Since I am so new to electric guitar, I can probably learn the fastest by knowing what setup our members have with their electric guitar!

1. What kind of music/tone you are targeting to achieve?
2. What effect pedals? Why?
3. What kind of amps?
4. Others?

Thanks for sharing!!

Hi. When it comes to good electrics like Collings, all I want to hear is the guitar. I don't use any pedals or effects. I plug into boutique clones of the great amps: the Fender blackface and the Deluxe Tweed.

I play nice and clean at the point of breaking up.

I strive for a thick Strat tone on the edge of breaking up. I use a TS-808 Tube Screamer that I bought new for $30. Can't live without it. When I back off the guitar volume the tone becomes much cleaner. One of my favorite amps is my 1983 Fender Super Champ designed by Jake Rivera before he started making Rivera amps. The Super Champ has an Overdrive channel into a Lead level into a Master Volume. This amp is highly sought after for recording and can achieve an overdriven sound much like a Mesa Boogie. It is tube pre-amp into tube power amp. The speaker is only 10" so it is lacking in low-end. This can be overcome by taking the line out from the rear panel and using the effects loop on a larger amp to get more bottom end. Great amp. If you can find one now they go for ~$1000.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Randy Carone,

My main electric right now is a 2005 Gibson Les Paul R8. It has the best neck I've ever played. I also have a 1973 ES-335, a 1969 Fender Mustang, a G$L ASAT Classic, and a G&L Legacy that get less use.

I essentially plug straight into a Sewell Wampus Cat Classic with 2x10"s and sometimes a 1x15" extension cabinet. To me, effects tend to homogenize a sound. I do, however, sometimes sparingly use a Fender Reverb RI, a Maxon Analog Delay, or a Demeter Tremulator.

Grosh retro classic (Fralin vh/vh/sp43) through a Keely mod trem pedal and Maxon delay, for swamp and slapback respectively, into a Fender Blue Deluxe with a 12" Jensen. Pre at about 8, main on 3 or 4, treble on 5, mid and bass on 8, through a Shure beta 57 into the board and to the house. Overdrive comes from the amp and pickup selection or volume adjustments. And fingers.

1963 Fender Jaguar

1965 Epiphone Les Paul Junior

2006 Collings I-290

2006 Epiphone Broadway

1960 National 'Studio 10' amp

'60s Magnatone M15 Custom amp

LAB Series L5 solid-state amp (designed by Robert Moog - year unknown)

1967 Vox (Italian) wah-wah pedal

Hi Ed,

1. Music/sound: country to alt-country rock to blues, mostly clean to crunch. Guitars: Gibson ES-330TD, Music Man Silhouette with Fralin Vintage Hots. Not a humbucker fan.

2. Effects: less and less as time rolls by. Demeter Tremulator, clean boost via MXR Micro Amp or ZVex Super Hard On. Overdrive: I'm never happy. Currently fiddling with a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube.

3. Amps: '74 Fender Champ at home, 10-watt Cornell Romany (recommended) for home/tiny gigs, '73 Fender Pro Reverb when I get the chance.

4. George L cables!

Hi Ed,

Collings 290
Fender Deluxe Strat
Fender Custom Shop Tele
Gretsch DuoJet
Guild Starfire III

Music / Sound - roots rock, alt country

Effects: fulltone OCD, keeley compressor

Amp: Dr. Z Carmen Ghia (highly recommended), and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe that has been gathering dust since picking up the Dr. Z.

I'd also recommend the Dr. Z Maz 18.

Others: Fred Kelly slick pick and fingers

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Greg L.,

I've been lusting after a Ghia for some time. Is the volume managable for a low key folk rock/swing band? I'm just lookin' for an excuse.....

Hi Sonoman,

The Dr. Z Air Brake is really a necessity if using the amp at lower volumes ... the Ghia is a very loud 18 watts.