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Post by grayn on Jan 4, 2024 12:13:03 GMT
I popped over to Reidys (Blackburn), yesterday. After a look round their large showroom I decided to play two Cort electrics. A KX500 and a G300 Glam. I picked up the G300 Glam first. Now I'd played the G300 Pro a few months back and was surprised at how different the Glam felt. Different in a good way. The Pro is an excellent guitar but the Glam immediately felt more solid, with a much nicer, to my hands, profile on the neck. The neck is African mahogany, which is Ergo V, Graphite Bar Reinforced, with an ebony fretboard. The Pro's are both roasted maple. The Glam's body is also mahogany, with a 1/4 maple cap. The Pro's is basswood, with the same cap. Both models have Graph Tech Black TUSQ nuts, 24 Stainless Steel Frets, Luminlay Side Dots, Staggered Locking Tuners, excellent Cort CFA-III Tremolos and Seymour Duncan SH2N & TB4 Humbucker Sets. The G300 Glam is very well specced then, and genuinely has a real boutique guitar look and feel to it. I have owned a Tom Anderson, a Suhr and a BFR Musicman, so I do know what these guitars are about. And for a very small amount of cash, the G300 Glam comes pretty close. And to my thoughts, the Glam is definitely a step up on the Pro. It came well set up, with a lowish action. Though it does have 9s on it, which for me, need to be changed to 10s, or 11s if down tuned. The KX500 is very much a "metal" guitar. It's design, woods and Fishman Fluence pickups will definitely impress you, particularly if you love to chug and/or widdle. It has very low but solid action, and a flat radius to the fingerboard. The other thing that comes to your notice, after the initial balls out sound and feel of the KX500, is that is in no way close to the G300 Glam, for build and finish quality. It has a far more basic, workmanlike look and design. So, as you may have worked out, the Cort G300 Glam came home with me. It's overall quality, tasty Duncan pickups and very smooth, traditional floating trem, really do make life easier for you. I guess Cort chose the Glam suffix for the Polar Ice Metallic Burst finish to the front of the body and headstock. Yes, it is a tad glittery but only from close up and this "Glam" finish is actually really nice.
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Post by grayn on Dec 26, 2023 6:56:12 GMT
It always seems to be one more to complete the collection, with me. If only. :xmas10:
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Post by grayn on Dec 10, 2023 18:26:10 GMT
Over 9 years ago, I posted this thread: acousticsoundboard.co.uk/thread/3364/waking-semiAs I have owned a lot more of these lovely electric guitars, over the years and have 3 in my present collection, I thought it would be worth revisiting the subject. Excluding my present semis, the highlights for me were a Gibson ES335, a Duesenberg Fullerton Elite and a Gretsch Tenessee Rose. My wife will shout "what about the White Falcon?". Well yeah, it was an awesome semi but I never could get on with it's "Rhinestone Cowboy", looks. One simple fact I have learned is that I don't really get on with the larger, double-cutaway models. The ES335 being a prime example. My old Gibbo had a fantastic neck and lovely pickups but I always found it too bulky, particularly on a strap and in the case of that particular guitar, too heavy. However, with a single-cut semi, even with a thicker body, I get on fine. I am including hollow bodied electrics in this discussion. OK they don't have the centre block, running down the middle of the guitar's body, that some people would say is the defining element of a semi-acoustic. But they still have other strengthening wood and as they rely on magnetic pickups to generate sound, they are not totally acoustic and are therefore, in my book, semi-acoustic. In my experience, I have found that whether the guitar is a hollow body, a semi-hollow body, or even a chambered body, an airy quality is added to it's tone. I guess the more air within the body, the greater the effect. Unfortunately, the more air in the body, the more likely the guitar is going to suffer from feedback, at higher volumes. But of course pickups and design also have a big effect on tone and feedback. My 3 present hollow bodies, 2 slim line and 1 fuller bodied, all have different pickups. The Guild X-175 Manhatten Special has a fuller body but unlike it's predecessor, the X-175B, that had large P90 style pickups, this has DeArmond Dynasonics and is less prone to feedback. Although not immune, of course. I am very impressed with these Dynasonics though, their tone is so clear, with plenty of body. My 2 slim line semis do feel easier to play, with them feeling closer in to me. And of course, they don't get much in the way of feedback. When doodling or working on new material, I often play unplugged and the semi does give you that bit more feel and volume. I have owned some great solid electrics that had a natural vibrancy, which IMO really adds to the pleasure of playing. But with a good semi, all this is even more so. I do love a good Les Paul, one of which, I am lucky enough to own. But overall, it is the semi that attacts me the most. The semi that got away: I was going to go and try and hopefully buy one of these, some time ago. But unfortunately it sold over night, on the 'net, just before the morning I went over to the shop. Les Paul and a semi. One day.
