Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame

I know to what sound you're referring. I think it qualifies as an overtone...and it's not pleasing. The right pickup set at the right height through the right rig can help. For example, I'm never displeased with the sound of my P-90 Special through the neck pickup. On the other hand, I've played many a neck single (Strat-style) and thought, "Yuck". Good, I'm not going insane. Or, at least, this one aspect doesn't provide any additional evidence that I am. But, still, I think it is interesting that I don't mind it when listening to other people play (on YouTube or .mp3), but I can't stand it coming from my amp when I'm playing.

I would be indignant that Jack Blades of Night Ranger/Damn Yankees isn't on the list... ...except that from the videos I've seen, it looks like he doesn't actually play the bass much, just lets the synth handle the bass line while he's jumping around. (although the bass lines on the albums are usually very good). And no Kip Winger? For shame!

7-8 years ago I didn't like "classic/vintage" clean sounds. I associated them with 70s music and considered them cheesy. Now I kind of like it. Especially the neck-position single coil, and even more when it is overwound, like a P-90. 5 years ago I didn't like twang, and laughed at it. Now I want the twangiest guitar I can imagine, and my first question with any new guitar purchase is "what are the twang possibilities, and what is the twang like?" The only exception to that seems to be my Diablos. What does this mean? I think it means that I grew up/into 80s hard rock, where everything (even many solos) where a bridge position humbucker through a high-gain rig. To me, that's what a guitar sounds like. It took time and personal experience/experimentation to broaden my horizons.

Not sure why, but there are several sounds that I can't stand from MY rig that I have zero problems with when I hear in a song. One is the hiss you get from single coils in the neck/neck bridge position when you have it on a hot clean sound, or low distorted sound. It is like a distorted sound, but not distorted in a way I enjoy. It is more in the attack than in the held/decay sound, so it comes across almost like a muddling of the pick attack...it is difficult for me to put into words, but I don't like it. Yet when I hear someone else doing it, I have no problem with it, and can even like the tone they are getting. Another is the heavily distorted neck humbucker sound. I have no problems with it in all sorts of songs, from the heavy example of the melody/intro lead in the Guess Who's American Woman to the lighter example at the beginning of Sweet Child O' Mine. But when I try it on my rig at home, I just want to switch back to the middle or bridge position. I don't like it. No sir, I don't like it at all. ...makes me think I really like low-end dirty/heavy distortion and high-end light/clean distortion (because I like the sustain boost you get from distortion). Not sure that is advisable, or even possible, or even sane.

It's a nice guitar, btw. Much darker red than in the pictures...

Does that seem a little low to anyone else?

That's a good question for anyone/everyone.

My favorite is the Centaura, personally. I love swamp ash for guitar wood, and the Centaura is the only one you can get with that. It also balances well. My impression of Diablos are that they are perhaps the uber shredder: light, thin neck, really low action, and gets the best EVH sound in stock configuration. The first Chaparral version is short scale, so if you like short scale, that's the shredder for you. Plus the short-scale has the most flexible switching options. The Californian is the most inspirational: just plain sleek-looking...best color schemes, simple (HB in the bridge, single coil in the neck), extended range with the 27 frets. I've had 2 short-scale chaps...never really bonded with them. I had 2 red Diablos, regret selling them. I have a green one now that I tried to sell, until I finally realized I would regret it. I have a couple Californians, not my favorite players but are just so damn cool I can't let them go. And my favorite is a maple-boarded, swamp ash-bodied, tobacco burst Centaura. Hope that helps.

Feynman doesn't always say it best. Discuss.

there's just not much i can say about it. It is a PRS...one of the better ones that stands out among a rich history of great guitars. If there is something about or on tgis guitar that isnt perfect, it is beyond my ability to detect.

Thanks, Austin! The pictures were from when I decided to take some pictures at night, forgot to check my camera settings, and forgot to turn on the flash (it wasn't a setting with automatic flash pop-up). So they are a little dark...but I'll probably take more pictures at some point...

Hamerhead, thanks. With this statement of yours, this musing about what I might possibly muse about next, I have finally achieved the immortality I have sought. Finally, at long last: I'm so meta, even this acronym

That's a mite far for me...but I'm considering it!

Excellent guitar! You did well in your order way back then!

To be honest, I'm slightly less than enthused about the transparent black. Wish it was a lighter color. In my (limited) experience, transparent black is usually only noticeable when you use a flash, and is usually too subtle to look as stunning in person. I hope to be disabused of that notion soon. But even if not, the tone, the neck, the birds...I'm confident it is worth more than Austin was asking for it.

Well, I'm down to my last Alvarez. Still think they are good deals, and some are completely unique, like the Scoops. Mine is just a Dana Custom (which is the Alvarez version of a Triple Coil), but it plays so nice, it is hard to consider selling. But it slowly falling behind the power curve in tone, so that line may be out of my sig block soon. Heck, I have 3 Deans, and still haven't added that line. Still, I agree: the acquisition of a PRS may well be a seismic event in my ownership...

I saved you.

I'm not.

You could always just increase by one the number of guitars you allow yourself to have. Just spend, don't analyze. You're in no danger of turning into Nathan. I am wounded! ...or flattered. I'm not completely sure. No, wait: wounded.

I like Night Ranger, but there are 3 significant things wrong with that video: 1) Brad Gillis with a black Les Paul?!? It should at least be red w/ a black pickguard or have some red accents or something...all kinds of wrong with him playing that 2) Kelly Keagy looks scared of his drums half the time 3) Jack Blades inadvertently revealing why they need a keyboardist: to cover the bass lines when Jack is too busy gesticulating to actually play the bass.

I ran across this while searching for hockey stick headstocks for my other thread. Beautiful Hamer Standard, Chris! Still have it?

if "cheesy" means "TOTALLY AWESOME", then I agree! Okay, on a more serious note, I know Night Ranger is cheesy. I like them anyway. They (and Giant) have remained in my music rotation when the songs of other cheesy bands like Dokken and Ratt have just worn thin over time.

That phrase highlights exactly what is what is wrong with society today.

Also, if I may return to the title itself a moment, I think you are selling yourself short. I think you are fully capable of coming up with even stoopider questions in the future.

Ebony burst and green board.