Some thoughts on value, utility, and high-dollar guitars

[Pinch]

(This is where you reassure me by regaling me with tales of how it'll break off and won't peel off the entire neck.)

[rct]

It won't peel off the entire neck, I promise.  Take that nap with no worries.

rct

[Pinch]

31 minutes ago, rct said:

It won't peel off the entire neck, I promise.  Take that nap with no worries.

rct

Well, I was half-joking 🙂

"Micro Road Worn", that's what I'll call it. Once I sell the patent, it's nachos and breadsticks on me. 

I'm absolutely amazed every time I play it... I didn't know a guitar could sound that good, or at least I've never played one that sounded that good. It's next-level.  For anyone on the fence: don't hesitate. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Pinch

[mihcmac]

1 hour ago, Pinch said:

(This is where you reassure me by regaling me with tales of how it'll break off and won't peel off the entire neck.)

OK, you have been regaled by rct, it sounds like an early form of finish checking, probably the best thing to do is nothing, wait and see. When my Gibson Blues Hawk started to finish check some areas got pretty flaky, but it didn't spread even though they were surrounded by smaller micro check fractures. The neck was not effected at all. Pic's would help us whats happening.

[Pinch]

14 minutes ago, mihcmac said:

OK, you have been regaled by rct, it sounds like an early form of finish checking, probably the best thing to do is nothing, wait and see. When my Gibson Blues Hawk started to finish check some areas got pretty flaky, but it didn't spread even though they were surrounded by smaller micro check fractures. The neck was not effected at all. Pic's would help us whats happening.

Ah, it's nothing, really. There's some overspray on the side of the nut that's let go. Like a chip. I could break it off with my fingernail. It'll probably just break off while playing. 

[SteveFord]

Sounds like you scored a Murphy Lab Prototype for no additional upcharge.  

[Notes_Norton]

On 3/29/2021 at 4:33 PM, Retired said:

I don't know what all guitars weigh but looking it up, most fender Tel's weigh 8 lb's. and most Fender Strat's weigh 7 lb's.  Most Gibson Les Pauls weigh between 9 to 12 lb's it said.  So I weighed myself and did it again holding my Gibson Les Paul Standard Gold top. It weighed 7.5 lb's.   .5 lb's lighter than a Tel.  and .5 lb's heavier than a Strat.  .5 lb's is hardly enough to notice. Right?

Between the light weight, perfect balance, and contours, it's more like wearing the guitar than holding it.

Shoulder never gets tired, left arm never gets tired from picking it up and putting it down perhaps 20 or more times per night either.

It's just a tad heavier than my Casino and a lot more comfortable. Plus it's a lot more versatile.

It was sad to see Parker go out of business, I really think the guitar is a big step-up from the Strat.

Notes

[Retired]

18 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

I know Phil McKnight is very fussy about weight. He always queries weight before buying. 

I have 2 guitars that are entirely maple construction. They are much heavier than they look.

I don't think I have any guitars too heavy?  The Riviera might be heavier than my Gibson being larger but it is semi hollow. All the rest are lighter. 

[Retired]

13 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Yep I was enlisted. The only time you salute an enlisted man is when he is on watch on the quarterdeck of a ship and has the authority to grant you permission to come aboard or has earned the Medal of Honor. Not surewhat the Army, AF or Marines do. I was in sea going services. Other than that we got to salute those smart guys that went to big fancy Military Academies or Warrant Officers. Some officers got a direct commission due to the college they had prior to the military, but it had to be a useful degree not like mine in Liberal Arts.

Our son was in the Navy 6 years, He was stationed at Bahrain in the Persian Gulf and at Kuwait for two years on 2 duties.  So he told me some stories. How long did you serve Sgt,? 

[Sgt. Pepper]

31 minutes ago, Retired said:

Our son was in the Navy 6 years, He was stationed at Bahrain in the Persian Gulf and at Kuwait for two years on 2 duties.  So he told me some stories. How long did you serve Sgt,? 

4 Navy 19 Coast Guard. I was over in the Persian Gulf during the first Gulf War. Pulled into Bahrain many times. That place sucked.

