BigRedX Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 (edited) [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1371313006' post='2112496'] hink that's ugly? Here's the top bout detail of the 'Les Paul Personal'. XLR out as standard (!) [/quote] Actually I think you'll find that's it's an XLR input designed to take the signal from a goose-neck mounted microphone. Like this: And that photo is of one of Mr Polsfuss' personal guitars that had far more "features" than anything Gibson sold to the public under the Les Paul name. Edited June 15, 2013 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 It's a cool idea, but redundant with today's technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314013' post='2112515'] The only thing that I can see wrong with that is that control plate. Who loaded the gun with switches and buttons and aimed it at that guitar? [/quote] Indeed. The angled pups, bridge and vestigial scratchplate are an acquired taste, IMO, but not a bad axe otherwise. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314013' post='2112515'] Actually I think you'll find that's it's an XLR input designed to take the signal from a goose-neck mounted microphone.[/quote] Wow! Didn't know that. Even [i]weirder[/i]. Can't imagine playing that item stood up with a mic smacking one's teeth out with every movement. A very 'personal' guitar indeed. Thanks for the image / explanation. Edited June 15, 2013 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1371314374' post='2112526'] Wow! Didn't know that. Even [i]weirder[/i]. Can't imagine playing that item stood up with a mic smacking one's teeth out with every movement. A very 'personal' guitar indeed. Thanks for the image / explanation. [/quote] I'm surprised you didn't know that, it seemed in the 70s pretty much every image of Les Paul with his guitar, showed one with the microphone attached. And IIRC the box mounted behind the Bigsby was for controlling the tape unit he used to create the multi-track guitar effect live. I don't know if it was just pre-recorded backing or if he was doing something with a tape version of todays loopers? I love the look of the Les Paul Recording - even the multitude of switches and other controls, but I image you'd never get those classic rock LP tones out of the Low Impedance pickups. Having said that Andy Ryder of Medium Medium used to get some pretty dirty sounds from his Les Paul Signature Hollowbody and a Roland JC120 which should have been the ultimate clean set up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314930' post='2112533'] I'm surprised you didn't know that, it seemed in the 70s pretty much every image of Les Paul with his guitar, showed one with the microphone attached. And IIRC the box mounted behind the Bigsby was for controlling the tape unit he used to create the multi-track guitar effect live. I don't know if it was just pre-recorded backing or if he was doing something with a tape version of todays loopers? I love the look of the Les Paul Recording - even the multitude of switches and other controls, but I image you'd never get those classic rock LP tones out of the Low Impedance pickups. Having said that Andy Ryder of Medium Medium used to get some pretty dirty sounds from his Les Paul Signature Hollowbody and a Roland JC120 which should have been the ultimate clean set up! [/quote] Well, I'd never really noticed the mike, tbh. The rest of the guitar was kind of occupying my attention Later on, I knew Mr Paul was into low-impedance and sort of assumed the xlr was another out. Thinking of the box behind the Bigsby, it's reminiscent of Mr Danny Gatton's home-made Magic Dingus box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBob09 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 (edited) In my most humble opinion, that neck pickup sounds utter gash. As well, I use the pickups as a thumb anchor, and believe a lot of tone comes from this too, and it's a place that I'm comfortable with my thumb being and I'm always used to it being there. If you're forever sliding the pickups up and down, you'll never be in a comfortable position. Want different tones for different things in the studio? Take two basses along. The idea behind it reminds me of the Line 6 Variax bass. You just have to look around to see how popular that is ... Edited June 15, 2013 by AndyBob09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1371314374' post='2112526'] Wow! Didn't know that. Even [i]weirder[/i]. Can't imagine playing that item stood up with a mic smacking one's teeth out with every movement. [/quote] Larry Graham plays with a mic attached to his bass. His slapping sound is simply the mic hitting his teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Because I haven't mentioned it yet - I also happen to think Guy Pratt is also a bit of a prat. What tipped the scale in that persuasion was when he posted something about gay marriage on Twitter, and I asked if he was pro or anti, and he decided the best response was "I'm offended to even be asked"... I thought "Pro" or "Anti" might have sufficed as a response, but nope, he had to be offended that I had asked, as if that makes any difference to me. I'm offended when people get offended that I ask them a simple question to clarify their position on the topic they just brought up, but I don't feel the need to announce every time I'm offended by something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 can we get back to slagging off this sh*tty bass please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371314930' post='2112533'] And IIRC the box mounted behind the Bigsby was for controlling the tape unit he used to create the multi-track guitar effect live. I don't know if it was just pre-recorded backing or if he was doing something with a tape version of todays loopers] [/quote] That's "The Les Paulveriser", and it was indeed used to help him build up live multitrack guitar parts from scratch on tape machines, exactly as loopers are used now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1371322874' post='2112633'] can we get back to slagging off this sh*tty bass please? [/quote] No! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Interesting. I was trying to figure out exactly how you could do that with only tape technology and did a couple of searches to see if anyone knew or had worked out how the Les Paulveriser worked. I found [url=http://www.loopersdelight.com/LDarchive/200211/msg00922.html]this post[/url] that seems to suggest that the looping portion of the device is actually fake and that he's just cueing up pre-recorded tapes. Have a look and listen to this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx1YW8SEygo When he "records" the first guitar part and then plays it back it sounds completely different, and then when he performs the whole piece, the backing suddenly becomes far more complex than any of the individual parts he was "laying down" beforehand. