Thank you so much for answering my question Phil! The market is so completely different from the last time I bought a guitar ($1000+ Indonesian guitars, Rosewood is/isn't endangered, brand-new brands, etc) that having a little guidance is extremely helpful.
My sons friend came over and they were jamming. I gave the friend a tuner before they started and he didn't tune, he said, it's fine. They played for a few hours, out of tune. I thought maybe it was an intonation problem. I went to show him something and tuned it up before and it wasn't a guitar problem. He just didn't realize how out it was.
These new Epiphones are competing directly with other import guitars (specifically thinking about ESP here) at the same price point of $1300-1500, but where the other brands have things like stainless frets, ebony boards, locking tuners, compensated nuts, neck-through construction, all-access contoured heel joints (while still retaining double-binding, even!), figured tops, high-end brand-name pickups, active circuits, upgraded brand-name bridges/tailpieces, and even evertune bridges (yes, you can get Evertune models from ESP at exactly $1300 and $1500, same price as the new Epis). The difference in effort here is just absolute incomparable. I never thought about it before, but I wonder if Epiphone was wanting to raise their prices, and is releasing these guitars in response to that goal (rather than the other way around). For example, perhaps they wanted to raise prices by $100-200, but instead of catching all that ire from the customers, and all the bad PR of being compared even LESS favorably to the other import brands, they said "alright, let's just take a few models and put a few hundred bucks of extra stuff into it, but charge a SEVERAL hundred dollar premium. We'll get people to buy them by finally caving on the Open-Book." Rather than raising prices across the board, just subsidize all the cheaper models by milking the whales who'll run out and buy a $1,700 Firebird. It's $1,050 more than the regular Firebird. It didn't cost them anywhere close to $1,050 extra to make and distribute, I'll bet every dollar I'm worth on that. I'll bet their margins on these new Epis are among the best they've ever had, if not THE best they've ever had. Right now I think Epiphone's basically got a sign up at headquarters that says "Lemonade: 25 cents. Lemonade with Ice: $4.00."
I speak from experience. The $1300-1600 Epiphones are a crap deal brand new. Spec wise the cost makes sense. BUT they will depreciate hard and have crap resale value. The $1300 Bonamassa ES-335 and Adam Jones graphic series Les Paul despite being “limited” runs are sitting on shelves unsold and used examples aren’t going for more than $850. With the poly finish and no fret nibs these also still feel and play like Epiphones and not Gibsons despite the Gibson pricing. I would recommend waiting and buying a lightly used one at a significant discount. Better yet buy a used Gibson, they won’t look as fancy but it’ll feel and play like a Gibson and hold it’s value much better. And yes resale value matters because many of us don’t bond with every instrument we buy or sometimes we need to sell gear if we need space or funds.
Those Jo Bo 335s are likely to have solid increase in value over time. They only made 1,000 of each. That and the V they made, those seem the ones that may be most likely to triple in value over 10-20 years
@@SpartanPridePod It’s possible. The resale value isn’t great now but the guitars are still relatively new so after a few years once they become harder to find and more rare I could see the resale value improving.
Long term, a limited run Epi might have a good resale, but it you are worried about the short term, I think spending slightly more for a similar priced Gibson might be the way to go. Unfortunately Epiphone just has that stigma now of being Gibson's import brand. They aren't bad guitars at all from $800 and up, but people always look down on the Asian import brands.
@@thisdyingsoul76 Yup! I think you’re spot on with that. I believe the general order of perceived value is highest for made in USA, then Japan, then Korea, then Indonesia and then China and I think labor costs in general go down in a similar manner. Knowing labor in China is so much cheaper, I think it rubs people the wrong way to see Epiphone charge almost USA prices even with the nice specs.
Sharpen my axe series inspired me to explore the hobby of learning to be a guitar tech, it really helped to alleviate my fears. I have been able to make guitar sings and help friends with their axes which has had a very positive impact. I also setup cheap guitars for new comers to make the experience easier on them.
Great show as ever. Not an issue but the kind of thing you probably care about, your camera has an intermittent ‘banding’ effect, sits around your eye-line and most obvious when moving a lot.
I am somewhat put off that True fire does not have its on distribution package. That business 101 in my book. By them doing such gives them full control of how their products displayed.
Thanks for your comment. We try not to control the narrative too much because we want our ads to be organic and feel "real" from the voice of the host. We do provide free access and other assets to our partners. We appreciate Keith and Phil very much!
I've been asking about that guitar for a LONG time. If it's the one I've been thinking of, it's been hanging behind him for what seems like years. Sounds spectacular.
The first step for intonation issues is always to change to a set of fresh strings, to rule out the string being the problem before you start changing the saddle, especially if only one string is 15 cents flat. 15 cents flat is a lot to be out- within 3-4 cents would be acceptable. If the saddle was the problem it would mean that the saddle was making the D string too long and since most steel string acoustic saddles are already compensated the other strings shouldn’t intonate properly either.
Always appreciate the diversity in Yr. shows, Phil! "Stripped-Down and on a more Grass-Roots Level", I think Music has always been "Essential"; but as is true of many essentials, people will take them to extreme "Luxury" levels, if circumstances allow. I like (and am actively pursuing) the idea that performing "Resto-Mods" on Semi-Collectible Guit's with "Good Bones" yields a "Practical, Stylish AND Unique" result, which makes sense esp. for These Times!
A tip for removing broken screws. Most hardware stores and Amazon sell left handed drill bits. While trying to drill into the broken screw it usually backs out.
On the topic of bike seats and a really sore behind, the problem is that big, giant seat on your bike. I know it's counterintuitive, but you need a small seat(it's actually called a saddle) that just fits your sit bones properly. Look at any professional bicycle, whether it's a mountain bike, road bike, gravel, cyclocross, etc., they all have small saddles. Professional cyclists ride for many hours daily. Bike companies that sell the type of bikes you were looking for, like a cruiser, have to provide these ridiculously big saddles because people see these little saddles and think there's no way their big butt is going to fit comfortably on it, when the opposite is actually true.
I've found the big thing is the width of the saddle has to suit your sit bones, and then the saddle surface needs to be firm enough that you're not spreading your weight way beyond your sit bones. My strong preference is for Brooks, though I don't use any of their narrowest saddles such as the Swallow for example, because they're just too narrow for my sit bones. Professional bike saddles tend to prioritize low mass and , especially when standing on the pedals aerodynamics. Professional road cyclists don't tend to spend much time carrying their full weight on their butts because they're putting so much energy into the pedals, but saving a gram or three is important at top competition levels.
Thanks for the video! The podcasts are by far my favorite. One of the reasons perfect pitch might be called a curse is because (like most forms of synesthesia) it's something that most people lose as they get older and they have to re-learn how to hear. I have (had, as it's much weaker now) what's known as grapheme synesthesia. I saw numbers, letters, and words as colors. It did help me to read a bit faster than most children, though multiple spellings of a single word would trip me up badly (e.g. Jonathan vs. Johnathan). As I got older and lost it, I read quite a bit slower and had to practice reading to get back up to a comfortable level.
The JP series guitars are a fantastic design. Including a piezo in the bridge to emulate acoustic tones live was a genius idea. I think the Parker Fly did it first, but it didn't really catch on with them. I think the alternative build materials and quirky shape didn't help the Parker line either, even if it was well balanced and thought out.
I bought a used SE DGT for under $600, the quality of this guitar is staggering. Been playing since 1990, and was semi-pro from 2007 to 2021. I would easily and happily gig this guitar, it is really, really good. So glad PRS exists!
And, counterintuitively, harder seats are more comfortable for long rides. You should be riding on flexed muscles in your nethers. Soft seats let you sink in, causing those small muscles to work harder.
Padded shorts help, but they help more for slimmer road bike saddles, not wide beach cruiser saddles. The biggest cause of discomfort is riding position. Most people have their saddle too low. All your weight is coming down on that saddle if you're completely upright. If your saddle is up high, and your body is leaning forward, your shifting weight off your butt and distributing some if it to your hands, making the weight distribution more balanced. The ideal saddle height is to where you have to be almost on your tippy toes when you're stopped. But most cyclists don't like the way a high seatpost looks. Also, if you're going to be doing long rides regularly, you should invest in being fitted for a bike, so you know what size frame you should be riding, and how to have it set for max comfort.
@@k9er233 yeah, your but and legs slide on a harder, narrower seat, and it offers a little support, while most of your weight is actually on the pedals. It's even better with clipless pedals
Ive had guitars that I had to bend a string in certain places to keep it in tune and Ive played with singer/ acoustic players that dont realize they are bending the chords witch can work if its just one guitar but they make me sound out of tune so I tell em to loosen up on the fret hand immediately and they can change real quick and everything is great
PRS has sold a ton of SE’s….they are positioning the S2 line perfectly to entice SE owners to step up to the S2….because the core is way too big a price jump from the SE. A current SE owner is now more likely to step up to the S2 than they were.
