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Guitar players corner!

#241
RedVee said:
...experience with Eastman?
Click to expand...

Yes. They are very well made Asian imports, with a range of models. All the ones I have seen/played were solid woods. I have done setups on a number of them for other players and the local music store that retails them, and was impressed enough that I bought one for my nephew, a rather gifted guitarist. If I had one criticism of them, it would only be in the setup, but honestly that's a tough sell... I mean, they can't please everybody and I am fanatical about it. The action is manageable on them, but could always be better.

I have personally owned two Eastman mandolins, and the only reason I reluctantly sold them was I came into a 1919 Gibson A-model, and then another Gibson F-5 was gifted to me. Both of the Eastmans were topnotch, I never did anything beyond minor setup and string change.

So, it could be the last guitar you buy. Or it could be your gateway.
 
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#242
Jeff Scott said:
Classic Gibson!
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Had to look for it... here was the Craigslist ad picture.
00P0P_h9pMnkYJU23_0CI0t2_1200x900.jpg

It was ugly, but like you say; Classic Gibson weak volute fail. (here's a clue Sherlock, don't lean yer geetar agin yer amp an walk off...) I glued, clamped, scraped, and touched up with some Robitussin Red. (could use another wash of clear, but it looks pretty good now... this is right before I was done drop-filling and buffing)
Resized_20210320_192940_6281.jpeg


The guy I bought it from was super-nice. He was a retired architect, lived real close to one of my Water Treatment Plants, and was tinkering with an old SG (also broken) at the same time and had decided to sell one and keep the other. I offered to either fix and touch it up for him to make it more saleable, or buy it outright for a little better deal. We shook on it, and that ElPee Special is what I weigh most other electrics against anymore. There's just something about it I can't quite describe... it just has that juice. Every note, every spot on the fingerboard. It plays effortlessly. In the hierarchy of Les Pauls, I guess it isn't the absolute floor model, definitely the low-end, but if I were a gigging guitarist, this is what I'd be playing.
 
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#243
Killing Floor said:
I decided that since I have pretty good all or most of the year I should ask Santa for something with a trem bridge. I have been a Tele player for a long-ish time and have standard, HH, and a baritone, all Fender T. On some level I know I don't need a Strat but I kinda need a Strat anyway, or don't I? Whacha got?

I've been lurking round the Mod Shop builder site and I also really like the idea of the EOB Strat but is that going to be gimmicky? I know you can bypass the sustainer so at that point it's an HSH. Anyone have any cool suggestions? I'm flexible, could spend up to about 2K but perfectly cool not spending that much.
Lay it on me.
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TL;DR: Two thousand bucks would get you an awfully nice Telecaster...;)

I'm a lifelong Tele player, except for my very first guitar: a Squier Strat from about 1995 that I bought because the guy at the music store told me to. I've always been grateful to him: he could have really gouged me, but instead suggested something sensible and practical.

Well, that Strat lives at my mom's house now, and I only play it, oh, once every few years? Everything since then have been Teles or Gretches. I've also owned three other Strats (some of them VERY nice ones) because "I kinda need a Strat anyway, or don't I."

Every single one of them got sold. They just... aren't Teles. I think, after years of trying, I've finally learned that no, I don't need a Strat.
 
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#244
25FF9AFE-A6C0-4338-86C2-2A069707013F.jpeg


Started out as a half decent blues / rock guitarist in the 80’s and taught privately for many years. Gave up guitar to really focus on bass - especially upright.

Just recently acquired a 2013 USA Fender tele - which is a cool match to my beloved 2013 USA Precision - see above photo.

Fortunately one of my semi-regular local gigs is backing up a guitarist who is also a busy bassist - and he’s encouraged me to pick it back up so we can mix it up! (He’s been wanting to play bass on a few - can you blame him?)
 
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#245
Picton said:
TL;DR: Two thousand bucks would get you an awfully nice Telecaster...;)

I'm a lifelong Tele player, except for my very first guitar: a Squier Strat from about 1995 that I bought because the guy at the music store told me to. I've always been grateful to him: he could have really gouged me, but instead suggested something sensible and practical.

Well, that Strat lives at my mom's house now, and I only play it, oh, once every few years? Everything since then have been Teles or Gretches. I've also owned three other Strats (some of them VERY nice ones) because "I kinda need a Strat anyway, or don't I."

Every single one of them got sold. They just... aren't Teles. I think, after years of trying, I've finally learned that no, I don't need a Strat.
Click to expand...
I have a couple Teles. My favorite is a MiA HH with contours. I love Telecasters, twang is the thang. But lately there is a cherry trans Les Paul and a Strat pulling at me. Of the 2 I think if play the Strat more. But who knows. GAS.
 
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#246
Jason Hollar said:
View attachment 4509120

Started out as a half decent blues / rock guitarist in the 80’s and taught privately for many years. Gave up guitar to really focus on bass - especially upright.

Just recently acquired a 2013 USA Fender tele - which is a cool match to my beloved 2013 USA Precision - see above photo.

Fortunately one of my semi-regular local gigs is backing up a guitarist who is also a busy bassist - and he’s encouraged me to pick it back up so we can mix it up! (He’s been wanting to play bass on a few - can you blame him?)
Click to expand...
Fine looking pair!
 
