Another "need some ideas for a new guitar thread"

[bender]

Certainly this would be a common thread on TGP:

- I have a lot of guitars
- I am not a collector
- there are a number that I have hardly played, mostly because they're either not awesome players or not the sound I am looking for

On that note, I am selling probably the following guitars at a local guitar shop:

1958 Guyatone LG-60
1979 Kramer DMZ 2000
2011 Gretsch G6128-TVP Hardtail
2015 Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster
2012 Les Paul Traditional Pro II
2011 Gibson SG 70s Tribute

I am likely breaking even on these even considering consignment, perhaps even making a small amount of money.

The idea is to then get two or three really awesome guitars.

Considerations:
- Gretsch Duo Jet or Pro Jet, or similar, but without Power Trons and with a Bigsby
- there is a Chandler Futurama I have my eye on (I have two Chandlers, so have a soft spot there)--trying this out on Friday
- a Fender JM (USA or Jap) with good pickups and a Mastery bridge/trem
- a custom Harvester probably long some JM lines
- 70s Les Paul Deluxe with mini-humbuckers or P90s (had a feel of one yesterday, pretty nice)
- Fender American Standard Shawbucker (these are pricey here--$2700 retail!)

I've been eyeing some of the Fanos, EGC, BilT, or Probett . . . but certainly the Probett is looking to be out of my price range given the current rate of the USD to AUD exchange ( plus import costs, ugh).

My criteria are generally:
- pretty flexible with necks but I truly love the bigger Les Paul necks or even my G&L SC-2 neck.
- something I can play my noisy punk rock with (think Butthole Surfers, Dead Kennedys, early to mid-Black Flag, and the Cows in terms of sound influences)
- I tend to like running both pickups or just a bridge when I play live, and usually P90s. My SC-2 MFDs are pretty good, too, different, but good range and not too compressed sounding--I prefer more of an open sound and less fizzy, given that I play with OD/distortion or Fuzz/Wah
- tending to shy away from straight humbuckers at the moment (I do have an LP I am keeping with a P90 neck and humbucker in bridge when I want to explore )
- something 'cool' and 'unique' (LP and JM are a bit less unique these days, though I can dig the aesthetics)
- not into spalted tops, or flame etc.
- at least one of them not to be a big loss financially if I need to flip it--say a new Fender Shawbucker if I spent RRP I would get nowhere near that in a year or three
- very well built would be great--in that department, I must say the G&L SC-2 is a great example to me of a very well built guitar, as is my 2011 Gretsch
- prefer longer scale (25") but not too fussed--the Guyatone, though, is tiny. I am 6'7" . . .

I wanted to look at the PRS S2 Vela, but they are very hard to find around here.

I'd probably have $6k-$7k available or more from these sales. I can toss in a tiny bit more.

Any suggestions are welcome--particularly any builders from EU or somewhere where the exchange is less of a massacre.

Thanks!

--Bender

 

[bender]

So, I did the first step . . .

Took the 6 guitars in. Put them up on consignment.

The chap who runs the place turns out to be a collector into aluminium guitars. He showed me his Veleno (wow, pretty amazing, and very rare--got to have a little play).

We did a trade (plus cash, he has to make his money!) for the Kramer DMZ and the Chandler Futurama that I had wanted. (Kramer looks cool, but really I find it a bit dead to play--think it's that fretboard material).

Waiting for the other stuff to sell. When that's done, I should have $5k to $5.5k left to spend on one or two guitars.

There were a few that piqued my interest in the shop:

(1) Trussart Steel Deville with LollarTrons (original pickups in case) -- kind of a low-key rusty look with the perforated back plate thing. It was surprisingly good. I am concerned about the longevity of the rusty body. Threads here seem to indicate Trussarts are great.

(2) 70s Gretsch RocJet -- orange! It looks cool. That's it lol. SO COOL.

My brain tells me I should shove that money into an Electrical Guitar Company gee-tar. I have heard only good things about the build quality.

 

[Decal]

I'd be so tempted to just roll with Harvester, and call it awesome.

 

[kracdown]

Get a Jazzmaster. Either Danocaster or Vintage Fender. It took me 10 years to buy one, and I think my '66 Jazzmaster is the most versatile and inspiring guitar I've ever owned. I play every gig with it, from garage rock to jazz to soul. It's awesome. My jaguar is pretty sweet too, but I've been into that longer scale length lately.

 

[bender]

I'd be so tempted to just roll with Harvester, and call it awesome.

Yeah, that's a good point. If my idea is to get something I really want to play that is still different to what I have, that's probably the best logical choice.

