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cpach
Feb 28, 2005
Yamaha BB404F
Price Paid / Price New: 250/discontinued
Year Manufactured: 2004
Specs:
Nathan East style body
3-piece alder body, yellow natural stain
fretless, 4 string
1-piece maple neck, bolt on, w/ truss rod, rosewood fingerboard w/ 24 maple fretlines
2 jazz-sized single coil ceramic pickups (look like some sort of bar magnet design)
passive electronics, 2 volume, 1 tone
yamaha branded die-cast tuners



Sound: 5/5 Sounds frickin' awesome. Good acoustic tone. Not exactly a classic fretless jazz sound, but similar (and not worse, I don't think). Very good, with overall sweet tone. Variations in balance between neck and bridge pickups very useful. I play with D'addario chromes flatwounds, and it has a deep, sweet, round, mwah. There are probably better sounding fretless basses out there, but not for the price. I like it a lot better then the Fender Fretless Jazz Standard. With a pickup upgrade, I don't see why this couldn't sound even more fantastic, but I'm already completely satisfied.

Instrument Quality: 5/5 Fantastic, especially considering the price. Came flawless, with good finish (light, see-through stain), very tight neck/body pocket, and set up with low action without buzz. Holds tuning well. Really, nothing to complain about, and I have had no reliability issues with it so far. It is very pretty, although you can certainly see where the body is jointed together. I don't care, I think it adds some character if anything.

Playbility: 5/5 Very good! The body style is one of my favorites; it just fits. Less bulky than, say, a jazz bass, with fantastic upper access. Reasonable weight, although I haven't weighed it. Neck very comfortable, unlike my wimpy-thin Ibanez SRX400, and perhaps a little thicker than a standard jazz neck, with a fairly flat radius. String spacing is comfortable.

Overall Value: 5/5 Outstanding value. For $250 I have a bass that I am absolutely happy with. I would probably pay up to $600 if mine was broken/stolen. It is made out of standard materials (solid alder, maple, rosewood), with a good finish, quality hardware, good sounding electronics, plays well, has a body shape I like, etc etc. I have no reservations recommending it, or, by extendtion, the fretted model.

This is one of my absolute favorite instruments. Unfortunately, it's out of production. I actually ordered one of the last dozen availible from Yamaha in the US through my shop when they sold the one I was thinking of getting.

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Concatenation
Jul 23, 2005

Your human mentality cries out for vengeance and thrives on the violence you say you can hardly endure.
Jackson KE3 Kelly
http://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=KE3_Kelly
Price Paid / Price New: $AUS 1275 new
Year Manufactured: Unknown, presumably 2004/2005 model. Japanese made.
Specs: Instrument's Specifications - Pickups, Neck, etc. Use a list if possible.

quote:

BODY Alder with Flame Maple Veneer on Transparent Colors
NECK Bolt-On Rock Maple
TUNING MACHINES Die-Cast Tuners
FINGERBOARD Rosewood
NO. OF FRETS 24 Jumbo Frets
BRIDGE PICKUP Duncan Designed® Detonator™ Humbucking Pickup
NECK PICKUP Duncan Designed® Detonator™ Humbucking Pickup
CONTROLS Master Volume
BRIDGE JT580 LP Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo
HARDWARE Chrome
SCALE LENGTH 25.5”
WIDTH AT NUT 1-11/16”
UNIQUE FEATURES Compound (12” to 14”) Fingerboard Radius,
MOTO Shark Fin Position Inlays

Sound: 4.5/5
Unfortunately (but not unsurprisingly) the pickups are duncan designed, instead of official Seymour Duncans. However they're pretty drat good all the same, paired with a metalzone they give a great crunchy metal tone. They're also pretty nice clean, the sound is warmer than, say, EMG actives.

Instrument Quality: 4/5
No visible flaws anywhere, and the factory setup was fine. Some of the paint on the bridge pickup has scraped off however.

Playability: 4.5/5
The neck is great to play on, it's easy to zoom around, and doesn't have motherly high frets to trip you up. The action's a little high but that's probably due to my abortive attempts at fiddling with the bridge.

Overall Value: Example 4.5/5
For the price I paid this axe was a steal. It's got room for expansion, I'm planning to put in a floyd rose and some different pickups, so it should last me for a while.

Two things though:

1. The bridge is a licensed Floyd Rose, and so isn't of the greatest quality. Sometimes the fine-tuning screws will get stuck in a particular position, which gets fiddly when tuning. This is no biggie however. It was also a serious bitch to set up, I'd recommend getting a shop to do it for you if you're not some sort of luthier wunderkind.

2. Because of the awesome body shape, the guitar is neck-heavy. Your fretting hand will pretty much be pulling double duty supporting the guitar as well, and this will take a bit of getting used to.

helly
Oct 24, 2005

by Eris_Is_Goddess
ISP Decimator Noise Reduction Pedal
Price Paid / Price New: ~$120/$120
Year Manufactured: No idea. Probably pretty recent.
Specs:
Chrome finished steel casing
Rubber/plastic pad on pedal portion
Anti-slidy nubs on bottom
LED
Threshold knob
Uses a 9 volt battery, or essentially any adapter that works on any other effects pedal

quote:

Dimensions: 5" x 2.7" x 2.3"

Input Impedance: 500K ohms

Maximum Input Level: +12dbu

Effective Noise Reduction: greater than 60db

Dynamic Range: greater than 100db

Total Harmonic Distortion: .05% typical

Power consumption:35mA @9VDC

Release response: Program dependant based on Time Vector Processing

Sound: 5/5.
This thing sounds absolutely incredible. Now, it doesn't add to your guitar sound. Not at all. It takes away from it, in the best way possible. There is absolutely no background hum, feedback, or anything whatsoever no matter your distortion level or closeness to the amp. It uses time-vector processing to keep track of the noise and eliminate it at all stages of the sound, instead of operating as a noise-gate and cutting off your sustain to kill the background noise after playing a note. Not only will it not cut off sustain at all, it removes background noise during your playing, making your sound infinitely cleaner.

Equipment Quality: 5/5.
Great quality as far as I can tell. I have yet to gig with one, but I know Rob Arnold of Chimaira swears by his, and Christian Olde Wolbers of Fear Factory uses the rackmount version, so I figure it must be able to take some sort of beating. As far as I could tell just from using it during band practice, it's a nice, hefty little steel box, so it's pretty tough. That, and there's only one knob, an input, an output, the pedal and its tightening screw. And an LED. Pretty simple, so there ain't much to break.

Usefulness: 4/5.
It's about the most useful pedal I've ever seen. There's just one issue I had with the ease of use. Dialing in the threshold knob so that it gets rid of all the background noise, but doesn't cut into the good parts of the sound is a bitch. Took me about 20 minutes worth of frustration and testing, but it was so unbelievably worth it.

Overall Value: 5/5.
Extremely worth the price I paid for it, I'd say. Besides the few minutes of frustration to get it working right, it's a goddamn miracle in a little chrome box.

helly fucked around with this message at 09:33 on Nov 5, 2005

Mode 7 Samurai
Jan 9, 2001

Squier Standard Fat Telecaster
Price: $220
Year: 2004
Specs:


* 1 Neck Humbucker Pickup, 1 Single Coil Bridge Pickup
* 24 Fret Mahogony (and plyboard!) neck.
* Chrome Hardware


Sound: 4/5
All things considered it sounds pretty decent for being so inexpensive, and for being a Squier. The single coil bridge pickup creates a little bit of a hum, but I think this is more a problem with my amp than with the guitar itself. The neck pickup however sounds quite nice. It doesn't sound as good as a Fender, but it's pretty close. You could easily drop in a set of new pickups off Ebay and have yourself a nice Telecaster!

Instrument Quality: 4/5
Again for the price, the quality is excellent. I have had no problems with it at all, and it stays in tune pretty well to. The only thing I dislike is the 3-way selector switch, it's a tad on the flimsy side, but it is not so poor of a quality that it will come out in your hands.

Playbility:4/5
Plays very nice, and to me feels comprable to playing a Fender. The neck plays pretty well, and overall I like how it plays. The action comes a little low for my taste, but it's easily adjustable.

Overall Value: 4/5
Great for a first guitar, or any guitar for that matter. If you want a Telecaster without the Fender price, this is the way to go. If you get a plain color you can pick them up pretty cheap at any guitar shop. Mine was a little more expensive because of the Sunburst finish. However you really can't beat this guitar, I would higly reccomend it to anyone.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ibanez Artcore AS73
Price: $299
Year: 2005
Specs:


* Maple body
* Mahogany neck
* Bound rosewood fretboard
* 22 large frets
* ACH1 humbucker at the neck
* ACH2 humbucker at the bridge
* Chrome hardware
* Pearl dot inlays


Sound: 4/5
This guitar sounds pretty good, I wouldn't go so far to say it sounds awesome, but it can crank out the jams no problem. You can easily play rock or jazz on this guitar, it's is pretty versatile.

Instrument Quality: 4/5
This is a fine instrument to say the least. It is one hot looking guitar, there is no questioning that! It is solid, and everything feels as it should. The only thing that took getting used to (For me at least) was the top strap button is located on the back of the buitar directly below where the neck is. While it's not a major issue, it did take some getting used to.

Playbility:4/5
While this guitar does play very nice, you have to get used to the neck. It's really tall, it almost feels like your playing a bass. The body is also a little on the big side, and at times it can be hard to get a comfortable position for my picking hand. Most of the time though it isn't to much of an issue. Mostly it bothers me after I have been playing for hours.

Overall Value: 4/5
Overall this is a great guitar. The big factor is that it looks loving sweet. I would recomend it to anyone who wants to do some rock or jazz, maybe even blues. To my ears it doesn't sound quite right when playing punk music, but maybe it's just me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Epiphone Les Paul Junior
Price: $99
Year: 2005
Specs:

* Classic LP styling
* Fast neck
* Tonewood body
* Single high-output humbucker at the bridge


Sound: 3/5
The sound isn't terrible, but isn't outstanding either. It has a single humbucker pickup which does a pretty decent job, but there isn't a lot of a lot of versatility to be found. Has one volume and one tone knob.

