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Post by colchar on Jul 29, 2010 22:52:05 GMT -5
So it turns out that I couldn't make the deal for the Roadhouse work in my favour so, instead, I got a 2010 Fender Standard Stratocaster in Brown Burst finish - and it is one of the nicest bursts I've seen in a long time.
If I can figure out how to post photos here I'll start a thread with photos in it so you can all see it.
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Post by colchar on Jul 27, 2010 12:18:40 GMT -5
I like how versatile the Strat is and that is one of the things that has attracted me to them. I am really not into Teles so they are not an option for me.
If the store backs out of the deal (they quoted me about $200 less than the Roadhouses actually sell for) then I'll get a MIM Stabdard Strat and will be quite happy with it. Later on, if I want, I can switch the pick guard and install the Texas Special pickups that come stock in the Roadhouse. Doing that will make my Standard almost the same as a Roadhouse.
But the Roadhouse is definitely the one I want so I am really hoping that the deal holds up!
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Post by colchar on Jul 27, 2010 12:15:02 GMT -5
You might also want to look at the Fender Roadhouse Strat or a Fender Lone Star Strat (same as the Roadhouse except it has a humbucker in the bridge position). I am working on a deal for a Roadhouse right now and, hopefully, I'll get it this week.
Personally, I think the Strat is the way to go as you can get Tele-type sounds from it and can also do the rock and blues thing. I don't think the Tele does those quite as well as a Strat so the Strat, in my opinion, is more versatile.
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Post by colchar on Jul 27, 2010 1:18:26 GMT -5
As most of you will know, I had been considering trading my Epi G-400 SG in towards a new Gibson SG Standard or perhaps getting a Squier Classic Vibe '50s Strat and then deciding whether I liked SGs or Strats the best before buying a high end version of whichever one I liked best. Well I've been doing some shopping around and my plans have changed - it looks like I will be getting a Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat! Here is a link: www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0139312306I have been playing my former roommate's Squier Strat more and more lately and have decided that I really like them, even more than I like SGs. So, because of that, I decided to go with the Strat. I was going to grab a Squier CV series but found out that the Fender Standard Strat (the MIM versions) are very reasonably priced so I decided to go for one of those. But in shopping around I stumbled upon a deal in which I can get a decent return on my Epi and also get the Roadhouse Strat for the same price as the MIM Standard so I am going to go for the Roadhouse. If the deal falls through for any reason, I will still be happy with a Standard but, right now, my heart is set on the Roadhouse. So, after being a life-long lover of Gibsons, I am now going over to the dark side and becoming a Fender guy! I can't make it into the store until Wednesday night or Thursday morning and this week is going faaaaar too slowly for me!
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Post by colchar on Jul 22, 2010 14:43:43 GMT -5
I'm not a fan of Yamahas myself.
You could get a Squier Classic Vibe Strat for around $300-$350 brand new (much less used) and, from all accounts, they are great guitars. I'm looking to buy one myself right now. The store might also cut you a deal on an amp. If not, buy a guitar and just save a little more for an amp later as decent little ones go for great prices on the used market every week and those deals are extremely easy to find.
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Post by colchar on Jul 22, 2010 0:25:02 GMT -5
As many of you know from another thread, I had been considering trading in my Epiphone G-400 SG towards the cost of a Gibson SG Standard. I have decided to hold off as I've been playing my roommate's MIM Fender Strat quite a bit lately and quite like it. Because of that, I am looking for opinions on the Squier Classic Vibe '50s and '60s Strats.
What do people think of them? Are they well made (good build quality)? How do they compare to the entry level MIM Fender Strats? I've heard that they are at least on par with those Fender models but would appreciate other's opinions. And are there any real tonal differences between the '50s and '60s versions? Is one brighter or more jangly than the other? Is one more mellow sounding? Are there any known problems with these models?
Any and all opinions on these models would be greatly appreciated. If they are good quality guitars (they seem to be for the cost) I'll buy one of those and then decide later whether I want the Gibson SG Standard or a high end Fender Strat (I think it might be a better idea to have tried both the SG and the Strat before I spend more than a grand on a guitar!). I'll hold off buying the more expensive guitar until I've had a chance to compare the two but if the Classic Vibe series aren't that good I'll look into an entry level Fender MIM Strat for now.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by colchar on Jul 7, 2010 2:15:18 GMT -5
i wanted a les paul at the start. my first two electric guitars were les paul copies (a kay and a hondo ii). i ended up getting a gordon-smith gypsy (http://www.gordonsmithguitars.com/products/category.php?id=3), and still haven't got my les paul (however, i do have a 1970's sg special and a peavey rockingham www.peavey-eu.com/product_detail.php?flag=GB&lan=UK&key=421 ) What do you think of the SG?
