My partner likes the lightweight Epiphone SG clone I have been practicing with recently and so she is going to have that one (it was hers anyway) since I picked up the guitar again over the last 4 months and have kept pretty darn motivated my birthday treat was a Cort X-6 which I purchased earlier in the week. First thing is the Floyd Rose style Locking trem made it take 40 mins to get the guitar in tune lol, 3 Youtube video later it seems ok, thats something new and not what I expected at all. Seems fairly solid once you have dialled it in though. I like it seems like a nice guitar.Cannot wait to really get cracking with it, practicing a Dorian mode shape is where I am at.

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Remember that a dorian shape with an E string root is the exact same pattern as a myxolydian with an A string root and an ionian with a G string root.

Thanks for that ! Yes I am having a friend give me some online lessons every now and then and then I am of to practice for a while (finding time is a problem it has to be said but it's great therapy and fun). The wonders of Skype, we cannot play together which is an important part of lessons but it's not bad, sure beats a 40mile drive.

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After a good play this guitar does not sound as good as the Epiphone SG to my ear. My guess is to pay for the Floyd Rose they sacrificed the pick up quality, after all it's a budget affair. On a high gain setting I would expect a clean albeit distorted note tone without extra "fuzz/mushiness" around the note. Though a guitarist I know said the Floyd Rose itself will sacrifice a little tone and even the most expensive of Floyd Rose Tremolo equipped guitars could be less good sounding than one 1/2 the price, interesting, I guess there is no secure mount of the bridge to the body.

Cheers

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All trems suck tone. From 1st principles.

Comparing an SG with any trem guitar is like comparing apples with cheese.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

Quote zenguitar:

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All trems suck tone. From 1st principles.

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yes but... There can still be some tone left over.

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I've never liked a solo violin, you need at least five for a proper fire.

Indeed Rhino...

I never suggested otherwise. The tone that remains can be quite wonderful, but it is a different tone. Not better, not worse, just different.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

Well I am wondering whether it might be a set up issue or the pick ups. Also the SG is a mere Epiphone (Chinese) which I think was £180.00 about 3 years back, blooming good guitar for the money. I think I might pay for new EMG humbucker pick ups and a proper set up by a local tech in the hope that it sounds better. Stays in tune really well after the initial faffing.

Cheers

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Quote zenguitar:

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Indeed Rhino...

I never suggested otherwise. The tone that remains can be quite wonderful, but it is a different tone. Not better, not worse, just different.

Andy

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Sorry, couldn't resist plugging a guitarist that I've only just come across whose tone I like, the trem was just an excuse.

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I've never liked a solo violin, you need at least five for a proper fire.

Hi chaps I am going to get a tech to set up the guitar and put new pick ups in. Not knowing a great deal about guitar parts being 'drop ins' so to speak will these fit to replace the humbuckers:

They look standard sized to me although being cased.

http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/154/20/1

Measurements look promising.

http://www.emgpickups.com/content/wiringdiagrams/SEHG_0230-0049.pdf
cheers

A decent set-up can make a massive difference to the sound of an instrument. Even more so if the tech takes the time to plug it in and adjust the pick-up heights to find the sweet spots.

I wouldn't even consider new pick-ups until I was certain I was already getting the best from what is already there. And once you do start thinking about changing pick-ups you are entering a lottery, there's no way you can work out how a pick-up will sound in your guitar from the information supplied by pick-up makers. Despite what they try to make you believe, there's no Magic Wand out there when it comes to pick-ups. Just a long slippery slope spending money on set after set of replacements in search of 'the ones'...

Get that decent set-up, and if it's not quite right still after all that; spend some time with a screwdriver adjusting pick-up heights and listen to the difference it can make.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

i wouldn't go with cheap EMGs either. you can pick up a set of Seymour Duncans for a decent price. But Zen is right; get the thing set up spot on first. something like a brass block in the (prob) OFR copy would be a cheap way of getting more of the sustain you wanted...

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Quote zenguitar:

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Get that decent set-up, and if it's not quite right still after all that; spend some time with a screwdriver adjusting pick-up heights and listen to the difference it can make.

Andy

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And if that doesn't work? ..................... Get a new guitar!

Yes well maybe I should have spent some more on it. However I got this guitar for a discount price. I have ordered the EMG's simply because the ones in there even look disturbingly plastic-y and cheap and it is getting set up at the same time as they get installed. I am hoping it will sound a bit better as at the moment it sounds so bad it's putting me off playing it with an amp. Thing is I love the guitars looks and basic feel so I am gonna press on. Will let you know how it ends up.

It sustains ok, it's the distinct lack of clarity and definition in the notes themselves relative to the Epiphone SG. The notes sound 'dirty' not in a nice way but in a 'this does not sound right' way.

Apparently the local tech is a ninja.

Thanks for the advice.

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A picture thus far, second pick up arriving tommorrow :



And my customization inspiration axe, Ibanez Jem Artist :



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