If I could only own one guitar it would be an ASAT deluxe

No guitar can do it all obviously.

But I've come to the conclusion if
I had to have one gigging guitar it would
be an ASAT deluxe.

My reason behind this choice is because I can
get some twang, some sparkle and some fat beef
dialed in. Perhaps a compromise on each. I
also thought about the ASAT Classic S (eying
that korina 2012 model). But for the widest sonic/genre
coverage I'm thinking ASAT deluxe.

If you could have only one gigging guitar (only one!!!)
which guitar would it be? Any particular floor processor?

The reason I put this post in the general music
discussion area is because others might have a favorite
from an alternative source.

One follow up question.

What is your favorite humbucking pair of pickups.

I kind of like the Rio Grande and Bare Knuckles
but the latter seemed to have limited application.

Any thoughts of a humbucking pair that is splittable
with the goal being the widest variation of application -
which will require some compromises obviously.

Basically I want to only haul one guitar around.

i don't think of 2 humbucker guitars as very versatile. a comanche or asat z3 would better fit that bill.

as far as humbucker pairs, bkp makes so many that saying just bare knuckle is really vague. may favorites are dallen alleycats or the tom holmes. also the tom anderson h1-/h2+ combo.

Sorry I was thinking of perhaps Bare Knuckle Mules.

I think you can cover heaps of ground with any guitar. However, a Deluxe with a coil split will give you a lot of different sounds. Splitting a humbucker never really sounds that great to me - YMMV. It might pay to contact whichever manufacturer you go with and let them know you intend to split it for single coil use so they can make you something appropriate - they can sound anaemic.

I had a shot on a guitar equipped with a BKP Mule in the bridge and thought it was excellent - and I usually hate bridge humbuckers. In fact I'm considering 'deluxing' my Bluesboy with a pair of them. Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates' are nice cheaper option.

Sorry I was thinking of perhaps Bare Knuckle Mules.

the mules are great pups. for splitting i think my faves are the fralin unbuckers. the 2 coils are very different, one is like a true single coils and when humbucking the sound is also great.

I would have to agree. For decades I have been a "3 pickup" guitar guy. I occasionally would play a Tele here and there but always gravitated back to the Strat. A few years ago G&L sent me an ASAT Deluxe Semi-hollow and the rest is history. I fell in love with the brightness (yes brightness), grind, smoothness and over all feel of this amazing guitar. I also use the coil split all the time. While it's not a true single coil tone, it's still a very usable sound, distinct from the humbucker in very clean settings. Not even getting into the sustain factor!! I never thought I would say this, but I'm a 2 humbucker guy....more to the point, I'm an ASAT Deluxe Semi-hollow guy!

ps....I've always loved the Seymour Duncan JB/59 combo and the JB/Jazz combo.

Sean,

You're description of your evolution in sound thinking seems to be the path I'm on behind you.
I keep coming back to the 3 pickups but something keeps nagging me about the versatility of
long scale, single cut with humbuckers with coil split. Obviously it doesn't do everything but it covers
a lot of bases from a sonic central position. I think a 2 humbucker ASAT deluxe with a 5 way switch
and some clever wiring could do a heck of a lot. (Have you heard the sounds of the Fret-Key JD tele? With
2 pickups and a phasing capacitor it can get close to the #4 position quack.) With the humbucking
positions to boot and the semi-hollow I think you could do some pretty amazing things with a tricked
out ASAT Deluxe especially for gigging out.

John

Years ago Charvel had a two HB guitar with the 5way Super Switch that added "Strat-ish" sounds to the setup. I was thinking of maybe going this way, but I'm very happy with the tones I'm getting now and not really needing too much else. I've also slimmed down my effects (I'm not really using any now) since I started building my own amps, Hooligan Amplifiers. They are based on "Tweed" style amps for the most part and I'm finding that I really don't need much else than my guitar, crybaby and amp for gigs. Studio stuff for other people is another thing all together!

I would have to go with a Legacy. My 09-10 (haven't pulled the neck to find out... bought it in 10) with a #3 neck and in the #2 position is capable of any rock tone I want with some treble adjustment and single coil s-style cleans are the best in my opinion.


I'd have to go with the Gibson 57 classic pickups as my favorite hum combo. My pops has a ES137 Deluxe and that thing is just beautiful sounding. I also believe my 79 ES335 has something similar. Great tones.

I am not into digital for performance at this time. I will say that ampkit is awesome on the iPad for late night and quiet rocking.

The Gibson Classic 57 humbuckers are definitely in my top 5 favorite pu's of all time.

