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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

205.0. "I WANNA NEW AXE" by STRIPA::PELLERIN (Bob Pellerin) Tue Mar 31 1987 16:45

I'm just beginning to look for a new "main" guitar. I've made some observations
that I'm wondering if anyone else has made. 

I currently play a Hamer which I bought new and have played virtually every
day and gigged with every weekend for 5 years. In my search for a new,
more modern axe, I've noticed that the manufacturers are making the necks
wider (more like a classical guitar) for all of the "Eddie" (God help us)
clones. 

Does anyone know where I can find a local (Boston area) music store that 
carries a line of guitars with "normal necks" that are not BOLTED on to the
body of the guitar like a tire is slapped on a car ??

My two pet pieves are the wider necks, and the bolt-on neck (I prefer a 
straight thru one-piece chunk of lumber). I have found that this adds to 
my sustain (my third Boogie arrives from Petulama next week). 

I'm looking for quality, not gimmicks, so a Charvel or Jackson (even if it 
DOES cost $1400) won't cut it. (Besides, they have the widest necks I've 
ever played).

Any ideas ???
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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205.1More questions than answersNEDVAX::DPOWELLMecca-lecca hi, mecca hiney hoTue Mar 31 1987 18:2322
I'm going thru a somewhat similar problem myself. I'm looking for a decent 
second guitar in a strat style with the narrow neck, but am not adverse to it 
being a bolt-on.

Q 1. What is your definition of a wide neck?

     Common Neck Sizes:	1-5/8	"real" Strats
			1-9/16	SG and some strats.
			1-11/16	Les Paul
			1-3/4	Charvel/Jackson/et al.

Q 2. Are you looking for a strat styling? If so, neck thru body 
     construction seems to be both rare and expensive. I've heard good 
     things about ESP strats (especially the new Mirage), but they are 
     very expensive.. $2K. Don't know who carries them around here. Gibson 
     has advertised the US-1 for a while, but I haven't checked it out. 
     Also Yamaha has just introduced the RGX series which may or may not be 
     to your liking.
    
     Of course there are always the Les Paul's, ES-3xx, Firebirds, etc. 
Dan

205.2another plug for JB PlayersCSSE::CLARKYOW!Tue Mar 31 1987 18:408
    I bought a JB Player Strat a few months ago and love it. 300 bucks.
    It has a neck-thru-body construction and 3 single coils. I'll check
    the neck width tonight if I remember. I do know it is skinnier than
    my Les Paul. I love it. Of course, you can drop in new pickups if
    you want different sounds. I love the straight strat sound.
    
    p.s. Dan - what the **** does "Mecca-lecca hi, mecca hiney ho"
    refer to???
205.3RE: Mecca-lecca...NEDVAX::DPOWELLMecca-lecca hi, mecca hiney hoTue Mar 31 1987 20:225
    Aint you ever seen Pee-Wee's Playhouse before?
    The genie says it before he grants Pee-Wee his wish.

    Does the JB Player have a strat type pickguard? 
    Dan
205.4Check it outERASER::BUCKLEYIt's Not LoveTue Mar 31 1987 21:004
    Ibanez 2550PL is the answer!
    
    Nick is wide, but not as wide as some.
    Bj
205.5Through-Body NecksAQUA::ROSTHey, baby,you're on a subliminal trip to nowhereTue Mar 31 1987 21:0512
    Have you looked at B.C. Rich models with thru-body necks??? They
    are expensive though....Mr. C's in Marlboro and Steve's in Danvers
    have them....probably some other dealers too.
    
    Other brands with thru-body necks:
    
    	M.V. Pedulla (try E.U. Wurlitzer's)
    	Yamaha (try Kurlan's in Worcester or Daddy's)
    	Alembic (Wurlitzer's again)
    	Gibson Firebird reissues
    
    
205.6Pickguards...CSSE::CLARKYOW!Wed Apr 01 1987 14:3411
    Re: JB Players:
    
    Yes, they look just like a Strat except for the thru-body neck.
    
