The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    re: recent yamaha
    yes. do it.

    re: ira treatment
    that might not play well in some parts, i'm just realizing. anyhow, it's not aging or toasting the wood. the guitar is assembled, then thrown in a giant vibrator, i guess (don't ask ), which simulates decades of playing. the idea being that it'll release stresses and weirdness in the wood, all the parts will kinda marry together, and it'll have the similar vibe of a vintage instrument.

    does it work? ...yes? i can't really say. my only experience is with my recent bbp34 bass i got last year. i also have a 70s aria lawsuit jbass copy and yeah, they feel similar. is that a good thing? i don't know. is the yamaha an amazing instrument? yeah. that's all i know. haven't really needed another bass since it arrived. it really lets me cover a lot of ground, and i find it plays easily. i don't want to say the craftsmanship is flawless, but they clearly take it seriously and obviously know what they're doing. they crossed some t's and dotted some i's that other makes can't always be counted on to, though the price point might play into that.

    kinda wish they brought the tele shape back. not into the stern configuration and the pickguards are pushing it, but yamaha makes a quality instrument and i wouldn't flinch ordering their mij stuff. probably wouldn't be too concerned about any of it, really. those revstars are something, but i don't really need one.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    The best exploration of Mike Stern's gear to date is this 2018 rig rundown video he took part in with Premier Guitar.


  4. #28

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    I can't honestly say that I've listened to him much, but his tone during the Hiromi gig I saw was immense. I'm not sure if he's recorded with her or not. Either way, her work is certainly worth a listen.

    Funny enough, his signature guitar was one of the first guitars I remember seeing advertised in guitar magazines when I started playing. It's such a beautiful instrument.

  5. #29

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    Looks like the 1511 has a combination alder/ash body while the 1611 is solid ash. Same pickups.

  6. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by Naquat
    Having some fun !!!


    If you listen to this with headphones you can hear the harmonizer in stereo. Sounds pretty cool.

  7. #31

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    I always thought the PAC1611MS was an upgrade/newer version of the PAC1511MS.

    The PAC311MS was the lower cost version.

  8. #32

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    In case you haven't seen this they talk about Mike's sound extensively here.

  9. #33

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    I think you are right, Dana. The upgrade appears to be the solid ash body and the giant vibrator (thanks, feet!) stimulation. Whether that is enough to pay for the price difference over a second-hand 1511, is up for debate.

    I must say I like the idea of the solid ash body coupled with the solid maple neck/fingerboard. I can imagine those two things would help the instrument sing before the pickups enter the chain.

    But, as has already been mentioned, it might not be to everyone’s taste. Would love to try one.

  10. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug B
    I've followed Mike since the We Want Miles album and saw him here in Vancouver. I'd agree with you on the chorus-he does seem to lean on it too much; but he doesn't need to. There are some recordings where he plays straight into the amp, and he does sound better. 'Tis a pity that some listeners hear the chorus and get turned off. I can understand that though. BTW-his two amps are Fender Twins-no wonder you liked the sound!

    Cheers

    Doug
    Some players are like that - chorus IS a main component of their guitar sound. I played in a band in the 90s, where the other guitar player ran chorus 100% of the time. I got so annoyed with constantly hearing his chorused guitar (I only used chorus for a few songs in our repertoire - I'm still like that to this day, when it comes to using chorus), that one day during a band rehearsal, I said "you know, you can turn that thing off (the chorus effect - it was built into his Ampeg solid state amp) every now and then." If looks could kill (I received a seriously nasty look from the guy).
    Last edited by EllenGtrGrl; 06-16-2021 at 01:20 PM.

  11. #35

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    Here Mike mentions a Limited Edition run of his 1511:



    Any info on the Limited Edition?

  12. #36

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    I was thinking this Pacifica tele was something like the Fender tele played by one of my all-time favourite players, Roy Buchanan - I bought and played to death his “Second Album” when I was 15.

    Well, I’ve just read this in Mike’s wiki page:

    An early and important guitar for Stern was a hybrid 1950s/1960s Fender Telecaster, previously owned by Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton, which was stolen from him in an armed robbery in Boston. This guitar is the basis for a custom-made guitar built by Boston-based luthier Michael Aronson.[11]
    The Aronson guitar is in turn the basis for the Yamaha PA1511MS, the Mike Stern signature model.[11] The neck position pickup is a Seymour Duncan '59 and it has a Tele Hot Rail in the bridge.[12]

    That settles it. I’m seriously interested now.

  13. #37

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    But...has Yamaha given up on it? From their London website:

    This item is no longer available to order -“

  14. #38

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    Thanks, Lobomov. I really do need to hold back and play one first.