This post really hits home. I used to have 14 guitars. I never thought I would be happy with less...many were vintage. These days, I just want to play. My favorites are a Gibson with P90s and an ASAT Special Hollow body that I recently acquired. I never thought I would sell my much loved Himalayan blue/rosewood board strat(even though it is a spendid instrument), but to me it is too similar to the Special in sound...not using position 2 and 4 much anymore. It is very light, is comfortable sitting down(love tele body style) and love the Diamond compressor and drz attenuator through a Fender Deluxe 65 RI. Since I have no talent, I go for tone!

Anthony

In my heritage 150 (les paul), it came with SD 59s. They are good pups but in that guitar, the neck was brutal, muddy, dull.

I did some research and was going to go for Tom Holmes, but Wolfetone Marshallheads got a fantastic write up. I ordered a set, Wolfe was amazing, spent 1/2 hour on the phone with me talking about my guitar and what I wanted. He made a set of Marshall heads and said that if the neck was too hot, he would rewind it or give me a different in its place....

Very very happy with them.

In my heritage 150 (les paul), it came with SD 59s. They are good pups but in that guitar, the neck was brutal, muddy, dull.

I did some research and was going to go for Tom Holmes, but Wolfetone Marshallheads got a fantastic write up. I ordered a set, Wolfe was amazing, spent 1/2 hour on the phone with me talking about my guitar and what I wanted. He made a set of Marshall heads and said that if the neck was too hot, he would rewind it or give me a different in its place....

Very very happy with them.

i have tried both the wolftone and the tom holmes, i think you would have been blown away by the holmes.

I like versatile guitars, and I am really enjoying my ASAT Deluxe. It plays great and sounds great. Versatility does bring some compromises and the tapped sounds are not really pure single coil tones, but I like them and they are very usable.

Possibly my most versatile is a Strat with Lace Sensors - a Blue in the neck for kinda PAF tones, a Silver in the middle for Stratty sounds, and a Red in the bridge, which gives some hotter HB sounds. All the sounds are a slight compromise, but they all sound very pleasant, and it's a good axe to take jamming with friends if I don't know what ground we'll be covering.

I would like an ASAT Deluxe Cabronita (i.e. with TV Jones pickups).

I wonder when Paul Gagon will get around to designing some Gago-trons.

I agree with Louis about the Comanche / Z3; my Will Ray is my one that I would keep if there could be only one.
The hot back pup is my dream Tele, and the rest is like a big Strat with a strongly individual, great character.
I don't use the 2 and 4 positions that much, nor the middle, and have rewired the switch to give me neck+bridge in the middle position, with middle pup available instead via a pull-pot.
I might even try it as a Z-2 format, with no middle pup, and the JD wiring mentioned further back in this topic; though it will mean carefully ground-lifting the neck pup to get it out of phase via the capacitor for the "Strat position 2 and 4" sounds.
It's definitely my most versatile and most trusted friend. Neck / fingerboard, dynamic response / sustain etc, and the B-bender are all spot-on for me. It purrs, twangs, snarls and sings and I'm very happy.

If you could have only one gigging guitar (only one!!!) which guitar would it be? Any particular floor processor?

Have you heard the sounds of the Fret-Key JD tele? With 2 pickups and a phasing capacitor it can get close to the #4 position quack.

I don't play out, but my Peavey Omniac JD USA -- the predecessor to Jerry Donahue's current Fret-King signature model -- does an awful lot through my DigiTech RP1000 floor processor. So does my Comanche.

Last edited by Lacking Talent on Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I wonder when Paul Gagon will get around to designing some Gago-trons.

That is the best pickup name EVER!

I could agree with you to a point, but I'm a Legacy-body guy. I've done gigs with just a Comanche, just a Legacy, and ditto for the S-500 and the Legacy Special. The PTB really shines in these guitars.

I like my ASAT Deluxe, but I prefer the three pickup guitars. When I do use a 2HB, I prefer the shorter Gibson scale, and I like the neck pickup under the 24th fret node, like my LPs, 335s and my Ibanez Ghostriders.

When I use my AD, I like to set the guitar up for my standard rhythm tones in the single coil mode. When I go to solo, I like to switch back to HB mode, and roll up the volume for a fat, punchy tone. Instant gain boost.

My AD has the DF Vibrato, my only 2HB with a vibrato, and that's one of the reasons I'm hanging on to it.

Great guitar, I'm just into Legacy's.

Bill

As to humbuckers, I like the Duncan Seths, Antiquitys, Pearly Gates. I like the Gibson '57 Classics, and I like the Burstbucker 1 & 2 combo. The '59/TB-4 set in the AD works well too. These are all slightly different flavors, and they all work very well. With my Mesa Boogie amps and the style I play, I don't need high-output pickups.

I just can't see spending a FORTUNE on boutique pickups.

Bill

Has anyone tried Dynasonics (TV Jones T-armonds) in a SH ASAT Special?