Went on a minor guitar store odyssey today...

[Aahzz]

As a follow-up to my SE Paul's Guitar thread, I was able to hit 4 guitar stores today. I was starting to second guess buying something other than another Vela, so I went out to see what I could play.

Started at Third Rock. Love those guys! Not only do they have a decent number of PRS in stock, they carry the VHT D-50 so I can try them out through my amp. Started with an S2 Standard 22. Took a bit to get it in tune with the floating trem, using a tuner app on my phone, mainly because another customer was playing non-stop slap bass at volume. Also, remembering that with floating trem, by the time you get to the 6th string you need to start over once or twice - one of the things I don't like about trems. Ran it through its paces into the D-50 and was quite pleased with everything I heard. Like really pleased. Moved on to an S2 McCarty 594. Sounded freaking fantastic. Really, really nice. Not sure, however, about the big chonk of a neck. I don't like them real thin, but I do adore Pattern Regular, and I'm just not sure about Pattern Vintage. Moved to an SE Paul's. Nice, lightweight, felt fantastic. Had a great top end chime that Tony the Third Rock Dude commented on. Liked it quite a bit - but also felt it was a bit boomy in the low end, and had a hard time dialing that out. Finished with a 35th Anniversary S2 CU24. Couldn't put that one down fast enough, tone was just not doing it for me.

Headed down the road to my buddy Doug's shop, Jamhouse Music. For guitars, Doug's only carrying used at this time. He had a nice McCarty Rosewood, Core SInglecut 245, Core Singlecut Satin with 2 P90s, and an early 2000s Custom - think it was a 22, but may have been 24. All very nice, and if I had the budget for the McRosie it would come home with me. Alas, not right now.

Off to Sam Ash. Tried an S2 McCarty 594 Thinline. Liked the neck better than the non-thinline 594, but was only able to play through a Deluxe Reverb Reissue, and it sounded a bit thin to me, and needed at least a pickup adjustment - the Neck and Neck/Middle positions sounded identical. In fairness, there were a couple other guys having a loud jam the next row over, so it was hard to get a great impression, but it didn't leave me close to as wowed as I was by the non-thinline.

Last stop, Cincinnati Guitar Center. No S2s, only 2 SEs, and all the Cores locked in a case. Played a Schecter Tele and a D'Angelico something, then moved on.

So, while I was starting to think I'd either keep the Semi-hollow Vela or buy another solid body Vela, I'm currently leaning pretty heavily towards finding a nice S2 Standard 22, and/or trying to spend some more time with a 594 to see if I can make my hand like the neck.

 

[DISTORT6]

Sounds like a really fun day!
Were you wearing camo during this hunt? You don’t want the PRSi to see you coming.

 

[Aahzz]

Sounds like a really fun day!
Were you wearing camo during this hunt? You don’t want the PRSi to see you coming.

I'm a large long haired man with a blue goatee and a fair number of visible tattoos, and I'm usually wearing a bowler. Camo is NOT going to help.

 

[DISTORT6]

Smoke machine?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I'm a large long haired man with a blue goatee and a fair number of visible tattoos wearing a bowler. Camo is NOT going to help.

OMG... I was in GC for over an hour this afternoon. Apparently we didn't miss each other by far.

 

[Aahzz]

OMG... I was in GC for over an hour this afternoon. Apparently we didn't miss each other by far.

Figures! I got there right before Ron left for the day, talked to him briefly. I think it was a wee bit after 5.

 

[GarrettIvo]

Moved on to an S2 McCarty 594. Sounded freaking fantastic. Really, really nice. Not sure, however, about the big chonk of a neck. I don't like them real thin, but I do adore Pattern Regular, and I'm just not sure about Pattern Vintage.
So, while I was starting to think I'd either keep the Semi-hollow Vela or buy another solid body Vela, I'm currently leaning pretty heavily towards finding a nice S2 Standard 22, and/or trying to spend some more time with a 594 to see if I can make my hand like the neck.

You're approaching the right thinking here. It won't take THAT long I promise.

 

[Aahzz]

You're approaching the right thinking here. It won't take THAT long I promise.

It sounded good enough that I'm willing to try...

 

[chicagoslim]

Today, I made it to the Evansville GC. I sold one amp to the store and another to a customer. I played a Bad Cat Cougar 15. People on the forums said that they were noisy, it wasn't. They said that they didn't have clean headroom. It had all the cleans I could want, once I turned up the Master volume. They told me that they weighed 44 lbs. It was lighter than a Marshal AS50 acoustic amp, that lists at 36 lbs. It looks like someone replaced the speaker. It is a big 1 - 12 combo. It seems to be made better than the Fender and Vox amps, that I have owned.

So, the Bat Cat followed me home. I found out that it was designed by James Brown, who designed the Peavey Classic's and 5150's. He also designed the Custom Coupes, one of my favorite amps. So once again, I have found the forum advice to be unless.

 

[Aahzz]

Today, I made it to the Evansville GC. I sold one amp to the store and another to a customer. I played a Bad Cat Cougar 15. People on the forums said that they were noisy, it wasn't. They said that they didn't have clean headroom. It had all the cleans I could want, once I turned up the Master volume. They told me that they weighed 44 lbs. It was lighter than a Marshal AS50 acoustic amp, that lists at 36 lbs. It looks like someone replaced the speaker. It is a big 1 - 12 combo. It seems to be made better than the Fender and Vox amps, that I have owned.

