Old dog, new tricks.

Dan0h

Well-known member
Pretty much feel like I’m the last to learn this overly obvious fact. But that’s ok, it’s a whole new world for me and I’m stoked.

My entire adult life up until last year my entire guitar playing experience has been Strat, or Acoustic, or Bass. My first year into pedals was all based on how they sounded with my Strat. Then just over a year ago I got a Jazzmaster and my life changed. Literally the best thing I ever experienced and for the following year all my pedal builds were voiced towards the Jazzmaster.

Well last week I picked up a 335. My first time ever having two humbuckers and my first non-fender electric. Oh man, it took me this whole week to slowly adjust but today I realized so many things. One the output of this guitar is insane compared to my Jazzmaster. Two there is a clarity and presence that I’ve never had when strumming chords through an amp. Maybe it’s the acoustic ring due to being semi hollow but it’s crazy interesting. The bulk of my pedals all react and sound totally different, which now makes so much sense why some people like certain pedals and dislike other pedals. The signals coming off different guitars vary so much. I know I know Mr obvious here. But imagine you only play a single Strat for decades and then over the span of two years are exposed to two totally different beasts.

Anyway, most of my musician fiends already know this and have given me shit about being late to the party. But I thought I would share it on here and maybe someone will be encouraged to go and at least try out a different style guitar. Now it makes so much sense why a lot of you guys have racks of axes. They all do something very unique. Sort of like pedals…. Oh crap I hope this doesn’t mean I have to start collecting piles of guitars. Good thing they cost too much to play that game. But kudos to all of you that have managed to amass a collection. Good times. Cool sounds. Inspiration.

And as fig keeps trying to remind us, Go Build Something.
 
I've been playing for 25 years and I just got my first humbucker equipped guitar last year. I had to rethink my playing and my pedal settings, and the lack of 60 cycle hum is kind of glorious. But for loud and proud hardcore, I still need my single coils. Under 10 pedals and with 3 guitars, I feel like I'm pretty spartan compared to most of y'all.
 
Okay, but now you need a Danelectro.. and something with Jaguar pickups... And shreddy guitar with a Fernandes Sustainer and Floyd rose and 27 frets...
But, most importantly and in all seriousness, a Telecaster. That bridge pickup sound is 🔥🔥
I almost had a Danelectro when I was a teen but it was before I had any clue about intonation and action height. This specific Danelectro’s strings were so high it was like fighting a trampoline spring to push down the strings and I instantly said no thanks.

I did see The The play Danelectros live and they sounded amazing. If only I knew you had to tweak “setup” most guitars when new. Oh well.
 
+1 on AHA! and likely a start to GAS. It's always cool to have options and I have a herd of cheap mutts kicking around here that cover pretty much any flavor (although never a JazzMaster ironically). At the end of the day you might find that you could pretty much settle in with just the Strat and nail everything. Funny how this works.
 
The big AHA! moment for me was discovering Gretsch guitars and Filter'tron pickups. After years of playing Strats, Teles and 335s, finding Fenders sound thin in a band context and Gibson sounding all midrange I played a '64 6120 in my band. The clouds parted, the sun shone down upon me and my world changed...

Of course since then I have worked out how to make various guitars work for me, but for gigs I still rely on Filter'tron Gretsches. For almost 20 years my main guitar was a Gretsch 6120 Setzer model of some description. Now I love my recent Duo Jets. What happens is that they cut through yet still sound big. It's remarkable. My Gibson ES-225 is similar, but the Gretsch sound kinda has the best of Fender and the best of Gibson all in one. Paired with a tweed amp they fill a stage with sound.

I've had a love/hate relationship with Strats for so long that now I have given up. They just don't like me!
 
I wish I knew. I feel like they take me for granted. I treat them well, keep them clean and sheltered, tickle them playfully and only plug them into the very best of amps. Then they walk all over me - "no, we're not gonna play nice", or "I don't wanna sound fat for you! I'm skinny and like the pull of magnets better than your stupid fingers!"

Of all the testing and difficult guitars I've had Strats are the main ofFender.
 
Today restrung the new guitar. But when setting the intonation I ended up maxing out the G string saddle and couldn’t get it to G on the 12th fret. Did thee ole trustee google and found TONs of people complaining about gibsons and Epiphone G strings not being tunable. Then found the solution on YouTube about flipping the saddle to get just a hair more room. Well that did it. Flipping the G saddle allowed me to push it just a hair more and now she is fully tuned and perfectly intonated at the 12th. Also learned the hard way about the nut binding the strings up when tuning, found if I push down just above the nut it helps getting them up to tension. Sounds so good. I actually cased up my Martin for the first time in three years because this 335 is perfect to play unplugged or plugged in. It’s such a pleasure. I’m glad I waited till I was a sort of an older dude to get one, as I would not have know what to do with it as a kid and for sure not understood how amazing it is. I love how diverse it is from jazzy creamy cleans all the way to crispy sludge doom with the right pedal. Fully enjoying her.
 
Thanks. It’s an oldie but goodie and gets the job done. Active pickups are a trip but it’s like having a little built in preamp inside.

Old is good. I love active pickups on basses.
What brand is it? I don't recognize it.
 
The big AHA! moment for me was discovering Gretsch guitars and Filter'tron pickups. After years of playing Strats, Teles and 335s, finding Fenders sound thin in a band context and Gibson sounding all midrange I played a '64 6120 in my band. The clouds parted, the sun shone down upon me and my world changed...

Of course since then I have worked out how to make various guitars work for me, but for gigs I still rely on Filter'tron Gretsches. For almost 20 years my main guitar was a Gretsch 6120 Setzer model of some description. Now I love my recent Duo Jets. What happens is that they cut through yet still sound big. It's remarkable. My Gibson ES-225 is similar, but the Gretsch sound kinda has the best of Fender and the best of Gibson all in one. Paired with a tweed amp they fill a stage with sound.

I've had a love/hate relationship with Strats for so long that now I have given up. They just don't like me!
I do yearn for another Gretsch, but dropping 3k for one is not in the near future
 
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