bluesyrat
Well-known member
Hi all folks,
after some week spent on thinking about it, I decided to launch the BLIND TEST.
If it is so true that all we guitar players are always in GAS trouble, and we?re in perpetual research to satisfy our even more fine ears, it would be very simple to distinguish between three very different strat guitars, in terms of liuthery construction, materials, electronics and? price.
But we?re so sure we?re able to do this without our EYES? Just listening them? What I want to say is that, basing on certain features, we expect that an instrument gives a specific sound. But not always, when we play it, we obtain that. So the GAS. But often (very often, don?t lie) the GAS is an aesthetic matter, not an Harmonic Colorful Research. Or it?s a snobbery behavior (my guitar is the best in the world, it?s better than yours, you have to envy my instruments and so on).
Ok, you will not do that; I?m generally speaking?
That said, I took 3 strats of mine (the best in the world obviousely) that you can see in the image.
They are (from the left):
Tokai springy sound ST100 March 1980: fantastic grain one piece body (ash), quarter sawn maple V neck with very thin rosewood fingerboard. All original, ?E? stamped pick ups. Nitro finish. A bit heavy 8.37 lbs.
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...&authkey=Gv1sRgCJDx5vfeiP7sEw&feat=directlink
Tokai goldstar sound st50 April 1984: marvelous two piece ash body, maple U neck. All original, ?U? stamped pick ups. Very thin poly(urethane) finish. Very light 7.14 lbs.
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...authkey=Gv1sRgCMKT_dXuwbbGtQE&feat=directlink
Fernandes R-9 1995 (become a bit maniacally a '61 str@t): Two piece alder (basswood?) body, maple C neck with generous slab board rosewood fingerboard. Heavy relic poly(ester) finish, Tonerider ?Pure Vintage? pick ups. Weight 7.35 lbs
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...authkey=Gv1sRgCO36h6CThPue_wE&feat=directlink
All guitars are setted up to give their maximum. All have same 0.10 gauge new strings (nickel wound).
Sound is recorded micing the cab plugged into an handmade 5w class A single ended amp. No effects. Controls untouched during the test, amp always on even changing guitar.
I played each instrument for a while like I was trying it in a shop. All played with fingers, no picks.
What you have to do is: first matching each audio file to each guitar model. Then choose your best.
To add some spicy taste there are three guitars but four files. Two are played with the same guitar. So you have to match two files with the same guitar...
I think we?ll see very good things about our instruments approach.
here the files:
k01 - http://chirb.it/GL74cP
k02 - http://chirb.it/wvxs36
k03 - http://chirb.it/Kv4axk
k04 - http://chirb.it/hnI86z
TEST ENDS 10 APRIL 2012. Then the results. Thank you all.
p.s. please, I know that this is not the best procedure to elaborate. It?s only a beta tempt? if you don?t want participate, simply don?t do it; if you have fun, I?ll be glad.
p.p.s. is there someone that wants to do the same with LS models?
after some week spent on thinking about it, I decided to launch the BLIND TEST.
If it is so true that all we guitar players are always in GAS trouble, and we?re in perpetual research to satisfy our even more fine ears, it would be very simple to distinguish between three very different strat guitars, in terms of liuthery construction, materials, electronics and? price.
But we?re so sure we?re able to do this without our EYES? Just listening them? What I want to say is that, basing on certain features, we expect that an instrument gives a specific sound. But not always, when we play it, we obtain that. So the GAS. But often (very often, don?t lie) the GAS is an aesthetic matter, not an Harmonic Colorful Research. Or it?s a snobbery behavior (my guitar is the best in the world, it?s better than yours, you have to envy my instruments and so on).
Ok, you will not do that; I?m generally speaking?
That said, I took 3 strats of mine (the best in the world obviousely) that you can see in the image.
They are (from the left):
Tokai springy sound ST100 March 1980: fantastic grain one piece body (ash), quarter sawn maple V neck with very thin rosewood fingerboard. All original, ?E? stamped pick ups. Nitro finish. A bit heavy 8.37 lbs.
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...&authkey=Gv1sRgCJDx5vfeiP7sEw&feat=directlink
Tokai goldstar sound st50 April 1984: marvelous two piece ash body, maple U neck. All original, ?U? stamped pick ups. Very thin poly(urethane) finish. Very light 7.14 lbs.
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...authkey=Gv1sRgCMKT_dXuwbbGtQE&feat=directlink
Fernandes R-9 1995 (become a bit maniacally a '61 str@t): Two piece alder (basswood?) body, maple C neck with generous slab board rosewood fingerboard. Heavy relic poly(ester) finish, Tonerider ?Pure Vintage? pick ups. Weight 7.35 lbs
more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101107...authkey=Gv1sRgCO36h6CThPue_wE&feat=directlink
All guitars are setted up to give their maximum. All have same 0.10 gauge new strings (nickel wound).
Sound is recorded micing the cab plugged into an handmade 5w class A single ended amp. No effects. Controls untouched during the test, amp always on even changing guitar.
I played each instrument for a while like I was trying it in a shop. All played with fingers, no picks.
What you have to do is: first matching each audio file to each guitar model. Then choose your best.
To add some spicy taste there are three guitars but four files. Two are played with the same guitar. So you have to match two files with the same guitar...
I think we?ll see very good things about our instruments approach.
here the files:
k01 - http://chirb.it/GL74cP
k02 - http://chirb.it/wvxs36
k03 - http://chirb.it/Kv4axk
k04 - http://chirb.it/hnI86z
TEST ENDS 10 APRIL 2012. Then the results. Thank you all.
p.s. please, I know that this is not the best procedure to elaborate. It?s only a beta tempt? if you don?t want participate, simply don?t do it; if you have fun, I?ll be glad.
p.p.s. is there someone that wants to do the same with LS models?