KVR Audio

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:46 pm

Yes, it does. Thanks. Like I said, I'm still trying to learn the guitar, although I've messed with it a ton. I just haven't always known what the controls were doing.

Brent

Koe:rade · Post by **Koe:rade** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:02 pm

o'malley wrote:

In all seriousness, what is this guitar like?
I really have a soft spot for them (don't ask me why) and am looking for a cheap guitar at the moment.

I'd be looking to get some kindof industrial rock tone with it. I used to get a quite good 'thin razor-like' distortion (see the guitar on Nine Inch Nails - Ringfinger) using a Strat 50th anniversary edition through a cheap Korg Toneworks pedal. I like the light playing style of the Fenders, the have nice action, but I'm not sure if that was just the nice Strat I was playing and if it would be different with this cheap hello kitty thing.

PS. sorry to hijack the thread.

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:07 pm

It's not a hijack. The thread is for learning about various guitar options and the differences. So I would probably learn from the answer as well.

Brent

Koe:rade · Post by **Koe:rade** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:12 pm

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:18 pm

I would totally go for a Hello Kitty guitar if it came in a better configuration- either two humbuckers or three single coils. The versions they are offering are pretty bare-bones.

Koe:rade · Post by **Koe:rade** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:21 pm

So whats the real downside there? Sorry, I know very little about pickups (guitars in general really).

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:23 pm

From what I've learned, it would basically have less tone varieties. Less versatile, maybe?

Brent

Koe:rade · Post by **Koe:rade** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:29 pm

Ah, I get it. So theres no pickup switching. Which means not being able to select between bridge and neck pickups... which I guess would mean less tone varieties as koolkeys said?

Though how detremental would this be? Keeping in mind, I'm not a guitar player, my music isn't very guitar centered at all, and I basically want it for really distorted industrial tones, thin post-punk tones, and getting noises out of.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:47 pm

Koe:rade wrote:
o'malley wrote:

In all seriousness, what is this guitar like?
I really have a soft spot for them (don't ask me why) and am looking for a cheap guitar at the moment.

I'd be looking to get some kindof industrial rock tone with it. I used to get a quite good 'thin razor-like' distortion (see the guitar on Nine Inch Nails - Ringfinger) using a Strat 50th anniversary edition through a cheap Korg Toneworks pedal. I like the light playing style of the Fenders, the have nice action, but I'm not sure if that was just the nice Strat I was playing and if it would be different with this cheap hello kitty thing.

PS. sorry to hijack the thread.

That really is my daughter in the other pics, I bought it for her last spring. It's like any other guitar in the price range. The pick-up is nothing to write home about but the action isn't all that bad. The neck isn't really objectional except for the pink marker dots.

I think back to my first electric guitar back when I was a kid, it was an Alamo El Dorado...horrid action (really it was so high it was only good for slide), blockish neck, really a total piece of crap. (but I am looking to buy one again) Later in the 80's there was an explosion of cheap cuitars like Hondos and others, they were a bit better but by then I had a black 72 tele custom. When I worked retail in the 90's thru 02 there were lots of budget choices like squiers, lyons, ltd, some ibanez guitars, crate, kent...the list really goes on. These latter guitars are not great, but certainly far better options than previously available for budget guitars. The hello kitty is just a squier right in that category, it's nothing to get excited about...but it wont frustrate and discourage you like my old Alamo (which in '71 cost 99.99 usd used)...it's playable and upgradable, but not fashionable...

Koe:rade · Post by **Koe:rade** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:05 pm

I guess I'll go have a play around with one and see what I think..

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:30 pm

Anyone else have any opinions on how a Hagstrom guitar would match up to some other brands in that range? Of course, I'm thinking Squier and Epiphone here, but that's just because I'm still vague on the brands available.

I do want to be clear that I definitely don't want to buy on name, but rather tone and value.

Oh, and just so I'm clear. Do Humbucker pickups generally get used for heavier stuff? I'm guessing they do. The XL-5 has two HB and one single coil. Would that be a better option than having it the other way around? Probably quieter, right? Due to the canceling of the noise that the humbuckers do?

Brent

stk · Post by **stk** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:37 pm

I strongly suggest trawling some used stores, even pawn shops.

I bought my ibanez les paul goldtop copy that way, as well as my squire strat, and both are really nice guitars.

The squire has a lovely smooth transparent tone, sits nicely in a mix, and the ibanez is thick as hell, and creates the nicest feedback I've ever heard in a guitar. I frankenstein-grafted a bigsby onto the ibanez and it's a beast.

Both are late 70s / early 80s (?) japanese-made. The 'budget / knock-off' guitars were way better made back then.

/sk

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:15 am

really I'm just being silly...but "sits nicely in a mix"?...I want my guitars to jump right out and grab you by the nads...

stk · Post by **stk** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:25 am

Hink wrote:really I'm just being silly...but "sits nicely in a mix"?...I want my guitars to jump right out and grab you by the nads...

heh, that's what the ibanez does. squire's nice for strummy things, never been a big fan of strat lead tones (unless you're jimi or gilmour)

Dominus · Post by **Dominus** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:48 am

Koe:rade wrote:Ah, I get it. So theres no pickup switching. Which means not being able to select between bridge and neck pickups... which I guess would mean less tone varieties as koolkeys said?

Though how detremental would this be? Keeping in mind, I'm not a guitar player, my music isn't very guitar centered at all, and I basically want it for really distorted industrial tones, thin post-punk tones, and getting noises out of.

In all seriousness, if that's the sound you're going for, all you need is a bridge humbucker.

I play mostly metal, and all of my guitars just have a bridge humbucker. I can get plenty of sounds out of it, my neck pickups would never get used, as I'd even get a usable clean sound out of the bridge.

I'd also stay away from Floyd Rose style bridges, I know some people swear by them but the double-locking ones are a pain to set up and replace strings on. (Single locking ones are hard to find, but all of the guitars I have with Floyds have them, just luck I guess.

)

Need some help with learning which guitars would suit me