Edited March 31, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper

[Retired]

4 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

Between the light weight, perfect balance, and contours, it's more like wearing the guitar than holding it.

Shoulder never gets tired, left arm never gets tired from picking it up and putting it down perhaps 20 or more times per night either.

It's just a tad heavier than my Casino and a lot more comfortable. Plus it's a lot more versatile.

It was sad to see Parker go out of business, I really think the guitar is a big step-up from the Strat.

Notes

Yeah, Another thing is you play in a band on stage and stand playing so you notice weights more than I.  I just play in the Art room as I call it. (Everyone else calls it The Jungle Room.  When we 1st moved here it was all decorated in Jungle theme, wall paper & all.  I repainted it taking all the Jungle stuff out but everyone kept calling it the Jungle Room so I did some paintings of Tiger's & Lepard's in it since.) So I sit and play all the time. Bought a very nice swivel chair to play guitar.  

[Retired]

19 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

4 Navy 19 Coast Guard. I was over in the Persian Gulf during the first Gulf War. Pulled into Bahrain many time. That place sucked.

I'll give a plus and a congrats for your service Sgt. John hated it all too.  He even did police duty in Kuwait, Way too hot there.  Got up to 140's he said. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 minutes ago, Retired said:

I'll give a plus and a congrats for your service Sgt. John hated it all too.  He even did police duty in Kuwait, Way too hot there.  Got up to 140's he said. 

We left Japan in October and it took us a month to get to the Gulf. On the way to the Gulf we went to The Philippines (which I had been to already), Hong Kong (under British rule) and UAE (The United Arab Emirates). We left the Gulf in March and got back to Japan in April.  We went to the same places except on the the way there we went to Phuket, Thailand and on the way back we went to Pattaya Beach, Thailand. Both were fun, but Pattaya was the best place in the world I have ever been, second would be The Philippines. 

[Pinch]

19 hours ago, SteveFord said:

Sounds like you scored a Murphy Lab Prototype for no additional upcharge.  

Only just now checked out the Murphy Lab range. Yikes. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, Pinch said:

Only just now checked out the Murphy Lab range. Yikes. 

What do you think someone beating up a guitar is free?  His team of experts spend countless hours in several institutions of learning all around the world mastering the highly prized skill of guitar un-new-ification. If you want a new guitar to look old its gonna cost you. Those teams of experts really know what they are doing with an ice pick, belt sander and do you think its easy with the coin shortage to get penny's, so they can throw them at the tops and backs of guitars. I humbly offer my services for free. Send it to me and I'll drag it behind my car for a while . . . and voila . . . Road Worn . . . pun intended.

I know there is a market for it cause almost every maker does it, but It makes me scratch my head and think I am in the wrong line or work.

Edited March 31, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper

[Notes_Norton]

14 hours ago, Retired said:

Yeah, Another thing is you play in a band on stage and stand playing so you notice weights more than I.  I just play in the Art room as I call it. (Everyone else calls it The Jungle Room.  When we 1st moved here it was all decorated in Jungle theme, wall paper & all.  I repainted it taking all the Jungle stuff out but everyone kept calling it the Jungle Room so I did some paintings of Tiger's & Lepard's in it since.) So I sit and play all the time. Bought a very nice swivel chair to play guitar.  

The longest I played standing, and without even taking  a break was 6 hours.

We were playing for a German guy who rented a waterfront house while doing business here. It was his birthday, so he paid the airfare for a few of his friends to join him, we played for 10 people.

We were set up in the kitchen, they were partying in the living room, and the only time we saw them was when they went to the fridge for more beer, giving us applause as they passed.

They kept throwing $100 bills on the keyboard and asked us to keep playing. That's incentive. At the end of 6 hours we were both hoping to see more 100s and hoping not to see any more 😉

Then they helped us schlep the gear to the car, gave us another bill and sent us on our way.

One of the strangest gigs I've ever played (I'm not complaining).

We generally don't take breaks (we have the biggest bladders in the business) and charge more money for that.  After a few hours, a pound or two can make a big difference on your ability to play at your best.

Insights and incites by ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

[diesel99]

I can feel the difference between the Epiphone Les Paul they give you in the store to try out a pedal, and my LP Heritage Standard.

