Shawn Posted October 18, 2009 Report Posted October 18, 2009 guitar fans, do yourself a favor and listen to this: http://www.lala.com/#album/165760613831789...at_Lies_Beneath Quote
Aggie87 Posted October 19, 2009 Report Posted October 19, 2009 Ok, I'm no guitar player, but I've got an acoustic that I pick up and strum occasionally. It's not fancy at all (it's a Korean-made Sigma, a subsidiary of Martin), and I ocasionally pick it up and make noise on it, but that's about it. Literally, just make noise, not much else! I'd like to do the same with an inexpensive electric, but haven't been willing to plunk down much money for one. Just today someone on the SH board mentioned there is a sale on some First Act guitars. He prefaced it by saying these are generally cheap, crappy products that are sold at Walmarts etc. I haven't ever seen these or looked at 'em, so wouldn't know the difference. But he did mention that they're selling their "Sheena" and "Lola" entry level guitars, for $49 apiece, on their website (bottom of page here). And he says they're actually pretty good guitars for what they are, listing at around $350 normally. I figure for $50 I probably won't go wrong, unless you guys here know some horror stories about these things. Anybody have any experience with them? The price caught my eye more than anything else. Quote
Shawn Posted October 19, 2009 Report Posted October 19, 2009 I think First Act also makes some higher end guitars, Matt Pike from High On Fire uses a custom First Act 9-string guitar. There are actually quite a few good acoustics out there in the $300 or less category. Quote
jazzbo Posted October 19, 2009 Report Posted October 19, 2009 Think how much fun you could have with a guitar named "Lola"! Quote
Shawn Posted October 23, 2009 Report Posted October 23, 2009 One of my current guitar heroes and a very pretty guitar.... Scott "Wino" Weinrich (photo from Village Voice) Quote
fasstrack Posted October 27, 2009 Report Posted October 27, 2009 I tried some new but traditional Gretsches lately(in order of expense): Country Gentleman, Anniversary, and Elecromatic. They were wonderful instruments. When I can afford it I will probably get either the Anniversary or Electromatic----since they played and sounded the same to me, and who needs to spend $2,500 for bells and whistles? But what lovely guitars they make. Quote
7/4 Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Posted October 27, 2009 I tried some new but traditional Gretsches lately(in order of expense): Country Gentleman, Anniversary, and Elecromatic. They were wonderful instruments. When I can afford it I will probably get either the Anniversary or Electromatic----since they played and sounded the same to me, and who needs to spend $2,500 for bells and whistles? But what lovely guitars they make. Gretsch Guitars G400 Synchromatic - I'd love to try one, I think they look real spiffy, I wonder what they sound like? Quote
jazzbo Posted October 27, 2009 Report Posted October 27, 2009 I've heard one of them played in a club, miked. . . sounded wonderful, very Djangoesque in the hands of that guitarist. Like you I think they look great. Not cheap! Quote
7/4 Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Posted October 27, 2009 The sound holes look like cat's eyes! Schwing! Quote
fasstrack Posted October 27, 2009 Report Posted October 27, 2009 I tried some new but traditional Gretsches lately(in order of expense): Country Gentleman, Anniversary, and Elecromatic. They were wonderful instruments. When I can afford it I will probably get either the Anniversary or Electromatic----since they played and sounded the same to me, and who needs to spend $2,500 for bells and whistles? But what lovely guitars they make. Gretsch Guitars G400 Synchromatic - I'd love to try one, I think they look real spiffy, I wonder what they sound like? I hear you, but no thanks. I want a two-pickup (double-coil) monster. I've had plenty of archtops---and pleanty of feedback I just want another sound pallette just because..... Quote
7/4 Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Posted October 27, 2009 I tried some new but traditional Gretsches lately(in order of expense): Country Gentleman, Anniversary, and Elecromatic. They were wonderful instruments. When I can afford it I will probably get either the Anniversary or Electromatic----since they played and sounded the same to me, and who needs to spend $2,500 for bells and whistles? But what lovely guitars they make. Gretsch Guitars G400 Synchromatic - I'd love to try one, I think they look real spiffy, I wonder what they sound like? I hear you, but no thanks. I want a two-pickup (double-coil) monster. I've had plenty of archtops---and pleanty of feedback I just want another sound pallette just because..... I know what you mean, I don't need another guitar like that - I have a D'Angelico Excel that feeds back just fine. Quote
jazzbo Posted October 27, 2009 Report Posted October 27, 2009 (edited) No pickups on this one. I actually don't have an archtop at all. But I have too many guitars and basses. Edited October 27, 2009 by jazzbo Quote
7/4 Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Posted October 27, 2009 BUT YOU NEED ONE! Actually...I never plug the Excel in when I play it. Quote
