My first real guitar was a strat copy. The day I got it I grabbed a chisel and put in a SD humbucker. Then came the Floyd. Still have it after all these years.
I absolutely will add 'Active Pickups,' and give a huge shoutout to Rob Turner at EMG. Man literally had a pivotal effect on music as a whole when you consider the number of folks who used them and achieved a signature sound - all the metal guys, David Gilmour, the LA studio guys especially Steve Lukather, etc.
First aware of Floyd Rose in G/P mag.1980w/Randy Hansen, Who showed EVH it,and he was blown away,There was DL Cook sustain plate,trem cover,all brass1/4 inch thick,Schector brass replacement parts,Gotoh locking tuners,G/p mag.5-way switch ad $4,first available,Boogie Bodies,Stars guitars preamps,then BOSS came around,cool days
Fanned frets! Ralph Novak received the patent for multi-scale fretboards in 1989. Like headless guitars, it's another one of those innovations from the 80's that has become much more popular in the last decade or so.
Hey Aaron, The 80’s were a cool time no doubt. I was around 15~16 in 1981 and I managed to save up 800 dollars shoveling snow here in New York ( That’s A LOT of snow ahah! ). I got on a train and headed to ‘music row’ in Manhattan and bought me a new Gibson SG in white. To this day I’m still so pissed I sold it to get a car a few years later, ya it was a cool car but in hindsight sight it was a mistake. Anyhow, cool video man. Warmoth rocks 🤟
When I think of the sustainiac, I think of Satriani. Many of his signature series guitars still have these. Vai uses it a lot, too. The way it works is basically the reverse of a standard passive pickup. Rather than converting the string vibration passing through an electromagnetic field into an audio signal, it takes an audio signal (which it gets from another pickup, usually the bridge) and converts it into an electromagnetic field that will cause the string to continue vibrating. It's basically a feedback loop and it's an active process that requires (battery) power. It can also add in a higher harmonic tone, with differing degrees of blending with the original tone, for an interesting effect. Think "Flying in a Blue Dream" intro.
Yes! The Stephens extended was AMAZING. And yes I've tried to throw money at Warmoth to make me one and they said no soooooo fast! Lol One day I'll own a non-washburn one of these.
I find that wearing silicone oven mitts, the ones with fingers, helps when I’m busting out scorching licks. 🔥 🎸 🥁 Thanks folks! I’ll be here all week. 😂
"With or without you" was recorded with a sustaniac or a prototype I think. I remember your paper catalogs in highschool back in the 80s. Keep up the good work
Its a shame the sustain pickup never got a revamp with smaller architecture. Its a bit bulky now, but if they shrunk it down, like they can do now, Id give it another go. A chewy, harmonic trem/vibe pedal with harmonic sustainiac pu is a glorious sound.
I think the first sustainiacs were a kind of small speaker that attaches to the headstock. It sends vibrations down the neck and causes a kind of feedback like sustain. George Lynch used one in Back for the attack. Later models were a pickup and like Floyd Rose I think they had a deal with Kramer. I don’t think there’s any connection between Sustainiac and Fernandes.
I was in Seattle the same time as you @aaron, still remember the stores full of Kramers and the biggest bands were Queensryche and Heart. Did you know the jewelry teacher Laurie Hall there?
The brass headstock thingys were not snake oil per se.. but it was marketed as such. If you have a guitar with a dead spot (a specific pitch that has very little sustain,) adding mass to the headstock would shift the frequency of the dead spot enough that it wouldnt be as noticible. It was a fix for a specific problem, not an overall improvement on all guitars (actually PBasses had a dead spot around Bb IIRC.. and that is why the fat heads and fat fingers were developed).
I first had a partscaster put together (didn't do it myself!) in the late 80s (Warmoth body and neck, Anderson pickups, hardtail, compound radius) - and those are all I've played since. Fender has never been able to match the price/performance of those guitars. It would have been nice to have heard a mention of USACG (of which I now have two, and the other two are Warmoth), which was also in Puyallup and also a great company.
Another snake oil gadget, the guitar finger strengthener with the finger pads and the springs. I thought, why don't you play the guitar for longer that'll strengthen your fingers. (Apologies to anybody who found it useful)
Sustainiac / Fernandes Sustainer. I’m pretty sure they are separate, Fernandes just recently bit the dust but still sold / supported to the end. Sustainiac is still very much around and selling, even though their website looks like it’s from the 90’s. I emailed them with lots of questions and they answered all. I actually lucked on a 25th anniversary Fernandes so didn’t need Sustainiac. There are also a few potentially shady offerings out of India and China- cheap but possibly sketchy.