If the string is are tuned and intonated before pressing down a string but goes sharp when finger presser is applied then, the fret is too high for that player. When a string is pressed to the fingerboard it can go no farther. At that point the string may be pulled slightly toward the finger but, should not sharpen the note detectably. Playing any instrument with direct physical activation of sound producing component introduces variances which are compensated for my an artist. Minimizing the need for compensation is generally a good thing.
Phil, when it comes to Epiphones, I'm not certain I'm seeing the same thing. I got interested in Epiphones in 1999 simply because I couldn't afford Gibson. Specifically I got a G400 (SG) for $400.00 and later a LP Studio somewhere in the mid to upper $400.00's (don't remember exactly). Later in the mid 2010's, I wanted to upgrade but by then the Gibson SG Tribute was going for $1099, while the G400 was still 400-450. I wished then that Epiphone would put out a higher end SG. And now that's what they've done. The lower end guitars are still there, the G400 is now the SG Standard selling for about 500.00 (it took 15-20 years to raise to that point, not like other brands that skyrocketed overnight). And now they have higher end SGs and of course they're costing more. I just got the Modern Figured SG (Mojave Burst) that's selling for 750.00, but the upgrades over the SG Standard are well worth the price increase - the flame veneer, the ProBucker pickups, the GraphTech NuBone nut and coil splitting features. The Epiphones still have price-point for everyone and seem to now be filling in gap between them and the Gibson models.
As a Fender enthusiast I agree with your statement. One thing you didn't mention that I noticed with Epiphone was when they switched up the headstock shape a few years back. Sure, it doesn't make the guitar sound or play any better, but there is something about the classic Gibson headstock shape that for decades was unavailable on Epiphones. Whereas Squier always looked the same as their Fender counterparts. I actually own an Epiphone Les Paul and it is great for me - someone who was never in the market for a multi-thousand dollar Gibson.
Hey Phil, D.J. here. I want to comment about the person who asked, "How to remove a broken bridge screw?" My 1st thought is, I would start with either a Cobalt infused drill bit set! Also, there are some American HSS (High strength steel or high speed steel drill bits! Though Cobalt enfused drill bits cut threw metal! Start stopping when drilling kills/dulls drill bits so, steady pressure & speed. Cobalt drill bits can be purchased at big box stores & NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KOBALT, which is a brand. After drilling a hole then a tap & die set can be used.
I think the issue of repurposed guitars is that people kinda already do that and nobody wants them or won't pay a lot for them. You could clean up a Squier all you want and make it play amazing, but the buyer will still only see it as a Squier. You could remove the logo and maybe change the headstock shape a bit, but now it's just an unbranded guitar and likely won't sell fast or for very much. It's kinda like how the customizations you add to your own guitar don't raise the price when you sell it. If it started as a Squier, people will only want to pay Squier money. It doesn't matter how good it is now. There would need to be a complete mentality shift where value is not assigned to a brand or origin, but to the quality of the tool. I have a cheap Schecter that's upgraded to hell, it's had a professional set up, and it's the best feeling guitar I've ever played. I'd be lucky if I could get $150 for it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
To your comment about the Epiphone Headstock and Gibson. I agree 100% that the guitars Epiphone makes that are copies of Gibsons should have the Gibson headstocks. The guitars Epiphone makes that are 100% EPIPHONES(The Casino, The Rivera, The Sheraton....) should retain the correct EPIPHONE headstock...meaning whatever headstock they used when they were introduced. This distinction should a make it clear to players that Epiphone has a history onto itself and is NOT just a "Cheaper Gibson Brand". Gibson seems to be the only ones who play this game. Grestch did not give the Eletromatics and Streamlines different headstocks. But then again, EPIPHONE is the only brand that was its own thing before Gibson absorbed them and made it their "Inexpensive Gibson style guitars" division. At this point I almost wish they would go the PRS route and make those guitars "Gibson SE" and go back to having Epiphone be its own thing with its own line of guitars.
I've gotten so used to my Korea Zach Myers I had my Luthier help to refinish the headstock, new pickups, new ratio tuners and a rewire. I honestly can't justify getting a core since my ZM already became my number one.
I suppose the projection of greater value is the reason fender switched back from pau ferro to rosewood for the vintera ii series, since they must have felt some need to justify the higher prices
For me personally, if The intonation on the 12 fret is slightly flat, I am good with that, because I tend to fret fairly hard and the notes go sharp anyway.
Phil, thanks for a really cool show every week. You've helped me develop the confidence to start doing my own tech work. Tool recommendations are really helpful. Regarding intonation, I have an Epiphone Sheraton Pro II. Love it! but intonation is an issue. Sadly, I don't hear it as much as my singer does. I'm so glad to hear that she and I don't need to fight over it. I just need to accept that her ear is better, and trust that she's not alone. Someone in my audience is going to hear it too. The neck is dead straight. I think its my G string. Thanks again for the confidence boost and advice.
FYI. You keep saying a tap and die set for removing a broken screw. A tap and die set is for putting threads on something. You mean easy outs. Easy outs are for removing broken screws
You can sort of repurpose some "cheap" guitars now to be better than higher-priced name-brand imports spec-wise, and still end up spending considerably less. A solid Firefly base, say, with upgraded tuners, pickups and maybe a better bridge and nut is going to cost less than an Epi, if you do the work yourself, and have much better components.
Absolutely you can turn a lower-end instrument into much higher performance, ideally set up and beautiful sounding one. What you probably can't do is get all your money back by selling it, but if your motivation is to enjoy playing it for years that's not going to matter much.
@@thomascordery7951 oh, for sure. I just got a Firefly SG, an Iommi copy, and it's just for fun but I know that I prob would never recoup the cost of the upgrades I'm planning on. But it is a lot of fun.
Pedigo is a very inexpensive entry-level mountain bike, but great to get started real trail ready e-bikes are $10-$12,000 even up to 15 for ones normal dudes (dentists) have out there
The precise witness point a string touches within the width of a fret could never make a 14 cent difference. 14 cents is 14% of the difference between one note and the adjacent semitone, which is enormous compared to fret width.
I've taken cheaper guitars with decent woods and repurposed them to be a higher quality instrument under a "new" brand and theres little to no money in it. Full refinish is a lot of work to do well and all the upgrades in parts and whatnot adds up. By the time you put the time and money in, you're competing with established brands that already offer a similar quality. And people tend to go with an established brand than risk the same cash for a total unknown.
I think the amp is a bigger hindrance these days than guitars are. e.g the average starter kit now comes with a very playable guitar for most people but still with an amp that sucks. I'd suggest that people with smaller hands will find Ibanez cheaper guitars feel easier to play (and avoid anything vintage) - but it takes a good amp to make the guitar feel like it's alive and it makes it much easier to coax sounds out of it and to reflect all the nuance in your picking, bending, vibrato etc. To some extent the guitar action plays a part here too. But there are far fewer bad cheap guitars now than there were in the 80s when the average cheap guitar would probably have fared better if you used it to fire arrows. I don't doubt Amazon and Aliexpress sell a few instruments that are a pig to play and that should be avoided but get your kid the guitar from a starter kit that's a bit extra money (still under £200) and they should get a guitar that most guitarists over 40 or 50 would be expressing how well they thought it played for the money and especially compared with their first guitar. On the amp side though, those starter amps suck. It's not that you can't play at all but you'll be struggling more than whichever signature guitarist you've got a picture of on your wall. Instead of using a cheap amp I'd suggest get a modern plugin like tonocracy or NLM, a guitar interface and a pair of decent headphones and it'll be infinitely better. On modern plugins the guitar is just alive in your hands and the notes tumble out of it for free. Nuno Bettencourt is in a video with Beato talking about this ( ruclips.net/video/e0UXN1qnvOY/видео.html) how he sees some guitarists working less than he has to - but he thinks it's down to the action on their guitar. I'd bet money it's the amp and setup. It's the biggest difference between modern plugins and my older podxt. The sound isn't vastly different (mostly the difference is a bit of EQ) but the playability is miles apart. It's like there's a level of compression from the modern modelled amp that's missing in the older one. You can, of course, add compression by using a compressor. Which we all know makes a guitar feel easier to play (Tom Quayle discussing that here : ruclips.net/video/zS5EUKarhqA/видео.html when he's demoing a compressor) but on a good amp cranked with a bit of gain there should be a level of compression that just makes it a doddle to play at your best. Maybe the clean tones benefit from a compressor pedal. The Neural DSP plugins have this - I think it's part of why they're popular. But you can get it for free from tonocracy. Things like Helix native seem harder to me to find it and dial it in. I think that's partly why people don't like the presets on Helix. It's as much to do with how they feel to play as the actual sound. This is not so obvious when you're watching or listening to someone playing - except we note they don't look like they're putting in as much effort as we feel we need to. But, if you've ever seen those comment sections where people are commenting how low gain or clean sounding some of Eddies isolated guitar parts are - it's because they think (wrongly) that the "secret" to making it easier to play fast with less effort is gain - but it isn't. That works to a point, but the real secret is compression. Today, of course, we know this because there's a plethora of guitarists doing clips on instagram and youtube who are famously using clean tones but doing zippy guitar parts. I spent a lot of time struggling to play like I was fighting to get the notes out, and it was mostly down to my amp. In the earlier days the cheap amp I had, later what is missing (or at least hidden) in the older amp modelling stuff. Today though it's very easy to get a very playable setup more or less for free (you need a cheap guitar and an audio interface) - and the thing is, once the notes start to fall out of the guitar easily, you'll feel as Nino is talking about to Beato that you're not working hard to play, you relax more and then it's even easier. Now I see that Guthrie showing how he picks when he does a really fast sweep picking (and more or less dismisses this as unmusical at the same time) which no doubt has a large element of practise and skill but I can recreate pretty trivially on the right setup, yes I've played guitar for a lot of years, but it feels effortless but I can plug into a different setup and then it's not. The setup isn't going to make a beginner start sweep picking up and down the neck but it is going to help him when he gets around to practise rather than hindering. The real bonus is that everything sounds better when you're doing less effort without tension, especially making your playing flow.
