Just picked up a Reverend Gristlemaster, and I fucking love it. In case you weren't aware, the Gristlemaster is Greg Koch's signature guitar... it features some REALLY cool pickups, and I just love the tone from it. I have a killer Custom Shop Telecaster right now, and I'll tell you that this thing gives it a hell of a run. Never mind at a fraction of the cost. If you're looking for a killer tele-like guitar, for relative cheap, I highly recommend it. https://www.reverendguitars.com/guitars/greg-koch-gristlemaster And if you haven't heard of Greg Koch, dude is a hell of a player. He's a 6'7" sasquatch that loves Hendrix, and does some really cool live streams for Wildwood Guitar... https://www.youtube.com/user/wildwoodguitars/videos
And I'd highly recommend checking out Greg Koch... he's a new inspiration for me, when I haven't found one in quite a while. LOVE his style, and his sense of humour. Dude can play.
Oh, and they were made for 10's. I got mine with 9's, and it just wasn't right, but I put a set of 10's on it and it was perfect.
Nobody else posted it, so I will. Alex Lifeson's Signature Les Paul (with the FR tremolo and piezo pickup / dual output jacks) is now available in the more affordable Epiphone version.
I can vouch for Epiphone’s QC. It’s not Gibson, obviously, but they’re pretty strict. Also, all the Epi’s get shipped to Nashville and inspected by Gibson employees before they get shipped out. Unless the pandemic fucked up things and now they’re cutting corners. I left the game in fall 2019.
I bought a nostalgia thing... I'm SUPER happy with how it plays! Spoiler But I think it may be broken... I don't sound like Eddie when I play it for some reason...
Related: Victor Wooten uses the top four strings of a 6-string bass set. So instead of E-A-D-G, it's A-D-G-C, and they're still wound pretty much like a bass string and have the right tension. Check this out: Cory Wong (who is a badass rhythm guitarist in the vein of Nile Rodgers) is in this video, if you don't know him, check his stuff out. Music starts around 2:30
Does anybody use D'addario strings for acoustic? I usually just use regular slinky Ernie Ball for my electrics. But I don't gig and play a whole lot, so I've used D'addario EXP for years, because they last so long. They discontinued them last year when they came out with their XS coating, and XT has replaced the EXP. How is the XS coating, and how does it effect the tone? I liked the EXP for my Breedlove, because I mostly strum, and it has a warmer better balanced mid-range. It doesn't sound as tinny, to me as some other strings I've tried.
I use them, and I love them. I don't notice anything about the tone that is offputting, but I do notice the incredibly long life span they have. When I'm noodling around in my office, the long lifespan is awesome.
Are you using the XT or XS? I think the XT is pretty much the same as the old EXP, but I was curious about upgrading to the XS.
I put on some D’addario strings last year, and I was not impressed. I thing it was the EXPs, but I can’t honestly remember. They didn’t last as long as I had hoped, and I had to switch to Elixir. Elixir Nanowebs are long lasting, but they are a tinny sounding string sometimes. If a clerk ever seems to be really pushing Cleartones, it’s because they have profit margin and make him more commission. I don’t hate them, but that’s why I sold them.
I'm pretty sure I'm using both. XT's on my electrics, and I'm pretty sure I'm using the XS's on my 6 and 12 string acoustics. I can't be sure about the XS, though, as I don't have any spares to verify... but I bought a whack of XT's in bulk for the electrics.
Just an interesting little tidbit: I just watched an interview with Phil Collen of Def Leppard and he strings his guitars with 13's! And he strings his Tele with 14's. Funny, because I've run across quite a few people who think I'm running to heavy with 10's.
About a week ago, I received delivery of the Johnny Hiland signature guitar made by Kiesel. https://www.kieselguitars.com/series/guitar/johnny-hiland-signature Holy shit, it is one of the best playing and sounding guitars I've ever played. I fucking love this thing. Thin neck, killer pickups... great action. This plays better than both my Tele and Strat. This is now my 3rd favourite guitar, after my PRS and my Pia (Ibanez Via signature). And really, it's not that expensive, all things considered.