The Stagg T320 SB LH

Yes, the name is a mouthful, so, from here on out I'm calling it the "Staggcaster".
I already explain my reasoning behind buying this, but now that I have it, what do I think? Well, it definitely has the traditional "look", and some of the sounds definitely fill the Telecaster shaped hole in my goals as a guitar player. But, with it being a cheap guitar, I'm going to get the negatives out of the way, because I know that's what people want to hear- what's wrong with it that it sells so cheap? Well the biggest drawback is this neck plays like a Squire neck. That might be a selling point to some, but I've owned some Squire guitars and I don't like their necks- the shape is just off enough from what I can comfortably hold that they slow me down. I haven't had that problem with Epiphones, Agiles, Samicks- you name the cheaper brand, and  all of them play a little faster for me. The next problem is the neck pickup. Now Tele's are noted for having boxy, uninspiring neck pickups, but that isn't the problem here. This is just a nondescript sounding pick up. It just sounds like a single coil. It could be a strat neck pick up, a single coil jaguar pick up, a Schecter single coil, you name it- just generic sounding.
I also must mention it's a used guitar. It has a couple of issues based on that: there are some very light scratches on the pickguard, there's a small dent near the rear strap button, and a nick on the bottom. It could probably use a new set up, but it is perfectly playable. Oh, and the volume knob is a bit loose, and therefore causing a very little bit of noise.
That's it. I have cataloged all negatives. Seem like a short list? Because it does to me, too. Yes, the neck is a little slow but the action is low, and that makes up for it, for me. I was able to get some wailing blues style bends with almost no effort If I can figure out a way to speed up the neck, I will, but while I was planning to swap out the neck, there's no way I will, now- I was expecting cheap maple sealed in a tomb/tube of polyurethane. Nope! satin finish flamed maple- better than some Fenders I've played. Seems pretty stable, and the truss rod has not been adjusted, so I like that. I've had stability issues with virtually every Fender styled guitar I've ever owned though, so we will see. Right now, I like that it's satin finished, and pretty.
That neck pick up has got to go, though. The one in there is utterly lame. But the bridge is full bore Tele twang and spank. I'm probably going to leave it because it's the loudest, clearest single coil pick up I have on any guitar.  Until I replace the neck pickup, I'll just treat it like an Esquire.
Since I hate the white pickguard, and will replace that post-haste, I might as well replace the knobs with these GFS numbers, and so, I'll replace the volume pot, at the same time. Mark that solved.
So, the guitar was bought on Ebay, for under a hundred bucks. So I wasn't expecting much, but after putting it through some paces, I really like this guitar. I had no idea I was missing a Telecaster sound so much. It's making some of my pedals sound brand new, and it's opening up some frequencies and techniques I really haven't explored- for example; as a joke, years ago I wrote an AC/DC styled  cowboy chord piece of rifforama called " Blow on my Dice". It's a lame joke, but a useful set of riffs. So, I tried that out, and lo and behold, instead of the expected "Malcolm" tone, I got Billy Squire, and I really liked it. Again, there's no saving the song, but it totally livened up the verse riff, and gave a new energy to the rave up bridge section which is mostly vamping in B- which is tough to sweeten, but I'll be damned if this didn't have just a few grains of sugar. So, totally worth it, right there. So, yes, it's a cheap guitar, but it makes me feel happy about my playing- and for a guy like me, who is done with playing in bands, but still likes to play, that's huge. So, yes, it's a great guitar, and with a few tweaks, I will have a new not-so-secret weapon!

