SE245 adventure's in strings

[DHW]

I've had my se245 since late winter and have loved the instrument very much but haven't been thrilled with the sounds coming from it. When I got it I took it to one of those most recommended luthiers in the state to have it set up. I had locking studs put in for the bridge to level it out, a bone nut installed, and general setup including pickup height and such. Came back just as I was expecting. It just sounded kinda sterile. Went through a couple sets of d'addario's on it then tried elixir nanowebs. They sounded the same but were kinda buzzy on the low E and A strings. I did like the lack of finger noise on them but also found them difficult to bend. I played them out anyway just to give a full eval(first time trying elixir). Then this past weekend I was out browsing the local shops and the one store had a big display of DR strings in the middle of the store. I grabbed a set of 10-46 DR pure blues which are their round wound pure nickel on round cores. Strung it up that night and plugged it in. Man what a difference! The sounds that came out of the guitar were different than anything it has ever done before. There was life in it like a top shelf, american made guitar(of any brand really). The biggest difference and what was the most striking was moving the pickup selector switch. Prior to this there was literally no difference between the front pickup and the rear, not anymore... The front pickup sounds like a neck pickup now and the bridge growls like an abused tiger in a circus box car.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has had this experience?

 

[flimbo]

No difference between the pickups? What amp are you using?

 

[DHW]

No difference between the pickups? What amp are you using?

I have a fender v2 mustang 3.

 

[László]

I like pure nickel strings too; the PRS factory strings for the US guitars are pure nickel wraps.

The Fender mustang amp isn't exactly a fire-breather...you might want to upgrade that to really get the most out of the guitar.

 

[DHW]

I like pure nickel strings too; the PRS factory strings for the US guitars are pure nickel wraps.

The Fender mustang amp isn't exactly a fire-breather...you might want to upgrade that to really get the most out of the guitar.

Oh I know it's not a fire-breather but it's not a bad amp, especially in the bedroom where volume is important. I also appreciate the fact that I do not need a pedal board in that smaller space as well. At some point I will pick up an all tube something or other. What I want only costs about double my total guitar investment up to this point and I am certainly not a good enough player yet to justify it lol.

 

[László]

Oh I know it's not a fire-breather but it's not a bad amp, especially in the bedroom where volume is important. I also appreciate the fact that I do not need a pedal board in that smaller space as well. At some point I will pick up an all tube something or other. What I want only costs about double my total guitar investment up to this point and I am certainly not a good enough player yet to justify it lol.

Just seems odd to me that you upgraded the guitar with those tweaks, and are into the details of how the strings change tone, yet the judging of how everything sounds is done through a bedroom modeler.

I get the concept. But it's a practice amp at best. It's never going to show what the pickups and parts can do.

 

[Rider1260]

I am a firm believer in DR Strings ( Tite Fit for me ) if you believe the stuff on the box they start out life one gauge larger and are stretched BLA BLA BLA
I just like there sound

 

[DHW]

Just seems odd to me that you upgraded the guitar with those tweaks, and are into the details of how the strings change tone, yet the judging of how everything sounds is done through a bedroom modeler.

I get the concept. But it's a practice amp at best. It's never going to show what the pickups and parts can do.

I'd love to hear some non-bank breaking suggestions! I currently own 2 se's, an epiphone les paul, and an american strat. I am playing blues, surf rock, classic rock, grunge, and modern rock though it mainly. I'm a relatively new player and I spend my time practicing and going to lessons. No gig's in the foreseeable future.

When I talk about the strings changing the tone on this particular guitar it was night and day. I am not talking subtle differences here but rather drastic change in attitude and sound of the instrument. When I picked it up from the setup it was plugged into a VOX AC30 for user acceptance testing purposes and sounded the same, I chalked it up to korean pickups.

 

[gball]

My SE245 is the same way. I've tried a whole bunch of different brand strings of different composition and it just flat-out prefers pure nickel (and it is definitely NOT the pickups, as mine have been upgraded to US-made PRS pickups). And, not all pure nickel are created equal, either. The DR's are definitely excellent and one of the better sounding I have used, although they don't seem to stay in tune quite as well as the PRS-branded strings. EB's were only OK on it and GHS were awful. Gibson LP strings were awesome on it, probably my favorites, but no one seems to stock them around here. I say try as many different types in your preferred gauge as you can and decide what is best for you.

