electric guitars

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 05 May 00 - 08:32 AM

Tradsteve, if your Telecaster is in good shape it should be one of the least feedback-prone guitars out there. But the old single coil pickups they installed on those have been known to go microphonic -- which basically means that the wiring and/or coil windings have loosened up, and are transmitting vibrations and sound that is unrelated to the musical notes being played. This is a harsh, unmusical, squealing feedback, not to be confused with the singing/sustaining feedback that is considered a desirable part of an electric guitar's sound. The pickups can be repaired (re-sealed) or replaced to deal with this -- repair them if you love the pickups or want to preserve the "original vintage" character of the instrument, otherwise replacement is probably easier and offers a more certain outcome. I would encourage you to do one or the other -- a 1950's Telecaster is worth keeping in good shape.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: tradsteve
Date: 04 May 00 - 10:18 PM

I own a DeArmond Starfire Special, and a 50's Tele. I'd highly recomend either of them. They're extremely versatile. The only complaint I would have is that the tele feedsback an awful lot.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: jeffp
Date: 04 May 00 - 10:10 AM

I have to put my vote in for the Rickenbacker. Years ago, I was playing in a rock band. I had a Gibson ES-335 and a Telecaster. I traded the Tele for a Rickenbacker 6-string and my singing improved measurably! (So did my guitar playing) For me, the Rick hangs just at the right angle so I was no longer fighting the guitar to play it. The concentration no longer required for that I was able to put into my singing, improving that! The Gibson has since been sold, and I am keeping that Rick for the rest of my life. It's now the only electric in my collection. My $.02 worth.

jeffp

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Llanfair
Date: 04 May 00 - 04:18 AM

Sorry, hit the button too soon. Hwyl, Bron.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Llanfair
Date: 04 May 00 - 04:17 AM

Jim, my husband, plays a rickenbacker bass. I know that folk purists tend to object to electric instruments, but, together with my accoustic, it really enhances the accompanied songs I sing.
Our version of "Crazy Man Michael" with just the bass sounds great!
The big problem is mobility, and we're looking into buying a battery powered amp.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: GUEST,Garry Of Australia
Date: 04 May 00 - 01:26 AM

I own a Tele, best guitar I ever bought great sound, I use it for folk music much to the dismay of folkies

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: JedMarum
Date: 03 May 00 - 11:47 PM

I don't own an electric anymore. Sold my tele in 1980-something. But my son has a beautiful Les Paul and a fine SG. I enjoy playing them from time-to-time, but the one eletcric that intrigued me enough to seriously consider buying was a DanElectro Baritone. Awesome sound! Good neck, cool instrument ... who knows ... maybe one day.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: BlueJay
Date: 03 May 00 - 02:14 PM

DonMeixner, your a man after my own heart! I love Guilds, and I want to get a Guild electric to round out my collection. I have a six string, twelve string, and my newest is a Guild bass, which my son-in-law gound for fifty bucks at a pawn shop. You should have seen it, candy apple red, partly spray painted, shattered pick-guard, with the pick-ups hanging out. He took it and restored it to natural mahogany finish, with a Brazilian rosewood pick guard, and redid the electronics, neck, action etc. Looks great, sounds wonderful, and plays like a dream. And it's the first time I've ever played bass. I guess the moral of my story is that there ARE good deals to be had out there. Jdzesq, with a little looking, you my be able to find a good electric, undervalued because it needs some work. Also look closely if you find any old G&L's. I found a great one for $200.00, and I think it's as good as most Tele's.
BlueJay

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Grab
Date: 03 May 00 - 01:42 PM

Anything where you can lock the strings at the head, otherwise every time you bend the strings you'll lose your tuning. More valid at the cheaper end of the range, and something to watch for.

Overheard a conversation at the local guitar shop - someone was buying a second-hand guitar and asked whether there was any real difference between the "genuine article" axes and the cheaper imitations. Salesman said, "as long as you get a decent guitar and you like the sound, there's no difference, so there's no need to spend more." Ain't it nice to find an honest salesman who likes the music more than his profits... :-)

Grab.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 03 May 00 - 09:29 AM

I've owned Fender (Strat and Tele), Gibson (Les Paul), Guild (Starfire), and various other electrics. My current electric axe is a PRS -- great materials and workmanship, great playability, a sound that is extremely flexible but never loses its personality. Kind of pricey, but cheaper than endless trial-and-error. But ultimately, the instrument you choose should be one that feels right, sounds right, and suits the kinds of music you play. Don't expect to get the jangly Byrds sound with a Les Paul, and don't expect to play Jimmy Page licks on a Rickenbacker 12-string.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Mooh
Date: 02 May 00 - 08:48 PM

I currently own and play a Strat and a Tele. Love 'em both but if I had to choose one it would be the Tele. I do play much more acoustic but every once in a while I just gotta wail like some kinda deranged adolescent, or do a pale EVH imitation. Besides, about half of my guitar students only own electrics and like to be taught by me with one too.

