General Music Chat

Put a couple up on my profile from our show last Friday.




This was loads of fun. We had people all over taking pictures and running video; my sis took these. Our bassist is putting a music video together for one of the songs... can't wait to see it, will post when he's finished.

It's been an absolute blast playing with these guys. I feel so lucky to have fell in with them. More shows coming. Stay tuned! (Hopefully I can get my sister to move around next time and take some pics from different angles, hehe).

Excellent Pics Colors. Would love to see you guys if the band pass through Chicago! What type of Ibanez do you have?

Excellent Pics Colors. Would love to see you guys if the band pass through Chicago! What type of Ibanez do you have?

Haha, don't know that we'll ever get out of the Northwest. Our goal right now is to play the Knitting Factory in Spokane.

As for guitars...


I have four Ibanez guitars.

The one in the picture is the main one I use for Audian. It's a RG620X with the piezo bridge (Double Edge). We use piezos a lot in Audian because we have a lot of acoustic parts, and we mix the acoustic and metal a lot as well at the same time. Gives us a really full sound. So it's a great guitar for this band. It has been modified with DiMarzio Evolutions.

I also own an RG565, black with maple fretboard. I bought it brand new in 1992 and have been the only owner. The only modification I made to it was last year when I installed a Tremolo-No on it, but I still have the original hardware somewhere. It still has stock pickups because back then they rocked.

My favorite Ibanez, and the one I play the most in practice and in my cover band, is a neck-through, string-through RGT42FXQM in gray flame. The stock pickups were changed out for Seymore Duncans: Jazz (neck) and Duncan Distortion (bridge). I fell in love with the Duncans on a recommendation from a guy I know. And I fell in love with the neck-through design. I will never buy another bolt-on again.

My fourth guitar is a RGT6EXFX in black. It's basically like the RGT42FXGm, but it doesn't have the cool gray flame. It is also neck-through and string-through and like the other one, had Duncans put in it. I absolutely love the feel of it. In my cover band, this one gets tuned down a half step.

Nice set of guitars Colors. I have to look into the RGT42FXQM because I never played an Ibanez with a neck through. I have S-Series and one RG 7-string (base models). Saving up for a nice well-made guitar so I am thinking about the prestige models.

Nice set of guitars Colors. I have to look into the RGT42FXQM because I never played an Ibanez with a neck through. I have S-Series and one RG 7-string (base models). Saving up for a nice well-made guitar so I am thinking about the prestige models.

If you use a floating trem a lot, the new prestige models can't be beat. The new floating trem designs are incredible.

I think Ibanez makes a couple neck-through guitars now that have a floating trem.

If you're into fixed bridge design (which I prefer) then the RGT42FXQM is hard to beat. Problem is finding one. They only made them in 2008 I think.

The prestige models can be really expensive (as you know). I thought the RGT42FXQM was great value for the money. To me, it's basically a prestige, without the prestige nametag and price. Once you take the floating trem out of the picture, then it comes down to wood and design. The RGT42FXQM is mahogany - better sustain. I hate the basswood guitars after playing on it. The neck-through is awesome; you can feel the guitar vibrate from neck to butt when you strike a chord. There is nothing like it in the world. And what's cool about the RGT42FXQM is that it has the dot inlays on the upper half of the fretboard, like a Prestige. So, to me, it is effectively a prestige.

Everyone I've let play it says its the best feeling Ibanez they've ever played. I just wish Ibanez still made them. But they don't have a single fixed-bridge, neck-through in their catalog this year.

I think I see 2 mics on the cab, so I guess you run in stereo.

Does that sound good?

I seem to remember that u use a Triaxis.

Thanks for sharing, now you just need to play with your teeth and behind your head!

Is that a Yamaha Motif?

Did you record audio?

I think I see 2 mics on the cab, so I guess you run in stereo.

Does that sound good?

I seem to remember that u use a Triaxis.

