The Guitar Pron Thread

[Buzzrock 14,936]

Missed out on the rehearsal space talk. The
Mastodon guys built a cool one here.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2016/02/22/mastodon-opening-atlanta-rehearsal-studio/

[Bogeywon 2,519]

1 hour ago, Scooter Monzingo said:

I have been looking at this since you posted it. It has really grown on me. I wonder if it is nitro or a polymer clear coat?

Gibson did this type of color on a LP a while ago. I’m just not sure I like it on a tele.

[tbone_ 14,146]

Replaced the string savers with Glendale saddles and bridge plate & 9.5ga...sounds & runs great. Thanks for the push Deej....
 

Man I just love this guitar. Bound sunburst tele is the best tele IMO.

[Scooter Monzingo 821]

3 hours ago, Bogeywon said:

Gibson did this type of color on a LP a while ago. I’m just not sure I like it on a tele.

I was thinking what it could possibly become. If it is nitro, and they didn’t put it on 20 mils thick. It should eventually develop a nice patina.

[Foggy Notion 1,202]

I’m pretty sure that’s a poly finish on that Tele. It’s just referred to as a gloss finish online. Most MIM is poly, although Fender does (or did?) a lacquer finish on some of their MIM reissue models. The lacquer definitely feels and wears different than their standard poly finish, but Fender will usually put the word “lacquer” in the model name and charge you extra for it. 

[Chips O'Toole 1,327]

What should I mod or upgrade on my telecaster?  I have been reading this thread and realized that I don't think I've really changed anything about my tele since I bought it like 17 years ago.  I was starting a band and got a used thinline at Heart of Texas.  I didn't have much money and never got into tinkering with upgrades or anything.  Now I have some time to do stuff like that, but don't know jackshit about modding these things.  I play acoustic most of the time as I have been working on a more folk-centric recording project for a while, and I use the tele mostly to add interesting textures and soft lead lines with the occasional twangy western lead line.  I also work on ambient and drone music from time to time, but the tone is just fine for that.

I will say that there is a fair amount of noise when it isn't grounded by touching the strings, so I suspect something in the electronics should be rewired or shielded in some way.  I've never even taken the pickguard off to look at the wiring.  Around the tone knob, there is a crack that I believe was there when I got it but it has grown over time.  I did buy a new pickguard a couple of years ago, but they sent the wrong one.   After refunding me, I just forgot about it and never re-ordered it because I got busy or lazy or something.

Here is a track that shows some of what I do with it right now, just some chillaxed noodling with the neck pickup to give it a low-fi tapey sound that blends into a spacey folk vibe.  

 

 

Obligatory fam portrait:

[jimmyjazz 46,089]

That's real nice, Chips.  The guitar, too. 

Are the pickups up to par?  Other than that, I'm not sure I'd do anything other than maintenance (wiring, frets, etc.).

[Deej 76,897]

Shield the cavities and back of the pickguard. Copper tape is cheap enough. See if that makes a difference. 

Make sure your pups are properly grounded.

If you're getting static off the pickguard, rub it down with a dryer sheet. 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Deej
Or the obvious answer...buy another Tele until you figure it out.

[Chips O'Toole 1,327]

11 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

That's real nice, Chips.  The guitar, too. 

Are the pickups up to par?  Other than that, I'm not sure I'd do anything other than maintenance (wiring, frets, etc.).

I've never changed a pickup, I don't know how these compare to others.  I remember thinking I like these better than the single-coil style when I first got it, but it has been so long and I've seen you guys with pickups I've never seen or heard before so I don't know.  I'd like to try replacing them but with what?  OR

6 minutes ago, Deej said:

Or the obvious answer...buy another Tele until you figure it out.

 

This is more along the lines of what I expected.  It is my 40th birthday soon, maybe I just need to go play some new tele's.  

[Deej 76,897]

Also play around with the pickup heights. It's amazing how much better you may be able to improve the sound. 

[jimmyjazz 46,089]

40 minutes ago, Chips O'Toole said:

I've never changed a pickup, I don't know how these compare to others.  I remember thinking I like these better than the single-coil style when I first got it, but it has been so long and I've seen you guys with pickups I've never seen or heard before so I don't know.  I'd like to try replacing them but with what? 

I'm thinking more along the lines of upgrading within that same humbucking family, just to a higher quality pickup.  Get a good luthier to install them, fix wiring issues, replace the pickguard, and set up the guitar.

[Chips O'Toole 1,327]

3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm thinking more along the lines of upgrading within that same humbucking family, just to a higher quality pickup.  Get a good luthier to install them, fix wiring issues, replace the pickguard, and set up the guitar.

Cool, I'll start thinking about this route.  Any req's on luthiers in Austin?

[jimmyjazz 46,089]

Just now, Chips O'Toole said:

Cool, I'll start thinking about this route.  Any req's on luthiers in Austin?

