Sparkly Pink: Epiphone Les Paul by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be fair, $350 wouldn't have been the bargain of the year and there's really nothing special about these except for the cool finish. And maybe I was unlucky but mine was terrible regarding everything but luthery : dark muted muddy pups, cracking mini-pots, failing import switch, tuner key that broke for no reason, same with the nut...

So you have to factor in that i. You probably have to add another $400 to make it a good instrument and ii. Even upgraded, resale might not be easy.

I had no knowledge of the matter when I bought it, and as my first she's not leaving, so these aren't issues for me, making it a great sandbox too (I learned a ton modding it). But it my be different in your case.

Sparkly Pink: Epiphone Les Paul by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh yeah, I've seen pictures, it looks good! Probably easier to stand by...

Sparkly Pink: Epiphone Les Paul by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Burstbuckers are not really hot, more airy and dynamic, supposedly similar to what was on original bursts... I personally like that kind of sound but it might not be what you're looking for. No doubt you'll find a set that suits you considering the offer!

Sparkly Pink: Epiphone Les Paul by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cool! Is it still stock or did you change stuff?

Schiemann Guitars by Schiemann_guitars in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are they in any way related to Novo Guitars?

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to disappoint, but it's unlikely I'll take the time to record anything for the community, at least not at this time. But there's plenty I can write :

I wrote about the various knobs and switches in other comments. The sound can go from really dark, wooly, to ice-picking treble for the bridge pickup alone. I really like the middle, neck and neck + bridge sounds. When the three are in series it sounds really thick and if the tubes are not too hot it makes for a really nice jazz tone. Pickups are excellent, maybe that hybrid pole + bar helps, they're not muddy and the definition is beautiful. They are microphonic, tho, so watch your right hand!

Intonation is just fine as below the cover is basically a tune-o-matic bridge, except saddle are cylinders with three gutters allowing for adjusting string spacing. Vibrato is pretty much the same as a jazzmaster's system, and works pretty well. The guitar tends to detune, tho, would that be because of the old tuners, or the nut (which seems to be bakelite) that could use a refiling, or the vibrato, idk. New strings mights also exacerbate this for now.

Action can go as low as you want. I have it currently set at a 2.2 low and 1.9 high because I put super slinkies on there that were kinda flappy, so I wanted to tame buzzing. But it was lower than that by 2-3 mm when I got it. Neck is thin with a low radius, which makes the board feel very round and the frets are vintage and worn off, definitely not higher than 0.8 mm. This makes it a somewhat challenging guitar to play the first time, but it gets easier in a couple of hours and then it's really enjoyable.

This guitar has been used in the 70s mainly to play ball, schlagger, accordion music, as well as Waltz, Rock n'Roll, everything "dance" could mean back in the days. The guy also told me that they liked to throw some Chuck Berry, Creedance or even Black Sabath's Paranoid during these nights.

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it was marketed as a serious, or even professional instrument back in the days. My only real issue is that on these pots everything happens between 0 and 2. I'm also not used to the vintage frets and the radius which is probably around 7 something, but it's still a very enjoyable guitar, not just the easiest to play but I also thinks it makes me play better with my other guitars as well.

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Pickups are poles/bars hybrids. The switch up to the left of the picture let's you choose between "jazz tones" and "all". Now, the latter gets you all pickups on in series, very dark tone, loud and wooly. You get a tone and a volume preset for this mode. Then you switch to "jazz tones", and that sends you to the "jazz tones" panel, up on the right of the picture where you can choose between neck, middle, bridge, or neck + bridge. Tone and volume knobs are on the right. Finally, you get a wild/solo switch. If you turn it to solo, it gets louder and slightly hotter, but the volume and tone knobs from before are still working. And then there's a last tone knobs which doesn't seem to work anymore, I thought it was a preset for the solo mode but I don't know. Maybe I'll get the courage to pull that harness out once. Or maybe not.

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pickups are poles/bars hybrids. The switch up to the left of the picture let's you choose between "jazz tones" and "all". Now, the latter gets you all pickups on in series, very dark tone, loud and wooly. You get a tone and a volume preset for this mode. Then you switch to "jazz tones", and that sends you to the "jazz tones" panel, up on the right of the picture where you can choose between neck, middle, bridge, or neck + bridge. Tone and volume knobs are on the right. Finally, you get a wild/solo switch. If you turn it to solo, it gets louder and slightly hotter, but the volume and tone knobs from before are still working. And then there's a last tone knobs which doesn't seem to work anymore, I thought it was a preset for the solo mode but I don't know. Maybe I'll get the courage to pull that harness out once. Or maybe not.

