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Silenced Fred

By Silenced Fred
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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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So I have a job on the paper, and make decent money doing it. I am going to save away half of my paycheck and I should have about a grand in two months. There are currently two guitars I'm looking at:

 

Am. Std. Tele

 

I'm thinking either the Crimson Red, or the Blizzard Pearl with a rosewood fretboard (not sure on color, but def getting the rosewood board)

 

The other one is a little more complicated:

 

Epi Riviera

 

I am really looking for a semi hollow P90 (sorry, no casino), but in no way would it be stock. I would definitely swap out the P90s and maybe put a real bigsby on it since I believe it is one of the licensed ones and swap out tuners. The Riviera, or something like it (recommendations are welcome and much appreciated) would be ideal, but I want a tele, and might just go with that. My budget will be around a grand as I'm also going to buy a small tube practice amp, and another fuzz box (probably a Plum Crazy Fuzzy Lady or Head Mutha Fuzz in Charge [thumbup])

 

Let me know your thoughts, I know a lot of people are gonna say the Tele because it is American made, etc. But if I could find something closer to the Riviera, that would be ideal. With all the upgrades, the only thing Epi about it will be the name really.

 

Thanks for your help, you guys (and girls on here) rock =D>

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Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural

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Fred61, make sure, if you go with the Riviera, that you carefully consider the Bigsby swap. If the Epi has a licensed Bigsby and you want an original Bigsby, the mounting hole placement (original compared to licensed) may not be exactly the same. I've read that is the reason why the Vibramate works with the original Bigsby but not with the licensed model. You might want to contact the Bigsby people to get the straight poop on a licensed-to-original swap.

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Riffster

Riffster

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I am not a Tele fan but you know what you are getting with those guitars.

 

About the Riviera, the licensed Bigsby is not bad at all, no need to change it out. Brands like Gibson and Taylor use them. Epiphone P90 pickups are actually good, probably the good Epiphone pickups. Make sure you like the neck on the Riviera before you (if) you buy it.

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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I am not a Tele fan but you know what you are getting with those guitars.

 

About the Riviera, the licensed Bigsby is not bad at all, no need to change it out. Brands like Gibson and Taylor use them. Epiphone P90 pickups are actually good, probably the good Epiphone pickups. Make sure you like the neck on the Riviera before you (if) you buy it.

 

Yeah... I like the Teles, but... anyways...

 

I would swap out the tuners, I have heard bad stuff about them especially with the Bigsby. I have also heard that the worst part about the pickups is the covers on them, I mean I will have it stock for a while (if I get it) but I will definitely swap out the nut and tuners.

 

Also, just throwing this out there for those who know, for a 3 pickup guitar, the way I understand it is, in the neck position, it has both the neck and middle on, middle position is all 3, and rhythm position is bridge and middle on, with middle being on the entire time correct?

 

Would it be possible and not cost an exorbanent amount of money to make it so I have a switch for each pickup to turn on and off?

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BigKahune

BigKahune

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There are other hollowbody/p90 choices, but they're not close to your price point. So that Epi would be the choice based on price.

 

I agree the licensed Bigsby is good. And Mr. Natural makes a good point about the differences between the Original and licensed Bigsby.

 

Have you played a 3 pup setup before? If not, go to a shop and play a couple - some people find the middle pup is a problem for their strumming and picking technique.

 

Switches, some 3 pup setups have 5 or 6 positions, but I guess the Rivera has a 3 way - don't know how it's wired.

 

You could buy a hollowbody with humbuckers and swap them with P94 pups.

 

Also, you can put a Bigsby on a Tele.

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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There are other hollowbody/p90 choices, but they're not close to your price point. So that Epi would be the choice based on price.

 

I agree the licensed Bigsby is good. And Mr. Natural makes a good point about the differences between the Original and licensed Bigsby.

 

Have you played a 3 pup setup before? If not, go to a shop and play a couple - some people find the middle pup is a problem for their strumming and picking technique.

 

Switches, some 3 pup setups have 5 or 6 positions, but I guess the Rivera has a 3 way - don't know how it's wired.

 

You could buy a hollowbody with humbuckers and swap them with P94 pups.

 

Also, you can put a Bigsby on a Tele.

 

Yeah, I have played 3 pups before, and I don't have a problem with them. I just want the selector to be different, select each pickup separately.

 

Don't call me a fanboy... but he just happens to have a guitar similar to what I have been looking for, Dan Auerbach's big semi hollow. I can't post a picture according to the board here...

 

It has the three pickup switches which I want, I mean I just kind of want the availability to turn off the middle pickup if I want

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BigKahune

BigKahune

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... I just want the selector to be different, select each pickup separately. ... a guitar similar to what I have been looking for, Dan Auerbach's big semi hollow. I can't post a picture according to the board here. It has the three pickup switches which I want, I mean I just kind of want the availability to turn off the middle pickup if I want

 

Okay. You might have to do some modding. You can get all that switching in one switch if you like - http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Switches_and_knobs/Free-Way_Pickup_Switch.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=953

 

I did a mod like that years ago on my 65 Melody Maker with two 3 way toggles that switch in any one or any combo -

65MMfront-1.jpg

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KL

KL

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I'd go for the telecaster every time myself.

 

I think my tele is the electric guitar I would least like to be without. It's not the most expensive guitar I have, but it's great to play and it's trusty and reliable.

 

I agree with the choice of rosewood fingerboard. I do have one with a maple neck too, but rosewood is my first choice. There are some great teles to be had Fred.

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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I'd go for the telecaster every time myself.

 

I think my tele is the electric guitar I would least like to be without. It's not the most expensive guitar I have, but it's great to play and it's trusty and reliable.

 

I agree with the choice of rosewood fingerboard. I do have one with a maple neck too, but rosewood is my first choice. There are some great teles to be had Fred.

 

I don't like maple fretboards. I love teles with em.

 

I don't know, something about the semi hollow with 3 P90s just pulls me in. It's just which I get first... Might be the tele...

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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What amp are you thinking of getting?

 

I'm thinking of going with the Champ 600, or maybe the AC4

 

 

Go with the Riv. I LOVE my Korean Casino. You might want to change out the pots, though. By the way, I thought you just bought a MIM Tele?

 

I like the Riviera, but idk. I was going to, but both sellers backed out and stopped contact. Don't get me started...

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Andre S

Andre S

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Go with the Riv. I LOVE my Korean Casino. You might want to change out the pots, though. By the way, I thought you just bought a MIM Tele?

 

Did you change them out yourself?

 

That must have been a b!tch.

 

I can wire and stuff, but the thought of trying to fit pots and caps etc, through those F-holes makes my shudder.

 

I know there are videos about changing them out....but watching those videos and doing it are two different things.....That said....I would probably still go for it.

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SG FAN

SG FAN

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Did you change them out yourself?

 

That must have been a b!tch.

 

I can wire and stuff, but the thought of trying to fit pots and caps etc, through those F-holes makes my shudder.

 

I know there are videos about changing them out....but watching those videos and doing it are two different things.....That said....I would probably still go for it.

No, I haven't yet. And, yes it will be a b!tch. The electronics are the weakest link on the Casinos and all the archtop Epis, everything else is pretty solid.

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