Birthday stuff- the Prequel

My Birthday is coming up this week, and, true to American form, I plan on spending some dough on stuff I want and don't need. Now, this has been stymied somewhat by some circumstances beyond my control, but there still is stuff to be had. Of course I don't know what others have purchased for me, and that will be another post. For this post I'm just going to briefly mention the stymied part, then talk about the two things I ordered.
First, a week ago a business near and dear to me suffered a serious setback- Functional Utility had their main shop totalled. A hundred year old tree fell on the main production facility. Since this directly affects the income into my house, yeah, that puts a crimp in my ability to spend like a Yank. Then, worse for me individually, I had my checking account frozen. See, the Visa folks reported to my bank that my debit card may have been compromised. My bank didn't inform me, so when I used my card, as I normally would, this triggered a fraud alert- so they froze the account. I wish I could tell you "never use Bank of America" and you'd never have this problem, but I've been a banker ( it was a low point in my life) and I can tell you it could've happened at virtually any bank. Since I'm trying to help people, let me tell you what to do if it happens to you- first pull up two tabs on your web browser. On one tab look up your state's Attorney Generals office. On the other, pull up your bank info. Then, call you card services. Act dumb when you dial in, and get through their phone tree by dialling zero. you want to start low on the totem pole. you want a human, but you want a human who has little reason to protect the bank he or she is temping for. When you get them, don't go off , but be super insistent they tell you what's going on. Threaten with the info from the Attorney General's office. Make 'em think that you're dangerously crazy, but not in a criminal way- in a pain the keister way. They'll run you up the chain to a floor supervisor, right quick. The floor supervisor is there to retain your business- so they'll try to work with you. Now, you just tell them exactly what happened, and remind them- this is your money and failure to help you get at it is a violation of the SAFE act.  You might not get your debit card, but you will get access to your cash.
So, anyway, I still purchased two things, both used, both at bargain Ebay prices: I got a Stagg Tele Style guitar and a Noisemaker effects Distortion plus clone.  Now, both are in the mail, so I can't review them, but I can say why I got them. The tele copy I got partially because of the price- I could get what, by all accounts is a decent guitar for 150 bucks, at about half that. But, I wanted a Tele because a lot of guys like I like play tele type guitars ( not mentioned in that article: Guy Kyser of Thin White Rope, Black Francis of the Pixies, and Joe Strummer) but I wanted certain elements of a tele, without others. I wanted the ashtray bridge. I wanted the bright tone, and I wanted the weak neck pick up. I didn't want the weight of a real Telecaster in Ash, or worse yet ( and more authentically) Pine. I think Alder is "spanky" enough, so long as you've got a top loader. So, add to that I'm a lefty- and the field is pretty narrow, and really doesn't include a lot of Fender options. Now, I do love Rondo Music. The other serious contender based upon a price vs features comparison would be this one. But, saving about 70 bucks speaks pretty loudly to me, right about now, so the Stagg won. We'll see if I made a good choice.
The Noisemaker thing? Well, you know I'm in love with Matt's products. You know that I'm a GIANT fan of the distortion plus ( pretty much up until 1985, MXR could do very little wrong) so, when I could pick up Matt's take on a distortion plus, and get it for well under 50 bucks, and I know he's discontinued the model? Yeah I had to go for it. I'm definitely going to be pruning the effects collection, though- geez. I've got a lot.

Die, Hipster, Die!

So, it was kismet- Noisemaker effects listed on Cheaper Pedals? Yes, please! A great company, being distributed by another great group of people- that's important to me. I'm no nationalist. I don't care if it's Merkin or Chinese, or Auf Deutsch- because I like it when everybody has a decent job. But, I'm much more inclined to buy from a nice person than from either a machine or a jerk. Matt and Elliott are nice people. That's a rare thing when it's nice people, up and down the line- I can't say all the way up and down- I don't know about Matt's parts resource- could be sweatshop labour, I don't know- and I can tell you that my local USPS are a bunch of jerks, with exactly two exceptions. Still, it's more than a bit more secure than ordering from, say, Danelectro.

However, I'm sure the question would obviously be- why not just buy from Matt, directly? Because Elliott is a good person, and in a position to do good- not everyone is combing through the Reverb and Etsy lists, like I am. But, people do google search terms- and I can see 'cheaper Pedals" making it into a google search, can't you? So, Elliott can make sure than people who otherwise never would have heard of Noisemaker Effects not only can become aware, but can purchase them. It's the same reason why you book at show at a bar, instead of at a BBQ, or why you put your record out on a label instead of on your own  hand press. Yes, there's a slight loss of purity, but it's worth it for the increased visibility. There's good reasons not to, of course, but if the Bar, record label, or in this case, Pedal salesman is one of the "good guys" who can fault you?

