NGD: 16 year old me would've hated this instrument

[Bloody_Inferno]

Back then, all I wanted was a pointy shred machine (be it superstrat, V, Explorer/Kelly or some sort), and would not be caught dead with a hollowbody with a bigsby. But they days of being a snotty 16 year old are a bloody long time ago, and the moment I saw this Ibanez AS63T in the discontinued corner, I grabbed it.





It's funny since this is my second hollowbody in the stable, so clearly I've already warmed up to these kind of guitars a while ago. But I knew I wanted one with a Bigsby or at least some kind of trem this time around. So once I grabbed this, I also installed a pair of Bkp Blue Note HSP90s for a more classic 40s to 50s inspired sound.


Obligatory crappy clip.

[James]

Not quite my thing in the looks department, but the tone is lovely

[Iron1]

Congrats! Not my thing either, but it's your thing and that's what matters. Enjoy!

[Chris]

I love it. Happy NGD man. Holy Wars on that thing at once.

[Bloody_Inferno]

Thanks gents... granted, it is very hard to play thrash riffs on this thing.

Congrats! Not my thing either, but it's your thing and that's what matters. Enjoy!

For the longest time, I hated these kind of instruments and usually opted for my fleet of RGs. I started liking 335s more when I had to do some jazz sessions, and I've always loved Eric Johnson's 335 tone. But RGs will still by my thing (and the occasional other Ibby shapes too). Still, this instrument covers all those Gretsch esque tones that I need every now and then but without needing to pay 6k for a White Falcon.

[Mike]

I love a good semi-hollow. Never could deal with Bigsbys, though. Those are nice guitars, though, and the color is rad.

[Iron1]

Thanks gents... granted, it is very hard to play thrash riffs on this thing.




For the longest time, I hated these kind of instruments and usually opted for my fleet of RGs. I started liking 335s more when I had to do some jazz sessions, and I've always loved Eric Johnson's 335 tone. But RGs will still by my thing (and the occasional other Ibby shapes too). Still, this instrument covers all those Gretsch esque tones that I need every now and then but without needing to pay 6k for a White Falcon.

Totally get it. For me, the guitar is a gut attraction thing. If I look at one and have that "want" inside, then I know I'll play it. That's why I doubt I'd ever own a tele, they give me the opposite reaction - and most standard Fender Strats do the same. With the older body types, I tend to lean towards the weird Jazzmaster/Thunderbird sorts of things. Just don't want anything that looks like some doofus on a 70s era TV show played.

What you got has a really cool vibe to it, so I can see how it probably gave you that gut feel. And, like Mike said, the color is rad, for sure.

[Jeff]

Nice! Roller bridge and locking tuners at once!

[jacksonplayer]

I can't stand Bigsbys, but everything else about that is awesome.

P90s on a semi-hollow with clean tones will sound excellent.

[Drew]

That's hideous, in ways that really speak to me. Nice!!

[Webdood]

P90s and seafoam? yes please

[RevDrucifer]

Just yesterday I was watching a vid of someone comparing Burstbuckers vs the EJ Custom Humbuckers, using a hollowbody and it really made me want one. I’m almost covered for single coil tones (need a tele) and I’ve got all the metal tonal stuff covered, but I don’t have anything for that really warm, 335 sounds. It’ll be a while, but I can definitely see a hollowbody in my future. Or something with P90’s like a Jazzmaster or something.

[Greg McCoy]

Seafoam is great on hollowbodies, I have a buddy who has one of the cool newish post brand resurrection D'Angelico ones. Fun guitars.

[tim]

I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised and how nice that clip sounded. Congrats!

[Drew]

Oh shit, I missed the clip! That sounds gteat. Throw some really lo-fi, roomy, gritty percussion behind that and it's instant Quentin Tarantino soundtrack material.

[Phil]

Looks great. I always approve of seafoam.

Nice! Roller bridge and locking tuners at once!

I actually tried a roller bridge on my old Mascis Jazzmaster and I really didn't get along with it and went back to the TOM. It killed a lot of the sustain, had a bunch of sympathetic vibration/ringing out behind the bridge (more than usual for a JM) and felt sloppy, like the strings were sliding side to side on the rollers.

With the TOM, I found if I cranked down on the vibrato a bunch before I tuned up, the strings would settle however they were meant to settle, and tuning stability was fine. Pulling up on the bar a bunch was dicey, but as long as I avoided that, it was great.

[metalheadpunk]

Hell yeah! Looks awesome. Everyone should have a hollowbody in the stable IMO.

[MetalJim]

I'm liking hollow bodies more as I get older. That sounds great with P90s.

[Bloody_Inferno]

The more I play this, the more I need to keep reminding myself that the Bigsby is not the traditional trem. I reach out and start doing dips every now and then, but have to think less Vai and more Duane Eddy. Let's see how long this bridge will last with my playing style...

=
I actually tried a roller bridge on my old Mascis Jazzmaster and I really didn't get along with it and went back to the TOM. It killed a lot of the sustain, had a bunch of sympathetic vibration/ringing out behind the bridge (more than usual for a JM) and felt sloppy, like the strings were sliding side to side on the rollers.

With the TOM, I found if I cranked down on the vibrato a bunch before I tuned up, the strings would settle however they were meant to settle, and tuning stability was fine. Pulling up on the bar a bunch was dicey, but as long as I avoided that, it was great.

I've heard mixed results with roller bridges on Jazzmasters. I was eying the new Fender 3 pickup JMs and was undecided on putting them on or not. Hell, didn't even know you can mod Bigsbys with one.

[Megametal7]

congrats on the new guitar, hope it inspires you to play more.