Get there, kinda newish to guitar in general, very new to surf music. I just recently started listening to newer bands ala wavves etc. But I've always loved the ventures and the beach boys.

Any who, I have a silver face super reverb from 78/79, is this suited to surf rock? The reverb is busted atm and I need a new guitar, but is it a good start?

Thanks heaps

When you turn the reverb up it just is all fuzzy and growly and just adds noise. No reverb at all. And I think I'm just going to take it too a tech for it all, I'm electronically retarded

Awesome. I'll try that tomorrow morning and report back how it goes

I totally agree. After posting this I went out to my amp, plugged in my Chinese les paul copy, and dialled in the nicest surf tone I've ever pulled. I was so happy. I still want a guitar with a trem, but I'm actually really content atm.

BTW, this forum has got to be the most welcoming forum I've been on.

DannySnyder wrote:

One thing I stress to all newbies, don't rush to buy gear. Getting the most from what you have is a valuable lesson. Think of it as wearing ankle weights. Concentrate on developing your own style, once you're confident with what you're doing then start exploring new sonic possibilities through gear. You'll save a lot of money in the meantime.

I love the concept, the general philosophy of making the most out of whatever you got, I do believe it's just the right way. A good advice for newbies (which I think I am), no doubt.

But just between us , ever since I got my Showman (before, had a Blues Jr. for 1 year), my playing has improved substantially. I just like what I hear better, that in turn gives me inspiration and I play better, that in turn makes me like what I hear better, and so on.
And I'm sure it'll have the same effect when I get a real Reverb unit.

Pathetic I know, but just maybe, maybe that means that I actually am ready for an upgrade.

Also, for 15 years before that, I've been playing (very occasionally) with super crap gear (just didn't have the money, nor real motivation), it left me so dry and bored, so I didn't do much with it.
New gear is exciting, new great gear even more, that has to account for something...

What I'm saying is, I agree with everything you said, and to top it - of course it's all in your head/hands/blah, and a good musician can make almost anything work in his favor, you know, get the best out of it, but great gear is AWESOME, isn't it?

Last edited: Apr 15, 2012 15:30:33

I owe an apology here. It was just over a year ago that I joined SG101 and dove in head first, all questions and uninformed ideas. No one treated me flippantly, and all the advice and guidance I got, when I was smart enough to take it, helped tremendously.

I was also very new to guitar (still am, really) and also bought a cheap Les Paul copy as my first electric guitar. Unlike Zowno, by the time I got here I had also bought 2 more electric guitars trying to find a sound I liked for surf music and was well on my way to buying another.

People here have a lot of fun debating the merits of various guitars for surf music, all of which can lead to large outlays of cash, and none of which make up for lack of overall ability or surf guitar technique. There are more than enough good guitarists who play great-sounding surf music using Les Pauls and other humbucker-equipped guitars. You will too.

Zowno, Everyone else who answered your question is right of course. And the way Danny followed up my guitar debate-related nonsense with simple useful advice (just like he'd always given me, just like everyone here has always given me) made me realize I had just been a jerk. I chose to be flip instead of thoughtful and ended being unhelpful.

So, I am sorry.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Apr 16, 2012 08:21:23

I vote on the side of "Get the gear you want and need as soon as humanly possible"...provided you KNOW what you need and want, of course.

You only live once. Go for it. You don't want to discover that you're a senior citizen by the time you finally 'justify' a purchase.

There's a guy where I work who keeps telling me about all these necks and bodies and pickups and how he's going to get a Squier and upgrade it with all these aftermarket parts and swap necks..and so on. Every week it's a different plan, but he NEVER gets it done.

I tell him "Just buy the guitar of your dreams now and quit hedging."

His dream guitar is a Fender 'Jimmy Vaughn' signature Stratocaster - a good choice for him, IMHO. But he won't pull the trigger.

Brilliant words Ariel, really got me going.

I'm really considering the Fender Mustang '65. I was going to get an AVRI Jazzy, but the Mustang comes in blue (The best colour IMO) it also has a much better switching system for what I like, but mainly it's half as expensive as a new Jazzy. What are people's opinions on the Mustang, I haven't seen it on these forums at all.

Just gotta wait for a land sale to go through and I'm all set.

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