Guitar and amps

[atlas2 4,329]

Thanks to the discovery of the plethora of online lessons around .....Youtube etc......And with 'retirement time' on my hands........ my guitar playing libido has re-awoken. It's, 'the other' thing I do behind closed doors that brings me satisfaction.

 

I have a classical guitar, a Martin, and a handmade acoustic, but I know nothing about electric guitars and amps.

 

I want to buy a goodish electric guitar..say an Epiphone........and a small amp with a play-along facility so that I can create and play along with my own backing tracks.

 

Are there are any experts out there who can advise me where the ...........

 

best music shops are............I know the good one on Sukumvite opposite Teprasit............but would like to know if there are any others hidden around town.

 

How good the cheaper end of the guitar market is and any recommendations.

 

and most important......I think...... does anyone have experience with small amps.

 

thanks

Edited March 25, 2011 by atlas2

[samfreeland 64]

try MM he might ask the band at the FLB for you. or DaveThailand The Blues Factory may know some band members that can put you on to music shops or gats & amps for private sale.

Edited March 29, 2011 by samfreeland

[The Gunslinger 3]

Thanks to the discovery of the plethora of online lessons around .....Youtube etc......And with 'retirement time' on my hands........ my guitar playing libido has re-awoken. It's, 'the other' thing I do behind closed doors that brings me satisfaction.

 

I have a classical guitar, a Martin, and a handmade acoustic, but I know nothing about electric guitars and amps.

 

I want to buy a goodish electric guitar..say an Epiphone........and a small amp with a play-along facility so that I can create and play along with my own backing tracks.

 

Are there are any experts out there who can advise me where the ...........

 

best music shops are............I know the good one on Sukumvite opposite Teprasit............but would like to know if there are any others hidden around town.

 

How good the cheaper end of the guitar market is and any recommendations.

 

and most important......I think...... does anyone have experience with small amps.

 

thanks

I`d be interested to hear the answer to this one as well, loads of places in Bangkok of course.

[atlas2 4,329]

I've looked into a company called, spookily enough 'ATLAS', guitars handmade in Thailand. I will be comparing to Fender Squire, Epiphone and Mexican Fenders.

 

Let you know.

[samfreeland 64]

I've looked into a company called, spookily enough 'ATLAS', guitars handmade in Thailand. I will be comparing to Fender Squire, Epiphone and Mexican Fenders.

 

Let you know.

my old skipper was a folk singer he had a twelve string fender and a six string fender both semi acoustic they have a steel bar through the middle of them great guitars made of wood. some times when we had power access he would get the amp and wawa peddle out for a bit of fun.

[Obsession 571]

Buy a pocket pod ( mini line 6 pod) and use headphones or maybe through a stereo.

[atlas2 4,329]

To follow up.

 

After trying a few Epiphone Les Pauls and SGs, Fender Squires,Mexican Fenders,Real Fenders.........Plus a number of cheapos........... I came across an Atlas Elegant. These are handmade in Thailand and are of good quality,both in looks... Les Paul copy...... and sound. The guitar,fender amp lead and headphones cost me 17,500 baht. I've been blasting out Kashmir in 'DADGAD' tuning ever since.

[Ergodyne 19]

To follow up.

 

After trying a few Epiphone Les Pauls and SGs, Fender Squires,Mexican Fenders,Real Fenders.........Plus a number of cheapos........... I came across an Atlas Elegant. These are handmade in Thailand and are of good quality,both in looks... Les Paul copy...... and sound. The guitar,fender amp lead and headphones cost me 17,500 baht. I've been blasting out Kashmir in 'DADGAD' tuning ever since.

 

 

Great track :-

"Oh let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dream

I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been

To sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen

They talk of days for which they sit and wait and all will be revealed"

[Obsession 571]

I've been blasting out Kashmir in 'DADGAD' tuning ever since.

 

I can never be bothered retuning different tunings, except drop d for some country fingerpickin stuff as it's obviously so quick to do. Would like a guitar for each tuning though! What acoustic style do you play?

Anyway glad to hear BMs can just borrow your guitar rather than rent one! Let me know if you want anything brought over from the UK. Like strings , bottlenecks , tuners etc or even lightish pedals.

[atlas2 4,329]

Thanks for the offer.

 

I'm rubbish....not being modest here......been playing since I was 13 and still extremely limited. But enjoy it.

 

Play a little bit of everything, share finger-picking-styles and birth date with Paul Simon..........He 'picked' his up and nicked some song arrangements at Cecil Sharp House in Camden where I had lessons in the 60s

 

Play bottle neck in open E.....badly.....Bought, and still have the same bottle neck on the day the white Album came out.

