Unpopular opinions on gear

[Matt08642]

EMG 81 is still the best at what it does in every way compared to Fishmans and SD Blackouts based on everything I've heard. Drop tuning, chugs, tight stuff, 81 is god tier. Speaking in the active pickup realm, of course.

 

[lewis]

EMG 81 is still the best at what it does in every way compared to Fishmans and SD Blackouts based on everything I've heard. Drop tuning, chugs, tight stuff, 81 is god tier. Speaking in the active pickup realm, of course.

The most accurate opinion Ive read regarding modern/Metal Pickups

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Boss pedals are criminally underrated. Things like the SD1 is still one of the most awesome and appropriate sounding OD/Boosts on the market for High Gain and to make things better, one of the cheapest too.

The SD-1 is a pretty kick ass pedal.

Opinion 3: BluGuitar has really stumbled upon something genuinely mind blowing with their Amp1 products and thats just the start - how most people havent gone mad for them is crazy to me. Everything about them is incredible. They still seem fairly small and underrated.

$700 for a floor amp with plastic shaft pots and goofy little plastic buttons to switch channels is a bit absurd.

opinion 4: Taking "cheap" production or kit guitars and investing good money into better hardware/electronics is fine and enjoyable, despite what people online will tell you. "just save your money and buy a £2k guitar instead dude" is often the response I see when people want to upgrade old or cheap guitars instead. Its Nonsense tbh.

I see "get a better guitar" as a reasonable response if they haven't bought it already and want to buy it with that in mind. However, if they already have it and have owned it for a long time, and then want to improve it with name brand bridge, tuners, pickups, etc., then go for it.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

- Headless guitars look hideous

This is a popular opinion. I said UNpopular.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

EMG 81 is still the best at what it does in every way compared to Fishmans and SD Blackouts based on everything I've heard. Drop tuning, chugs, tight stuff, 81 is god tier. Speaking in the active pickup realm, of course.

I prefer the 85, and possibly the regular Blackouts, though I've never used them (but I think they are more "thick" sounding).

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

- Evertunes are ugly as sin.
- You don't need to spend 400$ on a delay.

Yep. And I spent like $300, but in all fairness, it has two delay engines AND a reverb.

 

[Emperoff]

This is a popular opinion. I said UNpopular.

Not on this board!

EMG 81 is still the best at what it does in every way compared to Fishmans and SD Blackouts based on everything I've heard. Drop tuning, chugs, tight stuff, 81 is god tier. Speaking in the active pickup realm, of course.

This is not an unpopular opinion at all, rather the opposite. Everyone aknowledges that the EMG81 is unbeatable at its thing. Most people just want "something more" out of their pickups and there comes the Fishmans and the fantastic EMG 57/66 set. But if you want your guitar to do only *that* thing, nothing does it best.

I have passives in all my guitars, but one still has the EMGs. It sounds absolutely monstruous in drop A.

 

[akinari]

that and old Hiwatts

Right?! I still can't get over that the bulk of their distorted tones came from old distortion pedals. They just sound too big and full, like recto/wall of sound type huge.

I know Matt always used Orange cabs. Can't remember what Tim used.

http://playgroundstudio.com/studio-secrets/hum-guitar-sounds/

Tim also used an Ibanez Powerlead distortion

 

[Rex]

- Agree with the 707, I think it's a great pickup, sounds amazing in my Jackson COW with all my amps and now with my ampless setup. Same with the EMG 81.
- I don't understand how a pickup can cost more than a new low to medium level guitar or more than a medium level second hand guitar. All our favourites albums were recorded with EMG 81, SD JB and simlars and metal never sounded better.
- My EHX Magnum sounds amazing and loud, no complaints.
- I'm ok with behringer , never had problems in terms of sound and reliability with their pedals and cabs.
- Love my old LTD M107, with a pickup upgrade it's a sweet sounding , comfortable and solid guitar.

 

[viifox]

http://playgroundstudio.com/studio-secrets/hum-guitar-sounds/

Tim also used an Ibanez Powerlead distortion

Great article! I came across it a few years ago and still read it occasionally.

 

[ATRguitar91]

Nah, AMT's knocking it out the park, the ISP Theta kicks ass, and Crate supposedly has a killer sounding rackmount preamp.

I've been wanting to try a Carvin SX15. I've heard the Carvin SS amps are good. I never really liked their tube amps to be honest.

