Jump to content

Surf Guitars


Recommended Posts

  • Members

Any amp with descent reverb and any guitar can sound good if played with the right chops. The guitarist in Zombie Surf Camp (So Cal horror surf band) gets awesome tone with an Ibanez and a Marshall JCM 900. The other guitarist goes the more trad route with a Jag or a Strat and a Fender ext reverb unit through an old fender tube combo (can't remember which one, it's sort of an oddball one named after some college).

 

My personnel preference would be any guitar with a P-90 type pup and a trem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Next to the Mosrites the Yamaha SGVs (and the current Blue Jeans models) are pretty popular in Japan. Just another option which doesn't get mentioned that often :)

 

It was a re-issue of the Yamaha SG models from the mid-60s, their response to the Fender offerings.

 

sgv800_01.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

This might be sacriligous, but I'm finding more and more that the type of guitar doesn't matter anywhere near as much as those of us who like to accumulate them might have you believe. (But please don't tell my wife.) I can get a perfectly acceptable country twang out of a Les Paul, for example. I think it's more a matter of tone adjustment and the skilled use of a few effects.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Next to the Mosrites the Yamaha SGVs (and the current Blue Jeans models) are pretty popular in Japan. Just another option which doesn't get mentioned that often
:)

It was a re-issue of the Yamaha SG models from the mid-60s, their response to the Fender offerings.


sgv800_01.jpg

 

Arkay, I was mentionning this guitar of yours in another thread (I mistakingly called it SGB) or rather I was mentionning its tremolo which appears to me to be an extremely well designed and smooth working trem. What are your thoughts on it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I've gotten particularly nice surf tones out of a Gretsch, a strat, and a jazz. My jazz is my #1 these days- original 70's jazzmaster pickups, either the neck or bridge pickup only (raaaarely both) with the tone knob turned to 10. Amp reverb turned to 6, tremolo and chorus pedal used occasionally.

 

overall.jpg

 

I used to have it done up with heavy flatwounds, but I actually kinda prefer a normal 10-46 set on it, so I guess that's unusual for surf.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Arkay, I was mentionning this guitar of yours in another thread (I mistakingly called it SGB) or rather I was mentionning its tremolo which appears to me to be an extremely well designed and smooth working trem. What are your thoughts on it?

 

The original was called SG (Surf Guitar?), the re-issue SGV (V for Vintage).

 

The vibrato unit sadly isn't well designed and it goes out of tune easily. I see people use it in some clips on YouTube, but I really have no idea how they do it. Maybe it only needs a good setup, but since I don't use the vibrato anyway I haven't fiddled with it much.

 

There are only 2 springs on it and you can't add any more (pic from the low-end SGV-300 I sold in favor of the 800 I pictured above).

 

SGV300_07.jpg

 

There are also "high end" models available in Japan, maybe those have a more stable vibrato :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The original was called SG (Surf Guitar?), the re-issue SGV (V for Vintage).


The vibrato unit sadly isn't well designed and it goes out of tune easily. I see people use it in some clips on YouTube, but I really have no idea how they do it. Maybe it only needs a good setup, but since I don't use the vibrato anyway I haven't fiddled with it much.


There are only 2 springs on it and you can't add any more (pic from the low-end SGV-300 I sold in favor of the 800 I pictured above).


SGV300_07.jpg

There are also "high end" models available in Japan, maybe those have a more stable vibrato
:)

 

Actually, I also own a SGV-800 (even in the same color). I like the vibrato a lot. I do not have the impression that I have tuning issues (it also has locking Sperzels at the other end), but I do not play it very often, so I might be mistaken ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Actually, I also own a SGV-800 (even in the same color). I like the vibrato a lot. I do not have the impression that I have tuning issues (it also has locking Sperzels at the other end), but I do not play it very often, so I might be mistaken ...

 

The tuners are a nice touch, but they usually don't have much to do with tuning stability.

 

I always try the vibrato on a new guitar and then take the arm off since I don't use it. My impression was that it doesn't return to pitch by itself so you have it help it out a little.

 

One of the reviews I read also mentioned that, but it didn't stop me from buying :)

 

http://arkay.de/temp/Yamaha_SGV_Guitar_Magazin.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

In addition to the obvious strat, Jazzmaster (which I prefer for surf over the Jaguar since the Jazz has more twang) and Mosrites

 

I also recommend the DiPinto Galaxie 4.

 

It's a tone bargain at $565, and unlike Charlie, this guy definitely surfs.

 

464579.jpg

 

I own the LS model of that guitar, plus a Wilson Brothers Mosrite copy, and a MIJ Jazz and a MIA Jag.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The original was called SG (Surf Guitar?), the re-issue SGV (V for Vintage).


The vibrato unit sadly isn't well designed and it goes out of tune easily. I see people use it in some clips on YouTube, but I really have no idea how they do it. Maybe it only needs a good setup, but since I don't use the vibrato anyway I haven't fiddled with it much.


There are only 2 springs on it and you can't add any more (pic from the low-end SGV-300 I sold in favor of the 800 I pictured above).


There are also "high end" models available in Japan, maybe those have a more stable vibrato
:)

 

I am very surprised because when I heard of how this trem works, rotating on a sealed bearing PLUS a roller bridge, I imagined it to be as smooth working as it almost gets. I was mistaken. :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I am very surprised because when I heard of how this trem works, rotating on a sealed bearing PLUS a roller bridge, I imagined it to be as smooth working as it almost gets. I was mistaken.
:o

 

Yes, it looks good on paper. Maybe it needs more tension, more or better springs, ... :idk:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Yes, it looks good on paper. Maybe it needs more tension, more or better springs, ...
:idk:

 

Would tightening the two screws change something in the trem's position (like it would on a strat). That would presumably give the springs more tension. Or, as you say, different stronger springs... The article you posted talks about raising the bridge but that seems like a PITA, having to shim the neck, etc.

 

Does the $9,000 custom shop version have a better trem? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Would tightening the two screws change something in the trem's position (like it would on a strat). That would presumably give the springs more tension. Or, as you say, different stronger springs... The article you posted talks about raising the bridge but that seems like a PITA, having to shim the neck, etc.


Does the $9,000 custom shop version have a better trem?
:)

 

From a HC review...

 

"when i use the whammy bar, the G and B strings often go out of tune (up by about a quarter tone). while this is annoying, i just give them each a yank and they settle right back down; so if you are real quick it's not a problem except when recording."

 

Maybe relocating the treble spring could help?

 

Never seen one of the Japanese models in person (both the 300 & 800 are made in Taiwan). That Eastwood guy has a SGV 700 for sale.

 

http://www.myrareguitars.com/affordableGUITAR.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...