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pre 2000? there are tons of old vintage ss amps that sounded good. dean markley's, roland, peavey, gretsch, acoustic, yamaha, kustom, etc. really depends on what kind of sound you wanted. certain companies had models that were just excellent.

if i could find a yamaha g100 like i use to have, i'd snag that up in a second. same goes for a old peavey and my tuck n roll kustom.

no, just no.

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no, just no.

 

 

no what? they sound great if you're going for minimal distortion through a pedal (because the gain on it sucks but the clean is worth it). and for a $150 100w 212 those things are beasts as they sound full rather than compressed and coming through a paper towel roll covered in foil. 

 

throw a tech21 liverpool or a ocd v3 and you got yourself a decent practice amp.

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Different subject, but what exactly are the physical aspects of an acoustic guitar that make a $2k one sound better than a $200 one? To make things simple, assume current day's technology and not compare over time.

 

Is the fretboard produced with more precision (ie, the frets are spaced exactly perfect), the strings are the right height above the bridge, etc?

 

I don't really understand it but when I play my cousin's high-end Martin, it just seems so much easier than my Yamaha. Just wondering why.

 

You could ask the same question about an electric but I'm sure that is a much more complicated debate (because it is a more complex instrument).

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Different subject, but what exactly are the physical aspects of an acoustic guitar that make a $2k one sound better than a $200 one? To make things simple, assume current day's technology and not compare over time.

Is the fretboard produced with more precision (ie, the frets are spaced exactly perfect), the strings are the right height above the bridge, etc?

I don't really understand it but when I play my cousin's high-end Martin, it just seems so much easier than my Yamaha. Just wondering why.

You could ask the same question about an electric but I'm sure that is a much more complicated debate (because it is a more complex instrument).

Im on my phone so ill make this short

Build quality, Tone, materials, size, etc. Etc..

The name is a part of it too.

there is way more that goes into an acoustic than an electric. The time it takes a luthier to build a quality acoustic takes far longer than what it takes to build a assembly line acoustic or a electric guitar. Hence the steeper price tag.

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Not saying you are wrong but you didn't answer my question.

 

What defines build quality? What physical aspects of a guitar define tone? Why does a certain wood produce a better sound? I guess size is a pretty easy one to quantify. At a certain level, aren't they all "full sized", though? I mean, after you throw out the children's beginner guitars and such.

 

So in one question -- what are the root causes (not the characteristics) that cause one guitar to be better than another?

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Different subject, but what exactly are the physical aspects of an acoustic guitar that make a $2k one sound better than a $200 one? To make things simple, assume current day's technology and not compare over time.

Is the fretboard produced with more precision (ie, the frets are spaced exactly perfect), the strings are the right height above the bridge, etc?

I don't really understand it but when I play my cousin's high-end Martin, it just seems so much easier than my Yamaha. Just wondering why.

You could ask the same question about an electric but I'm sure that is a much more complicated debate (because it is a more complex instrument).

basically, the more you pay on an acoustic, the more bells and whistles you get. not necessarily better sound. you'll get tuners with higher gear ratio, bone nut and saddle, ivory fretboard binding, SUPER dense frets, abalone inlays, exotic woods (koa, etc...), and a logo on the headstock that makes heads turn.

in regards to the amp talk, I'm sorry for sounding like such an elitist. I'm a mega tube amp snob and I pretty much roll my nose up at anything else, so I probably should have just kept my mouth shut. I honestly just can't fathom why anyone would play a solid state amp, even for practicing.

I've been endorsed by Orange for the past 5 years so I tend to talk shit about anything else. gotta work on that, I suppose.

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Not saying you are wrong but you didn't answer my question.

 

What defines build quality? What physical aspects of a guitar define tone? Why does a certain wood produce a better sound? I guess size is a pretty easy one to quantify. At a certain level, aren't they all "full sized", though? I mean, after you throw out the children's beginner guitars and such.

 

So in one question -- what are the root causes (not the characteristics) that cause one guitar to be better than another?

 

 

there are many aspects of an acoustic that defines the build quality. from the glue to the amount of braces, the wood, bridge, etc etc. the person who's working on it, ornaments, nut, inlays, etc etc etc.. 

