Guitars made of unconventional materials

clockwork green · August 06, 2011, 05:51:06 PM

To piggy back off the thread about "tonewood" shortages. What are your experiences with guitars made out of carbon fiber, plexiglass, metal or others? I haven't really played too many but I did like the tone of some of the carbon fiber guitars I've played like the Parker and Steinberger despite their lame looking aesthetics. I'm really curious about metal and metal/plexi guitars like those from Electrical but I worry about excessive brightness and unusual resonance.

Worthless Willie · August 06, 2011, 05:58:12 PM

I've seen Buzz play his aluminum one several times, and it sounds friggin' great. Looks like he's playing a plexi one in that video, and it seems to sound pretty good, as well.

I'd like to check one out.

VOLVO))) · August 06, 2011, 06:03:16 PM

I've got an aluminum necked kramer that I love...

The Bandit · August 06, 2011, 06:57:21 PM

Dan Armstrongs were used during the Mick Taylor era by Keith Richards and Bill Wyman, so I'm not going to talk bad about them. Also used by another favorite - Greg Ginn.

I have a plexi Les Paul copy that sounds pretty good, but it is heavy, heavy. Like 12-13lbs heavy.

Jor el · August 06, 2011, 07:00:06 PM

Wasn't there a company that made an aluminum guitar that was full of holes?

RAGER · August 06, 2011, 07:23:30 PM

I played a $5k custom shop Le Paul that I'm convinced was made from shit...................

Jake · August 06, 2011, 09:23:42 PM

Quote from: RAGER on August 06, 2011, 07:23:30 PM
I played a $5k custom shop Le Paul that I'm convinced was made from shit...................

Oh, snap!

I've got a chinese Gibsun that is probably made from sawdust, glue, and poison – sounds aight.

bitter · August 06, 2011, 09:50:10 PM

Quote from: Jake on August 06, 2011, 09:23:42 PM
Quote from: RAGER on August 06, 2011, 07:23:30 PM
I played a $5k custom shop Le Paul that I'm convinced was made from shit...................

Oh, snap!

I've got a chinese Gibsun that is probably made from sawdust, glue, and poison – sounds aight.

Yeah, I played a standard traditional pro model a few weeks back priced around 2k. I just don't get it? I mean, I've known the quality was gone for some time, but never had any 1st hand experience with it. I'll stick with my Hagstrom supa swede RI at a quarter of the price! I kept all the "made in China" stickers on it too, cause I don't give a shit. Not like it's getting me paid or laid

giantchris · August 06, 2011, 10:01:55 PM

I jammed with another bassist in an attempt to do a 2 bass doom project and he had an Electrical Guitar Co. all aluminum bass. Played it for a little it was pretty badass. Had crazy sustain and had a ton of overtones. Was a little heavy and had a wider neck (reminded me of a warwick a little) but balanced extremely well. I'd definitely not hesitate to get one if I had the money.

MikeyT · August 06, 2011, 10:17:37 PM

Quote from: The Bandit on August 06, 2011, 06:57:21 PM
Dan Armstrongs were used during the Mick Taylor era by Keith Richards and Bill Wyman, so I'm not going to talk bad about them. Also used by another favorite - Greg Ginn.

I have a plexi Les Paul copy that sounds pretty good, but it is heavy, heavy. Like 12-13lbs heavy.

Cub Koda used one during Brownsville Station's heyday too. He usually sounded great on it, but it did seem a little bright on some of the album tracks on YEAH.

I definitely prefer wood, but wouldn't mind having one of those Dan Armstrongs.

What do they go for ?

I'm guessing more than I'd want to pay.

RacerX · August 06, 2011, 10:43:21 PM

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2009/12/pr_xox_handle/

bitter · August 06, 2011, 10:51:21 PM

That seems a lot more do-able in the weight dept.

clockwork green · August 06, 2011, 11:01:53 PM

Quote from: Worthless Willie on August 06, 2011, 05:58:12 PM
I've seen Buzz play his aluminum one several times, and it sounds friggin' great. Looks like he's playing a plexi one in that video, and it seems to sound pretty good, as well.

I'd like to check one out.