Mark Erlewine is great, but usually busy.  South Austin Guitars, Austin Vintage Guitars, and (maybe) Guitar Resurrection could do it.  There's some lady who is also supposed to be fantastic, but her name slips my mind.  It will come to me.

[Deej 76,897]

14 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Mark Erlewine is great, but usually busy.  South Austin Guitars, Austin Vintage Guitars, and (maybe) Guitar Resurrection could do it.  There's some lady who is also supposed to be fantastic, but her name slips my mind.  It will come to me.

Ernestine is fantastic, but not cheap and busy. My Epi Les Paul sounded amazing when he was done with it. He's a really nice guy, too. 

[Deej 76,897]

The black one is tuned to DADGAD for Kashmir.

 

[AnotherUTFan 9,771]

I'd say if you've had the guitar for 17 years and haven't been bothered by anything enough that you needed to. Hanger it, you just leave it around. I wouldn't mod a guitar just for the sake of modding.

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[tbone_ 14,146]

Agree with autf. That thing sounded great. I’d consider the stuff other pointed out above but I wouldn’t change it just to change it. Sometimes you just get gem right out of the box.

[tbone_ 14,146]

The black one is tuned to DADGAD for Kashmir.
 

Assume you know that Kashmir won’t sound right unless the strap is long enough for the guitar to hang at your knees.

[Deej 76,897]

I know. 

[Deej 76,897]

In Open G.

 

[tbone_ 14,146]

That may be the coolest picture in all of rock and roll.

Possibly only rivaled by this:

[Deej 76,897]

Fuck the Zeppelin haters.

 

[Deej 76,897]

Just another lovely Sunday. 

Honey burst. Olive burst. Bourbon burst. 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Deej

[BoomMF 1,399]

Honey Burst? I thought you didn't like relics? 😮

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Mark Erlewine is great, but usually busy.  South Austin Guitars, Austin Vintage Guitars, and (maybe) Guitar Resurrection could do it.  There's some lady who is also supposed to be fantastic, but her name slips my mind.  It will come to me.

Lauren Ellis at Strait?

[Deej 76,897]

2 minutes ago, BoomMF said:

Honey Burst? I thought you didn't like relics? 😮

Lauren Ellis at Strait?

Not a relic. 

[BoomMF 1,399]

Edited April 25, 2021 by BoomMF

[Handcruser 2,805]

Honey Burst? I thought you didn't like relics?
Lauren Ellis at Strait?

That sounds right. South austin location right?

In regards to all this tele talk, friend of mine took an early 90’s body (I think) and put it in his bus parked outside for the last 15-20 years. He said it’s probably ready to put together and provide some good tone.

[BoomMF 1,399]

That's the one. Word is she's done His Holiness, Billy Gibbons' guitars. Regardless, she's great to deal with, but her turn-arounds can be a bit much to deal with. She stays pretty booked. Her stories are righteous, too.

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[Deej 76,897]

Is she still there? They put an ad up about a month ago looking for guitar techs.

[Deej 76,897]

https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2021-04-25/denny-freeman-the-graceful-guitarist-who-made-everyone-sound-better-has-died/

[Handcruser 2,805]

https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2021-04-25/denny-freeman-the-graceful-guitarist-who-made-everyone-sound-better-has-died/

Fuck. He was great. There’s about to be nobody left from that era of blues in austin.

[hullabelew 3,724]

13 hours ago, Deej said:

https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2021-04-25/denny-freeman-the-graceful-guitarist-who-made-everyone-sound-better-has-died/

Double fuck.  But what a great article about Denny.  It's a shame someone has to die before someone takes the time to put something like that together.  

[Paul Wesley 3,289]

22 hours ago, Chips O'Toole said:

luthiers in Austin?

This gets discussed every year or so, and the usual names come up (Erlewine, Lauren at Strait, etc).  One of those usual suspects is Tom Oatley.  He works out of the garage behind his house in South Austin.  Does pro-level work for a fair price.  

Here's an article from the Gibson website (so, of course they're going to talk about Les Paul and Gibson guitars):

http://es.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Gibson-Preps-For-SXSW-with-Guitar-Tech-Tom-Oatley.aspx

Tom has a facebook page with contact info.

If I needed pickups swapped out or minor-level set-ups, I'd use Tom.

If I needed a bigger job (refret) or I had a guitar with major playability issues (buzzing strings, minor warping), I'd go to Danny Shoemaker - who also works out of his house in South Austin - simply because as far as I know, he has the only Plek machine in Austin:

https://straightfrets.com/pricing-and-services/plek-machine/

[hullabelew 3,724]

Here is Denny on the Flying V with Gary Clark, Jr. in 2013.

 

[DougO 5,256]

Truefire has a pretty good sale going on, lots of $5 downloads. Anybody have recommendations?

i never finish these because I'm lame that way, but I have picked up somethings from a couple of them, especially the David Grissom Open Road courses.

