lpplayer Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 That would almost certainly be a bad ground Thanks- I figured as much, but I really know next to nothing about it. I am thinking of taking this amp in to the shop to have the tech go over it, and give it a checkup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Amazing. You can find anything on the internet: The one on the bottom is somewhat similar my first guitar. Chrome pickguard, plastic bridge and all except mine had a neck with markers like the top guitar in that pic, and my pickups were square, not rounded. Looks like it's some kind of Guyatone (I never knew what it was). Paid $10. Eventually I stripped it down to the sanding sealer... then I sold it when I got my first LP copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obed Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Mine was a cheap Yamaha in fat-strat style circa 1993. It was black-on-black and very 90's metal. I really liked the feel of the fretboard. Very nice frets and stuff. Around 2000 I upgraded to an Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe. I didn't really understand the whole "mini-humbucker" thing at the time; it was just the nicest sounding LP in my price range and I was dead set on getting an LP. Looking back, I'm really glad I stumbled upon the Deluxe, 'cuz the mini-humbuckers work well with my setup. I really hate the tuning machines, though. It was a crappy attempt at emulating grovers. I don't really like grovers to begin with, and these are even worse. One day I'll get around to changing them out for some Gibson tuners, probably. Last year I was fixin' to do some recording and wanted a secondary axe. It was a tossup between a Dot and a Fender MIM Strat. I ended up going with the Strat 'cuz it contrasted better with the LP. I like heavier strings than Fender's factory-issue, so I needed to steal some of the springs from the Yamaha to stablize the bridge. A few months ago I sold the Yamaha to a former bandmate who was trying to collect all the instruments we used to play in high school. He's nostalgic in that way... In addition to my Yamaha, he's got his original Peavy and my brother's Squier P-Bass. The drumset we had is long gone, though :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmoyer Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 As for me, it was a Sears Silvertone acoustic, which I "upgraded" with a pickup, 1963 I believe. I still have one piece of it. During my Who phase it was sacrficed one night at the end of a set, having been replaced by a Hagstrom semi-hollow, which sounds really cool, but I never much cared for it. I remember Frank Zappa had endorsed Hagstrom but I can't imagine he played one like mine! The first really good guitar I got was a '74 American Strat, and still have that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospero Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Well, not too long ago I went over to my parents' place to help them sort out some stuff in their basement. After a little digging, I came across my original first guitar. My folks bought it for me for my 12th birthday in 1988, and it was hard-done by and used then, so it likely dates from the early 80s. It is a shameless plywood copy of a Gibson, though I'm not entirely sure if it's a copy of a Les Paul Special Double Cut, or a Junior Double Cut, or Melody Maker or what. I'll post a picture or two later tonight when I have access to my camera and the guitar. Although this was my first guitar, I gave up on it early on in my teens. Now, my first guitar of the "new era" (20 years later) is my Epiphone Les Paul, though even this was predated by a couple of weeks by a cheap no-name acoustic. And a few days ago I ended up buying a Godin Solidac, even though I really hadn't intended on it. I was saving up for an Elitist Sheraton, but that Godin just fit like a glove that was custom made for me, and I couldn't say no. That original first guitar of mine from '88 is in rough shape but it has P90s on it, and I've decided to make it playable again. This is going to be my "learn how to fix a guitar" guitar. I'm in the process of cleaning up all the layers of rust and dust, and I ordered some new hardware online. The wiring is an unbelievable mess, with at least one tone knob not even connected to anything, but the two pickups do work, and once the new tailpiece gets here I'll be able to string it up and see how they sound. I hope to learn how to fix the guts of it with new wiring and eventually new P90 pickups. I don't expect it to sound great, but that's not the point. The point's to learn how to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Sounds like a "plan!" You could (maybe) make it into a "Slide" guitar...if you play any "Slide," that is? Might be perfect for that, and a conversation piece, too. Go for it! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johno Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Mine was a Barclay single pickup electric made by Harmony. White in kind of a strat-style body. I must have got it new in about 1966-1967. Don't know if it's still around. I left at my sister's house in the late 70's and I think she gave it to her son in the 80's. I'll have to ask her sometime whatever happened to it. She likely won't even remember it being so long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 I remember a lot of Harmony guitars, but I can't remember which one, that is... The mind is a terrible thing to lose... ;>b CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospero Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 As mentioned in my previous post, here's a picture of the beast: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Oh yeah....that could certainly be an interesting project or "slide" guitar. Go for it, Prospero! