Back in 1987, I was closing out my enlistment in the US Air Force. I was good friends with a dude who was a drummer and we always talked about forming a heavy metal band. We both didn't know any other musicians or singers. It was 100% totally new.

I had zero experience in playing in a band...same with him. He would call me a "poser" because I talked a big talk but didn't have any gear. Not even a crappy guitar.

February 1988. I got out of the service and bought a nice house. I invited him in as my roommate. Then I felt I was ready to begin the journey.

So I had a new Carvin catalog...which were a guitarist's dream during those years.

I ordered a 100 Watt Tube Head and two 4×12 cabinets. A full stack! That was my first amp.

Then in the same catalog, I ordered a custom Carvin flying V guitar. All black (metal band...right?) with gold hardware and a Floyd Rose trem.

Not stopping there...I bought a Boss Chorus, a Digitech Time Delay, a DOD Flanger, a WAH pedal (Metallica solos), and a Phaser.

Needless to say...it was not easy practicing with a 100 watt head with the volume knob on 1/3 of 1.

I jumped in with both feet and disregarded all financial responsibility when I bought my first gear setup. Total cost in 1988 US dollars was around $3100 for everything.

I've got none of that stuff left. But my current collection is quite large. So I'm happy.

.

_

Hi, I'm Gellert, guitarist for The Fintastics.

https://www.facebook.com/TheFintastics

Brown Marshall Amp (that I can't remember model, but it was awesome. Had to sell back in the 80s to stay out of debt)
79 Gibson Black Beauty Les Paul (which I also destroyed)
MXR distortion pedal

I was a jerk. The gear I had was so nice. Now all I have left is the MXR distortion pedal!

Surfcat

WAKE UP JIMMY! IT'S CHRISTMASTIME! - NEW SINGLE 2024
CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH - SINGLE
CHRISTMAS ON THE PIER - EP

NEW - MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS (Released Oct 17, 2024) - Agent Octopus
YOUTUBE Video - March of the Dead Surfers NEW

After playing acoustic guitar for 40 years, in 2020, I decided I wanted to play surf and instrumental guitar, after a friend played Diamond Head for me on his Strat. That pretty much sealed the deal.

That summer I ordered a Fender American Pro II stratocaster in Miami blue with a maple board. It was backordered due to the shutdown caused by the pandemic, so I had to wait a few months.

After the guitar arrived, I went on a search for an amp. I knew I wanted to stick with Fender. I narrowed it down to a Princeton or a Deluxe Reverb. I chose the Deluxe Reverb. I've been playing and learning and occasionally jamming with a bass player and a drummer ever since.

-John

"...enjoy every sandwich." -Warren Zevon

Fender Stratocaster American Pro II
Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue

Hey Synchro - Almost the same for me: a Harmony Rocket and a Sears Silvertone 2x12 1484 amp.

fenderfan wrote:

Hey Synchro - Almost the same for me: a Harmony Rocket and a Sears Silvertone 2x12 1484 amp.

I wanted to be able to double on bass, so being of limited means, I went with the 1483. I was far too young and uninformed to realize that a bass amp took something away from its use as a guitar amp.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Jan 20, 2023 19:05:30

My first rig was a 93 Fender Mexican Strat, 1968 Fender twin reverb. But I learned on a borrowed 65 fender mustang that once belonged to one of the Moody blues guys, but didn’t buy my first electric until the Mexican Strat

Last edited: Jan 20, 2023 20:15:12

Hey can bass players get into this thread? Back in '74, I was working two jobs and took the money from one of those jobs to buy a Fender Precision Bass. For the amp, I bought (if I remember correctly), a Peavey 400 Series Bass Amp with a 2x15 speaker box. The Peavey rig just didn't have the "oomph" I was looking for, so I sold it and bought an Ampeg V-4B head and two 1x18 ROAD cabinets. Then a guitar player friend of mine sold me his Ampeg V4 head and 2 4x12 cabinets, so I had the power and all of the speakers I could ever want for our rock cover band.

Patrick

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Last edited: Jan 31, 2024 16:08:49

taijiguy wrote:

My very first setup was a used Gibson ES345 that I bought for $125 and a Fender Deluxe (no reverb).

That’s a helluva rig. I love the 345.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

My post-high school rig was 1994 MIJ Jazzmaster and a Peavey Bandit 1x12. For effects, I know I had a Dunlop Crybaby which sounded great and I think I had a RAT. I was doing more grunge/alternative rock stuff in those days.

Eventually, I upgraded to an early 70s Twin Reverb that I bought for $300 in Asheville, NC. My best friend from high school has that amp now out in Colorado.

I cycle through effects so I can never remember what I had back in the day. I still have my Jazzmaster and I'm about to refurbish it.