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Post by blindwilly3fingers on May 9, 2018 21:14:00 GMT
I know plenty musicians who wouldn't look sideways at a cheap instrument (or anything that isn't Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker or Gretsch*). Some of it comes from their experiences in the past with beginner instruments of the 70s and 80s (and remember those days when only experts knew about set-ups and most players were afraid of their life to even touch the truss-rod!). For years Fender and Gibson were the only brands you could trust I suppose. * In fact I know one guy who considers Gretsch a cheap brand. I remember buying my 1st guitar in the early 70's Teisco Raver from Freemans mail order catalogue! It was half a years paper round wages about £45 lol and as you say I was told whatever you do don't touch the truss rod! The bolt holding the tremolo arm sheared off I took it to the local music shop and was charged 75 pence for the repair! Back then as you say any maintenance was done by the shady looking bloke in the brown coat in the back of the music shop. One of the pros of the internet undoubtedly is people who share their knowledge on all things guitar. I would never have attempted intonation or adjusting the action let alone a full set up. There was a guy who's band practiced at the youth club he was probably 17 or 18 and called everyone dude or man and other people cats lol but he was out guitar guru and he'd set our guitars up not that it mattered much lol I was 13-14 and thought this guy was the next Jimi Hendrix, I don't know whatever happened to him but he was a nice guy to help kids like that. |
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Post by salteedog on May 9, 2018 22:37:23 GMT
My first guitars were right handed models I had to convert to left handed. It involved a fair bit of nut butchery and nasty intonation to say the least. I recall high action and lots of broken strings. Yet I've never broken a string on my Harley Bentons.
One thing to give Thomann credit for is their selection of left handed guitars. Without them I might never have bothered with electric guitar again.
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Post by dodger on May 10, 2018 10:51:52 GMT
Just to add to this from an acoustic player's point of view - I have been playing all the "low-end" Martins in local shops for a few months (low-end meaning £600 - £1000 as Martins usually start at £2k) from their models with HPL laminate back and sides to the cheapest (£900) all solid model. My HB41SE sounds better than all of them; granted it has been "played-in" for 2 and a bit years. It is more comfortable to play too - perfect neck for my hands.
My CLA28VE also sounds just as good if not better than a Taylor GS Mini or the 000 Martin guitars around that price (£600 - 700).
I could probably afford a Martin at a stretch but why buy one if my guitars sound at least as good for €300 each?
Thinking of either the J45 copy or J200 copy next but don't really need them; doesn't stop me wanting them though!
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2018 9:57:24 GMT
You know how you have a set idea of what you like...and then something that doesn't fit your criteria knocks you off your tightrope? You're looking for a cottage with land but fall for a modernist bungalow, much to the estate agent's annoyance!? Well I have never been much of a fan of fancy woods and transparent finishes but...well...just look at this for a Gibson ES335!!!   |
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700 posts
YouTube Channel: ToroK Channel
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Post by taurash on May 12, 2018 23:04:39 GMT
You know how you have a set idea of what you like...and then something that doesn't fit your criteria knocks you off your tightrope? You're looking for a cottage with land but fall for a modernist bungalow, much to the estate agent's annoyance!? Well I have never been much of a fan of fancy woods and transparent finishes but...well...just look at this for a Gibson ES335!!! Sorry man, doesn't work for me. Don't like semi-hollows. Pickguards just make me feel like throwing them away. Matter of tastes  Btw, earlier on today, I was at a second hand seller, trying a modified boss pedal. Therefore I had to play on gibson LesPaul custom from the 90's Well now I'm sure Gibsons' neck are really the opposite of what I like ! |
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2018 23:05:51 GMT
That's my point taurash . I thought it wasn't for me but what a surprise! The whole Gibson setup tends to leave me needing a scratchplate to rest my pinkie for fingerstyle playing. It's too much of a stretch without. I took it off my Les Paul in an effort to like playing it and it went back on again. Still don't like playing it. I keep it on my tangerine 335-alike though. Love it there. Whatchoo got against semi-hollows though? I'm not totally convinced they make any difference to the sound once there's a big centre block stuck down the middle. My Thinline tele I'd never know was a semi hollow from its sound alone. Sure makes it lighter on stage though. |
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700 posts
YouTube Channel: ToroK Channel
Disclosures: See Signature
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Post by taurash on May 13, 2018 6:16:41 GMT
Whatchoo got against semi-hollows though? I'm not totally convinced they make any difference to the sound once there's a big centre block stuck down the middle. My Thinline tele I'd never know was a semi hollow from its sound alone. Sure makes it lighter on stage though. Purely aesthetic considerations here, cos' I never played a semi-hollow. It's big, wide, and those sound-holes remind me of classical instruments and, to me, don't match well on an electric guitar. But I know they sound as good as solid bodies, I've heard several good guitar players using them and I like hearing the sound of these guitars. But I cannot imagine myslef palying on it. |
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2018 7:48:10 GMT
I always found it odd that Gretsch painted f-holes on. I don't know if it was to reassure buyers that underneath the guitar was semi-hollow or for aesthetic reasons only. To me they just look fake and silly. Like tatooed eyebrows.