I've played a two of his wooden guitars (and an aluminium neck Harvester is consistently my gigging guitar).

Get a Jazzmaster. Either Danocaster or Vintage Fender. It took me 10 years to buy one, and I think my '66 Jazzmaster is the most versatile and inspiring guitar I've ever owned. I play every gig with it, from garage rock to jazz to soul. It's awesome. My jaguar is pretty sweet too, but I've been into that longer scale length lately.

I prefer a longer scale length, too. Whipped out my DiPinto baritone (28" I think) and man did I love playing that. 25" or so will have to do

My plan last year was to put money aside for a JM/jag-style Harvester. He's got some like this: http://www.harvesterguitars.com/completed/37-custohm-btb/ and http://www.harvesterguitars.com/completed/goldthwait-shortscale/ which are pretty unique and much more affordable due to the exchange rates at the moment. He also gets stock straight from Mastery with Harvester nicely engraved in the tremolo.

I have a feeling that if I were to get a JM it would likely be a Japanese one with Mastery bridge + maybe tremolo.

I am getting rid of my Squier VMJM as I know I will start sinking money into it rather than just grab a Japanese one.

-- Bender

 

[Defendant]

Just played a bunch of Fanos. Stunning guitars, all really lively.

I recommend you take a look at the secondhand Fano listings on Chicago music exchange. They tend to go for just over 2k, and will likely have wiggle room.

 

[Serenity]

Thought about a Firebird?

 

[Deed_Poll]

Harvester would be my choice also.

No offense to Trussart owners out there, I'm sure they're very good guitars but they're just not as special as a harvester. I've heard a bunch of stuff about the engraved aluminium bodies coming from China etc. and it's clear they are just running a much bigger operation.

Harvester just 'gets' those old crazy guitars like Wandre and a bunch of the Italian stuff too. That purple JM with the BTB pickup just looks superb.

 

[kracdown]

The harvester looks cool but how is the resale if you end up changing your mind? I think a Japanese Jazzmaster with upgraded electronics and a staytrem or mastery is about the best production Jazzmaster one can get... Better than the AVRI stuff I've played in terms of sound and playability. The AVRI might look a little better and are Nitro, but not worth the $$$. If you were to spend that kind of money, grab a Danocaster which will need 0 modifications and will blow pretty much anything else out of the water. They sound pretty much as good as my vintage Fenders and definitely play better... Ooze vibe too... cool factor aside, a Danocaster is just as good as an early 1960's Fender - but with a 9.5" radius and slightly bigger frets.

 

[bender]

Just played a bunch of Fanos. Stunning guitars, all really lively.

I recommend you take a look at the secondhand Fano listings on Chicago music exchange. They tend to go for just over 2k, and will likely have wiggle room.

Been eyeing them--but with exchange rates they way they are, unless one comes up for sale here (there was one the other day--but it had a relic job done on it, not my cup of tea).

The harvester looks cool but how is the resale if you end up changing your mind? I think a Japanese Jazzmaster with upgraded electronics and a staytrem or mastery is about the best production Jazzmaster one can get... Better than the AVRI stuff I've played in terms of sound and playability. The AVRI might look a little better and are Nitro, but not worth the $$$. If you were to spend that kind of money, grab a Danocaster which will need 0 modifications and will blow pretty much anything else out of the water. They sound pretty much as good as my vintage Fenders and definitely play better... Ooze vibe too... cool factor aside, a Danocaster is just as good as an early 1960's Fender - but with a 9.5" radius and slightly bigger frets.

Not sure about Harvester resale value, I wouldn't bet on it being super high, but then again one of the well known vintage/used shops told me to bring mine in if I ever want to sell it, they thought it would go quickly. He's got a bit of a following. On the Mastery FB page, he's listed along with BilT, Collings, Kirn, Echopark and Deimel today on the small artisan builders they supply to. I calculated the minimum I will get from the sales--I'd be able to get a Harvester and a Japanese Fender. I definitely need to go play a Japanese JM first in any case.

I did try a Nash JM--felt good, had Lollar's I think in it--not sure about the hardware though (for the money). Not into relics, though.

So Japenese JMs have a poly finish?

 

[Defendant]

Been eyeing them--but with exchange rates they way they are, unless one comes up for sale here (there was one the other day--but it had a relic job done on it, not my cup of tea).

Oops, I mentioned CME because I didn't see you were in Oz.

BTW I tried them in New Zealand. Several were new at around the 4.5K NZD mark (priced before the dollar took a dump), available from Music Planet Queen st Auckland. One or two weren't reliced, too.

The NZ distro is heywire music.

 

[bender]

Thought about a Firebird?

Got one!