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Vintage - Reissue blind listening test

korus

Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
636
You’re right. B is the reissue. So much for a blind test but a solid effort nonetheless.

I would like to submit these 2 opposing options as what a solid effort is - notice that both show/claim there IS a difference:

option A : WE ARE CLEARLY SELLING BOTH (an obvious A/B jack out - jack in, right in front of the media?!)


option B : WE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT SELLING EITHER (not an obvious A/B same settings signal chain - difference might be a bit less obvious than in option A but it surely is not deliberately adjusted to be minimal)

 

sws1

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
option B : WE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT SELLING EITHER (not an obvious A/B same settings signal chain - difference might be a bit less obvious than in option A but it surely is not deliberately adjusted to be minimal)


Since I was in the room when this was filmed, I can confirm that it was the exact same setup / signal chain. (u67 and M160 mics on the cab, and another room mic, which I can't remember right now.) I can also confirm that the difference between the guitars was far greater to the human ears in the room. Mics impart their own filter on top of what they record, rendering a similarity that is not present without the microphone. And in this case, it's a blend of 3 mics creating a complex filtering.

I need to check, but I may have the individual mic recordings from this session. Hearing just the room mic may show what I describe.
 

randall

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 21, 2002
Messages
1,310
If the Reissue had Brass posts and Thumbwheels it might make it sound dead on to the original. I know when i swapped out my 2018 R9 with the right brass parts it really changed the tone, more round on the top, more even from string to string and carved a little low end out. Custom buckers are also a tad softer in the mids.

my 2 cents...
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
To my ears, Guitar A has more depth and clarity and a bit more zing overall. I'm glad I picked right..
 

JJ Blair

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
3,462
A had more low end and that elusive "mid range bloom." That could have been a different in pick weight, too. But I can't stand the amp in this test. It masks too much of the guitar. The dirty stuff has too much high gain tone, and the clean is so compressed, it had me wondering if it was a real amp or a modeling amp. Would have been a better test with a tweed Deluxe on 3 or 4, right on the verge of clean and distorted.
 

Sol

Active member
Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
The clarity at the front/leading edge of the note I mentioned earlier is likely a product of the uncovered Pafs.
I should have spotted this. It makes the reissue all the more impressive imo.
 

Sol

Active member
Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
Since it’s already established that A is vintage and B is the reissue because of the reveal in the video noted by Brandt, the intended objectivity of this as a “blind” test has been lost.

Maybe A is marginally better, but it’s nothing that a bit of tonal adjustment couldn’t fix. I liked both and some tasty playing as well, though neither sounded better than that hollow vowelly Les Paul tone in the video below afaic.


Putting aside JD Simo's virtuoso playing, Gibson have hit on something really special with their alnico 3 magnet
Custom Buckers. I don't know what it is with these pickups but it clearly works, cause I thought he was playing a 58- 60 burst.
 

Sol

Active member
Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
I would like to submit these 2 opposing options as what a solid effort is - notice that both show/claim there IS a difference:

option A : WE ARE CLEARLY SELLING BOTH (an obvious A/B jack out - jack in, right in front of the media?!)


option B : WE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT SELLING EITHER (not an obvious A/B same settings signal chain - difference might be a bit less obvious than in option A but it surely is not deliberately adjusted to be minimal)


Great demonstration, for me your 2001 R8 comes closest to the Danger Burst.
 
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