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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 39
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 39 |
Hi I just thought I would share a recent experience - I have been playing guitar and trying to make music for nearly 30 years now, and have been lucky enough to build quite a collection of 'mid-priced' electric guitars. However, I recently took the plunge and sold 4 of my collection to fund a Fender Custom Shop Telecaster. I thought I knew how a 'good' guitar sounded and felt, well I was wrong and I can now honestly say that I have never before had such enthusiasm for playing and for music in general. I can only put this down to the flawless performance of this guitar - the feel, tone, vibe etc (it's a relic) are unlike anything I have played before. Previously, I was of the opinion that paying up to £1000 ($1700) would buy me into the 'top' end of instruments, and how could paying double that amount get you anything more... well, I have found that paying double gets you an instrument (assuming you hand-pick it) that is more than twice as good as anything else!
So, I guess the experience is, if you're like me and sometimes need a bit of encouragement to keep going on your musical journey... get the best equipment you can, quality over quantity wins every time, and playing the best instruments really lets you bring out those sounds in your head!
Best,
MC
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 484
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 484 |
That's awesome! A friend of mine is a luthier and has built some guitars for me. He speaks of the instrument as being a tool. Being he works with wood to him the right tool builds the best product. And same goes now with your new axe! You will probably want to revisit all your old recordings to redo the guitar tracks over with your new baby.
Have fun!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,900
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,900 |
Hey, MC - one of the most beautiful stories I've heard in years
I love my Epiphone E335 clone but I haven't played it in a long while...
Can we hear some tracks?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 580
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 580 |
Well, here's my story, fairly recent. I got all excited about a Taylor T5 electric acoustic guitar. Paid nearly 3 grand for a beautiful custom model. What a bummer! Hated this guitar. Didn't like the sound or how it felt while playing. Don't know why I bought it. Sold it for a loss and got a $500 Fender, which I much prefer. In many years of gigging, I'll never again be swayed by product name, reputation, or anything else. If it plays good and sounds good (to my ear), that's alright by me, regardless of the cost, large or small. My clients don't care which instrument I play. They just want to hear their favorite tunes, with a good tempo, and have fun.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,678
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,678 |
It is hard to compare a taylor T5 to a fender, one is a very fine electric with accoustic overtones, the other a true electric guitar.
I play a 30 year old Gibson S-1 modified in 1982 to change the pickups from single coils to humbuckers. My next guitar will be a Tele for sure, as i absolutely love the feel of them in my hands.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 973
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 973 |
MC
I am so pleased that you have discovered the joy that is the Fender Custom Shop.
They really do make some fine guitars,and in my opinion they are worth every penny.
A guitar is an extension of you,the player,it can talk to you tell you when it's sad or happy
and in it's own way it will tell you when it just needs some attention.
HEY,I just described a WIFE He He
Have a nice day
Alan
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 897
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Expert
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 897 |
Yamaha...Motif ES-8, Motif Rack, CS6X
Korg...Karma,Triton Classic, PA-80, M-1+
AkaiSampler-S5000, Roland.. X5080 Rack/G-1000 Arranger
Various Guitars/Basses Amps Pedals Rec.Equip.
Plus, BIAB 2015 and Sonar Platinum 2015 Upgrade from Cakewalk's Sonar X-3
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,678
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,678 |
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
I think I used to have to manage those two guys at a store once...
--Mac
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,151 |
I agree, agree, agree! I admit that I've owned a plethora of guitars over the years, but have culled the herd down to two, a Fender Eric Johnson Strat and a Gibson ES-175. Both have been set up for me by arguably the finest luthier in town, Tai Shiroma, who is a Fender tech as well as a Gibson tech. To me there is no better feeling than playing a fine instrument, and where it really makes a difference is on a gig with a large venue where the instrument really has to put out. I've played many guitars that sounded great in the shop, but not so great at a convention where there are 700 people in the banquet room, and your signal is split between your amp and the mixing board.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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