London Guitar Show

[Davemarks]

I believe its all happening between 10:30 - 1 pm on Sat Morning....

Would be cool to see you guys there - some of the music were playing is real good straightahead rock stuff and some of it is quite mad... Balkan folk and Dream Theater type stuff...

Come along and say hi if you get a chance...

Dave

[peted]

[quote name='Gamble' post='214123' date='Jun 6 2008, 10:44 PM']Yeah, lets re-word that.

Peted is going, and if I get myself a ticket I'll be there with him.

That definately sounds more like English, I must stop posting when I'm half asleep![/quote]
Yep, i've got my ticket and will be there on the Sunday (hopefully quite early). I'll give you a buzz before the weekend and I'll have my phone with me at the event. Though you'll probably find me glued to the Warwick stand

[BigRedX]

So who'll be there tomorrow (Friday)?

[Marshy]

The website is all optimistic about this, but does anyone who has experience of this show know if I'm likely to get a ticket if I turn up first thing on Sunday?

Wasn't planning to go, but it seems like a good way to catch up with some folk I haven't spoken with for a while.

Cheers,

--Chris

[3V17C]

i went a year or so back having got tickets in advance, but most people did seem to be paying on the door with no problem. I've not got a ticket this year myself so.....



peace

c

[BigRedX]

Just got back from the show and here's some thoughts a pictures to whet the appetites for those of you going this weekend.

First impressions, much better from a bass point of view than last year (although the only way it could have been worse would have been to have no basses at all). There was plenty of basses to see and play and some of them were pretty tasty indeed!

Brand new on the Sims Custom stand were these:





A new range of basses called Enfield(?) featuring an interesting pickup design which if I recall correctly allows P-type, J-type and MM-type configurations individually for each half. Really liked the fretless, for me this was very nearly the best bass of the show.

On to Vigier who were showing the new Passion and Arpege basses as well as the Excess. While there were several fretless guitars with the Delta metal board no basses as yet. Maybe next year says Patrice Vigier...

Woodview and Blacki were sharing a stand show the Spear range although yet again none of the CT-esque double cut, and Trussart but none of the basses. However there were Brazillian basses from D'Alegria and Fox



This is the Fox 5-string Star Bass Custom. Very nice neck on this and the frets are so low profile it almost feels like a fretless.

The Rosetti stand had Rickenbacker (high up on the wall were I couldn't reach them), BC Rich and the Traben Bootzilla Bass



I'm GASing for a 5-string version of this now. It's probably just as well for me, that they'd been unable to get a Bootsy Star.

Fretking had the Blue Label Europa IV bass but none of the Green Label version. Trevor Wilkinson informs me that they're building some at the moment so hopefully I'll get a chance to try one out soon.

On the Ashdown stand were Lodestone with the Primal Bass



I really don't know what to make of these. They play and sound great and this example has some really nice woo, but the body shape is a bit the clunky and the headstock has to be the ugliest I've seen for a long time...



Also I noticed that if the D and G strings aren't wound onto the machine heads neatly the stings have a tendency to touch the headstock as they pass over the 'ridge'. That can't be good.

Gretsch had some very nice guitars on their part of the Fender stand, but no basses at all. This was a situation that occurred with a couple of other manufacturers/distributors, where the guitar ranger was fairly well represented but no basses were available to try. For me shows like this may be the only chance I'll get to try out some of the less common basses, so its a pity when things like this happen, and makes me more likely to buy directly from the US rather than through the UK distributor.

Because of the number of images part 2 follows:

[BigRedX]

I do like the look of these Yamaha basses:



Especially in black and the lights around the controls are better colours. Why no light on the tone control though?

Since I saw the Warwick Star Bass in photos from the NAMM show, I've been wanting to try one, and here's a fretless model:



Looks fantastic, I don't mind the standard Warwick head on this too much either. However for me the neck is still horrible. It feels sticky which is not a good thing on a fretless bass and the edges of the fingerboard were really sharp. For a bass that's almost £2000, these are not good features. The neck stickiness may be just me (although the Jack Bruce model didn't suffer from this) but unrolled fingerboard edges on a bass this expensive is unforgivable!

Some nice looking Vox Special Re-issue Teardrop Basses, although a bit pricey.



Finally for me the star of the show:





Lurking on the Electric Babes stand (who still haven't got their bass model finished) were these two Esh Poseidon basses. I realise that the shape is probably way over the top for most, but I love it! Great sound and playability, I'm seriously thinking about a fretless...