Instrument Quality: 3/5
This is a heavy loving guitar, it's deceiving because it's a small guitar. While this isn't a completely lovely guitar, it's not great either.

Playbility:3.5/5
The playability is actually pretty good on this thing. My only gripe is that if you are like me, and attack the strings hard while playing, they have a tendancy to hit the pickup, which creates irritating sounds. You can get around that by playing a little lighter, but that's not really how I play. Aside from that, the neck action is pretty decent.

Overall Value: 3.5/5
Like most things about this guitar, everything is absolutely average. This isn't a guitar I would use to gig with, I would say get the Gibson model instead. However this makes a great practice guitar, and maybe for very small gatherings where a electric guitar is needed. It makes a wonderful beginners guitar, the only reason I bought it was because of the absurdly cheap price tag, and because I wanted to gently caress with it.

Mode 7 Samurai fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Nov 8, 2005

Dade Murphy
Oct 17, 2005

by Lowtax
Title of Equipment: Vox ValveTronix AD60VTH Head
Price Paid / Price New: $300 something / I dunno..low $500 high $400 I think
Year Manufactured: 2003/2004 I think
Specs: 60watt mono modeling digital guitar amp with a tube or something

Sound: 4.5/5
I love the sound for a modeling amp, my dad has a Fender Cyber and I like this a lot better, I think it sounds a lot more organic. The tube thing really does work too, if you combine it with the power break thing it has that lets you adjust the wattage (60w, 30w, 15w and 1w). Lower wattages really allow you to turn it up and get some nices sounds at lower volumes. You can really hear the difference between having it around 3 at 60 watts and like 5 or 6 on 30w or 15w, so it's gotta be doing something.

There is a 120watt stereo version of this, but I opted against it because I cranked this up in the store and it had plenty of power, more then I'll ever use. Plus I have no need for the stereo stuff.

Some of the patches sound really nice, I use the jcm800 type sounds and the AC30 and Tweed a lot. The AC30 sounds really good.

One of the things I like the most is that you can use it just like a normal guitar amp. I have it in manual mode just about all the time, everything is seperate on it and it's all controlled with analog knobs, I hate fiddeling aroung with patches and hitting buttons to change stuff.


Quality: 4.5/5
Nothing has broken...yet. Some people say the input jacks get loose over time and cutout a bit but mine are still fine. Everything still works and sounds good so far. Build quality feels nice and solid, all the knobs feel really nice and smooth. It's pretty heavy too.

Usefullness: 4/5
One thing that really pisses me off is that it kind of sucks without the foot controller. I don't have it, and without it there is no other way to change channels other then walking up to it and adjusting things or pressing buttons. It's some big expensive $200+ deal that has a wah and volume pedal on it, it's pretty nice, but I don't want to pay that much to change channels to go from clean to distortion or something. They should have included just one of those normal footswitches and left the big one as an option.

Overall Value: 5/5
I paid like $300 for it and it's been great. It can go between a jcm800 and fender tweed and sound great on both. It's really easy to use, I use it like a normal amp. Plus, the serial number on mine is 666 :rock:

Totem
Nov 20, 2005
Well I suppose sooner or later I will have all of the gear I won reviewed but first we'll start with the core of my sound, the Peavey XXL 100W 212 combo.

Title of Equipment: Peavey XXL 212 Combo
Price Paid/Price New:$500 CAN/$899 CAN (That's how much the sticker was when I bought it anyways)
Year Manufactured: I think 2003
Specs: (straight from the horse's mouth...that horse being Peavey.com)

Features
Two 12 inch Blue Marvel® speakers
Three fully independent channels
Bottom, body and edge active EQ on Ultra channel
3-band passive EQ on Clean and Lead channels
3-position EQ and gain voicing switches on each channel
100 watts RMS into 4, 8, or 16 ohms using tube amp output transformers
Power level switch for 25, 50, or 100 watt operation
Power amp damping switch (tight, medium, loose)
Footswitchable effects loop with effects level switch
Preamp out/power amp in patching jacks
Digital reverb
Master volume
3-button footswitch included
Classic jeweled pilot light
Chrome plated brass control knobs

Sound: 5/5
I cant say enough about this thing's sound. I have played through all kinds of high-end amps extensively, including (but not limited to) Peavey JSX, Marshall JCM 800, Krank Krankenstein, Crate BV300, Bogner Uberschall and some others I can't remember. Of course all these amps sound great (some more than others) but the mere fact that a solid state combo can but heads with them is amazing. Before I go any further I want to describe my sound to you. First and foremost I'm a metalhead primarily. And when I say metalhead I'm talking mostly old-school american metal and some more classic stuff. My two biggest influences are Dimebag and Zakk so you can see that I play with some majorly chunky toys. My two main guitars (as of now) have mahogany bodies (no, theyre not Gibbos) which helps the amp with a warm full sound. I get all the chunk I need out of this bad boy (with the Ultra channel) without getting muddy, which is amazing. Because most SS amps lose definition if they have the lows turned up too high. But I can get other types of rhythms too. Just by fiddling with the EQ and choosing a different gain voicing I can go from Zakk's chunk to Alexi Laiho's awesome rhythms. The key to this sound is not to sound shrill though, because some amps I've played (especially the Krankenstein) sound REALLY shrill when you scoop the mids and it just sounds liek you're running through a fuzzbox with the treble on 10.

Now for those of you who don't play metal (although I have no ida why you wouldn't :P) fear not, the Lead channel has all the mild distortions to overdrives you could want. I've played all kinds of music with my band including stuff by Alicia Keys, Iron Maiden and Pearl Jam so take it to heart when I say this amp is versatile. I mainly used the lead channel for just that: solos. That way I could have all my rhythms on my chunked-out ultra settings (I play with the EQ at Bass-8.5, Mids-2.5, Treble-7) and then switch to the Lead which would be chock-full of mids so my solo can cut through. The Lead channel can get you anything from Judas Priest style high-gain classic metal (think painkiller....drool) all the way to AC/DC. Or if blues is your bag then dialing down on the gain can hit that up as well. Like I said....versatile.

And the clean channel? Well out of the three voicings I only ever use one: named "warm". Coupled with my Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble I can get excellent mellow chords or interludes. (think Call of Ktulu intro). Played straight into clean on the neck pickup can be a little too punchy though so I recommend dialing down the volume on your guitar a tad unless you're looking for reggae-ish sounds.

Quality: 5/5
I'll try to keep this one brief. BUILT LIKE A loving ROCK!!!!!!! I have dropped this thing down stairs, it has fallen off stages and even fallen out of the back of a moving (albeit slowly) van. The only repairs I've had to do on it was replace the reverb pot when it accidentally snapped off. Granted the corners are banged up, but hey that's what those metal things are for right? Peavey's quality control is better than any company I've seen. They hit these things with hammers before they ship.

Overall Value: 5.5/5
I've already told you how great it sounds and how long it lasts. And It butts heads with some of the greatest amps out there! The one amp I have yet to compare it to is a triple rectifier, but I plan on that next weekend. For those of you that have up to $1000 Canadian to spend on a great amp that can be used for the biggest club gigs or the smallest practice sessions, look no further. The sound, simplicity, ruggedness and price of this badboy are all amazing. Please for the love of god, try one out.

Hope my long-rear end review helped, but as you can see I love this thing. :P

Markdezy
Oct 30, 2005
Title of Instrument: Ibanez RG-7321 7 string.

Price Paid / Price New: It was around 450 with a hardshell case. I bought it new.

Year Manufactured: My headstock says 2000, but that's gotta be bullshit, I think it's like 2003

Specs: Basswood body, Rosewood fretboard, 7 string Wizard II neck, Fixed bridge. IBZ pickups

Sound: 4/5 This guitar could sound really nice with a new set of pups.

Instrument Quality: 4/5 It's built pretty well and came set up nicely from the factory.

Playbility: 5/5. Plays like a dream.

Overall Value: 5/5. Oh god, it was well worth the 400 bucks I paid for it. I've used it almost every day since I bought it, and loved every minute of it.

Scottw330
Jan 24, 2005

Please, Hammer,
Don't Hurt Em :(
Behringer V-AMP 2

Price Paid / Price New: 100$/100$

Year Manufactured: 2005

Specs
-Loads of effects.
-32 amp models.
-Easy to use.
-Comes with a foot controller.

Sound: 4.5/5.
The sound is pretty good, and it is easy to tweak the effects to get any desired sound. At the price the output is much higher in quality than expected. If you are recording then there will be a slight difference between this and a more professional preamp. The effects all sound very good and most of the amp models are usefull. Some of them are not too great sounding, but there are enough to find something that you are looking for.

Equipment Quality: 4.5/5.
The quality is pretty good for the price tag. The body is plastic and so are the knobs. One of the knobs broke off on mine unfortunately so that is something to worry about. The quality of the interface and the effects is very high, however. Another thing to note is that the transition between effects is not instantaneous, which could be disruptive during a live performance.

Usefulness: 4.5/5.
Very useful for jamming and experimenting with different effects.

Overall Value: 5/5.
Overall, for the price, this is a very nice piece of equipment. I would highly recommend it.

Scottw330 fucked around with this message at 17:26 on Jan 1, 2006

quake_and_quake_and
Jan 10, 2006

by Fistgrrl
Title of Instrument Example: First Act Trumpet
Price Paid / Price New: $200
Year Manufactured: Don't know, doesn't matter, mass produced.
Specs: It's cheap, light brass, of a golden color, but it comes with a nice wirestand, tuner, bach mouthpiece, and some valve oil.

Sound: 1/5-
It's a trumpet, but barely- it's VERY brassy and bright- not great for concert season- perfect for a marching horn.

Instrument Quality: 2/5- eh, it survived marching season

Playbility: 3/5- It plays better than the cheaper end of recorders- compared to the nice ones, and stays in tune compared to First Act string instruments- but it has ALOT of push.

