Guitar Players Thread

Picked up a Tubescreamer TS808HW today. With a 20% GC promo + selling my TS808 RI on eBay for 80 it cost me about as much as buying a standard TS808. Really like it. I tend to play clean but have always liked TS808s when I dirty it up a bit. The HW just adds a lil more of the midrange warmth I like.

Side note: anyone got any experience with Supro amps? Looking at a Supro 1970RK 25W 1x10 collab they did w Keeley electronics. Doesn’t have reverb but Keeley makes an Omni reverb that would bring that into the effects loop nicely. Plus a Master vol to dial in headroom. Was looking at a Fender 68 Custom Princeton but I’m cooling a little on Fender amps and I can only find positive things about these Supros.
Nice! Never really been a fan of Tubescreamer but I get why people like them. I just got a Snouse Black Box 2 and really love it.

Never played a Supro Amp.
 
Got a few goodies coming my way:

Yamaha SA2200 semi-hollowbody

Supro 1970RK Keeley Custom Amp

Keeley Omni Reverb Pedal
Nice! I actually don't know much about Supro amps. What kind of sound do they have?
 
I will say that I try to source from places other than GC when I can but talking to one of their phone sales people really saved me some money.

Both Yamaha and Supro are usually excluded from their sales. For example, right now they have a 15% off code going but neither of these were included. Guy took about 22% off amp and 18% off guitar over the phone. Saved me about $400. Can’t complain there
 
Anyone have any experience with Carvin/Kiesel guitars?

I've always wanted to get one, the ability to pick and choose all the details is rad, to me.

I had a friend who did a Carvin build way back when - am I correct that they also sell DIY kits? I think they did one of those b/c they wanted the experience of assembling. I didn't have hands-on with the guitar but they were happy.

I did have an experience with a choose-your-own-adventure custom guitar from another company about 15 years ago. One thing I found was the cost rises very quickly when you are picking everything. I don't know how specific Carvin gets but I was able to choose everything down to the smallest detail (I had a stutter switch I never used put in 'cause Buckethead uses so why can't I, right?). So, while Fender, for example, may put out a "limited" model with certain non-standard details (say, body wood) and upcharge a few hundred, they are still mass producing. Getting that koa body and ebony fretboard on a custom guitar may cost more of a premium from a bespoke company.
 
Got my first acoustic that I bought in ninth grade back in action this week. About seven or eight years ago, when this wasn't my main acoustic anymore and I barely played it, I took it to a bonfire party, got too drunk, and left it on the lawn overnight. In the morning the back had separated from the sides in parts. I was about to leave the country for a year, and I had my Ovation anyway, so I basically took the strings off and threw it in a closet for years. Around last Christmas I finally took it out and my Dad and I semi-fixed the body problem with just some wood glue and clamps. It's good enough, for what was a $300 guitar; not really worth bringing it in to someone.

I'd been playing quite a bit since quarantine started, listening to a lot of Bob and Neil, and was missing the real booming tone that of course I could never get from my Ovation. So I had my folks bring it down here, bought a new nut (the old one had fallen off) and have tried to clean it up. The action's always been a mile high on this thing -- I don't know how I ever learned to play on it in high school -- but I've been working on that and am going to file the nut a bit before I glue it in (there's no slot for it, which is kind of annoying) and will try with the saddle as well. I've got it in decent playing shape again, though, and it's nice to have another tone.

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NGD (actually last night)! I mentioned in an earlier post that when I lived overseas I had a fun 3/4-size Cort acoustic, and since I started playing much more often again during quarantine I wanted to get something to get me through the long, dark winter ahead. I've always wanted a Taylor, and though this isn't the final guitar in that respect, I have been researching these Mexican-made GS Minis a bunch this summer and have been waiting for any of my local shops to get a restock. Played a rosewood version last week and I saw yesterday afternoon that they finally got a mahogany top in. Took some of my savings from buying very little vinyl this year and now I've got a very fun deck/couch/camping guitar!

PXL_20201102_232449038~2.jpg
 
NGD (actually last night)! I mentioned in an earlier post that when I lived overseas I had a fun 3/4-size Cort acoustic, and since I started playing much more often again during quarantine I wanted to get something to get me through the long, dark winter ahead. I've always wanted a Taylor, and though this isn't the final guitar in that respect, I have been researching these Mexican-made GS Minis a bunch this summer and have been waiting for any of my local shops to get a restock. Played a rosewood version last week and I saw yesterday afternoon that they finally got a mahogany top in. Took some of my savings from buying very little vinyl this year and now I've got a very fun deck/couch/camping guitar!

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Very nice!!!
 
Anyone eyeballing the new Fender American Professional II line? I had a Professional Strat HSS Deluxe years back and it was not bad. I wasn't in love with it, but that's probably 'cause it was a Strat.

