Rudi

Sunday Morning - No Doubt

God's Song - Etta James (I only just heard this. I just HAD to post it (as well as the original beolw) God's Song - Randy Newman

Send Your Mind - Widespread Panic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FevXK8GYqYc

Automatic - Pointer Sisters

yes Ive seen that vid, and several more too. willseasyguiter has been the most scientifically convincing but he then lets his credibility down by giving into anger & making personal attacks in a later one. I actually take everything on board without commitment. My own experience allows that there is an acoustic tone component that remains present when amplified. It suggests tone woods are responsible but doesnt prove it.

I like a lot of the 'minor' Gibson innovations. The adjustable nut (looks like brass) and of course the PLEK fret finishing all add up to producing better instruments. I not so sure about G-Force though. But regarding the tone wood angle. Scott Grove allowed that unpotted pickups are (or can be) excepted where tone woods are concerned. It may not mean that they 'work' in the way claimed by the proponents but that (at least in my interpretation) all bets are off. At least most of the anger about it seems to have dissipated.

I'm just surprised at the amount Gibson are issuing. It makes me wonder whether they are also justifying the tonewoods claim by doing this.

Careful With That Axe Eugene - Pink Floyd

You are going to have to disassociate your song from the other one somehow or other. Try this for starters: Change the key from major to minor or vice-versa. You might not like the result but it will transform the music without altering the melody. Example: if the key is in A min then change it to C maj (or the other way around). It can be done with individual chords or for the whole song. If you need more info on this, let us know. Good luck Rudi

What is Wax Potting? Answer: When a coil has been wound it is immersed in a mixture of paraffin and bees wax to solidify the coils and help guard against microphonic feedback. unpotted- Old vintage sound as original 50′s PAF pickups. Partially microphonic (like a microphone). Expect squeals at higher volumes or higher gain. potted- A controlled narrower band tone. Should handle high volume/gain without squealing feedback. This short demo demonstrates unpotted well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smoa8Eb-puM Up until the 70’s guitar pickups were mostly unpotted. Potted pickup represented progress. So then pretty much everyone made them that way. Ok. Unpotted Pickups haven’t been produced since the 70’s right? No. Some cheaper pick-up were perhaps unpotted to save money, but more importantly some makers produce unpotted pickups as a design choice. This is at least true in later years. For example ‘Bare Knuckle’ make an unpotted pickup called ‘the Mule’. Gibson also are putting unpotted pickups on more of their guitars again. Now this may be expected for ‘historically accurate re-issues’. But Gibson are putting these on new model (variants) also. At least one identifier is the description ‘MHS’ (Memphis Historic Spec) Humbuckers. The new Gibson SE-Les Paul (including a Bigsby version) hollow body. The Overview says:’ It sports a modified 1959 profile, one-piece mahogany neck and MHS unpotted alnico humbuckers.’ http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/gibson-es-les-paul-semi-hollow-electric-guitar#productDetail A quick check revealed these guitars shipped with unpotted pickups too: Dethklok Explorer Gary Moore BFG Les Paul 50th Ann 1960 Les Paul Custom Custom 1959 Les Paul Standard Dicky Betts SG Nighthawk Standard 2010 Memphis Luther Dickenson ES-335 Memphis 1963 ES-335 Memphis 1959 ES-335 It’s especially interesting that ES examples are hollow body electrics which have a greater propensity to feedback. I would love to hear (or even better to conduct) a straightforward comparison test. I haven’t found one yet. Written descriptions of tone are about as useful as a rocking horse on a stud farm.

A year older than me. Cancer & Aids. He was one of the first players to make me really listen to bass. Jack Bruce was the first (predictably). Not much later was Kevin Ayres and Andy.

Cat Food - King Crimson

Its a shock. He was an exceptional player. I'll have to find out more...

Bitches Brew - Miles Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNu8V_Dyg1E

I always prefer a smaller bodied model for gigging. It the best thing about Les Pauls IMO. Smaller still, even better. I might struggle with that neck though. You could replace the tone pot if needed, so I'm guessing it probably isnt that bad. The florentine LP version is obviously an even smaller profile than that of the 339, but from what I've heard (only vids sadly) it doesnt sound anything like a hollowbody at all.

The 339 ultra link seems dodgy. It does work, but you may have to paste it into the browser direct.

Re: The Samick Fastback. Is that a full size solid, or it it thinner or chambered?

Since posting I've realised they produce an Ultra version of the 339. http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Archtop/Ultra-339.aspx If the Ultra had coil tapping it would be better still. I use the split coil settings on the Deuce almost exclusively. I did briefly consider a 339 before being swayed by the Deuce. The video on the link features both the Ultra & the Pro. Rob Chapman brings lovely sounds out of both. Both have ProBucker PUs. They are supposed to be an improvement over the Alnico Classic Pros Epi were fitting. There is also a cheaper P90 version, but I dont know what they really sound like. I've seen an Epi Casino Coupe side by side a 339 and the shape is identical. The Casino Coupe is only different in that it has a tailpiece & block inlays. It also comes with P90s.

No Exit - Pentangle

I dislike the subscription model. I also wont support Adobe in it and so will not upgrade from Elements. I'm told that Cakewalk is Gibson owned. Maybe they'll only lease Les Pauls in future?

One reason I asked about USA made Gibsons was as a result of hearing stuff such as this expose on ghost building by Scott Grove. It s not the only source, but its features the most detail. He mentions Ed Roman a lot. I dont endorse or believe everything I hear from Scott Grove but he has taught me a few things, so I'm glad he's out there. I could say the same about Rich Menga who is always interesting to read despite an obsessional & occasionally patronising style. He is dedicated to affordable guitars too. http://menga.net/ Epiphones: I want to like Epiphones. I havent quite succeeded yet. They are the eternal paid underdog to Gibson and yet have some impressive innovations that Gibson have either distanced themslelves from or just not thought impressive enough to warrant a Gibson badge (yet?). eg: This Les Paul Ultra has a lot in common with the higher end Godins, with stereo & USB outputs and blending mag PUs with hidden transducer PUs for advance tonal options. http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Les-Paul/Les-Paul-Ultra-III.aspx

Maybe I should just go for the more reasonably priced speedster? http://www.thomann.de/gb/traveler_guitars_speedster_hot_rod_heats_car.htm

I still cant quite work this one out. I love the carbon fibre body idea. Its the only solid body one I've yet seen http://astonmartinguitars.co.uk/guitars.php

I imagine all solid bodies are CNC routed now. I used to operate & program CNC milling machines myself once. I enjoyed it too. I still work in a sort of support role with them now. I never cut wood on them though. The PLEK m/c: I have heard of this from Gibson blurb. It seems a remarkable bit if kit. If its a Gibson copyright then maybe no-one else can use it. I'm still curious to know more about how it works. I imagine its much like a multi-axis CMM (co-ordinate measuring m/c) with software to calculate tension based on the measured parameters. It probably isnt used on Epiphones then. Wiki says that the non-Gibson copy Epis are built to a higher standard (the Wiltshire / Wildkat ETC). Maybe they could be? I'll take a closer look at Gibson Production method vids. There seem to be more available based on the link you gave.