Tone Loss W/monkey Grip & Lions Claw???

jl2556 · #1 07-18-2006, 12:20 AM

Is there any major tone differance with a basswood
RG (stock) vs. a basswood Rg that has had the
monkey grip and lions claw carved out??
In theory, less wood should equal thinner tone,
but is enough material removed to make a big differance???

sniperfrommars1 · #2 07-18-2006, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jl2556

Is there any major tone differance with a basswood
RG (stock) vs. a basswood Rg that has had the
monkey grip and lions claw carved out??
In theory, less wood should equal thinner tone,
but is enough material removed to make a big differance???

Most of your tone will come from a 3 to 4 inch space of wood around the bridge. The handle imho makes little to no effect on tone whatsoever, the trem route on the other hand does make a difference, but not really anymore than your average route. If your worried about little things like that why are you playing a guitar with a floating tremolo system and metal nut anyways? Bone nut, plus a fixed bridge sounds better everytime, its just the floyds are so damned useful fun, that i cant seem to separate myself from them.

mi2tom · #3 07-18-2006, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniperfrommars1

Most of your tone will come from a 3 to 4 inch space of wood around the bridge. The handle imho makes little to no effect on tone whatsoever, the trem route on the other hand does make a difference, but not really anymore than your average route. If your worried about little things like that why are you playing a guitar with a floating tremolo system and metal nut anyways? Bone nut, plus a fixed bridge sounds better everytime, its just the floyds are so damned useful fun, that i cant seem to separate myself from them.

+1!!! Very good advice!!!

eelblack2 · #4 07-18-2006, 09:33 AM

Amen to all of the above

7 Dying Trees · #5 07-18-2006, 05:04 PM

I think the answer has already and unequivocably been given!

Jem#5150 · #6 07-18-2006, 09:55 PM

but hey, the edge seems to rival a les paul in my book as far as sustain goes.

at least when i played one....

**jim777** · #7 07-18-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniperfrommars1

Most of your tone will come from a 3 to 4 inch space of wood around the bridge. The handle imho makes little to no effect on tone whatsoever, the trem route on the other hand does make a difference, but not really anymore than your average route. If your worried about little things like that why are you playing a guitar with a floating tremolo system and metal nut anyways? Bone nut, plus a fixed bridge sounds better everytime, its just the floyds are so damned useful fun, that i cant seem to separate myself from them.

Possible loss of tone isn't really a 'little thing', and there are lots of options for floating bridge guitars that don't have handles cut into them. Lots of fixed bridge guitars (including Ibanez Artists) have brass nuts as well. I don't think a handle will affect the tone to much of a degree, but since most Jem owners find themselves in high gain amps I think distortion and gain makes whatever tone loss there might be a moot point anyway. The floating bridge versus fixed bridge tone loss issue isn't really relevant to the question asked.

jim

HSH · #8 07-19-2006, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jem#5150

but hey, the edge seems to rival a les paul in my book as far as sustain goes.

at least when i played one....

+1 My '87 RG sustains more than my early 70's LP Custom, even before I had the Kahler put on it. I was young and stupid. *sighs regretfully*

sniperfrommars1 · #9 07-19-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

Possible loss of tone isn't really a 'little thing', and there are lots of options for floating bridge guitars that don't have handles cut into them. Lots of fixed bridge guitars (including Ibanez Artists) have brass nuts as well. I don't think a handle will affect the tone to much of a degree, but since most Jem owners find themselves in high gain amps I think distortion and gain makes whatever tone loss there might be a moot point anyway. The floating bridge versus fixed bridge tone loss issue isn't really relevant to the question asked.

jim

I may have worded it wrongly but i essentially agree with you on most parts. I think brass nuts sound VERY VERY bright. Much brighter than bone, plastic, graphite etc. , and typically imho, more sustain comes from attempting to improve low end frequencys over treble. Some people tend to like the brighter tones so thats not necessarily a bad thing. My les paul has more sustain than my rg's though, and far lower action for that matter. Your high output pickups have a large effect on distortion based sustain howerver, and most dimarzio's are higher output than most of everything gibson makes these days.

crevis · #10 07-19-2006, 09:51 PM

I cant believe ur comparing iby's to gibsons, i couldnt imagine 2 more different guitars. if a gibson has more sustain its because there's more fedback and less string pull from the pickups. If i cranck my amp and distortion, my trem will sustain 4 ever.

sniperfrommars1 · #11 07-19-2006, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crevis

I cant believe ur comparing iby's to gibsons, i couldnt imagine 2 more different guitars. if a gibson has more sustain its because there's more fedback and less string pull from the pickups. If i cranck my amp and distortion, my trem will sustain 4 ever.

They are very different. Distortion based sustain = crock of ****, because you can give a two dollar harmony guitar endless sustain with the right gain structure. Im talking actual clean note sustain, real unbridled sustain which the gibson has more of.

Shredder87 · #12 07-20-2006, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crevis

I cant believe ur comparing iby's to gibsons, i couldnt imagine 2 more different guitars. if a gibson has more sustain its because there's more fedback and less string pull from the pickups. If i cranck my amp and distortion, my trem will sustain 4 ever.

"cant". No such word. Correct word "Can't".
"ur". No such word. Correct word "You're".
"couldnt". No such word. Correct word "Couldn't".
"fedback" No such word. Correct word "Feedback".
"cranck" No such word. Correct word "Crank".
"4 ever" No such word. Correct word "Forever".

Remember "UR" capital letters and apostrophies.

I will continue to monitor this forum until spelling and punctuation improves.

Hmm, perhaps I need to get a LYFE.

guitarslinger213 · #13 07-20-2006, 12:49 PM

uh, oh, it's the grammar patrol.

all kidding aside, there are poopy, non-sustaining pieces of basswood and mahogany. There are also super-sustaining pieces of basswood and mahogany.

nuno · #14 07-20-2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarslinger213

all kidding aside, there are poopy, non-sustaining pieces of basswood and mahogany. There are also super-sustaining pieces of basswood and mahogany.

+1!..

supermau · #15 07-20-2006, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shredder87

"cant". No such word. Correct word "Can't".
"ur". No such word. Correct word "You're".
"couldnt". No such word. Correct word "Couldn't".
"fedback" No such word. Correct word "Feedback".
"cranck" No such word. Correct word "Crank".
"4 ever" No such word. Correct word "Forever".

Remember "UR" capital letters and apostrophies.

I will continue to monitor this forum until spelling and punctuation improves.

Hmm, perhaps I need to get a LYFE.

I never write "LOL" but...LOL!