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  1. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:So guys. I got my explorer in about september. And I think I've picked up my Les Paul about 3 times since then. Pretty sad... I was afraid it would become obsolete, and it has. The Explorer just plays so much better, has a similar sound, but that much better, and it's cooler to look at As for my strat, I love it a lot, but I've always wanted a better one. It's a standard MIM strat, with some GFS pups, great sound, great look, but I want a better neck and I want a black body. Basically, I'm thinking of selling both those guitars, and getting an American Standard Strat.

    Has anyone played an American Standard? I've played a few at the store and they feel and sound great. I want a good strat tone, and a good glossy buttery neck, like my explorer has. But obviously a maple strat neck. So can anyone give me some advice on a new strat?

    The American Standard is THE Strat. I think you can't go wrong with it. But there a few lower priced Strats on the market that are probably worth considering:

    - The MIM Classic and Classic Players got mostly great reviews - I believe the Classic 70 is available in black with maple neck. It's got a three- bolt neck and a big headstock.

    - The Roadhouse Strat got Texas Special Pickups and is available in black with maple fretboard.

    - The Jimmy Vaughan Strat has Tex- Mex Pickups and a V- neck, it's available in black with maple.

    - The Korean Lite Ash (=Swamp Ash) Strat has Duncan Pickups and a beautiful birdseye maple neck somewhere in the middle between C- and V- shape. It's available in black.

    - The US- made Highway 1 has jumbo frets, hot pickups and is available in a flat black Nitro laquer finish. Speaking personally - I really like the new Highway Strats. But they have a totally different approach and feel than the American Standard.

    Hope this helps somehow.

    Alex
  2. It does help. I've been looking at alternatives to the expensive American Standard. The thing is though, i've found that, yes you can get a quality guitar for a reasonable price. But in the end, the more expensive guitar, even if it isn't TOO different, is usually worth the extra money. Happened with my Gibson explorer, as opposed to getting an epiphone. The Epiphones are great, but in the end I'm glad I spent ALL of my savings and got a Gibson. It's become my favourite guitar. I will probably end up getting an American Standard. The only thing that's making me consider another strat is the large 70's headstock on the 70's MIm strat. Too bad the american 70's doesn't come in black with a maple fretboard.
  3. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:It does help. I've been looking at alternatives to the expensive American Standard. The thing is though, i've found that, yes you can get a quality guitar for a reasonable price. But in the end, the more expensive guitar, even if it isn't TOO different, is usually worth the extra money. Happened with my Gibson explorer, as opposed to getting an epiphone. The Epiphones are great, but in the end I'm glad I spent ALL of my savings and got a Gibson. It's become my favourite guitar. I will probably end up getting an American Standard. The only thing that's making me consider another strat is the large 70's headstock on the 70's MIm strat. Too bad the american 70's doesn't come in black with a maple fretboard.

    If I were to get hold of any Fender at this moment in time, it would have to be an MIM purely based on financial restraints. Hell, whilst I'm sitting in my room waiting for the Explorer to arrive, I'm not getting any guitar for a bloody long time yet lol but next on the list would be either a Strat., a Tele. or an Epiphone Casino. I would dearly love a Gibson one day but that's one day, because unless one's gonna buy them second hand or what have you, I just can't afford it, savings or no.

    Just on a quick Fender-related note, my friend from Uni. informed me the other day that he's just got hold of a Mustang '65 Reissue (Olympic White finish) aswell as an Orange Tiny Terror Combo amp., so I can't wait to give that a whirl when we all go back in a couple of weeks time - a chance to finally play on some decent single coils!

    It was quite amusing though last night when I was sitting in the living with my parents, and dad asked me why I'd decided to get the Explorer as opposed to something like a Rickenbacker (he's a child of the 60s, admittedly...!) and I subsequently explained that, whereas my Explorer fetched £322 (excluding P&P), the only 2 Rickenbackers I'd come across in local music shops (a 6 str. and a 12 str. Jetglo, black finish) were priced at well over £700 respectively! And when one has a student budget to consider, I don't have that kind of money running around lol...
  4. Originally posted by WojBhoy:[..]
    If I were to get hold of any Fender at this moment in time, it would have to be an MIM purely based on financial restraints. Hell, whilst I'm sitting in my room waiting for the Explorer to arrive, I'm not getting any guitar for a bloody long time yet lol but next on the list would be either a Strat., a Tele. or an Epiphone Casino. I would dearly love a Gibson one day but that's one day, because unless one's gonna buy them second hand or what have you, I just can't afford it, savings or no.

