Spinnifuchs Can't play?! What? Rob is a Brilliant player. A hell of a lot better then so called "session" players ive worked with.. He knows his playing and theory inside out. And the captian.. if his sweet blues chops don't Get you in the blues mood, I dont know what will!!
The second you touch a string to a fret the pressure of your finger affects intonation - micro tonally perfect intonation is impossible on fretted instruments. Invent a problem, create a solution... = profit...
While I absolutely love these videos and have learned a little (and I've been on a Chappers video binge the last week or so...) what I absolutely love about them is the fact that you 2 are British! We need more Brits like you teaching us stuff! (Go Brian Cox)
Loved the TV yellow back story. Working with video cameras, I'm well aware of the "white is bright, light is right" rule, but never knew about the yellow history.
Yeah he was saying that it was strange to switch back and forth between the compensated and traditional style frets and he preferred the compensated so that's what he was going with
I bought one of these around the same time this vid was published. I'm pretty happy with it. Of course you've got to expect less "Gibson depth of tone" with these thinner bodied gits, but I like the extra spank and vibe. Worth the (discounted) price of admission IMHO.
The "wiggly frets" are True Temperament frets, which have been used by Vai on one of his many Ibanez guitars and Ruokangas used them on a few guitars as well. :) Nice video guys, although I don't like what they're doing with the Melody Maker name. Some one who doesn't know the history of the Melody Maker never gets that it was originally a one pickup slab body Les Paul, even without the classic Gibson headstock. Exactly what they did until a few years back, when they had to fiddle with it. It's better now than the whole MM-line with the SG, V and Explorer included, but I'd love to have Gibson just do an original style Melody Maker as it was back then. Gloss finish and all.
Looks like they finally pulled their head out of their arses in Nashville and actually started making PROPER guitars again best gibson i've heard in a while
I have a 2013 Explorer Melody maker, American made. For $399.00 Canadian it was/is a helluva great deal. Very loud acoustically, thanks to the plain painted finish. Interestingly, the body, neck and fretboard are "baked maple", not the usual mahogany. Nice bright tone and a single Duncan style 'bucker with one volume control. Headstock veneer is of black plastic.
Whilst we are on the intonation topic, stevie vai actually does have a "wiggily" fretter custom jem that he has used in the studio and at clinics before.
they've taken the Les Paul Junior and made an entire series out of it, with different tiers. they're almost the new Les Paul Studio. the LPJ is the evolution of it.
Whilst I'd like to have a go with the wiggly frets I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a neck like that unless it was undoubtedly better than a traditionally fretted neck. As I said before, Steve Vai uses one sometimes but that doesn't mean every guitarist will like it. The only question that's important is whether it's an all round better solution than regular frets....clearly it isn't considered so at the moment or I imagine many more guitar companies would be using them. The other thing for me is what happens when you want to change string guage? It's always been my understanding that if you change gauge then you need to intonate the guitar again.....surely the wiggly frets add complication to that? Also wouldn't an intonated or compensated wrap around tailpiece as in the case of the Gibson make it impossible to intonate to a different string gauge other than the guitar was initially designed with in mind?
Looking forward to the Les Paul Junior, Les Paul Classis and the Les Paul Traditional videos. Though I think that the classic is a little too expensive, you might as well save up a little more for the Traditional!
Guitars with weird frets are made by Vgs, i have a poster which is hanging on my wall because it looks cool, Guitar is fitness with Emg singles curved frets and evertune so yeah
I saw a video about those wiggly frets and a few famous people use them including Steve Vai.....I'd be interested in trying them...if they make notes more accurately in tune then why not? Who knows, maybe 10 years from now those true temperament frets might be the standard...
The micro-tuning discrepancies allow for players with good ears to micro-adjust their technique-a la finger pressure and position- as they play, compensating for small tuning slips after heavy bends and so-forth-all good string players do this-wiggly frets not needed.