 

the physical aspects that define the tone are the strings/bridge/soundboard(top layer of wood), the backplate, braces, and sometimes the glue used. take for instance you use some cheap masonite or layered top you'll get a shitty tiny sound due to not having the same characteristics as a solid top, while say brazilian rosewood will give you a rich beautiful tone that will sustain for days. mainly because of the cost, a luthier usually pics a good solid piece for higher end or one of a kind guitars. also high quality guitars use different brace patterns and depending on the wood used can also add or detract from the sound. usually luthiers will sometimes use pieces of wood that will cost anywhere from $500 to 1k for a the front/back plate itself. not to mention if they are hand or machine milled or how thinly they are shaved (which also changes the tone). add ornaments and machine heads, bridge, nut, fretboard, etc etc and it adds to the tone. you'd be surprised on how a nut of all things can effect the sound to a degree. it's a science really.

 

the tone you get is also dependent on the size and shape of the guitar. hence why an ovation might have a certain sound, as does a mini, jumbo, full dreadnaught, 3/4, etc etc. even a flying v acoustic has a certain sound. add what i said above and below are what makes a $200 guitar differ from $2000-$12000 guitar. you also have to take consideration into the build itself. most high end acoustics aren't built like factory assembly line guitars which can vary from time to time. one acoustic can defer from the next even if it's the same model #. most higher end guitars are usually hand built by luthiers who take considerable time in building to make a perfect guitar. usually months to a year. not a week in mass quantities like factory acoustics. 

 

i know this is jumbled mess, but i hope this helps. i'm just spurting out shit as i think of it.

 

all this crap pretty much goes for classical guitars too. hence why i won't buy one under $500 for even a cheap one. 

 

amps are the exact same way. it all comes down to the  tonal wood and build/maker. hence why emperor amps sound so much better than say marshall cabs nowadays. 

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basically, the more you pay on an acoustic, the more bells and whistles you get. not necessarily better sound. you'll get tuners with higher gear ratio, bone nut and saddle, ivory fretboard binding, SUPER dense frets, abalone inlays, exotic woods (koa, etc...), and a logo on the headstock that makes heads turn.

in regards to the amp talk, I'm sorry for sounding like such an elitist. I'm a mega tube amp snob and I pretty much roll my nose up at anything else, so I probably should have just kept my mouth shut. I honestly just can't fathom why anyone would play a solid state amp, even for practicing.

I've been endorsed by Orange for the past 5 years so I tend to talk shit about anything else. gotta work on that, I suppose.

 

nah, i understand, but solid states and tubes are two different beasts. i'd never chose the best solid state over a mediocre tube amp. when i play live, it's strictly tube. i just like having well built solid states just for shits and giggles and practice at home. 

 

i love orange amps. getting ready to buy myself a nice little dual terror with a avatar 212 for recording purposes. live it's a sovtek mig100 or a peavey vtm120. i wish i could find a mesa f100 for a decent price. i just like older vintage tube amps because they could be modded like the sovtek mig. shit's a beast live. if i could afford it, id' probably buy a or, or a ad, but i'd have to try them out. probably a 50 since you really don't need more than that, as they are louder than any marshall 100w amp. hell my tiny terror blew doors compared to my buddies fenders. he didn't believe me it was only 15 watts going through a 412.

 

yay for CLASS A amps!!!

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I have a J-45, and I love it, but I'd have to note that any Gibson I have played comes with what I'd say is sub-par build quality simply because of lacking quality control. If I drop $2000 for a guitar, it shouldn't need to have frets leveled or anything like that. You're paying for better woods, popular designs and recognizable names. Boutique ones are given attention because their reputation depends on it.

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I have a J-45, and I love it, but I'd have to note that any Gibson I have played comes with what I'd say is sub-par build quality simply because of lacking quality control. If I drop $2000 for a guitar, it shouldn't need to have frets leveled or anything like that. You're paying for better woods, popular designs and recognizable names. Boutique ones are given attention because their reputation depends on it.

 

this. 