Overall Value: 6/5- for all of the stuff you get with it, and the fact that you can get a trumpet this cheap is amazing.

Overall Value: 4/5-

Worth the price, all things considered?
Yes- cheap, lots of extra crap.

Would you have paid more for this instrument?
Hell no- the price was the charm of this instrument.

LedZergling
Aug 21, 2005
Agile AL-3000
Price: ~$400

Sound 5/5 - Honestly, I don't think you will get a better sounding guitar than this at $400. My friend spent $500 on some epiphone sg thing and I compared it side to side with this, no comparison. Rondomusic makes good guitars for the price. If you want a decent les paul sound but can't afford a $1500+ gibson LP, than go with this. Obviously, it isn't going to match a $1500 LP, but this guitar will outperform almost all epiphones, even the higher-end one(in my experience). Remember that it is a Les Paul style though, so if that kind of sound/style/shape isn't for you than stay away.

Instrument Quality 4/5 - For what I paid, this can't be beaten. I can tell it is sturdy, and it has also held up extremely well for however long I've had it. It's freaking beautiful. This much attention to my guitar for $400 is pretty ridiculous. It could definately pass for a more expensive guitar.

Playability 4/5 - Eh, LPs were a little harder for me to adjust to, but I got use to it in time. Not much for me to say here.

Overall 4.5/5 - The highest score I can give without being perfect. Believe me, I've played plenty of guitars, and mark my words, if you are looking for a LP, or a decent guitar in general, you WILL NOT find a better deal than this for under $400.

Worth the price? Yeah. Considering that this outperforms almost every epiphone that I've played - even the pricier ones, I'd say it is worth it.

Would you have paid more for this instrument? Probably. The price is one of the charms, though. I will say this, and that is that this guitar will outperform nearly every LP-styled guitar for under $1000.

Edit: grammar errors

LedZergling fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Jan 25, 2006

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

SWR Bass 750
Price Paid / Price New:$600/$1200-$1500
Year Manufactured: 1999 (Discontinued, new model 750x)
Specs:
750w at 4 ohms
1/4 jacks, speakon connectors
Aural enhancer knob
Separate switch for speakers and main power

Sound: 5/5 You get the great SWR sound, deep thick lows and clean bright highs. The low end has a great growl to it

Equipment Quality: 4/5 Very good, very rugged. I got mine used, and it is in great condition, despite a few scratches. It is rack mountable, which is good. Some reviews I have read say it comes with a fan. I noticed that mine gets pretty hot, so I opened it up and saw that there was no fan, nor was there space for one. It has a pretty huge heatsink, so I assume it never had a fan to begin with.

Usefullness: 5/5 Works great if you need a lot of volume and you want to sound good. Also has headphone and tuner output, as well as an effects loop.

Overall Value: 5/5 Absolutely the best amp I have ever owned. There is a newer model out, the 750x, which has a fan as well as overdrive and octave effects. I'm not really big on effects, so I dont need them. I found it better to purchase the older, used model.

triteon
Feb 20, 2005

Martin 000-15, 14-Fret Auditorium Guitar
Price Paid / Price New: $850 / $1099
Year Manufactured: 2004

Sound: 5/5. The sound leans toward the mellow side. It has a deep sound for a small guitar. The bass strings can sound a bit muddy, but I think my sloppy playing has something to do with that. I might experiment with some different strings in the future. It holds the tuning perfectly.

Instrument Quality: 5/5. It's a Martin. What else do I have to say? This thing is solid and built to last. It came with a very nice hardshell case to help in that regard.

Playbility: 5/5. Very easy to play. I had no trouble adjusting from my last, cheap guitar.

Overall Value: 5/5. It's definitely worth the price I got it for, and I probably would have paid full price if I had too. The next tier of Martin guitars are significantly more expensive.

I'd recommend it as a second guitar for someone looking to get more serious after starting with less expensive guitar.

EDIT: I thought I'd throw in a picture.

triteon fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Feb 4, 2006

Puke Rock
Jul 23, 2005

drive my car into the ocean


Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine
Price Paid / Price New: $150/$250?
Year Manufactured: 1990
Specs Equipment's Specifications: 9V AC adapter, 16-bit stereo samples, 50 preset drumsets such as Rap, Funk, Rock, and Latin, twelve drums with each kit, MIDI-in/out, four mono outputs, two footswitch outputs (one to start/stop and one to switch to beat A/B or drum fill).

Sound: 5/5. Equalize this just right on an amp and it comes through beautiful and clear. Even on my little Roland Cube amp it sounds fantastic. The 16-bit samples are excellent.

Equipment Quality: 4/5. This is the first drum machine I've ever worked with and it's amazingly easy to make your own beats or replicate another song's. The one song I had my heart set on when I got this was Radiohead's Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box. I set the quantization to eighth notes, then lazily pounded in the bass and snare parts. I was afraid it would sound incorrect, but the SR-16 corrects your slightly-off-time beats and conforms them to the quantization you've selected. So afterwards I listened to it and it was a perfect beat. Then I just added the B variation of the song and before I knew it I was performing the song in real time with my voice. Still haven't figured out how to do fills yet but I've been a bit busy and I'm sure it's relatively easy. Although there are still a few quirks in this machine. It can forget the drum set you wanted to use after switching to another pattern or listening to a preset pattern. It's a bother to reset that when you need to play now. Also, tempo is very difficult to change since it is on a wide range and you have to hold down the "Page Up" button to get it to scroll to what you want. The scrubber would've been better in this situation but unfortunately it's being used as the volume control. Still, you cannot predict some people's sporadic tempos.

Usefullness: 5/5. It's got all the right outputs for playing a live show or recording in the studio. Amazingly versatile and great for if you want to get into electronic music or even if you're just interested.

Overall Value: 5/5. I wish I could've gotten into drum machines sooner. It's really fun making patterns with multiple drum sets and I can't wait to play live with this.

Puke Rock fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Feb 18, 2006

Jonas01
Jan 10, 2005

I'm carrying the wheel.
Reverend Club King 290
Price paid: $575 with shipping
Year: 2006
Specs:
  • 2 P-90 pickups
  • 22 fret maple (rosewood fingerboard) neck, 25.5" scale.
  • Chrome Hardware
  • Semi-hollow basswood body with solid spruce top. Cream binding/inlays.
Sound: 4/5
I can't give this a perfect score because I haven't played a whole lot of very fancy, expensive guitars. However, as far as this price range goes, it sounds fantastic. This is one of the most versatile, "moldable" guitars I've ever played, thanks largely in part to its two tone knobs. It's got a regular tone knob used to trim off higher frequencies, and a second "Bass rolloff" knob which contours the lower fequencies. Between these and the three pickup positions, you can really get practically any sound you want out of this. The bass contour is pretty subtle; when turned all the way up, the sound can get a little boomy, which disappears as you turn it down. The P-90's are more similar to humbuckers than single coils, although ultimately they fall somewhere in between the two in overall sound. Not quite as bassy as humbuckers, not as twangy as single coils. Very cool!

Instrument Quality: 4/5
The guitar feels solid and there are no noticeable blemishes anywhere. The neck looks nice and snug in its pocket, the tuners are strong so far, and the finish is gorgeous. I got the wine red, and it's a nice deep color, but just translucent enough that you can see the woodgrain through it if you look closely. There are a few little knots in the spruce, but for the most part it looks pristine. The pots feel a little bit jiggly and loose, which I'm not too excited about. The string trees look pretty high tech: they're like little wheels and the strings pass along their underside. Oh, also the strap buttons seem a little small.

Playbility:4/5
I was a slightly disappointed when I first got it in the mail. It felt too stiff and hard for my liking. But over time it's grown on me. Maybe my fingers have just gotten a little stronger. The neck is getting worn in pretty well--at first the finish on the neck was uninspiring, but the more I play it, the more buttery it gets. Slightly chunky feeling, but that's just my personal taste speaking. Everyone else who plays it loves it. While it may not be my dream guitar in terms of playability, I still like it a lot, don't get me wrong.

Overall Value: 4/5
Well, everything else scored a 4, so I don't feel justified in giving this a 5. I think this guitar is awesome, and I'm proud to own it. It's stylish, versatile, and reliable. I definitely recommend it, and judging by this, anything else in the Stage King line (Korean-made) would be a worthy purchase as well.

morningdrew
Jul 18, 2003

It's toe-tapping-ly tragic!



Yamaha FGX-04 LTD Acoustic Guitar
Price Paid:$400.00 with gig bag
Year Manufactured:2005 most likely

Specs:

* Solid Engelmann spruce top
* Rosewood back, sides, and fretboard
* System 46 preamp
* Piezo pickup
* Cream body and fingerboard binding
* Abalone soundhole inlay
* Mother-of-pearl headstock logo
* Chrome tuners

Sound: 5/5

The one thing that really stood out with this guitar (besides its nice appearance) is the sound. I put a set of Extra light gauge Elixirs on this guitar recently and it sounds simply amazing. It projects really well, and has a nice warm, full sound to it. It certainly doesn't lack brightness either. It sounds just as good as some ~$1000 Taylors and Martins I tryed out with the Elixirs on it.

Instrument Quality: 5/5

When I picked up this guitar, it had no price tag on it. Before trying this guitar out, I had played about a half dozen other guitars in the 350-450 dollar range(what I planned on spending) and couldn't find anything I liked. I noticed this Yamaha hanging up and it caught my eye, so I figured I'd check it out. I played it for about 10 minutes and I wanted to just put it down because I figured it'd be 600-700 dollars. I asked about it and the guy said it was $400, and that he just put that one out today. It was a no brainer to buy it. The neck binding is flawless and very well done. The neck has a satin finish and it's really smooth. I tryed some Ibanez, Fender and Takamine guitars in this price range and they all had glossy finishes on the neck, and just weren't as nice to the touch as this one.