I've been playing an American Tele Elite for the last few years (now replaced in the line by the Ultra series). I really like it, but the new Professional II line, specifically the Tele Deluxe with the V-Mod Double Tap PUPs looks interesting. It even has some features borrowed over from the Elite/Ultra line (e.g. rolled fingerboard edges, contoured neck heel - wish it had the locking tuners though). Also can top load or string through body the strings.

I've seen some good reviews about the V-Mods and specifically the volume-matching when going from humbucker to split coils (I.e. that splitting it doesn't just sound like a strangled humbucker, but actually like a classic Fender single coil sound).


 
I saw Sweetwater had a pallet of Gibson Adam Jones Signature Les Paul's stolen en route to them. Worth ~$95,000 (13 guitars)


I was discussing this with a co-worker before I read much and he was saying how someone would flip them. Maybe so....but not for anywhere near the asking price. I said there's no doubt that Gibson would publish the serials - and so they did.

No one buying a Gisbon (or Fender, etc. for that matter) - even just the standard run-of-the-mill LP's - from a third-party seller is going to do so without asking for a serial so they can check it out on the manufacturer site. At these price points it's going to be knowledgeable players who buy these types of guitars.

Even if a person was willing to buy a stolen guitar, they're only going to pay pennies on the dollar, knowing the resale value (if they ever wanted to) would be trash.
 
Yeah, I read about that, just a couple days after I saw the announcement of the model. (The music for the video is pretty good, by the way.) I would imagine, too, that anyone buying a signature model of any player is probably a huge fan of him/her. I suppose given the price point (it is a Custom Shop Gibson, even before the signature aspect, after all) a lot of fans would have been priced out and might be tempted at getting one at a huge discount, but you're right, whoever stole them is not getting even close to the $95k list value for them.
 
Does anyone have a recommendation for someone looking to get back into playing? I've always had a guitar around since high school, when moms got me a Fender Squire. In college I pawned it, then bought myself a crummy acoustic, which wasn't ever much fun to play. I'd noodle occasionally, but not seriously or often enough.

I recently realized I'd play more if I had a guitar I liked, finally sent the acoustic to Goodwill, and have been mulling over acoustic/electric options. My friend had a Recording King Dirty 30s Series 7 he brought on a picnic which was fun to play, but I was curious if anyone could suggest anything they'd consider "fun."

Bumping my ol’ self due to a renewed search. My xmas shopping went way way under budget and I’m considering a guitar once more, bonus willing. Still torn between electric and acoustic; I’d say my budget is in the $500 range, though I’m willing to go higher for the right instrument and am not including an amp if electric’s the way I go.

I imagine I’ll need to just bite the bullet and go into a store, try some things out, to figure out what specific make/model I’d want, but I’m torn right down the line as to whether I’d want to go acoustic or electric; when I try to find more info and opinions, 99% of all content is pitched at beginning players.

Acoustic seems most basic, and it seems like I could find something budget-friendly which plays nice and then see if I want to bring another axe into the family, whereas electric feels like more of an investment (and more of a midlife crisis cry for help, heh heh). On the other hand, it’s been longer since I’ve played an electric guitar, there’d be more sounds to make, and I could play more straight-up rock.
 
Bumping my ol’ self due to a renewed search. My xmas shopping went way way under budget and I’m considering a guitar once more, bonus willing. Still torn between electric and acoustic; I’d say my budget is in the $500 range, though I’m willing to go higher for the right instrument and am not including an amp if electric’s the way I go.

I imagine I’ll need to just bite the bullet and go into a store, try some things out, to figure out what specific make/model I’d want, but I’m torn right down the line as to whether I’d want to go acoustic or electric; when I try to find more info and opinions, 99% of all content is pitched at beginning players.

Acoustic seems most basic, and it seems like I could find something budget-friendly which plays nice and then see if I want to bring another axe into the family, whereas electric feels like more of an investment (and more of a midlife crisis cry for help, heh heh). On the other hand, it’s been longer since I’ve played an electric guitar, there’d be more sounds to make, and I could play more straight-up rock.
I'm more of an effects/ambient guy so it's electric all the way for me. Depending on what kind of music you want to play you could check out the Epiphone ES-335 Pro. It's got humbucker pickups but you can split them for a single coil sound so they're versatile. They look nice as hell too!
 
Bumping my ol’ self due to a renewed search. My xmas shopping went way way under budget and I’m considering a guitar once more, bonus willing. Still torn between electric and acoustic; I’d say my budget is in the $500 range, though I’m willing to go higher for the right instrument and am not including an amp if electric’s the way I go.

I imagine I’ll need to just bite the bullet and go into a store, try some things out, to figure out what specific make/model I’d want, but I’m torn right down the line as to whether I’d want to go acoustic or electric; when I try to find more info and opinions, 99% of all content is pitched at beginning players.