    Just on a quick Fender-related note, my friend from Uni. informed me the other day that he's just got hold of a Mustang '65 Reissue (Olympic White finish) aswell as an Orange Tiny Terror Combo amp., so I can't wait to give that a whirl when we all go back in a couple of weeks time - a chance to finally play on some decent single coils!

    It was quite amusing though last night when I was sitting in the living with my parents, and dad asked me why I'd decided to get the Explorer as opposed to something like a Rickenbacker (he's a child of the 60s, admittedly...!) and I subsequently explained that, whereas my Explorer fetched £322 (excluding P&P), the only 2 Rickenbackers I'd come across in local music shops (a 6 str. and a 12 str. Jetglo, black finish) were priced at well over £700 respectively! And when one has a student budget to consider, I don't have that kind of money running around lol...


    That's pretty cool that your dad knows guitars haha. My dad just refers to my explorer as the X shaped guitar, and my strat as the red one. (sunburst, lol).

    As for student fees and financial restraints, that's where I'm very lucky. My mom works at Carleton University here in Ottawa, Ontario. So I happen to get free tuition if I choose to attend there (which I will be next year). So basically, all the money from my part time job goes to whatever the hell I want. Haha.
  5. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

    That's pretty cool that your dad knows guitars haha. My dad just refers to my explorer as the X shaped guitar, and my strat as the red one. (sunburst, lol).

    As for student fees and financial restraints, that's where I'm very lucky. My mom works at Carleton University here in Ottawa, Ontario. So I happen to get free tuition if I choose to attend there (which I will be next year). So basically, all the money from my part time job goes to whatever the hell I want. Haha.


    You should 'hint' to your dad that a gift (from him or anyone) of a Rickenbacker would be very much welcome.
  6. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:That's pretty cool that your dad knows guitars haha. My dad just refers to my explorer as the X shaped guitar, and my strat as the red one. (sunburst, lol).

    As for student fees and financial restraints, that's where I'm very lucky. My mom works at Carleton University here in Ottawa, Ontario. So I happen to get free tuition if I choose to attend there (which I will be next year). So basically, all the money from my part time job goes to whatever the hell I want. Haha.

    Heh, well, dad isn't THAT hot on guitars but yeah, he does know the odd bit here and there, but nonetheless I was kinda thrown back when he mentioned Ricks to me lol! And re. your arrangement regarding Uni., you're a lucky bastard so make the most of it! I had to give up my 2 jobs before going to Uni. because it just wasn't feasible at the time to keep up with them whilst living at Uni., so I'm doing as best I can on the loan before next year when I should hopefully find another job.



    Ha, some hint lol. The parents contributed £200 towards the Explorer, whilst other relatives put £100 combined, so I'm paying the final £32 inc. P&P so something tells me I'm seriously unlikely to get a Rick. in such a manner lol...but yeah, you're right, it would be MORE than welcome

    I was interested to see one of the various U2 tribute bands' (think it was Elevation? Can't remember though) Edges playing Ultra-Violet on a black Jetglo...even though the actual part didn't sound right, he got a pretty sweet tone out of it
  7. HIDDEN AMPS:
    • (1) `60’s Vox AC30TB converted/customized to a head – reference tone for FOH (w/Vox 2x12 cabinet [located behind rack])
    • (1) `50’s Fender Deluxe Tweed (mic’d at rear)
    • (1) `60’s Vox AC30 (mic’d at rear)

    FENDER - BLUES JUNIOR - (Customized) - Xxxx - Used for shimmer effects during Vertigo tour.
    FENDER - Deluxe - 1959 (Behind rig during 2005/2006 Vertigo tour._


    HIWATT:
    HIWATT - [model / information forthcoming]
    HIWATT combo amp - [model / information forthcoming] - Mentioned as being used for "Elevation" during the "All That You Can't Leave Behind" recording sessions.




    Neat! Thanks. Yeah what's the deal with the amps behind the main rig? Backups? They need to be isolated ?
    You can see some of them here

    He used the HiWatt on ATYCLB for Elevation, right? You can also see one in a picture of HQ during Atomic Bomb recording sessions in U2 By U2. What's your opinion on HiWatt amps, Jeff? I saw Oasis a couple of weeks ago, Noel Gallagher is using HiWatts exclusively for this tour. I thought he got an awful sound out of them, I wish he'd switch back to his Fenders and Voxes of yore. Yet we see Edge has gotten a killer sound out of HiWatt amplification.