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Post by colchar on Jul 7, 2010 0:05:45 GMT -5
Congratulations, I usually agonize over these things a little longer. And in some weird way I think I like it. Man, I agonize over expensive purchases like this for ages. Getting input from others to help clarify my decision was an exercise in reducing that time period for this purchase. I had always liked Les Pauls better and got my Epi SG because the store gave me such a good deal on it (taking back my Ibanez and giving me all the money back so that I could put it towards the Epi) and because it was cheaper than the Epi Les Paul. Once I got it I started paying much more attention to SGs and started playing around with my former roommate's Gibson SG Special. The more I've been directly exposed to them the more I've come to appreciate them and to really really like them. I'll always like Les Pauls but I can easily see an SG becoming 'my' guitar and me being one of the 'very loyal' SG guys you mentioned.
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Post by colchar on Jul 7, 2010 0:01:18 GMT -5
Congrats on your decision Colchar, and don't forget to post pics when you get it! I'll definitely post some when I do get it. Hell, I'm going to be so proud of that guitar that I'll probably end up getting t-shirts and coffee mugs made
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Post by colchar on Jul 6, 2010 17:03:29 GMT -5
Based on what I've read here, I think you really want the Gibson, so go for it! This post also makes a lot of sense: if you are used to playing an sg, stick with an sg. the heel joint of the les paul will be uncomforable to to when playing in the higher register and the weight of the body might break your back Yeah, I do really want the SG so I think I will go for it. I was just looking for other opinions to see if anyone else brought up anything that made me think. And you're right, that other post did make a lot of sense.
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Post by colchar on Jul 6, 2010 14:07:49 GMT -5
If you are looking for a guitar to play get the Epi and save the money. If you are looking for a guitar to keep get the Gibson. I think this sums it up. Just remember that you already have GAS! We all do! At some point, regardless of whatever you decide now, you will want to buy another guitar. The way I look at it, I always have to feel comfortable justifying the purchase of a guitar based on my overall financial situation at the time. If I can't justify the cost at the time, I wait (and maybe buy something for less that I will end up buying anyway, but that I can justify at the moment). Right now, I have five electrics, one of each type that I like. They are not top-of-the-line, but they make me happy. I know that I will end up buying a MIA Fender or a Gibson when I sell a house I have for sale, but for now, my Harmony/Ibanez/Epi/Tradition collection makes me happy. Buy what makes you happy and doesn't get you in a financial bind! There are other things I could do with the money but, as I said, a portion of it is a refund on my current guitar and case so that is money I've already spent (and will only get back as credit on the deal for the Gibby and that is only valid for a limited time), and the rest of the money is 'bonus' money that I originally parted with ages ago. I've survived without it to this point. I could buy the Epi Les Paul and maybe trade it in towards the Gibby in a few months but if I get the Gibby now my GAS will be largely cured and I will have a great guitar that will never really lose much in value. If I buy the Epi it will cost less (virtually nothing) out of my own pocket right now but do I really need two humbucker equipped guitars? Heck, do I even need two guitars at this point at all? I'm a grad student living on a budget but the deal on the Gibby might be too good to pass up. Plus, I interviewed for a job the other day and, if I get it, I won't be concerned about the couple of hundred dollars I will have to put out on the Gibby. If I don't get the job I will do one of the following: A) buy the Epi and save the other couple of hundred dollars; B) buy nothing and save all of the money; or C) say to hell with it, buy the Gibby anyway, and just live a little more frugally for a month.
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Post by colchar on Jul 6, 2010 11:32:26 GMT -5
I have always despised the way an SG looks but my goodness they play awesome and sound great. I was never a huge fan until I got my G-400. I got that because the same store cut me a similar deal and gave me money back on an Ibanez I owned. Now that I've had an SG for a while they have really really grown on me and the more I played my former roommate's SG Special the more I realized how great it sounded. Good point - the Gibson will not only retain its value, but also has the potential to increase in value (there are a ton of SG Standards out there so I don't really expect the value to go up) which is important because, as an investment, it is a much better bet than anything else I am considering.
