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new member...new epi owner


wilko1281734117

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Hi everyone,

Im new to these forums so thought I would just introduce myself. I am 28 and started playing when I was about 15. I stopped for quite a long while, mainly due to time restraints etc but have recently picked up my old guitar (telecaster) My father got me into music and specificly guitars. He used to play in bands a lot when he was a young lad. He still plays now but like me just for fun. He plays bass and has an viola bass which is lovely, if you like only having 4 strings! He also owns a epi dot in cherry. Hopefully we can get the gear all together sometime and I will take a few pics to put up on my avitar. We dont live near each other though so it could be a while, I might just post up a pic of my new 1.

 

Like I said having just starting playing again I felt it time to get myself a new guitar. I have always liked epiphones and gibsons and have always been a fan of the es-335. I searched about a lot before making my desision. In the end I went for the epiphone sheraton in sunburst. What a beautiful guitar. I am in love with it. I got a epiphone case to go with it at the same time. I picked up the guitar for £429 + £49 for the case. I didn't think this was a bad price at all.

The guitar is finished off really nice, no nasty blemishes or marks to see other than a tiny mark on the fretboard at about 15. Not to bad. Other than that the thing is perfect.

 

The only thing I would say, (and I realise its down to individual taste) is that the setup or spacifically the action seems to be quite high. I will be getting the guitar set up professionally though so this should sort this out. Are they usually set up with a high action? Its not really high, but it could be a lot lower.

 

Also what strings are put on the guitar from new? I will be changing these out to nickel wound d'addario's either 9-42 or 10-46 but just wondered what they put on them when there made.

 

1 other thing which I wasn't too sure about. When the guitar arrived it had a rattle coming from inside the body. I managed to shake it out but wasnt too sure what it was. A peice of wood, its not maple and I would say its rosewood or at least its that sort of colour. It is about 10mm x 10mm square and about 60m long? Any ideas. I just put it down to being an offcut that somehow dropped into my guitar as it was being made, but I would of thought that it would have been taken out by whoever set it and strung it. I hope its not an important part of the structure.

 

Sorry to be asking so many questions but this seems the best place to ask all these things!!

The last thing I would like to ask you all about is amplification. Now I would say that I know guitars prety well. You just know what guitars are going to be worth having a go with and what ones aren't. Amps though I am a bit lost on. I current ly am using a old utopian 2x100w combo. Nothing special and to be honest I want a new amp to complement my sheri. It just seems to me that there is such a difference in opinions. 1 amp that some people think is good others say is terrable.

Do any of you have any useful opinions on an amp I could get? I only want something small for at home. I was thinking of either the marshall MG30 DFX, epi firefly 30 DSP or a vox AD30 VT or the new VT15.

 

Thats it really like I say im more than happy with my choice just need to get it set up to my taste. Its good to be here and part of a forum where people understand what the hell im talking about....unlike the missus!!

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Welcome to the forum.....lot's of knowledgeable folks here (doesn't include me 8-[ ), glad to hear you love your new Epi ..... NOW - standard protocol here is....new guitar, pics must be posted (of course, excuse this petty demand if you've already posted pics in another thread, in which case I apologize..8-[ ....)

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Welcome to the forum...

 

Epiphone make a very , very nice guitar. You'll be happy for a long time.

 

As for the amplifier... I would recommend that you consider a couple of things up front:

1) Where are you likely to play the most, your flat, a small club, arena, football stadium... in any of the cases the amplifier size is very important

 

5 to 18 watts produces some serious sound. I recently heard a boutique amp (Quidley) in a friends store that was a deafening 5 watts and at 22 watts it shook the ceiling. This was WAY more than enough for a small large club and whne miked plenty for any venue.

 

2) portability... do you have a car, as scooter, a bus pass? imagine moving a Marshall stack on public transportation.

 

3) Tone and musical genre - what type of music will you play most often? Then there is personal preference. You mentioned several various amps. Do you want a head and cabinet or a combo type amp.

 

4) How much do you want to spend? The Quidley I mentioned is about $2700 US. What's in your budget?