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Post by grayn on Dec 5, 2023 11:24:49 GMT
Congratulations on both counts. I also have a supportive wife when it comes to my guitars. You should try a ES335, I could easily live with mine as my sole electric. I have owned a Gibson ES335, some years ago. Wonderful neck and great pickups but I find that body type too bulky. I prefer single cutaway semis and hollow bodies.
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Post by grayn on Dec 5, 2023 6:34:31 GMT
This is all well and good. But what guitar did you buy for her? Mrs grayn's favourite guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon. I offered to get her one but she settled for jewellery. BTW, this was our 40th.
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Post by grayn on Dec 4, 2023 18:44:57 GMT
This last weekend, my wife and I reached a significant anniversary and decided to buy each other celebratory gifts. She knew I liked Oris watches and suggested getting me one. I replied that for that sort of cash, I'd rather have a guitar. She agreed, with the proviso that I kept this one. No trading or selling it. Fair enough. So today I went to my favourite guitar shop in Morecambe, to choose my gift. I played a number of really nice guitars, including 2 Hagstroms, a 67 Viking II and an Ultra Max, an American Performer Fender Tele, a Shergold Masquerader 2 SM02-SD and a D'Angelico Excel 59. I was particularly impressed with the Tele and the Ultra Max but it was the D'Angelico that came home with me. The Excel 59 is the 3rd hollow bodied electric I have acquired recently. The difference being this one has some awesome P90s and no trem. My other 2 (Guilds) are essentially for vintage rock-n-roll/rockabilly, wheras this newbie, although very capable in that style, is more for bluesey rock. It's 2 Seymour Duncan D'Angelico Great Dane P-90s are pretty hot and really make overdrive sing. It's C shaped neck and 16" radius, ebony fingerboard are so comfortable to play, with a lovely, precise feel. The Excel 59's colour is called Vintage Natural. I'd call it translucent orange. The cupcake knobs and chicken-head pickup selector, look like they were lifted from a 1940's radio and with the art deco tailpeice, headstock and scratchplate, things do gel rather nicely, to create a glamorous, retro style. Some may find it a little OTT, I really like it. The guitar balances very well on lap and strap. It plays superbly and sounds pretty awesome. This is a guitar that would suit many styles sonically, IMO. From the subtle articulations of jazz, to some raunchy and brutal rock. This is my second D'Angelico, from the Excel range and I am very impressed. The 59 came with a tasty hard case.
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Post by grayn on Dec 3, 2023 5:49:44 GMT
Stunning guitar. Really nice to hear a demo using a plectrum. Lovely design and finishing.
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Post by grayn on Nov 25, 2023 7:23:57 GMT
Thanks guys. I have owned about 5 Gretsch electrics, over the years. 2 Electromatics and 3 pricier, Japanese made models, including a White Falcon, a Brian Setzer Hot Rod and a Tennessee Rose. The last being my favourite. All great guitars but I think it's that country, rhinestone cowboy aesthetic that puts me off them. The Guilds have that vintage look too, but to my eyes, are a lot cooler.
