Lunch Report - Tuesday, March 22nd

Well, the first week of spring is well on its way. Not that you'd know it to look outside my windows. Anyway . . .

Lunch: Lunch will probably be boring. So, I'm going to do what I am actually going to eat AND what I wish I were eating.

What I wish I were eating? Steamed King Crab legs, dipped in butter, side order of garlic-and-cheddar biscuits, a salad, and a nice glass of beer or wine. Preferably outside where (since this is my fantasy lunch) it would be mostly sunny, warm, and a nice shade with perhaps a bit of an ocean breeze. What I'm actually having? A yogurt, big glass of water, and some coffee, and a winter weather advisory threatening ~6 inches of wintry precipitation. The nasty kind that is half-frozen, half-liquid, all-slick, and may or may not require shoveling.

G&L Topic: ASAT Neck Pickups & Legacy S-Style Bridge Pickups.
This might be one of those Internet talk things that does not translate to real life, but one thing I always seem to read are that the strength of the Tele/ASAT is the bridge pickup and that the standard neck pickup gets outshined by it, and alternately that the neck pickup of the Legacy/Strat, as well as the mid-positions, is the strength of the S-style but that the bridge is not seen as being as good overall. Sort of a multi-parter here:

A) Do you agree or disagree with said Internet lore?

B) ASAT/T-Style Neck Pickups: What do you like in the neck of a T-style if you are not necessarily in love with the lipstick neck pickup? If you prefer the stock neck pickup, how do you tend to use it?

C) Legacy/S-Style Bridge Pickups: Is there a favorite option for the neck bridge pickup in the S-styles, or do you prefer the thinner sound of the stock bridge? If you like the stock bridge, how do you like to use that sound in your playing?

Non-G&L: Best Rationalization/Excuse for Getting a Guitar/Gear.
What was your best rationalization or excuse you have told yourself or others to justify getting a guitar or related gear?

I don't have a great story, but my wife is never super excited when I bring up getting another guitar. It's not that she says no so much as she'll say "I guess" with her mouth, and "What the @#$% are you thinking?" with her eyes.

I think my best rationalization was "it'll be an heirloom for our child(ren)!" While at least partially true, my wife still seemed less than impressed with my altruistic concern for the musical well-being of the next generation.

-Cheers

Well, my lunch today would normally be a Chicken Caesar Salad from Dean and DeLuca's. But today I'm headed to the evil GC to see if they'll price match on a JBL sub I bought last week. Then it's down to Rosetta's Pizza for a couple of slices to bring back to the desk. Voted Best Pizza in KC ............. in 1997! Hmmmm.

G&L Topic:

A) Hey, it's on the interwebs. Got to be true!! Guess I could check Wikipedia (motto: changing history one keystroke at a time).

B) I've never been a fan of Tele pickups. Period. And it's all me! I've heard too many people play them stock and have great tone. But not me. I do however love them big 'ol MFDs in the ASAT.

C) Legacy bridge pickups. I alluded to my aversion to the Strat/Legacy bridge pickup in my LRs last week. Not a big fan of the SC in "S" style guitars. My last Fender "S" was an Eric Johnson - put a RioGrande Dirty Harry SC P90 in it and it rocked!! My Legacy is HSS, which works for me.

Non G&L Topic: My best truest story was when I moved from my '74 LPC to a '94 PRS CE24. That danged LP was just too heavy. The PRS is very light. My wife was completely behind the move and the expense. Since then, most guitar purchases have been made with either "bonus" money (eh? whats that?) or band funds. So not much heartbreak buying new gear that way. She did like the Prospect buy, endorsed that wholeheartedly. And the Millie DC. And the Legacy. And the ASAT Siggy. and and and ........... she likes guitars, too.

My rationalization is this. I want it, and I have expendable income. That is all I need.



Tele pickups are what brought me to G&L, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ASAT special. The bridge pickup is robust and awesome. The neck pickup is great lead tone and amazing. 2 very different characters and react very well together. The middle position is useful, but even more useful is both in series. that is absolutely massive. I use the neck on my ASAT special more than the bridge. No comment on S styles, I am currently without a single coil strat type.

Tele pickups are what brought me to G&L, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ASAT special. The bridge pickup is robust and awesome. The neck pickup is great lead tone and amazing. 2 very different characters and react very well together. The middle position is useful, but even more useful is both in series. that is absolutely massive. I use the neck on my ASAT special more than the bridge. No comment on S styles, I am currently without a single coil strat type.

I am a bit torn between a standard ASAT, standard Bluesboy, or a Bluesboy w/ a Phat Cat P90 (or similar) in the neck. The in-series sounds pretty useful though. Speaking of P90's...