I 'm not a collector, and I don't need (or have)   $10,000 to spend on a guitar, but it needs to be built well.

[Pinch]

1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

What do you think someone beating up a guitar is free?  His team of experts spend countless hours in several institutions of learning all around the world mastering the highly prized skill of guitar un-new-ification. If you want a new guitar to look old its gonna cost you. Those teams of experts really know what they are doing with an ice pick, belt sander and do you think its easy with the coin shortage to get penny's, so they can throw them at the tops and backs of guitars. I humbly offer my services for free. Send it to me and I'll drag it behind my car for a while . . . and voila . . . Road Worn . . . pun intended.

I know there is a market for it cause almost every maker does it, but It makes me scratch my head and think I am in the wrong line or work.

Guitar un-new-ification sounds a lot cooler than relic'ing. Plus, you run less risk of confusing it with re-licing, which I suppose is what you do after a de-lousing if someone doesn't pay for the service provided. 

[Violeiro]

I believe you have to pay to play. Yes, a great guitar player can make a "bad" guitar sound great, BUT it takes skills todo so. I great guitar is very joyful to play, it sounds good, it plays well, and looks good too. I am not into the battle of the brands - Gibson, Martin, Taylor...they are all great and appeal to different audience. For the music I like, I am happier playing a Gibson guitar. I am sure Bluegrass players will not feel the same way and would rather go for the Martin guitars with the bigger bass which is what they usually look for.

 

[mihcmac]

I think the most important thing is to put time in on your instrument, when the opportunity arises to get your dream guitar you will.

The Beatles started with what ever they could get and modified them to make them better, while improving their skills and getting tight as a band. When they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show they were using guitars that, at the time, not considered to be very high end. John was playing a short scale Rick that he painted himself, even Goerge's Gretsch wasn't considered to be on a level with a Gibson, Pauls Hofner was not thought of as a very good bass, but in a left handed bass there was not much available at the time.

The point is you play and work hard with what ever you got and if you are in the right place at the right time you may get somewhere.

Edited April 1, 2021 by mihcmac

[Retired]

20 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

We left Japan in October and it took us a month to get to the Gulf. On the way to the Gulf we went to The Philippines (which I had been to already), Hong Kong (under British rule) and UAE (The United Arab Emirates). We left the Gulf in March and got back to Japan in April.  We went to the same places except on the the way there we went to Phuket, Thailand and on the way back we went to Pattaya Beach, Thailand. Both were fun, but Pattaya was the best place in the world I have ever been, second would be The Philippines. 

Really? I know a guy I worked with at the Railroad who was from the Philippines.  He left a long time on leave and came back with a wife from there.  John was stationed on a mine sweeper in the Gulf. He told me pirates came attacking their ship with with bigger Navel ships around them. So the Captain or whoever called a Destroyer nearby giving them the area of the Pirates and they shot one shell. John said they could hear it fly right over his ship and BOOM! No more pirate boat, LOL.  I just thought, What idiots would think of attacking Naval ships with a small boat and a machine gun?  Probably like on Captain Phillips. 

[Retired]

6 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

The longest I played standing, and without even taking  a break was 6 hours.

We were playing for a German guy who rented a waterfront house while doing business here. It was his birthday, so he paid the airfare for a few of his friends to join him, we played for 10 people.

We were set up in the kitchen, they were partying in the living room, and the only time we saw them was when they went to the fridge for more beer, giving us applause as they passed.

They kept throwing $100 bills on the keyboard and asked us to keep playing. That's incentive. At the end of 6 hours we were both hoping to see more 100s and hoping not to see any more 😉

Then they helped us schlep the gear to the car, gave us another bill and sent us on our way.

One of the strangest gigs I've ever played (I'm not complaining).

We generally don't take breaks (we have the biggest bladders in the business) and charge more money for that.  After a few hours, a pound or two can make a big difference on your ability to play at your best.

Insights and incites by ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

I'd never make it. Both my back and enlarged prostate would give out, haha. Heck, I can't even stand in one place very long holding nothing with my back today.  It's coming back to haunt me for injuring it when I was 16 doing Squats with heavy weights. Suppose that 34 years at the Railroad didn't help matters either?