All that having said- what did I get? The Dead Hipster. I got that one for three reasons- it's low gain, so I can use it as a boost. It's one Matt, himself, uses. If that's not enough, I also got it because it is not transparent. See, I've heard complaints about the Dead Hipster coloring the sound, and I just think- why would you get a low gain dirt pedal that doesn't color your sound? I mean, at that point, you're better off just getting a low watt Tube Amp. I know that Epiphones are showing up at pawn shops for under a hundred bucks. I think you want a dirt pedal to either really distort your signal, like a fuzz, or Metal pedal, or you want it to bring out certain frequencies. I've already established that I like mids- I literally made a low gain pedal to do exactly that- bring up the mids to ungodly levels. So, the Dead Hipster brings the "jangle"- which would be your upper mids, to lower treble range. I'm not quite ready for a treble booster, but bringing out those upper frequencies is exactly what I want in a low gain distortion- I want overdriven Tele to lipstick tube Dano tones. I know Matt likes that too- because if you listen to any of his sound clips, everything he plays has the upper mids cranked. If you are looking to boost your signal, highlighting the upper mids is like an Amp's "presence" getting cranked- it's a sure way to be heard- because upper mids are far more directional than lower mids- you're literally cutting through with the smaller wave form. But, that brings me to the main reason why I got it- low distortion, big boost. I noticed with my Donner Party that Matt makes LOUD pedals, so I knew he was my man for a boost. So, why didn't I get a Suckerpunch or a Loudmouth? I really considered both, but like I said- jangle. Why just boost when you can shade the EQ in the direction you want?
So, I got it today. That was fast. I ordered on Monday, late. It's Thursday. I plugged it in with the Epiphone and Vox first- instant Rockabilly roar. Then I went Strat into Vox. Quite a bit more reedy and wiry, I think with a little tweaking, I could get overdriven Tele bridge tones out of it. Tried it Strat into Fender- huge amounts of attack and snap, very percussive. I goosed the gain, and got into a really vicious punky tone- like Joe Strummer on 1st album Clash, so I play the intro riff to "Clash City Rockers" and was amazed at how closely it nailed the tone. This inspired about 45 minutes of New Wave riffing, everything from Cr@SS to Tom Petty, it might not have nailed all those tones, but it was close enough for cover band work. I didn't get time to do the rest of my tests - Epiphone into Fender, Strat and Epiphone into Crate, Strat and Epiphone into Sovtek, etc- but here's my statement-if you want slightly overdriven New Wave to late 50's garage rock, here you go.

The Serendipity was too much

So I mentioned that Noisemaker Pedals was on Cheaper Pedals? Well, I couldn't resist- I cashed in a discount, and got the Dead Hipster pedal. It feels good to support two good companies with the same purchase, and have you heard the sound clips on this thing? Low gain, but lots of top end with just a bit of grinding dirt. Imagine how that could combine with a high gain fuzz like the Donner Party, or with a darker voiced overdrive like an OCD, or my own Darmstadtium pedal? I can see this thing being a real mainstay on the rig. What it seems like is"garage band in a box" which really appeals to me. I will follow up with a review.
I know that I can get obsessive- I find a nice Ben Sherman striped shirt, and the next thing you know I'm a slightly more Anglophile version of this guy. But, there's something serendipitous about it- People don't know that Guitar Center was a front for Bain Capital, and now Ares . People don't know that Gibson has been busted for illegally harvesting endangered species, and is partnered with Onkyo . Most of the "good guys" are priced above what guys like me can afford ( and with good reason, mind you)- so finding that two of the "good guys" are working together? Yes, please. On top of that- I seriously hope that others get into Noisemaker Effects, because I think they sound great, and are not voiced in the typical "creamy" or 'screaming" or cliched way-but I'm nowhere near a great guitar player, and it'd be great to hear some really talented people approach the "Noisemaker" voice.

I'm Excited!

