Guitars?....Let's see 'em!

^^



From our last album a few years back... Most of our songs are influenced by, and based on horror movies.

Cheers man!

I thought I would send updated pictures because why not.


My Ibanez Jem Jr. Steve Vai signature. It’s my main go to, especially for shred stuff. Then, my Epiphone Les Paul Standard. My second guitar I ever got, I love this thing. Another go to for me.


My three Fenders (I actually have four, I have a standard acoustic, it’s nothing special though)
From left to right: Mexican Strat with Fender locking tuners and Fender noiseless pickups. One of the best guitars I own. Mexican Tele. A classic. I want to put the classic three piece bridge instead of 6 piece it has currently. Mexican Acoustisonic Tele. I cannot recommend this thing enough. Its amazing.


Peavy Raptor with Wolfgang headstock. My first guitar ever. I don’t use it a whole lot now, mostly for really drop tuned stuff (drop A, A#, that stuff)

^ CTR, why do you need to buy more guitars!!?? You've only got two hands!

lol. I actually haven’t bought a single one of these.

Les Paul with Floyd FRX trem and a Fernandes Sustainer.
Has the "Axcess" heel and weight reduction. 

Was able to use one potentiometer hole for one of the switches and got the circuit board in the control cavity without routing anything except the inside of the cavity, so the job looks very clean. Don't try to install one unless you have a lot of time!!  First Les Paul I owned years ago was like a bag of bricks -I said never again...
Lighter weight than my early JS Ibanez guitars, which are very light (basswood).

Mod inspired by Neal Schon LPs which are very rare and what, $10,000? Got the LP body, with neck and nut, no tuners or bridge for $700; it was factory "Plecked" (and plays like it!),, and  I had an extra sustainer in a drawer which cam from a guitar which got destroyed years ago when whammying -the whole guitar split and splinted at the tremolo anchor point. Same calamity destroyed Steve Vai's Green Meanie guitar. Have seen those fixed with brass plates but what a job.The LP also has a mid cut on a push-pull potentiometer as the factory Schon signatures.Might or might not put a Dimarzio Fast Track next to the sustainer driver later as Schon also does but I do already have that setup in another guitar and it really sounds just fine as is and is lighter.

That’s awesome. The only thing I don’t like about LP’s is the upper fret access. It’s too hard to get up to the highest frets imo.

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:I thought I would send updated pictures because why not.


My Ibanez Jem Jr. Steve Vai signature. It’s my main go to, especially for shred stuff. Then, my Epiphone Les Paul Standard. My second guitar I ever got, I love this thing. Another go to for me.


My three Fenders (I actually have four, I have a standard acoustic, it’s nothing special though)
From left to right: Mexican Strat with Fender locking tuners and Fender noiseless pickups. One of the best guitars I own. Mexican Tele. A classic. I want to put the classic three piece bridge instead of 6 piece it has currently. Mexican Acoustisonic Tele. I cannot recommend this thing enough. Its amazing.


Peavy Raptor with Wolfgang headstock. My first guitar ever. I don’t use it a whole lot now, mostly for really drop tuned stuff (drop A, A#, that stuff)

that Jem is a beauty, I love those guitars. Steve Vai rules.

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:That’s awesome. The only thing I don’t like about LP’s is the upper fret access. It’s too hard to get up to the highest frets imo.

The newer "Axcess" necks overcome that classic problem (I personally would not want a LP without one).

The first ones Gibson made were in the Neal Schon customs, according to his specs.
Neal Schon says they basically stole his design in continuing to offer the feature in their Axcess guitars.

There was at least one Epiphone with an Axcess neck -the Alex Lifeson (of Rush) sig, also with Graphtech Ghost saddles and electronics.

Even earlier a lot of famous players simply gouged out the wood on the back to improve upper fret access
(the earliest instance I know of was Neil Young's carefully mutilated LP "Old Black," -look for photos of the heel- maybe someone knows of an earlier example...?).

If you have a LP and are considering doing something like that be absolutely sure your LP has a long tenon or you'll end up with firewood. You can tell by taking out the neck pickup; search for info in guitar forums for details. Better though to just trade up to an improved model.

That said there are plenty of amazing players who are fine without the Axcess mod (or something like it); Buckethead for example. Like you I'm not one of them.

My JS 3 (Joe Satriani) Ibanez; also have two Black JS 1 and one Black JS1000 models; the 1000 actually has a JS 1 neck.

Best playing guitar I have ever touched.

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sirhemlock wrote:

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:That’s awesome. The only thing I don’t like about LP’s is the upper fret access. It’s too hard to get up to the highest frets imo.

The newer "Axcess" necks overcome that classic problem (I personally would not want a LP without one).

