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Okay, I think I don't like Les Pauls!


theflyingturtle

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So I found a better amp, turned it up, dialed the volume back to 7 ala Bonamassa and WOOOOOOOOW!!!! There you are baby!!! The skies opened up, the clouds parted, and the tone came dripping through. So operator error for all to see.

 

VERY COOL!! Good luck with your shopping for guitars and amps. I smiled very widely when I read the above.

 

And, yes, it can sometimes be a real pain to try out any guitars or amps at Guitar Center. I got there a little before closing the other night, not knowing that they closed at 8 PM. I wanted to try out a Marshall DSL40 combo and a Marshall DSL100 half stack. The sales guy asked if he could help us with something and I said that I'd like to play the Marshall amps and asked to play one of their Les Pauls. He informed me, quite rudely, that they closed 5 minutes ago. I had no idea and apologized, of course. But, they lost any possibility of a sale after that. I'll go elsewhere and buy elsewhere. I'll try stuff out there, then buy somewhere else.

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Thanks guys but I think this is better than a happy ending. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship! I am nearly fifty years old and this is the first time I have really dedicated myself to electric guitars, amps, and tone. I have always been an acoustic musician so it is thrilling to explore this side of guitar playing. I was never interested in it before to any great degree but this goes on top of a lot of progress I've made this year and especially this summer. For the first time in my life I've bought a Strat and a Tele, I finished my pedal board once and for all (14 pedals/power supply, and pedalboard), I've learned a great deal about vintage, pre-war Gibsons from researching and shopping this summer, I added some new jamming buddies that come over to the house, my repertoire of songs has doubled in the last 12 months from two crammed notebooks into four crammed notebooks, got my amp retubed, finally got to see one of my all time guitar heroes, Buddy Guy in concert, and now I have clear direction on how to bond with LPs, something I have never understood my entire life. Barring a car crash I should be smiling all day. Thanks again, this was awesome!

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You must be very committed to sound like the source material. I know lots of players are.

Personally, I'd just rather sound like me all the time.

 

I wish you luck with the LP dilemma. I cant wrap my head around that approach though. Sorry!

 

I think that is a different topic you're bringing up. Yes I have gone through my "I want to sound like SRV" phase already and am passed that as a musician. What I meant was, I couldn't find that "big, thick" LP tone and used those artists solely as a common reference to the characteristic I couldn't find. I agree that trying to sound exactly like another can be self defeating but when you don't have the experiences that other electric guitarists have then the human brain seeks out patterns. For the inexperienced, seeking out the sounds and music that touches you deeply by studying the way that artist plays can seem intuitive even if it's wrong. I agree that we all sound different and should sound different but the pathway to that understanding is found through support and a willingness to reach out, listen well, and, action to create a better understanding. So, I understand that you "cant wrap my head around that approach though" but if you could also tell me why or how you've reached that understanding, I could learn or understand better. No worries of course. I read things in my brain too. All the time.

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A rebirth! Even better. You are HEALED-UH!! Very cool stuff.

 

When I read your comment my mind created a picture of Les Paul and Mary Ford as faith healer that smack you on forehead and you fall over and wiggle on the ground filled with the "spirit"! I have seen the light and it will set me free with shoulder pain from a 10 lb. guitar! Hah!

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I used to say how much I hated Strats, and LP's, but I also used to be really picky about neck profiles too...

 

I have two Strats now, and am building a third...

 

I have many neck profiles now too, and can switch without too much heartache.

 

 

Who knows I may stumble upon an LP I can't live without.

 

 

I used to hate brussel sprouts, broccoli and asparagus too....

 

 

I still can't stand it when peeples make up cute little slang words, or acronyms that no one else knows.

 

I also hate fist bumping.....

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I refer to my Epiphone as an Epi quite often...but it is an abbreviation of sorts rather than a pet name.

I'd like to think I haven't refered to Gibsons as Gibbies, but I may have on here...hmm, I dunno [unsure] . If so, well, slap my a** with a pink serviette and call me Police Minister

 

"Epi" I get, that's just a logical abbreviation. "Gibbie" is just as long as "Gibson", so the user isn't using it as an abbreviation or for practical reasons. And I see "gibbie" used all the time, (usually it's "Gibby" though) instead of Gibson. I just think it's interesting because like I said, no one would say "Gretschy" or "Fendy".

 

The way words are used fascinates me. I took a lot of speech and debate classe in HS and college and my teachers always sort of taught us to edit and be very selective about what words we use because your choice of words says a lot about you and your message and it's a habit I've never dropped. .