Great videos. Here are my recent purchasing experiences: I just bought an MIJ wolfgang stealth for ~$2k plus tax (w/ coupon - retail $2.6K). The USA one retails for $3.8k, and it gives you less. The USA sig retails at $4.5k. I could've almost bought 2 MIJs for that! Same parts. Same guitar. Different country. It makes zero sense to me. I also own a Custom 24 and I think it's way overpriced. My $1500 Ibanez (made in Indonesia) w/ Stainless frets sounds and feels much better than the PRS, imo. I even tried different pickups. But, I'll admit it....the PRS is beautiful. (Ebony fret board, unpainted maple neck w/ flame striping on back) But it needs to be more than that. It's not a painting. At least, not to me. America is starting to price themselves out, imo. I'm not going to pay an extra $2k+ just to buy American. And I shouldn't be expected to.
I've learnt to ask politely and tune a guitar for out of tune players. My landlady plays. I've shown her 2, 3, times how to tune, given tuners, boss app on fone because changing a battery on a tuner is too much hassle. Some people just freak out with any type of 'technical' thinking. Easier to run upstairs and tune the guitar when I hear her. Her smoke alarm doesn't beep anymore. Given up trying to help / teach windows or basic computing. Some people just freak out going any deeper than end user experience. Another mate, highly educated, high ranking manager bought a new dyson cos she didn't know the model dyson she had could be emptied and it wasn't working as it was full full full. Her smoke alarm beeps. I guess I'll bring over a 9v next time.
Just an aside- I love how Shauna is your partner: "hey, I'm trying to get Sharpen Your Axe back." I know that she's not cracking the whip, telling you what to do, but rather that she's working, trying to please all of us as well. I know that SYA is not the most profitable thing for you but speaking for myself alone, I almost always learn something new from this video series. Thanks to both of you!
I don't hear intonation until I am playing to a backing track. I think the reason Eddie got away with an improperly intonated guitar is his touch in his fret hand was probably compensating. Consciously or not, only EVH himself could tell us that, but I know when I take my guitars in to be set up, my tech gets people to play for him and takes your pick attack and fretting into consideration. Last time went for a setup, I actually asked him to set it up as if I had a lighter touch and attack because I wanted to force myself to be less heavy handed.
I buy signature Telecasters because I get a nitro finish, custom pickups, neck shapes and finishes that are usually only available on custom shop guitars and colors that are never offered on regular stock guitars for about $1500.
Seems like if a guitar is more stable , set up properly by a pro tech and polished up a sentimental customer or a childs first guitar they would play more and not give up on the craft because it is set..hearing you say that people pick up guitars and play them severely out of tune gives me a different perspective on how altruistic my idea to be a guitar tech is or is not?. Im from Austin and i got my first guitar from ray hening heart of tx guitars whom exclusively sold to SRV. THX for being you.
One mention on guitars being ONLY luxury goods. We need music and musicians as they are our poets and seers. We need these things as human beings. You are now able to buy a Squire that fits the bill. Anything over that is a luxury. I want to add this point to the discussion.
Completely agree. I entertain people regularly with a €50 Eko Ranger. Blows my mind the twisting of the word 'need' when it comes to wanting luxury items. Society is very ill.
Just grabbed my first PRS S2 after owning a dozen Core models over the years... a nice seafoam Mira. The Headstock doesn't have an S2 on it, just in the SN on the back. It will need adjusted and maybe some part swaps if finetuning doesn't cut it.
Great analysis on Epiphone and pricing wrt luxury goods. Also, Gibson are repairing the Epiphone brand. Gibson and Fender now have overlap between their low end and the high end of their secondary brands.
Cruisers and bikes where you are in an upright position will always hurt your butt. Even if you get the most cushiony saddle. The more horizontal your position, the better the weight distribution is, and less pressure on your bottom. Thats why the serious road cyclists who ride in that position use saddles with barely any padding and are still comfortable. Raising your seatpost will help, but honestly it may look a little silly on a beach cruiser. E-Bikes that have full throttle to where you dont need to pedal, those are also more comfortable as you can change how you sit on the saddle in ways you cant do if you have to pedal.
Spot on with the PRS S2 theory. I'm looking at buying my first Gibson LP, ready to spend $3K+ for a Wildwood select, I'll never afford a $6K Gibson LP custom in alpine white... but the '24 Epi LP custom in white with an ebony board and Gibson pickups for $1,200 had me looking at listings and considering Epiphone for the first time.
On the discussion about the industry noticing us not buying - you are so right! I can afford a PRS Core, but I purchased a PRS SE Paul’s Guitar because of the fit and finish and the quality of the SE Paul’s guitar. The criticism of the SE Paul’s was the nut and tuners being less quality. I purchased a used SE Paul’s guitar buying one that the original owner had upgraded the nut and tuners. I really enjoy your discussions on the business end of guitars.
PRS S2 vs Core....... Many of the S2's have a pickguard that covers a slightly lower grade of wood (not as fancy of wood grain) and I personally prefer the look of the guitars with out a pickguard most of the time. The Core models have a deeper Violin Carve (some people don't like the feel of this on their forearm though...) which is more expensive to do, and I like the looks a little more personally. Fit & finish is that little bit better as you look at the higher end models than the lower end models (generally) with fancier finishes. I personally prefer the high gloss deep finishes over the incredible figured wood tops, but to really be honest, I purchase a guitar as a tool and if a $200.00 guitar will reliably get the job job for my needs, I'll be investing in that guitar over a more expensive one. Just my personal thoughts on this basic subject.
The industry definitely takes notice of their market. Cole Clark Guitars of Melbourne, Australia has added the SAN (Studio Angel) to their line of acoustic guitars built with Australia-grown woods using Spanish Heel construction at $1500 with an abalone rosette made in China, compared to the Melbourne-crafted Angel 2 at $2400 with simpler trim. I'm quite taken with the Angel 2EC-Redwood/Blackwood with their proprietary 3-way electronic amplification system. They added Paul Gale, designer of electronics systems, to the company, who explained the design of the system in the True Hybrid Thinline guitars (think $3500) for a guitar with separate electric and acoustic outputs (that can be blended by the guitarist). As Lloyd Spiegel explained in video and at NAMM, "Don't try to explain, just tell the the studio you're bringing two guitars." The giant sequoia was planted by Australia's botanist general as an experiment and are being salvaged by Cole Clark as they have begun falling over after 150 years, due to being planted singly, rather than in groves for mutual root system support. (We saw Sitka spruce felled by wind after their neighbors had been harvested in SE Alaska in the 1980s for the Alaska Lumber & Pulp contract with the USFS as we worked on the Integrated Resource Inventory, for large scale planning.) 😄 Thank you, Phil. (When you mentioned your wife riding and you sitting on a blanket, I was envisioning you sitting on a blanket while riding. Like the old 'Indian blanket' seat covers for trucks, that could be an aftermarket for bicycles.)
