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Why isn't this guitar more popular?


docjeffrey

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They may be nice guitars, but they're also (IMHO) one of the ugliest guitars ever made. So while I might enjoy one if I ever picked it up, the initial disgust with the thing will prevent that from ever happening. Does that make me shallow? Yes? Well too bad, I don't care..

 

It doesnt make you shallow as you already are, sweetie :p

 

But I can agree, the looks definitely arent for everyone and some of the features like the 24 inch scale or the extra fat neck.

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I like the look of the guitar and would probably own one, but I'd get frustrated with the switching. I am constantly changing pickups when I play live, and I have learned that individual switches for each pickup don't work for me in that setting.

 

If I was doing a lot of recording, or studio work, I'd probably get one. Or if I decided to be less lazy, I would modify it with a standard strat 5-way, and maybe a series-parallel switch or something.

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I can't believe that anyone would buy one of these things. :rolleyes:

 

 

The fact that I am on my second one is irrelevant. :lol:

 

 

Great guitars. I was just playing mine last night a bit and it's just such a good guitar. I don't like the switching as much as I originally thought that I would and I tend to stay in the Bridge+Middle in phase about 90% of the time, but that tone by itself is worth the price of admission.

 

But to me what sets it apart is the neck. It's just amazingly comfortable for me and the fret access everywhere is spectacular. I don't know if it's the ebony fretboard or the 24" scale, but it's so slick feeling and is just a blast to play.

 

The thing that really sets is apart to me is the fact that it's not trying to be a Gibson or a Fender; it really is a unique instrument.

 

EDIT: If anyone is curious about the various pickup tones, well here is a clip that goes throught them all: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=671869&songID=5875093

 

Pickup combos start from the neck pickup, middle + neck in phase, then out of phase, middle, middle + bridge in phase, then out of phase and then the bridge, then the neck and bridge in and out of phase.

 

It's recorded through a simple preamp with no effects or anything so it's going to sound pretty plain. Unfortunately it was also recorded with a crappy cable about 3 years ago. I'm curious to see how it would sound with a good low capacitance cable.

 

Here's a few more clips with Guitar Rig 3 and a few AC30 presets I made.

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=671869&songID=7596439

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=671869&songID=5297968

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I've owned one for a few months, now :love:..... very well built guitar - fit and finish are spot on.......playing took some getting used to compared to my old Epi LP, but it's a remarkable guitar. I feel no more self conscious of playing my Brian May Sig than I do playing my Epi with Les Paul's sig on the headstock. Horses for courses, and the BMG is a totally different beast than a LP....or a Strat. It's a very nuanced, articulate guitar (just grasping at words to describe it, here.....the LP takes more kindly to ham-fisted technique....the BMG requires a lil more finesse, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.)

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I believ they ar enot as popular as they can be, because it is a sig guitar, and a very in your face guitar.

 

The stigma arround this is probably, "If you have one, you are a Queen fan boy".

 

I would rock one, if they lower the price, but right now, there are just too many guitars i want before something like this.

 

My 2cents

;)

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I had a friend who owned the Guild version. If I was in the market for this guitar, I'd go hunt down a Guild version. The burns version is a budget version

 

I've GASed over this for a long time now...

 

BrianMayweb.jpg

 

... I would rock the balls out of that.....but last I checked they wanted well over 2k for it .... um no not for that price :freak:

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I agree, it should be more popular, but personally, I struggle with anything under a 25inch scale. I have big, long, fat, hands.

 

 

Hendrix had long fingers which may be part of why he preferred Fenders. I bought a Chiquita travel guitar some time ago when I was travelling by air quite a bit. I never could get really used to it. The short scale makes for extra bendy strings and out of tune chords. Chiquita recommends heavy gauge strings for that reason.

 

It may not be your cup of tea, but Bill Kirchen has those long fingers and a 25.5" scale. The fun starts around 2:30.

[YOUTUBE]vGpr-Zy_wRs[/YOUTUBE]

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Wow, that ranks right up there with the ugliest, and most 'blech' guitars I've ever seen. It's the style I guess, because to me, each color is as bad as the next.

