I discovered the magic

[Spudman***]

I'm a die hard Strat player and although I like to play and often do play other types of guitar I always come back to the Strat for gigs. It just works for me. Lately I've had this little voice in my head gnawing away at me telling me that I should dig out my old Epiphone Les Paul. Well, Sunday I broke down and took it out. I played it around the house for a while then decided after 5 years it could finally have some strings. I changed and stretched the strings, polished the guitar then put it in my gig bag to take to our Sunday gig at the ski area. I thought maybe I'd pull it out for a song or two and mailny play my Strat.

Got there, got set up and watched the hockey game and then hit the stage right when the game was over. My guitar was wet from all the people in the room. Condensation on everything. I knew it was going to be tough to play. I looked at my Strat and knew that it is already tough to play. That's how Strats are. I decided I'd give the Epi a chance through my Bugerra V22. I don't like LPs generally because I haven't gotten clean rhythm sounds and find the controls to not be as ergonomic as the Strat. I strapped in not knowing what it was going to sound like.

The first two songs were in concert style. Packed room full of rowdy people ready to be entertained. We rocked hard starting with Going Down then right into My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Momma. OH MY GAWD! The Les Paul slayed! I couldn't believe the tone. Bare in mind that until this point I had never played it through the V22. It was perfect. Tone was to die for - sustain for days - the volume and tone controls really worked. The other guys in the band looked at me for the first two songs like "dude, what's going on with you? Put out the fire before we all ignite." They loved the sound as well. They could hear me better too. It was a win win situation.

Needless to say that taking this chance may have just changed the rules on how I play the game from this point on.

Here is the guitar I used. It has a carved top and I installed the Ibanez AH1 and AH2 pickups. Slinky action with 10s and vintage like tones that are smooth and full. This guitar is actually lighter than a couple of my Strats and my other Les Paul.

[mainestratman]

Nice.

Just... NICE. I love that "omygodwheresthefire" moment.

[Eric***]

Glad to hear that you had a positive experience with an LP.

I looked at my Strat and knew that it is already tough to play. That's how Strats are.

What do you mean by this? I'm not a fan of strats in general, but I haven't exactly given them a lot of time. I'm probably not familiar enough to know what you're referring to.

I don't like LPs generally because I haven't gotten clean rhythm sounds and find the controls to not be as ergonomic as the Strat.

As in...it's usually too muddy for clean rhythm or what?

Sorry for all of the questions; I just enjoy learning from other people's perspectives.

[sumitomo]

Very Cool!Sounds like a war baby has come to life!I'm gunna try one of those V22's with my tele with the buckers,It's mud with every amph cept the Super and the believe it or not the lunchbox.This is great info,that V22 is worth looking into.Sumi

[FrankenFretter***]

She's a beauty. I actually prefer the look of uncovered pickups on LPs. It's good that you re-friended your old pal.

[markb]

Now get it in the middle position and work those controls for those clean rhythm tones. I find PAF types thin out a bit with the tones rolled back slightly (i.e. before they get muddy).
In extreme cases I've used an "anti-screamer", a graphic eq in a smile curve as a mid cut. This should be a doddle to set up on your M13.

[oldguy]

Cool story. And timely.....I played Sat. nite, took my Agile and Roadhouse Strat. One of the other guitar players brought his Tele. Well, he broke the small E string before we even got started. I handed him the Strat, and played the Agile all night. We were both happy. The ZYS did me proud also, btw.

[Spudman***]

Cool story. And timely.....I played Sat. nite, took my Agile and Roadhouse Strat. One of the other guitar players brought his Tele. Well, he broke the small E string before we even got started. I handed him the Strat, and played the Agile all night. We were both happy. The ZYS did me proud also, btw.

Sometimes changing it up can be a lot of fun eh? I would have liked to have seen you guys.

[oldguy]

Sometimes changing it up can be a lot of fun eh? I would have liked to have seen you guys.

I'll ask around. People were taking pics and videos. It was at a local bar that's closing (after a pretty good 22 yr. run). We had a jam session for the "going away" party.
On another note, and back on topic... that LP you have has a great sunburst top. Korean?

[Spudman***]

On another note, and back on topic... that LP you have has a great sunburst top. Korean?

Exactly. It is a 94-95 with the Kluson type vintage tuners and a less than fat neck. It originally had chrome covered pickups that were a tad microphonic. I've always loved the AH1 and AH2 in my Ibanez mahogany guitar so since I had a set sitting around I dropped them in this guitar. Initially I didn't like the tone but I was playing it through a darker amph - Peavey Classic 30. With the V22, which is brighter, it sounds just right.

[Bloozcat]

What can't be covered with a Strat and an Lp.....?

Sounds like a fun night, Spud!

[Brian Krashpad]

Haha, sounds like your night was sorta the converse of my Saturday. I had sorta planned to gig with my LP Classic at our Hotheads show over the weekend, because the lead singer's Ric has Hi-Gains, which (though not particularly Fendery) are single coils, on the theory that the buckers in the LP would be a good contrast.

In a Thursday night rehearsal though, I played my Tex-Mex Tele with a neckbucker just for variety's sake and it sounded freaking great. For thicker tones I could use the neckbucker, for Tele rhythm tones I could use the neck split or split + bridge, and for real cut I could go to bridge.

I decided to wait until showtime to make the final call, and ended up playing the Tele I'd paid $125 for, with the $750 Gibson on the stand. Who knows what I'll play next time.

Variety's the spice o' life. Glad you had fun with that Paul!

[Spudman***]

I decided to wait until showtime to make the final call, and ended up playing the Tele I'd paid $125 for, with the $750 Gibson on the stand. Who knows what I'll play next time.

I've done that too. Played my Classic Vibe Strat all night while my Musicman Luke sat on the stand. Go figure!

[Plank_Spanker]

It's always great to rediscover an old friend......

[Spudman***]

It's always great to rediscover an old friend......

If that were the case. I never really bonded with this guitar because I couldn't get on with it at gigs in the past. The controls and the sound wasn't what I was after. It was uncomfortable, heavy and didn't have a bright enough sound.

Instead of an old friend it's more like a new mistress. Shhhhh!

[SuperSwede]

Is those Ibanez pickups a little hotter than your average epi humbuckers? Looks like the same pickups they use for the old S series?

[Spudman***]

Is those Ibanez pickups a little hotter than your average epi humbuckers? Looks like the same pickups they use for the old S series?

Those are pickups from the S series. They aren't hot at all. They are actually more vintage sounding. I think that's why I like them. Alan Holdsworth knew what he was doing when he designed them.

[otaypanky***]

Now get it in the middle position and work those controls for those clean rhythm tones. I find PAF types thin out a bit with the tones rolled back slightly (i.e. before they get muddy).
In extreme cases I've used an "anti-screamer", a graphic eq in a smile curve as a mid cut. This should be a doddle to set up on your M13.

I'm with you Mark. I finally figured out that the tone controls can initially reduce gain before they start taking out the treble and that some of the cleanest tones can be had that way. Especially when wired 50's style. You can go from a nice clean to a wailing sustain for days with a twist of the knobs. Upgrading the pots in a guitar can make a world of difference too. I've had some guitars that sound totally different with new pots and caps. They really brought out tones and response I had never gotten from those guitars before.

[Spudman***]

Upgrading the pots in a guitar can make a world of difference too. I've had some guitars that sound totally different with new pots and caps. They really brought out tones and response I had never gotten from those guitars before.

I should try that. Thanks for the tip.