Why I like amp fests

[braintheory]

Yeah I would rather have you be opinionated and clearly articulate your opinions than it be something I agree with, because it feels like I have a baseline for what you like you know?

And I absolutely love the old Cornford stuff - especially for leads it just has the "thing" especially for shreddy runs. Woody, rubbery, articulate. That RK just has more of it than the hellcat and MK i've played so I was pretty impressed with the clip tbh, killer sounding amp and I don't doubt that it's even better in the room.

I would love to hear an UU close mic clip especially because the originals have this low mid fart sound that makes me want to jump off a bridge, and everyone describes the ultra as more tight and filtered, which IMO is exactly what the original needs to not drive me insane

Exactly! Gjika is super opinionated with many things (some way more than me) who I disagree with a lot on as one example, but I still love the guy as well as his amps

Yes, the RK is all those things. I think it actually is one of those amps where clips can convey what it does well and in the room probably not too surprising after, for me at least

I don't have a UU anymore. I meant of just the Rev 1. Yes, it would need to be tighter and more filtered to work for you, but I just don't use the amp for that type of stuff period. I have other amps killer for that. I would just play riffs that I think make the amp shine for where it excels

 

[braintheory]

I think it's more that I've played a lot of examples of vintage pickups, and they vary so much in tolerance that I discount them based on that - I don't want to waste money on something that is basically useless because the right person wasn't working that day, or it hasn't degaussed in just the right fashion

I do like old bill lawrence XLs and old dirty fingers, but especially some of the gretsch and mighty mite ones you like, I've played good sounding ones and absolutely horrific dogshit ones, and i'm not going to recommend a mystery box when people ask me about pickups to try

Yeah I totally get you on all that. I'd send ones that are legit. With respect to Gretsch, I talked to this one very knowledgable luthier I love who makes his own pickups too and thinks the few vintage Gretsch pickups I bought very recently that didn't sound good were potted I wouldn't know myself

A good Supertron is my all-time favorite (along with a '60's Gibson PAT orange wire pre-T-Top) and think it could be killer for your stuff too. Other than that I've really consistently loved my vintage Gretsch pickups, but one huge advantage I have is being good friends with this local store owner here that let's me try them first in my guitars and just get the ones I want. That's how I got to compare 6 real '50's PAF's in the same guitar

 

[Smash]

Not this pedal. I looks bad ass, unfortunately sounds like the same. lol. Nothing like my actual SD-1.

Yeah. I tried a few things. It is not even close to same circuit as my old one. It is unfortunate, because that was a great boost and what I have been telling everyone to get. It is disappointing is all.

 

[DanTravis62]

Yeah I totally get you on all that. I'd send ones that are legit. With respect to Gretsch, I talked to this one very knowledgable luthier I love who makes his own pickups too and thinks the few vintage Gretsch pickups I bought very recently that didn't sound good were potted I wouldn't know myself

A good Supertron is my all-time favorite (along with a '60's Gibson PAT orange wire pre-T-Top) and think it could be killer for your stuff too. Other than that I've really consistently loved my vintage Gretsch pickups, but one huge advantage I have is being good friends with this local store owner here that let's me try them first in my guitars and just get the ones I want. That's how I got to compare 6 real '50's PAF's in the same guitar

I have played an old supertron that was one of the best pickups i've ever tried, but i've also played like 4 other supertrons that were awful I have no idea what made THAT specific supertron amazing. I actually like alot of modern Filtertrons too, so I wonder if there's some sort of cross-talk going on there.

I do a lot of pickup replacements (along with other minor guitar and amp repairs) for customers locally in my area, so i've played a million different types of everything, which I know puts me in a position that not a ton of people are in - and also probably what makes me such a pickup snob.

i've played a handful of real PAFs as well, but they were at Emerald City guitars in seattle and at Mike Soldano's shop, it's not like I owned them.

Yeah. I tried a few things. It is not even close to same circuit as my old one. It is unfortunate, because that was a great boost and what I have been telling everyone to get. It is disappointing is all.

Maybe there's something wrong with it? It's not inconceivable that something was fucked up or a ground came loose somewhere.

Everything I've owned that wayne has built has been fucking amazing so far, and I'm going to shit a brick and a half when my signature pedal gets here in a couple days

 

[Smash]

I have played an old supertron that was one of the best pickups i've ever tried, but i've also played like 4 other supertrons that were awful I have no idea what made THAT specific supertron amazing. I actually like alot of modern Filtertrons too, so I wonder if there's some sort of cross-talk going on there.

I do a lot of pickup replacements (along with other minor guitar and amp repairs) for customers locally in my area, so i've played a million different types of everything, which I know puts me in a position that not a ton of people are in - and also probably what makes me such a pickup snob.

i've played a handful of real PAFs as well, but they were at Emerald City guitars in seattle and at Mike Soldano's shop, it's not like I owned them.



Maybe there's something wrong with it? It's not inconceivable that something was fucked up or a ground came loose somewhere.

Everything I've owned that wayne has built has been fucking amazing so far, and I'm going to shit a brick and a half when my signature pedal gets here in a couple days

I think something changed with the superdrive in particular. The people that have been contacting me have had great luck with his other pedals.
And obviously my OG superdrive was kick fucking ass

 

[DanTravis62]

I think something changed with the superdrive in particular. The people that have been contacting me have had great luck with his other pedals.
And obviously my OG superdrive was kick fucking ass

Er,, did you ask him?