Great review, als always. Which guitar would you recommend as an allround-guitar? The melody maker or the lpj? I sorta like both, but only have money for one ;-)
I knew this could happen. The 2013 LPJ and SGJ has been a massive success and Gibson´s next movement, an early and quick revision for 2014 means two things : the one I mentioned. And second, I guess the qualities of the new J series have been downgrade intentionally. I´ve been seen on several webshops how the 2013 versions are running out of stock so fast, that I made my move on buying a rubbed vintage burst before the stock going down. I´ve been lucky. Can´t wait to see the review of the LPJs for 2014. Mine ( the 2013 ) will arrive at home on friday. I´m so nervous. My first Gibson guitar. I´m dreaming with this since I was 14 years old... ^_^
Rob Chapman I'm thinking about purchasing my brother's Carvin MTS3200 head with matching 4x12 cab w/v30s for about $600 I have played through it so I know for a fact it works. Is this a good deal? Would really appreciate a response but since I know you're a very busy man I completely understand if I don't get one.
I bought an epiphone les paul traditional PRO at guitar center for 400, and then went back a month later for a pack of strings AND THERE WAS A GIBSON LPJ FOR 399, not to mention my indecisiveness lead me to miss out on an epiphone ultra II for 399
Frank Gambale's signature Yamaha had wiggly frets - it's called Fretwave, as far as I remember. And that song at the end is clearly Stone Temple Pilots - Plush intro. Cool vid though.
Is the Captain playing a PRS 245 SE Soapbar with a Gibson headstock? The price, the look and the gift bag included make it seem like those two guitars will be challenging each other in the market place.
Nice jam at the end. Cool sounding progression, nice change over between roles - Although the Captain used different voicings. Much more refreshing than some cheesy backing track. The early bits of Captains improv sounded particularly cool:-D
@@johnbrown2378 They are sort of playing a variation of a really cool riff from Plush by Stone Temple Pilots. They play a C5 power chord on downstroke varying it sometimes including the C5 octave for upstroke part he also hit the fifth fret on the B string as yet another variation. This is that distinctive change in voicings I heard. Different to the STP song. Sounds cool doesn't it? They are playing G (with the B string fretted at the third fret), C5 (with variations), Cadd9, G (same shape as before) then a vamp on the last G chord as a turn around. As a variation sometimes they play a little run as the turn around. The little run is just B, C and C# notes on the A string
my 2014 melody maker falls off the strap all the time, and my epi with the small strap button never falls off. I'm starting to think those big strap buttons don't do shit
How well do these fare against chapman's ml2?? I'm looking into buying a LP body guitar (just in love with the shape) and it seems there's only 3 options, chapman vs gibson vs ltd.
T.V. Yellow was originally called "Limed Mahogony" To call these "Melody Makers" is flat wrong, because they do not have anything to do with the REAL Melody Makers... these are more like a "Les Paul Special"
The Melody maker is awesome for the price, always loved the sound of the P90 pickups! Shame its only in satin, if there was a glossy sunburst almost like a LP junior then i'd get one! :P
I know you don't stock Hamer Guitar's ....But would love to see you do a review of there Models .. IF Possible .?? . The Body of those Models give rise to possible customised artwork .. if the desired buyer intends to seek such a finish maybe that's something you should look at . offering ?.
Rob Chapman : Could you please share what chords you're playing at the end? Sounds like a G - something C# and G in it followed by C - can't quite figure out the 2nd Chord (the C# is most prominent in that). Also where is it from, it sounds very very familiar. Many Thanks.
#Laurens Hebberecht + 1 on your "wiggly frets" comment. Although I haven't seen Steve Vai play that particular guitar in a while. When he first tried them out I think he intended to have all of his guitars outfitted with them.
I do like this show, it's like Top Gear for guitarists.
That's true. The guys at Top Gear are funny but can't drive. Rob and Lee are funny but can't play.
Spinnifuchs Lol, but imo the Top Gear dudes can drive okay and Chappers + co. can play pretty damn good.
Spinnifuchs Can't play?! What? Rob is a Brilliant player. A hell of a lot better then so called "session" players ive worked with.. He knows his playing and theory inside out.
And the captian.. if his sweet blues chops don't Get you in the blues mood, I dont know what will!!
It's like QVC now
The second you touch a string to a fret the pressure of your finger affects intonation - micro tonally perfect intonation is impossible on fretted instruments.
Invent a problem, create a solution... = profit...
Depends how hard you fret. Its pretty insignificant if you have a light touch and fret close to the fret wire.
How about Buzz Feiten? I only heard about it, is it useful?
I will say Steve Vai does use a few of his guitar's with those wiggly frets. I still say I like old fashioned intonation.
