Multi-effect vs. single-effect guitar pedals
When it comes to pedals, I'm really particular about what I use and why.
The only effects I use right now are all contained within the DigiTech RP360, a very nice multi-effect unit. Compared to a single-effect pedal, the RP360 is big, but when compared to other multi-effect pedals, it's quite compact. It's not as compact as the Korg Pandora Stomp (I don't think you can get any smaller for multi-effects than the Pandora,) but the extra switchgear on the RP360 makes it far easier to change sounds, use the built-in looper, and so on compared to the Korg.
Single-effect pedals are not meant to be used at home
This is a fact that escapes most guitar players for some reason. The majority of single-effect pedals are meant to be used live and loud, and not in a quiet, controlled environment at a computer.
Take the classic distortion pedal, the BOSS DS-1. You play that at home, and you will hate it. That pedal was designed in the late 1970s at a time when amp channel switching didn't exist. In other words, designed for use with an amplifier. BOSS designed that pedal for use with a live rig and not a set of computer speakers or ear buds.
Take that same DS-1 and run it through an amp on a clean channel and output to a 2x12 or 4x12 cabinet, and only then you'll say, "Okay, now this pedal actually sounds pretty good."
Multi-effect pedals must have all modeling OFF when running live
"Wow, my multi-effect sounds so good at home... why is it so difficult to run through an amp?"
Answer: Amp modeling. Turn it off. All of it.
For any setting you have on your multi-effect pedal or rackmount unit that you really like, you have to create a copy of it for your live rig that has all the EQ and all the amplifier modeling 100% turned off. For example, you could name a preset "GUITAR-S" for studio and the copy "GUITAR-L" for live. Yeah, you have to do this.
"Separate your rigs" is still valid advice today
Amplifier modeling has only existed since the 1990s. Affordable amplifier modeling that actually sounds right has only been around for about 15 years.
And as far as affordable amp modeling that absolutely sounds right out-of-the-box, that's only existed for less than 5 years at the time I write this. The RP360 is an example of that.
For live rigs, however, pedals are still necessary.
The standard advice given by many is that your home rig and your live rig should be completely separate things. Do you have to do this? No, but it helps.
What makes for a good live effects rig?
The answer is simple, but some players have a really hard time understanding this.
A good live effects rig should be as stupidly easy to use as possible.
Now I'll explain what that means where your effects are concerned.
Is there any display that shows letters or numbers? FAIL.
If the effect shows any sort of number or letter on a display no matter how basic it is, that's a recipe for failure for a live rig.
Live pedal effects should never require any number or letters you have to read at any time.
Does it not have obvious knob level indicators? FAIL.
Some pedal designs in an attempt to by stylish use knobs that look good but from a standing position can't be read. That's a fail.
A quick test of good pedal design is to put it on the floor in a dimly-lit part of a room, stand in front of it and see if you can read the knobs. If you can't, the design sucks and you'll have to get some coding dot labels, clip with scissors and stick them where the knob level indicators are for extra visual assistance.
"Only old guys need to do that."
Wrong... so very wrong. It doesn't matter if you're 15 or 55 or someone with 20/10 vision. Bad design is bad design. If the knob design sucks, watch how much using cheap coding labels improves things.
Does it require a power supply? FAIL.
Every pedal in your setup should have the option of running on battery alone. If the pedal requires a power supply, that's a fail.
The only thing you should have to plug in to a wall should be the amp itself and nothing else.
Examples of near-perfect pedals for a live rig
This is a delay effect pedal, and a darned good one. The knobs are really easy to figure out, really easily seen at a distance, and the Delay knob is clear because its light pulses to the delay time you set. Very nice design all around. And yes, it sounds good too.
The Phase 90 is an old-school pedal, but then again, nothing ever needed to be changed about it. One knob and one indicator light is all you ever needed.
This is one ugly-ass overdrive pedal, but it sounds great. You will also never mistake this pedal for anything else since it's green. The Bad Monkey is straightforward simplicity. Level (volume,) low-EQ, high-EQ, gain. Simple and easy, one indicator light.
When you're at home...
...then by all means, use all the segmented, digital or whatever kind of displays you want. Use all the computers you want. Use all the amp modeling you want. Use it all. At home, you're not kicking around your gear or subjecting it to abuse of any kind, so yeah, go for it.
But when you're not at home, use a different rig that can handle being kicked around, and use one that can be read at a distance. Avoid numbered/lettered displays, use coding dot labels if you have to, and so on. Most importantly, KEEP IT DIRT SIMPLE. If you don't, you'll just end up frustrated.