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Post by salteedog on May 14, 2018 21:59:26 GMT
He'll need very deep pockets. The Gibson guitar business is still generating cash. They are the market leader for premium electric guitars - owning 40% of the market for guitars priced over $2000 - selling 170,000 units a year. Its all the consumer and non guitar related electronics businesses that are sinking the company. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for their list of critical suppliers (one of the first jobs in Chapter 11 cases is to ensure those suppliers you depend on still keep getting paid..as they have the power to stop the business altogether). I expect Saein and Cort to feature in that list. I was wrong. Saein and Cort aren't there. But Samick is plus a few big Chinese audio electronics OEM suppliers as well as various logistics companies, a US company that makes cases, GHS for strings, Grover for tuners, a timber consultancy company based in the Pacific northwest and a local company in Nashville that specializes in chrome plating. |
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Post by spacelord77 on May 18, 2018 21:48:45 GMT
Damn, woodbrass had this 2017 G SG Faded for 495€ yesterday.. www.woodbrass.com/en-es/electric-guitars-double-cut-gibson-sg-faded-t-2017-worn-cherry-p229597.html Saw it while at work, so could not go for it at that time..for that price one would not loose anything in taking a risk on a G, they sell used for more.. i was too slow in adding a decently priced G to my collection.. but it just goes to say that dealers seen to be insecure with big G at the moment, and there will be more pricecuts... |
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Post by Vincent on May 23, 2018 20:43:56 GMT
After last week's news regarding big G's troubles, i noticed that several dealers around Europe have started to discount Gibson guitars.. A 2018 range Les Paul can be had for as "low" as 540€. A SG Standard for 1000€... Good news, but i still consider them too expensive for their quality.. If they drop them further more, then i could think of adding a G to the PRS/HB collection!😀 2018 Gibeon Les Paul for 540 euros? Take my money! Where did you find this deal? |
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Post by spacelord77 on May 25, 2018 8:06:51 GMT
After last week's news regarding big G's troubles, i noticed that several dealers around Europe have started to discount Gibson guitars.. A 2018 range Les Paul can be had for as "low" as 540€. A SG Standard for 1000€... Good news, but i still consider them too expensive for their quality.. If they drop them further more, then i could think of adding a G to the PRS/HB collection!😀 2018 Gibeon Les Paul for 540 euros? Take my money! Where did you find this deal? They had them at woodbrass.com and one at musicstore.de but it seems they are all gone. Thomann has added some cheap SG's on their website too. Yesterday i whent to my local music warehouse, i was once again shocked by the "quality" of Gibsons, an SG Standard 2018 had more quality flaws(paint on the binding etc..) than my B-Stock DC-cusom, the Standard was dropped to 1000€ and the DC-Custom cost me 150€.. a gibson faded has to drop to aprox 300€ before they get my money! I might get another DC-Custom & Vintage VS6, all together less than one ****tily faded Gibson! 😁 |
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Post by MartinB on May 25, 2018 9:42:36 GMT
I’ve never actually looked a Gibson guitar over myself because of the amount of times I’ve read on forums/reviews etc... that they’re so badly QC/QA’d that it’s a total lottery checking them out. That and their absurd prices.
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Post by Vincent on May 25, 2018 18:24:42 GMT
2018 Gibeon Les Paul for 540 euros? Take my money! Where did you find this deal? They had them at woodbrass.com and one at musicstore.de but it seems they are all gone. Thomann has added some cheap SG's on their website too. Yesterday i whent to my local music warehouse, i was once again shocked by the "quality" of Gibsons, an SG Standard 2018 had more quality flaws(paint on the binding etc..) than my B-Stock DC-cusom, the Standard was dropped to 1000€ and the DC-Custom cost me 150€.. a gibson faded has to drop to aprox 300€ before they get my money! I might get another DC-Custom & Vintage VS6, all together less than one ****tily faded Gibson! 😁 So it was 540 euros for something like a faded studio lp? I had it in my head that you meant the standard model! Some years ago I looked at a long rack of new gibson les pauls and most of them seemed to have finish flaws like you described. More recently I have looked at a similar number in different shops and they all looked pretty much flawless, without handling each one with a magnifying glass. In my opinion gibson faded lp studios and similar are the ones to get if you do not mind doing without fancy paintwork. And no binding means less to go wrong also ☺ You still get all of whatever it is that makes a les paul guitar great. Just without the none essential finish options. I have one and I don't dislike it any less than my others for playability and sound. Some good deals on used models too. You can get one with say gibson burstbucker pro pickups for less than what some will spend on an Asian copy plus upgrades. |
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Post by spacelord77 on May 26, 2018 12:19:18 GMT
They had them at woodbrass.com and one at musicstore.de but it seems they are all gone. Thomann has added some cheap SG's on their website too. Yesterday i whent to my local music warehouse, i was once again shocked by the "quality" of Gibsons, an SG Standard 2018 had more quality flaws(paint on the binding etc..) than my B-Stock DC-cusom, the Standard was dropped to 1000€ and the DC-Custom cost me 150€.. a gibson faded has to drop to aprox 300€ before they get my money! I might get another DC-Custom & Vintage VS6, all together less than one ****tily faded Gibson! 😁 So it was 540 euros for something like a faded studio lp? I had it in my head that you meant the standard model! Some years ago I looked at a long rack of new gibson les pauls and most of them seemed to have finish flaws like you described. More recently I have looked at a similar number in different shops and they all looked pretty much flawless, without handling each one with a magnifying glass. In my opinion gibson faded lp studios and similar are the ones to get if you do not mind doing without fancy paintwork. And no binding means less to go wrong also ☺ You still get all of whatever it is that makes a les paul guitar great. Just without the none essential finish options. I have one and I don't dislike it any less than my others for playability and sound. Some good deals on used models too. You can get one with say gibson burstbucker pro pickups for less than what some will spend on an Asian copy plus upgrades. Yes it was an LP faded 2017 & 2018 models. I personally dont like LP's due to their weight and bad fret access, i am more of SG & prs double cuts. I personally check only Gibsons faded & Special models, the Standard prices specially on LP' are ridiculous... Specially when we have brands like HB & Vintage offering quality instruments for very low price... Faded/Special models are the best bang for the buck in the Gibson range, and seems that in many cases they are their best instruments! |
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