I don't have much experience with acoustic electrics, but I have no problems with the pickup/EQ system in this guitar. It's a standard Volume + Bass/Mid/High setup with an extra "Adjustable Midrange Frequency" slider. It sounds great plugged in, and is perfect for recording. I do wish it had a built in tuner though.

Playability: 5/5

The FGX-04 came with normal gauge strings, and I did find the action a little tough when doing complicated chords. I don't have the greatest finger strength, so I put the extra light Elixirs on. It made a big difference, and its a lot easier to play now. I gave this a 5/5 because in this price range, this guitar is really in a class of its own. I couldn't find any guitars even under $600 that play like this one, and stay in tune as good as it either.

Overall Value: 5/5

Like I said about 2384234 times in this review, this guitar plays just as good as guitars double its price. A lot of Harmony-Central reviewers note that they were able to talk down the price at Guitar center to less then $350. If you're looking for an acoustic around this price range, you owe it to yourself to check this Yamaha out.

withak
Jan 15, 2003


Fun Shoe


Polymer D Flute from M&E Flutes
Price Paid / Price New: $425 w/ decorative rings
Year Manufactured: 2005/2006
Specs: Conical bore, machined from polymer rod stock, nickel alloy tuning slide and headjoint lining, decorative metal (the same nickel alloy maybe?) rings

Sound: n/a
This my first "wooden" flute so I'm not going to be able to accurately rate the sound relative to higher-priced flutes. I like it though, and haven't heard any complaints from others who have played Michael Cronnolly's instruments.

Instrument Quality: 4/5
You can tell by the way that the holes and rings are finished that this isn't a $1000 or more wooden flute. That doesn't make much difference though. As long as it works correctly (and it does), the fit & finish isn't the reason you buy one of these. Where it matters (intonation, tuning, seals, and ergonomics) the quality is top of the line. If it's important that your flute be a work of art, then spend 3-4x what this one cost and buy one that is but sounds and plays the same as this one. For its market though, Michael Cronnoly does a great job of making instruments that are within financial reach of those of us who aren't independently wealthy. I payed extra for the metal rings because I think flutes look goofy without them. :)

Playbility: n/a
Again, no rating because I don't think I'm qualified to rate it accurately. I didn't have any trouble playing it, but I have 7-8 years of concert flute under my belt. The biggest problem I had was with the reach required to cover all the holes, and this would be the case for any wooden flute. Once I got the right grip figured out, it only took a few days to get used to the reach. It's based on an old Rudall & Rose design, so the soundholes are (relatively) small and it requires (relatively) little air to fill. Being machined from solid stock, it is easier to play than a cylindrical bore flute (like one make from a piece of pipe that is the same inside and outside diameter along its whole length). It still manages to be astoundingly loud though; it makes the jerk in the apartment above me stomp around loudly every time I play it. Look at the flute forum at chiffboard.mati.ca for reviews from people more qualified than I.

Overall Value: 5/5
For its price, this instrument is an outstanding value. It plays comparably to a "real" wood flute but requires no maintenance (oiling, greasing corks, etc.). It is also nearly indestructable, which is awesome because I can carry it around in my backpack, in and out of the cold or heat every day, and have it around to practice at lunch without having to worry about damaging a >$1000 instrument.

Getting in another plug, Doc Jones at http://www.irishflutestore.com/ has an amazing thing going. He sells new and used wood (and polymer) flutes and whistles from big-name makers, allowing you to bypass waiting lists (weeks or years), trans-atlantic shipping, and flute makers who haven't quite joined the internet age yet, making (as far as I cna tell) absolutely no profit for himself. Mine was in the mail the day after I payed him (exactly the price listed on the manufacturers site for this instrument, incidently). If you are in the market for an instrument like this, definitly check his site out. :)

withak fucked around with this message at 05:14 on Mar 12, 2006

Hamer777
Jan 23, 2006
Wow did I seriously review my guitar twice? see me next post halfway down the page

Hamer777 fucked around with this message at 02:30 on Dec 14, 2006

Duckjob
Aug 22, 2003
Pack 'n Save has everyday low prices

Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 Head
Price Paid / Price New: $1499/$1499
Year Manufactured: 2005
Specs:
  • All-tube: 4 x ECC83 (12AX7) 4 x EL34 Svetlana Tubes.
  • 100 watts into 16, 8 or 4 ohms (switchable)
  • 5-Way Footswitchable spring reverb and FX loop
  • Three channels: clean, crunch, and lead
  • Independent gain control for each channel, volume controls on crunch and lead channels, and master volume control
  • Mid Boost Switch for tonal options on the Clean channel plus Tone Shift on the Crunch and Lead channels
  • Virtual Power Reduction [VPR] gives the extra saturation of a lower powered valve amp being driven hard
  • Cabinet-emulated XLR out
  • 22.5 kg
  • 748x297x214 (mm)

Sound: 5/5
This is the amp to get if you want that distinct Marshall sound. The sound that this amp emanates is just pure tone nirvana. The clean channel is very clear even in high volumes and will break up nicely when you increase the gain. The crunch channel is perfect for rhythm; the distortion is not too muddy and convoluted sounding like mesa rectifiers. It is very well defined and you can hear every note cut through. The lead channel is ridiculous when you max out the gain setting; perfect for solos and songs that require mind blowing distortion. This head emphasizes on mids and treble, which is perfect for my tastes, but has enough bottom end for brain rattling palm muting.

Equipment Quality: 5/5
This amp is very solid. I just recently purchased it and the drat thing held up well against lovely weather from the two gigs I played recently.

Usefullness: 5/5
This amp is leaps and bounds beyond my JCM900 50w head. It has a sea of knobs and buttons for you to tweak and fine tune your sound. It is perfect for all styles of music.

Overall Value: 5/5
I bought this brand new and its worth every dime of it. I was torn between the Bogner Shiva, Mesa Triple Rectifier and this amp, but after few hours of meddeling around the shop, this one came out as the best sounding one.

Duckjob fucked around with this message at 07:03 on Apr 4, 2006

neo_mega
Jul 16, 2004

I hate kittens. Especially sick ones.



Bushman Jenny Soprano Ukulele
Price Paid / Price New: $169
Year Manufactured: 2005

Specs:
* All solid wood construction
* hand selected Brazilian mahogany top, back & sides
* maple neck
* rosewood fretboard with abalone dots,
* top & back are bound in white,
* top has faux abalone purfling
* gloss finish (comes in matte finish also)
Sound: 4/5
Whole solid body makes for really great sound over cheap toy ukuleles. Has a very sweet and mellow voice. Strings that came with mine were aquila nylon glut which sound awesome.
Instrument Quality: 4/5
Well put together. There's some leftover glue lumps if you look carefully inside, but on the outside, everything looks solid and has a nice glossy shine. Tuner knobs are white plastic but they work fine, you can get them exchanged if you wish at some dealers.
Playbility: 4/5
Soprano sized ukulele is probably 3 times smaller than a regular sized acoustic guitar. The Jenny fits snuggly under your arms. Well placed frets and very nice strings enhance playability. No real problems. The Jenny keeps it's tune pretty well, but like most ukuleles, it need retuning after couple of days of play.
Overall Value: 4/5
For the price, it's got great sound and construction. I'm not sure if you'll even be able to find another mid ranged priced ukulele that looks or sounds as nice as the Jenny. It's a great starter instrument if anyone wants to try the ukulele.

Somebody
Jan 25, 2001

Heh


Vox Valvetronix AD50VT
Price Paid / Price New: $265 / $359.99
Year Manufactured: Late 2005 or early 2006

Specs:
  • Number of amp types: 11
  • Number of effects: 11, Noise reduction: 1
  • Number of programs: 11 preset, 2 channel.
  • Input/output jacks: Top panel – 1 x INPUT. Rear panel – 1 x FOOT SW , 1 x LINE/ PHONE, (AD100VT & AD50VT only) 1 x EXTERNAL SPEAKER OUT.
  • Power amp output:AD50VT = maximum 50W RMS @ 8 ohms.
  • Adjustable Output Wattage (AD100VT, 50VT, 30VT).
  • Speaker: AD50VT = 1x Celestion 70/80 (12 inch 8 ohm)
  • Signal processing A/D conversion: 24-bit, D/A conversion: 24-bit, Sampling frequency: 44.1 kHz .
  • Power supply requirements: AC, local voltage.
  • Power consumption: AD50VT=52W
  • Dimensions: AD50VT = 50.67cms (19.95") (H) x 57.81cms (22.76") (W) x 26.5cms (10.43") (D)
  • Weight: AD50VT = 20kgs (44.09lbs)
  • Included items: power cable .
  • Options (sold separately): VFS2 dual foot switch.

Sound (or applicable): 5/5
It shines here (from a solid state/hybrid tube perspective). It's way better than any other solid state amplifier, due to the 12AX7 tube in the power amp section. It has a "power break" to adjust the output wattage of the power amp in the back so I am able to saturate the tube (adjustable from ~0.15 watts to 50 watts). The models sounds good. Definitely better than most other digital modelers out there.

Equipment Quality: 5/5
Seems well built. So far.

Usefullness: 5/5
Very versatile. No confusing menus, just simple knobs. Dial in the amp model you want and adjust to your heart's content. It's incredible for those who want a "tubey" sound and want to have a low volume. Just set the wattage to something low and play to your heart's content.

Overall Value: 5/5
I was able to get it discounted so it was definitely a great buy. Even at $359.99 it is still worth it. Good practice amp/small venue gigging amp.

Somebody fucked around with this message at 17:47 on May 8, 2006

Mr. Fiddles
Jul 6, 2006

Sane? I'm sane...
Blue Dragonfly mic
www.music123.com/Blue-Dragonfly-i24660.music

Price:
£600

Specs:
Type of mic amplifier: Solid state, class A discrete
Directional Pattern: Cardioid
Frequency Response: 20Hz–20,000 Hz
Sound Pressure Level for 0.5% THD 132db
Power Requirements: 48 volt Phantom

Sound: 5/5 It's beautiful. I've used many mics and never had a clearer sound. Running it through a nice pre-amp/compressor/effects outboard, I don't need any sound-proofing and I'm getting vocals on par with many pro studios I've worked with. I'm jacking off to this mic.