Don't put a Fender Mustang bridge on a Jazzmaster or a Jaguar
For a while now I've heard that putting a Mustang bridge on a Jazzmaster or a Jaguar makes the guitar "so much better", so I bought one.
It sucks, and I'll tell you exactly why.
No, it's not for the lack of adjusting the float height, as that can be adjusted use the two black side screws.
Give up?
There is no individual saddle height adjustment on a Mustang bridge with its solid saddles. It doesn't exist. Not on Fender USA or Squier models, anyway.
The only height adjustment you have is from the two side screws for bridge height and nothing else.
Mustang bridge saddles have 3 sizes that somewhat follow the radius of the fingerboard. The 1 and 6 saddles are the smallest, the 2 and 5 middle-size and the 3 and 4 are the largest.
If you don't like those predetermined heights, guess what? You're out of luck.
On traditional Jazzmaster/Jaguar saddles, there are screws to adjust height on a per-saddle level. It's a beautiful thing. You don't get this on Mustang saddles...
...and that's why you don't put a Mustang bridge on a Jazzmaster or Jaguar.
What replacement saddles do have the saddle height adjustments?
Ask and ye shall receive: Get the Graph Tech String Saver Saddle Barrel set for Mustang, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, and Jagstang Electric Guitars. With this set, you get the solid saddles with individual height adjustment; that is what you want.
Yes, I am saying it's the saddles you want and not the entire bridge. While true you will pay more for just the saddles compared to a whole bridge with saddles, you never needed the replacement bridge in the first place.
Cheap import guitar of the week #13 - Epiphone Slash AFD Guitar Pack
I wish they sold this guitar individually without the pack. But then again, this is so cheap that it's forgivable.
What we have here is a dirt cheap Epiphone Les Paul. The price is really low. So low that the guitar alone would sell for about $89, and I wish it did, but you have to buy the pack.
The thing about this guitar that makes it worth getting is the tiger stripe finish, or as described "AAA Flame Maple top." Yes, it really is billed as that. The body is also bound. For a cheap Paul, the look of it is actually quite good. Looks nice, cheap and ready-to-rock. Can't ask for much more than that.
Guitar manufacturing is at the point where you can basically get any look you want for insanely cheap prices, and the Slash AFD pack is an example of this. It's a finish specifically made for this pack which is why you will only find it in the pack.
Worth the buy? If you like Les Pauls, I think so. Think of it the same as the Epiphone Les Paul Special I P90 in a traditional double-humbucker configuration. If you know the P90 Epi Paul, you already know this one. The main difference is the finish and the fact the Slash Paul has a traditional bridge + stop piece whereas the P90 Paul has the wraparound.
Would I personally buy this guitar? No. But if I were buying a first guitar for someone as a gift, yes I would.
If you wanted what's arguably the cheapest Les Paul that has a bound body with a flame top and isn't a Chibson China knockoff, this Slash Paul is it.
Squier Affinity Telecaster and thoughts about fat guitar players
It's kind of embarrassing that I have to admit what I'm about to say, but the truth must be told.
The Squier Affinity Telecaster is, as far as I know, the cheapest Tele guitar Squier makes. I tried one again over the weekend. Yes, again. And I loved it. I'm seriously considering buying one in the near future. More on that in a moment.
Seven months ago I wrote It's all about the belly cut, where I sung the praises about how great a belly cut is on a solid-body electric guitar.
There was something different about me seven months ago. I was 42 pounds heavier than I am now. I weighed 197 lbs (14st 1 or 89kg) back then. Now I'm 155 (11st 1 or 70kg).
The last time I played a Telecaster shape without a belly cut in the back of the body, I was fat. Last Sunday is the first time I played one without that cut as my slimmer self...
...and the guitar was amazingly comfortable to play.
While noodling around on that Tele, I realized something. The entire reason I did not like the shape of the traditional Telecaster slab guitar shape before is because I was fat. While playing the guitar sitting, my fatness rested the guitar against my gut and leaned it in a way that would stick right into my ribs. But now that the fatness is gone, no more sticking. It's the same guitar as before and nothing has changed. What changed is me.
I was pleased that I could finally like the Telecaster slab shape, but at the same time embarrassed. For all this time, the reason why the Tele shape didn't agree with me had nothing to do with the guitar and everything to do with the fat gut I used to have. Yeah, I'm slim now, but knowing it was the former fatness that made me not like the Tele was a very humbling moment.
Squier Affinity Tele = GOOD
I've played both Squier Affinity Strats and Teles. I'm not too fond of the Affinity Strat. There's nothing particularly wrong with Affinity Strat, but it just doesn't do anything for me. The same can be said for the Classic Vibe Strat. I'm just not into that Strat either. Again, nothing particularly wrong with that guitar either, but it's just not my thing. My two favorite Squier Strats are the Vintage Modified series and the Bullet series.