C)Not a big fan of the SC in "S" style guitars. My last Fender "S" was an Eric Johnson - put a RioGrande Dirty Harry SC P90 in it and it rocked!! My Legacy is HSS, which works for me.

Hmmmmm . . . It seems I'm dying for an excuse to put a P90 in something just to try it out, eh? I'm still figuring out how to use the S-style I've got, but might toy with an SC P90, we'll see.

-Cheers

Halowords, great start. Luch here today will be light.

Guitar procurement. My wife has heard over 50 reasons, some creative and some pretty bogus. The bottom line is that I have been able to convince her that if we buy the right guitars, they will hold their value, so it is like money in the bank. And we also use them as art and indeed, art they are.

I like all my guitars and pickups. They do different things. I will say that I have had a couple of 52 Tele reissues and have wired both of them to modern wiring. I do like the Tele twang but did not like what they refer to as the dark tone in the vintage wiring. I think that my Bluesboy/ Bigsby tone is about as good as it gets. I also like the Parker Southern and the Hiland PRS. Both of them are good for gigging. Keep it up!!! Darwin

Hey, it's on the interwebs. Got to be true!! Guess I could check Wikipedia (motto: changing history one keystroke at a time).

It is not like I universally find everything on the Internet is wrong, yet at times it feels that way!

That is partially why I ask though. Not that it's wrong, or that more people find S-bridge pickups and T-neck pickups the relative weak point. Maybe they do. However, given they've stuck around, I wonder if people have just largely not used them as much, found ways to change them out or otherwise work around them, or done things to make those traits work for their music/sound. Not the same, but feedback went from being an undesirable trait to something used as a tool in music. I find that sort of happy accident or circumstantial stuff kind of neat. Not sure this pertains to the G&L guitar designs or not.

-Cheers

Guitar procurement. My wife has heard over 50 reasons, some creative and some pretty bogus. The bottom line is that I have been able to convince her that if we buy the right guitars, they will hold their value, so it is like money in the bank. And we also use them as art and indeed, art they are.

First of all, nice wall of guitars!

Second, I think they can legitimately be art, especially as I am currently blessed with two legitimately gorgeous guitars (and the other two look fine, just not that stand-outish). Sadly, my wife is not into guitars and would be much more likely to let me have as many as I want & can realistically afford if I'd keep them out-of-sight. As long as I can have one or two nice ones around, the rest is really gravy for me.

I like all my guitars and pickups. They do different things. I will say that I have had a couple of 52 Tele reissues and have wired both of them to modern wiring. I do like the Tele twang but did not like what they refer to as the dark tone in the vintage wiring. I think that my Bluesboy/ Bigsby tone is about as good as it gets. I also like the Parker Southern and the Hiland PRS. Both of them are good for gigging. Keep it up!!! Darwin

That is a great attitude to have!

Speaking of Bluesboys . . . I think a Bluesboy would let me have that old-style Tele sound, AND have a bit different humbucker-in-neck sound (plus the mid position could be pretty cool & fairly unique). I bet yours is fun to play with!

-Cheers

Hey Halowords,

Good questions this week, thanks for jumping in.

G&L Topic: ASAT Neck Pickups & Legacy S-Style Bridge Pickups.
I'm an ASAT guy all the way, and both ASAT Classic and Special p-ups are in a league of their own. I am becoming more partial to the big MFD's but both have merit. Standard tele neck p-up doesn't do much for me, and the 62' reissues are even less. I recommend a Broadcaster in the bridge of those but have not tried a G&L replacement yet. That may be next on my list. But, this is not a bash tele rant, they are good p-ups in general.

I have not tried the ASAT Custom which mixes the two but reviews round here have been stellar.

Non-G&L: Best Rationalization/Excuse for Getting a Guitar/Gear.
What was your best rationalization or excuse you have told yourself or others to justify getting a guitar or related gear?
Have used 'em all.
"It has....different p-ups, different sound, different color, it's a Limited Edition, I'll never see it this cheap again, I can sell it for more, the lame-o I swear I knew someone would bid higher on ebay, and my favorite, but the guys on GLDP say it will make me play better." Fortunately my wife is understanding and agrees a guitars/amps are cheaper than other hobbies. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

love the bluesboy and the legacy, waiting for a special to see what those pups are like, can't wait.

Best excuse so far?? and I mean SO FAR??

I sold my Breitling watch on ebay and got enough cash to fund 2 guitars and still (here's the untruthful part) have enough to put some into the bank and save it! So I'm ahead of the game, lol.

Think I'll join you in that fantasy lunch, sounds good. The beer sold it, even though it's only 9.18 in the morning here I find myself wanting a beer...


