Electric guitar help?

Norman86

Attila wrote Oy ! Normie - theres nothing wrong with a Cubester hey

'cept the tone ?

Nah, different strokes hey... ?
i dont like the Jazz chorus clean, it does nothing for me!
but the sound of a blackface, yummy!

Peter, i suggest trying the amp out that you'd like to buy, with your guitar! otherwise, you might still not like what comes through the amp!

Even if you're a kak player like me ?

ActionArnie

petermoffat wrote Any reccomendations on where to shop for hardware in Durban?

Not sure that there's *one* best place to go, I've got stuff from all of these places at one time or another:

Coastal Music in Durban North
Turnkey (I think?) at the Umhlanga Crescent
Village Music in Glenwood
There's a music shop along Umhlanga Rocks drive near the petrol station at the Northway intersection
There's a shop also right at the top of La Lucia mall

That's all I can think of right now.

petermoffat

ActionArnie wrote
petermoffat wrote Any reccomendations on where to shop for hardware in Durban?
Not sure that there's *one* best place to go, I've got stuff from all of these places at one time or another:

Coastal Music in Durban North
Turnkey (I think?) at the Umhlanga Crescent
Village Music in Glenwood
There's a music shop along Umhlanga Rocks drive near the petrol station at the Northway intersection
There's a shop also right at the top of La Lucia mall

That's all I can think of right now.

I've been to Village Music, and will look there, Tuerk Music won't see me again, unfortunately, crappy service the last time I needed something from them!

Thanks for the other info, it's hard to find shops around here!

deefstes

petermoffat wrote Finally (and, most importantly!), I haven't played it too much, but the overriding thing I've learned is that it is NOT an acoustic guitar.

I'm used to strumming out a tune, but I never see anyone do that on an electric, it's all fingers flying up and down the fretboard and bending strings and what not. How do I learn to do that?? ???

Hi Peter,

You've been given some very good advice in this thread already. I am by no means an expert but I've made the transition recently as well of moving from acoustic to electric so allow me to make one or two comments.

There's no reason you can't strum chords on the electric guitar - just don't expect it to sound good if you're going to use heavy overdrive. The harmonics become such a mess that it sounds horrific. Rather use clean tones if you're strumming chords or use power chords if you're driving the tone.

Like I said, I'm by no means an expert and this advice might be misplaced but one thing that opened up electric guitar playing for me is learning to play the pentatonic minor scale. No kidding. You wouldn't believe how that one scale makes a difference. That's how you start out getting to the "fingers flying up and down the fretboard".

petermoffat

I have started, but hell, learning to bend my fingers for chords was not nearly this difficult for me!

Zulublues

Hi Peter, Try Marshall Music out at Hillcrest as well. I've always had good dealings with Village Music as well. I can also recommend the Cube series of amps, (started with a Cube 30X) after I found out the sound that "did it for me" I bought a Fender Blues Junior. Great little amp that does not need any effects to get a great blues tone.

Good to see another Durbanite on the forum !

Warren

Squonk wrote
There is an element of truth in this. But if I trade my Cube for the Albion I will still be the same K@k player that I am... my point is that there is whole lot to electric guitar playing that has nothing to do with the amp?

This is interesting Squonks, since IMO pretty much everything about electric guitar playing has to do with the way it interacts with the amp. Depending upon what your amp is doing, you need to adjust your playing.

I do agree that when learning many techniques you want to start out with a simple, clean amp and minimal effects. But it's equally important when starting out to understand how effects alter the sound, at least IMO.

I also do agree that tube VS solid state discussion should only come later, once you're in a position to shoot for a certain kind of sound.

petermoffat

Right, good to know that even after Christmas, my rubber arm can still be twisted ?

Went to village music on the way home. Just to look and listen, you see..

And then John started playing on a Micro Cube, and mentioned it was about half what I was expecting, and so I walked out with one?

I'll get to all the amp models at some point, but clean, it sounds about 7000 times better than my Washburn amp, which I knew I could do better than.

I am well chuffed!