Thanks for sharing, now you just need to play with your teeth and behind your head!

Unfortunately, even though the cab looks miked, it was not. I brought my mic stand because I thought we'd be miking the cabs. The guys running the sound didn't want to. It was stupid. We sounded good in spite of their ineptitude, but it was often hard to hear what we were playing. Fortunately, we'd rehearsed this stuff to death, so we were on for the most part.

What I've started doing recently JW, at least with my own mixer, is running two signals: one is a mic from the cab and one is a direct in from the RECORD OUT on the Triaxis. It gives me a fuller sound. The mic only captures part of the sound and can come across as "thin" sometimes. The direct in to the mixer has a wider array of tone, but it sounds a bit "processed" and flat. So with the two run together, I get this really nice, full, live bodied sound.

If you're into fixed bridge design (which I prefer) then the RGT42FXQM is hard to beat. Problem is finding one. They only made them in 2008 I think.

what do you think about this Colors: Ibanez RG321MH http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/model-RG321MH

They are available in 7 string too

what do you think about this Colors: Ibanez RG321MH http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/model-RG321MH

They are available in 7 string too

It's okay. It's not neck-through though, and to me, that's the reason to get a fixed-bridge. When you add the two features together - neck-through and fixed-bridge - then you get the sweet tandem of awesomeness.

It is mahogany though, and that's a plus. But you will definitely get more sustain and just overall better tone with a neck through.

Musicians Friend still has a few of the RGT42FXQM's for sale. I know you can still pick them up in places - I had a friend buy one a couple months ago through a local Ibanez dealer because they still had a couple in stock, so you CAN get them. It just might be difficult.

I'd definitely invest the time in finding a RGT42FXQM before I'd resort to the RG321MH.

Now, for 7-string - it's a totally different ballgame. 7-strings, as you are well aware, are just a different beast. The body and neck are bigger, and the dynamics of the sound are just different. I had an old 7621 long ago (basswood body on those) and did not care for the sound. But then I replaced the pickups with DiMarzio Evolution 7's and after that it was a new guitar.

My opinion is that on a 7-string, the pickups make an even bigger difference. So yea, for a 7-string, I'd buy that guitar (because I am not even sure Ibanez makes a neck-through 7-string in any year or model) and then I'd put Evolutions in it. The Evolutions they designed for 7-strings absolutely kill.

I ended up selling my 7-string last year, and the guy who bought it apparently didn't read my description very well. He e-mailed me a day or so after he got the guitar, and he said something like, "Holy crap man! This guitar sounds awesome for a 7-string! What kind of pickups are these?" So had to explain it to him. He was thrilled, obviously.

Cool, but yeah, the link I provided stated that they are available in neck through construction. I was thinking of getting that and replacing the PuPs with EVOs like you said. I stopped using floyd roses a couple of years back for the ease of drop tuning. I am also looking into the Carvin 747s.



Neck Thru

Cool, but yeah, the link I provided stated that they are available in neck through construction. I was thinking of getting that and replacing the PuPs with EVOs like you said. I stopped using floyd roses a couple of years back for the ease of drop tuning. I am also looking into the Carvin 747s.



Neck Thru

Ah, cool, I didn't see the neck-through part.

I think you'd be good to go then

Looks good. CF. Are you the guy with the beard?

Looks good. CF. Are you the guy with the beard?

Yeah, that's me. I also like to say, I'm the one who looks like a fatter version of Shaggy from Scooby Doo... Been growing my hair out and haven't cut it since November. Gotta get someone to help me with that.

Is that a Yamaha Motif?

I am not 100% certain on Mike's keyboard setup. I'm not a keyboard guy. I love keys - I just don't know jack about them.

Did you record audio?

Yeah, we had a couple of stationary cameras and I think the guys running the sound were recording as well. I'm kind of waiting for all of the audio to arrive in my inbox from the band and the sound guys. If any of it is any good I'll post.