PAF pick ups.

[muttley]

like I said, I'm betting they'll work real well with clean sounds which is sorta where I live

I've watched a few videos now of guys doing some paf stuff and in the clean world they seem pretty cool. The touch response was really cool. I can see the appeal of that to clean players for sure.

For clean tones on Gibsonesque style guitars I prefer the PAF cleans to all the others.

[muttley]

Thing is, as I'm sure you know, that has been done to death already. There isn't really anything more to add. Anything more to improve. There isn't really anything more to know.

I agree and guitars and amps have been that way for decades now. That's why brands like Gibson and Fender and Marshall rely on bluetooth speakers and lifestyle products and rehashing their classics because they haven't been innovative since the 70s. They can't. Their own success in the glory days has limited them to being only that now. The majority of stuff that we as musicians generally go for was perfected in the 50s 60s and 70s. Everyone wants a Deluxe Reverb. No one wants a Fender M-80.

Absolutely. The major developments in guitar building have been almost entirely around synthetic materials and broadening the scope of existing accepted materials as availability and eco stuff kicks in. I'm actually doing some consulting with a major brand right now on some ideas around incorporating some pretty cool materials and processes And some pretty impressive stuff around composite tops and backs but that would be on archtops and hollow stuff. The basic plank and chunk solid design is what it is and always will be.

The real progress in amps as far as I see it has been mostly about processing and the chain rather than the amp itself. What people want from the amp hasn't really changed other than personally I like getting a decent tone from lighter gear these days which wasn't possible when I started out.

[Lt. Bob]

Absolutely. The major developments in guitar building have been almost entirely around synthetic materials and broadening the scope of existing accepted materials as availability and eco stuff kicks in. I'm actually doing some consulting with a major brand right now on some ideas around incorporating some pretty cool materials and processes And some pretty impressive stuff around composite tops and backs but that would be on archtops and hollow stuff. The basic plank and chunk solid design is what it is and always will be.

The real progress in amps as far as I see it has been mostly about processing and the chain rather than the amp itself. What people want from the amp hasn't really changed other than personally I like getting a decent tone from lighter gear these days which wasn't possible when I started out.

I got a Donner Rising G carbon fiber git for $105 bucks as a refurb although I think it was brand new and they were just getting rid of some ...... and it sounds pretty damned good ..... sounds better than my Norman acoustic which I had always liked.
It's a little small git with a big sound.

And amps are flat out going towards digital .... I can get excellent sound out of middle priced modelers.
As soon as enough time passes that no one cares about the sound of classic rock bands particularly, and as modelers get even better, the time's coming when you can't really tell much difference and then that'll be mostly it for tube amps.

They'll always be around just like vinyl or tubed stereo amps and enthusiasts will always want them .... but for all practical purposes there'll be no good reason for the masses to use them.
We'll see it more and more over the next decade.

[muttley]

Absolutely. The major developments in guitar building have been almost entirely around synthetic materials and broadening the scope of existing accepted materials as availability and eco stuff kicks in. I'm actually doing some consulting with a major brand right now on some ideas around incorporating some pretty cool materials and processes And some pretty impressive stuff around composite tops and backs but that would be on archtops and hollow stuff. The basic plank and chunk solid design is what it is and always will be.

The real progress in amps as far as I see it has been mostly about processing and the chain rather than the amp itself. What people want from the amp hasn't really changed other than personally I like getting a decent tone from lighter gear these days which wasn't possible when I started out.

I got a Donner Rising G carbon fiber git for $105 bucks as a refurb although I think it was brand new and they were just getting rid of some ...... and it sounds pretty damned good ..... sounds better than my Norman acoustic which I had always liked.
It's a little small git with a big sound.

And amps are flat out going towards digital .... I can get excellent sound out of middle priced modelers.
As soon as enough time passes that no one cares about the sound of classic rock bands particularly, and as modelers get even better, the time's coming when you can't really tell much difference and then that'll be mostly it for tube amps.

They'll always be around just like vinyl or tubed stereo amps and enthusiasts will always want them .... but for all practical purposes there'll be no good reason for the masses to use them.
We'll see it more and more over the next decade.

For sure. I haven't taken a tube amp to a gig for years. I can get all the sound I need from gear that is increasingly lighter and tighter than it ever was. Me and you will remember for ever humping those big arse cabs and heads up and down stair flights. I will never miss those days. The tubers will always be there in the studio and for the same type of gear heads that think those pickups Gibson are pushing will make them some how better players.

Those carbon fibre boxes are cool but for me they don't come close to an all timber box for complex dynamics and subtle tones. For the money though they are way better than some of the plywood stuff we had and is still around. I would imagine they gig well if you need a plugged in sound at reasonable volume.

The stuff I am working on is a timber / resin fibre laminate with a honey comb style centre laminate. They have plenty of strength and are super light compared to traditional ply construction with the added bonus of good sound transmission. It can be formed to pretty much any archtop shape or style and so far the acoustic response and range is really promising. The hope is eventually they will be able to more accurately predict the response envelope, we shall see. They are a way off market at this stage though.