Pensa guitars in the 80s was Pensa-Suhr (yes, that Suhr). Mark Knopfler played them. John Suhr left in 1990 and Pensa-Suhr became Pensa and Suhr became its own thing, of course.
Hey Phil, I'm a player of years like yourself, but the one fault I have is "Set-ups" I think a lot of it is just the fear of screwing up something and making it worse, especially since I do own some expensive Guitars, which over the years anything major or custom work I have taken to my Luthier in the area, but he is wayyyy too busy to just send in a Les Paul for a "set-up"...DO you yourself or know of a particular video in great detail including Truss Rod adjustment, Nut needing to be filed down, Intonation etc, mostly Gibson LP guitars and a Couple of the first EVH Wolfgangs (which I now Covet dearly since his passing) both with Floyd Trem' Systems?? Any advice, much appreciated sir!
Ur gonna have to watch a few videos. There's a bunch of good ones. Most will get you there. It can be challenging and rewarding. No trem on les paul so should be easy. Practice , buy more guitars to practice on.😊
Guitar prices (or anything else for that matter) are skyrocketing due to government currency debasement! We are essentially experiencing the collapse of the Roman Empire, but in Real Time! This is how it happened! Keep playing whilst the collapse happens!🤪👍
You really do have to watch out for infringement issues before you go into business in the internet. I have a friend who had his own pedal business and one of his biggest thinks was a klone circuit paired with a King of tone circuit he called King Klon. Bill came after him for using Klon in the name of the pedal and also for his standalone Klones. They became friends briefly and my friend stopped making klones and said he tried doing some sort of collaboration but they had a falling out. After the falling out, he started dking his klones again, but added more mods to the circuit so Bill had no grounds to complain.
I wonder if the corner pan right and the many reflective guitars surfaces are causing the lense to struggle. That corner looks nice but it may be that because it's like a vanishing point that extra depth needs a wider lense...? Idk
As a youth I started playing bass on a crappy instrument with an epically horrific neck. It didn't just have an excessive bow, it had a bump in the fingerboard at about the fifth or sixth fret followed by a dip up to around the ninth. As a result, the action had to be extremely high. In college years later I sat in on a jam session with a couple of very different basses. One guy had to leave so someone handed me a different instrument. Another bass player present commented that I didn't seem to be bothered by the very different setups. That was something I put down to that initial trial by ordeal my first bass put me through. Perhaps someone who's always played on beautifully set up instruments is more sensitive about quality differences from one instrument to another. No doubt a student I that situation initially progress faster, and perhaps ultimately further as a result. So I'm not suggesting to start a new student on something discouraging. On the other hand, perhaps stepping up cheerfully to a challenge when dealing with an unavoidable substandard situation is good for one's flexibility and resiliency. For perspective, look up Ron Carter's commentary about the "bass du jour" situation upright players deal with on tour.
@@thomascordery7951 I follow you. I was there w/you, playing a Y2K Squier for 10+ years. Not glorious, but it turns out I was better than I thought. My point was that we are hearing more gear than anything else, according to such an authority as John Mayer. That's really the only point I was making. A lot of pros and leaders in guitar player land stick to the line that gear doesn't really matter because they know it does, but for many reasons, including self serving reasons, they don't really need people knowing that. Fralin pickups simply sound different than others, for example. In Mayer's case, he famously went for 5 minutes on a live stream about the fallacy that the gear isn't what you're hearing most. His is just one opinion. We all get one. I just play for fun, not for money or anything else. Good things.
First off epiphone Quindoa facility is completely American owned and operated with American and Asian luthiers its state of the art and only Epiphones are made there so if some of you still want to continue to put your foot in your mouths and get laughed at then go ahead with the Chinese made bs with epiphone.. again epiphone is American owned and operated there's American and Asian luthiers at the facility its state of the art and only Epiphones are made at the Quindoa epiphone facility...
Chinese makers certainly can produce great products, and China does produce some truly great crafts people who take pride in their work. The issue I've found is many are focused on cheap processes and components, and great looks that might extend no further than the internet ad image.
@@thomascordery7951oh really..that's funny my 2021 epiphone koa Les Paul has a 3/4" koa top..CTS Electronics..Abr bridge with lock tone .. Grover 18:1 tuners.. ebony fret board 5 ply binding..and it's era correct all the way down to the cloth wrapped wiring and has the proper Kalamazoo headstock..so where did you come up with that crap? Show me the actual website that said what you're claiming
@@FrankBuyers...guitarista-iu3zg How does anything you're saying about your Epiphone contradict anything I've said in my comment? Perhaps you need to read it again.
I'm a working musician. (ie this is how I pay my bills) I haven't bought a brand name in years. I have built a new guitar for parts. But then again it is not a luxury item to me. I usually only keep my main and a spare anyway. And yes prices on name brands are nuts.
I wouldn’t want to see a Gibson headstock on a casino or Sheraton. But a Les Paul by Epiphone for sure. A beautiful bound tricked out guitar with an inlay to me is amazing. Same thing with a bare bones tele, idk, I’m drunk.
Tom Bukovac says the guitars play him. And he thinks its the same with the best guitarists he knows. He will find the sweet spots on any given instrument and lean into what the guitar wants him to pull out of it. I think that’s a different take on the gear as an “inspiration” or “hindrance” discussion
the most gorgeous six string guitar I ever laid my hands on in 40 years of being alive was a Pensa-Suhr. Not sure of the model but whatever it was, it was as perfect as MY personal opinion of "perfect" in the context of a guitar is. Everything about it was 🤌🏼
After a search engine visit, I am assuming it was a MK1 model? Looked very similar to the one I am talking about - it was teal/turquoise in color. Almost so pretty it would be hard to touch 🤣
Thank you so much for answering my question Phil! The market is so completely different from the last time I bought a guitar ($1000+ Indonesian guitars, Rosewood is/isn't endangered, brand-new brands, etc) that having a little guidance is extremely helpful.
RE: TEMU, Shame on you for having a strong sense of integrity and not letting “money” sway you in your channel decisions.
My sons friend came over and they were jamming. I gave the friend a tuner before they started and he didn't tune, he said, it's fine.
They played for a few hours, out of tune. I thought maybe it was an intonation problem.
I went to show him something and tuned it up before and it wasn't a guitar problem. He just didn't realize how out it was.
the human ear might not detect fine tuning adjustment but the interference between two strings with one slightly out is way more apparent.
These new Epiphones are competing directly with other import guitars (specifically thinking about ESP here) at the same price point of $1300-1500, but where the other brands have things like stainless frets, ebony boards, locking tuners, compensated nuts, neck-through construction, all-access contoured heel joints (while still retaining double-binding, even!), figured tops, high-end brand-name pickups, active circuits, upgraded brand-name bridges/tailpieces, and even evertune bridges (yes, you can get Evertune models from ESP at exactly $1300 and $1500, same price as the new Epis). The difference in effort here is just absolute incomparable.
I never thought about it before, but I wonder if Epiphone was wanting to raise their prices, and is releasing these guitars in response to that goal (rather than the other way around). For example, perhaps they wanted to raise prices by $100-200, but instead of catching all that ire from the customers, and all the bad PR of being compared even LESS favorably to the other import brands, they said "alright, let's just take a few models and put a few hundred bucks of extra stuff into it, but charge a SEVERAL hundred dollar premium. We'll get people to buy them by finally caving on the Open-Book." Rather than raising prices across the board, just subsidize all the cheaper models by milking the whales who'll run out and buy a $1,700 Firebird. It's $1,050 more than the regular Firebird. It didn't cost them anywhere close to $1,050 extra to make and distribute, I'll bet every dollar I'm worth on that. I'll bet their margins on these new Epis are among the best they've ever had, if not THE best they've ever had. Right now I think Epiphone's basically got a sign up at headquarters that says "Lemonade: 25 cents. Lemonade with Ice: $4.00."
Sometimes less is more.
More like "Okay, we actually need to give the legacy customers what they wanted forever because no one is buying stuff anymore."
I speak from experience. The $1300-1600 Epiphones are a crap deal brand new. Spec wise the cost makes sense. BUT they will depreciate hard and have crap resale value. The $1300 Bonamassa ES-335 and Adam Jones graphic series Les Paul despite being “limited” runs are sitting on shelves unsold and used examples aren’t going for more than $850. With the poly finish and no fret nibs these also still feel and play like Epiphones and not Gibsons despite the Gibson pricing. I would recommend waiting and buying a lightly used one at a significant discount. Better yet buy a used Gibson, they won’t look as fancy but it’ll feel and play like a Gibson and hold it’s value much better. And yes resale value matters because many of us don’t bond with every instrument we buy or sometimes we need to sell gear if we need space or funds.
