Cheap Gear = Happy Holidays
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 4:58 am
I went to Guitar Center today to see what fun things they had for Christmas. Two worst pet peeves when going to Guitar Center. 1) Guitars aren't tuned. I swear they could double their sales if someone would tune the guitars once a week or mount a tuner on every amp shelf. 2)The guitar cords fastened to very amp shelf doesn't reach the amp you want to play. Back to my findings.
Guitars I played:
1977 Fender Musicmaster - I love the neck on this guitar. Definitely vintage. Rusty saddles and screws. Took me forever to tune it and it didn't stay tune as much. The pickups was okay. If I owned it, I would install a Mustang red tort pickguard with two pickups and the metal jack plate. It might have to be a custom pickguard since the late 70s Stangs had a Bronco style pickguard. Or convert to a Fender Swinger. With a price tag of $600, I wasn't that interested. Maybe for $350 to $400
Fender CP Jaguar HH White - They finally got this one back from repair. This was originally what I was going to buy before I picked up the AVRI Jaguar for the super deal. The neck was great and everything worked well. I think I am just not a heavy humbucker guy. That's why I dumped the PRS in the first place. Compared to the AVRI Jag, not as impressed as I was before (Duhhhh!) Though in the guitar's defense, I couldn't get the amp dialed in quite right and took forever to tune it.
Fender CP Thinline Telecaster -I liked the sound and feel of this guitar. The Wide Range humbuckers are good (wide but not too harsh) and the hollow body rings out so nicely. Coldplay here I come. Worth the money, but i didn't have $900
Squier Classic vibe Telecaster - The star of the show. Sounded awesome for $329. Pickups were great and that neck was tinted and lush with glossy polyester finish. This is white one with the pine body ( like the old esquire guitars) Very impressed. I have a Classic Vibe Duo Sonic and the tele seemed almost a step above it. One down side was the input jack was really loose and almost didn't work. Easy fix. I wasn't wanting a Tele but this guitar got me thinking. My only concern is that it would sound too much like my Duo Sonic. Classic Vibes rock.
Amps I played:
Egnater Rebel 30 - I had a lot of trouble getting the tone right because GC puts their amps in the shelves and this amp has top controls. Couldn't see what I was doing. Good amp though.
Bugera Vintage 5 (V5) - I started out on this amp and came back to it later. My first Bugera experience and it was good. Very Simple tube amp with 1 EL84 tube. Adjustable power from 5w to 1w to .1w. It even has a Headphone out. (a must since I have 2 kids) I have been looking for another small amp I could lug around or have for friends who come over. My JTM 30 is manageable but it is heavy enough to make me only move it when I need to. This fits the bill and at only $212, it is pretty reasonable. Very impressed with it's features and simplicity.
[youtube][/youtube]
So the morale is cheap gear can be just a fun as more expense gear. Merry Christmas!!
Guitars I played:
1977 Fender Musicmaster - I love the neck on this guitar. Definitely vintage. Rusty saddles and screws. Took me forever to tune it and it didn't stay tune as much. The pickups was okay. If I owned it, I would install a Mustang red tort pickguard with two pickups and the metal jack plate. It might have to be a custom pickguard since the late 70s Stangs had a Bronco style pickguard. Or convert to a Fender Swinger. With a price tag of $600, I wasn't that interested. Maybe for $350 to $400
Fender CP Jaguar HH White - They finally got this one back from repair. This was originally what I was going to buy before I picked up the AVRI Jaguar for the super deal. The neck was great and everything worked well. I think I am just not a heavy humbucker guy. That's why I dumped the PRS in the first place. Compared to the AVRI Jag, not as impressed as I was before (Duhhhh!) Though in the guitar's defense, I couldn't get the amp dialed in quite right and took forever to tune it.
Fender CP Thinline Telecaster -I liked the sound and feel of this guitar. The Wide Range humbuckers are good (wide but not too harsh) and the hollow body rings out so nicely. Coldplay here I come. Worth the money, but i didn't have $900
Squier Classic vibe Telecaster - The star of the show. Sounded awesome for $329. Pickups were great and that neck was tinted and lush with glossy polyester finish. This is white one with the pine body ( like the old esquire guitars) Very impressed. I have a Classic Vibe Duo Sonic and the tele seemed almost a step above it. One down side was the input jack was really loose and almost didn't work. Easy fix. I wasn't wanting a Tele but this guitar got me thinking. My only concern is that it would sound too much like my Duo Sonic. Classic Vibes rock.
Amps I played:
Egnater Rebel 30 - I had a lot of trouble getting the tone right because GC puts their amps in the shelves and this amp has top controls. Couldn't see what I was doing. Good amp though.
Bugera Vintage 5 (V5) - I started out on this amp and came back to it later. My first Bugera experience and it was good. Very Simple tube amp with 1 EL84 tube. Adjustable power from 5w to 1w to .1w. It even has a Headphone out. (a must since I have 2 kids) I have been looking for another small amp I could lug around or have for friends who come over. My JTM 30 is manageable but it is heavy enough to make me only move it when I need to. This fits the bill and at only $212, it is pretty reasonable. Very impressed with it's features and simplicity.
[youtube][/youtube]
So the morale is cheap gear can be just a fun as more expense gear. Merry Christmas!!