I think the Mustang is just fine for what you are currently doing but a modeling amp is never (at least not in the near future) going to reveal the nuances the was a tube amp will. Just the way it is. As you keep playing and find what works for you, just start saving for a tube amp and remember - one good/great sound beats dozens of mediocre modeled ones. Even a modest but well made tube amp will be more satisfying than a digital one in the long run.

 

[IRG]

I guess I'm surprised that strings can make that great of a difference. I had that guitar, and I found the pickups fine, but somewhat average. So maybe a string change to DR would've helped, but I'm still skeptical.

The Mustang III is a pretty good amp though, those who haven't owned one can't really say. A demo doesn't count either. I use one in a stereo configuration, usually in the Bassman mode. I like the bottom end it gives me that my tube amp doesn't, at same volumes. I wouldn't want it to replace my tube amp, but it's a surprising good sounding amp overall. And at 100 watts, even digital, it can be a pretty loud amp when needed. I actually find it noisier than my tube amp though, somewhat odd how that is.

 

[NomadMike]

I finally bit the bullet and just ordered a bunch of PRS strings. I figure if the guys at PRS setup my guitar a certain way and if it came from the factory sounding great with those strings who am I to mess with something good. There just aren't any accidents with a PRS sounding like it should.
The rest of my nickel wounds are going on my LP as they seem to take a little bit off and give a better clean sound than the plated ones I've been using, but for the Mira it'll be PRS strings.

 

[Duffy]

I have a fender v2 mustang 3.

I would suggest the relatively new Marshall DSL5C combo with a ten inch speaker, all tube, clean and ultra drive channels, five or one watt switchable, extension speaker output jack, etc. It does two things really well, clean and overdrive, and is a class act. Definitely an affordable amp considering the quality and sonic performance.

Check out this link to the discussion thread for the DSL5c http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/63682-dsl5c-ultimate-lo-power-amp-8.html#post1170612 .

I think there is a good chance you would like this nice amp.

I'd get a decent reverb pedal and put it between the guitar cable and the input jack, or in the effects loop. I'd definitely stay away from those mega multi pedals, I've had a few and they just don't work like a good individual pedal. I even had a Line 6 HD500 and thought it sounded "digital". I traded that in.

Marshall, by the way, like PRS, stands behind their equipment and customer satisfaction is important to them. You "know" you are going to be covered if things head down river.

 

[DHW]

I would suggest the relatively new Marshall DSL5C combo with a ten inch speaker, all tube, clean and ultra drive channels, five or one watt switchable, extension speaker output jack, etc. It does two things really well, clean and overdrive, and is a class act. Definitely an affordable amp considering the quality and sonic performance.

Check out this link to the discussion thread for the DSL5c http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/63682-dsl5c-ultimate-lo-power-amp-8.html#post1170612 .

I think there is a good chance you would like this nice amp.

I'd get a decent reverb pedal and put it between the guitar cable and the input jack, or in the effects loop. I'd definitely stay away from those mega multi pedals, I've had a few and they just don't work like a good individual pedal. I even had a Line 6 HD500 and thought it sounded "digital". I traded that in.

Marshall, by the way, like PRS, stands behind their equipment and customer satisfaction is important to them. You "know" you are going to be covered if things head down river.

Couple questions... I am familiar with Marshall, their service, and their history. That said, I am leaning towards a master volume reverb amp rather than just going small wattage required pedal setup. The 3 I have been eyeing up are the Fender hot rod deville(either 212 or 410), VOX AC15(maybe AC30), and the Mesa Rectoverb. There is a decent price spread on those and I know some of it is just in the names and such. I imagine there are people that have and do play all 3 on here. What are your thoughts? I believe you have to get into the JVM series in Marshall before you gain master volume, correct?

 

[Rookie]

What are your thoughts?

My first thought is what kind of music do you want to play/ Different sounds for different styles.
Blues? Clean? Jazz? Head banger? Old rock? How much is distortion important for you?

I'm not too proud to look in the stores and then shop e-bay either.

 

[Pfloyd57]

If you like hard grind, I definately recommend the Recto-verb. I take my 50-Watt Mesa Combo out on gigs when the Marshall TSL Half Stack is just too much.

 

[dsenoj]

Couple questions... I am familiar with Marshall, their service, and their history. That said, I am leaning towards a master volume reverb amp rather than just going small wattage required pedal setup. The 3 I have been eyeing up are the Fender hot rod deville(either 212 or 410), VOX AC15(maybe AC30), and the Mesa Rectoverb. There is a decent price spread on those and I know some of it is just in the names and such. I imagine there are people that have and do play all 3 on here. What are your thoughts? I believe you have to get into the JVM series in Marshall before you gain master volume, correct?