Farin Felsenheimer Thats what we are talking about.
Yes, but normal frets has its limits. With True Temperament you can come much closer.
I love melody makers. They have a certain bite to the tone.
This guitar is a bit of a hidden gem - this 2014 2014 punches way above its weight.
That Melody Maker sounds nice! I didn't expect that.
The sound of the slash signature head that chapters was using sounds amazing !!!
The jam song reminded me of Stone Temple Pilots' Plush...
I was thinking that too
I do wish that Epiphone and Gibson put out more P90 instruments.
While I absolutely love these videos and have learned a little (and I've been on a Chappers video binge the last week or so...) what I absolutely love about them is the fact that you 2 are British! We need more Brits like you teaching us stuff! (Go Brian Cox)
Oh also, Merry Christmas to the both of you.
Loved the TV yellow back story. Working with video cameras, I'm well aware of the "white is bright, light is right" rule, but never knew about the yellow history.
This is probably the next guitar i'm getting.
The funny thing is that vai has a jem with a compensated neck :P
Damn you beat me to it, was just going to say the same thing. I've seen the Jem with the compensated frets in person.
Michael Fenton Yeah, didn't Vai say that he was in the process of having that done to all of his axes?
Yeah he was saying that it was strange to switch back and forth between the compensated and traditional style frets and he preferred the compensated so that's what he was going with
Compensated as in scalloped?
Sco no as in the frets are not straight.
Love these demo videos. Looking forward to watching you guys in 2014.
2:25 Very intimate moment you and the Cap shared there, Chappers. lol
I bought one of these around the same time this vid was published. I'm pretty happy with it. Of course you've got to expect less "Gibson depth of tone" with these thinner bodied gits, but I like the extra spank and vibe. Worth the (discounted) price of admission IMHO.
The "wiggly frets" are True Temperament frets, which have been used by Vai on one of his many Ibanez guitars and Ruokangas used them on a few guitars as well. :)
Nice video guys, although I don't like what they're doing with the Melody Maker name. Some one who doesn't know the history of the Melody Maker never gets that it was originally a one pickup slab body Les Paul, even without the classic Gibson headstock. Exactly what they did until a few years back, when they had to fiddle with it. It's better now than the whole MM-line with the SG, V and Explorer included, but I'd love to have Gibson just do an original style Melody Maker as it was back then. Gloss finish and all.
Guess they don´t know shit...
/irony
Very very good budget guitars
I HATE the 120th inlay. They should have been more discrete and put it onthe back of the headstock.
i love it how rob says that perfet intonation is impossible yet in music videos i always see the guitar spot on the note, or so my tuner says
Gibson finally changed the headstock to a normal one. Congrats Gibson!
??? The "not normal" one looks better!!!!
not in my opinion
"Tummy Cut" on the TV Yellow Melody Maker. Nice!
Looks like they finally pulled their head out of their arses in Nashville and actually started making PROPER guitars again best gibson i've heard in a while
Nice sounding guitars. Thanks gents!
I'm drooling! best regards from Portugal!
It's nice to see a nice headstock on the melody maker eventually
I have a 2013 Explorer Melody maker, American made. For $399.00 Canadian it was/is a helluva great deal. Very loud acoustically, thanks to the plain painted finish. Interestingly, the body, neck and fretboard are "baked maple", not the usual mahogany. Nice bright tone and a single Duncan style 'bucker with one volume control. Headstock veneer is of black plastic.
My Prayer has been answered thanks
can't wait to see the review on the Gibson LP standard plus or premium
Still I'm pretty happy with my purchase
Whilst we are on the intonation topic, stevie vai actually does have a "wiggily" fretter custom jem that he has used in the studio and at clinics before.
I wish they'd reintroduce the Les Paul Junior again. They've almost vanished off the face of the Earth :(
Well there is the LPJ now, which I guess is the modern equivalent.
Amen!
they've taken the Les Paul Junior and made an entire series out of it, with different tiers. they're almost the new Les Paul Studio. the LPJ is the evolution of it.
Not the best evolution. It's taken away the "Junior" aspect of it.
