What much-hated piece of gear do you actually love?

xscaramanga

Been thinking about this one for a while: what piece of gear that gets widely slated on gear forums do you really like?

For me it's the Gibson 496R and 500T ceramic humbuckers. Loathed by the internet, I think they sound huge in my Les Paul.

Also, the Boss DS-1, also regarded by gear snobs as a load of crap. I agree it can sound terrible, but into a cooking Marshall it is a thing of awesome. And I don't think it matters what country it was made in.

How about you?

dazzajl

Fender Mustang. I’ve had the III and IV in the V2 versions and they totally turned my head from an anti modelling snob to a big fan. 

I probably only use about three percent of its various effects and voices but that gives me a half dozen or so options in a small package that can be had for a little over £100. 

ESBlonde

A non custom shop or signature Gibson. Surely they can't possibly be acceptable, and yet....
Also a Marshall avt20. I mean transistors and a little loudspeaker could never be right. It did need a warranty fix 20 years ago, but otherwise I love it.

Funkfingers

I thought about this question for a while before concluding that I could not answer it because I do not trawl the Internet, researching what gear other people have been mostly hating.

ICBM

DS-1 as well. I just got one of the 40th Anniversary ones in black - superb. I actually prefer it into a clean or nearly clean amp - it sounds great, although I fully admit it has to be set ‘just right’ on the tone control... but it can be.

I also really like the much-hated Drive channel on the Fender Hotrod amps - a great vintage-type overdrive that will nail a Tweed Deluxe tone at controllable volume... I’ve proved that by directly A/B’ing them. But it won’t sound like a Marshall!

steven70

Marshall BB-2...it's not great, but percentage wise can get a usable tone out of any crappy amp in a few mins. I've taken this to a few ad-hoc gigs where I didn't know what the amp was. Also built like a brick wossname... 

brooom

One more vote for boss pedals. In general, but yeah the DS-1 is still a great distortion.

Troglodyte

A 2015 Les Paul Studio. Actually a Sprint Run model so, apart from the metal nut, it's pretty much a regular Les Paul. Plays really nice, nice top for a Studio, nice pickups, regular neck dimensions.

It's a good job I like it as, as it's a 2015, it has a valuation similar to dog poo.

guitars4you

Funkfingers said:

I thought about this question for a while before concluding that I could not answer it because I do not trawl the Internet, researching what gear other people have been mostly hating.

I had a similar thought

Yet if I had to come up with an answer I'd probably say my PRS Hollowbody and Modern Eagle  - Some love for PRS but plenty of 'haters'

BahHumbug

I have a Boss GT-10 which I use all the time for playing with the band.  I never see these mentioned anywhere, so I presume they are not particularly well regarded.  It works for me and I really don’t believe audiences give two hoots about what gear the band is playing.

Philtre

ICBM said:

I also really like the much-hated Drive channel on the Fender Hotrod amps - a great vintage-type overdrive that will nail a Tweed Deluxe tone at controllable volume... I’ve proved that by directly A/B’ing them. But it won’t sound like a Marshall!

Danhere and Mickhere did a video on this. It's true it can sound half-decent. But, like them, I find I have to decrease the treble and increase the bass EQs.

riffpowers

The set of bill lawrence "the original" circuit board pickups inb my lp custom. Pretty much everyone has told me to take those pieces of rubbish out. I think they sound fantastic.

OilCityPickups

My Les Paul :-)

riffpowers said:

The set of bill lawrence "the original" circuit board pickups inb my lp custom. Pretty much everyone has told me to take those pieces of rubbish out. I think they sound fantastic.

I really like the sound of those too ... very underrated ... the sad thing is that they break regularly and are practically impossible to repair.

ICBM

Philtre said:

Danhere and Mickhere did a video on this. It's true it can sound half-decent. But, like them, I find I have to decrease the treble and increase the bass EQs.

Why is that a problem? That’s what the controls are for... and they affect the clean channel less, so if you dial it in for the Drive channel the clean will take care of itself. You need the bright switch on, but that’s why there is one!

I A/B’d a HRD - actually a limited edition one with a Jensen speaker and tweed cab, to be fair - against a well-regarded 5E3 replica, and the HRD could nail the overdrive tone of the 5E3 exactly, at the same volume... the difference being that it could also go louder or quieter as well.

I honestly think a lot of the problem is that just like with the DS-1, people don’t understand how to use the controls and dial them in with their eyes not their ears.

brooom

Also I really like my Grecos and Navigators... but by the looks of it, lots of people at Gibson don't!

Philtre

ICBM said:

Philtre said:

Danhere and Mickhere did a video on this. It's true it can sound half-decent. But, like them, I find I have to decrease the treble and increase the bass EQs.

Why is that a problem? That’s what the controls are for... and they affect the clean channel less, so if you dial it in for the Drive channel the clean will take care of itself. You need the bright switch on, but that’s why there is one!

It isn't a problem. Just mentioning it in case anyone thinks the drive channel is too bright if they go from clean channel.

Jetfire

Every Ibanez guitar they have ever. Love that shit. 

Rocker

My Pignose amp.  It speaks the truth .........

guitargeek62

PRS Silver Sky. I’ve been a strat and PRS fan for a long time, had a couple of EG’s, played the DC3 and Brent Mason models, also had too many strats to keep track of from all price-points, but the SS is just a good mix of all the specs I like best on strats - including the fingerboard radius!

Alnico

I have two "Pointy" superstrats, a 2002 Japanese Ibanez RG550EX and a 2007 Japanese Jackson DK2.

Both have been upgraded with great parts, both are currently apart having final bits of work done and both will (hopefully soon) be stunning when they're done...soon,...I really hope!

They feel like home to me and now the Jackson has a Floyd Rose Pro I really can't wait to get it all back together and play it.

Audrey has two PRS guitars, both SE's, a Custom 24 and my old Santana Special.

They're both very much loved by both of us.

My 'White Lightning' Explorer usually divides a room fairly well too.

Matt_McG

@ICBM ;

I've never played a HRD in anger, but one of the best sounds I've ever heard in a live venue, was a "blues" guy into a cooking HRD, loud. It sounded fantastic.