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Post by colchar on Jul 5, 2010 22:34:50 GMT -5
Alright, here's the deal. I am thinking of buying either an Epiphone Les Paul Standard or a Gibson SG Standard (I am not a fan of the Fadeds or Specials) and am not sure what to do. I am leaning towards the SG but, as will be explained below, I am still dithering.
Towards the end of this month I will be getting a rent deposit of $425 back. I consider this 'free', 'found', or 'bonus' money because I originally parted with it almost two years ago.
If I take that money and put it towards an Epiphone Les Paul Standard it won't cost very much out of my own pocket to get a brand new one (might also be able to find a used one in great condition but, for the purposes of this thread, I'll be talking about a new one) as Ebony Plain Tops sell new around here for $455, other coloured Plain Tops sell for $510, and Plus Tops sell for $585. I might also be able to get whichever one I choose cheaper as the sales guys at my store are usually pretty good to me.
If I get the Epi LP I can play it alongside my Epiphone G-400 SG for a while until my playing really improves and until I figure out which I like best - SG or Les Paul - so that I can go out and buy the Gibson model of whichever I like best at a later date. This option would give me two reasonably decent guitars.
My other option is to take that $420 and put it towards a Gibson SG Standard. One of the sales guys I deal with has already told me that he will take my Epi G-400 back and give me virtually the full purchase price and that he will take my case back and refund the entire amount. Him doing that will give me about $480 which, when combined with the other $420, gives me $900 towards the cost of a Gibson. They sell new for $1250 here but it is very very likely that I will be able to get one in the $1100-$1150 range so I would only have to add a couple of hundred dollars to that $900 in order to get a Gibson SG Standard. This option would leave me with only one guitar, but it would be a great one!
So, should I get the Epi Les Paul to go with my Epi SG and take the time to decide which of these models I want when I get a Gibson. Or should I take the plunge now and buy the Gibson SG since waiting will erase the current (very good) trade-in value of my Epi SG?
I am leaning towards the Gibson SG Standard but cannot get the idea of grabbing an Epi Les Paul out of my head. I've got a couple of weeks to decide so I wanted to ask for opinions from everyone here.
Thoughts?
Another option just popped into my head (as if the decision wasn't hard enough!). Although I am not really a Fender guy, I do want to get a Strat at some point (I am really not a fan of Teles even though I do love the way they sound when playing country) so might it be an idea to get an entry level Fender Stratocaster (made in Mexico) or perhaps a Squier 50s or 60s Classic Vibe Stratocaster so that I have a single coil guitar to go along with the Humbuckers in my Epi SG?
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Post by colchar on Jun 20, 2010 14:23:41 GMT -5
I bought a new amp but it wasn't a tube amp.
I wanted a SS amp that I could leave at my old place so that I could play when there visiting my former roommate/drinking for the weekend. Yesterday I grabbed a Traynor DG15R and, thus far, I love the thing. I've managed (quite quickly actually) to find some tones that I really liked and I am sure that, as I find more time to play around with it, I will find even more of them. The overdrive channel is quite good and you don't get the saturation effect that I've noticed with some other SS amps. The clean channel is particularly pleasing and, for a SS amp, is really quite full, rich, and responsive. I am sure I will like the clean channel even better once I find the optimum settings for it. Overall, I think this was a very solid purchase.
I also checked out some tube amps while I was in the store and, surprisingly, I think I liked the two Traynors I tried better than the majority of the others. When I do buy a tube amp I think I will have to give some serious tryout time to the Traynors and the Fender Blues Jr. and Hot Rod Deluxe. They are all in the same price range so that won't play a huge role in my decision. But right now the Traynors seem to offer the tone I like best plus the most features for the price so I don't think I can go wrong. I should also be able to find them used for significantly less than they cost new so I will keep my eyes open. Plus, they are made just the other side of Toronto from where I live so buying a local product of such good quality is a definite bonus.
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Post by colchar on Jun 17, 2010 11:38:45 GMT -5
I'll be glad when my local pro has an opening which matches my schedule. I'm jealous of you guys. Aren't you in Nashville? I would think there are literally hundreds of pros offering lessons there.
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