Jet King II

MatiasTolkki · #1 01-18-2013, 12:43 PM

I've gone to one of the big chain guitar shops here before and seen a couple Jet Kings being sold used for dirt cheap. How is the JK line? I've never actually tried to pick one up and play one, but because the shape is kinda like a Telecaster, is it similar to a telecaster in overall sound?

ironfistx · #2 01-20-2013, 02:32 AM

Never played a Jet King, but nice username. Stratovarius is one of my favorite bands

paulramon1992 · #3 01-20-2013, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatiasTolkki

I've gone to one of the big chain guitar shops here before and seen a couple Jet Kings being sold used for dirt cheap. How is the JK line? I've never actually tried to pick one up and play one, but because the shape is kinda like a Telecaster, is it similar to a telecaster in overall sound?

I've played a jet king, and yes it has the overall tele "vibe", but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a tele copy. The shape doesn't mean much; I played my cousins cheap Behringer guitar, and it was shaped like an rg, but it sounded nothing like any ibanez, even gio series.

Jet kings are not bad for the price, just dont expect it to be on par with higher quality ibanez guitars.

MatiasTolkki · #4 01-20-2013, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironfistx

Never played a Jet King, but nice username. Stratovarius is one of my favorite bands

I'm learning how to play Galaxies right now. I've only been playing guitar a year so I'm doing alot of the easier stuff right now (hunting high and low, eagleheart, Galaxies). Eventually I wanna learn The hands of time

MatiasTolkki · #5 01-20-2013, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulramon1992

I've played a jet king, and yes it has the overall tele "vibe", but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a tele copy. The shape doesn't mean much; I played my cousins cheap Behringer guitar, and it was shaped like an rg, but it sounded nothing like any ibanez, even gio series.

Jet kings are not bad for the price, just dont expect it to be on par with higher quality ibanez guitars.

Ah okay thanks. Since I saw a used one at Ishibashi (Japanese chain guitar shop) I've been curious about em so I figured I better ask before I consider buying one

ironfistx · #6 01-21-2013, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatiasTolkki

I'm learning how to play Galaxies right now. I've only been playing guitar a year so I'm doing alot of the easier stuff right now (hunting high and low, eagleheart, Galaxies). Eventually I wanna learn The hands of time

Learn Stratosphere. It's a fast song but there's nothing too hard in it (other than playing it fast). It's just a bunch of alternate picking.

MatiasTolkki · #7 01-21-2013, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironfistx

Learn Stratosphere. It's a fast song but there's nothing too hard in it (other than playing it fast). It's just a bunch of alternate picking.

Definately do it later. I'm interested in the older Strato stuff anyway (I wanna learn Hands of time as well, I like the Lassila/Ikonen/Tolkki era alot).

ironfistx · #8 01-22-2013, 01:29 AM

I've seen them twice. Both times with Lauri Porra on bass, and once with Matias Kupiainen on guitar. Have you seen them? Great shows!

MatiasTolkki · #9 01-22-2013, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironfistx

I've seen them twice. Both times with Lauri Porra on bass, and once with Matias Kupiainen on guitar. Have you seen them? Great shows!

Not yet, I'm hoping they get their asses over here to Japan for the Nemesis tour.

How was Timo Tolkki live back then? Did you ever seen RR or Symfonia?

ironfistx · #10 01-22-2013, 10:54 PM

I saw then with Tolkki in 2004 or 2005. He was great, as was everyone in the band.

I felt kinda bad the first time I saw them cuz they were playing in a fairly small venue (House of Blues Chicago) but it was barely even halfway full. Don't get me wrong, I love that venue. I just felt they had a small turnout and it was their first US tour. Then again, the concert was on a Wednesday or something. Into Eternity opened. I'd never heard of them but liked them a lot and got some of their stuff soon after the concert.

The second time I saw them (2009 I think), the venue they were supposed to play at shut down and they got moved to a bar. The opening band, Pagan's Mind (excellent, BTW), had to set their stuff up in front of Stratovarius' stuff on this small little stage and barely had room to move around on the stage. So I kinda felt bad for them then, too, cuz there were like less than 100 people there to see them, and it was just at a bar with some pool tables and stuff.

I've heard Stratovarius doesn't draw the crowds like other bands in the genre, like Sonata Arctica (whom I've also seen a couple times), do. I don't know why. They're great. Then again, they're the first power metal band I ever heard so maybe that's part of why I like them so much.

That being said, I'm not too crazy about some of their stuff, but the rest is awesome.

I haven't seen RR or Symfonia.

MatiasTolkki · #11 01-24-2013, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironfistx

I saw then with Tolkki in 2004 or 2005. He was great, as was everyone in the band.

I felt kinda bad the first time I saw them cuz they were playing in a fairly small venue (House of Blues Chicago) but it was barely even halfway full. Don't get me wrong, I love that venue. I just felt they had a small turnout and it was their first US tour. Then again, the concert was on a Wednesday or something. Into Eternity opened. I'd never heard of them but liked them a lot and got some of their stuff soon after the concert.

