Members Burgess Posted September 5, 2014 Members Share Posted September 5, 2014 Those MIJ Strats from the 80's were killer! I had one back then that I stuffed full of EMG's I would've put up against almost anything. Currently I've got a dead stock MIC P90 Tele that records amazingly well. I find myself reaching for it time and time again over much more expensive guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted September 5, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 5, 2014 Those MIJ Strats from the 80's were killer! I had one back then that I stuffed full of EMG's I would've put up against almost anything. Currently I've got a dead stock MIC P90 Tele that records amazingly well. I find myself reaching for it time and time again over much more expensive guitars. Funny how that happens sometimes. I'm assuming that it's a classic vibe or at least a Fender product. My thinking is that the budget market is pretty hit or miss but when you get lucky you can sometimes find something that can compete with top shelf. Oh yeah, welcome back Burgess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted September 5, 2014 Members Share Posted September 5, 2014 Funny how that happens sometimes. I'm assuming that it's a classic vibe or at least a Fender product. My thinking is that the budget market is pretty hit or miss but when you get lucky you can sometimes find something that can compete with top shelf. Oh yeah, welcome back Burgess. Not a Fender. Raven West Guitars. Not even really a great guitar, plays decent, fret work is suspect at best but the thing really pops in the mix and you really don't do much to it EQ-wise. And thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted September 6, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2014 Not a Fender. Raven West Guitars. Not even really a great guitar, plays decent, fret work is suspect at best but the thing really pops in the mix and you really don't do much to it EQ-wise. And thanks! Interesting, I've heard some good things about those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lacking Talent Posted October 5, 2014 Members Share Posted October 5, 2014 Has since gone on to a good home, but this MIC Peavey Generation Triple-Single EX was a happy-making combo of bulletproof construction, comfy playability, and musical-sounding Tele and Strat tones, all for a buck 'n' change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted October 5, 2014 Author Members Share Posted October 5, 2014 ^Looks like a sweet ride LT. Peavey makes some good stuff. Had my friend's PRS SE EG for about a week and I gotta say once I shielded the pickguard and got rid of the static issue, that thing was a real serious instrument. It beat some of the US PRS I've tried, for me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Posted November 12, 2014 Members Share Posted November 12, 2014 So, am familiar with various 335 imitations (wtf with the cop showing up whenever you mean kopy?). The Reverend is brighter, nowhere near as "woody" or throaty in tone. It's almost - ALMOST - Tele like in the richness of the overtones in the upper mid register. The best comparison I can make is Vini Reilly of Durutti Column / "Suedehead" Morrissey, etc. And the feel is just faster. One thing I love about Reverends (I have a bass of theirs, too) is that bass cut control. Just a very good idea. Heh, came across this thread again and it was a good read. Saw Dan cite Suedehead and had to post the vid as it is late fall here and it just makes too much sense. [video=youtube;JenlsnA9-mE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted November 13, 2014 Members Share Posted November 13, 2014 Way back when you might have considered Ibanez a budget axe, I did anyway. They made an Alembic knock-off that had me use my SG as a backup when I was touring back in the day. People would ask me after the set why I wasn't playing the Gibson, I'd tell them The Ibanez was a better guitar. I used to get the funniest looks... I had a MIJ Strat from the 80's that played and sounded as good as anything. I had it loaded with EMGs but it was the 80's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted November 13, 2014 Members Share Posted November 13, 2014 My Vietnamese arch-top is the best. I bought it for $225 new. I added a KA humbucker and the pick-guard. I installed Schallers for tuning. Fantastic guitar. I love it and record with it more than any guitar I own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted November 13, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 13, 2014 ^That might be the most gorgeous 200 dollar guitar I've ever seen. And as the Monkees used to say "I'm a believer" - there are quality guitars at budget prices that compete with top shelf. It's a needle in a haystack for sure, but don't believe me, we've got quite a body of testimonials here from some guys with pretty impressive resumes. PS Nice to hear some Morrissey again. Wonder what he's up to these days - still makin music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steve2112 Posted November 13, 2014 Members Share Posted November 13, 2014 I just bought a Hamer Echotone with TKL case for 230.00 at Sam Ash no less. Looks like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steve2112 Posted November 13, 2014 Members Share Posted November 13, 2014 Paid $180 for a 1971 Gibson LP Custom. $75 for a 94 MIM Strat. Wrong thread. The Gibson is not a "budget" axe. That goes into "I robbed someone for this guitar" thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted November 14, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 14, 2014 ^Excellent score on the Echotone Steve. Actually unbelievable score when I re-read the price including case, WOW!!! I can't believe this is probably the first mention of that guitar as those are actually quite legendary in my neck of the woods as being excellent 335 copies. I actually had my sights set on getting one, or else an early Ibanez Artstar in order to scratch my lifelong 335 itch on the cheap but still getting the quality I demand. I ended up falling into a fabulous Korean built Carlos Robelli copy as I've documented in this thread. It seems of all the guitar styles, the ES 335 offers the most compelling copies - I mean if matching tone and playability are the driving parameters. Wrong thread. The Gibson is not a "budget" axe. That goes into "I robbed someone for this guitar" thread. Yeah I think some folks got the wrong idea about the subject of this thread and point well taken.LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Danhedonia Posted November 15, 2014 Members Share Posted November 15, 2014 Video delivers - Fairmount, Indiana in midwinter ... hilarious seeing him there. The Mozzer still throws down - and true to form, spent the last year angrily getting