G&L Pickups: A) The neck pickup in the ASAT Classic is fantastic, hear one for yourself and decide. It's not muddy at all, most likely due to the absence of a cover.

B) One thing - the standard t-type pickup isn't a lipstick pickup. Lipstick pickups have an altogether different construction. I love having the humbucker there in my Bluesboy. You have the best sounds of a telecaster (bridge), a Gibson (neck) and a Gretsch (middle). I went out to my favourite shop on Monday with the purpose of buying a guitar with the gig money I've accumulated and tried out a bunch. I came home with nothing. Why? I have a Bluesboy and it's the bestest, versatilest guitar in the world!

C) I had S-style guitars for years until I finally got an ASAT. Within 3 months they were gone. I don't care for them, I don't like vibrato systems. I get 'my' sound out of a t-type

Since we're on the topic of pickups: This Thursday Bill Lawrence [url]wildepickups.com/[/url] is launching a new type of pickup called the microcoil. They work different to any other pickup and are simply better than anything else ever made (if what I've read on the internet is true ). I have pre-ordered a set and am eagerly awaiting them.


Other guitars/gear: My girlfriend doesn't seem to mind when I bring home gear. I tell her about all the accessories I get, they don't look expensive and she has no ideal what that new power supply cost! She did get a bit funny when I brought home a new amp rather than spend that money to go and visit her parents 1800km away, but I justified it - I did actually need it though. Really

Good questions.

G&L Question:I like the feel of a S type guitar and the sound of a Tele.
It seems my ASATIII fits that need. But it has MFD S-500 pickups.
I like ASAT Specials over classics. IMO.
My Legacy has G&L Alinicos but wired like a S-500.
And my Strat is a Tx Special HB. It works better for me. Also get a twang out of it.
For a SSS pure sound Strat style guitar I got a Fernandes for that.
I guess with all I am in the middle pickup on all most of the time. When it is TWANG TIME I am inbetween middle and bridge pickups.

I do wonder how a set of Rio Grande or Van Zandt pickups would sound in an ASAT III. I would guess a Legacy/Telecaster hybrid sound instead of S-500/ASAT hybrid sound.

Non G&L Question:
My wife is savvy.She is it one who found my J50 Gibson.She has a good idea of what cost what.
The last time I came home with a amp. She let it be known "NO MORE AMPS!"
I have bought cables pedals,ect... since then and she is ok with that but a new guitar. I would have to lobby for.
I am lobbing right now too. get rid of the dust collectors. She doesn't want me to get rid of them either and she makes a good point that is:"They may not have the value as some of my guitars but they are very good guitars and anyone else who gets them would not have the respect of the instrument I would." My Wife makes a good point. Because I don't own a guitar I would not be afraid to gig with.


Chet

G&L Topic: ASAT Neck Pickups & Legacy S-Style Bridge Pickups.

Well I must be an awkward ... I find myself spending most of my play time on ASATs on the neck pickup, especially on the Bluesboys. I just recently received my first ASAT Classic, it has Wilde pickups installed so it probably doesn't count. Even on the Classic Custom I prefer the neck pickup, the overwound soapbar MFD is major fat. As for the Legacy I do use the neck and middle lots but it is one of the very few sss style guitars that I really like the bridge pickup in, both clean and with od pedals or amp distortion. As for the Legacy Special I mostly use the bridge pickup, it just nails that hard rock / metal tone.


Non-G&L: Best Rationalization/Excuse for Getting a Guitar/Gear.

Do I need an excuse ?

G&L Topic: ASAT Neck Pickups & Legacy S-Style Bridge Pickups.

Well I must be an awkward ... I find myself spending most of my play time on ASATs on the neck pickup, especially on the Bluesboys. I just recently received my first ASAT Classic, it has Wilde pickups installed so it probably doesn't count. Even on the Classic Custom I prefer the neck pickup, the overwound soapbar MFD is major fat. As for the Legacy I do use the neck and middle lots but it is one of the very few sss style guitars that I really like the bridge pickup in, both clean and with od pedals or amp distortion. As for the Legacy Special I mostly use the bridge pickup, it just nails that hard rock / metal tone.

The Legacy Special has blade humbuckers, correct? What difference does the angle of the bridge pickup make for a humbucker? Hamer has done that with some of their shredder type humbucking guitars. I love Hamer, but have as of yet not gotten a chance to own or play one of those. Yet.

For that matter, how different does the 2 & 4 position work when you have three single-coil sized humbuckers?

Non-G&L: Best Rationalization/Excuse for Getting a Guitar/Gear.

Do I need an excuse ?

Are you married?

But no, apparently you need no excuse. You do have a seriously nice collection going. That must be a dream for lefties that see your pics. So no, keep buying and keep the dream alive!

-Cheers