I wonder if he uses those in the studio or just live. Buzz is notorious for using tons of different gear in the studio compared to live.

The Bandit · August 07, 2011, 12:15:17 AM

Quote from: MikeyT on August 06, 2011, 10:17:37 PM
Quote from: The Bandit on August 06, 2011, 06:57:21 PM
Dan Armstrongs were used during the Mick Taylor era by Keith Richards and Bill Wyman, so I'm not going to talk bad about them. Also used by another favorite - Greg Ginn.

I have a plexi Les Paul copy that sounds pretty good, but it is heavy, heavy. Like 12-13lbs heavy.

Cub Koda used one during Brownsville Station's heyday too. He usually sounded great on it, but it did seem a little bright on some of the album tracks on YEAH.

I definitely prefer wood, but wouldn't mind having one of those Dan Armstrongs.

What do they go for ?

I'm guessing more than I'd want to pay.

$1,500 give or take?

bass sic · August 07, 2011, 12:38:40 AM

Why they gotta look all jettsons? Why can't they just look like an LP or a strat? Same with electric cars, if they didn't look so gay I might drive one.

Metal and Beer · August 07, 2011, 12:47:49 AM

It seems to me that by the time the tone goes through pickups, pedals, preamp, power amp and cabs, the properties of tone wood are kinda made insignificant, or at least minimized...I suspect electric guitars made from any wood will be museum relics a couple generations down the line (if the planet is still here !)

bitter · August 07, 2011, 01:35:12 AM

Quote from: Metal and Beer on August 07, 2011, 12:47:49 AM
...I suspect electric guitars made from any wood will be museum relics a couple generations down the line (if the planet is still here !)

Maybe that's the reason for all these new instrument materials? Space age guitars for space age peeps

I bet that mirror finish will look tits on the surface of Mars!

clockwork green · August 07, 2011, 02:07:38 AM

The Electrical Brent Hinds looks really cool (except for that awful Maestro vibrato) but $2400 is an awful lot for a questionable experiment and for something with most likely weak resaleability. I guess if you really don like it you can recycle it for a nickel.

grimniggzy · August 07, 2011, 08:32:44 AM

love my Ampeg Plexi-Bass, its short scale and it packs quite a punch.

Volume · August 07, 2011, 09:11:35 AM

Quote from: clockwork green on August 07, 2011, 02:07:38 AM
The Electrical Brent Hinds looks really cool (except for that awful Maestro vibrato) but $2400 is an awful lot for a questionable experiment and for something with most likely weak resaleability. I guess if you really don like it you can recycle it for a nickel.

It's one of the most badass guitars I've ever seen.

spookstrickland · August 07, 2011, 10:12:46 AM

Quote from: Jor el on August 06, 2011, 07:00:06 PM

Wasn't there a company that made an aluminum guitar that was full of holes?

I remember those. Like 10 years ago they were in all the guitar shops and now they are totally gone. they sounded ok from what I remember but super fucking ugly!

MikeyT · August 07, 2011, 11:27:32 AM

Quote from: RacerX on August 06, 2011, 10:43:21 PM

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2009/12/pr_xox_handle/

Truly hideous.

deadnation · August 07, 2011, 11:54:07 AM

My main guitar is a Ampeg Dan Armstrong reissue and i love it. It doesn't sound really different as opposed to a wooden guitar. Maybe slightly more sustain and a little bit more compressed, but not too different from say a sg or lp jr.

VOLVO))) · August 07, 2011, 12:06:24 PM

You use the humbucker, or the single coil pack? Bill Lawrence will wind those differently for you, if you don't like them...

clockwork green · August 07, 2011, 07:53:33 PM

Quote from: Volume on August 07, 2011, 09:11:35 AM
Quote from: clockwork green on August 07, 2011, 02:07:38 AM
The Electrical Brent Hinds looks really cool (except for that awful Maestro vibrato) but $2400 is an awful lot for a questionable experiment and for something with most likely weak resaleability. I guess if you really don like it you can recycle it for a nickel.

It's one of the most badass guitars I've ever seen.

I'm thinking of making a few changes and selling a bunch of my pedals that I don't normally use in order to afford it.