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"Guitar set-up"

Someone started a topic on technology set-ups, dvd, ps2, tv etc, so i thought id do one for guitars, as there seem to be a lot of guitarists here. Here's mine:




Guitars

- Epiphone Les Paul Standard with Gibson Burstbucker pickups, Switchcraft toggle switch and Gibson tone/volume pots
- Sigma Steel-strung Acoustic with Piezo pickup.


Amps

- Marshall TSL100 Head with Marshall 1936 2x12 cab
- Use of Ampeg 70W 2x10 combo with chorus and reverb


Effects

- Jim Dunlop Crybaby Wah-wah pedal
- Digitech RP300 Multi-effects Proccesor


'Wants' List

- Another Les paul with EMG-ZW pickups
- Marshall 4x12 for the TSL Head
- Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Head
- Digitech Whammy Pedal
- MXR Phase 90
- MXR Zakk Wylde Overdrive



So what does everyone else out there have? And please nobody mention those 'Affinity' Stratocasters that you can buy from Argos for £100!! :D

I have a white Fender Stratocaster. New about 10 years ago. Still stock, but a lovely guitar that just plays so nicely. Also a sunburst Jedson semi acoustic from the 60's. Along the lines of a Gibson Dot etc. The Tele and Les Paul are now gone. Big equipment cull a few years back. However, I do still have a Yamaha acoustic, a Columbo bass and a classical guitar that I can't remember the make of. Mind you, space isn't at a premium anymore, nor is space, which is why I plan on picking up an Ibanez or Jackson soon.

Marshall MG30DFX - the biggest amp I can comfortably fit in now that I rarely play. It is pretty decent, but my old JCM800 and cab was so much better. I'd like to get a Marshall Mode 4, but again space is the main issue. Maybe some day though if I get a bigger flat.

A few Boss pedals. You just don't get better than them.

I know you can do things like that with top-end rack gear, but that wasn't the type of equipment gamesfreak was talking about. I'm pretty sure that if £200 is out of his price range, something with that much scope for customisation will be just slightly out there.

gaybys wrote:
> Multi-effects systems are only really of any use if you want to
> switch 3+ effects on/off at once.

They're a lot more diverse than that. How you chain pedals together effects the overall output which can sometimes cause some great effects. I used to use stomp boxes but got into experimental setups and founf having to switch cables to much of a pain. Instead, I can program my rack to handle every combination I need for every gig.

FX overlays are eaiser too. Being able to multi sample delay effects is much easier than fiddling with floor boxes and the biggest bonus is the reduction in battery costs.

Makes life easier for studio work too. But then it depends how far you want to go.

Just parted with my current set-up so I can replace it all.

Current Set-up

Guitar:

Epiphone Les Paul Custom.
Twin Dimazio Humbuckers (distortion in neck position), Schaller(sp?) Locking tuners. Custom Thumb Drop"D" bridge.

Backline:

2 x Marshall 1936 2x12's
Marshall 8008 19" Rackmount 120/80w Power Amp
Boss GFX-700 19" Rackmount Multi FX Processor
Roland FC-200 Midi Foot Controller

New/Future Set Up

Guitar:
Ibanez K2 K0rn Signature series 7 String drop tuned. may have JEM pickups installed.

Backline:
Marshall EL34 50/50 Valve Rack Power Amp
Marshall JMP1 Pre Amp
Boss GT-6 Floor FX Processor
2 x Laney TT412A/S Cabinets

Guitar is on order as Ibanez dealers in the UK are poor and the waiting time is hurrendous. Have the JMP1 and one of the 4x12's so far.

I've always wanted a '69 or '58 goldtop, but we can dream.

gamesfreak wrote:
> £700+ just seems a bit pricey thats all, for a block of wood and
> a few pickups.

again, you get what you pay for.
if you want a £120 guitar, go buy one, but it'll be crap next to more expensive ones. It's a luxury *thing* and luxory *things* are expensive; cars, video games, instruments, etc.
just life.

PRS guitars can have a £15,000 tag if they have the dragon inlay and the really nice woods...

£700+ just seems a bit pricey thats all, for a block of wood and a few pickups.

Anyway, Re: multi effects, yeah I know it's probably better to get just one pedal, but it just seems so cool to have a vast array of effects to work with, and using the memory features that most pedals seem to hold.

Epiphones are machine made, but Gibson Les Pauls are handmade. PLus Gibsons have much better electronics aswell as better wood.

Unless Les Pauls are hand made, I can't see why they should cost so much.
Are they not mass prduced by machines that make them for about 10 quid of materials, then strung etc and tested by people on 5 quid an hour wages - that's about 50 quid to make them, max.

Ri off. Argh.

Re: multi effects units.

I got two years ago around christmas. Its the Digitech one on my list. I loved it at first, but this year when i got the Marshall, i stopped using it, and havent used it since, its been months since i used it for anything other than a chromatic tuner. Once i get a BOSS TU-2 Tuner (stompbox tuner) im probably gonna sell it, coz all i ever use dit for was amp tone, which i now have. I hardly use modulation effects, just chorus on clean channels, hence the need for a boss chorus stomp-box. Theyre great at first, but once you get a good quality amp, unless you use modulation effects (flangher, phaser etc.) all the time, not worth it.

And for the record, Digitech do multi-effects for about £75 now, theyre not bad. Mine was about £170-£180 new.

gamesfreak wrote:
> I love my guitar to bits, but it's no Les Paul, and I definatley
> cannot afford to shell out that £700+ for one.
>
> Why do they cost so much?

because they're a joy to play mate :)
ace build quality, good tone, nice neck, easy fingerboard, good quality wood finish.. the list goes on... :)
>
> I'm just saying that, say, if you wanted a multi effects pedal, <
> £120 and you'll be lucky to get a decent tone, most of the
> prime's are hitting the £200+ mark.

"you get what you pay for" i spose mate.
if you pay less, you get lamer stuff, that's just the way these things tend to work with instruments.