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Mike_L

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Posts posted by Mike_L

  1. 8 hours ago, 01GT eibach said:

    So you find the Richlite to be a notably inferior product than the real wood?

    What FZ Fan said...

    Richlite is a poor substitute for the real thing. How much a fingerboard relates to a guitar's tone is debatable, but my ebony board -355 sounds richer, fuller than the richlite -355. I would go further and say Richlite is the hallmark of the beginning of the Gibson decline after the feds raided the factories. 

  2. 2 hours ago, SteveFord said:

    There are a lot of guitars out there.

    I'd poke around and find a 355 with an ebony fret board.  For that kind of money I want real wood but that's just me.

    And that's why I now own two (ebony and richlite)  and looking to get rid of one... guess which one? 😉

     

    • Like 1
  3. I no expert (far from it), but I currently own a 2014 ES-355, bought new in 2014, and paid roughly what they are asking for the -355 your looking at. I also have a 2009 -355 w/ Bigsby I acquired earlier this year. I think your main concerns should be the overall condition of the guitar and does it come with a money-back return policy.  It's been my experience that -355s hold their value well.

    There are numerous threads on here with pros and cons of Richlite. My 2009 ES-355 (yes, 355s are my fav) has an ebony board and there is a noticeable difference in tone between the two (same pickups in both). The 2009 is warmer and richer in tone.  Is this because of the difference in fingerboards? I don't know as there is also 5 years difference in construction, as well as the 2009 has a Bigsby.  But they are both fantastic blues machines.

    As for -335 vs -355, the -335s I've owned were lighter in weight, and brighter in tone than the -355s. I sold my -335 when I acquired a -345 (with Varitone). The -345 is basically a dressed up -335 and most have the Varitone Circuit.  

    JMHO and hope you find this info useful

     

     

  4. 2 hours ago, blindboygrunt said:

    How does anyone get these community reputation points ?

     

    Who knows? Admin is mum on the why's or wherefores. As one of the 'poor' members of the community, I can only guess I gave someone a case of butthurt. I can only go down from here 🤣

  5. 59 minutes ago, billroy said:

    I'd say I'm in ok shape, but evidently need to get better.   Started doing light curls and stuff last winter - but it fell off, push ups and sit ups are just not fun, but probably necessary.

    Having been a bit of a gym rat for the past 30 or so years, I've found the trick is to find physical activities that you actually enjoy doing.   It doesn't have to include going to the gym, but the key is to get your body moving. 

  6. The thing is a guitar is not a car. It's not the same price range, not the same materials, not the same percentage of manual labor to machine, not the same finishing process. A small blemish in a car might mean the cover up of a huge repair job. Cars don't scratch a easily as nitro finished guitars or bare wood. Most car parts are painted one color. Cars are much more complicated to fix and maintain properly than a guitar. I understand it's an analogy. I'm just not sure if it's a good one.

     

    Edit: Things have changed now, but until recently, if you got a Ferrari, you should expect something odd with the interior. Like buttons coming off, or vents grills that didn't move or fit properly in the vent cavity. If you wanted a perfect interior, someone with a thick Italian accent would tell you nonchalantly to get an Audi or a Porsche.

     

    Oh.... FFS.... I'm done here.

  7. I thank you all for voicing what I didn't have the balls to post. Sending back a guitar for something that insignificant is silly. 0000 steel wool and a dab of lemon oil should do the trick. The hardest and most expensive part is removing and replacing the strings.

     

     

    Does this mean you'll be changing your user name to "No Balls Bill"? \:D/

     

    I appreciate everyone's inputs. Everyone has different likes/dislikes, and buying a guitar, an expensive one is no different. It would be one thing to knowingly buy a 'floor model' and expect, and fix, any blems. This one was new and to me any marks, scratches, dents are unacceptable. Would you take a new car off the lot with a blemish and tell the stealership "ah, it'll buff out". F-that.

    • Upvote 1
  8. I've had a Hiscox case with a recent purchase and I can't believe how strong it is. I think you could drive over it.

    It's up there with my Chainsaw case for strength. What other makes are as strong?

     

     

     

     

     

    Hoffee

     

    www.carbonfibercases.com

     

  9. That sucks! I just got an identical one from Sweetwater and it was perfect. We were probably comparing the exact same guitars on their site!

     

    Ha! Yeah, yours was in my shopping cart briefly before I decided to go with bourbon burst. Always go with your first choice...

  10. Agreed -- Is it definitely a a true scratch? Nothing that can be wiped off with a damp rag, or such?

     

     

    It's definitely a scratch. And actually it is darker than in that photo which leads me to believe someone already tried to wipe it off.

  11. That's a real pity.

     

    Maybe its the picture angle thats fooling me, but...

     

    I would be more concerned about the neck to bridge alignment, There seems to be more real estate left of the big E than right of the small e.

     

    Yes, I think your right. Thanks for pointing that out. I had focused on the scratch. I'm not real impressed with this Graphtec nut anyways. I prefer unbleached bone nuts and had I kept it, that was first ,on my list.

  12. I'm looking at it on a laptop. Obviously I need a cinema screen.

     

    oh... Its just reduced to 37% - fine now.

     

    Is that ebony? Tell me it isn't. I hate envy.

     

    No ebony. Just beautifully aged, dark rosewood. I absolutely love this guitar.

  13. So, seeing the new Standards, I figured I'd give one a shot from Sweetwater:

     

    Gibson%20Les%20Paul%20Standard%2060s%20Bourbon%20Burst%20Front.png_zpsev0xbiml.jpg

     

    It arrived yesterday and then I saw this:

     

    106690256-detail1-xlarge_zpssb3dk88s.jpg

     

    Maybe I'm being picky, I don't know. But this scratch behind the nut really disappoints me. If it came from Gibson that way, shame on them. It definitely came from Sweetwater that way and I can only say so much for their "55 Point Inspection". Yes, it's going back.

     

    I'll be sticking with 90's and 2000's Gibsons.

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