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Post by stromer on Mar 23, 2020 14:02:52 GMT
Hello everybody! I would like to try a Les Paul-style guitar (after many years with my Ibanez RG 370dx), I play in an alternative (light) rock band (no metal and no hard-rock).
Some of the differences:
SC-550 Paradise Amber Flame: plastic nut; Roswell HAF pickup; '60s neck profile
SC-550 Black Cherry Flame: bone nut; Roswell LAF pickup; '60s neck profile
SC CUSTOM Ocean Flame: Nut Graphite IV ; machine heads Grover; neck C profile; heavier than SC-550; split-coil (the last one is not essential to me)
Some questions:
1) For an easier switch from the scale and neck of an Ibanez RG, which neck between '60's' and 'C' is better? Or you can get used to both in the same way?
2) What's the difference in sound between HAF and LAF pickup (HAF are sharper, but are they similar to Gibson creamy sound)?
3) The other guitarist in my band plays a Fender Mexican Stratocaster, and there is a bass man, a drummer, a singer. Between Roswell HAF and LAF pickups, which ones are better to cut through the mix (because they are perceived as muddy pickups)?
4) In your opinion, and experience, which one would you choose between those 3 guitars?
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Mar 23, 2020 14:38:05 GMT
I'm not sure how much difference there is between the "60s" and C neck profiles. Hopefully someone who has had both can chime in. Maybe the 60s is thinner. The C profile on my SC-450 Plus is 21.7 mm at 1st fret and 23.7 mm at 12th (without fret height). Your Ibanez RG should be some 19 and 21. Getting used to neck profiles is a very personal matter. I get used to anything in no time when others have very strong and precise preferences. I think it partly depends how you play. The body shape and to a lesser extent the shorter scale are more important adjustments. The Roswell HAF can also be heard on the Fusion or CST models (those without covers), also on the TE-40 TBK. Check out a few videos. I don't think "creamy" will apply but that can be helped with EQ and strings. In doubt, just get some 11 flatwound to be safe
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 23, 2020 16:17:43 GMT
I have an SC 55O tobacco flame it has a bone nut, LAF Pups, deluxe tuners.
The LAF are supposedly Roswell's version of a Gibson PAF pick up. It's also claimed as vintage voiced? I can't speak about the HAF pups as I have no experience of them.
The bone nut is good but I prefer bone nuts. Having said that my SC 450 has plastic nut that up until now is perfectly fine. I will probably change it when it wears (from bending) on the unwound strings.
The deluxe tuners are copies of Kluson vintage style tuners and so far are good as gold. Maybe not as good as Grover's but adequate.
The neck profile on my SC 550 is slimmer/thinner than that on my SC 450. But neither are of baseball bat proportions. I have 2 Squier strats with maple neck/fingerboards these are the most thin necks of any guitar I have. But to be honest I don't find any difficulties with any of them. Tbh necks vary even on the same models, I've yet to find one that I can't get on with. My tele is the thickest.
The scale length I think it does not make any great effect on playing. I swap between Fender and Gibson scale lengths with no problem.
The SC Custom has a thinner body than traditional LP's it also has a belly cut like a strat. I haven't owned or played one so I can't really comment on them. The thinner body and belly cut would put me off but I like LP's that are heavy and bulky that's just my preference.
I'd choose the black cherry but that's with my personal bias. It's a shame you don't know someone with either and could try them out. I don't know where you are but if there are any guitar shops near you, try out Epiphone or Vintage branded LP's they are probably the closest to a HB.
Good luck 👍
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Post by stromer on Mar 23, 2020 18:09:30 GMT
I have an SC 55O tobacco flame it has a bone nut, LAF Pups, deluxe tuners. The LAF are supposedly Roswell's version of a Gibson PAF pick up. It's also claimed as vintage voiced? I can't speak about the HAF pups as I have no experience of them. The bone nut is good but I prefer bone nuts. Having said that my SC 450 has plastic nut that up until now is perfectly fine. I will probably change it when it wears (from bending) on the unwound strings. The deluxe tuners are copies of Kluson vintage style tuners and so far are good as gold. Maybe not as good as Grover's but adequate. The neck profile on my SC 550 is slimmer/thinner than that on my SC 450. But neither are of baseball bat proportions. I have 2 Squier strats with maple neck/fingerboards these are the most thin necks of any guitar I have. But to be honest I don't find any difficulties with any of them. Tbh necks vary even on the same models, I've yet to find one that I can't get on with. My tele is the thickest. The scale length I think it does not make any great effect on playing. I swap between Fender and Gibson scale lengths with no problem. The SC Custom has a thinner body than traditional LP's it also has a belly cut like a strat. I haven't owned or played one so I can't really comment on them. The thinner body and belly cut would put me off but I like LP's that are heavy and bulky that's just my preference. I'd choose the black cherry but that's with my personal bias. It's a shame you don't know someone with either and could try them out. I don't know where you are but if there are any guitar shops near you, try out Epiphone or Vintage branded LP's they are probably the closest to a HB. Good luck 👍 I live in Tuscany near Florence, and this period is not possible to try out instruments because of the quarantine! Thank for your experience! Do you play live or reharsal with the SC-550? With other guitarists and musicians, are you able to cut through the mix using Roswell LAF pickups, or their 'muddy' sound creates some difficulties?
