What are you GASing for?

[RandomHero]

I'm starting this, if for no other reason, to have a place to just go off about my newest "I WANT THAT" piece of gear. It's a 7-string, of course, though not to rub out my current one (depicted in the icon,) just to be the second in the start of a collection. I'll start with a picture.

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Now, some of you may remember for a while that I was crushing hard on the Schecter C-7 Blackjack. There are two reasons for the change. First, I did a bit more research on the EMG-707s that come stock in the Hellraiser, depicted above. The 707s, it seems, respond more like EMG 85s, which I prefer to the 81s I thought they sounded like. Another reason is that I just now found out that the Hellraiser comes in that beautiful cherry finish.

26.5" scale length (eliminating the "choke" my current Hepta-axe experiences on the low A/B), set neck with ultra-access heel, TonePros locking TOM style bridge with string through body construction, and one helluva slab of carved-top mahogany goodness build it all on...

And to top it off, look at that beautiful transparent finish with the abalone binding and black pearl cross inlays! Ohmygasm.

And I'll be getting it with a big fat employee discount at my new job. ;D

[UnklMickey]

i knew it wouldn't be long til the seduction of all those guitars became overwhelming!

that is a pretty finish indeed.

i'm not taken by the inlays, but my tastes are very traditional, i prefer simple blocks.

i've been told TOMs on a string-thru are not a good choice if the strings contact the rear of the bridge body. but i wonder if that's really a problem if Schecter is doing it that way.

a good friend has a jones for the C4 bass. in general he hates active pickups, but the C4 really sounds good to him.



now, about that new signature line of yours. can we convince you that: Six, good. Seven, even better!

[RandomHero]

Hahaha! As long as my fingers still run off the fretboard of every 6-string I play, six will be bad.

I've looked at Schecter's TOM/String-throughs. They don't seem to suffer the affliction to mention. That TOM is a locking Tone-Pros, too. Uber-goodness. =D

[dunkelfalke]

heh heh, some people have got too long fingers, some too short
it is like in that old joke

a guy knocks violently on the door of a public toilet:
- come on, open up, i have diarrhoea
the voice behind the door answers:
you lucky SoB, i have constipation

btw just ordered this one:


that's what you get when an ibanez and a steinberger have sex ;D

doesn't need double ball strings btw

[RandomHero]

Wow! That's a doozie. How much did that piece of work run you? =D

[dunkelfalke]

117 euros plus shipping
that's about $130

[UnklMickey]

yikes, that makes a stock strat seem much less "ugly".

huge value/$ though.

i guess any good weapon should have a convenient grab-handle.

those sharp cutaways, be careful. "you'll put your eye out!"

[ChrisK]

Well, yer ohmygasm's aside, that looks like a nice basis for a six string wide neck (1 7/8") gittar. Or a short 6 mid bass.

I've never been able to get interested in Schecter's before, but......

What does GC want fer that thing (street cost).


And Dunkelfalke,

Please don't run w/ that Guitar......

[UnklMickey]

chrisk said:

...Please don't run w/ that Guitar......

hey RW, does this sound familiar?

[dunkelfalke]

chrisk said:

Please don't run w/ that Guitar......

why that? ;D

[UnklMickey]

well Falke, your mama did teach you not to "run with scissors" (or knives, or sharp things), right?



back on topic. RH, do the strings touch the back of the TOM body? or is the angle to the string-thru shallow enough so that they're above it?

[Runewalker]

Yesterday at 6:58pm, ChrisK wrote:...Please don't run w/ that Guitar......


hey RW, does this sound familiar?

Yeah, Unk I was just thinking that....

For the rest of the community --- the reference here is to the name Unk gave to one of my builds: An SG body with those nasty Jackson style headstock/shark tooth inlays, which he promptly pronounced as one....

"Running with Scissors guitar".

Which I immediately and shamelessly stole as the model name for that and soon to be built clones.

RWS, I liked it so much I nearly changed my name:


This is the little beast Unk christened:


Hey! and Hendrix likes it too!

And dunkelfalke "don't run with scissors" is an American colloquialism that sort of pokes fun at Mom's for being both overly hovering and cliched.

That is one evil and strange little beastie you have there. The sharpened horns and vine inlay are quite incongruous, which makes it all the better.

RW or should it be RWS?

[RandomHero]

It street buys at... I'm guessing $650 to $700.

The strings don't graze the back of the tom. Even if they did, it's a locking TonePros tom, so it should be ok.

[UnklMickey]

well RH, how much time have you logged on the demo unit?

you haven't worn the frets down yet, have you?






that RWS is sure giving me some ideas!

if it only had a maple neck.

and a 3+3 headstock. (either straight sided or v )

and block inlays

and a Leo Quan instead of the TOM.

and move the neck pup to more of a mid position.

and the and the devil horns were rounded out.

and symmetrical.

and lose the pickguard altogether.




MAN! that is almost an ideal guitar!

[dunkelfalke]

looks like you need a custom built one

[RandomHero]

I haven't played the Hellraiser yet, but we have a Blackjack in the store. That one is dimensionally identical, but has stock Seymour Duncans instead of the 707s. I know I'll prefer the 707s as they're reputed to sound almost identical to the DiMarzios I have (and love) in my Floyd HSH 7-stringer.