I really would like to bone up on funkier/soulish chords in rock context, among other things.

 

https://truefire.com/supersonic#fiveBuckHeader

[Napoleon 8,694]

The Dallas Guitar show is this weekend.

https://www.guitarshow.com

[Chad Fuck 17,742]

I’m going Friday afternoon. See y’all miscreants there.

[topochico 1,049]

39 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

I’m going Friday afternoon. See y’all miscreants there.

I'll be there Saturday. If you could buy the bass I want before I get there, that would save me a lot of money. TIA

[Chad Fuck 17,742]

I'll be there Saturday. If you could buy the bass I want before I get there, that would save me a lot of money. TIA

I’ll see what I can do.

[Napoleon 8,694]

Has anyone on this board ever sold anything at one of these Guitar Shows?

Does lower end stuff ever sell? Or is it just "rare" stuff from individuals?

I'm sure that there are individuals who bring 10 to 50 guitars and sell a few, but a person just bringing 1 to 3 sub-$200 guitars... would these things ever sell?

Edited April 28, 2021 by Napoleon

[hullabelew 3,724]

In Google Earth, search Estancia La Guitarra:  

 

 

This is a cool story. 

https://mymodernmet.com/argentinian-guitar-forest/

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by hullabelew

[Chad Fuck 17,742]

3 hours ago, Napoleon said:

Has anyone on this board ever sold anything at one of these Guitar Shows?

Does lower end stuff ever sell? Or is it just "rare" stuff from individuals?

I'm sure that there are individuals who bring 10 to 50 guitars and sell a few, but a person just bringing 1 to 3 sub-$200 guitars... would these things ever sell?

These deals happen all the time - but usually between individuals at the show.    I doubt you're going to see guitars in that price range selling to the booth holders as it isn't worth their time to pack them up and take them home.  But there are always deals happening in the corners between individuals.  Most of what I've seen happening at the booths are mid ranged (let's say $500-$2000) deals, and on up from from there.  The convention isn't really cost effective for a "stack 'em deep, sell 'em cheap model where physical space at the show and in the dealers' vehicles is at a premium.

[DougO 5,256]

Consignment sale at a good music store is probably the best way to sell value guitars that are in good shape. Always students and wannabes looking for an affordable but cool axe, or an upgrade from a beginner cheapo. Pawn shops won't pay squat for them.

[AnotherUTFan 9,771]

That's what my retired friend does to fund his GAS these days.

He put this Collings at a local shop recently, and I see that it has sold when I went for this link.

He's gonna buy a Martin 000-28, I just know it. He's been obsessed with mine for months now.

https://shop.gryphonstrings.com/products/1998-steel-string-acoustic-collings-guitar-sj-full-body-sunburst-60106


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[DougO 5,256]

I used to daydream about picking guitars and setting up at a flea marking or something to sell. Seemed like a decent retirement plan, but the guitar deals that could reap some decent profit just really seem to be a thing of the past during the covid era, and I'm not sure if it's ever coming back.

[tbone_ 14,146]

Internet has wrung all the juice out of that opportunity I believe.

[jimmyjazz 46,089]

I went to the Austin Guitar Show back in the early 90's with my girlfriend at the time.  The thing was, I was planning to break up with her that night.  In the meantime, I started drooling over some Strat at the show, early-to-mid 70's, which had a price tag of ~ $3,000.

Said girlfriend disappeared for a bit, and I went hunting for her.  Found her at that booth haggling with the owner over the price.  She wanted to buy me the guitar.  I was apoplectic -- I couldn't break up with her if she bought me the guitar, but man, I really wanted that thing, much more than I wanted her.  I talked her down and did the breakup thing a few hours later.

I still wonder how long I would have had to keep dating her in order to not feel guilty about accepting the guitar.  Sometimes I'm a real dumbass.

[tbone_ 14,146]

Probably had the big goofy CBS headstock so no real loss.

[Goredho 17,413]

I really don’t see the moral quandary.

“Thanks, babe!  This is a really awesome guitar, and whenever I play it I’ll remember all the good times from our former relationship.”

[noharleyyet 2,844]

55 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I went to the Austin Guitar Show back in the early 90's with my girlfriend at the time.  The thing was, I was planning to break up with her that night.  In the meantime, I started drooling over some Strat at the show, early-to-mid 70's, which had a price tag of ~ $3,000.

Said girlfriend disappeared for a bit, and I went hunting for her.  Found her at that booth haggling with the owner over the price.  She wanted to buy me the guitar.  I was apoplectic -- I couldn't break up with her if she bought me the guitar, but man, I really wanted that thing, much more than I wanted her.  I talked her down and did the breakup thing a few hours later.

I still wonder how long I would have had to keep dating her in order to not feel guilty about accepting the guitar.  Sometimes I'm a real dumbass.

Strat dowry.....damn