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#247
.
I just came across this interesting article describing the Fender Mustang guitar and touching on its history.


It made me think back to my first really good electric guitar, a one-year-old 1965-ish white Duo-Sonic II. Just like the Mustang of the time (which the rich kids' band in Jr. High used), but with a hardtail instead of a tremolo. It sounded SO much sweeter than the cheap-o Japanese gits I'd been playing. And when I could crank it thru my Sears Silvertone 1484 Twin Twelve I was very impressed!

Fender Duo-Sonic II.jpg


PSX_20201026_072603-01.jpeg

.​
 
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#248
I started out on trumpet, switched to guitar then bass (first love) but kept playing guitar, I've had both electrics and acoustics. I have a Kramer single pickup POS right now that plays ok and a 60's 18 watt Ampeg Reverberocket with one 12" and 6V6s. The amp breaks up nice and is loud enough for small clubs, I want to get a good guitar this year, would like a Gibson, maybe a Les Paul Junior, would actually like an ES-335 but too much for me at this time. I also like Teles though too.
I feel being a guitarist has helped me to be more creative on the bass, i know chords etc. I can bend notes pretty good.
I have a Marshall Major head, a Dual Showman and a Fender Bassman but all are probably too loud for guitar, especially the Major.
I've got a 1959 Ampeg Bassamp 835 that sounds good for guitar, 35 watts.
 
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#250
bobyoung53 said:
I started out on trumpet, switched to guitar then bass (first love) but kept playing guitar, I've had both electrics and acoustics. I have a Kramer single pickup POS right now that plays ok and a 60's 18 watt Ampeg Reverberocket with one 12" and 6V6s. The amp breaks up nice and is loud enough for small clubs, I want to get a good guitar this year, would like a Gibson, maybe a Les Paul Junior, would actually like an ES-335 but too much for me at this time. I also like Teles though too.
I feel being a guitarist has helped me to be more creative on the bass, i know chords etc. I can bend notes pretty good.
I have a Marshall Major head, a Dual Showman and a Fender Bassman but all are probably too loud for guitar, especially the Major.
I've got a 1959 Ampeg Bassamp 835 that sounds good for guitar, 35 watts.
Click to expand...
During Covid I grew a beard and started taking guitar lessons. Well actually, he started me on ukulele (a tenor for my fingers) as an introduction into chordal instruments. The chords are often similar shapes if different names. G & G7 to D & D7. Good fun little thing and I joined a seniors Uke club locally where we bash out tunes and sing along in a convivial fashion for a couple of hours on every second Sunday arvo. Not for a while though.
Then this year onto guitar. I borrowed my daughters old classical and after a while one of our singers gave me an old (very old) classical that was taking up space at her place. So I’m using that now.

My thought was to use the down time to increase my musical knowledge. I can’t imagine that learning a bit of guitar can hurt my bass work. Only improve my movement around the fretboard I imagine.
Plus it can’t hurt to be able jump in and churn out some chords in an acoustic if required. My aim is to be a campfire style rhythm player, some singer/songwriter stuff; and if I can have writing some songs as a retirement hobby - so much the better.
 
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#254
My first music instrument was an acoustic guitar back in the 80's before I switched to bass in the 90's.
This year I decided to get back to my roots and relearn guitar again, and it was really fun.
I've got two small parlours now: a Gretch Jim Dandy (in open G) and a Baton Rouge X54 (in standard tuning), close to the size I learned on back in my teen days.



 
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#255
RedVee said:
Then this year onto guitar. I borrowed my daughters old classical and after a while one of our singers gave me an old (very old) classical that was taking up space at her place. So I’m using that now.

My thought was to use the down time to increase my musical knowledge. I can’t imagine that learning a bit of guitar can hurt my bass work. Only improve my movement around the fretboard I imagine.
Plus it can’t hurt to be able jump in and churn out some chords in an acoustic if required. My aim is to be a campfire style rhythm player, some singer/songwriter stuff; and if I can have writing some songs as a retirement hobby - so much the better.
Click to expand...
I started out on Bass back in the 70s, picked up a guitar to become a better bass player and did not return to Bass as a regular instrument until the 00's
 
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#256
G-Dog said:
.
I just came across this interesting article describing the Fender Mustang guitar and touching on its history.


It made me think back to my first really good electric guitar, a one-year-old 1965-ish white Duo-Sonic II. Just like the Mustang of the time (which the rich kids' band in Jr. High used), but with a hardtail instead of a tremolo. It sounded SO much sweeter than the cheap-o Japanese gits I'd been playing. And when I could crank it thru my Sears Silvertone 1484 Twin Twelve I was very impressed!

Click to expand...
We know that it really is vibrato, but it gets called tremolo--partly at least due to Fender
However withs he Mustang they got it right
The Fender Mustang tailpiece says Dynamic Vibrato stamped right in the metal.

But that's a nice looking Duo Sonic.
 
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#259
Mods are complete. '61 Burstbuckers installed with correct polarity. (for some reason, they were out of phase when wired like you would have thought...) Coil-tapped option using push-pull pots for the tone controls. I shielded the cavity and changed out the plastic too.

Red Velvet (angled).jpeg


It's made a whole new guitar out of a 10 year-old beater. Huge difference.
 
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