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The amp talk has me wanting to check craigslist everyday for a tube amp. Right now I play on a Marshall MG30dfx and a Mexican-made strat from about 10 years ago. I am assuming that upgrading the amp will get me more band for my buck right now than upgrading the guitar.

 

As for what makes the quality of a guitar, I think it's kinda what I suspected. A fraction of a millimeter here, a little bit better of wood there, and it all adds up (since sound waves that are not perfectly in unison cancel each other out rather than resonating).

 

I never really understood why hand made stuff is higher quality. I would think that the repeatability and precision of a machine would exceed a person. If I cut wood for a project (and I understand, I am far from a master craftsman), I'm just trying to get it right to about a 16th of an inch. A machine should be able to cut it the right length to microns.

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I've got a $200 acoustic. Obviously it wont play as well as a Taylor or Martin, but it gets by. I don't play that much acoustic so I don't need to spend $1k+ on an acoustic. Personally, Taylor guitars sound awesome and the playability surpases any acoustic I have ever played. I'd say the more you spend on an acoustic should be based on the amount you play.

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Here's another question for you music gearheads -- I have a box with 2 12 inch subs in my basement. I had trunk rattlers when I was in high school. They haven't been in use for many years, though. Each speaker just takes normal speaker wire inputs.

 

What do you think the chances if I just bought a head I could turn them into a guitar amp? Would it sound like shit? I believe they are 800 watt sony xplods.

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Here's another question for you music gearheads -- I have a box with 2 12 inch subs in my basement. I had trunk rattlers when I was in high school. They haven't been in use for many years, though. Each speaker just takes normal speaker wire inputs.

What do you think the chances if I just bought a head I could turn them into a guitar amp? Would it sound like shit? I believe they are 800 watt sony xplods.

please don't do this.

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I realize this is supposed to be "post a pic of your gear" and not "help a dude buy musical instruments on craigslist" but what do you think of this?

 

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/msg/3477251507.html

 

I'm probably never going to play anywhere but my basement. I just figure I should go for a tube amp but I don't have a grand or anything for it. Would I be foolish to trade my 2000s Mexican Strat for this? Then I could go after a better guitar.

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I realize this is supposed to be "post a pic of your gear" and not "help a dude buy musical instruments on craigslist" but what do you think of this?

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/msg/3477251507.html

I'm probably never going to play anywhere but my basement. I just figure I should go for a tube amp but I don't have a grand or anything for it. Would I be foolish to trade my 2000s Mexican Strat for this? Then I could go after a better guitar.

I've never heard of that brand, but it's American built and has a good tube section. play test it

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I really don't know what I'm doing tech wise. I can play ok though. So what am I looking for? Lot of hum = bad, right? I don't think I can discern "tone" that well with my ears. I can't tune by ear.

lot of hum might be the result of a single coil pickup or perhaps a grounding issue. in other words, not really a big deal. tell you what, what's your budget, and what guitarists' tone do you want to acheive? are you going for a dimebag-esque mid scooped shredder tone, or are you going for a warm einzenger lo-gain feel??? or a chimey arctic monkeys sound? what kind of sound do YOU like?

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I really don't know what I'm doing tech wise. I can play ok though. So what am I looking for? Lot of hum = bad, right? I don't think I can discern "tone" that well with my ears. I can't tune by ear.

 

 

i'm somewhat the opposite. I have pretty small hands, so I can't play crazy fast and technical stuff, but I've learned how to manipulate effects and my tone to create a style of playing that works for what I want to do. I also play a lot of stuff up the neck because frets are closer.

 

I really need to get a mustang or something 3/4 scale.

 

 

Buuuuut, that amp looks decent. Totally worth it for a tube amp, even if it's just for home use.

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amnstpls, let me get back to you. I am on a government funded grant and I want to see how the fiscal cliff stuff goes before I make a big purchase. Until then I am just messing around on craigslist trying to find a cool toy for a couple hundred or a trade of something I don't want. It probably won't end up in a purchase.

 

As for what sound I like, you can look at my list and see what I'm into. If I pick up the guitar, I play Gaslight, Teenage Bottlerocket, the Clash, etc. The highest level I ever see myself playing at would be a couple dudes jamming in a garage or basement with no one listening. Never in clubs or anything.

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