Guitar Nerds Anonymous

I can't fucking stand that Rob Chapman, what a fucking knobend

I always loved the sound of Guild accoustics - I should have bought one in the 90's but I got an Ibanez instead. It was so shit I ended up smashing it.

About to buy one of these... Both my 80s Tonebenders died in the cellar of our old place, I had no idea they were still down there... Most massive fail imaginable on my part, incredible machines they were... This new thing sounds great...

Guys - looking for birthday present ideas for my number 1 son (age 12). He currently has:

1. Yamaha FG 720 - accoustic guitar (which we bought him for Xmas - he loves it and plays it a lot)
   
2. Cheap starter electric guitar
   
3. Crappy practice amp (really rubbish)
   
   

I want to encourage him; would welcome ideas with a budget of up to £150 or so.

Thanks,
Will

Does the amp do fuzz, reverb, etc? If not, maybe a simple effects unit?

get him a modelling amp - Line 6? (if the one he has is rubbish)

I was thinking an amp, but have no idea where to start. What is a modelling amp? And which model in the Line 6 range?

modelling amps use COSM (Composite Object Sound Modeling) technology to give you emulations of classic amp tones - so AC30, Marshall '59 Plexi, Mesa Boogie Rectifier etc etc plus loads of FX built in - Line 6 do some decent amps - I gigged with a Flextone III XL for ages and it was really good to have so many tones available - other manufacturers make them too - the Spider is the current model I think

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Line-Spider-IV-Watt-Amplifier/dp/B002MEQAN8

http://uk.line6.com/spider-guitar-amp/

Amp is probably the way I'd go too.

Modelling amps use digital processing to emulate the sound of other amps and/or effects - so the same one modelling amp can do [rough approximations] of classic sound or mega distortion (I think Line-6 are the ones with "insane") and all the bits in between.

Personally I find Line-6 stuff to sometimes sound too digital, like they've sampled an over-drive sound then you're just using the guitar to change the pitch but that's probably just me. You could go for a Marshall combo around that price - it wouldn't do anywhere near as many different sounds as a Line-6 but the tone will be nice & it's the classic brand.

BTW - take all that with a pinch of salt as I'm a bassist so am viewing from a skewed perspective, I only pick up a guitar for songwriting purposes.

*** - beaten to the explanation but I'll leave it in.

yeah they do sound not quite right when you know what actual amp tones do - the biggest thing for me is the way that the overdrive breaks up as it decays - the modelling amps can't really replicate that. What you lose in authenticity you gain in other areas I guess

for sure you could get him something with a good tone to begin with

buy a drum kit. chicks dig drummers.

I've got a Vox Valvetronic which models, but also uses valves, so it's a really decent sounding amp. None too reliable in a gigging situation, though, but neither in my experience was my line6 stuff.

Thanks guys - all really helpful.

I will not be buying a drum kit!!

Roland cube gets good reviews all over and does modelling well.

Depends what kind of music he likes to be honest. If he wants to play with other people you'll need a bit of poke.

Get the kid an entry level Fender, can you do that for that price? Even a Champion 600 would be awesome but the models further up the range are even better... Simple, all valve, great sound, put the kid on the right road from day one...

Pulled the trigger on that fuzz pedal, winging its way to Australia now... Only got another three months to wait for my guitars and amps to arrive now...

I don't know what I expected John Martyn's talking voice to sound like but it wasn't this.... Blinding version of Solid Air follows the Rick Mayall improv.

http://youtu.be/O8Blccc0PM0

@will_s get him a Vox amplug 2! I've got the AC30 and Classic Rock versions. They're great little tools for practising without annoying others and you can plug your iPhone in and play along to your favourite tunes. They sound surprisingly good and the amplug 2 has effects (albeit pretty basic) built in. You can even plug the output into a HiFi to turn it into an amp.

I was looking at the Yamaha THR5 - does anyone have any experience of these? The reviews are certainly good.

Yes agree with @Dramatic_Hammer regarding the roland micro-cube for under £100. Easy to use, fun effects portable and cheap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGocnBbccUY

RIP John :(

I need to get a Memory Man repaired, anyone used Guitar Aid in Putney before? Any other recommendations, preferably South of the river?

epiphone ebv 232 . late 50's. kalamazoo built.

mine. not yours. so stop looking at it.

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lovely. does it work?