G&L Topic of the Day: Sonic Identity! Well my friend George’s question about my G&L ASAT Deluxe got me thinking!
He asked: “does it ‘twang’ like a Tele or ‘quack’ like a Strat?”
(Perhaps this fits with ‘why are G&L so far under the radar?’)
I guess we all have a defined sound in mind when someone mentions certain guitars. We know what a Tele ‘sounds’ like, or a Strat. Maybe it’s from our own playing experiences, or maybe from a favourite artist who uses that guitar – obviously Hank Marvin does not sound like Jimi Hendrix!
If someone says Gibson Les Paul to me, my thoughts turn to Gary Moore, or maybe Slash. SG? Well that’s Angus Young’s sound of course!
Or to simplify things, Fenders typically have that defined ‘single coil’ sound, and Gibsons typically have that raunchy ‘humbucker’ (OK, or P90) sound.
But what do G&L’s sound like?
A quick browse of the G&L website shows a plethora of guitars with different body shapes, and most permutations of pickup configurations that people over the years have ‘modded’ those body shapes with, available off the peg. Which is great – I mean, if I wanted to only ever buy one make of guitar, G&L can fulfil any requirement I could have!
I guess companies like MusicMan and PRS have large ranges of various different sounding guitars too, so maybe ‘sonic signature’ isn’t as important as it was when there were fewer makes around. MM and PRS also have some famous endorsees….
Maybe now it comes down to which famous guitarists play a certain make. The G&L website lists lots of artists – I’ve heard of some of the bands (maybe lots of others are big in the USA, but unknown here?), but I haven’t heard of many of the guitarists. Maybe it always did come down to who played a certain make – even Hank Marvin chose a Strat (first one ever imported into the UK) because he thought, incorrectly, that James Burton played one!
Question: Do you think G&L should search out the next big potential ‘guitar gods’ and sign them up, or can you think of a better marketing strategy?
Non-G&L Topic of the day: Keeping fit! Many of us lead a more sedentary life than our grandparents lived. We need to do something to keep the ol’ ticker ticking over!
So what do you do to keep fit? I’m currently in the worst shape of my life, and it sucks! I deal with injured athletes all day – and quite a few people with bad backs and necks etc. (I’m a sports/remedial massage therapist).
For 30 years I was a serious martial artist, including time spent training full-time in China and Malaysia, boxing in Thailand and teaching. So I’m used to being in shape. These days I’m bent over a massage couch or sat at a computer writing sermons and services (I’m a lay preacher too).
I still do some Xingyiquan and swing the odd kettlebell to stop myself going rusty – I seize up if I don’t do anything. I love a bit of hill walking (as you might expect from a goat!), and I do a lot of work with pro boxers on the therapy side, so I still get to hit bags. But I know I’m getting older!
I know Louis likes his iron. What do others do?
I cant stand organized sports, and have neither the drive, money or inclination to go to a gym. I now try and work exercise into my daily routine by riding and walking to places I want/need to go to, its the only thing that works for me.
trained all my life til about 8 years ago though.sports,martial arts,iron etc. Looking to getting back into golf again down the track,few years away though.
plus I'm not exactly minted up like some the other guys here..
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