance after years of finger oils and grime working their way into the wood. Maple fretboards are generally favored by players who wish for a well-defined top end, or for use in giving a warm sounding guitar a much brighter tone. Variations : Flamed Maple, Quilted Maple, Birdseye Maple, Hard Maple Rosewood Fretboards Rosewood is the most common fretboard wood that you are likely to find on a guitar. It is a naturally oily wood which results in a richer fundamental tone than maple due to the unwanted overtones being absorbed into the oily pores. The oily nature of rosewood also means that it does not require a finish which many players prefer due to the naturally slick feel. While ebony and maple are famed for their brighter, crisper tones, rosewood is known for its rich, warm tones with less high end attack. Rosewood fretboards are generally favored by players who are looking for a warm sound, or by those who wish to tame the harsh highs on a bright sounding guitar. Variations : Indian Rosewood, Brazilian Rosewood *Try to play guitars with each type of wood before you make your final decision Taken from http://leftyfretz.com/guitar-fretboard-wood-choices/ |
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Aug 24 2012, 12:53 PM
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Both are nice, but I prefer maple on strats.
-------------------- Guitars:
Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster, Ibanez RG2570MZ, Epiphone SG G-400 Amp: Vox AC4TVH head + V112TV cab Effects: Vox Satchurator, Vox Time Machine, Dunlop CryBaby, Boss MT-2, Boss CE-5, Boss TU-2, Boss ME-70 Recording: Line-6 POD X3 + FBV-Express, Pandora PX5D GMC wants YOU to take part in our Guitar-Wikipedia! Have a good time reading great articles and writing your own with us in our GUITAR WIKI! Share your playing and get Pro-advice from our Instructors: Join REC |
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Aug 25 2012, 11:58 AM
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What are your thoughts on string and pick gauge?
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Sep 1 2012, 10:08 AM
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Greatest post on GMC Todd, i'm tracking it!!!
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Sep 1 2012, 12:04 PM
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QUOTE (tjneal55 @ Aug 25 2012, 06:58 AM)  What are your thoughts on string and pick gauge? Do you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream?  It's an age old question that no one can answer because everyone has a different feel towards. Like how Todd uses super slinkys, I actually use hybrid slinkys due to the extra tension in my lows. But then I also use 10s anymore for standard playing, haven't noticed to much of a change. But could be the guitar scale causing the difference in feelings. I can say I really enjoy the ernie ball cobalt strings for a brand. I've used D'Addarios all my life till these came out, which I'd love to see them make a 13g set so I can tune to C standard. Picks, this is like a needle in a haystack for me. I've used gator grips, to tortext, jazz III, sharp XL, switchblade (Buffed/Non-Buffed), stilettos, triangles. Anywhere from I could snap them in half by bending them, all the way to as thick as coins. I'm in the middle road with these. I use somewhere around a 1.5mm pick and use a combination of Dunlop Sharp XLs and V-Pick Switchblades (Buffed). D -------------------- Guitars:
Ibanez S770PB (Natural Flat) , Ibanez XPT700 (Chameleon) , Sterling J Richardson Signature , Squire IV Jazz Bass (Sunburst) Gear: Neural DSP Plugins My YouTube Page. |
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Sep 2 2012, 05:28 AM
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QUOTE (SpaseMoonkey @ Sep 1 2012, 07:04 AM) Do you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream? It's an age old question that no one can answer because everyone has a different feel towards. Like how Todd uses super slinkys, I actually use hybrid slinkys due to the extra tension in my lows. But then I also use 10s anymore for standard playing, haven't noticed to much of a change. But could be the guitar scale causing the difference in feelings. I can say I really enjoy the ernie ball cobalt strings for a brand. I've used D'Addarios all my life till these came out, which I'd love to see them make a 13g set so I can tune to C standard. Picks, this is like a needle in a haystack for me. I've used gator grips, to tortext, jazz III, sharp XL, switchblade (Buffed/Non-Buffed), stilettos, triangles. Anywhere from I could snap them in half by bending them, all the way to as thick as coins. I'm in the middle road with these. I use somewhere around a 1.5mm pick and use a combination of Dunlop Sharp XLs and V-Pick Switchblades (Buffed). D Well said!!!! It's that sort of question but it's an honest one. Everyone is different, and everyone has reasons for what they like. I wish I could just make that part of my signature file They Hybrid slinky packs are a great idea. Especially for playing dropo tunings on a standard guitar. For my 7 string, I still use standard 9 super slinky sets but packaged for 7 string. We are also on the same page with picks. I've found 1.5 to be the "sweet spot" for me. And I was really glad to see Dunlop Sharps hitting the market I've been banging on for years about picks needing a bit of a point and am thrilled to see the major vendors finally embracing the idea.Good pick on the switchblade buffed! Vinni made those available on his web site after I had some made and really loved them. Before that it was unbuffed only. He is a GREAT guy and really works with customers. I can't thank him enough! Speaking of, I have found that I like the SWITCHBLADE BLACK in "Unbuffed" and "Extra Sharp". The extra sharp bit is not on the menu, but he will do it if asked. This is one of mine that I took after he sent me the first set of "Extra Sharp". The black material feels better unbuffed. I"m not sure quite why though? If you try them let me know if you can articulate what you think any better than that. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=353...5194&type=1  |
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