The first ones Gibson made were in the Neal Schon customs, according to his specs.
Neal Schon says they basically stole his design in continuing to offer the feature in their Axcess guitars.

There was at least one Epiphone with an Axcess neck -the Alex Lifeson (of Rush) sig, also with Graphtech Ghost saddles and electronics.

Even earlier a lot of famous players simply gouged out the wood on the back to improve upper fret access
(the earliest instance I know of was Neil Young's carefully mutilated LP "Old Black," -look for photos of the heel- maybe someone knows of an earlier example...?).

If you have a LP and are considering doing something like that be absolutely sure your LP has a long tenon or you'll end up with firewood. You can tell by taking out the neck pickup; search for info in guitar forums for details. Better though to just trade up to an improved model.

That said there are plenty of amazing players who are fine without the Axcess mod (or something like it); Buckethead for example. Like you I'm not one of them.

I have seen the models with the access heel. I would like to have one eventually, but I would still keep my Epiphone. I’m one of those guys that just can’t get rid of guitars. I’m still going to have the Peavy when I’m 60 lol. I believe my Epiphone. Is a standard 60s so it’s an older feeling.

Sweet guitars, hemlock! I've started doing a bit of work on guitars and hope to do a bunch more in the future. Do you have any experience with Evertune bridges? If I had a guitar that was expensive enough to justify it I'd love to try one of those out sometime.

I'd also love a Satriani model sometime, as well as a JEM. So many great looking and great playing guitars!

I also wouldn't mind one of those special Drop D switches that Ibanez (I think) used to use a bit. It's the only alternate tuning I use, and it'd be so cool to switch back and forth in 1/2 a second.

Sevenoneself wrote:I also wouldn't mind one of those special Drop D switches that Ibanez (I think) used to use a bit. It's the only alternate tuning I use, and it'd be so cool to switch back and forth in 1/2 a second.

Yes. Do they make those as an attachment you can just put on there? Or do you have to have it professionally installed?

Sevenoneself wrote:Sweet guitars, hemlock! I've started doing a bit of work on guitars and hope to do a bunch more in the future. Do you have any experience with Evertune bridges? If I had a guitar that was expensive enough to justify it I'd love to try one of those out sometime.

I'd also love a Satriani model sometime, as well as a JEM. So many great looking and great playing guitars!

I also wouldn't mind one of those special Drop D switches that Ibanez (I think) used to use a bit. It's the only alternate tuning I use, and it'd be so cool to switch back and forth in 1/2 a second.

Thanks Sevenoneself!

The EVH D-Tuna is about $40; easy install: https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/d-tuna-d-mystified-how-to-set-up-an-evh-d-tuna/ Made for you, sounds like.

No experience with Evertune. 

If you are considering a JS I would recommend to steer clear of the cheaper JS100s -different fb radius, and the saddles, e.g. may crack if you crank the block bolt. They play "ok" but no comparison. The original Edge is a fantastic trem -lots of folk, myself included, think the best Floyd style trem ever made; the Lo-Pro (next produced after the Edge) is also very good; if you get a JEM or JS I would encourage you to only settle for one with one of these two trems (recent high end JEMS & JSs have them still). Recently new original Edge and Lo Pro trems can be purchased separately once again -I purchased one last year. If you get a really old MIJ JEM/JS from the 1990s you may need a replacement saddle or two as they wear out enough eventually (though, I should say, they are still more robust than other typical Floyd saddles) to affect the way the string sounds and/or worse case buzz a little  (which Ibanez offers, but they are about $30 each). I actually have hated most of the Floyds I have ever owned, but the Edge is just a joy to behold, suffers incredible abuse and whatever insane torque you might tend to apply (except the intonation screws which can strip) with nary a whimper. Really good metal and machining. You can improve the JS just a bit by compounding the radius of the upper fretboard just a hair to 10" leaving 9.5 in the lower portion (you can look up the particulars used by Joe's tech online -easy to do), but even before/without that the JS1's are insanely superior animals to behold. Rich at Ibanaz Rules taught me how to cure the only qualm I ever had about these bridges -the trem arms- by telling me to remove them and light a lighter under the plastic bushing which causes them to expand, after which you cram them back in for perfect noiseless operation and optimal "flutter." The anchor bolts are also much better than typical Floyd / Gotoh etc. -bigger w/better sustain and long term stability. For very (very) detailed (superior) pro setup info relevant to JEM and JS see Ibanez Rules website on Setup.[1] Verify the shim of the neck and bridge saddles too. Your guitar, your fingers, and your audience will thank you.