The 26.5 scale length is amazingly awesome. Notes just ring forever, harmonics are clear as day.

[mlrpa]

I tend to avoid new instruments like the plague. (MASSIVE budget concerns, and just feel a bit wierd about taking a blowtorch and a bandsaw to a new instrument. Whatever it takes to get it the way I want it.)
Vintagewise, I'm drooling over this pristine 1975 Electra Elvin Bishop model with the tree of life inlays. It's ONLY $1200! Yesh, I'll buy a new, uuuhhhggg, Gibson for that!

[RandomHero]

I doublechecked the C-7 in stock and it seems like the strings to snag the back edge of the TOM before hitting the body. I asked our in-house hobbyist tech about it and he said it shouldn't be an issue; seeing as how the entire TOM assembly locks with hex screws. Unk, why do you ask? Is there something about that particular design flaw I should be aware of?

[UnklMickey]

hopefully it's not an issue at all.

i've heard others recommend against a TOM where you have the strings resting against the top edge of the back of the bridge body.

something about loss of sustain and vibrations.

maybe it had something to do with not having as much down-force on the saddles.

i wouldn't be too concerned, just examine it carefully.

sometimes there is something to this second-hand, anecdotal information. but don't take it on face-value either.


unk

[RandomHero]

Here's another piece that I think I'll be acquiring before I get the Hellraiser. (I'm in need of an amp!)



This thing is a little beast. It sounds beautiful and is terribly versatile. Not only that, but it's hugely user-friendly too! The total package.

[UnklMickey]

i was all set to say "get a $140 valve junior and stick a mic in front of it".

i looked a the Vox site and read about the "valve reactor" concept, and it does seem to be a good approach.

sometimes that kind of stuff looks good on paper, but doesn't work out so well.

what's your assessment of how it sounds? or are you just going on concept?


unk

[RJB]

Those Valvetronix are good in real life too. I'm actually gassing for the lil' brother the 30 watter.

I've researched the circuit, they are running the tube at 30V plate voltage, selectable Class A or AB. This is after a rather complex DSP system that adjusts for a boatload of variable interactions with different settings. The only complaint was the feeling that the hi-gain models a bit lacking.

Some consider it taking the best digital modeller, and 'washing' the digital out with a tube power amp 'model'. Like some recording producers do. ProTools final mix -> Tape -> digital mater.

The 2 down sides. The Line/Headphone out is BEFORE the Tube circuit. And no hookup for external cabinet (at least on the 30).

Anyway just my 2¢.
RJB

[vroom]

I really liked the sound of the Peavey Classic 50 4x12 I played in store. At some point I want to add that or a Peavey Classic 30 to the stable for the smoother stuff that the 5150 has to struggle to get.

I'm on the hunt for a guitar that will flatter my 5150 combo. The cheap strat copy just isn't cutting it in stock form. The shops in my area are so limited, though. I'd love to try out a Peavey Wolfgang or EBMM Axis, as they are basically made for the amp. Anything else with a humbucker or two is worth considering, IMO.

Here's a short list of things I've gathered that might be worth a try:
Peavey Wolfgang
EBMM Axis
Epi Elitist LP
Edwards, Orville, or Tokai LP
PRS Santana SE (supposedly after new pups)
Tele with humbuckers (who makes a good one?)

Anyone tried any of the above? Remember: to be used with a 5150. I'm willing to spend up to or around $500 for something I'm going to enjoy.

Also, I'm struggling with myself over getting one with a Floyd or similar. Some models supposedly have issues and therefore the hardtails are more sought after. I think I may just need multiple guitars at some point. The question is "Which one first?"

EDIT: No, I didn't forget about Schecter. We'll see.

[sumgai]

unklmickey said:

I doublechecked the C-7 in stock and it seems like the strings to snag the back edge of the TOM before hitting the body. I asked our in-house hobbyist tech about it and he said it shouldn't be an issue; seeing as how the entire TOM assembly locks with hex screws. Unk, why do you ask? Is there something about that particular design flaw I should be aware of?

hopefully it's not an issue at all.

i've heard others recommend against a TOM where you have the strings resting against the top edge of the back of the bridge body.

something about loss of sustain and vibrations.

maybe it had something to do with not having as much down-force on the saddles.

i wouldn't be too concerned, just examine it carefully.

sometimes there is something to this second-hand, anecdotal information. but don't take it on face-value either.


unk

Essentially, the issue boils down to the small amount of pressure on the TOM bridge that is not directly exerted onto the saddle. Personally, I think this is a non-issue, but there are those gonzo tone freaks that think "less than 100% pressure on the saddle equals loss of valuable tone".

Oh well, whatever plucks their strings, fine be me.


sumgai

[RandomHero]

The Neo-Dog Valvetronix sounds amazing. What's more, it's got all the DFX divided into different sections. Stompbox, modulation, reverb, and delay. You can assign one of each, and everything is saveable into 32 presets across 8 banks. Add on the footswitch for built-in wah and bank switching, and take into account the -instant- model changing (I mean it, there's no lag at all!) and it's an all-in-one package.

I just can't get over how warm the thing sounds.