Those Jo Bo 335s are likely to have solid increase in value over time. They only made 1,000 of each. That and the V they made, those seem the ones that may be most likely to triple in value over 10-20 years
@@SpartanPridePod It’s possible. The resale value isn’t great now but the guitars are still relatively new so after a few years once they become harder to find and more rare I could see the resale value improving.
Long term, a limited run Epi might have a good resale, but it you are worried about the short term, I think spending slightly more for a similar priced Gibson might be the way to go. Unfortunately Epiphone just has that stigma now of being Gibson's import brand. They aren't bad guitars at all from $800 and up, but people always look down on the Asian import brands.
@@thisdyingsoul76 Yup! I think you’re spot on with that. I believe the general order of perceived value is highest for made in USA, then Japan, then Korea, then Indonesia and then China and I think labor costs in general go down in a similar manner. Knowing labor in China is so much cheaper, I think it rubs people the wrong way to see Epiphone charge almost USA prices even with the nice specs.
Good for you for not giving in to the temptation of Temu.
In my day, we didn't even have 'bicycle seats'.
We just rode uphill. both ways to git where we wuz goin'...
😂
Sharpen my axe series inspired me to explore the hobby of learning to be a guitar tech, it really helped to alleviate my fears. I have been able to make guitar sings and help friends with their axes which has had a very positive impact. I also setup cheap guitars for new comers to make the experience easier on them.
Search screw extractors. Leave the other screws in place to take advantage of the bridge to protect the wood / finish
Great show as ever. Not an issue but the kind of thing you probably care about, your camera has an intermittent ‘banding’ effect, sits around your eye-line and most obvious when moving a lot.
I am somewhat put off that True fire does not have its on distribution package. That business 101 in my book. By them doing such gives them full control of how their products displayed.
Thanks for your comment. We try not to control the narrative too much because we want our ads to be organic and feel "real" from the voice of the host. We do provide free access and other assets to our partners. We appreciate Keith and Phil very much!
I've been asking about that guitar for a LONG time. If it's the one I've been thinking of, it's been hanging behind him for what seems like years. Sounds spectacular.
I bike a lot. The cushy seats actually hurt the most for long distances. The hard seats used on road bikes are the most comfortable for long rides.
The first step for intonation issues is always to change to a set of fresh strings, to rule out the string being the problem before you start changing the saddle, especially if only one string is 15 cents flat. 15 cents flat is a lot to be out- within 3-4 cents would be acceptable. If the saddle was the problem it would mean that the saddle was making the D string too long and since most steel string acoustic saddles are already compensated the other strings shouldn’t intonate properly either.
Thx for your integrity!!!
Always appreciate the diversity in Yr. shows, Phil! "Stripped-Down and on a more Grass-Roots Level", I think Music has always been "Essential"; but as is true of many essentials, people will take them to extreme "Luxury" levels, if circumstances allow. I like (and am actively pursuing) the idea that performing "Resto-Mods" on Semi-Collectible Guit's with "Good Bones" yields a "Practical, Stylish AND Unique" result, which makes sense esp. for These Times!
Good show/episode. One of the best! Lots of info/opinions. Will recommend.
In my experience,stay away from harbour freight tap and die sets. The one i bought the thread sizes were off.
A tip for removing broken screws. Most hardware stores and Amazon sell left handed drill bits. While trying to drill into the broken screw it usually backs out.
At the end of the day Phil I respect your philosophy, values and dedication to your principles . Respect . .you make my Friday nights a highlight
Sorry I missed the show again. (fell asleep-Lol). Here's my weekly donation. You're right about Temu. They have been linked to the Chinese Government.
Who unfortunately own yours.
@@benallmark9671my government could turn China to dust in a millisecond.
@@joeyd3324 Sweet ! Lol
You don't buy anything Made in China? That must be difficult these days.
@@Peterbrendanalbert We bought our current Alzheimer-President from China, so there's that.
For the person regarding “Acoustic Intonation” - if it is flat you can adjust the saddle, and/or you can lighten the string that is flat.
On the topic of bike seats and a really sore behind, the problem is that big, giant seat on your bike. I know it's counterintuitive, but you need a small seat(it's actually called a saddle) that just fits your sit bones properly. Look at any professional bicycle, whether it's a mountain bike, road bike, gravel, cyclocross, etc., they all have small saddles. Professional cyclists ride for many hours daily.
Bike companies that sell the type of bikes you were looking for, like a cruiser, have to provide these ridiculously big saddles because people see these little saddles and think there's no way their big butt is going to fit comfortably on it, when the opposite is actually true.
I've found the big thing is the width of the saddle has to suit your sit bones, and then the saddle surface needs to be firm enough that you're not spreading your weight way beyond your sit bones. My strong preference is for Brooks, though I don't use any of their narrowest saddles such as the Swallow for example, because they're just too narrow for my sit bones.
Professional bike saddles tend to prioritize low mass and , especially when standing on the pedals aerodynamics. Professional road cyclists don't tend to spend much time carrying their full weight on their butts because they're putting so much energy into the pedals, but saving a gram or three is important at top competition levels.
Thanks for the video! The podcasts are by far my favorite. One of the reasons perfect pitch might be called a curse is because (like most forms of synesthesia) it's something that most people lose as they get older and they have to re-learn how to hear. I have (had, as it's much weaker now) what's known as grapheme synesthesia. I saw numbers, letters, and words as colors. It did help me to read a bit faster than most children, though multiple spellings of a single word would trip me up badly (e.g. Jonathan vs. Johnathan). As I got older and lost it, I read quite a bit slower and had to practice reading to get back up to a comfortable level.
The JP series guitars are a fantastic design. Including a piezo in the bridge to emulate acoustic tones live was a genius idea.
I think the Parker Fly did it first, but it didn't really catch on with them. I think the alternative build materials and quirky shape didn't help the Parker line either, even if it was well balanced and thought out.
You are a smart guy. I learned a lot from you today.
I bought a used SE DGT for under $600, the quality of this guitar is staggering. Been playing since 1990, and was semi-pro from 2007 to 2021. I would easily and happily gig this guitar, it is really, really good. So glad PRS exists!
Thanks for being here with your excellent channel.
The TEMU app takes over your phone unless you delete the TEMU app after ordering.
Long bike rides: padded shorts. A must have.
Know your gear, for sure
And, counterintuitively, harder seats are more comfortable for long rides. You should be riding on flexed muscles in your nethers. Soft seats let you sink in, causing those small muscles to work harder.
Padded shorts help, but they help more for slimmer road bike saddles, not wide beach cruiser saddles. The biggest cause of discomfort is riding position. Most people have their saddle too low. All your weight is coming down on that saddle if you're completely upright. If your saddle is up high, and your body is leaning forward, your shifting weight off your butt and distributing some if it to your hands, making the weight distribution more balanced. The ideal saddle height is to where you have to be almost on your tippy toes when you're stopped. But most cyclists don't like the way a high seatpost looks. Also, if you're going to be doing long rides regularly, you should invest in being fitted for a bike, so you know what size frame you should be riding, and how to have it set for max comfort.
@@blastofo he is riding a beach cruiser style e-bike. There really isn’t any way to shift your weight forward on those.
@@k9er233 yeah, your but and legs slide on a harder, narrower seat, and it offers a little support, while most of your weight is actually on the pedals. It's even better with clipless pedals
Gibson is jacking up the prices on Epiphones because they can. It's up to the customers to choose whether to pay those prices or not.
Ive had guitars that I had to bend a string in certain places to keep it in tune and Ive played with singer/ acoustic players that dont realize they are bending the chords witch can work if its just one guitar but they make me sound out of tune so I tell em to loosen up on the fret hand immediately and they can change real quick and everything is great
PRS has sold a ton of SE’s….they are positioning the S2 line perfectly to entice SE owners to step up to the S2….because the core is way too big a price jump from the SE. A current SE owner is now more likely to step up to the S2 than they were.
I really hope they come out with an S2 DGT
If the string is are tuned and intonated before pressing down a string but goes sharp when finger presser is applied then, the fret is too high for that player. When a string is pressed to the fingerboard it can go no farther. At that point the string may be pulled slightly toward the finger but, should not sharpen the note detectably. Playing any instrument with direct physical activation of sound producing component introduces variances which are compensated for my an artist. Minimizing the need for compensation is generally a good thing.
