heretic Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Dear friends, I have been playing an electric guitar since the age of 12. I'm 59, now, and I never stopped playing or buying electric guitars. My first electric guitar was a used Japanese import. A "Conrad". Strat-ish shape, tri-tone burst, 2 pickups, a bunch of switches and knobs. And a tremolo. I just wanted an electric guitar and amp. Leveraged my 8th grade graduation for a guitar. My guitar friends had Mosrite Ventures Models or Fenders. Way out of my price-range. But, between the three of us, nobody understood what an electric guitar was. How pickups work, intonation, neck relief, action, string guage. Woods, finishes...we had no clue. It only needed to look cool and be affordable. That was a big mistake. Now, here's my point. If you want to make the first guitar you buy to be the ONLY guitar you'll ever need, just follow this advice. If you are able to buy an Epiphone 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Cherry Sunburst 1960 Les Paul Standard V3...do it, before they are gone. If you can find one, and have it set up by a REAL luthier, not the guys at the store, but a lover of electric guitars...you'll own a legend. If you don't have experience and want to do this yourself, DON'T. Pay to have it done, then learn how to adjust it yourself. When the guitar is "right", it's YOU when you don't like what you hear. Practice is easier when you're not fighting a bad guitar, and having a good time. Think about it. It's a PERFECT REPLICA of an icon that can be purchased by ordinary people. An icon that sells for $250,000.00, today. But Epiphone in China makes it. I got mine for $600. Go to the website. Really, look up the specs. Read them thoroughly. Let it sink in. This has to be one of the finest "official" Les Paul Standards, made. Think of it. Same parts. Same wood. But, with the tolerances of today's CNC carving ...perfect. Every piece, everytime. Then, hand assembled. For six hundred dollars. With a vintage-correct hard shell case. I've had GAS for over 40 years. I have a closet full of them, and there are two stashed under beds (that the missus doesn't know about). My intent was to acquire "milestone" electric guitars. Not "collectible" guitars. B.B., Jimi, Eric, Page, Carlos, Duane, Stevie Ray, and Joe Strummer. After I took delivery of the LP and dialed it in over a span of a few weeks, I came to the realization that my GAS was gone, and that I had FINALLY possessed the guitar I had always wanted, and now I'm seriously thinking about the "unthinkable". Selling the others. I can't believe I even wrote that, but it's true. heretic p.s. Thanx brianh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Ravings of a crazy, old man. Doesn't sound that crazy to me. Thanks for the review! Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 After I took delivery of the LP and dialed it in over a span of a few weeks, I came to the realization that my GAS was gone, and that I had FINALLY possessed the guitar I had always wanted, and now I'm seriously thinking about the "unthinkable". Let's see if that holds up next year when you turn sixty....... I speak from experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweed2 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Dear friends, I have been playing an electric guitar since the age of 12. I'm 59, now, and I never stopped playing or buying electric guitars. My first electric guitar was a used Japanese import. A "Conrad". Strat-ish shape, tri-tone burst, 2 pickups, a bunch of switches and knobs. And a tremolo. I just wanted an electric guitar and amp. Leveraged my 8th grade graduation for a guitar. My guitar friends had Mosrite Ventures Models or Fenders. Way out of my price-range. But, between the three of us, nobody understood what an electric guitar was. How pickups work, intonation, neck relief, action, string guage. Woods, finishes...we had no clue. It only needed to look cool and be affordable. That was a big mistake. Now, here's my point. If you want to make the first guitar you buy to be the ONLY guitar you'll ever need, just follow this advice. If you are able to buy an Epiphone 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Cherry Sunburst 1960 Les Paul Standard V3...do it, before they are gone. If you can find one, and have it set up by a REAL luthier, not the guys at the store, but a lover of electric guitars...you'll own a legend. If you don't have experience and want to do this yourself, DON'T. Pay to have it done, then learn how to adjust it yourself. When the guitar is "right", it's YOU when you don't like what you hear. Practice is easier when you're not fighting a bad guitar, and having a good time. Think about it. It's a PERFECT REPLICA of an icon that can be purchased by ordinary people. An icon that sells for $250,000.00, today. But Epiphone in China makes it. I got mine for $600. Go to the website. Really, look up the specs. Read them thoroughly. Let it sink in. This has to be one of the finest "official" Les Paul Standards, made. Think of it. Same parts. Same wood. But, with the tolerances of today's CNC carving ...perfect. Every piece, everytime. Then, hand assembled. For six hundred dollars. With a vintage-correct hard shell case. I've had GAS for over 40 years. I have a closet full of them, and there are two stashed under