Acoustic seems most basic, and it seems like I could find something budget-friendly which plays nice and then see if I want to bring another axe into the family, whereas electric feels like more of an investment (and more of a midlife crisis cry for help, heh heh). On the other hand, it’s been longer since I’ve played an electric guitar, there’d be more sounds to make, and I could play more straight-up rock.
I'm biased but my new GS Mini is fun as hell! I've only had it a month but I find I'm playing about five times as much as I had been earlier this summer, which was already a lot more than I had been playing for years. Just because it's so fun and comfortable, it's so easy to reach for and noodle around. I think in the US they also run about $499, so right in your price range. If you have the chance, I highly recommend checking one out. I'm sure there will be even more affordable options of similar quality without paying for the name, but it's a well-built guitar that I absolutely love playing.

Also, electric guitars are the coolest things in the world, so you'd be forgiven for getting one for your midlife crisis! Much cooler than a convertible. My first guitar was an Epiphone Les Paul and I think they're a great option, too! Though I think the prices have gone up a bit since 2003.

What sort of stuff do you like to play/would you imagine you'd like to play most often? Would you play with other people? Any living-situation factors (e.g., I live in a city apartment with a partner; no room for an electric and amp).
 
I'm more of an effects/ambient guy so it's electric all the way for me. Depending on what kind of music you want to play you could check out the Epiphone ES-335 Pro. It's got humbucker pickups but you can split them for a single coil sound so they're versatile. They look nice as hell too!
Oh geez it comes in olive drab; I dunno if I can resist that. I guess a pro (and financial con) is that I'd be able to mix/match pedals for different sounds, which is something I've never tried before. I was looking at the Epiphone Les Paul, so it seems like I'm on the right track.
I'm biased but my new GS Mini is fun as hell! I've only had it a month but I find I'm playing about five times as much as I had been earlier this summer, which was already a lot more than I had been playing for years. Just because it's so fun and comfortable, it's so easy to reach for and noodle around. I think in the US they also run about $499, so right in your price range. If you have the chance, I highly recommend checking one out. I'm sure there will be even more affordable options of similar quality without paying for the name, but it's a well-built guitar that I absolutely love playing.

Also, electric guitars are the coolest things in the world, so you'd be forgiven for getting one for your midlife crisis! Much cooler than a convertible. My first guitar was an Epiphone Les Paul and I think they're a great option, too! Though I think the prices have gone up a bit since 2003.

What sort of stuff do you like to play/would you imagine you'd like to play most often? Would you play with other people? Any living-situation factors (e.g., I live in a city apartment with a partner; no room for an electric and amp).
That also looks excellent; good to know there are some great options regardless of the type of guitar I'd go with.

As for those questions, I'm of two minds:

I enjoyed my acoustic for just strumming along a bit, playing along with the folk songs I liked. I'm not much of a singer, so my focus is less playing stuff to sing along with. I also like the sound of electric as well as the potential of playing some of the crunchier songs I like; ~10 years ago when I was playing most frequently, I probably was working my way through a lot of Modest Mouse and White Stripes. I'm a huge Neil fan, so I can find stuff from his catalog I could play on either.

Not sure I'd play with other people; I don't have many musically inclined friends, so were I to play with others I'd have to be practiced/comfortable enough to want to put myself out there and play with strangers.

And living situation wise, I'm not sure anything is in my way; I live in a duplex but they're cool with noise/instruments. My only concern partnerwise would be some sidelong glances for taking on a hobby I was previously less interested in (had my $99 acoustic for as long as we've known one another and to be fair she never saw me pick it up), but we keep separate finances and she recently remarked that I should make some ridiculous purchase with my bonus, as it's rare for me to treat myself.
 
Oh geez it comes in olive drab; I dunno if I can resist that. I guess a pro (and financial con) is that I'd be able to mix/match pedals for different sounds, which is something I've never tried before. I was looking at the Epiphone Les Paul, so it seems like I'm on the right track.

That also looks excellent; good to know there are some great options regardless of the type of guitar I'd go with.

As for those questions, I'm of two minds:

I enjoyed my acoustic for just strumming along a bit, playing along with the folk songs I liked. I'm not much of a singer, so my focus is less playing stuff to sing along with. I also like the sound of electric as well as the potential of playing some of the crunchier songs I like; ~10 years ago when I was playing most frequently, I probably was working my way through a lot of Modest Mouse and White Stripes. I'm a huge Neil fan, so I can find stuff from his catalog I could play on either.

Not sure I'd play with other people; I don't have many musically inclined friends, so were I to play with others I'd have to be practiced/comfortable enough to want to put myself out there and play with strangers.

And living situation wise, I'm not sure anything is in my way; I live in a duplex but they're cool with noise/instruments. My only concern partnerwise would be some sidelong glances for taking on a hobby I was previously less interested in (had my $99 acoustic for as long as we've known one another and to be fair she never saw me pick it up), but we keep separate finances and she recently remarked that I should make some ridiculous purchase with my bonus, as it's rare for me to treat myself.
Just an FYI, the one you linked is the dot. I'm not sure if that has the coil splitting if that's important to you. Here's the one I own in Cherry red. I love the block inlays.

 
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