 

Dropped D for a few.........also badly.

 

I do a pretty good 'Blackbird' though. Good as Paul's anyway.

 

On my new Atlas guitar I try to doodle blues licks like a Peter Green but sound like Green Peter. I'm currently messing with 'Stormy Monday,' a jazzy 'Georgia'.......and 'Kashmir' Headphones obligatory.

 

Play Uke........enjoy that, don't feel so inhibited..........More for fun that posing in the kitchen at parties on guitar.

 

 

.............now I was thinking of buying some bag-pipes.......I hear Pakistan make the best ones these days.....Obbsey.

 

I'll pm Gawd Elpus see if he can pick some up for me when he's next over there radicalising Muslims.

[Tom Kagai 0]

Atlas, irrespective of how well you play now, if you have the dosh to spare, a Fender or Gibson are excellent, even from an entry-level one. You have a Martin, so you'll know what I mean. The Music Shop up by Tesco Lotus, across the road and North a bit, is okay and keeps the quality guitars in a separate enclosure. Watch them on price though, so do your homework. I've priced up a few effects etc., and it's always worth a trip into Bkk to get exactly what I want at a better price.

 

They have a good range of amps too, but the same rules apply. I live in a Condo, but wanted the valve 'creaminess', so didn't know which way to turn BUT, I happened across a little Black Star 1 Watt valve combo that is just awesome and very cheap. Again, had to go to Bkk to get it but it was well worth it. The amp has an input for MP3 and a headphone/D.I. out that converts the onboard reverb to stereo. I have never owned a sweeter sounding amp.

 

The shop I use is in Central World, which had a lot of fire damage, but the shop wasn't affected.

 

Good luck!

(p.s. Pods & transistor amps are okay, but they miss something that you feel, but don't hear, when you play in my opinion; no natural overtones).

[Obsession 571]

Thanks for the offer.

 

I'm rubbish....not being modest here......been playing since I was 13 and still extremely limited. But enjoy it.

 

Play a little bit of everything, share finger-picking-styles and birth date with Paul Simon..........He 'picked' his up and nicked some song arrangements at Cecil Sharp House in Camden where I had lessons in the 60s

 

Play bottle neck in open E.....badly.....Bought, and still have the same bottle neck on the day the white Album came out.

 

Dropped D for a few.........also badly.

 

I do a pretty good 'Blackbird' though. Good as Paul's anyway.

 

On my new Atlas guitar I try to doodle blues licks like a Peter Green but sound like Green Peter. I'm currently messing with 'Stormy Monday,' a jazzy 'Georgia'.......and 'Kashmir' Headphones obligatory.

 

Play Uke........enjoy that, don't feel so inhibited..........More for fun that posing in the kitchen at parties on guitar.

 

 

.............now I was thinking of buying some bag-pipes.......I hear Pakistan make the best ones these days.....Obbsey.

 

I'll pm Gawd Elpus see if he can pick some up for me when he's next over there radicalising Muslims.

 

Pakistani's better than Scots at anything!!!! You should have concentrated more on comedy than music

Did you get a refund from Cyril Flat? ( a little music joke!!!!! ) Sounds like he favoured Paul Simon!

 

How did you get the Martin to los? In the luggage hold or overhead storage? I was considering a Baby Taylor for taking abroad.

[atlas2 4,329]

I 'think'...........Lad if you have a soft case they let you bring it on board with you. I had a hard case and it went in the hold. I felt like I had to watch over it, as it was just dumped by a door on a trolley in the departure lounge for about an hour..... In a Martin case screaming 'steal me'

 

Got here ok though. I'm taking it to Aus in Dec' to give my son for his 13th.

[Obsession 571]

I 'think'...........Lad if you have a soft case they let you bring it on board with you. I had a hard case and it went in the hold. I felt like I had to watch over it, as it was just dumped by a door on a trolley in the departure lounge for about an hour..... In a Martin case screaming 'steal me'

 

Got here ok though. I'm taking it to Aus in Dec' to give my son for his 13th.

 

A bird got a £1.2 million Stradivarious stolen in the UK. It was on crimewatch. I don't understand how she could have let it out her sight in a train station Three guys got caught for it and one got 3 years jail. They didn't get the violin back.

 

I had heard that the hold was bad for instruments because of the extremely low temps. Probably wrong.

[adventurer 0]

@Tom Kagai: the BlackStar amp you talked about sounds good (pun intended 8-)) -

about how much did you pay for it and did you buy it in Central World as well?

