Guitars made of unconventional materials

Started by clockwork green, August 06, 2011, 05:51:06 PM

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clockwork green

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.
"there's too many blanks in your analogies"

Worthless Willie

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.
What happens between me and Steve Vegas and him and my wife and me and his goat is our own goddam business. Butt the fuck out. - Jeff Smith

VOLVO)))

I've got an aluminum necked kramer that I love...
"I like a dolphin who gets down on a first date."  - Don G


CHUB CUB 4 LYFE.

The Bandit

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


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



RAGER

I played a $5k custom shop Le Paul that I'm convinced was made from shit...................
No Focus Pocus

Jake

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.
poop.

bitter

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  :D

Oh Andy I'm gonna go over to mount pilot and worship Satan

giantchris

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

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.
'Seven doctors couldn't help my head,
They said, "You better quit, son, before you're dead".'


bitter

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

Oh Andy I'm gonna go over to mount pilot and worship Satan

clockwork green

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.
"there's too many blanks in your analogies"

The Bandit

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

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

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 !)
"Would it kill you fellas to play some Foghat?"

bitter

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  :D

I bet that mirror finish will look tits on the surface of Mars!
Oh Andy I'm gonna go over to mount pilot and worship Satan

clockwork green

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.
"there's too many blanks in your analogies"

grimniggzy

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

Volume

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

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!
I'm beginning to think God was an Astronaut.
www.spookstrickland.com
www.tombstoner.org

MikeyT

'Seven doctors couldn't help my head,
They said, "You better quit, son, before you're dead".'

deadnation

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)))

You use the humbucker, or the single coil pack? Bill Lawrence will wind those differently for you, if you don't like them...
"I like a dolphin who gets down on a first date."  - Don G


CHUB CUB 4 LYFE.

clockwork green

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.
"there's too many blanks in your analogies"