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Post by rookery on Sept 29, 2017 8:28:52 GMT
Despite my recent posts regarding acquiring the HB35 or HB35 Plus in Cherry, I've just ordered a TE 30 in Natural with a stand, bag and fresh Fender strings. I'd looked at it on and off for months and, seduced by it's good looks, tone reviews and price, I finally went for it. Looking forward to seeing it sometime soon. The HB 35 still remains a possibility.
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45 posts
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Post by beyonder77 on Sept 29, 2017 8:45:26 GMT
Nice, this one is on my shortlist for a while now, but I just received my TE-80 NT yesterday and I'm absolutely amazed! Waiting for your review and maybe some pics!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 9:08:06 GMT
I'm also eyeing that one. Price is crazy cheap and some reviews are really positive.
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Post by rookery on Oct 5, 2017 16:56:58 GMT
Well it was not without a certain amount of trepidation that I opened my parcel from Thomann today. Yes, my new HB TE30 BE Standard has arrived and my initial views, mainly cosmetic and constructional are as follows. Ash body looks lovely with plenty of gloss and grain front, back and sides. Just a couple of very minor scuffs which I'm expecting to polish out. Neck Pocket is not 100% perfect but certainly clean and tidy and I've seen a lot worse on more expensive guitars. The neck seems well assembled, fret ends nice and smooth more or less all the way up to the dusty end. Frets smooth and shiny. The action is perhaps a bit high but can be adjusted. The neck seems to have been aligned correctly, gaps between E strings and finger board edges consistent. It came with several QC stickers which suggests someone at Thomann had given it the once over as I asked for when ordering, not just sent me a box, perhaps borne out by the fact that it was even in tune. Even the strings in good order. Nut seems to be cut ok. Tuners seem to operate smoothly. Strap buttons secure. I suppose if there is one thing that leaps out is the maple neck and finger board. It seems just like raw wood. Yes very smooth but with no colour or finish on it at all. My other Tele in my avatar has a vintage gloss tinted neck and I suppose this makes the HB stand out even more. At this moment, if there was one thing that would make me consider sending it back would be the neck. Even on Thomanns web site it does look like there is some colour to it. I will plug it in later and give a further review from a sound/tone point of view but for now and given that it was less than £90 delivered I'm pleased. I'll try and work out how to put some pictures up later.
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572 posts
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Post by Djangle on Oct 5, 2017 17:11:19 GMT
Congrats rookery....I use Tapatalk app on my phone or IPad to upload photos. Easy as pie.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2017 19:41:05 GMT
You did buy a very low end guitar and as it seems it is playable that is the important part, rest is just cosmetics. I wish I could say "shiny frets" on more expensive HB guitars You marked as LUCKY in my note book Congrats! (swap those ceramic pups for better alnico ones and get maybe compensated brass saddles or Bigsby even )
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Post by rookery on Oct 5, 2017 19:57:35 GMT
I don't have the knowledge, ability or confidence to do any modifications so unless I pay someone to do them for me, I'll leave well alone. The tone samples on HB website sounded fine to me which was one of the main reasons to buy it in the first place so I'm quite happy with that.
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Post by rookery on Oct 6, 2017 17:55:52 GMT
I've not had chance to plug it in yet but in the meantime, I'm wondering what is the best way to keep 'the finish' looking good on this raw maple neck and fretboard. I'm aware that lemon oil, used on rosewood fretboards, is frowned upon with maple but is there anything else I could do to keep it looking and feeling good? Oh and I still haven't worked out the uploading of pictures yet either.
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572 posts
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Post by Djangle on Oct 6, 2017 18:45:55 GMT
For looking and feeling good...Oil of Olay 😜 Sorry couldn't resist .,..a damp cloth or lighter fluid ( naphtha) on the fret board only if it's dirty and the worn in look on the neck 👍
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Post by Vincent on Oct 6, 2017 18:56:56 GMT
I've not had chance to plug it in yet but in the meantime, I'm wondering what is the best way to keep 'the finish' looking good on this raw maple neck and fretboard. I'm aware that lemon oil, used on rosewood fretboards, is frowned upon with maple but is there anything else I could do to keep it looking and feeling good? Oh and I still haven't worked out the uploading of pictures yet either.
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572 posts
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Post by Djangle on Oct 6, 2017 18:58:44 GMT
And Tapatalk for pictures. It's a free app on most mobile phones and you can find the HB forum on there no problem. When your in a thread there's a photo icon you press in the reply box. Add photo from your mobile photo library and send. Very simple to use.
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Post by Vincent on Oct 6, 2017 19:01:01 GMT
So this 'quote and reply to' thing is going haywire. Anyway, yes. Any old damp cloth will do. And don't be taking too long to plug the thing in. Guitars are like horses. As soon as you get one you need to give them a good whippin to show them who is boss.
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Post by rookery on Oct 7, 2017 5:45:39 GMT
I doubt that it is raw maple rookery . My Pacifica looks the same but has nice thin coat of tough matt lacquer instead of that kind of syrupy gloss finish on the yellowy ones. You're probably right so I'll stop worrying about it for now.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2017 17:05:02 GMT
Guitars are like horses. As soon as you get one you need to give them a good whippin to show them who is boss. [ LOL that made me laugh thanks for that. Nicely put!
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