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 23, 2020 18:25:03 GMT
I don't play live, I often jam with a group of friends without problems but it's not like a live band situation.
If you have not played an LP especially with the traditional two vol two tone and three way switch set up. You may be surprised how versatile they can be but you would need time to get used tone/vol set up. You can get almost clean strat like tones. A lot of people play with the two tones and vols fully open then reduce volume and it goes to mud. If you learn how the two volume controls are linked and find tone settings to suit you, you can avoid the mud. There is a video about this in another thread if I can find it I'll post a link.
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 23, 2020 18:29:16 GMT
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 23, 2020 18:42:44 GMT
Stay well stromer I hope the virus recedes soon and your situation there improves very soon.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2020 20:41:11 GMT
Hello everybody! I would like to try a Les Paul-style guitar (after many years with my Ibanez RG 370dx), I play in an alternative (light) rock band (no metal and no hard-rock). Hey, why not try a Les Paul with P90 pickups (=singlecoils)? That would be a great fit to the genre you're playing, and there's no mud. P90 pups sound very nice in indierock! www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_sc_450_p90_gt_classic_series.htm
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Post by stromer on Mar 24, 2020 9:14:21 GMT
Stay well stromer I hope the virus recedes soon and your situation there improves very soon. Thanks for the useful suggestions and for the message of hope! Stay well!
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 24, 2020 9:15:30 GMT
Now your talking @coldwar1977 P90's are my favourite. 😍 I have the 450 GT P90. ❤️
The only negative are P90's are single coils so more susceptible to hum/noise than humbuckers as you know. For live performances this may be a problem depending on the venues being played. There are ways to reduce this obviously but that's another ball game.
I'd go for an LP with P90's everytime personally. 👍
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Post by stromer on Mar 24, 2020 9:19:24 GMT
Hello everybody! I would like to try a Les Paul-style guitar (after many years with my Ibanez RG 370dx), I play in an alternative (light) rock band (no metal and no hard-rock). Hey, why not try a Les Paul with P90 pickups (=singlecoils)? That would be a great fit to the genre you're playing, and there's no mud. P90 pups sound very nice in indierock! www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_sc_450_p90_gt_classic_series.htmThanks for the suggestions! Seems an interesting guitar, anyway reading the reviews there are users who have written about various issues, and maybe a sound more 'Telecaster-y' than 'Les Paul-y'?
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 24, 2020 10:59:02 GMT
Definitely not telecaster stromer the 1st incarnations of LP's had P90's. I never know the correct terms to use when describing a gutar/pickup sound. In my honest opinion an LP with P90's sounds nothing like a tele.
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1,773 posts
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Post by MartinB on Mar 24, 2020 11:00:51 GMT
Definitely not telecaster stromer the 1st incarnations of LP's had P90's. I never know the correct terms to use when describing a gutar/pickup sound. In my honest opinion an LP with P90's sounds nothing like a tele. You aren't the only one BW3F, a lot of the terms I know people use are subjective, but there did seem to be a common ground in terms some used.
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Mar 24, 2020 11:17:27 GMT
I try to avoid it MartinB as invariably use the wrong one. 😜 I would describe a standard tele as twangy but no doubt with EQ or effects you can change that. I see/hear people describe P90's fat, the poor old humbucker gets labelled mud, muddy or muddier! 😎
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1,773 posts
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Post by MartinB on Mar 24, 2020 11:21:55 GMT
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, never had a "Muddy" humbucker, and I've played plenty of different types of single coil pickups to compare them to.
I've never played a Tele neck but I would say the bridge pickup is "honky" it's bright and aggressive. I can see that twangy is also applicable. But it's all subjective and there are no agreed upon terms between guitarists!
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