For the Guitar Players

Dan Mooney

Member
Messages
1,920
Location
Portland, Oregon
I got the Christmas catalog from Musician's Friend today, got a little sticker shock on page 17. There are a lot of affordable items also, but MAN!! I don't think I can do that much overtime! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Guitars.jpg
 
$16,500 for a reproduction of a vintage guitar? Barnum was right...there's a sucker born every minute.

I like collectible guitars, and in fact have one that is likely worth a five-figure amount, but I also take pride in the fact that the 5 guitars typically on my guitar stand at a gig cost me less than $1800 total, including electronic upgrades and cases. ;)
 
Fender's got a few replicas in that range, too...

http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocaster/eric-clapton-brownie-tribute-stratocaster/

I got pictures of the original and can say I stood within 1' of it ... that's close enough. And that only cost me a vacation to NYC last april! :D


Now ... on the other hand ... if acoustic is more your game...

http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/guitars/price/item/162-d-45-authentic-1942.html
http://www.martinguitar.com/new/item/3274-d-45s-authentic-1936.html
http://www.martinguitar.com/new/item/89-d-100-deluxe.html


Anyone feel like buying my house and letting me live in it for free so i can buy that last one? :p

I'll be happy the day I can build a guitar that could fetch $1000, to be quite honest. And i'll bet i'd make about $.05/hr on the build!
 
Someone tell me what is wrong with this setup. $99.

http://www.parts-express.com/castlerock-egsv20pk3s-black-strat-style-guitar-stage-pack-with-amp--249-504


Ok so it might not have the same pickup in it or strings etc. So take the chassis and replace a few drop in items :D

I bought kits like this for both my sons to learn to play on when they were younger and they still have the guitars and work pretty well. If they leave them in storage with me any longer i have my eye on commandeering one trying my hand at playing. lol
 
Someone tell me what is wrong with this setup. $99.

http://www.parts-express.com/castlerock-egsv20pk3s-black-strat-style-guitar-stage-pack-with-amp--249-504


Ok so it might not have the same pickup in it or strings etc. So take the chassis and replace a few drop in items :D ...

Yep, as long as the basic body and neck are serviceable, a guitar like that can often be turned into a very playable instrument. (I taught lessons for several years with a Sears guitar. One of my mentors, probably the best jazz guitarist in the state, taught on the equivalent guitar from JC Penney. Both guitars were made by Harmony and re-branded.)

You're right that the bargain guitar won't have as good of pickups as a more expensive model, but the strings are immaterial. They are expendables like sandpaper or bandsaw blades. And pickups - particularly Strat-style ones like this guitar has - are easily available and replaceable. There's also a possibility the tuners and/or the bridge would benefit from replacement...some cheap ones work just fine, and others cause lots of problems. Now, by the time you replace the pickups, tuners and bridge with mid-level models, you'd potentially have 3 or 4 hundred dollars tied up in the $99 guitar. At that point, finding a used name brand axe can often be more cost-effective. (For example, my black Fender Strat (made in Mexico) was purchased used for a bit under $200...$800 if you include the high-quality case. It was ready to gig right off the shelf.)
 

I don't usually grammar nazi (people who live in glass houses should definitely not throw stones) but if they're going to be charging $60k for a guitar at least get a proof reader:
Authentics are constructed the old way - with hide glue, throughout, and historically-accurate detailing

What the heck is this throughout material and how does it make the guitar worth so much (is it something I can mine? I'm looking throughout my yard for more throughout?)
:doh:

Luckily I still haven't learned to adequately play either my $99 special or the older nicer custom Yamaha we got from a friend who was (is? haven't seen him in a long time) a pro musician when he needed some money for his europe tour so I'd have no idea what I'm missing :D Ignorance is bliss in this case.
 
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