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Post by NikGnashers on Jul 2, 2017 12:47:33 GMT
Ed Sheeran is bloody terrible as is his horrid Martin signature guitar. Don't get me started on Gibson's overpriced junk. I swapped a pedal for a Chinese Les Paul Florentine and after a setup is as good as the real thing. I don't think youngsters care about quality gear. I hate saying youngsters. I still feel like one. While I completely agree with your opinion on Ed Sheeran, and find him very average in both singing and musical playing ability, I have a different point to make which may (or may not) make you think about him in a different way. Ed always has an acoustic guitar with him whenever he performs, and I have seen more than one interview with him in which he says he feels naked without it, and is actually quite shy in reality so the guitar is his way of hiding behind something on stage. The point I want to make is this : Ed uses technology too, but combines it with his acoustic guitar. He uses a loopstation/sampler when performing live (he isn't the only person, nor indeed the first). So he appeals to younger audiences because of these 'tricks' he can utilise live, using technology, yet at the same time there he is proudly strumming his acoustic. Hopefully this will 1) grab the attention of new listeners, by combining the technology aspect of his songs, and also 2) encourage them to want to learn acoustic guitar because he always has it when performing. It may not be everyone's cuppa, but when I discovered the fabulous 'Dub FX' youtube clips, showing him performing just with a loopstation and a mic, and making a complete wall of sound with just the noises he made from his mouth, I knew this would be the start of something that would eventually be used by a major artist (now Ed Sheeran). It's a shame that a few more modern artists could not make the acoustic guitar, or indeed the electric guitar, 'cool' by playing one live instead of using samples or synthesized guitar patches. I think this would make it appealing to young artists.
Dub FX -
Please at least listen to the point where he starts singing to get the full effect.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 27, 2017 15:31:40 GMT
Even though you can never get all of the natural 'true' sound from a video review, the ones I take most notice of are the ones that have been recorded on extremely accurate microphones and at the best digital audio bitrate possible. Obviously it also has to be a 'clean' audio recording, and not coloured in any way.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 20, 2017 6:04:42 GMT
I'd agree with the majority here. I have an old battered 'hondo' at work for messing about with on my dinner break, it's awful to play, I think you could measure the action in inches. It just means I have a lot of adjustment to make for a few minutes when I get home and want to practice on my own personal guitar (which ironically is a Tanglewood). I had mine set up by A J Lucas (The Tanglewood), and the action is extremely low, and it is a dream to play.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 17, 2017 16:35:10 GMT
For me, it's Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Paul Simon & even Syb Barret. I also like Tommy Emmanuel, and in fact, due to his influence I can play exactly like him ....... cough cough.......
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Post by NikGnashers on May 13, 2017 19:23:26 GMT
Nice one Mark, I didn't rate my chances of getting the action exactly as it is now, by doing the sanding down myself. I'd much rather pay Adrian to do a proper job, as he has set my action about as low as it can realistically go, and if I took a fraction too much off I know I would be buzzing like a hornets nest !
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Post by NikGnashers on May 13, 2017 6:45:46 GMT
Just to add, I got my Guitar back from Adrian (A. J. Lucas), with the new bone saddle. I was expecting it to sound much brighter, having read other opinions. It sounds, to my ears, more 'balanced' and actually warmer. It definitely rings for longer. Not a massive difference, but I can hear a difference for sure. Me likey !
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Post by NikGnashers on May 13, 2017 6:30:45 GMT
The only thing I would like to input to this thread, is to be aware that whatever venue you choose, consider the room acoustics. I was a DJ for many years, and some of the venues we played, if they were reflective walled/floored, and high ceilings, sounded dreadful until they were completely full of people. That it of course, unless you were really looking for that huge natural reverb sound !!!
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Post by NikGnashers on May 9, 2017 9:39:38 GMT
They are v good, thank you for posting. Nice to see a totally un-amplified small gig like this.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 8, 2017 12:29:43 GMT
Got this documentary saved on my PC, it is a wonderful insight into the legend (in my opinion). It was discovering Bert's music that re-ignited my passion for the acoustic guitar, and now I just want to learn everything he ever played (which I am realising is not an easy task !).
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Post by NikGnashers on May 3, 2017 15:54:28 GMT
That was a great listen. Not my usual style I go for, but you have a quite enchanting voice which captured my ears !
On a side note, I notice you are in Lancs but close to Yorkshire. Just wondered, are you near one of my favourite mountain biking places, Gisburn Forest ?
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Post by NikGnashers on May 3, 2017 15:30:13 GMT
Brilliant !
I have that documentary myself, and seem to watch it every 6 months or so it never gets old.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 3, 2017 15:28:19 GMT
Glad to hear it. Adrian and his daughter do a fine job! I met his daughter (I think it is his daughter) years ago when I was on a music technology A.N.D. course, she said hi when I picked the guitar up.
Adrian does seem like a chap who definitely knows his 'stuff' and if I had a little more spare money (ok, a LOT more), I'd love to buy one of his guitars.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 1, 2017 17:39:37 GMT
He has his critics, but band politics aside, he is an amazing musician.
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Post by NikGnashers on May 1, 2017 17:24:56 GMT
Next step I'm having a bone saddle fitted.
It's a cheap enough upgrade, and if it makes it sound even better, then wow. I have already gone from liking the guitar to loving it in the space of a month.
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Post by NikGnashers on Apr 24, 2017 17:16:45 GMT
Just to say :
I took your advice Wild Violet, and had A. J. Lucas do a set-up and fit a new jack socket.
Very friendly gentleman, who adjusted the neck (said mine was a little too relaxed), levelled all the frets (he said they were quite uneven), and dropped the saddle by 0.5mm.
When I got it back, I had a play and to be honest it was like a completely different guitar. I cannot believe how much difference it has made. There is no fret buzz whatsoever, it's even easier to hold down notes especially stretching across 4 frets etc, and it just sounds so much better too. I think this may have something to do with the shape he puts on top the top of each fret, because it certainly looks and feels completely different to how it was straight from the shop. It sounds louder, and ermmm 'janglier' (technical term there lol). Well worth the money.
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