I had a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe serveral years ago which I think is similar to the Hod Rod DeVille but less power and a 1x12. It was my first tube amp. My impression was it was too loud for home use. I couldn't get it to sound good unless it was cranked. I think the master volume works far better on my PRS HXDA and PRS 2 Channel H (admittedly much more expensive amps.)

 

[DHW]

My first thought is what kind of music do you want to play/ Different sounds for different styles.
Blues? Clean? Jazz? Head banger? Old rock? How much is distortion important for you?

I'm not too proud to look in the stores and then shop e-bay either.

Yes lol

well maybe not jazz so much. Everything else would be in scope. Distortion is important when I want it. It doesn't have to be speaker melting by any means. The mesa is on the high end of price for sure but I think it may have the most range, maybe... Gotta find a dealer that actually stocks them and that will let you plug into one.

 

[92Esquire]

By the way, for strings, try plain old ordinary D'Addario EXL's. I've tried the DR's before but never found a significant enough difference to pay more for those over the D'Addarios.

 

[Duffy]

Couple questions... I am familiar with Marshall, their service, and their history. That said, I am leaning towards a master volume reverb amp rather than just going small wattage required pedal setup. The 3 I have been eyeing up are the Fender hot rod deville(either 212 or 410), VOX AC15(maybe AC30), and the Mesa Rectoverb. There is a decent price spread on those and I know some of it is just in the names and such. I imagine there are people that have and do play all 3 on here. What are your thoughts? I believe you have to get into the JVM series in Marshall before you gain master volume, correct?

Actually all of the new DSL models, and every DSL I've seen the master volume feature. The DSL5c has a master volume and gain knob on the ultra gain channel, however the clean channel does not - you have to go up to the DSL40C to get a master volume on both channels; also the 40C has two "voices" per channel - two clean and two ultra gain voices, plus resonance and prescence knobs, and separate reverb for each channel, also power switchable from 40 to 20 watts.

By the way, even the 5 watt 5C is louder than $hi!. The DSL40C, though, sounds very good at bedroom volume on both channels but really rocks when cranked up a bit. It's always nice to have that reserve power, especially for clean headroom.

The DSL5c would make a great "stay at home player" type amp. Read the discussion in that threat I attached to the other post. Some of those guys are very experienced and know what they are talking about. They explain all about the amp, its strong and weak points; but they all seem to really dig it. I have played it several times and think it is very cool, especially with the "deep" switch engaged on the clean channel.

Also any three channel, clean, drive, and more drive, amps. Which includes all of the Hot Rod series, except the one channel Blues Jr, are super mega loud and have a "kill switch" type master volume knob that goes "immediately" from silent to "real loud" with zero tapering up from no volume to loud. Even the new ones go from zero volume to very loud with just a slight touch of the master volume knob. In my opinion these are pretty difficult to use as bedroom amps without a lot of working around the problem. The Hot Rod Deluxe and Deville are definitely hair triggers like this; and they are 40 or more watts - that's like at least a 120 watt solid state or digital amp, using the 3 solid state/digital watts equals 1 tube amp watts. So a 30 watt digital amp is only as loud as a 10 watt tube amp, +/-.

What you might really dig if you are into Fender's is a blackface (black control panel plate, not silver/blue) '65 (not '68 Mexican made) USA made Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. The '65 Deluxe Reverb reissue amps have great reverbs and also tremolo for the classic Fender sound and the clean channel is really super great. It does not have an overdrive channel so you need to use an overdrive pedal but when you do it sounds incredible, great overdrive. I use a Boss OD-3 and it sounds great. It has two channels and four inputs but none of them are overdrive. It does the Fender vibe super well and is only 22 very loud watts; but it works great at low volume for "stay at home player" use and has a master volume knob that lets you gradually go from zero sound up to loud, with a lot of room in between for a range of quiet volumes. You have to "pay" for this USA made amp, but it is actually very affordable, relatively speaking.

You also have to crank the Vox AC15C1 amp to get any significant overdrive, but it sounds good when you do. So at "stay at home" volumes you have to use a drive pedal. These are also great amps but are made in Viet Nam. I have one and like it; very well made.