fasstrack Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 I tried some new but traditional Gretsches lately(in order of expense): Country Gentleman, Anniversary, and Elecromatic. They were wonderful instruments. When I can afford it I will probably get either the Anniversary or Electromatic----since they played and sounded the same to me, and who needs to spend $2,500 for bells and whistles? But what lovely guitars they make. Gretsch Guitars G400 Synchromatic - I'd love to try one, I think they look real spiffy, I wonder what they sound like? I hear you, but no thanks. I want a two-pickup (double-coil) monster. I've had plenty of archtops---and pleanty of feedback I just want another sound pallette just because..... I know what you mean, I don't need another guitar like that - I have a D'Angelico Excel that feeds back just fine. Guitars are being made well and cheaply now. No need to spend a fortune. You can get something that plays, sounds, and looks (if you're into that) good for under $1,000. Well under $1,000. I got a Godin Kingpin archtop a few months ago. I love it and so does everyone that hears me on it. Of course, ahem, I might just have a little to do with that (choke, sputter, hock-a-loogie). Those two Gretsches I mentioned, Anniversary and Electromatic, are the current apples of my eye...and ear. One for $1,800 or so, the other a cool $700----at the overpriced store at that. Oh, when I get money......... It's good to be the king.............. . Quote
7/4 Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Posted October 28, 2009 My Excel was 700-800 (I forget exactly how much) three years ago when the importer was blowing them out by mail order through their web site. Unfortunately, I'm afraid to play the thing now. I have enough problems with my hands right now - broke both elbows 11 weeks ago - and the action is kinda stiff on that guitar. Maybe I should try lighter strings. I've been taking it easy with my Fender Strat-o-sonic with the short (Gibson) scale neck for now. Quote
jazzbo Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) BUT YOU NEED ONE! Actually...I never plug the Excel in when I play it. Nah, I don't need one. What I need to do is recover financially from my latest buy: a Fender Bantam Bass amp in a custom built (beautiful!) black walnut cabinet (with quilted maple dovetail joints and a custom made quilted maple amp face) with two 12" Eminence speakers (white diaphragm). Sounds flipping great as both a bass and guitar amp. My new permanent bedroom amp. My girlfriend loves to look at it, which is good because it's near the foot of the bed at eye level! Anyone needing an amp should check with me before buying. I've got about four extra. My next challenge is deciding which to keep: my Fender Musicmaster (modded with a Celestion 12" and rec-capped) or my Fender Blues Jr. NOS (tone stack mod, and I think a few others). It's a hard choice! Edited October 28, 2009 by jazzbo Quote
jazzbo Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 fasstrack, I heard someone playing a Kingpin at Guitar Center last month, sounded really good. Both the guitar and player. You're right: they're making really nice guitars these days at all the price points. Hell, a few years ago I bought a friend a Washbur Strat copy from Target, marked down to 80 bucks, even had an amp in the box, and even that was a decent guitar and pretty solid. Quote
7/4 Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Posted October 28, 2009 uh oh...time to go on guitar safari and find out what a Kingpin is like! . Quote
jazzbo Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 The black ones are faster! (Motorcycle joke). Quote
fasstrack Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 The black ones are faster! (Motorcycle joke).The one on top, the sunburst, is the one I have. (the binding looks weirdly speckled in this pic, though. Mine is solid, Jackson.) Quote
jazzbo Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) It's very pretty fasstrack! I'd go with that one myself. Already have three black guitars (an Ovation Breadwinner, an Agile fretless and a Jack Cassady Epiphone bass). (Course I have three sunbursts already (two jazz basses and a Jazzmaster), love the look!) Edited October 28, 2009 by jazzbo Quote
7/4 Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Posted October 28, 2009 I guess I haven't been into any NYC stores since they started making them. I see they're making a CW Kingpin with a single cutaway now. Quote
fasstrack Posted October 28, 2009 Report Posted October 28, 2009 I guess I haven't been into any NYC stores since they started making them. I see they're making a CW Kingpin with a single cutaway now. Aaargh.....I wouldda waited and bought the one with the top notes available. File under 'another missed opportunity' Quote
7/4 Posted October 29, 2009 Author Report Posted October 29, 2009 Anyone been to the Sadowsky shop in Brooklyn? No. . Quote
Joe G Posted November 4, 2009 Report Posted November 4, 2009 Just spent TWO AND A HALF HOURS in Elderly Instruments trying out classical guitars. I thought maybe I had been there for an hour and a half. Quote
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