Pretty Interesting Video From Chappers
- Thread starter smitty_p
- Start date
Seamus OReally
Well-Known Member
Couldn’t agree more. I am actually itching to buy one of those Sire Larry Carlton 335-types, partly because I believe you can build a really good semi-hollow guitar and sell it for $700. The price Gibson charges for a machine-made laminated guitar is outrageous.
Would partly be why my semi-hollow is a Hagstrom Viking. Looks good. Plays good. Sounds good. Price was great.
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
Lots of ways to make an inexpensive guitar sound and play better.
Playing it through a gained-up amp drenched in reverb is one way - if that's the kinda tone you're going for (smh)...
Yes, a good set-up is the key to playability.
Most new bargain guitars are simply assembled and tossed in a box - they never even get a half assed factory set-up.
Stable with a range of adjustment in the bridge, neck & nut is what you need.
Quality components also don't need to be expensive, but low-cost guitars are usually plagued with junk parts.
Swapping out junk parts on a budget guitar can add up coins fairly quickly.
Fun to do, but add in decent pups and controls and costs can easily approach that of a mid-priced guitar that comes with better stuff and a decent set-up.
Playing it through a gained-up amp drenched in reverb is one way - if that's the kinda tone you're going for (smh)...
Yes, a good set-up is the key to playability.
Most new bargain guitars are simply assembled and tossed in a box - they never even get a half assed factory set-up.
Stable with a range of adjustment in the bridge, neck & nut is what you need.
Quality components also don't need to be expensive, but low-cost guitars are usually plagued with junk parts.
Swapping out junk parts on a budget guitar can add up coins fairly quickly.
Fun to do, but add in decent pups and controls and costs can easily approach that of a mid-priced guitar that comes with better stuff and a decent set-up.
Seamus OReally
Well-Known Member
My Zencaster Strat (Warmoth) could have been built for $700-800, if you left off all the fiddly bits, like the solid ebony pickguard and ebony tuner buttons. As it is, it cost about $1.2K, plus a case. It stomps on Custom Ship guitars… I just don’t believe that a serious player needs to spend $3K+ to get a really great instrument.
$3k….. I don’t have a lot more than that in all my gear combined. That’d be 7 guitars/bass, pedals, cables, 2 amps, etc.
PLX
Well-Known Member
OP
I gotta say the same about my semi-hollow Washburn. When I first got the guitar, I had envisioned all sorts of mods. In the end, I did very little besides cosmetic changes. I did swap the pots so I had push-pulls pots simply because I wanted to be able to split the humbuckers. Oh, I did a pretty thorough set up on it with the strings I like to use, but it really wasn't too bad when I got it.
“I don’t need nothing else”…… isn’t that a line from the movie The Jerk?
I’ve change strings on the Viking. Other than that, it exactly the way it came out of the factory.
DirtySteve
Ambassador of Hold My Beer
I'm thinking about selling my LP Traditional because I play my Tribute most of the time, I only play the Trad because I feel like since I have it I should play it now and then.
Yeah, I don’t think like that about any of my guitars. I get “the itch” about all of them from time to time. Yes…even though I have four SG guitars, they are all unique to each other, and they have different attributes that I enjoy.
Yes… I do gravitate to certain guitars for periods of time, but if I think about thinning the herd…it’s none of the SG guitars…and none of the basses….I can think of two guitars that I could be rid of, but one of those is a style of guitar that is something I would want to have the option to play on occasion…the version that I have plays fine, and is fairly generic in most aspects. It does have a rosewood board though, and those are getting more scarce in these guitars as time marches on.
I can dig the message. In this age of internet purchases, it can be difficult to check the “feel”of a prospective acquisition. However, if one can perform the needed “setup” duties oneself…the whole experience becomes a bit less…”risky”.
DirtySteve
Ambassador of Hold My Beer
Well, I need the money more than I need a guitar that doesn't draw me to it and the only thing that draws me to it is the looks, I'd rather play my Tribute because it feels better in my hands and I don't need 2 guitars that basically do the same thing. I need to fund a P90 LP of some sort, and I'm about to have a new amp built for me that I also don't yet have the cash for. I know if I sell my Traditional even GC will probably give me enough for it to fund the amp. Priorities!
Yeah, to be clear, my post was meant to express my admiration for your stance. As I typed, I realized exactly why I have a different one…heck…I played three different guitars last night because I was going over material suited (in my mind) for each. A simpler approach would be welcome (to me) sometimes.Well, I need the money more than I need a guitar that doesn't draw me to it and the only thing that draws me to it is the looks, I'd rather play my Tribute because it feels better in my hands and I don't need 2 guitars that basically do the same thing. I need to fund a P90 LP of some sort, and I'm about to have a new amp built for me that I also don't yet have the cash for. I know if I sell my Traditional even GC will probably give me enough for it to fund the amp. Priorities!
