Bunky Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hi Mods, please don't delete my first post. Hi everyone else. I'm looking to invest in another guitar. I currently have a Tele and a Kramer DMZ with Gibson T-Tops. I'm looking to add another guitar. I was thinking an Epi BYrland i have on layaway or a 6122-1962....or get a sheraton ii together with a JV strat. I'll probably be playing folk, 50-70s rock, countryish stuff, experimental. Not really a jazz player. Any thoughts? I've played all but can't decide. Also how would you describe the Byrdland tone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHERNAGH'91 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Can't speak to the other guitars, but I have a 1991 Sheraton II with Classic 57 pickups and it sounds great for almost all music styles. I use it in one band for Bends-era Radiohead and other heavy 90s rock guitar type stuff and it screams. In another band I play mostly 60s stompers like The Who, Small Faces, etc and it nails that sound as well. With no distortion the neck pickup gives a nice smooth jazz tone. The Sheraton IIs are great guitars, but they do benefit from the mods. Mine cost $517 (with tax) in 1991 and I paid that much, and more, this year upgrading it (pickups, pots, switch, wiring, tuners). I've even played metal on it, but the hollow wings will mean feedback when you're dealing with that much distortion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 +1 on the Sheraton. Very versatile. Though lots of us change the pickups and wiring. By JV strat do you mean Jimmie Vaughan or Japanese JV serial Squier? They're quite different- the Jimmie Vaughan has more 'modern' specs, tex-mex pickups, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets, and a soft-v profile neck. The JV strats are 7.25" C-shape with vintage thin frets and different pups depending on the model, some have USA 57/62RI type. I have two main electrics at the moment, a Sheraton and a Squier SQ strat (similar to the JV.) So I'm biased towards that choice. I don't like the tex-mex pickups on the Vaughan, or the neck profile, but each to his own. I want a tele as well, and that will do me for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Well the Byrdland started out as a luxury country guitar - it was designed by Billy Byrd and Hank Garland - famous Nashville session guys, but it has been used extensively by jazz and rock players from Ted Nugent to John McLaughlin. The 6122 - is that a Casino? A '62 would be a very nice addition to any collection. Sheraton II is the least valuable and most common of the trio. If it were me, I'd get the Byrdland - a cooler and much rarer Epi than the others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunky Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 6122 is a Gretsch. By JV i mean Japanese Vintage, I think it's from the second run. Is the Byrdland good for Beatles, solo folk performances, and stuff like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Well, the most authentic and identifiable guitar for Beatles stuff is the Casino, although they played many other kinds of guitars during their heyday and George did play the Gretch 6122 for a long spell in the 60s. I think I read somewhere that Paul still owns and gigs his original Casino. My own theory is that most of any player's tonal variation comes from their fingers and amplification, and assuming the guitar has two or more pickups can be thereby adjusted to sound pretty close to any other. I'm sure I'll get pilloried for that opinion, but that's been my experience in fiddling with guitars for nearly 40 years. I've never owned a Byrdland (not for wanting though) but like a Casino, it's a full hollowbody, no center block, so I assume would be subject to the typical hollowbody feedback at loud volumes. It does have the shorter 23-1/2" shorter scale neck which was designed to make more complex jazz chording easier, and might be more comfortable for some folks. Out of curioustiy, where did you find an Epi Byrdland? They have been discontinued for several years and are hard to find... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunky Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 Out of curioustiy, where did you find an Epi Byrdland? They have been discontinued for several years and are hard to find... I found it here in Nova Scotia at a long & mcquade used. Apparently use to belong to Anne Murray's guitar player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuiblue Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 From an investment point of view, go with the Epi Byrd. Terada built, huge competition against Gibson's Byrd, and yes a very versitile git. If you already have it on lay-away, stay the course. Those will fetch bigger bucks in the future. As far as Beatles tone, no, they used P-90/Casinos a lot. Byrdlands have Humbuckers, but the build, materials, construction, and factory of manufacture set those apart from others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Hi Mods, please don't delete my first post. Hi everyone else. I'm looking to invest in another guitar. I currently have a Tele and a Kramer DMZ with Gibson T-Tops. I'm looking to add another guitar. I was thinking an Epi BYrland i have on layaway or a 6122-1962....or get a sheraton ii together with a JV strat. I'll probably be playing folk, 50-70s rock, countryish stuff, experimental. Not really a jazz player. Any thoughts? I've played all but can't decide. Also how would you describe the Byrdland tone? I've owed all the guitars mentioned except a JV. But I've owned plenty of Strats, in fact I just bought one yesterday. I loved the Byrd, but it never suited my style of music which is similar to your taste. I never used it for any project. It would be a nice guitar to add to your collection, but if you're looking for a Classic Rock gigging axe, the others are better choices. You can't go wrong with a Strat, but you do have the Tele. I know, they're not the same, but they do the same thing if that makes any sense. Going with a hollow or semi-hollow would give you an entirely different weapon in your arsenal. Since you include 50s rock, I'm assuming you're interested in the Cochran/Eddy/Vincent Setzer music. Couple that with the Beatles and other British Invasion bands, the Country Gent is the way to go. Twangy, jangly, chimey, it's a great sounding guitar. I had mine when it was called the