 

I'd rather give away my favorite guitar than have to own that one.

 

Personally, I can't believe "Why isn't this guitar more popular?" was posed as a legitimate question.

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Wow, that ranks right up there with the ugliest, and most 'blech' guitars I've ever seen. It's the style I guess, because to me, each color is as bad as the next.


I'd rather give away my favorite guitar than have to own that one.


Personally, I can't believe "Why isn't this guitar more popular?" was posed as a legitimate question.

Well believe it or not there are people that play a guitar because of the way it sounds more than the way it looks.

 

I know that may be hard to grasp. :poke:

 

And to be honest I didn't experience a strange stirring in my loins the first time I saw one, but it does grow on you a bit. I guess it's kind of like getting to know someone who isn't really pretty and you discover that they have something to offer and realize that personality and character go a long way.

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Wow, that ranks right up there with the ugliest, and most 'blech' guitars I've ever seen. It's the style I guess, because to me, each color is as bad as the next.


I'd rather give away my favorite guitar than have to own that one.


Personally, I can't believe "Why isn't this guitar more popular?" was posed as a legitimate question.

Opinions...... am sure you know the rest :poke: .... so go on, give away you're favorite guitar:lol: Obviously you've never played one - looks are irrelevant.....I mean, there are legions of folks who dig pointy guitars.....go figure

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I had one for a couple of years - a green one, which are (as far as the Burns people said) the rarest. God knows I've never seen another.

 

Eventually I sold it because I couldn't stand the little switches - they were very hard to use live because, being tiny and black, they were impossible to see under most stage lighting conditions. I did play about four shows with it and did some recording before we reluctantly parted.

 

Funny thing is, it's now hanging on the wall at a local used guitar shop, and they can't sell it to save their lives. It's a pretty unique thing, I guess - and very polarizing. For someone who is interested in the potential it's an awesome guitar, but your average joe on the street isn't going to be looking for one.

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I had one for a couple of years - a green one, which are (as far as the Burns people said) the rarest. God knows I've never seen another.


Eventually I sold it because I couldn't stand the little switches - they were very hard to use live because, being tiny and black, they were impossible to see under most stage lighting conditions. I did play about four shows with it and did some recording before we reluctantly parted.


Funny thing is, it's now hanging on the wall at a local used guitar shop, and they can't sell it to save their lives. It's a pretty unique thing, I guess - and very polarizing. For someone who is interested in the potential it's an awesome guitar, but your average joe on the street isn't going to be looking for one.

 

 

If you think about it up until about 10-15 years ago there had only been one of these ever made so it doesn't have the rich history to compete with a lot of the other guitars out there. It's not like there are millions of songs out there with this guitar on it so it's still a fairly unknown deal (besides everyone knowing that it's Brian May's guitar I mean).

 

It'll probably never catch on in big quantities, but I think that it's pretty cool and it's a very nice guitar which is the main thing.

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I've just never cared for them; that and the price haven't been something I want to spend my money on.

What's nice is that it's one of the guitars that isn't usually listed on the exclusion list during most of those big sales at GC and MF. I got my second one here for $569 shipped. I don't remember exactly how I swung it, but there was a price match and a discount in there.

 

This was back when they went up to $999 for a few months as well.

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The only Red Special I've played was a custom-made, true to original specs for a collector, and the neck was the first one that truly made me think of a baseball bat. It was just 'yuge! I've kind of written off all of the RS I've seen because I figured I wouldn't like the neck carve. I prefer a wide-thin neck.

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If it didnt have those uber cheap switches I could gel with it.

But it so reminds me of the Magnum LP copy with onboard effects my Cuz bought in 84 or 85.

The model with the mirror pickguard does look pretty sweet though.

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It looks like a DIY guitar. I would never be seen anywhere with that thing.


:facepalm:

 

Yeah, what {censored}ing idiot would ever be seen playing a DIY guitar?

 

vanhalen.jpg

 

BTW, have you checked your online name recently? :poke:

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