beds (that the missus doesn't know about). My intent was to acquire "milestone" electric guitars. Not "collectible" guitars. B.B., Jimi, Eric, Page, Carlos, Duane, Stevie Ray, and Joe Strummer. After I took delivery of the LP and dialed it in over a span of a few weeks, I came to the realization that my GAS was gone, and that I had FINALLY possessed the guitar I had always wanted, and now I'm seriously thinking about the "unthinkable". Selling the others. I can't believe I even wrote that, but it's true. heretic p.s. Thanx brianh. Excellent timing on this post. I'm in the market for a humbucker guitar to fill out my "collection". I've played some Gibsons, but realized that anything I really like is out of my price range. And although I've played and liked some Epiphone models, they were lacking in something. I had been considering a "comprimise" guitar, maybe one of the big box jazz guitars with humbuckers, but then I remembered the outcomes of every other "comprimise" guitar that I've purchased in the past, I end up selling it because I'm not 100% happy with it. This guitar you're talking about may just be the answer. Time to start researching. BTW, same age as you, started playing the same year. My first was a Harmony Rocket. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cecil Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I'm a little older than you, with a bit more playing experience, but with a similar history of guitar purchases throughout my life. Congratulations on finding your dream guitar. I have several dream guitars. I personally wouldn't sell any of my life-long collection of guitars unless it was to help me buy the home of my dreams, or to take a grand tour of the world. Anything short of that wouldn't be worth it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 GAS never dies..........It refills the tank when one isn't looking...........:unsure: .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29Tudor Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Another crazy old man here...been buying, selling, hoss trading and fixing up guitars for a long time. Have had several one-and-only's go through my hands. I've also been trying to play decently but never made it. I'm wondering if it will ever end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Gotta love passion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Selling the others. I can't believe I even wrote that, but it's true. heretic p.s. Thanx brianh. Don't do it! But if you do, call me first, I'll take that Ibanez off your hands.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Great thread. It's never actually occured to me that it's possible to find the perfect guitar. So much so that you'd consider selling off some others? In some ways i'm incredibly jealous and in other ways I'm glad that I want to spend the majority of my earnings for the next 50 years on guitars. To me guitar collecting is about aesthetics as well as creating a wide and varied pallette of tones and styles with the help several different instruments. Something I think I would be incredibly disatisfied with just one. I often have that moment when I go... "This needs my (insert guitar here)" I hope for my sake that I find this mythological perfect guitar (if only for a brief moment?) but also hope that it's not long before you get a case of the GAS. Life wouldn't be the same without it. Right now I'm just awaiting the complete opposite of the perfect guitar for most: Rickenbacker 325 c64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I'm older, too...but, since I started playing, Again...the "G.A.S.," is back! I fight it, tooth and nail...sometimes I win, for a time...Usually, on "impulse" purchases. I'm getting MUCH better, about resisting those, for a couple of reasons. (One) I already have, more wonderful guitars, than I'll ever need, and (Two), most of what I don't already have, and still want, are WAY out of my comfort zone, price wise. So, I've convinced myself (for now, anyway), that I either don't need the new "this or that," and/or I'll save for the ones that I really DO want! See Below: CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowntom Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I think the O.P. works for Epiphone....... Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heretic Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Motown, my brother... I, most solidly, do not, WORK, for The Man. Thus the handle... heretic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 CB you most certainly do need those two guitars!! I know because they're on my very long list... :) But you do know that the 345 isn't the same specs as the other CB don't you? I think the one he played with split inlays had a vibrola. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 saw the thread title and just KNEW you were referring to me!! Glad you like the E50/60LP ! It's quite a guitar! several of us here now are from generations that remember when finding a REALLY good guitar(even among name brands) could be a drawn out affair.....but now even "budget" guitars are not only highly playable and great sounding, they come with appointments reserved for high end guits from "back in our day". nice isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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