    I assume the Vox-in-a-box refers to the amp kept in a box so the soundboard can get a sound w/o the ambience of the room/arena, right? Dallas makes some mention of it in one of these videos from the Elevation Tour (anyone else seen these?)

    PART 1


    PART 2


    PART 3
  8. PART 1


    PART 2


    PART 3




    The one's in the back are for various reasons. The "VOX-In-A-Box" is for isolation and reference tone for FOH mix (for Joe O'Herlihy).

    The others are mic'd from behind the combo amp. Different tone then micing in front of the amp and used to blend in with other amp signals. As they are mic'd from behind, no need to have them out front.

    Hi-Watt amps are fine. Very rock. Very overdrive. Hence, Oasis use them. Hence, Pete Townshend used them a lot with The Who. Hence, The Edge used them on things like Elevation. (on the song, not during the Elevation tour)
  9. Moe on Edge's Hi-Watt amp use from the January 2001 Guitar Player magazine article

    GP : "Elevation" has some amazing distortion tones.

    Edge : I used a Gibson SG through an old fuzz pedal of Daniel's into the Bassman. He said, "What do you think of this?" Within ten minutes, I had the riff that became the stepping off point for "Elevation". Inspiration can come from anywhere, and a fresh sound can be just as inspiring as a great hook. To me, sounds *are* hooks. That tone presented a whole world of ideas to me, and we got a song
    out of it.

    GP : What is that huge distortion sound that barges in during the main riff?

    Edge : That's the Hiwatt.

    So how did he do that tone live during the Elevation tour? Hi-Watt amp simulation in the Line 6 POD is my first guess.


    Full Guitar Player feature from Jan 2001 article can be found at:
    http://www.u2-stage-and-studio.com/edge/id33.html
  10. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:It does help. I've been looking at alternatives to the expensive American Standard. The thing is though, i've found that, yes you can get a quality guitar for a reasonable price. But in the end, the more expensive guitar, even if it isn't TOO different, is usually worth the extra money. Happened with my Gibson explorer, as opposed to getting an epiphone. The Epiphones are great, but in the end I'm glad I spent ALL of my savings and got a Gibson. It's become my favourite guitar. I will probably end up getting an American Standard. The only thing that's making me consider another strat is the large 70's headstock on the 70's MIm strat. Too bad the american 70's doesn't come in black with a maple fretboard.


    If I were you I'd think about visiting a big store where I could play and compare a few of them.

    For example, I tried the Lite Ash Strat twice. I really loved the sound but the neck shape between "C" and slight "V" was not my cup of tea. On the other hand, the Highway 1 was dreamlike for me - with the exception of the vintage vibrato - I prefer floating trems. In the end I chose a lot of Highway parts for my blue project Strat.

    That's what you could do, too. Get yourself a black Strat body, get the neck you prefer, get some replacement pickups and get a few other itmes - and then assemble your personal dream Strat.

    But out of experience I can tell you: If you're set on an American Standard then everything else will most likely be just a substitute, and you'll never be completely happy with it.

    Alex
  11. Hey guys - on the subject of building one's own guitars, a friend of my parents told me about www.warmoth.com; anyone else heard of it?

    Anyway, I was just plinking along on my acoustic earlier on and I hit on this little arrangement which I was kinda pleased with. Ok, as ever, the microphone on my mp3 player is atrocious so there's an irritating hiss to contend with and it was a bit ad lib as far as my musicianship goes but hey ho lol. I played it on my acoustic and the delay was added afterwards for a bit of extra flavour (mainly because when I tried it out originally on my Les Paul, the end product wasn't anywhere near as good, but the delay seemed to fill it out so I added afterwards);

    October/One medley

    PS - if the link doesn't work, let me know and I'll stick it on mediafire again, I know Alex saying that my last effort to use eSnips went up the spout but I've tried the link myself and it seems to be working for the moment
  12. On the subject of Black Strats and/or builiding a Black Strat?

    Try a Fender Highway One Stratocaster. Price? Averaging $749.99 - And that ain't bad at all!

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN111162

    They come in come in Edge-Used / Edge-Approved black. It'd be great as is but if you want all black early era...

    ...You can swap out the white pickguard, pickup covers and knobs for Edge-Used / Edge-Approved black... and et voila - all black `70's style Stratocaster.

    All I've heard from the Highway One's is that the stock pickups are pretty great. But as usual, one could swap them out for Fralin's, Kinman's or other after-market upgrades later.

    My .02
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U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.