What should i Buy?
Small Studio Guitar
Q I do quite a lot of home recording and have a lovely Gretsch Electromatic that I either DI into Logic, or I use through a Blackstar BEAM and a J Rockett Archer. I find the Gretsch way too big and uncomfortable. I feel like I’ve got this huge box between me and the screens, so I fancy a very small solidbody electric. It needs to be a tight, comfortable size with a reliable tremolo system; a maple ’board would be nice. Budget is £600 to £800, but if there was an absolute blinder I’d pay up to £1,000. I like things that are a bit different from the norm.
Nik Chinook, via email A Blimey, Nik. If this was the mid-80s then you’d have already bought a Steinberger and – to our surprise – they are still available! We’ll come to that in a bit. The main challenge when you’re playing seated is to get the thing balanced. Once you have a full scale length and a body of around two inches, then you could have pretty much any solidbody. There are also a number of makers who do (or have done) very expensive smaller guitars – Strandberg, Hirsch, Teuffel, Klein, Rick Turner, and so on – but they’re all way over budget. In which case, take a look at these three…
Fenders will use some kind of poly, either gloss or matt. Around the front, that ‘classic’ Telecaster sound usually involves a maple ’board with a 7.25-inch radius, and we’re assuming that rosewood and 12 inches is what you’re used to with your Gibsons.
Now, let’s get into shape. The archetypal early 50s Fender Tele ‘baseball bat’ neck has girth aplenty, but a subtly narrower nut and likely a different taper along the ’board and, of course, neck depth as you move towards the pickups. Then there’s the 22 frets, binding, three-a-side pitched-back headstock… all of which is to say that everything is different about the Gibson neck, not just the shape/profile. And, of course, Gibson profiles have also varied dramatically over the years. So what to do?
Many modern mid-price guitars have slim-ish necks; they seem to be easier to sell than bigger necks, which means your choices are immediately limited. ‘Fat’ necks tend to be the preserve of vintage-style reissues and custom builds (such as Elliot’s VNY), even though there are modern manufacturers offering some unique takes on classic designs. Check out the likes of Reverend, Chapman, Fano, Godin and PRS for some things that you may not have considered yet: go and play a load.
Finally, a psychological perspective. It can often be a dispiriting experience approaching a new kind of guitar because of the inherent contradiction you’re bringing to the table: you want something different, but you want it to feel the same. If you can unshackle yourself from that and somehow let the guitar lead you, rather than you trying to lead it, you may find a whole new world opens up. Good luck!
15 BETTER THAN 12
I’d really like to find myself a guitar combo amp with a 15-inch speaker, but can’t find anything other than bass amps, even in the secondhand market. I have a 15-inch bass combo that, when paired with my Epiphone Riviera P93, gives a smooth yet girthy response, albeit limited in its dynamic range. It also struggles with pedals, though Black Sabbath riffs are not a problem!
I’d like to find a reasonably priced (namely under 500 quid) 15-inch guitar combo that will give me the range I need for blues/rock without pedals, but has the headroom and clarity for effects use, also. Michael Purdie, via email We think you might have a preconception about what the 15-inch speaker is doing, Michael. There are plenty of 12s (and 10s, for that matter) that can put out a smooth and girthy sound. Yes, the speaker is critical in the eventual sound of the amp, but the smooth and girthy bit is really all about the circuit. Your bass amp, for example, will sound very different from most guitar amps, regardless of the speaker.
That said, we think you’d be very happy with a Peavey Delta Blues. Closely related to the Classic Series, there are 2x10 and 1x15 variants that run on four EL84s with dual channels for clean and drive tones. It also has in-built reverb, tremolo and an effects loop to boot. They’re nearly £900 new these days, but you can find them on the used market for half that. Fender did a Vibroverb with a 15-inch speaker, and there’s also a custom Twin model with a 15. They’re both pretty pricey but absolutely worth a listen.
One other option for you would be to buy an amp head of your choosing and then pair it with a custom-made 1x15 cabinet from the likes of Zilla, Road Kill, Mojotone, Weber or similar. That will push the budget, too, but hey, if it’s what you want…