Phil, when it comes to Epiphones, I'm not certain I'm seeing the same thing. I got interested in Epiphones in 1999 simply because I couldn't afford Gibson. Specifically I got a G400 (SG) for $400.00 and later a LP Studio somewhere in the mid to upper $400.00's (don't remember exactly). Later in the mid 2010's, I wanted to upgrade but by then the Gibson SG Tribute was going for $1099, while the G400 was still 400-450. I wished then that Epiphone would put out a higher end SG. And now that's what they've done. The lower end guitars are still there, the G400 is now the SG Standard selling for about 500.00 (it took 15-20 years to raise to that point, not like other brands that skyrocketed overnight). And now they have higher end SGs and of course they're costing more. I just got the Modern Figured SG (Mojave Burst) that's selling for 750.00, but the upgrades over the SG Standard are well worth the price increase - the flame veneer, the ProBucker pickups, the GraphTech NuBone nut and coil splitting features. The Epiphones still have price-point for everyone and seem to now be filling in gap between them and the Gibson models.
As a Fender enthusiast I agree with your statement. One thing you didn't mention that I noticed with Epiphone was when they switched up the headstock shape a few years back. Sure, it doesn't make the guitar sound or play any better, but there is something about the classic Gibson headstock shape that for decades was unavailable on Epiphones. Whereas Squier always looked the same as their Fender counterparts. I actually own an Epiphone Les Paul and it is great for me - someone who was never in the market for a multi-thousand dollar Gibson.
@@DevoT Maybe I'm weird, but I couldn't care less about the headstock. Gibson's just seems to be flatter (on top) than Epiphone, but so what.
1:17:38 I can hear a phrasing and technicality upgrade in your playing as of lately. Keep up the great work.
Hey Phil, D.J. here. I want to comment about the person who asked, "How to remove a broken bridge screw?" My 1st thought is, I would start with either a Cobalt infused drill bit set! Also, there are some American HSS (High strength steel or high speed steel drill bits! Though Cobalt enfused drill bits cut threw metal! Start stopping when drilling kills/dulls drill bits so, steady pressure & speed. Cobalt drill bits can be purchased at big box stores & NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KOBALT, which is a brand. After drilling a hole then a tap & die set can be used.
I think the issue of repurposed guitars is that people kinda already do that and nobody wants them or won't pay a lot for them. You could clean up a Squier all you want and make it play amazing, but the buyer will still only see it as a Squier. You could remove the logo and maybe change the headstock shape a bit, but now it's just an unbranded guitar and likely won't sell fast or for very much. It's kinda like how the customizations you add to your own guitar don't raise the price when you sell it. If it started as a Squier, people will only want to pay Squier money. It doesn't matter how good it is now. There would need to be a complete mentality shift where value is not assigned to a brand or origin, but to the quality of the tool. I have a cheap Schecter that's upgraded to hell, it's had a professional set up, and it's the best feeling guitar I've ever played. I'd be lucky if I could get $150 for it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
To your comment about the Epiphone Headstock and Gibson. I agree 100% that the guitars Epiphone makes that are copies of Gibsons should have the Gibson headstocks. The guitars Epiphone makes that are 100% EPIPHONES(The Casino, The Rivera, The Sheraton....) should retain the correct EPIPHONE headstock...meaning whatever headstock they used when they were introduced.
This distinction should a make it clear to players that Epiphone has a history onto itself and is NOT just a "Cheaper Gibson Brand". Gibson seems to be the only ones who play this game. Grestch did not give the Eletromatics and Streamlines different headstocks. But then again, EPIPHONE is the only brand that was its own thing before Gibson absorbed them and made it their "Inexpensive Gibson style guitars" division.
At this point I almost wish they would go the PRS route and make those guitars "Gibson SE" and go back to having Epiphone be its own thing with its own line of guitars.
Well considering your GIBSON Les Paul solid body guitar wouldn't even exist today without Les Paul and Epiphone they are not copies
I've gotten so used to my Korea Zach Myers I had my Luthier help to refinish the headstock, new pickups, new ratio tuners and a rewire. I honestly can't justify getting a core since my ZM already became my number one.
I suppose the projection of greater value is the reason fender switched back from pau ferro to rosewood for the vintera ii series, since they must have felt some need to justify the higher prices
@30:58 This is the key to "proper" guitar intonation and tuning, re: finger pressure
For me personally, if The intonation on the 12 fret is slightly flat, I am good with that, because I tend to fret fairly hard and the notes go sharp anyway.
Phil, thanks for a really cool show every week. You've helped me develop the confidence to start doing my own tech work. Tool recommendations are really helpful. Regarding intonation, I have an Epiphone Sheraton Pro II. Love it! but intonation is an issue. Sadly, I don't hear it as much as my singer does. I'm so glad to hear that she and I don't need to fight over it. I just need to accept that her ear is better, and trust that she's not alone. Someone in my audience is going to hear it too. The neck is dead straight. I think its my G string. Thanks again for the confidence boost and advice.
Look up Scott Grove he's the best not this youtube influencer
FYI. You keep saying a tap and die set for removing a broken screw. A tap and die set is for putting threads on something. You mean easy outs. Easy outs are for removing broken screws
Man the fretboard on that Framus shines like glass! Looks soooo smooth. Must feel great to play.
The government here in france is even moving against these Temu and similar entities ,´´´well done Phil for turning down the red dollar
The black Epiphone J-180 caught my eye. I have always been a sucker for those star inlays. Doubt I will actually buy one, but it did catch my eye.
Tim Pierce is the man. I call him the greatest stringed instrumentalist that most people have never heard of, but everyone on Earth has heard.
Any advice that guy gives, immediate take it lol
Water water ever where not a drop to drink. Hi ya!
You can sort of repurpose some "cheap" guitars now to be better than higher-priced name-brand imports spec-wise, and still end up spending considerably less. A solid Firefly base, say, with upgraded tuners, pickups and maybe a better bridge and nut is going to cost less than an Epi, if you do the work yourself, and have much better components.
Absolutely you can turn a lower-end instrument into much higher performance, ideally set up and beautiful sounding one. What you probably can't do is get all your money back by selling it, but if your motivation is to enjoy playing it for years that's not going to matter much.
@@thomascordery7951 oh, for sure. I just got a Firefly SG, an Iommi copy, and it's just for fun but I know that I prob would never recoup the cost of the upgrades I'm planning on. But it is a lot of fun.
LOVE Phil's stance on Temu.
Pedigo is a very inexpensive entry-level mountain bike, but great to get started real trail ready e-bikes are $10-$12,000 even up to 15 for ones normal dudes (dentists) have out there
The precise witness point a string touches within the width of a fret could never make a 14 cent difference. 14 cents is 14% of the difference between one note and the adjacent semitone, which is enormous compared to fret width.
I've taken cheaper guitars with decent woods and repurposed them to be a higher quality instrument under a "new" brand and theres little to no money in it. Full refinish is a lot of work to do well and all the upgrades in parts and whatnot adds up. By the time you put the time and money in, you're competing with established brands that already offer a similar quality. And people tend to go with an established brand than risk the same cash for a total unknown.
I think the amp is a bigger hindrance these days than guitars are. e.g the average starter kit now comes with a very playable guitar for most people but still with an amp that sucks. I'd suggest that people with smaller hands will find Ibanez cheaper guitars feel easier to play (and avoid anything vintage) - but it takes a good amp to make the guitar feel like it's alive and it makes it much easier to coax sounds out of it and to reflect all the nuance in your picking, bending, vibrato etc. To some extent the guitar action plays a part here too. But there are far fewer bad cheap guitars now than there were in the 80s when the average cheap guitar would probably have fared better if you used it to fire arrows.
I don't doubt Amazon and Aliexpress sell a few instruments that are a pig to play and that should be avoided but get your kid the guitar from a starter kit that's a bit extra money (still under £200) and they should get a guitar that most guitarists over 40 or 50 would be expressing how well they thought it played for the money and especially compared with their first guitar.
On the amp side though, those starter amps suck. It's not that you can't play at all but you'll be struggling more than whichever signature guitarist you've got a picture of on your wall. Instead of using a cheap amp I'd suggest get a modern plugin like tonocracy or NLM, a guitar interface and a pair of decent headphones and it'll be infinitely better.
On modern plugins the guitar is just alive in your hands and the notes tumble out of it for free. Nuno Bettencourt is in a video with Beato talking about this ( ruclips.net/video/e0UXN1qnvOY/видео.html) how he sees some guitarists working less than he has to - but he thinks it's down to the action on their guitar. I'd bet money it's the amp and setup.
It's the biggest difference between modern plugins and my older podxt. The sound isn't vastly different (mostly the difference is a bit of EQ) but the playability is miles apart. It's like there's a level of compression from the modern modelled amp that's missing in the older one. You can, of course, add compression by using a compressor. Which we all know makes a guitar feel easier to play (Tom Quayle discussing that here : ruclips.net/video/zS5EUKarhqA/видео.html when he's demoing a compressor) but on a good amp cranked with a bit of gain there should be a level of compression that just makes it a doddle to play at your best. Maybe the clean tones benefit from a compressor pedal. The Neural DSP plugins have this - I think it's part of why they're popular.