Country Classic (around 2005 I think), and it had the high sensitive Filtertrons on it, I assume the newer ones still have them. Those are great pickups, I liked them better than the TV Jones I had on my Setzer. OTH, if you're more into late sixties blues rock, the Sherry would be the better way to go. It's probably the best all purpose guitar, especially if you get the Strat with it, but you might want to swap out the pickups. I hope that helps, but the bottom line is which one fits you best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 The Beatles loved Gretsch's for their country roots and George played Jets and Gents and Roses My Jet Firebird with Dynasonics is totally delightful V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyscaglyc Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I'd stay on with the Byrdland. It's just too cool an axe not to. If you really need the P90 sound, replace your neck HBer with a drop-in GFS Mean90. There are others who make an HB size P90, so it's easy enough to do once you get tired of the humbuckers. JustMO, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunky Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 Would the Byrdland be good for strumming/moderate picking and doing singer songwriter folky kind of stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Would the Byrdland be good for strumming/moderate picking and doing singer songwriter folky kind of stuff? Yes it would, perfect actually. Go get it now and post a picture of it and a recording. Really, that Byrd is a very nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyscaglyc Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 The Byrd is perfect for folky singer/writer stuff and you'll be doin' it in style ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 If you decide not to get the Byrd, PM me and I'll call L&M myself! Seriously - you can buy the others anytime, anywhere. But you may never come across another Epi Byrdland! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Would the Byrdland be good for strumming/moderate picking and doing singer songwriter folky kind of stuff? Does this answer your question??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Not sure which I'd rather have - the Byrd, the mics, or the Genelecs. You can keep the hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Not sure which I'd rather have - the Byrd... Which Byrd??? The guitar or the one in the funny hat??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Is that where they got their name? From the guitar? I thought it was a typo... And uh no, I don't swing that way. But thanks for your concern! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 George first played a Futurama Chechz. made guitar then went to a Gretsch Duo-sonic then to a Tennessean then the Country Gentleman.When they were recording Revolver both George and John got Casinos.George's Casino had a Bigsby like Paul's but John's had the regular tailpiece and bridge.Paul was the first to get a Casino.On Revolver George also used an SG for a lot of cuts as well as his Ric 360/12 and of course used Clapton's Les Paul Lucy after the White Album and of course his Rosewood Tele on Let It Be.All the Casinos used by The Beatles are still owned by the families,Yoko has John's-which was used as a template for the 1965 and Revolution Casinos-Dhani has Georges and Paul still plays his even on tour sometimes but on all recordings.Paul has said many times if he were to have only one guitar it would be the Casino.BTW re the Jimmie Vaughn Strat:I bought one back in March and it's a fabulous guitar and the Tex-Mex pups give it the same tonal characteristics of the old '62-'65 "L" series Strats.For Beatles stuff only a Casino will do but I have an '06 Custom Shop Firebird V that sounds very very much like a mid 60s SG so I can get the same tone that George got from his SG on Paperback Writer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 George first played a Futurama Chechz. made guitar then went to a Gretsch Duo-sonic then to a Tennessean then the Country Gentleman... I believe the Country Gent (actually 2 of them) preceded the Tennessean. He got the first Gent in May 1963, in November it went in for servicing. The music store got him a second Gent which became his main guitar. That's the one seen on the Sullivan shows. AFAIK, he got the Tenny around December 1963 and it was first seen for the Christmas shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunky Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Well I was in the L&M store again today to play the Byrdland I have on layaway. They also had a Country Gentleman there which was my other front runner. I found the CG to sound really cheap compared to the lucious Byrdland. :) The byrdlands tones are fantastic now that i've had some real time to sit down and play around with it little adjustments on the the amps and the guitar provided great tonal shifts. I'm going full force now on the Byrdland. Beautiful guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuiblue Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Well I was in the L&M store again today to play the Byrdland I have on layaway. They also had a Country Gentleman there which was my other front runner. I found the CG to sound really cheap compared to the lucious Byrdland. :) The byrdlands tones are fantastic now that i've had some real time to sit down and play around with it little adjustments on the the amps and the guitar provided great tonal shifts. I'm going full force now on the Byrdland. Beautiful guitar. You can say all that again... Byrdland....swoon, and carry me away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues335 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Just a point of interest I have had the pleasure of playing a very nice Gibson Byrdland. The overwhelming thing that strikes you about the guitar is just how narrow the neck is. Presumably designed that way to better enable long stretches on fancy jazz chords....... Has anyone played both the Gibson and the Epiphone Byrdlands, if so, how do the necks compare.......? The Epi Byrdland in the photo above seems to have a wider neck to my eye...but I could be wrong....photographs can be deceptive. I have never had the pleasure of playing an Epi Byrdland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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