Help! I'm suffering from a RGA (Random GAS Attack) during finals!

[Sheep Man]

Two nights ago as I was trying to study, I suddenly got a massive GAS attack for a (please don't hurt me) semi hollow body guitar. For some reason I never paid attention to them, but I'm now suddenly finding myself craving one like no other.

Besides the question of "is that weird?" I would also like to ask...
Does anybody here have any recommendations for one that's relatively cheap (say under $500? ), or would my best bet to be look for one used? And also, I'd kind of like to not have to buy a new amp for it, if I can just use my bass amp...

Yeah, I'm going to try and get back to this paper now. Please help!
(With the guitar, that is, unless somebody wants to write this case study on toddler feeding for me, I can type out my notes and email them to you! )

[BillyB_from_LZ]

I'm no psychologist but it sounds like your brain is fighting your studies...

When I was in college, I had to find an empty class room and study there...the dorm and (later after I moved off campus) the apartment were no place to study...my instruments (including a semihollow body guitar or two) and amplifiers were always whispering to me...

As for a semihollow body guitar, I have several...my Gibson sits in a case and I play my Ibanez Artcore. I can't remember the model number but it's the one that sort of looks like a Strat and a Les Paul took acid and had a baby together....but the playability and tone are out of this world. It has a Spruce top (albeit a plywood one) that just sings.

Yanked the Humbuckers out and installed a pair of Wilburn Custom Shop P90 Buckers...toneful pups for sure!!! Scott Wilburn's pickups are awesome (I have his Zebrabucker in the bridge position of my 335). They're all designed by Kent Armstrong (who's bass soapbars continue to astound me). http://www.wilburncustomshop.com or on eBay seller id Cyberbozo

Hey....get back to work!!!!

[Sheep Man]

Oh sure, way to encourage me to study!

Also, I'm by no means looking for a guitar that will sound like...something in my signature. I'm probably not going to even end up purchasing one, but I will, from now on, keep an eye out for any good deals I find on one. So unless I get one secondhand with a nice pup upgrade (pupgrade?), I'd be rolling on stocks if I do get one.

[BillyB_from_LZ]

The Ibanez Artcore guitars are amazing. A friend has the 335 inspired version and loves it. I played one at GC a while back and agreed with him.

At the beginning of '06 I briefly owned the AWD82T (I think that's the model number)...essentially an RG shaped semi hollow body with a Strat style vibrato tailpiece. I'm not much of a whammy bar type player so I sold it... The Artcore necks are kind of wide and thin and feel great (kind of like the 1960 Les Paul Jr. that I foolishly sold about 25 years ago).

[Sheep Man]

Well, as of about 9:15 this morning I am done with this semester. I also decided to pick up a couple of guitar & bass gear guides for the plane. I get the feeling I'm going to get very GASy on the plane tonight. I hope whoever sits next to me is either a very deep sleeper, or doesn't mind...

[BillyB_from_LZ]

If you get too gassy...just don't light a match!

[Sheep Man]

So, as I suspected, being back in Hong Kong isn't alleviating me of my GAS.

I was in the store earlier today, and found a couple of these bad boys for HK$3,740.00
That translates into US$481.25, 364.74 Euro, or 246.68 GBP.
Now, for reference, I'm finding the same guitar on both Musician's Friend and Guitar Center online for US$599.99, giving me the impression that this is quite the steal.
On top of their Christmas sale price cuts, the Tom Lee chain of music stores is slashing Epiphone prices by an additional 15% this season, which would explain that sexy little price.

And if that's not enough, they also have one of these for HK$2,750.00 which translates into US$353.68
And again, they're listed on MF and GC at $399.99 making it less of a steal, but still a nice deal.

Something tells me that either the devil is tempting me, or I'm an idiot for not taking advantage of these deals before someone snatches them up.

Please, somebody...tell me which one it is?

[BillyB_from_LZ]

I'd go with the Epiphone if give the two choices that you presented.

The Ibanez Artcore neck is delicious. I briefly owned the model you've shown and wasn't impressed with either the tailpiece (Bigsby style tailpieces don't stay in tune), nor the tone. The plywood top doesn't seem to resonate well. I was hoping for raging Ted Nugent Byrdland effect (I owned a '63 Byrdland in the late '70s/early '80s and it was so lively that it was impossible for me to control) but the Ibanez fell way short. The semi-hollow Ibanez Artcores are very, very nice though...solid body sustain with hollowbody tone.

The Artcore 335 copy is pretty darn nice and I'd probably choose it over the Epiphone.

[Indiana Mike]

Advice from my mother;

"wait a month, during this month fight the urge to look at it in anyway. After one month go back and check it out,and if you still want it ,then consider purchasing it".

[Sheep Man]

Originally Posted by Indiana Mike

Advice from my mother;

"wait a month, during this month fight the urge to look at it in anyway. After one month go back and check it out,and if you still want it ,then consider purchasing it".

2 problems:
1) In one month, the sale will be over.
2) In one month, I won't be in Hong Kong anymore, even if the sale was still on.

As for the Ibanez 335 copy, they didn't seem to have a whole lot of Ibanez Artcores in the store I visited. That being the largest one in all of Hong Kong, I'm not too optimistic about what I'll find in the second largest one, which is significantly smaller, when I check it out tomorrow. Also, it won't have the extra 15% off, which would be a major deciding factor if I do end up getting it.

[wolfs]

I'd like to go on record that I'm uncomfortable with making abbreviations out of already abbreviated words: GAS -> RGA... it just seems unholy.

[MAJOR METAL]

Anything to get your mind off of the preasure I can certainly appreciate that !

[Sheep Man]

I...don't get it...

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by Sheep Man

I...don't get it...

Oh never mind those two...

Did you choose a guitar yet?