 

For instance have you noticed how 95% of all guests on news programs start off with "so" when they're asked to explain something for viewers or if they're explaining their view or platform? That always amazes me because I would have been penalized for starting of a statement with "so" in a HS debate class 20 years ago but now professional speakers use it on national television constantly. Starting off a statement with "so" indicates they don't really believe what they're saying or it's Just something they've memorized, it's not from the heart.

 

And "veggies" has always fascinated me because it's a very baby talk sounding word. Like I said no one would say "meaties", or "drinkies" or "granies" or "dairies" but for some reason "veggies" is used constantly. At Subway if they ask you "what veggies do you want on that?" You wouldn't bat an eye but if they asked you what "bready" you wanted or what "meaties" you wanted you'd definitely find it odd.

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"Epi" I get, that's just a logical abbreviation. "Gibbie" is just as long as "Gibson", so the user isn't using it as an abbreviation or for practical reasons. And I see "gibbie" used all the time, (usually it's "Gibby" though) instead of Gibson. I just think it's interesting because like I said, no one would say "Gretschy" or "Fendy".

 

And "veggies" has always fascinated me because it's a very baby talk sounding word. Like I said no one would say "meaties", or "drinkies" or "granies" or "dairies" but for some reason "veggies" is used constantly. At Subway if they ask you "what veggies do you want on that?" You wouldn't bat an eye but if they asked you what "bready" you wanted or what "meaties" you wanted you'd definitely find it odd.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you on the veggies thing. I don't use that term and don't care for it but if folks wanna do it, doesn't matter to me. I don't typically use Epi for Epiphone or Gibby/Gibbie for Gibson. Definitely wouldn't say Gretchy or Fendery or Fendy, nor Marshy for a Marshall amp. I also tend to not use politically correct terms or phrases and I don't really care about the difference between vegetarian and vegan. I grew up in a household and school system where you ate what was put on your plate. I get that it's a choice thing and I'm ok with it. I'm not much into the cutesy or baby talk either. I think I posted earlier that I didn't understand using pup for pickups, but it seems it's common.

 

Lots of "internet" abbreviations aren't ones that I'd use in regular typing or speaking. I don't think I've ever said "LOL" to a friend. Would that be said as "LOL" or "El Oh El?"

 

Glad the OP got stuff worked out though. Picturing Les and Mary as faith healers really made me laugh.

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Robert Plants friends call him Percy...

 

 

I was in Tampa sometime in the mid 90's and Plant was there promoting something, I think one of his solo things. Anyway, he was on a local radio station for a live interview. The DJ was trying to be familiar with him and called him "Bob". Plant immediately interrupted him saying "don't call me Bob". From that point on it just went down hill. Plant was very curt and it ended quickly.

 

BTW, I wonder what Page calls him?

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I was in Tampa sometime in the mid 90's and Plant was there promoting something, I think one of his solo things. Anyway, he was on a local radio station for a live interview. The DJ was trying to be familiar with him and called him "Bob". Plant immediately interrupted him saying "don't call me Bob". From that point on it just went down hill. Plant was very curt and it ended quickly.

 

BTW, I wonder what Page calls him?

I can think of several things he may have called him over the years.. But im not allowed to type them on here ;)

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I'm old. P-90's are highly over rated, and if not for Mississippi Queen nobody would use them. Any pickup would sound like that through 3 100 watt Sunn heads and 12 3 stacks of 8x12s.

 

rct

 

Edited for maff accuracy.

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I expect you're right...just having some fun...

 

OTOH P90s weren't designed for distorting and the clean sound of a single-coil is harmonically rich and sparkling (sparklie?)...

I came to them in 2013 and was pleased with how different from (e.g.) Fender SCs the sound is. An overdue revelation for me, then.

 

Have to say I think the famous Strat 'quack' is over-rated IMO, has been done to death too.

 

P90s in the 50s; Kenny Burrell, Wes, Grant Green, B Kessel, Scotty Moore, Les himself and I'm sure I could find a pic of Chet with a P90 guitar.

To name a few....

 

B)

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Meaty, Beaty,Big and Bouncy.

 

For the OP, try a cheap old Studio through a tube Marshall.

I'm not much of a Les Paul player as they feel too tiny compared to what I'm used to.

Then again, I'll always have a Les Paul so there you have it.

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Meaty, Beaty,Big and Bouncy.

 

For the OP, try a cheap old Studio through a tube Marshall.

I'm not much of a Les Paul player as they feel too tiny compared to what I'm used to.

Then again, I'll always have a Les Paul so there you have it.

 

You know, that's a really good idea. In my head I kind of plan to go shopping with my new mindset. I can start at the Studios and work my way up now that I can produce good tone from these things.

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