Where was this shop? Really want to get myself a nice little amp for exercising.

 

thanks,

Rob

[atlas2 4,329]

 

 

I had heard that the hold was bad for instruments because of the extremely low temps. Probably wrong.

 

You have to loosen the strings of course.........but no problems I can report. All these bands that tour the world seem to do all right.

 

If you put it in a soft case I think you can take it into the cabin with you. If you're worried check first and do that.

 

By the way,

 

I was in the same shop on Suk opposite Trepasit Rd and couldn't believe the number of Ukeleles for sale....and being snapped up too. Saw 3 sold while I was there buying an electric tuner .

[Obsession 571]

 

 

By the way,

 

I was in the same shop on Suk opposite Trepasit Rd and couldn't believe the number of Ukeleles for sale....and being snapped up too. Saw 3 sold while I was there buying an electric tuner .

 

Do they have3 whammy bars on the ukeleles

 

Have you seen garageband the recording software on ipads? Unbelievable. Pricey though, at £3!

[Tom Kagai 0]

The iPad stuff is great. Eight track recording is well handy for practicing etc., BUT I had trouble finding the guitar input adaptor (iRig) here in Thailand. Had to get a mate to bring it over on his subsequent trip after picking it up on Amazon.

 

I bought the best amp I've ever owned, a Blackstar combo, from a shop in Centralworld Bangkok. I did the transfer via ATM and they shipped it to my condo the very next day for an extra 300 Baht. Did all the leg work online, plus I knew that Blackstar would give me the sound that I wanted and had a headphone connector (plus a really good onboard reverb). If I wanted a guitar though, I'd jump on the bus and test drive it 'cause we all have different needs. There are even good Fenders and bad Fenders.

 

The shop is here:

My link

 

By the way, for online tuition vids., have you found Andrew Wasson yet? He's a bit of a guru.

[atlas2 4,329]

The iPad stuff is great. Eight track recording is well handy for practicing etc., BUT I had trouble finding the guitar input adaptor (iRig) here in Thailand. Had to get a mate to bring it over on his subsequent trip after picking it up on Amazon.

 

I bought the best amp I've ever owned, a Blackstar combo, from a shop in Centralworld Bangkok. I did the transfer via ATM and they shipped it to my condo the very next day for an extra 300 Baht. Did all the leg work online, plus I knew that Blackstar would give me the sound that I wanted and had a headphone connector (plus a really good onboard reverb). If I wanted a guitar though, I'd jump on the bus and test drive it 'cause we all have different needs. There are even good Fenders and bad Fenders.

 

The shop is here:

 

 

By the way, for online tuition vids., have you found Andrew Wasson yet? He's a bit of a guru.

 

As for online tuition and Youtube......lately I've learned to play, 'Can't Find My way Home' (Very apt) and 'Dear Prudence' both in dropped 'D' tunning. 'Kashmir' in DADGAD. Stormy Monday and about a doz other songs I've always wanted to pick up. Infact anything I want I can find. Currently playing 'Wandering' by James Taylor lovely song.

 

I will certainly check out Andrew Wasson. Yesterday I was looking up how to play 'Martha My Dear' on the piano and came across some guy called 'trebleclef' ;playing this very tricky song brilliantly on guitar. All his stuff was brilliant...His beard comes and goes throughout his uploads..... but hey!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2011 by atlas2

[Tom Kagai 0]

Atlas, the App to get for your iPad is Amplitube. You can buy a skeletal version first and then add effects and an 8 track + mastering suite to it for peanuts. It's great mate.

[Obsession 571]

I've been using LickLibrary dvds for lead stuff and homespun tapes for fingerpickin stuff. Saves ages than trying to work out the songs yourself. I used to have an old record deck that you could slow down to 16rpm, and use it to work out solos lol. Todays guitarists don't know they are born!

[skautroll 0]

To follow up.

 

After trying a few Epiphone Les Pauls and SGs, Fender Squires,Mexican Fenders,Real Fenders.........Plus a number of cheapos........... I came across an Atlas Elegant. These are handmade in Thailand and are of good quality,both in looks... Les Paul copy...... and sound. The guitar,fender amp lead and headphones cost me 17,500 baht. I've been blasting out Kashmir in 'DADGAD' tuning ever since.

 

Hi, sorry for bumping an old post but;

 

Did you get the Atlas guitar in Pattaya? If so, where and did they have their other models? Been looking to get a PRS copy ("Star sapphire") for a long time, but wont be able to go to Bangkok for one.

 

Also if anyone else knows anything about Atlas guitars in Pattaya please share =)