The Squier Affinity Tele, again being the cheapest Tele that Squier makes, is a seriously good, cheap guitar. There's a lot to like about it.
Neck
Skinny at the nut and a rather pronounced roundness to it, but that nearly-unfinished feel to it is seriously comfortable. I could noodle on it for days.
Tuners
Not the best, but far from the worst. Surprisingly good for a guitar as cheaply priced as it is.
Feels solid
With Affinity Strats, I can feel the cheapness of the instrument. With the Affinity Tele, I don't. No creaking, nothing loose, nothing bad going on. It feels solid from top to bottom.
Sound
The Affinity Tele sounds just fine as-is for the most part. I personally would not need to do a pickup upgrade in one. The balance between the rear and front pickup gives that super-nice middle position sound that Telecasters are famous for.
My only real complaint is that the front pickup (as in the "neck" pickup) on its own "blares" a little bit. But the middle position more than makes up for it. Rear position is just fine. No complaints there.
Switchgear
Real-deal metal knobs on this Tele, just like it should be.
However, I do not like the "top hat" switch tip. Yes, I know this is traditional to the Tele, but I'm just not a fan of it. Thankfully, "barrel" switch tip exists. They are typically used on "Super Strat" Telecasters where there are 5 positions instead of just 3, but I believe they can also be used on 3-position switches (don't quote me on that because I'm not sure).
Should I get one of these Teles, the first order of business will be to get rid of that top hat tip in favor of the barrel tip, assuming I can get one that fits properly.
Will there be a Squier Affinity Tele in my future?
I'm pretty sure there will be.
For a while now I've been wanting a "hardtail" maple-fretboard guitar. I thought about getting a Squier Strat, but I'm favoring the two-pickup layout these days because of the Jazzmaster.
Why didn't I just buy the Affinity Tele I tried out over the weekend? I didn't like the color. If they had one with the maple board in Arctic White (a pale yellow), Black or Metallic Red, I would have bought it.
To get the color I want, I will most likely have to buy the guitar online. If that's what needs to be done, well, I'll do it.
When will I do it? I don't know just yet. But if I do, of course I will be posting articles here and videos too.
Cheap import guitar of the week #12 - Oscar Schmidt OE20G
We've got a gold Les Paul copy here, and it's good.
This cheap guitar does deliver the goods in fine style. Oscar Schmidt is a subsidiary of U.S. Music Corporation, similar to how Squier is part of Fender. You probably know U.S. Music Corporation and didn't even realize it. Some brands under that corporation are Marshall Amplifiers, Washburn Guitars, Randall Amplifiers, Hagstrom, Framus, DigiTech and several others.
Simply put, the OE20G is cheap and good. Very nice price tag, and most of you out there could afford this guitar today.
There are several things I really dig about the OE20G.
It's gold. And gold looks good on a Les Paul.
There are some guitars that carry a gold finish better than others. For example, I don't particularly care for the Squier 60th Anniversary Strat in Aztec Gold. Very nice guitar, no question about that, but for me it just doesn't work on a Strat body. For a vintage-look Squier Strat with maple neck and fingerboard, any other Classic Vibe '50s model works.
The OE20G however has a near-perfect execution of a gold finish. Gold body, darkened yellow plastics, and smartly keeps the metal portions chrome to prevent it from looking tacky.
The headstock is actually done right, looks-wise
On many Les Paul copies, the design fails at the headstock because that's where "I'm cheap" sticks out more than anywhere else. On the OE20G, that's not the case. It's done correct, and has very nice binding around it that looks proper.
It has "regular" humbuckers in it
Most gold Les Paul guitars are equipped with P90 pickups. Now in all honesty, I prefer that because it's a single-coil. But I know a lot of people don't and go for the humbuckers instead.
The OE20G is, as far as I know, the best cheap gold Les Paul with regular humbuckers in it.
It has trapezoid block inlays
A very easy thing to miss, but it's nice the fretboard has Gibson-style trapezoid block inlays on it. This is what most Les Paul players prefer. Granted, it's just for looks, but it is a very desirable look.
Some quick specs
- Mahogany body
- Maple set neck (no bolt-on)
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Chrome die cast tuners
- Lifetime warranty (yes, really)
The best part about the specs is the maple neck, meaning no mahogany flexing weirdness, and even as a set neck, the guitar should last for a good long time.
If you were looking for a good, cheap gold Les Paul with good hardware, this is your guitar - especially when you see the price.