Instrument Quality: 5/5 it's well built, manouvreable (for a mic >.>) and more stylish than any other mic out there (with the exceptions of other Blue mics).

Playbility: It's a mic. No difficulty in 'playing' it o.O

Overall Value: 5/5 This is where I get a bit iffy... it's £600. Most other mics in this sort of range are around £300-500, but to be honest, there's nothing like it. It's just that £600 is a lot of money. I'd say it's worth it though, if you're really serious about your sound.

Overall Value: 5/5

Mr. Fiddles fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Jul 7, 2006

BIG GAY FAG
Jan 27, 2004
WorldMax Black Dawg 6.5X14 Nickel Plated Brass Snare
Price Paid: $236
Specs: Black Nickel Plated Brass, Tube Lugs, Single Flanged Hoops

Sound: 5/5
This is honestly one of the best snares I have played. While I didn't own it, I have played on a Craviotto Snare before and I can easily say that the WorldMax Black Dawg is just above the Craviotto I played. Whether it's tuned fat or tight, there's a certain characteristic of the snare that hits you right in the chest. It has a very "open" sound to it. I usually keep mine tuned tight, but not too tight. This snare is very responsive. It's beautiful.

Instrument Quality: 5/5.
The lugs and hoops are beautiful. The throw-off is smooth as silk.

Playbility: 5/5.
As I've said before, this snare is very responsive. I love it.

Overall Value: 5/5.
This snare could easily be a lot more expensive. It could have easily been priced at around $500, such as Craviotto snares. It's basically a Ludwig Black Beauty carbon copy. After buying this snare, I will always swear by WorldMax snares. WorldMax makes some incredible drums for a great price. I highly suggest you check out WorldMax. http://www.worldmaxus.com/

an AOL chatroom
Oct 3, 2002

ART Tube Pac Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 131)
Price Paid / Price New: $53 used / $99 new
Year Manufactured: Currently in production
Specs
1/2 Rack Unit space
Maximum Gain: XLR to XLR 70dB; 1/4 in. to 1/4 in. 67dB
Phantom Power: +48v DC (switchable)
Compression Ratio: 2.3:1 (comp)/ 6:1 (lim)
Attack Time: 6.5ms
Release Time: 200ms (fast), 70ms-1sec (auto)
Equivalent Input Noise: -129dBu (XLR to XLR, weighted)
Dynamic Range: >90dB (no weighting)
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz
Input Impedance: 1.67k ohms (XLR), 1M ohm (1/4 in.)
Output Impedance: 600 ohms (XLR), 300 ohms (1/4 in.)
Maximum Input Level: +15dBu (XLR), +21dBu (1/4 in.)
Maximum Output Level: +27dBu (XLR), +22dBu (1/4 in.)
CMRR 90dB (typical)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.1% (typical)
Tubes: 2 Hand-Selected 12AX7a
Power Requirements: 100-125 VAC, 16W

Sound (or applicable): 5/5. I'm not going to pretend like I know what a $5,000 preamp/compressor sounds like, much less compare it to one, but it really sounds great. I had been using a small desktop mixer's "invisible mic preamps" before, which did a really terrible job of boosting the signal. Friends who listen to some recordings asked what I was doing differently, because it sounded like a real album instead of some guy and a tape recorder. On my end, I notice a lot more headroom in terms of what I'm able to record. Now I'm able to pick up all sorts of extra detail, but at the same time, not worrying about clipping. It's a night and day difference.

Equipment Quality: 4/5. A sturdy black metal box with sturdy knobs and switches, two LED meters, and a thick power cord with no wall wart. Perfect. I'm only bumping it down to a 4 because the thing gets pretty hot, and I wish it had side vents, because when it's housed in a rack, there's nowhere for the heat to dissipate. Hoping this doesn't turn out to be a big problem.

Usefullness: 5/5. I'll never use my mixer's preamps ever again. Actually, I have two; one for guitar and one for vocals. As long as I'm using a microphone, I'll be using this.

Overall Value: 5/5. I bought a pair for $105, which was a steal. Zzounds sells them new for $99, which I would still consider a great deal. They make cheaper units that should yield the same preamp features for $40 ($50 if you want a cool-looking analog gauge), so that's a very economic way to brighten up your sound. I'm thinking that the compressor function adds another level of professional-sound, though. Plus, it just looks like sex.

Zakalwe
May 12, 2002

Wanted For:
  • Terrorism
  • Kidnapping
  • Poor Taste
  • Unlawful Carnal Gopher Knowledge
Title of Equipment Behringer EQ700 Graphic Equaliser pedal

Price Paid / Price New: €21

Year Manufactured: Example: 2006

Specs Equipment's Specifications. A 7 band graphic equaliser pedal that provides 15db of cut or boost per band. Also has a level slider.

Sound 5/5 For such a cheap throwaway pedal it's quite remarkable. It adds no hiss and doesn't suck tone. It does exactly what I wanted which was to give more bottom end to my signal and cut the very high frequencies that were fizzing from my distortion.

Equipment Quality: For the money the quality is excellent, but as it looks like a Boss I'll compare it to such.

The most notable difference is that the entire case is thick hard plastic rather than metal. You can't expect metal at these prices
The sliding pots move too easily for my tastes. I would have preferred a bit of smooth resistance and a notch to indicate a control was centered.
The battery compartment is accessed by removing the pedal part itself. You need a pen to do this and it's a bit fiddly.
The power adaptor socket is not located at the top of the unit but rather on the right side which means my Boss daisy chain doesn't stretch to it properly.

Usefullness: 4/5. It's a pedal. Plug it in, set the controls and stomp as necessary. I very much doubt I'd rely on it like I would a Boss pedal, so for stage use it's probably not that useful

Overall Value: 5/5. For €21 you can't go wrong. Sure, it's not constructed like a Boss, but for the price it's definitely worth it. Sonically it outweighs my expectations.



In summary, it's cheap but excellent value and as for me it's a set, forget and never turn off device it fits into my pedal chain perfectly.

Cran-Tastic
Jul 13, 2006

I must have been high when I chose this name. Making the best of it.
Title of Equipment Squier Stagemaster (Discontinued)

Price Paid / Price New: $400/$200 (CAD)

Year Manufactured: 2002

Equipment's Specifications. A 6 String stratocaster body w/ Floyd Rose, bridge humbucker and two single pickups. One Volume and one Tone knob, and a switch.

Sound: 3.5/5
Squier has a reputation for being generally bad. This isn't totally deserved; it's more accurate to say that they're inconsistant in quality. The Stagemaster, however, has generally been quite good to me, and sounds good. Not fantastic, but good. I'd put new pickups on if I wasn't meaning to replace it anyhow. For someone starting out, as I was, the guitar is great. I'm not grading the sound relative to the price, by the way; if I was, it's a solid 5.

Equipment Quality: 3.5/5
My biggest complaint is how easily the paint chips. I've had it for about 3 years, and it has some pretty sizable gouges. Also, I really hate the Floyd bridge, having used it for a while. Not being able to tune it properly if I don't have an allen key handy is a huge pain. And, you can't get a Stagemaster without one. As far as playability is concerned, though, I really like it. I even prefer it to my friend's Gibson SG, thanks to the slightly smaller neck.


Usefullness: N/A

It's a musical instrument, it doesn't have to be useful.

Overall Value: 5/5. For the price, this is a fantastic instrument. It has its shortcomings, but when it comes to sound and playability, this instrument is worth well over the $200 I paid.

espnmarshall
Oct 12, 2004
Abacabb, Close Distance, Press Back twice and then Low Punch, enjoy
Title of Equipment- ESP Eclipse II VB (Vintage Black)

Price Paid / Price New: $1650 (after tax)/ 1730 (before tax)

Year Manufactured: 2006

Specifications: (from ESPs website)
Set-Neck Construction
24.75" scale
3 piece mahogany neck
Ebony fingerboard
Flag inlays (w/ ESP at 12th fret)
EMG 81(B)/60 active pickups
2 volume/1 tone control with 3-way toggle
Gold hardware
Sperzel Locking Tuners
Bone Nut
GOTOH tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece
Aged triple white binding on body and headstock, white binding on neck
22 XJ frets

Sound: 5/5
On any other istrument that I've ever played, I would have never thought to put a 5/5 (except a Hamer). Everything from the pickups to the neck joint to the finish contribute to this guitars sound. The EMG's seem to be the least important attribute this guitar uses to make the sound that it does. The finish is satin so it's dry and thinner on the body than you would find in a korean guitar and even most japanese guitars, giving it that american guitar low end and resonance. However, the 81 gives it the output to hit much harder than a Les Paul. The 60 has a fantastic clean tone and a really fat distorted tone if you want the more vocal sound of the neck pickup. Mahogany from tip to tip sounds amazing.

EDIT: The neck of the guitar also has the satin finish so it slides nice and smooth like an unfinished neck (as with most bolt-ons)

Equipment Quality: 5/5
The specs on the website are partially inaccurate, the hardware is gold but its brushed gold. This is actually better because it means it won't show any rust or oxidation and such that will occur is likely to be minimal. The binding is flawless, and the build quality otherwise is fantastic. The size of the frets doesn't matter to me because I have a light touch, even when playing metal, but fret size can be a problem if you are a little ham-handed, so they were nice enough to provide. This guitar has both an ebony fretboard, so you'll get minimal friction from the wood, and XJ frets, a nice medium considering a lot of the ESP LTD customers might be accustomed to XXJ. Those of you who own USA guitars might be inclined to jumbo frets instead. The neck is thin enough to fly on, but not so thin as to be uncomfortable after a few hours of playing.

Usefulness: 4.9/5 I will definitely be playing this guitar on a stage. You won't look awkward whether you are playing thrash metal, jazz/classical, country, etc. I only give it a 4.9/5 because I didn't need to buy this.... but I NEEDED to buy it!