released from his label because they failed to realize that the world revolves around HIM. But it's a fine record. Vini Reilly has had a bit more real drama having had a stroke in 2010 and subsequently winding up very down on his luck. In a story that warms the heart, his fans came up with thousands in a few days and bailed him out. He is criminally under-appreciated. Artists from John Frusciante to Brian Eno to dozens of my indie-star friends cite him as an influence, but he never quite found his niche. Admittedly, instrumental expressionist post-rock is not meant to go over as big as Taylor Swift, but in a world where Danny Elfman goes from Oingo Boingo to grandiose, symphonic film scores, you'd think Vini would at least have comfort. My $102 Matsumoku strat (technically a Morris Hurricane 'Stella' model) has been amazing me lately. Gratuitous Durutti Column vid:~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4jRk9JQ1wQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted November 16, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 16, 2014 Dude, you had me scrambling to wiki Mr. Reilly. Now it all makes more sense. Not sure where that Stella Strat fits in but I love my Uncle Mat (Aria Pro II, RS Bobcat) Strat too. Party On Garth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted November 16, 2014 Members Share Posted November 16, 2014 I just bought a Hamer Echotone with TKL case for 230.00 at Sam Ash no less. Looks like this: I has Hondo, Peavey, Behringer, Ibanez , Epi, and I gotta say, Carvin Bolt. Although yours looks to be a winner. I wish that deal was 20 yrs ago when I had money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steve2112 Posted November 17, 2014 Members Share Posted November 17, 2014 Thanks wank and 1001.... I must admit- my guitar doesn't look EXACTLY like that. I will try to get pics. Someone put some cheap trapeze trem tail piece on it. Turble. I'm going to put the stop tailpiece back on. Fill in the small holes on top. I feel the trapeze tailpiece COULD have been a good idea and I won't discount it just yet. But probably not this one. It also has gold hardware- and get this Gibson Deluxe vintage tuners. Now....On a $1000+ Gibson, hardly earth-shattering- maybe even disappointing. But on a sub-200 dollar guitar? Pretty cool. The guitar itself is solid. I had one of these: and hated it. The Hamer Echotone has mojo in it. It FEELS nice in your hands- like it's been played by a master at some point. . Surprising, since this one was made in China. The fit and finish are fine. I can;t find anything that stands out. Frets are even...smooth. Acoustically...it's really nice. Good projection. I compared it to Epi, Gretsch, and a couple others right next to it- every bit as good. Except the top line Gretsch. The guitar did come with flatwounds...giving it a very mellow tone. Gonna try rounds on it. If anyone is looking for a really nice 335 style guitar, the Hamer Echotone stands well against the Epi's , Ibanez,Artcore, and even some higher models like Gretsch. They can be gotten between 200-300 sometimes with a case. 1001...surely you can spare 2 and half bills! One guy donated like 15,000 grand from spare change- mostly around vending machines. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Danhedonia Posted November 18, 2014 Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 So, the Strat kinda fits in (it was my excuse to post about Vini Reilly) ... I know so many artists from the 90's indie scene who were deeply, deeply into his playing. In a sense, he took the jangly stuff that REM and the dBs and so many others were working so well, and turned it inside out. And let's not forget being the first Factory artist - it's important. I think. Somehow. If you listen to "Viva Hate" and/or some of the DC (Durutti Column) stuff, you get a sense that he is a tremendous player, but much more of an artist. And as artists will do, he pursued hopelessly noncommercial stuff that has a small, fervent audience (myself obviously included). The emotion of his music is so melancholy and crystalline; in an odd (and musically indirect) way he reminds me of Jimmy Webb in that he really, truly writes from the heart. Suggested tracks: "Otis," (oh the opening whammy bar work); "Requiem For My Mother;" "Love No More" ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steve2112 Posted November 18, 2014 Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted November 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 ^Yeah we kinda got off on a tangent quite by accident when Preacher posted the Morrissey video in response to Dan's citing the 335 tone in "Suedehead". Then I discovered a great guitar player I had never before heard of by the name of Vini Reilly again thanks to Dan. The guy's a great resource for us die-hard rock/pop aficionados/historians. Thx Dan - checked out Otis, great rhythm chops for sure. Steve wrote:"The Hamer Echotone has mojo in it. It FEELS nice in your hands- like it's been played by a master at some point. . Surprising, since this one was made in China. The fit and finish are fine. I can;t find anything that stands out. Frets are even...smooth. Acoustically...it's really nice. Good projection. I compared it to Epi, Gretsch, and a couple others right next to it- every bit as good. Except the top line Gretsch." Dude I've been hearing about those for at least the past ten years. Legendary with Bluesers in Open Mic circles. I agree to preferring the stop tail piece to the trapeze arrangement. Course if I were a Jazzer that didn't bend strings it might be different. Hope the operation is a painless one and you end up loving it as much as I love mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steve2112 Posted November 18, 2014 Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 Wank...so THAT'S IT? That's why I can't bend strings? I was thinking it was just the round wounds...but the cheap trem trapeze is probably the main culprit huh? I will hopefully! be playing some jazz on it...but I needs me bends. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted November 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 Well the flatwounds don't help in that regard certainly, but the trapeze changes the string tension as well. I have flatwounds on my Robelli 335 only because I had them and wanted to try them. Because they are a fatter guage and have a wound g string, they don't bend as easily, but they really sound great and apparently last forever - so it's a trade-off I guess. I'll just play this one a little differently that's all. I think that part of my thing with bends on a trapeze was that the bridge was floating and I was afraid of moving it and knocking the intonation off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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