Fender also makes a compromise that many people on here might like - the Fender Super Champ XD (now the X2). Used XD's are going for very reasonable prices and I'm sure you could still find a new one in a store. These have two big power tubes and a so-called all tube channel which is very nice and clean, and an effects channel that models like 16 Fender amps. It is very interactive, the amp models sound good, and it has four or five effects which also sound good, but it is not like a typical digital amp because it has two big power tubes and sounds good. It has a ten inch speaker. I replaced the cheap looking Fender stock one with an Eminence "Ragin' Cajun" when I first got mine and it made it about twice as loud because the RC is about 103 dB rated sensitivity and the stock one was about 97 dB sensitivity. It sounds great and is 15 watts, tube watts. This is a very good bedroom type amp according to many, many players. This is an extremely affordable tube amp by the way.

I hope some of this info helps you. The Fender Princeton Reverb blackface is another great USA amp, about 12 watts or so, that you also have to "pay" for, but you wind up with a really great amp. You have to use an overdrive pedal with this too, but the reverb is great.

 

[DHW]

Actually all of the new DSL models, and every DSL I've seen the master volume feature. The DSL5c has a master volume and gain knob on the ultra gain channel, however the clean channel does not - you have to go up to the DSL40C to get a master volume on both channels; also the 40C has two "voices" per channel - two clean and two ultra gain voices, plus resonance and prescence knobs, and separate reverb for each channel, also power switchable from 40 to 20 watts.

By the way, even the 5 watt 5C is louder than $hi!. The DSL40C, though, sounds very good at bedroom volume on both channels but really rocks when cranked up a bit. It's always nice to have that reserve power, especially for clean headroom.

The DSL5c would make a great "stay at home player" type amp. Read the discussion in that threat I attached to the other post. Some of those guys are very experienced and know what they are talking about. They explain all about the amp, its strong and weak points; but they all seem to really dig it. I have played it several times and think it is very cool, especially with the "deep" switch engaged on the clean channel.

Also any three channel, clean, drive, and more drive, amps. Which includes all of the Hot Rod series, except the one channel Blues Jr, are super mega loud and have a "kill switch" type master volume knob that goes "immediately" from silent to "real loud" with zero tapering up from no volume to loud. Even the new ones go from zero volume to very loud with just a slight touch of the master volume knob. In my opinion these are pretty difficult to use as bedroom amps without a lot of working around the problem. The Hot Rod Deluxe and Deville are definitely hair triggers like this; and they are 40 or more watts - that's like at least a 120 watt solid state or digital amp, using the 3 solid state/digital watts equals 1 tube amp watts. So a 30 watt digital amp is only as loud as a 10 watt tube amp, +/-.

What you might really dig if you are into Fender's is a blackface (black control panel plate, not silver/blue) '65 (not '68 Mexican made) USA made Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. The '65 Deluxe Reverb reissue amps have great reverbs and also tremolo for the classic Fender sound and the clean channel is really super great. It does not have an overdrive channel so you need to use an overdrive pedal but when you do it sounds incredible, great overdrive. I use a Boss OD-3 and it sounds great. It has two channels and four inputs but none of them are overdrive. It does the Fender vibe super well and is only 22 very loud watts; but it works great at low volume for "stay at home player" use and has a master volume knob that lets you gradually go from zero sound up to loud, with a lot of room in between for a range of quiet volumes. You have to "pay" for this USA made amp, but it is actually very affordable, relatively speaking.

You also have to crank the Vox AC15C1 amp to get any significant overdrive, but it sounds good when you do. So at "stay at home" volumes you have to use a drive pedal. These are also great amps but are made in Viet Nam. I have one and like it; very well made.

Fender also makes a compromise that many people on here might like - the Fender Super Champ XD (now the X2). Used XD's are going for very reasonable prices and I'm sure you could still find a new one in a store. These have two big power tubes and a so-called all tube channel which is very nice and clean, and an effects channel that models like 16 Fender amps. It is very interactive, the amp models sound good, and it has four or five effects which also sound good, but it is not like a typical digital amp because it has two big power tubes and sounds good. It has a ten inch speaker. I replaced the cheap looking Fender stock one with an Eminence "Ragin' Cajun" when I first got mine and it made it about twice as loud because the RC is about 103 dB rated sensitivity and the stock one was about 97 dB sensitivity. It sounds great and is 15 watts, tube watts. This is a very good bedroom type amp according to many, many players. This is an extremely affordable tube amp by the way.

I hope some of this info helps you. The Fender Princeton Reverb blackface is another great USA amp, about 12 watts or so, that you also have to "pay" for, but you wind up with a really great amp. You have to use an overdrive pedal with this too, but the reverb is great.

What about Orange? I never really think about them...