The Bernie Marsden Signature

[solacematt]

Ok, so I just watched this video of bernie AB'ing his signature with a 59 LP in another thread.
Maybe this is just be being dumb but, just curious what it is about this fiddle that gets it close like a McCarty to the classic LP
sound? A few others fiddles have the same pickups so, what else is it about the guitar that does it?
Just curious because I've never actually looked at this model ::shrugs::

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cE8pV9vnQY[video]

 

[garrett]

Marketing! :vroam:



In other words, I think it's largely in our twisted, tone hunting, guitar playing heads.

 

[gball]

I agree with garrett. Put it this way...could you really, actually tell a '59 from an '09 with your eyes closed from across the room if it was played through the same rig? I would like to think I could but I would be willing to bet you I couldn't.

I have an SE-245, which is very very similar to the Bernie. Out of the box it was the equal of my LP, and after a pickup change destroys it.

What I think the video shows better than anything is just how good the SE's are on a fundamental level. It's just great design and execution that makes them so good.

 

[AP515]

It's the guys fingers... They both sound the same because he's playing both of them. That's not to day they aren't both similar guitars, but the reason they sound the same is because he's playing them. Put me in there and see how different they would sound from when he plays them!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

The Marsdens had a layer of mojo applied before being sealed in with a layer of poly.

The Marsden has a slightly bigger neck than the standard wide fat on the SE 245 for instance. I felt it sounded a bit fuller than the 245 I played and I know guitarist mag said something similar. Could be natural variation though.

If I remember rightly Guitarist mag felt the SE Marsden was closer to his '59 than the Gibson LP they also reviewed.

Do the other SE's have the neck joint go right under the neck pup? My Marsden does. Nice perfect join unlike other guitars I've owned.

 

[blaren]

Everyone is right! It's the fingers. It's the fatter neck. It's the fingers. It's the fingers. Oopsies.
The neck join..that will have an effect too if it's more like a LP than like a PRS.

I am putting more and more weight (pun intended) into what the neck contributes in the tone department.

However...I wish it was NFD at my place. If I could buy different fingers like I can with guitars, pickups, amps, tubes, strings, pedals, picks...no I'm not chasing tone lmao. I'm not chasing a person's tone...just better tone.
But yeah...point is that I'm gonna sound like a$$ whether I'm playing an Epi, SE, American PRS, LP Studio, actual '59 burst or a '62 strat.

I have very desirable gear. Even Bernie would be happy to hop onto my rig. He would make it sound like a '59 burst into his own amp. I would jump back on it and leave all the settings the same and it would sound like an Epi into a first year POD into a solid state amp :-(

Lmao...put a skinny guy on the Bernie and then let Bernie himself play it and...just LOOK!! not only does it SOUND WAY FATTER...ummm
lol

 

[garrett]

Do the other SE's have the neck joint go right under the neck pup? My Marsden does. Nice perfect join unlike other guitars I've owned.

Yes, every PRS is made that way (except the Torero of course, since it's neck through).

 

[jetydosa]

I could swear I saw somewhere the Bernie has a thicker body than even the US SC models? The USA SC models still have a thinner body than a Lester, but seems like I saw somewhere this one is LP thick. I could be gravely mistaken.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Yes, every PRS is made that way (except the Torero of course, since it's neck through).

I had an Epi years ago that I pulled the neck pup from and it was a mess at the joint. have to be fair and say I had a cheap but decent Hamer XT that had a perfectly done joint, albeit short.

Long tenon neck joints, even on SE's. Nice eh?!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

I could swear I saw somewhere the Bernie has a thicker body than even the US SC models? The USA SC models still have a thinner body than a Lester, but seems like I saw somewhere this one is LP thick. I could be gravely mistaken.

Don't think it's quite LP thick but it's close.

What's the body thickness on the McCarty proto singlecuts?