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospero Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Oh yeah....that could certainly be an interesting project or "slide" guitar. Go for it' date=' Prospero! CB[/quote'] Gonna try. BTW, what do you figure the forger who made this fake was actually trying to copy? A Special, a Junior, a Melody Maker, or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Looks (to me) like it was an attempt at a double cut LP Special. The Melody Makers, that were "double cuts," had more pionted upper cutaways, and not as deep, plus the neck joint was not flush, with the body, on the inside portion of the cutaways. So, thats "my" guess, anyway... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostindesert Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 My first guitar was a one pickup Hondo with baseballbat neck and half inch action. First ''real'' guitar was a black Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy with bolt-on neck (1976). Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 1/2 inch action, huh? That sounds all to familiar, with "starter" guitars, of yesteryear. The younger players now, have so many, much better choices! Was it based on a "Fender" style or "Gibson," or some other? CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostindesert Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 1/2 inch action' date=' huh? That sounds all to familiar, with "starter" guitars, of yesteryear. The younger players now, have so many, much better choices! Was it based on a "Fender" style or "Gibson," or some other? CB[/quote'] I think it looked like a Gibson LP Junior, almost unplayable, but it got me started. Also got my share of Morris(Japan ?) and Eko(Italian) guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 I think it looked like a Gibson LP Junior' date=' almost unplayable, but it got me started. [/quote'] Yeah, we all gotta start somewhere, huh? Glad you stuck with it...so many don't, when they are faced with "unplayable" guitars. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 My first was a Gibson ES-125 (deep body, no cutaway, single P90 in the neck position, cherry sunburst finish). It sounded great, but I sold it after a year or so to buy a blonde ES-175D, which I also don't have any more (DOH!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesstringer Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 This was a great topic CB. It's great to hear all of these stories. I certainly agree about the choices for newer players. Imagine for a moment what we might be doing now if we had those choices instead of what we had to wrestle with. It boggles the mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Hey thanks, Bluestringer...it's been a lot of fun, reading and sharing those stories/memories, of what everyone had, and had to go through, to get where they are...wherever that may be. And, sentimentality aside, it's interesting to see the directions we go/have gone, that might be based on the type/style of guitar we started on, or the music that influenced that choice of instrument, in some cases, in the first place. And, I'm sure...a lot of those choices were "economic," in nature, as well. Also...of course, most of us have probably changed directions, even several times, but it's still fun to look back, none the less. Hopefully, there will be even more entries, and experiences shared, to come? Thanks, All! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxst1281733995 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Yeah, I don't think this thread will die any time soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloyDZeD Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 My first guitar was a hand-me-down Peavey Raptor Plus. The thing was okay, but it had weak pickups and sounded like junk. Then, I saved up my money and bought my Gibson, which is 1,000,000 times the guitar that the Peavey was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill V Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 My first was actually a bass. A hundred dollar special in 1971 when I was a sophomore in high school. It was a hollow bodied violin shaped Sterling, with a wrap around trapeze tailpiece and scroll headstock. Don't have it anymore. I hocked it in '76 during a prolonged period of unemployment. Many of you will recall that the economy then was not unlike the economy today. Anyway, my Univox amp soon followed (a decent little amp with a 15" driver that I got at Lafayette for around $100). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Bill, I have a good friend, in Dallas, that found that exact same model bass, in a "pawn shop," there, purchased it, for some very reasonable sum, had it professionally gone over, "optimized" (super set-up) and plays it out, regularly. He's said, that it's been quite the "conversation piece!" ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperman1 Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 My first electric was a Fender Mustang that I purchased used with a Fender Delux Reverb amp in 1971 (yep. I'm OLD). I wish I still had them both. I sold them both in 1973 for $125 to pay the doctor who delivered my son. Think about that. Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 24, 2008 Author Share Posted April 24, 2008 Hey, I'm sure it was a good trade/decision, at the time. ;>) I bought a (barely used) early 60's Tripple pickup Les Paul (SG) Custom (White), in '71...for 300 bucks, Maestro Vibrola, and all! (You could do that, back THEN!...LOL!) It was my first "SG." Man, I wish I still had that baby, for more reasons than one. But, "C'est la vie!" CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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