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Post by justlearnin on Nov 19, 2022 3:58:00 GMT
The thing is, that our music heroes often started with guitars we would now consider (without the historic value) a thrash (e.g. Les Paul - The Log) and their playing and music made the sound of the instruments famous, not the other way around. They loved the music and creating and anything could become an instrument...
An excellent point, that gets forgotten or lost on Cork Sniffin' / Wine Tastin' / Kool Aid Drinkin' manufacturer sites ( Hey I have a pitcher of PRS Kool Aid in the 'fridge) site and blogs. Most of the "old guard" as kids , could not afford $3000 guitars, (except maybe Clapton, ass I understand his family was of means) but its the TALENT standing behind the guitars , that created the magic... not the "wood library" or $500 pickups that account for the magic...
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Post by justlearnin on Nov 19, 2022 18:01:51 GMT
I'm not sure what the obsession is with caramelized necks. I come across luthiers who hate working with it as it is hard and brittle. I also have a mate who got one, didn't like the sound, put pickups into it from his Vintera that he had previously liked, still disliked it and sold it on (taking those Vinteras off again of course! ) stating, "Never again". I'm no tone obsessive though so I may not have been able to notice a difference... Well, from my own albeit limited experience, I dig the roasted or caramelized neck, ... because of its "stability" They do look great. And with the satin finishes on the back (even the Sire neck, which looks super shiny on the fret side) ... is satin on the back side, and smooth as anything ... Even on the HB TE 52 neck ,the frets are very well finished and the fretboard edges although not claimed, seem almost "rolled" ... It was a bad experience I had on a 2018 vintage Fender American Professional guitar, ($1.500 US) with a rosewood fretboard that got me desiring fretboard "stability" I live in a part of the world, where in Summer, it gets 90 degrees F and 90% humidity (which does not bother the fretboards too much, I exhort them to get "fatter" and absorb that humidity !) But as I type this, it is 20 degrees F, cold & dry ... and the rosewood on more recent production (my 1995 Fender Strat w/ rosewood never did this) tends to contract. They are less "stable" as they contain moisture and react to humidity changes. I came to know of the malady known as "fret sprout", as the metal frets are static... but the "precious" rosewood (not being aged or cured due to demand & scarceness ?) that surrounds them , is not ! It contracts, and fret ends get much more noticeable ! Roasting or Caramelizing, removes moisture from the wood, that makes it less reactive to changes in humidity. Kinda like putting nitrogen on your car tires as opposed to compressed air. The nitrogen is inert, and does not react as much to changes in temperature.. As for effect on tone ? I think your friend was hearing what he wanted to (or was told) to believe. If maple was desired for its "hardness and brightness" in Teles originally, I don't see how perhaps making it "harder" ... would be a bad thing. Besides all my guitars with roasted necks ... sound great ! Listen at the YouTube videos ... or try one yourself. I had to buy a StewMac fret file, to live with my $1,500 Fender ...
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DefJef
THBC Moderator
Due to musical differences I've decided I can't work with myself any more.
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Post by DefJef on Nov 20, 2022 10:44:26 GMT
Nice to hear your positive experiences with it justlearnin. I don't think I'd necessarily seek it out but wouldn't avoid it either. I do worry a little about that brittle hardness though if luthiers are finding refrets a little stressful. But I have to remind myself that a refret ought to be a l-o-o-ng way down the line anyway and at such a point, should it (or I) reach it, then it might make more sense to take advantage of Leo Fender's modular concept and simply replace the neck! I must try one as you say and see what I make of that neck feel. I tend not pick many guitars and not get on with the way they feel unless they are imbalanced or have skinny necks.
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Post by justlearnin on Nov 21, 2022 0:52:22 GMT
Nice to hear your positive experiences with it justlearnin . I don't think I'd necessarily seek it out but wouldn't avoid it either. I do worry a little about that brittle hardness though if luthiers are finding refrets a little stressful. But I have to remind myself that a refret ought to be a l-o-o-ng way down the line anyway and at such a point, should it (or I) reach it, then it might make more sense to take advantage of Leo Fender's modular concept and simply replace the neck! I must try one as you say and see what I make of that neck feel. I tend not pick many guitars and not get on with the way they feel unless they are imbalanced or have skinny necks. OR ... Cop a Fusion model , with the roasty/ toasty neck, and Stainless Steel Frets !
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