[dudewheresmybass]

i was there yesterday, and was also fairly impressed with the gear there from a bass perspective.
Things that stood out for me were the Basson / Zoot stand, with the new Zoot Neo cabs (unfeasibly light!), Peavey with their new all valve bass rigs, and a european (Czech IIRC) manfacturer called Mayones.

the one item that really stood out for me was a reissue of the Aria SB as used by Cliff Burton. It's called the SBCB and will retail at around the £750 mark. Neck through, and sweet as you like - I know what my next bass will be now!



Iwas somewhat disappointed by Roland/ Boss who had very little new product available for demo, and Fender, who had none of their new effects range on their stand. a real opportunity missed i feel!

The other thing i found was that by and large, no one was interested in talking to people (except perhaps roland). I was there with a trade pass around my neck, yet no one was interested in "talking turkey"

overall, it was loads better than last year from a bass perspective, but still some way to go generally though.

[Galilee]

Had a great day there today and was absolutely blown away by Wojtek Pilichowski (sp?) on the Ashdown stand. What a player.

[ped]

Well it looks like quite a good show compared to previous years. I was unable to make it in the end because I had a job interview (unsuccessful, too) which meant I couldn't play on the Vigier stand as I was meant to on Friday - even more of a shame because you could have tried my fretless, BigRed!

Bump for any more pics...
ped

[BigRedX]

That's a pity about both missing the show and not getting the job...

On reflection for me the show was excellent, there was certainly plenty to keep me interested, and I would have bought an Esh Poseidon fretless on the spot had it been there.

The Vigiers I tried were nice too, but I was really hoping that there would be the opportunity to try a new fretless bass. But as Mr Vigier says maybe next time...

Anyone else got any photos? Otherwise people are going to think that it was only weird sh!t (there were some Fenders too)!

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='218663' date='Jun 14 2008, 12:45 AM']I do like the look of these Yamaha basses:

[/quote]

I tried those too and really liked them. Sharp looks and nice to play. Colour matched headstock and neck and very light - they're some sort of composite of woods that makes them really light. I like throwing my bass around a bit when I play live, so this appeals. Nice to see something a bit futuristic in a world where almost every bass design seems based on a Precision or Jazz.

Good show too. Much much bigger than previous years and a lot more of a buzz about it. Excel's not the easiest venue to get to, but it's good. Clean and modern with plently of places to get a beer and a sandwich. Drum hall was cool too - they had quiet and loud times. The loud time (when people could play the kits) was deafening. Had a blast on a Mapex 5-piece in a demo room. I want one! There also seemed to be lots of demos and seminars going on, which gave it all a bit of substance.

Oh, and Lakland fans, I noticed that they're now being distributed by the people who handle PRS guitars, so expect to see more Skylines in the shops soon...

[BigRedX]

Did you spot the cut-away guitar hanging up near these bases showing how they're put together? Very interesting and top marks to Yamaha for being brave enough to do something like that and give away some of the constructional secrets.

I'd forgotten about the Laklands. It's a pity they looked very much like an after-thought, languishing down the far end of the PRS stand. All Skyline models as well. I would have liked to have seen a US Lakland or two for comparison.

Edited June 15, 2008 by BigRedX

[stingrayfan]

Yeah, saw the cutaway. Thought it sounded good too (albeit through a pair of crappy 80s Walkman style headphones). The white one looks like an iPod!

Most disappointing thing was the complete lack of G&L. Found one Tribute hanging on the FCN stand at the back of acoustic room. If only they'd pull their finger out and get these into shops at a decent price, they might sell a few more!

[7string]

Thanks to those who have posted pics of the show. Looks like it was a good show.

Music Live is on November 7-9 at the NEC. I'm going to try to get there, might even fly to Birmingham from Glasgow (how rock 'n' roll is that !).

[Marshy]

This was my first trip to the LGS, wow - what a lot of kit in one place. Ashdown were very helpful with a query I had about my Superfly head, and most places seemed generally keen to natter.

But what berk thought that using the next hall along for the acoustic instruments section was a good plan? Man, that was dumb. Next year, the acoustic bit needs to be on the opposite side of the central aisle.

And I now wish I'd tried that Enfield fretless - I too thought it looked very interesting.

I did try three grand's worth of Warwick 8 string - *that* was an interesting beastie. Wanted one on the spot, until I realised I had no actual use for it. 8 string fretted bass in acoustic singer/songwriter band... doesn't quite work, does it?