Not much came after the 80s in the guitar world, I think modeling amps don't really count as guitar stuff because they mimick the classics so it's more of a tech thing... I guess the evertune was the last milestone innovation, still have to check one of those out in person.
Cool video! However, I was distracted by what looks like a 12-string electric on the bench behind you. 😈 What's the story? Also, can we have a video on your 12-string options? Thanks!
My favorite goofy device was roller/graphite saddles for standard Strat trems. Bruh the strings don't slide over the saddles so rollers or graphite ain't doing squat (yeah, when stringing and tuning there's some movement but when doing trem action on a Strat trem there's none. That's why the Floyd Rose saddle locks worked). Compound radius fretboards are a game changer! Floyd Rose trems are also a game changer. I won't discount Kahler trems but Floyd Rose never made a cam system. Kahlers have earned their place in guitar history (fanned fret guitarists rejoice!) Any chance we'll get a bottom five list of worst guitar products?
The compound radius haha. I love it toooo much. Got a 62 avri fender. It's nice and all but with the vintage style frets, 41mm nut width, and round af radius, bends just aint as good yo. You can make it work but I'm just saying, there are better guitars for bending strings on. This is just a fact. No need to rage at me vintage lovers. Not everything about the old school days is the best lol. Most is, sure, I agree... But not everything.
My first real guitar was a strat copy. The day I got it I grabbed a chisel and put in a SD humbucker. Then came the Floyd. Still have it after all these years.
I absolutely will add 'Active Pickups,' and give a huge shoutout to Rob Turner at EMG. Man literally had a pivotal effect on music as a whole when you consider the number of folks who used them and achieved a signature sound - all the metal guys, David Gilmour, the LA studio guys especially Steve Lukather, etc.
Your wife must love the hell out of you. You always present as genuine and honest. Good on ya👍🏼
First aware of Floyd Rose in G/P mag.1980w/Randy Hansen, Who showed EVH it,and he was blown away,There was DL Cook sustain plate,trem cover,all brass1/4 inch thick,Schector brass replacement parts,Gotoh locking tuners,G/p mag.5-way switch ad $4,first available,Boogie Bodies,Stars guitars preamps,then BOSS came around,cool days
The guitar finish protector was called the Axsak.
I prefer a Warmoth Partscaster before any other Guitar, they are awesome in Quality and Building Options
Same. Recently made a strat that's only 6.5 pounds. I could draw it faster than you could draw a gun and kill me! Please lol don't shoot though.
Fanned frets! Ralph Novak received the patent for multi-scale fretboards in 1989. Like headless guitars, it's another one of those innovations from the 80's that has become much more popular in the last decade or so.
3:08 What is that hole on the side of your guitar neck between the 18th and 19th fret?
Gotoh Side Adjuster. It's for adjusting the truss rod without removing the neck
Oh dear gawd, I remember the "guitar sock" clearly. I'm so very, very olde....
Hey Aaron,
The 80’s were a cool time no doubt. I was around 15~16 in 1981 and I managed to save up 800 dollars shoveling snow here in New York ( That’s A LOT of snow ahah! ). I got on a train and headed to ‘music row’ in Manhattan and bought me a new Gibson SG in white. To this day I’m still so pissed I sold it to get a car a few years later, ya it was a cool car but in hindsight sight it was a mistake.
Anyhow, cool video man. Warmoth rocks 🤟
The store by the way was the famous Mannies Music which obviously and sadly closed some years ago.
When I think of the sustainiac, I think of Satriani. Many of his signature series guitars still have these. Vai uses it a lot, too. The way it works is basically the reverse of a standard passive pickup. Rather than converting the string vibration passing through an electromagnetic field into an audio signal, it takes an audio signal (which it gets from another pickup, usually the bridge) and converts it into an electromagnetic field that will cause the string to continue vibrating. It's basically a feedback loop and it's an active process that requires (battery) power. It can also add in a higher harmonic tone, with differing degrees of blending with the original tone, for an interesting effect. Think "Flying in a Blue Dream" intro.
I bought an Axsac Guitar Jacket for my Kramer Baretta in the mid-'80's. I lost the Axsac pretty quickly, but I still have my Baretta.
Good job on that.
Yes! The Stephens extended was AMAZING. And yes I've tried to throw money at Warmoth to make me one and they said no soooooo fast! Lol One day I'll own a non-washburn one of these.
