Wizard
Certain things I've done have led me to say "hey wow - that's much better!"
Thought I'd write them down.
Thought I may as well write them down in the forum.
Started with 2nd hand M200 & G-Dec junior amplifier.
These were the things that went "wow":
a) New strings
A bit embarrassing really.
I had tried out very many guitars in the shops and some had a very "special" mysterious quality that I really liked.
When I put new strings onto my M200 it ... um ... suddenly got that quality
Why didn't I just on new strings as soon as I bought it?
- blush -
b) Valve amplifier
When I plugged in the little Cub I went "WOW"
From sterile to dynamic. Best way I can describe it.
c) Cable
Our house is hum hell.
Seemed like such a good idea at the time to put in all those little twinkle star lights which each have their own transformer ... and all those useful dimmer switches ...
I was sure there was something wrong with my amp and/or guitar.
Took both to Bothners ... plugged them in ... and ....... -s-i-l-e-n-c-e-
Conclusion: my house hums
Bought a cable called a "Vintage Voltage" cable ... and most of the hum has gone away
d) Decent pickups
Popped in a new set of Tonerider humbuckers into the M200.
"wow"
Like the shift to valves.
Sounds different when you play softly to when you dig in.
e) Pickup Height
I lied a bit under d) above.
When I first put in the new pickups I hated them.
The top two strings had gone all twangy.
Fiddled with the pickup height and then "WOW".
Who would have thought what a difference pickup height could make?
e) Amplifier speaker
Popped in Gearhead's replacement speaker. Big "wow"
I didn't think the sound was muddy until I heard what it could be.
Notes much more separated and defined
f) Nut & string trees
When I'm tuning my M200 ... which has a plastic nut, and a tuner pattern that causes almost every string to leave the nut at an odd angle on its way to the machine head ... I tune for a while ...
then "ping" ... the nut lets go and the pitch makes a jump ... usually too much.
With my strat build I used a Graphtec nut & string tree.
When I turn the tuner ... the pitch just changes smoothly.
"Wow"
g) Amplifier position
For some bizarre reason I have always kept the amplifier on the floor. Often pointing away from me.
It just seems to naturally do that.
Amplifiers seem to like floors. They just sit there.
Then I saw a picture of someone onthe forum with an amplifier on a stand pointing up at 45 degrees.
So ... I popped it onto the couch ... tilted it backwards ... and positioned my chair so I was playing while facing it.
"Holy wow !!"
Why hadn't I thought of THAT before?
My "wow" moments so far.
Many are very cheap or cost nothing.
You don't have to read this or comment on this ... this is just my personal record.
aja
I read it and enjoyed it immensely! I share some of your wow moments and have yet to share others...
Thanks for sharing!
BMU
Very good post. All true.
I hear ya on (a). Until I started fixing the floating trems on my guitars, it was such a hassle to change stings I hardly ever did. But every time I went through that pain, it was "wow". (Embarrassing indeed!)