Really are a lot of killer preamps out there: Theta, Tight Metal, Megalith Delta, SNK VHD, Empress Heavy.

I tried the P1 years ago and really wasn't impressed, feel like I should give AMT another chance.

 

[Necky379]

I turn down the mid knob on my amps and I think they sound better that way.

 

[broj15]

*takes deep breath*

- Modellers will always be chasing tube amps.
- Solid state isn't always synonymous with bad.
- Lo Pro edge > original edge >>>>> OFR.
-The guitar market is severely over saturated.
- clip on tuners are for bedroom warriors & amateurs. If I see someone using one at a show I probably won't take them seriously.
- there's no such thing as too loud.
- anything more than an 8 string is excessive.
- obsessing over tone is usually overcompensation for a lack of skill.
- triggered/sampled drums are trash & made me hate modern death metal.
- TOM style bridges suck.
- thick baseball bat necks suck.
- schecter makes guitars for spec sheet queens.
- clean blend/mix knobs should be standard on
literally every dirt pedal.
- I don't like tube screamers.
- insanely high output pickups sound bad.
- a vintage amp pushed to it's limit sounds better than a modern voiced "metal" amp.
- if fender and Gibson can't come up with any new ideas then they should both just quit.
- burl tops look like a horror show from a gas station toilet.
- you don't need fanned frets. You need to practice.
- clean amp + a GOOD dirt pedal > amp gain

That's all I've got for now, but I'm sure I'll think of more.

Disclaimer: these are hot takes and meant to be inflammatory.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I had a Floyd once, and I'm sure there are ways to mitigate all of the things I had an issue with, but I currently prefer the low maintenance of a tuneomatic bridge.

 

[broj15]

I had a Floyd once, and I'm sure there are ways to mitigate all of the things I had an issue with, but I currently prefer the low maintenance of a tuneomatic bridge.

I think my issues with TOM's are the feel of the saddles on my hand when palm muting, and (at least on Gibsons) the tailpiece always feels waaaaay to close to the bridge itself & It always feels very in the way.

 

[mongey]

If you think a 3 channel , non MW recto sounds crap, then you are crap at amps

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I think my issues with TOM's are the feel of the saddles on my hand when palm muting, and (at least on Gibsons) the tailpiece always feels waaaaay to close to the bridge itself & It always feels very in the way.

I've never had that issue, but perhaps it is a matter of being used to it. I barely feel the saddles. Mine are string thru body setups, so that isn't an issue.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

If you think a 3 channel , non MW recto sounds crap, then you are crap at amps

I think a Recto sounds like crap because it seems to be the exact opposite of what I want tone wise.

 

[efiltsohg]

*takes deep breath*

- Modellers will always be chasing tube amps.
- Solid state isn't always synonymous with bad.
- Lo Pro edge > original edge >>>>> OFR.
-The guitar market is severely over saturated.
- clip on tuners are for bedroom warriors & amateurs. If I see someone using one at a show I probably won't take them seriously.
- there's no such thing as too loud.
- anything more than an 8 string is excessive.
- obsessing over tone is usually overcompensation for a lack of skill.
- triggered/sampled drums are trash & made me hate modern death metal.
- TOM style bridges suck.
- thick baseball bat necks suck.
- schecter makes guitars for spec sheet queens.
- clean blend/mix knobs should be standard on
literally every dirt pedal.
- I don't like tube screamers.
- insanely high output pickups sound bad.
- a vintage amp pushed to it's limit sounds better than a modern voiced "metal" amp.
- if fender and Gibson can't come up with any new ideas then they should both just quit.
- burl tops look like a horror show from a gas station toilet.
- you don't need fanned frets. You need to practice.
- clean amp + a GOOD dirt pedal > amp gain

That's all I've got for now, but I'm sure I'll think of more.

Disclaimer: these are hot takes and meant to be inflammatory.

agree with most of these (I like TOMs, fat necks, and tube screamers)

 

[broj15]

I've never had that issue, but perhaps it is a matter of being used to it. I barely feel the saddles. Mine are string thru body setups, so that isn't an issue.

I can get by with a TOM if it's string through, and I had an old ibby sf420 that i upgraded with a hipshot baby grand bridge from the stock wraparound and I liked the feel of that quite a bit. I just don't see why so many manufacturers put the tailpiece that close to the bridge. I feel like the bony part of my wrist is always bumping into it. But my first guitar (and only for the first ~5 years of playing) was a strat so I just got accustomed to flat mount hard tail bridges.