I`m certain the Joan Jett model is a Jr.
that jam was top notch
Whilst I'd like to have a go with the wiggly frets I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a neck like that unless it was undoubtedly better than a traditionally fretted neck. As I said before, Steve Vai uses one sometimes but that doesn't mean every guitarist will like it. The only question that's important is whether it's an all round better solution than regular frets....clearly it isn't considered so at the moment or I imagine many more guitar companies would be using them. The other thing for me is what happens when you want to change string guage? It's always been my understanding that if you change gauge then you need to intonate the guitar again.....surely the wiggly frets add complication to that? Also wouldn't an intonated or compensated wrap around tailpiece as in the case of the Gibson make it impossible to intonate to a different string gauge other than the guitar was initially designed with in mind?
about time gibson made a slimmer les paul. always wanted them to do that, so it feels sorta like my SG's
I'd love to have a blues jam with The Captain
Why isn't the Melody Maker called Special, as in the two-pickup version of a Junior?
Can't wait to see the rest :D
i've been waiting forever for this haha
Can you please bring back the extended intro for a couple of videos, for 2014 it would be cool to shoot a new one too.
I want one!
Looking forward to the Les Paul Junior, Les Paul Classis and the Les Paul Traditional videos.
Though I think that the classic is a little too expensive, you might as well save up a little more for the Traditional!
What can be better for clean non distorted sounds, something more acoustic ,fingerpicking: this Les Paul Melody Maker or a Chapman ML3 Modern?
Guitars with weird frets are made by Vgs, i have a poster which is hanging on my wall because it looks cool, Guitar is fitness with Emg singles curved frets and evertune so yeah
I saw a video about those wiggly frets and a few famous people use them including Steve Vai.....I'd be interested in trying them...if they make notes more accurately in tune then why not? Who knows, maybe 10 years from now those true temperament frets might be the standard...
The micro-tuning discrepancies allow for players with good ears to micro-adjust their technique-a la finger pressure and position- as they play, compensating for small tuning slips after heavy bends and so-forth-all good string players do this-wiggly frets not needed.
Give us some of that Captain Crunch!
I dont say this a lot but this video was really good.
For some reason you guys were cracking me up today. I kept bugging my wife by laughing out loud. :-P
Great review, als always.
Which guitar would you recommend as an allround-guitar? The melody maker or the lpj?
I sorta like both, but only have money for one ;-)
looking forward to great Gibson reviews BUT:
You forgot to mark it out of ten?! Love that ;-)
You guys should do a review on the Ibanez Egen18 (Herman Li's signature). It is probably one of the BEST guitars you could EVER buy...
Loving the melody maker! Not a fan of that 12th fret inlay though.
VGS did guitars with wiggly frets... And they do not suck. Cool of you to play STP, though.
Steve Vai did actually (or still uses) "wiggly" frets on one of his JEMs
The winding on those pickups... OVER 9000!!!!
sorry guys i dont wanna sound nooby but what song of chappers is the outro song. i wanna learn to play it :D and happy new years from australia
I knew this could happen. The 2013 LPJ and SGJ has been a massive success and Gibson´s next movement, an early and quick revision for 2014 means two things : the one I mentioned. And second, I guess the qualities of the new J series have been downgrade intentionally. I´ve been seen on several webshops how the 2013 versions are running out of stock so fast, that I made my move on buying a rubbed vintage burst before the stock going down. I´ve been lucky. Can´t wait to see the review of the LPJs for 2014. Mine ( the 2013 ) will arrive at home on friday. I´m so nervous. My first Gibson guitar. I´m dreaming with this since I was 14 years old... ^_^
shall we tune the guitar before shooting the video?
It Sounds lovely
Rob Chapman I'm thinking about purchasing my brother's Carvin MTS3200 head with matching 4x12 cab w/v30s for about $600 I have played through it so I know for a fact it works. Is this a good deal? Would really appreciate a response but since I know you're a very busy man I completely understand if I don't get one.
I bought an epiphone les paul traditional PRO at guitar center for 400, and then went back a month later for a pack of strings AND THERE WAS A GIBSON LPJ FOR 399, not to mention my indecisiveness lead me to miss out on an epiphone ultra II for 399
Frank Gambale's signature Yamaha had wiggly frets - it's called Fretwave, as far as I remember. And that song at the end is clearly Stone Temple Pilots - Plush intro. Cool vid though.
i'm digging the dreads brother
Im buying the new studio for sure ! its awesome !!