I suppose I'd be very outnumbered and outvoiced on this issue but I really like the sound of controlled gain/distortion for some traditional melodies. Minstrel Boy comes to mind, also Rights of Man, and various hymn tunes.

I don't know what kinda coin ya got to spend, but the new hollow PRS guitars are very nice. An acoustic simulator on a Tele mixed with an electric tone can be shaped to a nice sound too. These days the Telecaster seems to reign supreme in country music.

Peace, and good luck. Mooh.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Mark Clark
Date: 02 May 00 - 08:47 PM

Well, Muddy played a Tele and so did a lot of country players. I'd say try to find an old Tele that's still sound but doesn't look as good as it might then have someone rebuild the electronics putting a humbucker at the neck position. Mine is very much like that and I love it.

Mine isn't a natural born Tele really, it was assembled by a local builder from high quality parts purchased through a catalog. As a result, mine is "releived" on the back after the fashion of a Strat. Feels good to hold.

Another option worth trying out before you decide is to get a D'Armond pickup (an old one if possible) and try it out on your accoustic. A lot of great players, including Brownie McGhee, used one to great advantage.

If you'll consider having someone rebuild or customize the electronics you'll have a huge number of options. The thing is to play a lot of good and bad guitars before making a choice. The differences will quickly become apparant.

Don't forget to keep checking the pawn shops. If you know how to avoid getting ripped off you can still find a worthy bargain in some of them.

Good luck,

      - Mark

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Willie-O
Date: 02 May 00 - 08:36 PM

Dick Gaughan plays great meaty-sounding electric here and there on his recordings...

Bruce Cockburn is another great guitarist equally fluent in either language.

I sold my Tele Thinline _way_ too cheap--there's a real cry-in-your-no-buzz-beer story about that. (Thought it needed a refretting--a pricey job on the maple-neck ones. Turned out it had plenty frets, the neck had been oversprayed and they were kind of buried.) The bottom line reason I sold it, though, was that as a player I didn't like playing it enough to put the money into it--I guess that old Tele twang didn't keep it's appeal forever. Just a personal thing.

Now I've got a really nice Takamine solid-body that I don't play much but can't bear to deal out, I like it too much. But my current lust object is a single-cutaway Guild thin-body acoustic electric--a real hybrid that sounds like a real guitar when not plugged in, and like it ought to when amplified.

Willie-O

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 May 00 - 07:59 PM

I think Lindsay Buckingham brought the acoustic style to electric on a lot of the Fleetwood Mac stuff.

Spaw

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: The Shambles
Date: 02 May 00 - 07:46 PM

I have often played an electric guitar but have never owned one. Why is it that the electric guitar is the only type for some people and others will never play anything other than acoustic?

There are a few electric players that do play acoustic well but are there some acoustic players that bring acoustic skills to bear on the electric instrument?

Richard Thompson seems to have mastered both.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: DonMeixner
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 07:56 PM

You picked some pricey stuff. A Rick 12 is great but costly. Gretches are more available unless you want a Super Chet. I lean towards Guild Electrics. Every bit as nice as Fenders and Gibsons and about 2/3rds the cost. Great solid body sound and some even look like old SG's.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: chazman
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 07:49 PM

Electric guitars are kinda like women, when you find one you really like, you'll know. Do yourself a favor & skip the cheapos. Fender & Gibson are the mainstays, but there are others,(depending on your wallet & taste). Remember, you can always sell a good guitar for a good price.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Paul
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 12:31 PM

I've played quite a few electric guitars, even owned some of them, and the one that is the most flexible is the Stratocaster. If you play around with it a little you can make it sound like almost anything else.

Subject: RE: electric guitars
From: Dave T
Date: 10 Nov 98 - 10:34 PM

I used to have Strat, but got rid of it and concentrated on acoustic. However, I've always been partial old Telecasters; they're just a straight, no-frills workhorse of a guitar. It depends to some extent on what you music want to play, but Tele's are pretty versatile. I know some people are Fender fans and some are Gibson fans. One thing you might keep in mind is how easy will it be to sell if you decide you want something else. Strats, Tele's, Les Pauls, ES-335s, etrc. are all pretty easy. You can probably get a better buy on a second hand Fender than a Gibson though.

Subject: electric guitars
From: jdzesq
Date: 10 Nov 98 - 04:54 PM

I know this is a folk area, but I'm looking into buying an electric guitar; I'm thinking Rickenbacher 12 string to get that Byrds thing going, or a hollowbody like a Gretch to get that country sound. Any suggestions?