I'm not going to be any help, I don't like SD1s and would only use one if I had no other choice for a boost, they cut too much low end

 

[Smash]

Er,, did you ask him?

I'm not going to be any help, I don't like SD1s and would only use one if I had no other choice for a boost, they cut too much low end

Me and you are similar here. The superdrive is the perfect pedal to cut lowend, however, right now, I don't need to do that with my rig, so I have been using my Chiron. It is a badass bitch.

 

[braintheory]

I have played an old supertron that was one of the best pickups i've ever tried, but i've also played like 4 other supertrons that were awful I have no idea what made THAT specific supertron amazing. I actually like alot of modern Filtertrons too, so I wonder if there's some sort of cross-talk going on there.

I do a lot of pickup replacements (along with other minor guitar and amp repairs) for customers locally in my area, so i've played a million different types of everything, which I know puts me in a position that not a ton of people are in - and also probably what makes me such a pickup snob.

i've played a handful of real PAFs as well, but they were at Emerald City guitars in seattle and at Mike Soldano's shop, it's not like I owned them.

Yes they really can be just so perfect when you get the best ones (for me at least). I’m not an expert, but I do have quite a few now from different eras and can say so far the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s/late ‘60’s have different character's to them, but love both. It’s just 3 now potted (I think?) ones that are awful . They sound like you took my favorite Supertron and turned the tone knob down on your guitar to -5/10 and I’m not even exaggerating lol. I do really like some modern takes on Filtertrons I’ve had/still have too. The ‘50’s Gretsch Filtertron PAF is also unbelievable to me. I’d take it over my favorite ‘50’s Gibson PAF’s for what I like, as good as they are

Yeah it was really interesting for me to hear those PAF’s in more regular guitars like the Charvel custom shops I used to have, McInturff, other superstrats. They’re amazing for sure, but for my style enjoy even more this ‘60’s Gibson PAT orange wire pre-T-Top. Not as 3D, warm or sweet like the PAF’s, but more aggressive, not as soft or mushy in note texture. I think actually as long as we try solid enough examples we may not disagree as much with these pickups

 

[DanTravis62]

Yes they really can be just so perfect when you get the best ones (for me at least). I’m not an expert, but I do have quite a few now from different eras and can say so far the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s/late ‘60’s have different character's to them, but love both. It’s just 3 now potted (I think?) ones that are awful . They sound like you took my favorite Supertron and turned the tone knob down on your guitar to -5/10 and I’m not even exaggerating lol. I do really like some modern takes on Filtertrons I’ve had/still have too. The ‘50’s Gretsch Filtertron PAF is also unbelievable to me. I’d take it over my favorite ‘50’s Gibson PAF’s for what I like, but obviously those are also amazing

Yeah it was really interesting for me to hear those PAF’s in more regular guitars like the Charvel custom shops I used to have, McInturff, other superstrats. They’re amazing for sure, but for my style enjoy even more this ‘60’s Gibson PAT orange wire pre-T-Top. Not as 3D, warm or sweet like the PAF’s, but more aggressive, not as soft or mushy in note texture. I think actually as long as we try solid enough examples we may not disagree as much with these pickups

I agree, if we were only talking about solid examples I would probably agree with you, but there's a reason I switched to modern builders for pickups lol

I am super particular about pickups, but I want to be able to get something set up quickly if I buy a new guitar, and that means they have to be in production, and I also need some communication with the winder - which is why scott and jim wagner are my guys

 

[7704A]

I am super particular about pickups, but I want to be able to get something set up quickly if I buy a new guitar, and that means they have to be in production, and I also need some communication with the winder - which is why scott and jim wagner are my guys

Have you tried getting electrical measurements of your favorite vintage pickups (R,L,C, field strength, maybe a bode plot) to have new winders clone? Those things aren't everything that goes into a pickup, but my understanding is that it's most of it, and there's a lot of info out there now on how to measure it.

 

[DanTravis62]

Have you tried getting electrical measurements of your favorite vintage pickups (R,L,C, field strength, maybe a bode plot) to have new winders clone? Those things aren't everything that goes into a pickup, but my understanding is that it's most of it, and there's a lot of info out there now on how to measure it.

No, I don't have that type of time and money or else I would have had someone clone every sh6 made in the late 90s

 

[Smash]

Have you tried getting electrical measurements of your favorite vintage pickups (R,L,C, field strength, maybe a bode plot) to have new winders clone? Those things aren't everything that goes into a pickup, but my understanding is that it's most of it, and there's a lot of info out there now on how to measure it.

This fucking guy with his "science"

What about the fairy dust and crystal lattice?

 

[7704A]

No, I don't have that type of time and money or else I would have had someone clone every sh6 made in the late 90s

If by "money" you mean the tools, it may be cheaper than you think. I'd have to double-check, but about the price of a new pickup set I think. Time to measure them is pretty quick too I think, not a lot of fancy stuff involved, but maybe it's still to much time.

What about the fairy dust and crystal lattice?

Midichlorians.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

How many beers did you have? My neck hurts now.

 

[VonBonfire]

How many beers did you have?

The answer is "yes".

Smash is a fun guy to drink beer with. I speak from personal experience.

 

[Techdeth]

The answer is "yes".

Smash is a fun guy to drink beer with. I speak from personal experience.

You mean Chugg is