The second time I saw them (2009 I think), the venue they were supposed to play at shut down and they got moved to a bar. The opening band, Pagan's Mind (excellent, BTW), had to set their stuff up in front of Stratovarius' stuff on this small little stage and barely had room to move around on the stage. So I kinda felt bad for them then, too, cuz there were like less than 100 people there to see them, and it was just at a bar with some pool tables and stuff.

I've heard Stratovarius doesn't draw the crowds like other bands in the genre, like Sonata Arctica (whom I've also seen a couple times), do. I don't know why. They're great. Then again, they're the first power metal band I ever heard so maybe that's part of why I like them so much.

That being said, I'm not too crazy about some of their stuff, but the rest is awesome.

I haven't seen RR or Symfonia.

I think it's a US thing. Most Power metal bands dont draw crowds in the US (which is why most of them dont tour outside of Europe very much). Nightwish might be the exception because they managed to get a big crowd at the Gibson Amphitheater (next to Universal Studios in L.A.). I know in Japan Sonata is alot more popular, but that's because rumors and partial recordings of them covering X Japan's Silent Jealousy at live shows made the rounds and got them more recognition.

I actually didnt even know anything about Power metal until I watched Metal Evolution. Luca Turilli said that classical composers were the original metaliers (aka headbangers) and from that I listened to old Sonata, but then got curious about Strato, then started listening to them. There was so much vitality in the music that it made me forget completely about Sonata (along with the fact that Sonatas new album is stupid). i've only been playing guitar for a year, but 2 of the 3 songs I can play completely are Strato songs (Hunting high and low and Eagleheart) and the song I'm learning right now is Galaxies.

Speaking of Galaxies (and more broadly, Fourth Dimension), I picked up a used copy of the Fourth dimension songbook (has ALL of the FD songs on it, plus Dreamspace). It was only released here in Japan and from everything I've heard, it's accurate.

Timo Tolkki isnt the most active guitarist (like the Iron maiden guys jumping around all the time) but he puts so much emotion into his music that you pay more attention to the lyrics and the music than the band itself. I wish I couldve seen Tolkki live once. He's a true inspiration to all musicans. You're really lucky.

ironfistx · #12 01-26-2013, 01:50 PM

You're right about Nightwish drawing a crowd. I've seen them 4 or 5 times (once with Tarja, the rest with Anette). In fact, the last time I saw them was a few months ago and it was like a week before Anette left the band.

The only thing I don't like about playing Stratovarius songs is that they play in Eb standard which means I either have to 1) downtune (not a big deal on a non-floating bridge guitar) or 2) use a program to raise the pitch of the song a half step to bring it into E standard, which makes it sound a little different.

Speaking of Fourth Dimension, one of my favorite songs is Twilight Symphony. The intro to that song is part of my warm up when I play guitar. It took me a while to be able to play it at the right speed, though.

But I first heard that song on their live album "Visions of Europe" and thought it was awesome, and then I later heard the studio version and thought it wasn't quite as good.

Here's the Visions of Europe version if you haven't heard it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TntWziUToqw

MatiasTolkki · #13 01-26-2013, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironfistx

You're right about Nightwish drawing a crowd. I've seen them 4 or 5 times (once with Tarja, the rest with Anette). In fact, the last time I saw them was a few months ago and it was like a week before Anette left the band.

The only thing I don't like about playing Stratovarius songs is that they play in Eb standard which means I either have to 1) downtune (not a big deal on a non-floating bridge guitar) or 2) use a program to raise the pitch of the song a half step to bring it into E standard, which makes it sound a little different.

Speaking of Fourth Dimension, one of my favorite songs is Twilight Symphony. The intro to that song is part of my warm up when I play guitar. It took me a while to be able to play it at the right speed, though.

But I first heard that song on their live album "Visions of Europe" and thought it was awesome, and then I later heard the studio version and thought it wasn't quite as good.

Here's the Visions of Europe version if you haven't heard it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TntWziUToqw

i solved the tuning problem easily: my rg350 with dimarzio evos is my standard tuned guitar, my rg1550mz is half step down.

Nightwish fans aren't nearly as bad as alot of stratovarius fans though. The way they bash Timo Tolkki is just terrible. If u listen to the way TT composes music, any fan of music would understand he's on another level of musicianship than most people. That'swhy i get really mad at the internet generation because they hide behind a pc screen and only talk trash about people.

i like twilight symphony too. Amazing song. btw, how did u learn to play it? i have the official band score but just wondering what tabs or what method u used to learn it.

MatiasTolkki · #14 01-27-2013, 01:04 AM

I just listened to the VoE version of Twilight symphony. Man, that is EPIC. I need to go buy this cd.

ironfistx · #15 01-27-2013, 03:32 PM

Nightwish fans like to argue about Tarja vs. Anette and a lot of them were upset when Tarja got kicked out and they didn't like Anette. YouTube vids were full of comments like "Anette sucks" and arguing over who was better.

I learned Twilight Symphony from some tab online years ago, but I just found a much easier way to play it that lets you keep your hand in the same position the whole time a few months ago, so I think I was doing it the hard way for years!

The harder way:

The easier way:

It's a challenge to play it as fast as they do on the Visions of Europe version.