 

4) Since you're relatively new I would recommend that you answer these questions and others that will occur to you as you think this through, and I'm sure that others will come up with several other ideas as well.

 

Go to your local music store and try a few various models. Talk to friends and get their views.. then look at what the pro's are playing and discover why they use that model...

 

Enjoy the music... that's why we do this.. for the fun of it.

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Maybe I missed it, but I have an answer (I think) to your question about the little piece of wood.

 

I'm assuming the "6m" is supposed to be "6mm." Now, I'm American, but I know that six meters is a bit long for anything guitar related.

 

Based on my knowledge of hollow-body guitars and other hollow instruments, I'd say that it's the soundpost... it's a little dowel that is wedged just under the bridge, putting between the top and back of the instrument. On a Sheraton, though, I'm not sure, since it should have a center block...

 

If I take a flashlight and shine it in the F-holes, I can see the post on both my Casino and my violin.

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hi,

thanks for all your replys and welcomes. I have updated my avitar with a pic of the sheri. Its not the best pic but I am no photographer!!

 

RevCharlieD: thanks for your answers regarding what amp I should go for. I would mainly just be playing in my house but the odd pub gig/jam session might be on the cards also. Can you really get a good sound from such small amps? The main reason I was looking at 30w + amps is that I thought a smaller amp wouldn't have a decent enough sound. I dont need the size from a loudness point of view. Unfortunately my budget wouldn't strech to $2700, I wish it would. I am looking at spending around $300-400. I realise im not going to get a top od the line amp for that sort of money. A combo would probably be my best option for this money.

 

Stan 58: I have heard good things about the line 6 amps so I might look into this a bit further. Thank you. I am very tempted by the vox valvetronix 15. Does anyone have this and what do you think of it?

 

RSDx: Totally understand your "petty demand" Who wouldn't want to show off there new baby. My avitar has been updated and I have put some more pics below in this post, although like I say there not the best!!

 

pohatu771: I have put a picture of the piece of wood that i shook out of the guitar. I have put it next to the guitar so you get an idea of size. Yeah I didn't see my typing error until you pointed it out. It should be 10mm x 10mm x 60mm long.

 

Unfortunately while checking my guitar over a bit more carefully today the mark on the fret board is bugging me a bit more than I thought. Its a scratch about 10mm long. Its not deep but it is annoying. I am considering sending it back and getting a replacement. I had played the sheri before I brought it but not the model I recieved. I had to wait for it to come into stock then they sent me it out. If I had scratched it myself I would be gutted so I think it will go back for replacement. It looks like it was done when the frets were being dressed. Unfortunately the camera wont pick it up so I cant show it to you all.

 

 

heres the pics I took today

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RevCharlieD: thanks for your answers regarding what amp I should go for. I would mainly just be playing in my house but the odd pub gig/jam session might be on the cards also. Can you really get a good sound from such small amps? The main reason I was looking at 30w + amps is that I thought a smaller amp wouldn't have a decent enough sound. I dont need the size from a loudness point of view. Unfortunately my budget wouldn't strech to $2700, I wish it would. I am looking at spending around $300-400. I realise im not going to get a top od the line amp for that sort of money. A combo would probably be my best option for this money.

 

Yes you can obtain excellent tone from a small amp - and for in your price range. Like I said, you need to try several types and see what fits your particular tastes and expectations. Keep looking until you figure out what you like, then go find it...

 

The quest for tone is never ending. But when you find it... you'll be in heaven!... Personally, I'm still looking, but I'm getting really really close. Right now I'm playing a late model Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, with an Red, White, and Blues (Eminence), Yellow Jackets (EL84 replacements for the 6L6). So with a little luck and some serious searching, you'll arrive at a good starting point.

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hi AS90,

Im down in east anglia. Ipswich to be precise. just happy to finally be picking up a guitar again. Like I said I haven't played for a long while, (well 7-8 years).

This is also my first brand new guitar. All others I have had (2) have been 2nd hand which isnt always a bad thing.

thanks Jeffery Smith. Thought it was me being stupid. I will have a go at uploading the pics now!