On a related note. Is there a term for gear envy specific to guitars? I just want to know what I have.. At this stage I feel I can appreciate the difference between a bad and a good acoustic, but even though I know very little about electric guitars, there are some amazingly pretty ones, and I'm afraid I want them all :-\

Thank you for all the insight guys,mi really appreciate the help. (whilst I practice scales)

guidothepimmp

LOL!

love your work man...

so plug the ol gal in, dial in a cool drive and report back pronto on tone and sound >☹

petermoffat

Man, it just sound good. Being able to hear the tones I was expecting to hear when I naively bought a combo set, really makes me happy! I'm just starting, but this is what I was after. Suddenly, even though I can't play for shit, while I'm practicing scales, I can hear the tones I want to.

I really like the idea of the models, as it highlights the differences and subtleties of the various styles of amps, and though I have no idea how accurate the models are, there are some I absolutely love. 'Black Panel' (Fender Twin Reverb) with a bit of delay sounds like love making in my ears..

Effects. I've never heard a flanger or a phaser or any of the other effects, and I'm not sure I understand why you would use them, to be honest.

I achieved exactly the result I was after, today. My cheap ish guitar sounds great!

guidothepimmp

happy days man..

unfortuneately for you though, and what everyone neglected to tell you..

this is now the begininng of the end buahah, buahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa

AlanRatcliffe

Congrats on the new amp. Those little Micro Cubes are lots of fun.

petermoffat wrote Is there a term for gear envy specific to guitars? I just want to know what I have..

GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome and you have the guitar variety: Guitar GAS.

even though I know very little about electric guitars, there are some amazingly pretty ones, and I'm afraid I want them all :-\

Oh, yes... that's GAS alright. Temporary relief can be found by simply buying the object(s) of your GAS. ?

petermoffat wrote 'Black Panel' (Fender Twin Reverb) with a bit of delay sounds like love making in my ears..

That's the one. My favourite amp sound (maybe with a touch of grit and chime of the Vox AC30).

Warren

Good job ?

Enjoy!

petermoffat

I dunno, playing with gain and my guitars pickups, they all sound flippen amazing!

prince

petermoffat wrote A cheap one ?

Geez, you sound like the kind of person who would ride a KX :?

How are you Moffat? And congrats on the new amp.

petermoffat

Still have a packet more to spend on guitars before I come close to the cost of riding! My couple and the amp just about cover a nice helmet?

Putting things into perspective like that is not great for my GAS!! I'm suppose to have found a CHEAPER hobby!

Attila

Well done Check out the following to see the Cubes capablities:

=

mmmm Black Panel :woohoo: love it

Squonk

Warren wrote
Squonk wrote
There is an element of truth in this. But if I trade my Cube for the Albion I will still be the same K@k player that I am... my point is that there is whole lot to electric guitar playing that has nothing to do with the amp?

This is interesting Squonks, since IMO pretty much everything about electric guitar playing has to do with the way it interacts with the amp. Depending upon what your amp is doing, you need to adjust your playing.

Quite right Warren, I was giving advice regards learning how to play guitar and not specifically Electric Guitar. I think I just jumbled up the words a bit.

I was trying to point out to Norm that there is a lot to playing Electric that is not dependent on the Amp you have, buying the Cube or an Albion would make no difference at Peter's level right now , but obviously the Tube amp would be the best option in the long run.

@ Norm - I wasn't referring to you as a k@k player, it was all about me. I had this picture in my mind that as soon as I got a reasonable Amp I would be this monster player from the bog, was just a little dissapointed that I was the exact same player. I am sticking to acoustic, my electric guitars are nice wall hangings at the moment ?

singemonkey

Squonk, you urgently need to check out some of the Pentangle vids on youtube where Bert Jansch is playing his Martin and John Renbourn's playing a 335.

prince

petermoffat wrote Still have a packet more to spend on guitars before I come close to the cost of riding! My couple and the amp just about cover a nice helmet?

Putting things into perspective like that is not great for my GAS!! I'm suppose to have found a CHEAPER hobby!

I know what you mean. What I would have put in to upgrade to a new YZ buys a pretty decent guitar. I do miss the riding though. As a social rider I could ride way better than what I can play, but as soon as I go shopping hopefully I will learning and practicing again.

Have fun and enjoy the amp.

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