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Guitars The Guitar Dictionary, What's a Strat ? LP ? Describe 'Em All

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TSPix
post Jun 23 2005, 03:26 PM, updated 18y ago

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In this topic, anyone can decide to make a explanatory topic on a particular kind of electric guitar model. I'll try to summary them in this thread. The point here is to provide a quick overview of the different kinds of guitars available in the market, knowing that there are probably less than 10 "families" of electric guitars (Strat, Tele, LP, SG, RG, ...)

Ibanez
RGT / RGA / RG (introduction by Headhunter7)
RG (details by Evo.Com)
GAX30 (by Metalhead)
RG (details by Ssslayerrr)
*new* JS1000 (by Pix)

Fender
Telecaster (by Led_Zep_Freak)
Stratocaster (by Led_Zep_Freak)

Gibson
Les Paul - Std vs. Custom vs. Junior (by Blacktrix)

Various acoustic guitars (in-depth ! by TheWacker)

"Metal oriented" guitars
BC Rich Warlock (overview by MetalHead)
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Model : Les Paul
Brand : Gibson
Nickname : LP
Author : Blacktrix

Typically, a Les Paul is a solidbody electric guitar, which means that the wood inside is not hollow and is normally very heavy, thus giving it a "fatter" sound, which is very much sought after by blues and recently, Heavy Metal artists.

user posted image

Pictured here is a Gibson Les Paul standard. A Les Paul's characteristics is that it has a single cutaway (The part where it got cut-off) body. THere are on occasion a double cut-away Les Paul, but the most familiar Les Paul is the Single Cut away.

The Les Paul usually comes with 2 Humbucker pick-ups, although they can be changed. Note that it also doesn't have a Whammy Bar at the bottom, but rather a tune-o-matic bridge, which is the silver bar, second to the botto. The last bar is appropriately called a Stopbar tailpiece.

Other characteristics that defines the Gibson Les Paul is the pick-up selector switch located on the upper-left side of the body, and the 4 knobs at the bottom right, which are 2 for tone, and 2 for volume.

______________________________________________________________

This post has been edited by Pix: Jan 4 2006, 04:40 AM
TSPix
post Jun 24 2005, 10:00 AM

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Ok, I've updated the first topic... very nice job you guys ! Don't hesitate to "consolidate" current info about models if you feel like it. Will try to make it look nicer later also, dun worry.

Regarding the bible name... ok, if you feel like it's an insult to this religion, i'll change it. I guess if I had put "The Ku'ran of Guitars", that'd have been weird as well... (then we can start the debate about how western civilisation is now using the word "bible" not as a religious reference anymore, but as a common word wink.gif )
chiiill out....

TSPix
post Jul 6 2005, 09:29 AM

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you can fin all eplanations on www.gibson.com :-) the custom is super-expensive(custom built by Gibson best guitarmakers and from the best wood, etc etc.. they all have different special features), the standard is the "regular" LP, and the junior is... errr... cheaper. Forgot why, but i think it's flatter and the pickups are different. You have the Studio version also. Cheaper.
TSPix
post Nov 21 2005, 01:53 AM

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------------
Model: JS1000
Brand: Ibanez
Nickname: Satriani's signature
Style: Overdriven leads, solos, blues & rock riffs
--------------

Finally, I'll give my piece of writing on that axe, after owning one since 4 years (and still going).
First, the purpose : Joe Satriani designed that guitar to fit his style, so that he could get the exact sound he wanted for most of his songs. The thing is that he used to play on a strat (a genuine fender one to begin with, and then a "ibanez strat" prototype, loaded with humbuckers) and he got used to that rounded neck.

So basically he wanted a neutral and even sound (like an ibanez RG) with a slight touch of vintage and thickness (like a Les Paul), with a round neck (like a Strat'), with nice cleans (Strat' again ?) and yet an ability to produce tight metal riffs along with a screaming vibrato (I'd say that they're both specificities of the ibanez RG). All in all, that fearless dude wanted to get himself a highly lethal cocktail of the best guitars from the 80's.

What's the result ?
user posted image

Chances are you won't buy a chrome platede one, but rather something like those:
user posted image

The JS1000 is loaded with a dimarzio Fred (bridge) and a dimarzio PAF Pro (neck) , while the JS1200 has got a dimarzio PAF Joe (neck) instead, and comes only in rather flashy red colour. The PAF Joe provides more highs, compared to the PAF Pro, and that's definitely a good thing. The Pro is slightly too dark sometimes.

The feel is great : in my opinion, the best part would be the neck : it isn't flat and yet it's not that much rounded either so all the legato and tapping and bends are pretty easy to do. But more than the shape, it's more the thickness that is unbelievable. It is so deliciously thin that fingers will run naturally on it, without any kind of exhaustion.
The body itself is super-light (so if you're as strong as a baby shrimp, you'll get along fine with it), mostly because it is very thin. The wood itself is basswood, which is among the lightest wood around.

And to end this review : the sound. As told earlier, it's neither a strat, neither a LP but it was intended to blend both of them. A strato-elpiccinno. As a consequence : it's none of them : a strat would have a much more piercing/biting sound, while a LP is much fatter.
I can't say the JS is in between, because that doesn't make sense (while I myself try to make some, from time to time). It can't imitate the strat perfectly, but it provides really decent cleans and single-coils sound (thx to the coil-splitting mechanism), that can be used for strumming or cool arpeggios. Combining both pick-ups in single coil can provide a lovely "light" crunch that I use for funky aggressive riffs.
On the fat end, it doesn't compare with a LP at all. A LP is just heavier, from all perspectives. Like comparing a modern body-builded wrestler with a sumo. The wrestler might be sexier, but the sumo is the real deal. The JS can definitely gets you on the metal track, but it won't give you the extra bottom Oooomph easily. It's tighter, sharper, it's different. But tuned accordingly, on the right amp (let's say a mesa boogie), it will get dirty.
When it comes to the overdriven leading part, or even the cleaner bluesy solos from the album "Joe Satriani", what you hear on the CDs is what you'll have with that guitar. Nice sustain, plenty of mids, the guitar is just singing like a human voice. I mean... you know what I'm talking about. It still a vintage sound (compared to a JEM sound for instance), but with more definition in it.

Retail price is about 7,ooo RM, perhaps less. Quite expensive, and I'm not sure it worths it, but you purposedly pay for the signature... visually and sonically smile.gif


This post has been edited by Pix: Nov 21 2005, 01:59 AM
TSPix
post May 22 2006, 01:15 PM

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QUOTE
u sure talk with ur @$$, bros!!

shiikuro... cool down, as far as i understand it, the only concern is about you copy/paste material from another site and "forgetting" to credit it for it. No big deal... Nobody said anything about Hugh wink.gif

 

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