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371323988' post='2112650'] Interesting. I was trying to figure out exactly how you could do that with only tape technology and did a couple of searches to see if anyone knew or had worked out how the Les Paulveriser worked. I found [url="http://www.loopersdelight.com/LDarchive/200211/msg00922.html"]this post[/url] that seems to suggest that the looping portion of the device is actually fake and that he's just cueing up pre-recorded tapes. Have a look and listen to this clip: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx1YW8SEygo[/media] When he "records" the first guitar part and then plays it back it sounds completely different, and then when he performs the whole piece, the backing suddenly becomes far more complex than any of the individual parts he was "laying down" beforehand. What do you think? [/quote] I think loops do tend to sound completely different anyway. I think the loops he made were genuine, but after he made the loops, a totally different track plays, so he was just showing off in that clip that he had invented a loop box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I'm sure Guy Pratt being a proper working bassist has a bass of every kind for every occasion in collection. So what do you give to the bassist who has everything? Warwick gave him the opportunity to design a bass so he went for it. Who can blame him? It's not like he'll have paid for it. Do I like it? Yes, it's a great idea I reckon. Would I buy one if I could afford it? No, I'd give the money to a decent luthier to build MY signature bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1371331416' post='2112734'] I'm sure Guy Pratt being a proper working bassist has a bass of every kind for every occasion in collection. So what do you give to the bassist who has everything? Warwick gave him the opportunity to design a bass so he went for it. Who can blame him? It's not like he'll have paid for it. Do I like it? Yes, it's a great idea I reckon. Would I buy one if I could afford it? No, I'd give the money to a decent luthier to build MY signature bass. [/quote] What's your point then? It's good because Guy got something for free? He got his bass built? I like how it looks, and it's not a bad idea, really, and it sounds pretty good too, I just don't think that's what a signature bass should be about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 (edited) [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1371331825' post='2112742'] What's your point then? It's good because Guy got something for free? He got his bass built? I like how it looks, and it's not a bad idea, really, and it sounds pretty good too, I just don't think that's what a signature bass should be about. [/quote] Sorry there, my point is that yes with all the research and development that would have gone into his bass, Guy could have tried out many many different pickup positions and come up with a final fixed pickup model to be released to the public. But (and of course I'm assuming here) he probably has a large bass collection so he would have most things covered, so why make a bass that does what he already has? Anyway Guy Pratt is a known player that, in his work, is not known for playing a particular bass ( like Jaco or Roger Waters are for example..), he is rather a chameleon of bass as he is a session guy. Makes Perfect sense to build a chameleon of a bass for his signature when you think about it. Edited June 15, 2013 by miles'tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1371333736' post='2112771'] Sorry there, my point is that yes with all the research and development that would have gone into his bass, yes Guy could have tried out many many different pickup positions and come up with a final fixed pickup model to be released to the public. But (and of course I'm assuming here) he probably has a large bass collection so he would have most things covered, so why make a bass that does what he already has? Anyway Guy Pratt is a known player that, in his work, is not known for playing a particular bass ( like Jaco, Roger Waters for example..), he is rather a chameleon of bass as he is a session guy. Makes Perfect sense to build a chameleon of a bass for his signature when you think about it. [/quote] Well, I suppose the second part of your argument makes most sense. I'm too tired though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1371310114' post='2112452'] Of course there are rules in music... sonatas, movements, madrigals, ANY piece by Bach, three minute pop song, intro/verse/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/solo/verse/chorus/repeat and fade, root fourth fifth, first third fifth....bottom line is this is a piece of industrial design not a specific genre of music that deliberately avoids riules such as avante garde jazz. [/quote] There is no absolute decree that these rules MUST be adhered to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1371331416' post='2112734'] I'm sure Guy Pratt being a proper working bassist has a bass of every kind for every occasion in collection. So what do you give to the bassist who has everything? Warwick gave him the opportunity to design a bass so he went for it. Who can blame him? It's not like he'll have paid for it. Do I like it? Yes, it's a great idea I reckon. Would I buy one if I could afford it? [b]No, I'd give the money to a decent luthier to build MY signature bass.[/b] [/quote] That's a very good point. Why would anyone want to pay lots or dosh for someone else's idea of their ideal bass? People who haven't a clue what THEY want perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1371337006' post='2112804'] That's a very good point. Why would anyone want to pay lots or dosh for someone else's idea of their ideal bass? People who haven't a clue what THEY want perhaps? [/quote] Exactly the point I was getting at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 (edited) [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1371331825' post='2112742'] I like how it looks, and it's not a bad idea, really, and it sounds pretty good too, I just don't think that's what a signature bass should be about. [/quote] In that case I look forward to your signature bass when you become well known enough to have one. Surely the whole point it is [u][b]his[/b][/u] signature bass, and as such it's not for anyone else to tell him what it should be like. Edited June 15, 2013 by Count Bassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1371337219' post='2112808'] In that case I look forward to your signature bass when you become well known to have one. Surely the whole point it is [u][b]his[/b][/u] signature bass, and as such it's not for anyone else to tell him what it should be like. [/quote] Yes. End of melodrama! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Yeah! Shut up Milty, you dweeb. [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1371337219' post='2112808'] In that case I look forward to your signature bass when you become well known to have one. Surely the whole point it is [u][b]his[/b][/u] signature bass, and as such it's not for anyone else to tell him what it should be like. [/quote] This. /thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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