    The only thing I don't like about 'em is the rather limited choice
    of colors:
    
    white, black, and red. I really wanted a sunburst, but what the
    hell.
    
    -Dave
205.7YOU WON'T NEED A PICK!!!CRISTA::FICHERAWed Apr 01 1987 15:072
    *ONE IDEA WOULD BE TO TRY A "SWINENETTE" AND I KNOW THAT YOUR WELL
    AWARE OF HOW WIDE THE NECK IS.
205.8SD CurleeFLOWER::JASNIEWSKIWed Apr 01 1987 16:385
    
    	I've seen a SD Curlee guit with a thru body neck...
    
    	Joe Jas
    
205.9Thanks and Touche...STRIPA::PELLERINBob PellerinWed Apr 01 1987 19:114
RE: .1 - .6, Thanks for the info. It will sure help.

RE: .7,   Since we all know you're the SWINETTE expert in the company, how
          about opening up a seminar on how to play it FRANK ?????
205.10:-)LYMPH::LAMBERTISAM I amWed Apr 01 1987 19:535
re: .7, .9
   
   I thought a "Swinette" was a small pig.  No?  Well, what *is* it?
   
   -- Sam
205.11You asked for it...STRIPA::PELLERINBob PellerinWed Apr 01 1987 20:0615
You'll be sorry you asked, but I'll tell you anyway.

In a casual conversation about music, mention the instrument "Swinette".

When the poor curious person asks "what's a Swinette ?" (such as you have done)
you reply:

    "It's two strings across a pigs ass... you pluck it with your teeth".

I told you you'd be sorry.

For further info on uses of the Swinette, (or pigs in general) send mail to:

    CRISTA::FICHERA, the undisputed *expert* in Swinette lore.....

205.12ESP Mirage57382::ZNAMIEROWSKIMarmalade, I like Marmalade...Fri Apr 10 1987 19:359
    Re .1:
    		The ESP Mirage is $899 w/ Hardshell at Wurlitzers in
    Framingham MA.  Real nice guitars, nice sound and the neck wasn't
    wide at all.  The neck really encourages fretburning, and the pickups
    are hot as Hades.   You might also consider Paul Reed Smith.  They
    look nice.  Never actually played one though.
    
    Craig
    
205.13Tele width?LA780::LEASNo such thing as objective opinionSat Apr 11 1987 00:105
        
        On the subject of neck widths (I think it was .1),
        how wide is a Tele neck?  Same as a Strat?  Even the ESP versions?
        
        R
205.14 NEDVAX::DPOWELLMecca-lecca hi, mecca hiney hoMon Apr 13 1987 15:372
    I believe the telecaster width is 1-5/8 or 1-9/16. 
    Dan
205.15Somewhere I said I'd post this info ...CSSE::CLARKwear your love like headphonesWed Apr 15 1987 13:423
    The neck on my JB Player is 1 5/8" at the nut.
    
    -Dave
205.16PROGRESSSTRIPA::PELLERINBob PellerinMon Apr 20 1987 19:5620
I was in NYC last week and had the pleasure of visiting Many's and Sam Ash.

I played a new Kramer with a thinner (for Kramer) neck that had a strat 
style pickup config (except for a humbucker in the bridge pos) and one-piece
construction. I came very close to buying it, but it was yellow. yech.

I also tried Paul Reed Smith guitars at Sam Ash. They play like a dream, 
and my opinion is that they are solid, good guitars. They remind me of how
Hamer used to be (when I bought mine). They are, however, overpriced (around
$1400) and kind of complicated. The tone control (on the model I played)
is a 5 position switch which puts pickups in and out of phase with each other
and switches them to single coil etc. Not my cup of tea, give me a toggle and
a straight tone control (I usually run it wide open anyway).

There is hope out there, we just have to look.....

-BAP