What’s your unpopular guitar take?

[holoholo]

Don’t think we did one of these. Let me hear it.

 

[newholland]

solid state amps can be solid tools, most people just feed them bad speakers.

 

[Humbug]

I have to choose one?

 

[holoholo]

I have to choose one?

 

[spawnofthesith]

Strandbergs are way overpriced (I own and love one)

Gibson guitars are dope and the QC complaints are largely overblown internet stuff

If you can’t play the gig aith a $150 guitar that’s a you problem . Of course…. Why the fuck would you want to play a gig with a $150 guitar. Nothing wrong with being a snob

I can’t get on with modellers for everyday/live use

 

[gearJunkie]

 

[spawnofthesith]

Oh yes … biggest bomb of all…. EVERYTHING MATTERS

I’m down with nihilism on day to day life stuff

When it comes to guitar construction…. It all matters

 

[Holden Afart]

Tone wood doesn't exist

 

[spawnofthesith]

Tone wood doesn't exist

Agreed, an arbitrary boogeyman term… largely used by dinguses trying to make the claim that only pickups matter for tone or sone nonsense…

 

[GuitarGorilla]

Les Pauls are heavy, uncomfortable, massively overpriced and generally overrated guitars.

Most of the people advocating for fancy boutique tube amps can't tell the difference between their amp and a capture of their amp.

 

[Humbug]

Ok... I'll start light:

All modern high gain / metal amps sound the same or, at least, similar enough that they can easily be EQ'd to sound the same.

PCB amplifier construction is, in every way, a far superior method to eyelet and turret board and ESPECIALLY point to point (which is, perhaps ironically, pointless bullshit).

Every amp is a modded Fender.

 

[Humbug]

Most of the people advocating for fancy boutique tube amps can't tell the difference between their amp and a capture of their amp.

Them's fightin' words!

 

[Orvillain]

I don't care that the Les Paul is a "bad design" - I love it, all its quirks and everything!

 

[newholland]

Ok... I'll start light:

All modern high gain / metal amps sound the same or, at least, similar enough that they can easily be EQ'd to sound the same.

PCB amplifier construction is, in every way, a far superior method to eyelet and turret board and ESPECIALLY point to point (which is, perhaps ironically, pointless bullshit).

Every amp is a modded Fender.

haha. i love all of this except the PTP thing from the debugging standpoint cause id rather work on a ford 300 than a subaru.

 

[Humbug]

haha. i love all of this except the PTP thing from the debugging standpoint cause id rather work on a ford 300 than a subaru.

If I had a choice between a PTP rats nest and a Mesa PCB, I would also choose PTP.

 

[laxu]

If I had a choice between a PTP rats nest and a Mesa PCB, I would also choose PTP.

I don't think there is a PTP amp with anywhere near Mesa's complexity though.

The reality is that 99% of guitarists don't repair their own amps. So what really matters is:

• Can the repair tech get schematics for the amp?
• Can the repair tech get help from the amp maker if needed?
• Can the amp company provide parts?
• Is the amp reasonably easy to take apart? This is the primary problem with Mesa, some of their amps it's just very hard to get to some parts without disassembling half the amp.

Ultimately repairing the Mesa will likely cost more for the owner than repairing a typically single channel PTP amp (let's say a Carr or something) because of the labor involved more than anything.

 

[laxu]

Unpopular opinions:

• People should stop buying 1950s/1960s amp designs. There are so many amps that can do your Blackface Fender, Marshall Plexi style tones etc with modern features. Amps you don't have to crank to get enough overdrive, or buy an equally expensive attenuator because you want to ignore 6 decades of amp design progress.
• If you are going through piles and piles of overdrives to find "the one" then you are more likely a collector or shopping addict. Or your real issues finding a great tone are elsewhere - amp, speakers, volume, your technique...
• If you can't get a good tone out of nearly all the modelers on the market, the issue is you. None of the top tier brands should give you some "night and day" difference.

Some of these might be aimed more at TOP than y'all.

 

[newholland]

I don't think there is a PTP amp with anywhere near Mesa's complexity though.

The reality is that 99% of guitarists don't repair their own amps. So what really matters is:

• Can the repair tech get schematics for the amp?
• Can the repair tech get help from the amp maker if needed?
• Can the amp company provide parts?
• Is the amp reasonably easy to take apart? This is the primary problem with Mesa, some of their amps it's just very hard to get to some parts without disassembling half the amp.

Ultimately repairing the Mesa will likely cost more for the owner than repairing a typically single channel PTP amp (let's say a Carr or something) because of the labor involved more than anything.

all that said- ive had one mesa repair in thirty years, mostly cause i was stupid and let power tubes go too long! thankfully the mesa spaghetti stays largely in place

 

[laxu]

all that said- ive had one mesa repair in thirty years, mostly cause i was stupid and let power tubes go too long! thankfully the mesa spaghetti stays largely in place

I too dread the day when my Mesa spaghetti becomes overcooked!

 

[metropolis_4]

I love Gibsons. They have a sound and a feel that is my favorite of all the guitars I’ve ever used.


The less knobs, controls, and modern features an amp has the better it sounds.