The ShadowMusic Web Community

Hi to all

I am looking for some advice on suitable equipment for my needs. Basically I am just a bedroom player, low volume on a friday night with some backing tracks after work with a couple of beers. I am considering a deluxe strat (The shop told me the noiseless pickups would be more suitable and as I have small hands the compound radius fretboard also) and an AC15HW amp.

Various posts give negative reviews on the N3 pickups.

Can anyone advise

Apologies if this information exists elsewhere on the site.

Thanks
Pete

Well, the AC15 is actually loud enough for small gigs and a fair bit more powerful than you'd need for playing at home.

But if that's what your heart is set on, it's what you should have!

For just a bedroom player id suggest something that your able to play mp3 backing tracks through aswell as the guitar. The cheapest available option and limited space would be a zoom g2 with eftp for your echos and something like a vox mini 3 or 5 amp that you can plug guitar and mp3 into and you can have all of that for about £120 total.

Steer clear of noiseless pickups for Shads stuff... Buy a Vox by all means, but go smaller...

Do you really need an amp? How about an Amplug AC30 with your BT's played through that and your headphones?

And the downside of that - sticky ears!

I had a set of Fenders noisless pickups and can honestly say they were not good playing Shadows music. If you do get them set them really lower than the Fender spec.Tony

Why not a Squier Classic Vibes '50s, a Vox AC4 and an Etap2-HW from Stanley FX (or in kit form) ?

Didier

Presently I favour the very inexpensive Vox Mini 3 that I recently acquired though I do have an AC-4 as well - both are ideal for bedroom playing. The Vox Mini 3 is less of an initial outlay though, cash wise. I once had an AC-15 Heretige and it was far too loud for use indoors but never loud enough to gig with and get over the drums.
The Squier Classic Vibe Strat has all the correct sounds for early Shadows music, but take heed of the advice about noiseless pickups as many folks have struggled to achieve the desired sound with those. I have one in my collection and although it can be coaxed into getting a reasonable Shadows tone, it is by no means instant, as on a Classic Vibe or a Strat with normal Alnico pickups.
As far as echo machines go, there's the Stanley FX eTap pedal at £130 (google it) or the Zoom G3 for which Ross Hall can supply you excellent EFTP based patches, under £200 complete.
As you can see, there is no need these days to spend a fortune on gear for this purpose.

The Catalinbread echo is ideal for bedroom use I only use 3 settings for all the Shads stuff and it sounds ok to me. You wont have anyone telling you its the wrong echo in your bedroom so if it sounds ok it must be ok. Dont spend a fortune - you might not be able to tell the difference!

Hi Pete
A few have mentioned the Squier CV 50 which as a owner of one I can say it really is a very good guitar
for the money and delivers a quality sound ( I love mine) Echo wise I have the Stanley eTap2 HW the newer
upgraded unit which there again for the money is exeptionally good (In fact Brilliant) When it comes to amps
the VOX AC4 or VOX mini 3 or even the Roland Micro Cube depending on your budget and what you want to
achieve and what you enjoy playing most of all.If you can get along to a guitar shop if possible and have a
look and try some out, buying on the internet is OK and might save you money but going to a shop and getting
to know and trust them can have its rewards and you might be amazed how some will meet the Internet prices
Good luck in your quest I can only give opinions from my own personal experience of the equipment mentioned.

Pete

Allclaphands wrote:Hi Pete
A few have mentioned the Squier CV 50 which as a owner of one I can say it really is a very good guitar
for the money and delivers a quality sound ( I love mine) Echo wise I have the Stanley eTap2 HW the newer
upgraded unit which there again for the money is exeptionally good (In fact Brilliant) When it comes to amps
the VOX AC4 or VOX mini 3 or even the Roland Micro Cube depending on your budget and what you want to
achieve and what you enjoy playing most of all.If you can get along to a guitar shop if possible and have a
look and try some out, buying on the internet is OK and might save you money but going to a shop and getting
to know and trust them can have its rewards and you might be amazed how some will meet the Internet prices
Good luck in your quest I can only give opinions from my own personal experience of the equipment mentioned.

Pete

Agreed, most stores will compete with on-line prices and you've got a base to fall back on.