Dan_Francisco
Joined: Sep 21, 2007
Posts: 105
Las England.
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 02:43 PM
Im tempted to buY one of these guitars (from U.S.). Id love some honest reviews from anyone on here that has one/tried one. Due to the Dollar/Pound situation at the mo, i cant really lose on price!
Obviously im aware how ace Los Straitjackets are, but how far removed are their guitars from the stock items?
Thanks in advance!
Dan.
(Ok, its Graham really! )
— http://www.myspace.com/surfpunkdiscopanzer
Last edited: Nov 24, 2007 03:25:32
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estreet
Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 03:15 PM
Don't forget that apart fom delivery charge, you will have to pay 17.5% import duty (on the delivery charge too if i remember rightly - maybe not) and a 'collection charge' to the UK deliverer (about £15 if it's the Post Office).
I bought a Crate Powerblock from the US before they were available here - it ended up costing not much less than the eventual UK RRP.
— http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns
Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.
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Dan_Francisco
Joined: Sep 21, 2007
Posts: 105
Las England.
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 04:09 PM
estreet
Don't forget that apart fom delivery charge, you will have to pay 17.5% import duty (on the delivery charge too if i remember rightly - maybe not) and a 'collection charge' to the UK deliverer (about £15 if it's the Post Office).
I bought a Crate Powerblock from the US before they were available here - it ended up costing not much less than the eventual UK RRP.
lol, thats bad! I thought there would be 'extra's' though. I dont want to be spending UK rrp on it though. 
— http://www.myspace.com/surfpunkdiscopanzer
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tenderfoot
Joined: Feb 01, 2007
Posts: 308
Ellicott City, Maryland
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 04:26 PM
There was a discussion about this topic, but it was under one of the daily pics, so there is no way to access it. But, I remember Jake giving some pretty good arguments against DiPintos.
Jake?
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zak
Joined: Sep 24, 2007
Posts: 2728
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 04:40 PM
This post has been removed by the author.
Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 15:37:02
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 05:26 PM
Massively underwhelmed sounds about right to me. I don't think they feel good either, you can't feel the wood and I don't like the whole wiring pickguard and how that feels(it feels hollow).
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BillAqua
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Chicago IL.
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 05:29 PM
I'm with Zak and Jake. The ones I've tried, and that was a good 3 years ago all sucked. They all felt cheap and I disliked the bridges.
— "as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"
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groucho26
Joined: Jan 23, 2007
Posts: 111
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 05:38 PM
I've owned one of the Galaxie 4 Los Straitjacket models for the past couple years, and VERY much like it. FYI I also own a Tokai Hummingbird reissue and a US 62 RI Jazzmaster. The feel of the body and neck (but esp the body) are very JM like, but just a little more compact. I decided to keep this guitar when I got my JM because it is very easy playing and the 4 pickups give a very different sound than the JM. It's about a half pound lighter than my JM. The cosmetics as I got it were flawless; it came with a DiPinto gig bag.
I have never had a problem with any of the hardware - it stays in tune well (right now I have 12-50 gauge on it and tune it down a half step), the trem works smoothly, and the neck is very comfortable. I bought mine new and it came very well set up - I haven't had to mess with it at all.
I have not opened mine up, so I can't really comment on the quality of the electronics, but again I have had no issues. The 4 pickups give a lot of combinations that are fun to experiment and play with. I generally use pickups 1 and 4 together. The rocker switches make it easy. I would recommend this guitar highly to anyone - I think it's a great deal for a unique and good quality guitar.
FYI the Hummingbird (now under the Eastwood brand) was also a great deal, but it is a heavier, much larger feeling guitar - the soapbar type pickups are a bit hotter than standard JM, but very clear.
Hope this helps! 
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Jon
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1076
Columbus, OH
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 06:49 PM
Chalk up one more for 'massively underwhelmed'. I got one awhile back, and it sounded really crappy. Didn't like the feel of it, either.
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estreet
Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
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Posted on Nov 23 2007 09:14 PM
I can't comment on the depintos but they look cool. I have played several of the Italia guitars though and found the quality to be good. They have the same kind of visual vibe. They have dealers in the UK and this model is about £370 or so street price.
image
— http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns
Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.
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Dan_Francisco
Joined: Sep 21, 2007
Posts: 105
Las England.
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 03:34 AM
ok, so now I'm less tempted!
Thanks.
still... ..one more guitar can't hurt, can it?