Thought you'd mention the active pickup... Maybe it was invented before... But the EMG 81 for example was pretty common...
I find that wearing silicone oven mitts, the ones with fingers, helps when I’m busting out scorching licks. 🔥 🎸
🥁 Thanks folks! I’ll be here all week. 😂
"With or without you" was recorded with a sustaniac or a prototype I think. I remember your paper catalogs in highschool back in the 80s. Keep up the good work
Thanks for sharing
Its a shame the sustain pickup never got a revamp with smaller architecture. Its a bit bulky now, but if they shrunk it down, like they can do now, Id give it another go. A chewy, harmonic trem/vibe pedal with harmonic sustainiac pu is a glorious sound.
I think the first sustainiacs were a kind of small speaker that attaches to the headstock. It sends vibrations down the neck and causes a kind of feedback like sustain. George Lynch used one in Back for the attack. Later models were a pickup and like Floyd Rose I think they had a deal with Kramer. I don’t think there’s any connection between Sustainiac and Fernandes.
Schecter keeps the sustainiac alive in their Sun Valley Super Shredder
Fernandez of Japan stole the Floyd Rose's Sustainiac.
I was in Seattle the same time as you @aaron, still remember the stores full of Kramers and the biggest bands were Queensryche and Heart. Did you know the jewelry teacher Laurie Hall there?
The brass headstock thingys were not snake oil per se.. but it was marketed as such. If you have a guitar with a dead spot (a specific pitch that has very little sustain,) adding mass to the headstock would shift the frequency of the dead spot enough that it wouldnt be as noticible. It was a fix for a specific problem, not an overall improvement on all guitars (actually PBasses had a dead spot around Bb IIRC.. and that is why the fat heads and fat fingers were developed).
I first had a partscaster put together (didn't do it myself!) in the late 80s (Warmoth body and neck, Anderson pickups, hardtail, compound radius) - and those are all I've played since. Fender has never been able to match the price/performance of those guitars. It would have been nice to have heard a mention of USACG (of which I now have two, and the other two are Warmoth), which was also in Puyallup and also a great company.
Another snake oil gadget, the guitar finger strengthener with the finger pads and the springs. I thought, why don't you play the guitar for longer that'll strengthen your fingers. (Apologies to anybody who found it useful)
Who did it first, Warmoth or Tom Anderson, or other: Bending a 1/4" thick maple top down over the forearm contour of a Strat?
Sustainiac / Fernandes Sustainer. I’m pretty sure they are separate, Fernandes just recently bit the dust but still sold / supported to the end. Sustainiac is still very much around and selling, even though their website looks like it’s from the 90’s. I emailed them with lots of questions and they answered all. I actually lucked on a 25th anniversary Fernandes so didn’t need Sustainiac. There are also a few potentially shady offerings out of India and China- cheap but possibly sketchy.
I like that shirt...
Not much came after the 80s in the guitar world, I think modeling amps don't really count as guitar stuff because they mimick the classics so it's more of a tech thing... I guess the evertune was the last milestone innovation, still have to check one of those out in person.
Do you remember the Bond guitar? New and made out off a new kind of material.🎶
Cool video! However, I was distracted by what looks like a 12-string electric on the bench behind you. 😈 What's the story? Also, can we have a video on your 12-string options? Thanks!
Good times
Why not mention MIDI guitars? Or the E-bow?
IIRC, the elbow (along with the gizmotron) came out in the 70s
My favorite goofy device was roller/graphite saddles for standard Strat trems. Bruh the strings don't slide over the saddles so rollers or graphite ain't doing squat (yeah, when stringing and tuning there's some movement but when doing trem action on a Strat trem there's none. That's why the Floyd Rose saddle locks worked).
Compound radius fretboards are a game changer!
Floyd Rose trems are also a game changer. I won't discount Kahler trems but Floyd Rose never made a cam system. Kahlers have earned their place in guitar history (fanned fret guitarists rejoice!)
Any chance we'll get a bottom five list of worst guitar products?
The compound radius haha. I love it toooo much.
Got a 62 avri fender. It's nice and all but with the vintage style frets, 41mm nut width, and round af radius, bends just aint as good yo. You can make it work but I'm just saying, there are better guitars for bending strings on. This is just a fact. No need to rage at me vintage lovers. Not everything about the old school days is the best lol. Most is, sure, I agree... But not everything.
Didn't the guitar industry (or at least certain brands) invent long perm hair and manicured nails for male guitar players?
9:14 Only Warmoth still passes by headless builds 🧑🦯👣👣👣