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Post by grayn on Nov 24, 2023 17:58:44 GMT
About 2 1/2 weeks ago I acquired a Guild X175B, hollow bodied electric guitar. Whilst at the shop I'd also played a Guild Starfire III and it had been very close, which one to get. I sold some gear recently and I immediately thought of the Starfire. So I went over to Promenade Music today, to try out the Guild. As always, I like to try out a guitar with others, for comparison. So I pulled out some tasty Gretsch Electromatics and even had a go on a Shergold Masquerader SM01-SD. I really must get one of these Shergolds one day. I absolutely love the all rosewood necks, that are gorgeous and very smooth to play. But the Seymour Duncan pickups didn't get the tone I was after, though they would probably suit me on another day. The Gretsch Electros were all very nicely built and finished. Some had Filtertrons, some their new P90s. All sounded pretty nice but the Starfire III's pickups really shone. It is a pricier guitar and the HB pickups are just so nice. They have a lovely snap to them, balanced with a transparent warmth. Kind of mini-HB meets a Filtertron sound. It's funny that pretty much every youtube video on the Starfire III has someone playing jazz on them. Yet I'd say that this Guild's tone is more suited to vintage rock n roll and rockabilly. The whole ambience of the guitar, in both looks and sound, is just so sixties. I think it's a real beauty, that plays really nicely and is so well balanced. It's thin 1 3/4 inch body is very practical. So, now it's home, how does it compare to the Guild X175B? Sonically, the X175B has a more single coil sound, as you might expect, yet it balances that with a full bodied tone. Output is similar between the 2, yet actually, the Starfire III's HBs have more top end harmonics, that give it that snap and clarity. They both look very cool, to my eyes but the X175B has the edge, it really is one of the prettiest guitars I have owned. They are both a pleasure to play but I'd give the edge to the Starfire III, with it's far slimmer and very practical, body shape. The X175B is the pricier of the 2 and it shows, in having an ebony fingerboard, with block markers and both bound f-holes and headstock. But for feel and sound, they are equal, if a little different. I am very lucky to own both.
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Post by grayn on Nov 23, 2023 7:46:55 GMT
Yes, GJ does sound really good on a Tele. Plenty of twang and vibrato. Love the paisley Tele. It always reminds me of the short lived, psychedelic era, in the latter 1960s. Japanese Tokais often outstripped the Fenders and Gibsons, they copied.
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Post by grayn on Nov 19, 2023 8:37:25 GMT
Lovely guitar, both in looks and sound. Thanks for the video.
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Post by grayn on Nov 13, 2023 8:25:19 GMT
Here's a primitive (a 78 from 1937) recording of the grand master, having a little fun.
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Post by grayn on Nov 10, 2023 8:04:04 GMT
Be fun to try some GJ on a ukulele Or a Kazoo.
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Post by grayn on Nov 8, 2023 15:52:05 GMT
Whilst I was out yesterday, buying a guitar, just as I had decided what to go for, I spotted this Catalyst 60 for sale. I asked the shop guy what he thought of it and he said he hadn't tried it yet, as it had only come in the day before. I had previously watched a few vids on this combo and had been impressed, so put my newly acquired Guild X-175 through it. And yes, it had a good basic sound, before I fiddled with all the amp modelling, tone and effects knobs. 5 minutes later I decided this amp was a good one, pleasantly lightweight and surprisingly loud. I thought it was new but no it was a mint, preowned example. So, for next to nothing, the amp came home with me. Having played through it last night and today, I am very glad I got this combo. I mainly use clean and lightly overdriven sounds. And to my ears, this Line 6 does a beautiful, vibrant clean and an on the edge of break up overdrive, that is far better than any other non-valve amp I have played through, Which is quite a few, including Roland, Boss, Blackstar, Peavey, Orange, Vox, Marshall and Fender. This amp has no menu screen, which makes accessing all it does, relatively easy. You have 2 channels you can save your sound set-ups to and a Manual mode, for creating those sounds. The digital reverbs are excellent and once you get to grips with how to cycle through and choose which effect you want to use, they are a pretty decent bunch, that sound good. There's a very helpful attenuator and I found the 1/2 watt setting just right for home use. You also get Mute, 30 watts and 60 watts, which as I said earlier, is plenty loud enough and should be enough for gigs, unless your band is super loud but most of us put our amps through the PA, so no problem. And there are plenty of outputs here, too. Physically the combo feels solid but is nice and light for lugging about. I got a footwitch with mine, which switches between channels and can turn the effects on and off. This is a seriously practical amp, which sounds great. And at it's price, you could buy two, if you play in that super loud band.
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Post by grayn on Nov 8, 2023 7:08:55 GMT
Not seen that one before, Leo. I noticed, just behind, is a mellotron, my all time favourite prog rock keyboard.
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