Overall Value: 5/5 I feel like I purchased Hamer custom shop quality for the price of a mass produced Gibson. I do work at a guitar store so I did get a huge break on the price, but I would have gladly paid the 2 big ones that this would have come to.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, it comes with a seriously sweet form-fitted hardshell case.

espnmarshall fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Jul 19, 2006

an AOL chatroom
Oct 3, 2002

Thought I'd put up reviews of some newly acquired gear

Title of EquipmentDunlop Crybaby 535q Wah Pedal

Price Paid / Price New: $90 / $109

Year Manufactured: Current

Equipment's Specifications Your standard Crybaby Wah pedal with a "Q knob" that lets you adjust the range of the pedal's sweep. Additionally, there are two boost knobs on the bottom of the pedal that let you add boost to the low and/or high ends. Pedal is powered by an 18v power supply or two 9V batteries.

Sound: 4/5 I'm really a fan of the Crybaby sound, and between the Q knob and boost knobs, you really can dial in exactly what you're looking for. The instruction manual gives you several suggestions to help you sound like Jerry Cantrell, Jimi Hendrix, Zappa and Page. The only thing I don't really like is the split second of silence you get when stomping the pedal "on". It seems like it takes a couple of milliseconds to bring itself up to volume or something, and I don't like to just leave it "parked" when not in use.

Equipment Quality 4/5 Looks to be tank-like, and I'm very happy about there being the option for a power adapter. My old crybaby didn't have one, and I hate having to unplug pedals between sessions to save batteries. Hopefully the pot and other moving parts will hold up. For some reason, I can't help but think that I would enjoy a wider range of motion on the pedal, though.

Usefullness: 4/5 Honestly, I got this because I was trying out for a band that used wah on a couple of their songs. I ended up getting the part, but declining the offer due to... well that's another thread for another day. I can't think of any songs I play on a regular basis that require wah, so on a personal level, it's not very useful (yet), but it's probably a very wise choice between the other wah pedals out there.

Overall Value: 5/5 I'm glad I didn't get the Budda BudWah that I fell in love with last year. This gets pretty close to that level of vocal-ness but without the heavy price tag. $100 for an instantly recognizable, and very customizable sound is worth it. This is also the older version that is powered by 18v. The newer one uses just 9v and has a boost button on the side (that looks like it would be really easy to break off).


Title of EquipmentBoss OS-2 Overdrive and Distortion pedal

Price Paid / Price New: $50 / $69

Year Manufactured: Current

Equipment's Specifications A Boss stomp box that combines distortion and overdrive into one pedal. Includes Level, Tone, Drive and Color controls for precise tonal shaping

Sound: 3.5/5 Maybe I just wan't expecting it from a yellow Boss pedal, but there's a surprising amount of drive to be had here. Almost in MetalZone/MegaDistortion territory. It's very easy to get a full sound out of it, and the "Color" knob seems to act like an EQ for the effect, letting you shift the distortion/overdrive between mellow and crunchy. However, it's a bit too much "distortion" and not enough "overdrive" for my tastes, and I really wish there was a blend knob for that feature. It's also a bit too bright for it to be useful to me, and just doesn't perform like I was hoping. I'll probably use it on the solid-state Fender, which is severaly handicapped in the "useable overdrive" category.

Equipment Quality 5/5. If you can break a Boss pedal without doing anything stupid, I'd be really surprised.

Usefullness: 3/5 If I didn't have an amp with good overdrive, this pedal might be more useful. It's certainly not as versatile as my Jekyll & Hyde, but it would probably be good for someone just starting out, or who plays harder stuff.

Overall Value: 4/5 Considering the DS-1 is just $40 and a tremendous value, I'd say the OS-2 is a good choice for someone looking for a distortion pedal with a little extra oomph for not a whole lot more money. It's not a bad pedal at all, just not what I was expecting. It should really be called the Distortion and Overdrive if you know what I mean, right? right?


Title of EquipmentBoss EH-2 Enhancer

Price Paid / Price New: $28 / $??

Year Manufactured: 1990-1997

Equipment's Specifications The EH-2 adds brilliance, dynamics and presence to sounds by dynamically modifying only the high frequency harmonic components. This restores the clarity and delicate harmonic structures lost through signal processing with multiple effect units. The EH-2 adds life to any performance, whether lead or rhythm.

Sound: 3.5/5 The effect produced by the EH-2 is very subtle. What it does is clear up high-end frequencies which are typically muddled up when you use a lot of effects. Some people describe the effect as "taking a blanket off of your amplifier". You can think of it as a dynamic EQ or something. I can hear it adding some clarity, but it's very subtle. Almost like a BBE Sonic Maximizer, but in stomp box form.

Equipment Quality 5/5. Perhaps the ugliest color I've ever seen in a Boss pedal, and even features a second LED that lights up when it's doing its magic. Can't go wrong there.

Usefullness: 2/5 Honestly, I just got it because I saw an eBay auction for one in the last few minutes without any bids, and it seemed like a cool pedal to have around. If I had a problem with clarify, I'd probably just buy a good EQ.

Overall Value: 3/5 I can't really picture anyone seriously saying "Dammit, if only I had an EH-2!!!" Maybe it's more useful in the studio or if you run an effects chain that's a mile long that really affects your tone. I'll give it a shot the next few times I record something, but for now it's more of a "whoo hoo, I have a somewhat-rare Boss pedal!" thing than anything else.

an AOL chatroom fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Aug 11, 2006

Pablo Nergigante
Apr 16, 2002

Thought I'd finally type up a review of my favorite guitar:

Epiphone Sheraton II
Price Paid: My wonderful girlfriend bought it for me as a birthday present, she paid about $500 new :)
Year Manufactured: 2003
Specs: Semi-hollow archtop (ES-335 style body), 2 humbuckers with individual tone/volume controls, Korean made, Vintage Sunburst finish

Sound: 4.5/5 even with the stock pickups it sounds really great, and you can actually get a surprisingly wide range of tones of of it, from warm and bluesy to bright and trebly. The semi-hollowbody makes it resonate a bit if you're close to the amp, but it's fun to play around with feedback :)

Instrument Quality: 5/5 It seems very well made, I've bumped it here and there but can't find a scratch on the thing. It seems like it'll last a long time. It's a very nice looking guitar as well, body shape and finish are superb.

Playbility: 5/5 Action was pretty much perfect when I got it, and the neck is very fast (not that I can play particularly fast :(). It's light enough that it doesn't tire out your shoulders or anything, but it definitely feels substantial.

Overall Value: 5/5 A wonderful, wonderful guitar for the price, and can take most any style you could throw at it. Highly recommended!

SleepyBandit
Dec 1, 2005

its a dog
Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 20th Anniversary Model
Price Paid / Price New: $1,600 / $2,400+
Year Manufactured: Example: 2005
Specs: I only included the options I have on mine...

Body

* Carved flame maple top with mahogany back

Neck

* 25" scale length mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard
* Option: 24 fret - wide thin
* Option: Abalone bird inlays

Hardware

* 24 fret - PRS tremolo
* PRS 14:1 Phase II low mass locking tuners

Electronics

* 24 fret - HFS treble and Vintage bass pickups
* Option: Volume and push/pull tone control with 3-way toggle pickup selector


Sound: 5/5

This guitar sounds incredible. The bridge humbucker is really hot and sounds great with heavy distortion. The neck has a really low spectrum but sounds fantastic. The push / pull tone knob splits the humbuckers into single coils for tons of different tones. You really don't need to mess with your amp to get a shitload of different tones from this guitar.

Instrument Quality: 4.5/5

The electronics are superb, and the guitar itself is nothing short of breaktaking to look at. The tremolo is awesome along with the locking tuners that make changing strings a 2 minute affair rather than an exercise in patience. My only gripe is that it is so light that it feels almost dainty. Almost as though if I dropped the guitar it would shatter into a fuckton of expensive wood shards.

Playbility: 4.5/5

Fast as a Ferrari and easy as hell on the fingers. You can beat the poo poo out of the tremolo and it stays in tune. Very hard to pull the Tone pot to split the pickups when sweaty onstage though.

Overall Value: 4.5/5

Very pricey, but you get a very nice instrument that will probably be the last guitar you will ever need to buy for the money. You can get almost every tone out of it while the guitar itself looks like a piece of art.

http://prsguitars.com/showcase/current/custom.html

Isnak
Sep 15, 2006
Bonyour!
Ibanez SRX700
Price Paid / Price New: £500 new
Year Manufactured: 2002 (not sure)
Specs:

Body

Ash coated in a thick layer of polyurethane with walnut strips.

Neck

Neck-thru, maple with walnut stripes and a rosewood fretboard. 24 medium frets.

Hardware

Accucast B205 Bridge, allows two different stringing configurations. Tuners are standard Ibanez fair. All the hardware comes in a dark chromed colour that is prone to getting dirty but polishes up fine.

Electronics

PFR-AL5N Neck PU
PFR-AL5B Bridge PU
EQB-IIDX 2-Band

Basically big honking pickups and a simple built in EQ with treble cut/boost and bass cut/boost as well as the standard volume and pick up blending.

Sound: 4/5

The sound of the SRX700 is somewhat maligned as not having the "growl" of a Fender Jbass. It has more of a funky 70's sound when not pushed, and when you start sawing into it you'll get a metal style "click" sound. With some experimentation you can probably get the tone you want quite easily.

This bass was targeted at fans of alternative music, particularly numetal, so you if you enjoy slapping you can get a sound similar to Mudvayne/Sikth (not strictly Numetal but you get the idea) and it has a nice smooth funky sound, or you can turn up the middle and have a tone similar to most Opeth slow songs. It's also *very* loud.

Instrument Quality: 3.5/5

Some messy fretwork, the binding at the front of the neck is pretty neat, usual Ibanez quality. Everything polishes up nice and the coating is really thick and hard. For a mass produced instrument everything is very good and I'd expect it to outlast me without any failure.