But you can get it for free from tonocracy. Things like Helix native seem harder to me to find it and dial it in. I think that's partly why people don't like the presets on Helix. It's as much to do with how they feel to play as the actual sound. This is not so obvious when you're watching or listening to someone playing - except we note they don't look like they're putting in as much effort as we feel we need to. But, if you've ever seen those comment sections where people are commenting how low gain or clean sounding some of Eddies isolated guitar parts are - it's because they think (wrongly) that the "secret" to making it easier to play fast with less effort is gain - but it isn't. That works to a point, but the real secret is compression. Today, of course, we know this because there's a plethora of guitarists doing clips on instagram and youtube who are famously using clean tones but doing zippy guitar parts.
I spent a lot of time struggling to play like I was fighting to get the notes out, and it was mostly down to my amp. In the earlier days the cheap amp I had, later what is missing (or at least hidden) in the older amp modelling stuff. Today though it's very easy to get a very playable setup more or less for free (you need a cheap guitar and an audio interface) - and the thing is, once the notes start to fall out of the guitar easily, you'll feel as Nino is talking about to Beato that you're not working hard to play, you relax more and then it's even easier. Now I see that Guthrie showing how he picks when he does a really fast sweep picking (and more or less dismisses this as unmusical at the same time) which no doubt has a large element of practise and skill but I can recreate pretty trivially on the right setup, yes I've played guitar for a lot of years, but it feels effortless but I can plug into a different setup and then it's not. The setup isn't going to make a beginner start sweep picking up and down the neck but it is going to help him when he gets around to practise rather than hindering. The real bonus is that everything sounds better when you're doing less effort without tension, especially making your playing flow.
Great videos. Here are my recent purchasing experiences: I just bought an MIJ wolfgang stealth for ~$2k plus tax (w/ coupon - retail $2.6K). The USA one retails for $3.8k, and it gives you less. The USA sig retails at $4.5k. I could've almost bought 2 MIJs for that! Same parts. Same guitar. Different country. It makes zero sense to me. I also own a Custom 24 and I think it's way overpriced. My $1500 Ibanez (made in Indonesia) w/ Stainless frets sounds and feels much better than the PRS, imo. I even tried different pickups. But, I'll admit it....the PRS is beautiful. (Ebony fret board, unpainted maple neck w/ flame striping on back) But it needs to be more than that. It's not a painting. At least, not to me. America is starting to price themselves out, imo. I'm not going to pay an extra $2k+ just to buy American. And I shouldn't be expected to.
I've learnt to ask politely and tune a guitar for out of tune players.
My landlady plays.
I've shown her 2, 3, times how to tune, given tuners, boss app on fone because changing a battery on a tuner is too much hassle. Some people just freak out with any type of 'technical' thinking. Easier to run upstairs and tune the guitar when I hear her.
Her smoke alarm doesn't beep anymore.
Given up trying to help / teach windows or basic computing. Some people just freak out going any deeper than end user experience. Another mate, highly educated, high ranking manager bought a new dyson cos she didn't know the model dyson she had could be emptied and it wasn't working as it was full full full. Her smoke alarm beeps. I guess I'll bring over a 9v next time.
Just an aside- I love how Shauna is your partner: "hey, I'm trying to get Sharpen Your Axe back." I know that she's not cracking the whip, telling you what to do, but rather that she's working, trying to please all of us as well. I know that SYA is not the most profitable thing for you but speaking for myself alone, I almost always learn something new from this video series. Thanks to both of you!
Intonation problems: make sure the strings are good.
Hearing: our brains are wired to process vision more than hearing
That Framus is gorgeous. Ghost’s guitar player I think plays a similar guitar.
I don't hear intonation until I am playing to a backing track.
I think the reason Eddie got away with an improperly intonated guitar is his touch in his fret hand was probably compensating. Consciously or not, only EVH himself could tell us that, but I know when I take my guitars in to be set up, my tech gets people to play for him and takes your pick attack and fretting into consideration.
Last time went for a setup, I actually asked him to set it up as if I had a lighter touch and attack because I wanted to force myself to be less heavy handed.
I buy signature Telecasters because I get a nitro finish, custom pickups, neck shapes and finishes that are usually only available on custom shop guitars and colors that are never offered on regular stock guitars for about $1500.
Seems like if a guitar is more stable , set up properly by a pro tech and polished up a sentimental customer or a childs first guitar they would play more and not give up on the craft because it is set..hearing you say that people pick up guitars and play them severely out of tune gives me a different perspective on how altruistic my idea to be a guitar tech is or is not?. Im from Austin and i got my first guitar from ray hening heart of tx guitars whom exclusively sold to SRV. THX for being you.
Phil, very hard to find a good guitar tech in the NY area. I really feel they don’t stay up to date on latest trends and tools. Set in their ways.
One mention on guitars being ONLY luxury goods. We need music and musicians as they are our poets and seers. We need these things as human beings. You are now able to buy a Squire that fits the bill. Anything over that is a luxury. I want to add this point to the discussion.
Completely agree. I entertain people regularly with a €50 Eko Ranger. Blows my mind the twisting of the word 'need' when it comes to wanting luxury items. Society is very ill.
Just grabbed my first PRS S2 after owning a dozen Core models over the years... a nice seafoam Mira. The Headstock doesn't have an S2 on it, just in the SN on the back. It will need adjusted and maybe some part swaps if finetuning doesn't cut it.
On aaron shorts acoustic with the flat string ,try changing strings. Brand, gauge,alloy. Possible he has a bunk string.just another avenue to explore.
Great analysis on Epiphone and pricing wrt luxury goods. Also, Gibson are repairing the Epiphone brand. Gibson and Fender now have overlap between their low end and the high end of their secondary brands.
Cruisers and bikes where you are in an upright position will always hurt your butt. Even if you get the most cushiony saddle. The more horizontal your position, the better the weight distribution is, and less pressure on your bottom. Thats why the serious road cyclists who ride in that position use saddles with barely any padding and are still comfortable. Raising your seatpost will help, but honestly it may look a little silly on a beach cruiser. E-Bikes that have full throttle to where you dont need to pedal, those are also more comfortable as you can change how you sit on the saddle in ways you cant do if you have to pedal.
I was a Mountain Biker for years, I wish E-bikes were available 10 years ago. A crash with a Spinal Cord injury brought me to guitar.
Spot on with the PRS S2 theory. I'm looking at buying my first Gibson LP, ready to spend $3K+ for a Wildwood select, I'll never afford a $6K Gibson LP custom in alpine white... but the '24 Epi LP custom in white with an ebony board and Gibson pickups for $1,200 had me looking at listings and considering Epiphone for the first time.
On the discussion about the industry noticing us not buying - you are so right! I can afford a PRS Core, but I purchased a PRS SE Paul’s Guitar because of the fit and finish and the quality of the SE Paul’s guitar. The criticism of the SE Paul’s was the nut and tuners being less quality. I purchased a used SE Paul’s guitar buying one that the original owner had upgraded the nut and tuners. I really enjoy your discussions on the business end of guitars.
I was Dokken's F.O.H. for two years and for George, intonation, in tune...out of tune...he always sounded amazing
PRS S2 vs Core....... Many of the S2's have a pickguard that covers a slightly lower grade of wood (not as fancy of wood grain) and I personally prefer the look of the guitars with out a pickguard most of the time. The Core models have a deeper Violin Carve (some people don't like the feel of this on their forearm though...) which is more expensive to do, and I like the looks a little more personally. Fit & finish is that little bit better as you look at the higher end models than the lower end models (generally) with fancier finishes. I personally prefer the high gloss deep finishes over the incredible figured wood tops, but to really be honest, I purchase a guitar as a tool and if a $200.00 guitar will reliably get the job job for my needs, I'll be investing in that guitar over a more expensive one. Just my personal thoughts on this basic subject.
The industry definitely takes notice of their market. Cole Clark Guitars of Melbourne, Australia has added the SAN (Studio Angel) to their line of acoustic guitars built with Australia-grown woods using Spanish Heel construction at $1500 with an abalone rosette made in China, compared to the Melbourne-crafted Angel 2 at $2400 with simpler trim. I'm quite taken with the Angel 2EC-Redwood/Blackwood with their proprietary 3-way electronic amplification system. They added Paul Gale, designer of electronics systems, to the company, who explained the design of the system in the True Hybrid Thinline guitars (think $3500) for a guitar with separate electric and acoustic outputs (that can be blended by the guitarist). As Lloyd Spiegel explained in video and at NAMM, "Don't try to explain, just tell the the studio you're bringing two guitars."