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[1] http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/index.htm

Thanks for mentioning the EVH D-Tuna! I’m definitely going to look into it. That’s the only thing I don’t like about Floyd’s. Well, except they’re a freaking pain to restring too. You mentioned a buzzing sound? One of my strings when I play it has a slight buzzing sound at the bridge (on my JEM) and I can’t figure out what it is.

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:Thanks for mentioning the EVH D-Tuna! I’m definitely going to look into it. That’s the only thing I don’t like about Floyd’s. Well, except they’re a freaking pain to restring too. You mentioned a buzzing sound? One of my strings when I play it has a slight buzzing sound at the bridge (on my JEM) and I can’t figure out what it is.

Probably this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/203697669297 The saddle groove eventually is affected by gazzillions of hours of crazy whammy-up and bending stuff. Ibanez saddles are well made and go longer without probs than most Floyd saddles, in my experience, but eventually to dust all things eventually return. I find it affects the "tone" before buzzing, but that may be due to some sort of magic hearing of fairie-dust disease like Eric Johnson is reputed to have.

When restringing try, before you start, to cram something (folded cardboard from your new strings or etc.) under the bridge so it is tilted and stabilized exactly where it is with your strings on (you will be able to tell on the basis of whether it is still in tune). Then it's basically the same job as with a fixed bridge. Be sure to make sure each string won't go out of tune after repeatedly tuning and restretching before removing whatever thing you crammed under there. When you remove that "stabilizer" it won't sit exactly right but in the ballpark, so not much more effort to finish tuning. To me not really more headache to restring than any other guitar incl. fixed bridge.

Sevenoneself wrote:^ CTR, why do you need to buy more guitars!!??  You've only got two hands!

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:lol. I actually haven’t bought a single one of these.

Please teach us this magic

sirhemlock wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:^ CTR, why do you need to buy more guitars!!??  You've only got two hands!

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:lol. I actually haven’t bought a single one of these.

Please teach us this magic

I have a really awesome family. The Peavey was my first, it was a gift from my step grandpa. The Epiphone was my second, my dad’s side all bought it for me for Christmas. The Telecaster my dad got for himself, but never plays lol. The Jem and Strat were just given to me by my step grandpa because he never played them. And the acoustisonic was a Christmas(I think?) present from my dad and step grandpa. My sgp has an American acoustisonic and I feel in love when I played it while we were visiting him, so he got me the Mexican. It was actually my idea to go Mexican rather than American, I think it’s better. The American is like twice as expensive. It’s rechargeable while the Mexican is 9 volt battery. Let me ask this, if you’re playing the American on stage and it dies, what do you do? Mexican you just plop a new battery in and it’s good as new!

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:

sirhemlock wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:^ CTR, why do you need to buy more guitars!!??  You've only got two hands!

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:lol. I actually haven’t bought a single one of these.

Please teach us this magic

I have a really awesome family. The Peavey was my first, it was a gift from my step grandpa. The Epiphone was my second, my dad’s side all bought it for me for Christmas. The Telecaster my dad got for himself, but never plays lol. The Jem and Strat were just given to me by my step grandpa because he never played them. And the acoustisonic was a Christmas(I think?) present from my dad and step grandpa. My sgp has an American acoustisonic and I feel in love when I played it while we were visiting him, so he got me the Mexican. It was actually my idea to go Mexican rather than American, I think it’s better. The American is like twice as expensive. It’s rechargeable while the Mexican is 9 volt battery. Let me ask this, if you’re playing the American on stage and it dies, what do you do? Mexican you just plop a new battery in and it’s good as new!

Can I get adopted into your family?!

To be fair, I've been giving a handful of instruments in the last 5 years from extended family and friends. Some are nearly worthless, but there is an analog keyboard and a metal Schecter that would both be worth well over $1,000. So I can't be too hard on you...

I don’t know the price of my Strat actually. It’s probably worth over $1000(us). It’s Mexican, but has fender locking tuners and noiseless pickups. Also it has the best color out of any of my current guitars

When I have enough money I want several guitars for different tunings

StevenCressler wrote:When I have enough money I want several guitars for different tunings

I need to warn you about Floyd Rose bridges. If you keep going your collection, you’re going to want one eventually. They CAN be nightmares (especially if you have no experience with one). If you know what to do from the start, you’ll avoid pain and struggle. There’s tons of good YouTube videos (Music Is Win has a good video on how to change strings).

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:

StevenCressler wrote:When I have enough money I want several guitars for different tunings

I need to warn you about Floyd Rose bridges. If you keep going your collection, you’re going to want one eventually. They CAN be nightmares (especially if you have no experience with one). If you know what to do from the start, you’ll avoid pain and struggle. There’s tons of good YouTube videos (Music Is Win has a good video on how to change strings).

I'll try to keep that in mind lol