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I own a line 6 amp and love it' date=' but a lot of members rave about their Voxs. Stan.[/quote']

 

I actually tried a Vox DA5, them tiny modeller amps, but the high pitched squeal that came out of it hurt my ears and I didn't even had it on loud. I guess it all comes down to a matter of taste. The best thing you can do if you're looking for an amp is go to a nicely stocked music store near you (if you're lucky to have one around) and try out different ones. You might want to have a look at Peavey amps, like the new Spydyr. They come in different sizes, from 15W and up. They're not expensive and they get great reviews. I wanted to try one but then I came across the Line-6 Toneport which I now use.

 

BTW, am I the only one having the guitar hooked up to a 'puter?

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jays172.jpg

 

jays174.jpg

 

jays178.jpg

 

jays183.jpg

 

this is just to show that little bit of wood i found in the guitar when it arrived

jays185.jpg

 

 

at last...

thankyou stan58. Not the best pics but you get the idea. If anyone could shed some light on the piece of wood then that would be helpful. Unfortunately the damage to the 14th fret (board) cant be seen through my camera. Its a scratch about 10mm long. I am thinking of taking the guitar back and swapping it. I have only now noticed it!! Other than that, which I hope to get sorted as with getting it set up I am very happy. It even sounds sweet through my old ESS 100watt amp which is a really bad amp!!

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Hi,

just thought I would post up to let everyone know where im at with my sheri. It arrived last week and imediately fell in love with it.

As said before it had a rattle so I shook out the culprit a piece of wood as seen in the pics. This was a bit strange because I thought if the wood was an offcut from the factory then I would of thought when whoever set the guitar up and strung it, would of noticed it and removed it!!

I convinced yself that it was nothing more than an offcut. You know how it is when you get something new you want it to be perfect. I was trying to convince myself that it was all alright.

The next day I gave the guitar a good going over, checking all the finishes etc. Thats when I found the scratch on the fret board. As also said before its not deep and not particularly long (10mm) but I did notice it. My camera wont pick it up otherwise I would send pics!

I thought long and hard over the weekwend as to whether I should return the guitar. Was the scratch that bad? Was the block of wood just an offcut?

I made the decision to phone up where I got it from and explain what the situation was. They were very understanding of the situation as I expected.

So the sheraton is going back!! I am gutted because other than the things ubove it was a beauty.

Thats not the best bit. If that wasn't bad enough. The store have no sheratons in sunburst at all. They dont know when the next lot will be in.

I was lucky that I got 1 when I did. I litterally phoned up last week to order and they came into stock the next day! They had 10 come in, in sunburst and they have all sold in a matter of a couple of days!

So now I have to wait until the next delivery. It could be months. They did say that they were due to have another order come in before the end of this month but whether they will or not is another matter.

Obviously theres nothing the store can do about this but I am gutted to say the least.

So if anybody from epiphone is reading this, get some sunburst sheratons over to G.A.K. in the UK so I can have my sheraton before christmas!!

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Thanks gord for your reply.

yeah it was a shame to have to send that one back. It was a really hard decision to make. Even more so when I found out that I could be waiting until January for the replacement!

 

In the end though the scratch, no matter how small would have annoyed me for the rest of my life with the guitar. Hopefully tomorrow I will get the call saying that they have come in but I say that every day:-({|=

Ah well it will be worth it when it arrives.

 

On another note I think I have decided to go for the vox vt30. I have been weighing up what new amp to treat myself to, with christmas moneys. I have tried a few out and love the vox.

 

When I finally get the new sheri I will post up some new pics of it. Im just hoping the finish is as nice as the one I sent back.

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Too bad you had to send it back, but the new one will make up for it. I have a Sherry with the same finish. I wanted a natural, but they had the sunburst in the store and I fell in love with it. It will be worth the wait.

 

I have a Vox AD30VT and I really like it. I ahve several tube amps, and this doesn't get that tube sound, but it does a relly nice job. I wanted and amp that was big enough to use at work, I teach music in an elementary school, and didn't weigh a ton. I also wanted something with some effects. I basically use the reverb. Thsi amp is working out really well for me, I'm sure you will like it.

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