The giant sequoia was planted by Australia's botanist general as an experiment and are being salvaged by Cole Clark as they have begun falling over after 150 years, due to being planted singly, rather than in groves for mutual root system support. (We saw Sitka spruce felled by wind after their neighbors had been harvested in SE Alaska in the 1980s for the Alaska Lumber & Pulp contract with the USFS as we worked on the Integrated Resource Inventory, for large scale planning.)
😄 Thank you, Phil. (When you mentioned your wife riding and you sitting on a blanket, I was envisioning you sitting on a blanket while riding. Like the old 'Indian blanket' seat covers for trucks, that could be an aftermarket for bicycles.)
Pensa guitars in the 80s was Pensa-Suhr (yes, that Suhr). Mark Knopfler played them. John Suhr left in 1990 and Pensa-Suhr became Pensa and Suhr became its own thing, of course.
🤟
And pat Thrall and LT Steven matching finish Pensa Suhr in 80s - killa! Rudys NYC shop was ace.
What happened to the scream during the intro? I enjoyed that😅.
I see the Emerald carbon fiber guitar back there now. We need. A review!! (Actually I don't need a review, I already own one and it is amazing!)
Hey Phil, I'm a player of years like yourself, but the one fault I have is "Set-ups" I think a lot of it is just the fear of screwing up something and making it worse, especially since I do own some expensive Guitars, which over the years anything major or custom work I have taken to my Luthier in the area, but he is wayyyy too busy to just send in a Les Paul for a "set-up"...DO you yourself or know of a particular video in great detail including Truss Rod adjustment, Nut needing to be filed down, Intonation etc, mostly Gibson LP guitars and a Couple of the first EVH Wolfgangs (which I now Covet dearly since his passing) both with Floyd Trem' Systems?? Any advice, much appreciated sir!
Ur gonna have to watch a few videos. There's a bunch of good ones. Most will get you there. It can be challenging and rewarding. No trem on les paul so should be easy. Practice , buy more guitars to practice on.😊
That Framus is very pretty! Sadly, way out of my price range 😞
Guitar prices (or anything else for that matter) are skyrocketing due to government currency debasement!
We are essentially experiencing the collapse of the Roman Empire, but in Real Time! This is how it happened!
Keep playing whilst the collapse happens!🤪👍
You really do have to watch out for infringement issues before you go into business in the internet.
I have a friend who had his own pedal business and one of his biggest thinks was a klone circuit paired with a King of tone circuit he called King Klon. Bill came after him for using Klon in the name of the pedal and also for his standalone Klones.
They became friends briefly and my friend stopped making klones and said he tried doing some sort of collaboration but they had a falling out.
After the falling out, he started dking his klones again, but added more mods to the circuit so Bill had no grounds to complain.
I can’t unsee the screen tearing now ugh ☹️ but I won’t miss an episode!
I wonder if the corner pan right and the many reflective guitars surfaces are causing the lense to struggle. That corner looks nice but it may be that because it's like a vanishing point that extra depth needs a wider lense...? Idk
@@DosHemperor I have no clue personally but all I know is Phil mentioned it and then I started seeing it. Ugh. Still a great show regardless!
Gear does make people sound better. I'd take John Mayer's word for that one. But it's true that some people don't hear it that way.
As a youth I started playing bass on a crappy instrument with an epically horrific neck. It didn't just have an excessive bow, it had a bump in the fingerboard at about the fifth or sixth fret followed by a dip up to around the ninth. As a result, the action had to be extremely high.
In college years later I sat in on a jam session with a couple of very different basses. One guy had to leave so someone handed me a different instrument. Another bass player present commented that I didn't seem to be bothered by the very different setups. That was something I put down to that initial trial by ordeal my first bass put me through.
Perhaps someone who's always played on beautifully set up instruments is more sensitive about quality differences from one instrument to another. No doubt a student I that situation initially progress faster, and perhaps ultimately further as a result. So I'm not suggesting to start a new student on something discouraging. On the other hand, perhaps stepping up cheerfully to a challenge when dealing with an unavoidable substandard situation is good for one's flexibility and resiliency. For perspective, look up Ron Carter's commentary about the "bass du jour" situation upright players deal with on tour.
@@thomascordery7951 I follow you. I was there w/you, playing a Y2K Squier for 10+ years. Not glorious, but it turns out I was better than I thought.
My point was that we are hearing more gear than anything else, according to such an authority as John Mayer. That's really the only point I was making. A lot of pros and leaders in guitar player land stick to the line that gear doesn't really matter because they know it does, but for many reasons, including self serving reasons, they don't really need people knowing that.
Fralin pickups simply sound different than others, for example. In Mayer's case, he famously went for 5 minutes on a live stream about the fallacy that the gear isn't what you're hearing most. His is just one opinion. We all get one. I just play for fun, not for money or anything else. Good things.
In modern terms, you'd say that Phil is incredibly BASED, holy cow. You're the best man.
Any discussion about the Marshall price changes? Did I miss it?
The wolf of Wall Street has done a hostile take over of all their assets and now it's in limbo because Just because
Re: E-Bikes. How about a Phillip McKnight signature bike?
First off epiphone Quindoa facility is completely American owned and operated with American and Asian luthiers its state of the art and only Epiphones are made there so if some of you still want to continue to put your foot in your mouths and get laughed at then go ahead with the Chinese made bs with epiphone.. again epiphone is American owned and operated there's American and Asian luthiers at the facility its state of the art and only Epiphones are made at the Quindoa epiphone facility...
Chinese makers certainly can produce great products, and China does produce some truly great crafts people who take pride in their work. The issue I've found is many are focused on cheap processes and components, and great looks that might extend no further than the internet ad image.
@@thomascordery7951oh really..that's funny my 2021 epiphone koa Les Paul has a 3/4" koa top..CTS Electronics..Abr bridge with lock tone .. Grover 18:1 tuners.. ebony fret board 5 ply binding..and it's era correct all the way down to the cloth wrapped wiring and has the proper Kalamazoo headstock..so where did you come up with that crap? Show me the actual website that said what you're claiming
@@FrankBuyers...guitarista-iu3zg How does anything you're saying about your Epiphone contradict anything I've said in my comment? Perhaps you need to read it again.
Wow! That Warwick is absolutely gorgeous! 5 1/2 lb ! I made up my mind, I'm selling a kidney.
How much for the kidney, what's the weight?
@@joeb8383 First let me figure out the actual price of that guitar, then we can talk! 🤣 As for the weight, it's a semi-hollow, I guess! 🤣
I'm a working musician. (ie this is how I pay my bills) I haven't bought a brand name in years. I have built a new guitar for parts. But then again it is not a luxury item to me. I usually only keep my main and a spare anyway. And yes prices on name brands are nuts.
I shop guy bought me a tuner one time. I was like sorry dude. Tuned it up, I take my phone app with me every time now.
Why thumbnail says 348 and you say 358? But anyway, Phil, thank you for sharing your experience with us
I have purchased 4 guitars of late after purge years ago
Things are cheap😅
Hi Phil love your videos!!
Can you review the Fame Forum IV modern? Is such a good looking guitar
I wouldn’t want to see a Gibson headstock on a casino or Sheraton. But a Les Paul by Epiphone for sure. A beautiful bound tricked out guitar with an inlay to me is amazing. Same thing with a bare bones tele, idk, I’m drunk.
Tom Bukovac says the guitars play him. And he thinks its the same with the best guitarists he knows. He will find the sweet spots on any given instrument and lean into what the guitar wants him to pull out of it. I think that’s a different take on the gear as an “inspiration” or “hindrance” discussion
Thanks for not supporting Temu. That's taking the high road there for sure.
Temu ships two million orders a day to US, they’ll be ok
Pensa used to be called Pensa Suhr, and you know Suhr. Been around for 30+ years nyc based
John Suhr worked with Rudy Pensa and made Mark Knopfler's guitar. Suhr still makes that model.
the most gorgeous six string guitar I ever laid my hands on in 40 years of being alive was a Pensa-Suhr. Not sure of the model but whatever it was, it was as perfect as MY personal opinion of "perfect" in the context of a guitar is. Everything about it was 🤌🏼
After a search engine visit, I am assuming it was a MK1 model? Looked very similar to the one I am talking about - it was teal/turquoise in color. Almost so pretty it would be hard to touch 🤣
haha, I got an ad for a website that buys and sells bicycles 🤣
Pop a wheelie.
I do not like stainless frets. Hard, cold, inflexible, and hard for the luthier to file.