Is the Captain playing a PRS 245 SE Soapbar with a Gibson headstock? The price, the look and the gift bag included make it seem like those two guitars will be challenging each other in the market place.
Nice jam at the end. Cool sounding progression, nice change over between roles - Although the Captain used different voicings. Much more refreshing than some cheesy backing track. The early bits of Captains improv sounded particularly cool:-D
hydorah what is the second chord?? I cannot figure it out
@@johnbrown2378 They are sort of playing a variation of a really cool riff from Plush by Stone Temple Pilots. They play a C5 power chord on downstroke varying it sometimes including the C5 octave for upstroke part he also hit the fifth fret on the B string as yet another variation. This is that distinctive change in voicings I heard. Different to the STP song. Sounds cool doesn't it?
They are playing G (with the B string fretted at the third fret), C5 (with variations), Cadd9, G (same shape as before) then a vamp on the last G chord as a turn around. As a variation sometimes they play a little run as the turn around. The little run is just B, C and C# notes on the A string
hydorah thank you!!
That looks so damn awesome
Is the Lpj worth buying in your opinions
i don't know why but i'm just in love with sound of p-90s
look is cool!!
sound also!!!
not extremely expensive !!!
just great
i will buy it
Nice job to the Captain sneaking in a couple Radiohead references.
Hi there, how does the Melody Maker behave with a strap? Is it neck heavy?
my 2014 melody maker falls off the strap all the time, and my epi with the small strap button never falls off. I'm starting to think those big strap buttons don't do shit
That Fireburst Studio Pro!
I love the Gibsons!
STEVE VAI DOES USE WIGGLY FRETS
Favorite words of Capt: "This particular one..." hahaha
kind of a random question,...but its posible to put soapbar P90s on a dogear style P90s guitar?
Steve Vai does in fact have a guitar neck with the squiggly frets.
I have to say, jm digging the P90's.
How well do these fare against chapman's ml2?? I'm looking into buying a LP body guitar (just in love with the shape) and it seems there's only 3 options, chapman vs gibson vs ltd.
T.V. Yellow was originally called "Limed Mahogony"
To call these "Melody Makers" is flat wrong, because they do not have anything to do with the REAL Melody Makers... these are more like a "Les Paul Special"
i agree. melody makers originally used humbuckers. this is more like a junior. i wouldnt consider it a special though.
i always thought Melody Makers had their own thin, single coil pickups, almost like strat pickups. (???)
Haha the guy on the left reminds me of Sean from Alice in Chains so much. I love that sense of humor lol
these guys are cool i am a fan
Thanx for this! But dude, I KNOW you recorded all of them allready, because you always do, so what is keeping part 2!?!
GIBSON Melody Maker 2014 vs LPJ
which is better ~"~
My wife, not a player picked up mine and dropped it because the strap came off LOL. I freakin love the melody maker.
The Melody maker is awesome for the price, always loved the sound of the P90 pickups! Shame its only in satin, if there was a glossy sunburst almost like a LP junior then i'd get one! :P
OVER 9000!!
What's the song on the end of the video (10:31) called? It sounds awesome!!
Awesome!
Are you going to be reviewing the 2014 Les Paul Futura as well?
I know you don't stock Hamer Guitar's ....But would love to see you do a review of there Models .. IF Possible .?? .
The Body of those Models give rise to possible customised artwork .. if the desired buyer intends to seek such a finish maybe that's something you should look at . offering ?.
Ive had loads of sprouts over christmas.
Rob Chapman : Could you please share what chords you're playing at the end?
Sounds like a G - something C# and G in it followed by C - can't quite figure out the 2nd Chord (the C# is most prominent in that). Also where is it from, it sounds very very familiar.
Many Thanks.
Nikhil Shahane I have been trying to figure this chord out as well ☹️any other ideas??
steve vai did use wiggly frets for a bit
Any plans on the 2014 firebird video?
STP Plush me thinks !!!!! Nice Chappers & Cap'in \m/
Funniest videos each week!
You only need one Gibson from 2014...The Melody Maker nuff said
#Laurens Hebberecht + 1 on your "wiggly frets" comment. Although I haven't seen Steve Vai play that particular guitar in a while. When he first tried them out I think he intended to have all of his guitars outfitted with them.