Some marriages are meant to be. I think this one is. Noisemaker Effects are now on Cheaper Pedals!  I think this should open some minds via their ears. I'm not claiming to be a market analyst or anything, but I think if the Joyo crowd gets into Noisemaker, it can only mean good things. See, the folks buying joyo pedals tend to be semi-working musicians. Guys playing in "Praise" bands on sunday morning, and girls in cheesey cover bands, who practice after a day working at the local Pre-K or call center. I might have the specifics slightly off, but I know I'm right in my direction. These are the people who get snubbed by the "Boutique" makers- an OCD pedal, a Klon Centaur, or a Strymon Blue Sky is not going to be marketed towards them. They can't justify 250 bucks for a pedal, when they get paid less than 20 bucks, if at all for their music- you know? Yet, I know these people- they're professional- and sometimes they're better musicians than the Rock Star that everybody wants as an endorsee. The snob factor ends up working both ways- these "blue collar" musicians tend to call the boutique folks "cork sniffers", while the Boutique folks call them Amateurs, or "garage" musicians. But, see I've been a working musician, and better yet, a sound engineer- I've worked with all of the above, and I can say that rare is the piece of equipment that can make you a better musician. Really, the difference between a Boss DS-1 and a Zvex Machine gets lost if you're playing on a 75 watt Line 6 amp, miked to a church PA, and even if you can hear the difference, you're still talking about a minute difference, when all you're playing is a four chord campfire song, you know? But that guy might want the Zvex for chasing down a tone, when he's playing for his own amusement. This is where Noisemaker comes in- Matt's stuff can do several shades of Big Muff, only better, and can do the Devi Ever "crazy fuzz", and can do a better version of the Memory Man than the TC Electronics Flashback. Because his stuff doesn't get higher than 120, that means that our man in the choir can afford to play around for his own amusement, and might just discover his muse, apart from trying to sound like Billy Corgan, you see? So, I'm totally ready to throw rice at this marriage! Best of luck to all involved!

Another Pawn shop surprise

So I picked up another Amp, today. I went to the Pawnshop, actually planning to get a super cheap headphone amp I saw there before, but I decided to give this ugly, unloved Fender Amp a try, and talked the guy down to 50 bucks for a fairly loud 25 watt solid state Amp from the mid 1990's- a Fender Automatic SE. Look at the thing.  The design is obvious- Solid state, all the way, with an attempt to fool you into thinking it's a Champ . It's got these cheesey presets that, instead of having names, have pictures- a cowboy hat, and Eagle, a power lifter, a rocket ship and a mushroom cloud. Near as I can figure, they are clean, mild overdrive, distortion, fuzz, and heavy fuzz. You've got built in reverb ( which doesn't work on mine) and chorus ( which does) partial EQ ( treble and bass) and a ( I believe) mid cut button ( it just has pictures of a single coil and humbucker). That's about it. The distortion sounds completely sterile, and the fuzzes are just microphonic feedback. There's just barely enough bass. Sounds Crapty doesn't it? Here's where it won me over- putting it on the eagle setting, with the treble slightly goosed give a great stinging, and twangy sound- it makes my strat copy sound like a really good Tele- I mean really good. It makes my Epiphone SG sound like it's in some early 1980's post-punk Dance band. It's a really good sound. Some of the others are acceptable, but that one is really good. Then, that chorus? Perfect- just the right amount of depth for your goth infected post punk dreams- what I'm saying is that it sounds like an HH Studio 50. I can see how that's not lighting anybody up. It should- Daniel Ash, Marc Bolan, Andy Gill, mean anything? So, yeah, it's a sound I really like. But, here's the use I want to put it for: I've still got the Crate CR65, right? How about I roll the treble down on that, and crank the bass on it. Then, I keep the Automatic SE where I've got it- as a kind of biting mid range, which a slight lean towards treble. Then, the Vox to emphasize a smooth high end. Mix all three- and I think you'd have a completely unique, but still very good tone- it wouldn't have that lower mid mush like a marshall, and it wouldn't have the fizz of a Fender- I'm thinking since it's all solid state I could get somewhere around Jazz Chorus/ Gallien Kruger territory-and then, my pedal army could come into play- If I do it, I'm going to call it my "SRV Helicopter" rig. Mean? Yes, but Stevie Ray Vaughan was known for playing through a bunch of small tube amps, right? This would be the same idea, only about as anti-blues as you can get.
So, what's the point about discussing some piece of junk I bought at a pawn shop? Because finding something that pretty much only I will find "cool" is my whole point of being on this earth. See, yes, this is a blog about stuff- but the stuff we buy should be a reflection of us, not the other way around. So, should you want one? Maybe, I don't know.  Much more my point, and this will always be my point- you should want to find stuff that allows you to feel as excited and cool about yourself as my stuff makes me feel.