Playbility: 4/5

This bass is big, heavy, and has a nice thin neck. It's pretty easy to slap when set up properly, and the pickups have handy little thumb rests on them. The problem is that the front thumb rest is pretty much useless as the pickup is only about a centimetre away from the bridge. It's stable on a padded leather strap and if you're not a large mammal type person you'll want it on one. A good strap is recommended as it'll easily eat away at the cheap leather kind. Personally I like a nice heavy plank of an instrument.

Overall Value: 5/5

A cheap and cheerful neckthru bass. The hardware is well machined and it's only let down by a few rough edges. If you are looking for a jazz bass style sound you'll be disapointed, but if you like playing some funky stuff along with your metal it's pretty great. I've had mine for a couple of years now and it has been great, plus the natural finish looks absolutely gorgeous. Far cheaper than it looks and sounds.

Juaguocio
Jun 5, 2005

Oh, David...
Carvin DC127M
Price: $1100Cdn factory direct
Year: 2006
Specs:
I ordered this guitar through Carvin's custom shop. I chose an all mahogany neck-thru, tung-oiled neck with jet black body, 24 fret ebony fretboard, stainless steel medium jumbo frets, string-thru body fixed bridge, Sperzel locking tuners, Carvin's C22N and C22B humbuckers, coil splitters for each humbucker and phase switch.
Sound: 4.5/5
The coil splitters and phase switch mean that this guitar is extremely versatile, being able to switch to a close approximation of a single coil sound. Can handle drat near anything. The 4.5 is because I feel the pups are a tad bright; I may replace them with Duncans at some point.
Instrument Quality: 5/5
Top notch components, flawless construction.
Playbility: 5/5
The stainless steel frets and tung-oiled neck mean that this guitar plays buttery-smooth. Great upper fret access, balances well, not too heavy. What more can you ask for?
Overall Value: 5/5
For the money, you'll find no better value. I've played guitars that cost TWICE the price I paid for this Carvin that couldn't touch it in the playability or sound departments. I can see this guitar staying with me for a long time.

Plus, Carvin has a huge selection of options, so you can get just about anything you want. They also have a guitar called a California Carved Top in the PRS style that'll probably be my next guitar.

Jonny 290
May 5, 2005



[ASK] me about OS/2 Warp
Behringer REV2496 Modeling Reverb
Price: $199 paid / $199 new
Year: 2006
Specs
The REV2496 is a pretty snazzy rackmount multieffects, down to the 'next-gen' panel design they've started to adopt (I don't care for the slant, but the hardware is great). Four endless rotary encoders, a large backlit LCD with contrast control (an order of magnitude brighter and clearer than my old Akai's LCD), a big fat preset knob and logical layout make operations easy. Half of the LCD shows what parameters are assigned to the rotary encoders, and where the 'knob' is currently. Response is fast and I have not noticed any software glitches yet. Has two engines that can run either dual-stereo (one through analog I/O, one through digital I/O), dual mono, or anything in between (10 routing configurations). Most reviews don't mention that even though AES/EBU isn't electrically compatible with SPDIF, you can set the AES/EBU jacks to SPDIF mode and use an XLR -> RCA cable to speak SPDIF to your sound card, giving you a dual stereo modeling reverb box for 200 bones.

Sound: 4.5/5
It's a quiet unit, adding about 3db to the noise floor as measured by my Echo Layla interface. Reverbs are massive, especially the flagship V-Verb algorithm (a particularly thick and tasty reverb). You can tweak almost every aspect of early reflections, late reflections, etc. including mix, EQ and delay on each. Delays are smooth and accurate, and the chorus/flanger units are as expected - not thick analog, but still usable and can add good texture/quality to pads and keys.

Quality: 4.5/5
Built nicely, with great 'push and turn' encoders. Connectors all solidly attached. Thank god this, like almost all recent gear, uses IEC jacks for power - no issues there. An inch or so deeper than you would expect.

Usefulness/Playability: 4/5

It's a stereo multieffects send - both more focused and more versatile than an insert-style effects box, such as popular guitar units. This means that for maximum usefulness, you need a mixer with aux buses. If you don't, the unit will still be okay in insert mode (it passes through some dry signal in this mode) but that's not the true intention. The parameters are all very easy to edit, and it only takes a minute or to to set up a full patch.

Overall Value: 4.5/5
I seriously dug through reviews and sites for a week before committing to one of these. I looked at Quadraverbs, Digitech boxes, even low-end stuff from Lexicon and related companies. I'm fully aware of Behringer's reputation, but I also own over $1k of Behringer gear that's never stopped working like the day I got it, so I've got confidence in their quality. The REV2496 looked like a really flexible box, and one of the requirements was dual-mono into single-stereo or dual-stereo operation, which it pulls off without a hitch. The interface is awesome, too - no more hunting through arcane hex menus or X/Y silkscreen charts to find out what to adjust. I strongly recommend checking out the REV2496 if you want a reasonably scalable, clean and easy to use multieffects box for use in a small studio setting. It's especially sweet if you have a spare digital I/O bus (with ASIO drivers) that you can use as an aux bus from Cubase or Logic.

Edit: Be advised that this does have a Compressor unit, but that's the only 'insert-style' effects provided. There is no distortion/gain/preamp unit provided, which generally renders it unsuitable for a guitarist who wants a true 'before the amplifier' preamp. It'd be great in an effects loop, though.

Jonny 290 fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Sep 26, 2006

50 pounds of bread
Sep 27, 2006

Title of Instrument Example: Breedlove Atlas ABJ250/SM4 4-String Acoustic-Electric Bass
Price Paid / Price New: Example: $799/$1069
Year Manufactured: Example: 2006
Specs: Instrument's Specifications -

Body Style: Jumbo Deep Body, Soft Cutaway
Binding (body & neck): Black binding
Body Depth: 5” at Tail Block, 4” at Heel
Rosette: Abalone with black border
Width at lower bout: 17 ”
Nut and Saddle: Tusq
Scale Length: 34 "
Frets: Jumbo
Nut Width: 1 11/16”
# Of Frets: 23
Neck width at body: 2 5/16”
Fingerboard and Bridge: Rosewood
String spacing at saddle E-E, 2 5/16”
Inlay Pattern: Offset Breedlove Pattern Pearl Position Markers
Headstock Overlay: Rosewood
Finish: Satin
Tuners: Chrome Grover Tuners
Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
End Pin: Ebony
Back: Mahogany Laminate
Electronics: Fishman Classic IV Pickup
(I included more than most people want to know, because hey, never know when someone wants to know the inlay pattern.)

Sound: Example 5/5. Both plugged, and unplugged, this is the best acoustic i have ever heard. The tone of this instrument is beautiful, almost makes me feel as though I have metal fingertips it comes out so smooth.

Instrument Quality: Example 5/5. Craftmanship is excellent, the instrument looks as beautiful as a fine curvaceous woman.

Playbility: Example 5/5. When I pick up this instrument the music flows through me, everything I want to do is easy as pie, and it makes every sound exactly how I want it to make it.

Overall Value: Example 5/5. I would have paid over twice the price of this. If you are a bassist looking for a great acoustic bass, this is the best. I highly suggest you buy it. I am in love with this instrument.

Agreed
Dec 30, 2003

The price of meat has just gone up, and your old lady has just gone down

Revised opinion April 28, 2008/b]

Ibanez Smashbox SM-7 Distortion Stomp Box

Price Paid/New $36.89(Clearance, but at that time it was new)/~$80 at a brick-and-morter, ~$50 online

Year Still being sold

Features: 3.5/5

Very sturdy cast aluminium casing houses a solid distortion unit. There are four knobs: Drive, which controls the level of distortion; Lo and Hi EQ; and level.

It has a VOID noise gate with two levels of control.

The entire Tone-Lok line of pedals (anything with a 7 in it from Ibanez) has a full body with knobs that click down into it, preventing you from losing your settings during equipment moves. Sounds gimmicky, but is really quite handy if you don't like transporting your stuff in the box it came in. Still, not exactly a must-have.

The VOID setting sounds gimmicky, but it works well enough if you've got the gain cranked and don't want a lot of hiss.

Sound: 0/5 This sounds terrible. I don't know what I was thinking. Stay away, it's an awful mess and it will kill your tone completely. The best use of the VOID noise gate is to turn it up as high as it will go and turn your guitar's volume down so that no sound can ever escape this awful piece of poo poo.

Overall Value: 0/5 It's cheap for a reason. I felt good to get $12 for it when I got rid of mine. I will not seek another. In fact, if someone offered me $50 and this pedal, I'd turn them down. It is a curse and you shouldn't have to sell yourself that short.

[b]THE BOTTOM LINE:
Playing this pedal, to quote the Angry Nintendo Nerd, is like puking on a pile of poo poo. There's nothing good about this. It isn't even bad enough to gain a cult following. It's mediocre no matter which direction you're coming from.

The original review recommended the Metal Zone as a potential choice if you wanted a better pedal. Technically, yes, the MT-2 is a better pedal than this. But so is an empty box with no wire between the output and the input. Don't buy the MT-2 either, it's also a harsh, muddy beast at anything over bedroom volumes.

There are plenty of great distortion pedals, but neither this unit nor the Metalzone are worth a drat.

Agreed fucked around with this message at 23:58 on Apr 28, 2008

greet_death
Oct 30, 2006
anti-anti
Squier Telecaster Custom

Price Paid $199

Year: 2006

ok, so this is a review of my guitar before i modded it. i basically took off the factory pickguard and electronics and replaced them with a handmade p-g and electronics from a 1960's Ventura E335 copy that broke its neck. i also took off the neck, sanded, shot with nitrocellulose, put on a fender 70's tele decal (my favorite era decal), and now its ready to rock. i would give it a 4.9/5 now (it will be perfect once i get it professionally setup... i never mess with truss rod adjustments.)