So, the Bat Cat followed me home. I found out that it was designed by James Brown, who designed the Peavey Classic's and 5150's. He also designed the Custom Coupes, one of my favorite amps. So once again, I have found the forum advice to be unless.

Nice!! I didn't know he'd designed those. I adore the whole Peavey Classic line, and the Kustom Coupe - great freaking amps.

In the meantime in my case, I am still RIDICULOUSLY in love with the VHT D-50 I bought 2 weeks ago, so probably won't be amp hunting for a bit.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Figures! I got there right before Ron left for the day, talked to him briefly. I think it was a wee bit after 5.

I left about 4:45, and just went over to Sams to meet the wife. I talked to Ron for 15 minutes when I first got there. I was actually going to stay a bit longer but he and Nolan were both busy, so I left. Did you see the Private Stock ME? I sent my wife a picture and told her I was buying it.

 

[Aahzz]

I left about 4:45, and just went over to Sams to meet the wife. I talked to Ron for 15 minutes when I first got there. I was actually going to stay a bit longer but he and Nolan were both busy, so I left. Did you see the Private Stock ME? I sent my wife a picture and told her I was buying it.

I didn't, there was a kid blasting metal on the EVH guitar in the good stuff room (not badly, just loudly), so I looked through the door but didn't get a good look at anything in there today.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I didn't, there was a kid blasting metal on the EVH guitar in the good stuff room (not badly, just loudly), so I looked through the door but didn't get a good look at anything in there today.

Nobody was blasting while I was there, but there was a teenager who played (poorly) the same simple riff over and over and over for almost the whole hour I was there. Just before I left, his mother came in the store to get him and saved us all.

 

[chicagoslim]

Nice!! I didn't know he'd designed those. I adore the whole Peavey Classic line, and the Kustom Coupe - great freaking amps.

In the meantime in my case, I am still RIDICULOUSLY in love with the VHT D-50 I bought 2 weeks ago, so probably won't be amp hunting for a bit.

To the best of my knowledge, James Brown was out of Cincinnati. I also owned another Kustom amp that he designed and had built in China, like the Cougar 15. The GC also had a VHT Special 6, really cheap. I had one that I ran with a Tung Sol 5881 (10 watts) and Eminence Legend 105 speaker. I was temped to buy one again.

 

[Broseph]

I would say pattern/wide fat are my favorite necks. They feel just right for me. That’s probably why I lean a lot toward the Zach Myers. I think I’ve tried most PRS necks and liked them all aside pattern thin. The McCarty 594 pattern vintage is slightly thicker than a wide fat so I’m pretty comfy with that after a few mins.

 

[bodia]

A day we’ll spent

 

[Aahzz]

A day we’ll spent

Indeed it was! I need days like that more often

 

[Aahzz]

I would say pattern/wide fat are my favorite necks. They feel just right for me. That’s probably why I lean a lot toward the Zach Myers. I think I’ve tried most PRS necks and liked them all aside pattern thin. The McCarty 594 pattern vintage is slightly thicker than a wide fat so I’m pretty comfy with that after a few mins.

I've owned all the major PRS neck profiles except Pattern Vintage. It seems like I might get used to it, but I used to own an R7 with a big beefy neck and it gave me hand cramps and made me sad, so I tend to shy away from large necks - I can get along with Pattern/Wide Fat, but I'm not sure about taking the plunge to Pattern Vintage...

 

[Aahzz]

To the best of my knowledge, James Brown was out of Cincinnati. I also owned another Kustom amp that he designed and had built in China, like the Cougar 15. The GC also had a VHT Special 6, really cheap. I had one that I ran with a Tung Sol 5881 (10 watts) and Eminence Legend 105 speaker. I was temped to buy one again.

I know Kustom was based in Cincinnati for a while, wasn't sure if he lived here during that period or not...we also have Reeves amps based in Cincy. Had a friend that had one and it was indeed a really sweet sounding amp.

 

[dogrocketp]

Today, I made it to the Evansville GC. I sold one amp to the store and another to a customer. I played a Bad Cat Cougar 15. People on the forums said that they were noisy, it wasn't. They said that they didn't have clean headroom. It had all the cleans I could want, once I turned up the Master volume. They told me that they weighed 44 lbs. It was lighter than a Marshal AS50 acoustic amp, that lists at 36 lbs. It looks like someone replaced the speaker. It is a big 1 - 12 combo. It seems to be made better than the Fender and Vox amps, that I have owned.

So, the Bat Cat followed me home. I found out that it was designed by James Brown, who designed the Peavey Classic's and 5150's. He also designed the Custom Coupes, one of my favorite amps. So once again, I have found the forum advice to be unless.

I’m wondering if the speaker was replaced with a ceramic magnet speaker, that would explain the weight difference. While my much loved Tech21 Trademark 60 is being repaired, I’m playing through a late 40’s Tweed pro clone with 2/12” ceramic mag speakers. I don’t particularly like the sound of ceramic magnets in guitar pickups, but love the sound of ceramic magnet speakers.