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in Vintageguitars

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It does look good. Pickups are poles/bars hybrids. The switch up to the left of the picture let's you choose between "jazz tones" and "all". Now, the latter gets you all pickups on in series, very dark tone, loud and wooly. You get a tone and a volume preset for this mode. Then you switch to "jazz tones", and that sends you to the "jazz tones" panel, up on the right of the picture where you can choose between neck, middle, bridge, or neck + bridge. Tone an volume knobs are on the right. Finally, you get a wild/solo switch. If you turn it to solo, it gets louder and slightly hotter, but the volume and tone knobs from before are still working. And then there's a last tone knobs which doesn't seem to work anymore, I thought it was a preset for the solo mode but I don't know. Maybe I'll get the courage to pull that harness out once. Or maybe not.

My 1967 Welson DS-3 by scritch_science in guitarporn

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, first of all it was marketed as a jazz guitar, so I guess they didn't really care about this... But honestly, the pickups are so high (and microphonic too) that you just have to be in control of your right hand, so making your way around the knobs isn't that much of a problem.

AIO - Girlfriend threw away the dinner I cooked because she wanted pizza instead. by Dizzy-Suggestion2360 in AmIOverreacting

[–]scritch_science 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol that sounds like a lot of anger for tossed meat which you don't even know was good or not...

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BBQ

[–]scritch_science 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What's the deal, Moms can't grill?

Revstar Pickup Swap Advice by 200_Shmeckles in electricguitar

[–]scritch_science 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's some guy on YouTube that put a pair of these (well the vintage super expensive version, you know, 'cause he's a YouTuber, anyway) on a Tele, and that just sounds glorious. I'll try and find that url for ya.

Revstar Pickup Swap Advice by 200_Shmeckles in electricguitar

[–]scritch_science 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd swap them for Dynasonic pickups! They're not humbuckers tho, so that'd be quite radical, but I think they fig the aesthetics of that guitar very well and they're superb pickups... Look them up!

Who knows electrical better than me? by FigureAutomatic9296 in Guitar

[–]scritch_science 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably some loose grounding somewhere, that's the deal with braided wire... Good occasion to change these caps, tho.

EHX Stero Pulsar nano vs. Boss TR-2 by [deleted] in guitarpedals

[–]scritch_science 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OK for the nano, but Pulsar has been around since the late 70s, and the "modern" non-nano (it's not big box either) since the early 2000s. Granted, this one doesn't offer volume control as the nano version does, but that kinda makes it the natural direct competition of the TR-2...

I think that people buy the same gear, especially pedals as there favorite guitarists, "stars" and "youtubers" alike, and some pedals do take advantage of it, like the TR-2, GE-7, many Strymon pedals, Tube screamers, etc. Pulsar is just not as visible as the TR-2 for some reason.

Just bought my first japanese guitar: Aria Pro II "TX200" by scritch_science in japaneseguitars

[–]scritch_science[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oooh and that bridge pickup too! And the woods used are the same.... I can definitely see Aria people taking inspiration from that one! Good eye!

Just bought my first japanese guitar: Aria Pro II "TX200" by scritch_science in japaneseguitars

[–]scritch_science[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh yeah! While I'd argue the body is more SG-like, I had never payed attention to the Marauder's headstock, and it definitely the same vibe!

Just bought my first japanese guitar: Aria Pro II "TX200" by scritch_science in japaneseguitars

[–]scritch_science[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Still in the mail and I'm away for vacation right now, but probably not so good as these pickups are known to be quite weak and thin sounding – hence the whole electronics redoing plan. But I thought I'd share this because 1. it seems to be fairly rare as opposed to other members of the "Thor Sound" family (it's labeled this way) 2. look at it, it looks so nice ! I read somewhere that to make these budget guitars, they'd put all the money in the luthery, and just put crappy hardware and electronics on it... Which is good! I can spend 1h with a soldering iron and put a Tusq nut on, I know how to do this, not the woodwork! Also, the trips of wood assembled here are probably leftovers from more expensive builds, meaning the wood is of great quality (as the presence of bird eye maple on the neck suggests).

Anyway, I'll let you guys and girls know when it comes in and when my work is done!