Features: 3/5

neck is satin finish... i personally like gloss (that's why i re-finished it). pickups are very generic. a coil tap would have been nice. other than that, its your standard tele deluxe / custom setup with the v-v-t-t knobs and 3-way selector.

Sound: 3/5

pickups are bass-heavy and get muddy with volume and distortion (but its a $200 guitar... what do youe expect?). pickups when cranked do give a great bluesy, low-fi indie sound... but these pickups are sorta a one-trick-pony.


Playability: 2.5/5

guitar didn't come setup, so that goes to show what the fender Made in Indonesia quality control does for ya. action is decent, but nothing to get excited over. the neck is very even playing, and consistency is oftentimes hard to find in a low-end guitar.


Overall Value: 3.5/5

i used this as a starting point for my project, so for that i would give it a 4.5/5 because the wood is solid and good weight / decent grain / etc and the style is classic. also has a string-thru-body bridge which adds sustain. great quality for your money for $200

other than the listed flaws (and i was pretty rough about it), it is a solid guitar.

if you want a really killer guitar, buy this, replace the pickups with any GFS p90 or humbuckers (they are $30-50 each), get it set-up professionally, and you have yourself a tone-machine with looks to spare for only $200 + $50 (x2) + ($40) = roughly under $350.

with those simple mods, this beats the poo poo out of a fender standard strat or tele.

PalaNIN
Sep 19, 2004

LRLRRRLLRRLRLRLRRLRLR
Korg Toneworks AX10B Modeling Signal Processor
Price Paid / Price New: Example: $AUD169 (RRP $299)
Year Manufactured: 2005

Information at Korg.com

Specs: (taken and edited from Korg's website)
• 11 guitar/bass amp models
• 11 modulation effects (chorus/flanger/phaser etc) and 11 ambience effects (echo/room/hall reverb)
• 3 main settings - compression, distortion, octaver
• 40 preset programs & 40 user-editable programs
• Alternate AX10G for guitar
• Expression pedal, to adjust user-controlled aspect of the signal
• Knob-based interface & simple display panel layout
• Tap switch for easy setting of delay/reverb time
• AMP/LINE select switch for connection to amp, mixer, MTR, or any other destination
• Built-in chromatic tuner with mute function
Dimensions: 11.3”(W)7.17”(D)x 2.36”(H) / 287(W) x 182 (D) x 60(H)mm
Weight: 1.1kg / 2.43lbs
• “Program Lock Hold” function eliminates accidental knob turning during on-stage use
• Runs on battery or AC adapter

Sound: 4/5

You can quite easily spend hours on this thing trying to create a sound that's just right for you. Once you get past the (pretty short) learning curve, you'll get quickly used to the different types of amps and effects, and combining them with the EQ gives you quite a range of freedom. Even playing it through my average 40W amp which generally has horrible tone makes it sound great.

The downside? The distortion setting doesn't give me quite what I'm looking for; I may just resort to my crappy Behringer standalone distortion pedal if I can't get the sound I want from this board.

Equipment Quality: 4.5/5

My only fault is with the expression pedal. On some settings, it only has about five or sex intervals as you go from the min to the max setting, which can be pretty discernible at times. Otherwise, the knobs and dials are pretty easy to use, and everything you adjust shows up on the main display (the EQ and most of the effects dials range from 0 to 30). The chromatic tuner is functional, although it only uses the three LEDs on the left hand side so it can take a while to tune compared to your typical rack or pedal tuner. Still, it's nice to have (almost) everything you need in one package, so it wins out in versatility.

Usefulness: 4/5

I'm sure this will pass in a week or two, but I'm quite overwhelmed with the amount of variance and fiddling around with every aspect of the signal - advanced effects users will love being able to nitpick. I find myself changing the modulation dial and almost ignoring the ambience effects, and there is very little noticable difference between some of them - Korg might as well have had four or five ambience effects and you'd still have the same range of sounds. Still, it saves having to buy four or five standalone effects pedals.

Overall Value: 5/5

I've already set up a few of the programs for specific songs I play, and I don't think I'll ever be able to use up all the available presets. The programming aspect takes a little while to get used to, but just like everything on the AX10B, the learning curve doesn't take too long to get over. Price-wise, most music stores sell it for around $200 so don't buy it if it's more than that. It's saved me buying a bunch of other random effects and once I get used to all the types of effects it'll pay off.

In short - a dream for amateurs who are just trying to play with new sounds, but pro players will need a higher-end board.

Supervillin
Feb 6, 2005

Pillbug
Title of Instrument Example: Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus

Price Paid / Price New: $291 / $699
Year Manufactured: 2005
Specs:
     •2 Epiphone Alnico Classic humbuckers (Alnico II)
     •Gold-plated hardware
     •Scale: 24.75", Nut Width: 1.68" (typical LP)
     •Set neck, made of maple
     •Mahogany/alder body
     •Rosewood fretboard with rectangular pearl inlays
     •Single binding on body, neck, and headstock
     •Flame maple top with sweet, sweet cherry sunburst finish
     •Three-way toggle switch for the humbuckers

Sound: 4/5 I saw mixed reviews about every type of Epi LP out there, but whether the owners loved or hated their guitar, probably 80% said they switched the humbuckers out for better ones, and another 15% said they were planning on doing so. I may too, eventually, but these sounded surprisingly nice considering my expectations. You will definitely want to replace the neck pickup with an Alnico V or ceramic magnet if you plan on using heavy distortion, as it gets muddy under really heavy distortion. The bridge pickup's not muddy at all, and the neck sounds great clean.

Instrument Quality: 4/5 It's got a set neck and binding all around, and its solid body has a nice amount of weight to it. I'll be sure to update this note if it falls apart in a week or something, but I have a feeling this will last. I'm very very happy, since I found it NEW on eBay for $291 from some dude in China. I figured it was a scam, since there are a ton of eBay guitar scams ("Gibson Les Paul, $100! Cheaper if you buy 20 at a time!"), but after sending Gibson the serial number and doing some additional research, I felt confident enough to buy it. After getting it, I don't regret my purchase at all. The ONE problem I have with the quality is the 3-way pickup switch. It's kind of wobbly, and the rubber tip comes off pretty easily. I will likely be opening this guitar up to replace that switch long before I worry about pickups or anything else.

Playbility: 5/5 The action came a little too low, but that's easy enough to fix. No rough spots on the neck/fretboard, and the stock strings are pretty smooth.

Overall Value: 6/5 Pretend that's 5/5 if you must, but $291 for a brand new $700 Les Paul is loving 6/5 in my book. The only better value could have been an Agile 3000 ($370 with triple binding on the body and neck, single binding on the headstock), but I found the rondomusic thread after I already paid for this guitar.

Edit: Just over a year later, and I still love this guitar. Replaced the strings with D'Addarios, and I'm actually not too happy with those, but the guitar is still awesome.

Supervillin fucked around with this message at 21:47 on Dec 2, 2007

Hamer777
Jan 23, 2006
Hamer Standard Flametop (Korean)

Price Paid / Price New: $325/$480

Year Manufactured: Bought in 2005 so probably an '04 or '05

Specs:
Explorer style body with a 24.75 scale length
tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece
2 Hamer Humbuckers ("Duncan Designed")
Alder body
Maple set neck
rosewood fretboard
Crown inlays
3 way toggle switch


Sound: Well before I swapped the pickups I would give the sound a 3/5 because it was very lacking in the sustain department. A few months ago I swapped the pickups with a dimarzio Super Distortion (bridge) and Dimarzio Air Norton (Neck) and now this thing is a beast. I play through a Crate fxt120 Combo amp and the sustain and clarity is just great. 5/5

Instrument Quality: I got lucky with this guitar seeing as how I was pretty clueless when I bought it (:drool: explorer shape). The set neck construction is something not really seen on guitars in this price range. I have picked this guitar up after leaving it in the case for a week and its still perfectly in tune. one thing I noticed though is that when I pluck the open G string it gives off a really twangy noise thats pretty disgusting (could probably be fixed with the change of the nut). 4/5

Playbility: I dont really know what to say here, its pretty much a matter of comfort and opinion on this one. I prefer the Hamer Standard to the Gibson Explorer because it's more comfortable. N/A

Overall Value: This guitar is definitley worth the price I paid for it and if I lost it I would definitley get a new one. The quality seen in this guitar is amazing for the price range, obviously youre not going to get the highest end of quality but its amazing for under $500. 5/5

Hamer777 fucked around with this message at 08:55 on Nov 14, 2006

The Gasmask
Nov 30, 2006

Breaking fingers like fractals
PRS CE22

Price Paid: $1995 (usd)

Year Manufactured: 2006

Specs:
Bolt on Maple Neck w/ Rosewood Fretboard
25" Scale
PRS Trem
Dragon II Humbuckers
Mahogany Body
Maple Top
Dot inlays
Matteo Blue finish

Sound: Loose feel, very good for blues and hard rock (ie Tool Aenima and before, AIC). It fits extremely well for half of my style, and the other half is covered by my PRS Standard 22 Satin. I also love the coil tap, it sounds like a modded strat, which was what I wanted

5/5

Instrument Quality: I've not played better. It's top looks like a swimming pool, was set up perfectly, and the locking tuners are just amazing. No dead notes, no buzzing, and no tuning or intonation issues.

5/5

Playability: Smooth as butter. It is not tight and chunky, but that's not what I got it for. I don't own any guitars with a trem, so this was a big jump on my part, but I'm not dissapointed in the slightest.

5/5

Overall Value: Worth every penny. I used to hate PRS and was a die hard Gibson fan, but as I grew up, I realized guitars are all wood, so the name is a non-issue. I went to the shop, played every brand, and finally settled on PRS.
People say they're overpriced, but I disagree. I payed less than I would for a Les Paul Standard, and it blew away every one I tried (I do own one, but Gibson has too much variation in quality on the regular models).

5/5

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The Gasmask
Nov 30, 2006

Breaking fingers like fractals
And here's a pic of my babies, the CE22 and the Standard 22 Satin:


If only I could have sex with them.

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