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    Looks like the 1511 has a combination alder/ash body while the 1611 is solid ash. Same pickups.
    No, both models have solid ash body. The only difference is the IRA treatment.

    I have the 1511 model and I would choose it anyday over any fender USA model for 2 reasons : 1) consistently two piece nice grained ash with a center joint ( if that matters you) and 2) satin/ unlaquered neck

    downsides: 7,25 radius ( I actually love it) and the access to the truss rod is at the heel.

    I consider it as a high quality exact copy of a 52 tele.

  16. #40

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    Just what I was hoping to hear, Harry!

  17. #41

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    A photo I found on the web from an Italian guy. If I could score them at the price range that Lobomov said above, I would certainly have all these versions!
    Attached Images Attached Images Mike Stern Yamaha Guitars-img_8467-jpeg 

  18. #42

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    If i remember correctly, a member here (palindrome?) had swapped the neck with a Warmoth 24 3/4 conversion neck replacement without any modifications. So -most probably- the 1511 has the standard vintage tele specs and not the proprietary Yamaha specs as it happens with the other Pacifica models. But I never tried because I am happy with the guitar as it is and I don't want to mess with it (I guess that Mike Stern never changed a thing from the original telecaster, so one could say that it is a Danny Gatton recipe).

  19. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryPm
    No, both models have solid ash body. The only difference is the IRA treatment.

    I have the 1511 model and I would choose it anyday over any fender USA model for 2 reasons : 1) consistently two piece nice grained ash with a center joint ( if that matters you) and 2) satin/ unlaquered neck

    downsides: 7,25 radius ( I actually love it) and the access to the truss rod is at the heel.

    I consider it as a high quality exact copy of a 52 tele.
    What's "IRA treatment"?

  20. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    What's "IRA treatment"?
    Yamaha - France

    Scroll down a bit to find "Initial Response Acceleration"

    Edit : Don't worry, it's in english

  21. #45

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    I’m assuming it has nothing to do with the Irish Republican Army...but I frequently misunderstand politics.

    From the Yamaha website:

    Mike Stern's signature has been refreshed with Yamaha's exclusive wood treatment and finish. IRA (Initial Response Acceleration) technology shakes off the stress often found in new guitars and make them extremely vibrant and responsive.

    Your guess is as good as mine. Some kind of vibration technique. It brings to mind acoustic guitars being left in front of hifi speakers to open up the soundboard, which apparently does work if the music is powerful enough. Yamaha must have refined and tailored the technique to the whole guitar. The body is one piece, and so is the neck/fingerboard. I can see that it might not just be marketing hype, though the effect is likely exaggerated.

  22. #46

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    I’m assuming it has nothing to do with the Irish Republican Army...but I frequently misunderstand politics.

    From the Yamaha website:

    Mike Stern's signature has been refreshed with Yamaha's exclusive wood treatment and finish. IRA (Initial Response Acceleration) technology shakes off the stress often found in new guitars and make them extremely vibrant and responsive.

    Your guess is as good as mine. Some kind of vibration technique. It brings to mind acoustic guitars being left in front of hifi speakers to open up the soundboard, which apparently does work if the music is powerful enough. Yamaha must have refined and tailored the technique to the whole guitar. The body is one piece, and so is the neck/fingerboard. I can see that it might not just be marketing hype, though the effect is likely exaggerated.
    Ah. It sounds like someone gives the guitar a, um, stern talking to.

  23. #47

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    I’m assuming it has nothing to do with the Irish Republican Army...but I frequently misunderstand politics.

    From the Yamaha website:

    Mike Stern's signature has been refreshed with Yamaha's exclusive wood treatment and finish. IRA (Initial Response Acceleration) technology shakes off the stress often found in new guitars and make them extremely vibrant and responsive.

    Your guess is as good as mine. Some kind of vibration technique. It brings to mind acoustic guitars being left in front of hifi speakers to open up the soundboard, which apparently does work if the music is powerful enough. Yamaha must have refined and tailored the technique to the whole guitar. The body is one piece, and so is the neck/fingerboard. I can see that it might not just be marketing hype, though the effect is likely exaggerated.
    Sounds like a production scale version of a ToneRite.

    ToneRite Guitar 3G - DjangoBooks.com

  24. #48

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    John, your taxi’s waiting

    JSanta - I couldn’t remember the name of that. I think you might be right.

  25. #49

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    I would love to compare side by side a 1611 and my (13 years old and all ready refretted once) 1511 to test the IRA treatment. But the 1611 is very expensive.

  26. #50

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    That would be interesting. I think it worth your paying for the 1611, just so that we on the forum become more knowledgeable
    Last edited by Rob MacKillop; 06-18-2021 at 06:13 AM.