Hey ho. One day I'll get into that kicking rock band...

--Chris

[Golchen]

Wahooo! can't believe it, I actually met and talked to Billy Sheehan!!!!! Gasp. Even have photo evidence.

Also I watched Stu hamm playing on a stand from about 3 feet away. Awesome!

Anyone know who the old guy with long fair hair doing crowd pulling slapping around the place?

[NJE]

Well what a grand day!

I have been to three London guitar shows and despite the drums and stoopid teenagers on guitars completely killing classic rock tunes on Ibanez guitars it was very pleasant and I would just about say the best i have been to.

It was really great to see Overwater first and foremost, and the guys were really nice and chatty and really humoured me and my bad playing. Dave marks was great on the main stage, and IMHO far more entertaining than Sheehan, Hamm, and that bloke who played on the Ashdown stage. I apreciate and really respect what those guys can do, but to me it just wasnt nice to listen to.

Best thing of all from the whole show was GAS CURED! well guitars anyway. After playing some exceptional basses I just discovered that despite them looking a million bucks (or roughly 2K) none of them really played any better than my warwick, and Chris May himself said to me that a first class set up was the key to his basses playing the way they did. I think for the first time the greenest grass is under my feet.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE:

1. Meeting Billy Sheehan and having a pict taken with the man himself.
2. Watching Stu Hamm and saying a quick hello.
3. Dave Marks on the main stage was brilliant, and i fell in love with his sei headless. Only shame was all that tossy guitar shredding nonsense apart from one guy I saw who must have been the only one that didnt smack on the distortion.
4. I PLAYED AN OVERWATER!! had a lovely chat with Chris May and chatted in depth about his lovely basses. Played a 2k progress 5s which was great and a perception. Both great instruments but happily I can say that they were not really any better playing wise than what I have. In fact found the spacing a bit big, great bases but not for me, GAS cured!
5. I played some lakland skyline basses too. Really didnt like the DJ5 or the JO 5, but the standard 5 string was great. Nice to see them being represented by the PRS people although the guy there knew bugger all. Again liked them but not worth the cash IMHO.
6. The Warwick stand was class. Loved it having ignored it in previous years, and played an awesome maple necked 5 string.

[peted]

I went yesterday and really enjoyed it. Must have visited the Warwick stand about 100 times

Saw Stu Hamm, Steve Vai, and Jonas Hellborg. Too shy to say hello though

Gear highlights: Got to play on the Warwick Custom Shop Thumb 6 fretless with Koa top, and wenge neck. Stood around listening to someone demo the new Hartke Hydrive heads and cabs and they sound great. Saw some Overwaters in person and they look amazing. Popped along to the Tascam and got to play around with the new CD and MP3 Bass Trainers and very nearly bought the MP3 one to retire my old CD one (until I came to my senses and remembered that my CD one was still perfectly satisfactory for my needs).

Spent most of the rest of the day with a sh*t-eating grin, until the evening when I had the unavoidable downer when I realised that I'd had to leave all that lovely gear behind

[Shockwave]

Did anyone get pics of the BC Rich basses at all? Would love to see them!

[johnnylager]

[quote name='Galilee' post='218988' date='Jun 14 2008, 08:57 PM']Had a great day there today and was absolutely blown away by Wojtek Pilichowski (sp?) on the Ashdown stand. What a player.[/quote]
Bet no-one told him [i]he [/i]sounded woolly

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Shockwave' post='219904' date='Jun 16 2008, 02:58 PM']Did anyone get pics of the BC Rich basses at all? Would love to see them![/quote]

Sorry no and TBH there wasn't anything there in the bass range anyway that I haven't seen more impressive examples of posted by either Lorne or yourself...

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='219908' date='Jun 16 2008, 03:00 PM']Bet no-one told him [i]he [/i]sounded woolly [/quote]
He'd have sounded better plugged into the Trace Elliot stuff on the next stand, I reckon....

Anyone got a long lead?

[Tait]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='220297' date='Jun 16 2008, 11:33 PM']Sorry no and TBH there wasn't anything there in the bass range anyway that I haven't seen more impressive examples of posted by either Lorne or yourself...[/quote]

+1, there were a couple in the rosetti stand, but i get the feeling you used to own one of them (well, an identical one, not the exact one), shockwave, and the only other i noticed was a spalted maple mockingbird bass which was pretty cool. I think there was a really cheap looking warlock bass, too. Your BC Richs are much cooler than any there.