— http://www.myspace.com/surfpunkdiscopanzer
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Maui
Joined: Aug 17, 2006
Posts: 119
Arvada,Colorado
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 07:55 AM
I have had a Los Straitjackets Galaxie but I sold it. I loved the looks of the thing but there were a few problems. The 4 pickups stuck up so far and were so close together I was always hitting them with my pick. It's more than likely just the way I play but I like a bit of space between the pickups but I never had a problem with a strat. Also the 4 on-off red buttons for the pickups makes it look like you have massive pickup combinations but really only about 3 combos sound good. The rest are too muddy. I also have a Dipinto Belvadier and I love this guitar. Good pickups, neck, plays well, sounds good. I also have 2 Tokai Hummingbirds. I really like these guitars. Of any of these, the Hummingbirds have super good "surf tone".
Maui
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Rio
Joined: May 22, 2006
Posts: 500
Hamilton, Ontario
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 08:29 AM
They were being sold at major discounts a few years ago through one of the big internet vendors, MF or somebody... I got one for $399 or something like that, with the Eddie Angel style toggle switch, rather than push buttons pickup selectors.
They're kinda funny guitars, definitely not great hardware or electronics, and the description of the sound as kinda "generic" is about right too... I wouldn't get one to be my only guitar, and if you're going to pay the full price (which I think is around $800 or so), I think there's better choices, but they're kinda fun, in their own way.
My music teacher can get great jazz tones out of it, surprisingly... Not my cup of tea, but it says something about their versatility (or my teacher's talent)
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P2gee
Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 264
Waco Texas
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 12:48 PM
Rio
My music teacher can get great jazz tones out of it, surprisingly... Not my cup of tea, but it says something about their versatility (or my teacher's talent)
I have always believed this is what separates MUSICIANS from people who are just players. Every instrument has weaknesses and strengths to there sound and playability. A true musician can take any instrument and emphisize it's strengths and tone down it weaknesses. I have always looked at guitar playing like crayons and a coloring book. If you have your Strat, Jag,JM, LP and SG for instance is like having a box of24 crayons and you can color some pretty decent pictures with 24 crayons. Ad a Galaxie 4 to your collection is like having 36 crayons and you can color better pictures......add a Hallmark equals 48 crayons ect. I have been looking at the Galaxie 4 for awhile now and will probably get one because it will give me more colors in my crayon box. Now if you will excuse me the attendants are coming to put the straitjacket back on me.
— 2012-2013: FILTHY POLAROIDS
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 12:51 PM
Except the extra crayons are a cheap off brand that feel bad and don't color as well.
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Dan_Francisco
Joined: Sep 21, 2007
Posts: 105
Las England.
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 01:13 PM
JakeDobner
Except the extra crayons are a cheap off brand that feel bad and don't color as well.
But surely its not about the quality of the crayons Jake, its the marks you make with them...
(Do not be led by that statement into believing that i am some guitar expert! (just philosophical when it counts) 
— http://www.myspace.com/surfpunkdiscopanzer
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 01:39 PM
Sure, Rembrandt may be able to get a nice painting out of a box of low quality crayons but imagine what he could do with a box of really nice crayons.
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zak
Joined: Sep 24, 2007
Posts: 2728
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 01:42 PM
This post has been removed by the author.
Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 15:40:47
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WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1547
Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 01:50 PM
Just for the funkiness factor I was tempted to get a LSJ Galaxie a few years back, but two things held me back...when I first saw the Straitjackets play them, they wouldn't hold tune (except for Pete's bass), and to me, they just didn't sound as good as full and "round" as their Fenders did. I would hope that Chris DiPinto addressed the tuning issue in the later models, as LSJ had very early ones.
And on the 2003 "Surfin' to Baja" cruise, guess which guitars LSJ brought with them? The old Fenders.
I ended up with a Wilson Bros. VM-75 Ventures Model which is a decent guitar for the money...about half the price of a new Hallmark Custom 60. But the WB is certainly no Jazzmaster, Jaguar or Strat.
Just like anything else, with guitars, ya gets what ya pays for. There aren't many (if any) really great inexpensive guitars out there 
— Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005), 2025
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Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 24 2007 01:56 PM
Yeah... I'm ashamed for playing with the crayon analogy. However, my analogy is based along the crayons breaking and being hard to draw with. Is that possible with different crayons? I don't know.
I guess what I'm saying different guitars hamper playability and comfort, which has an effect on your hands and overall ability to play guitar although your tone may be in the same ballpark.
We are getting off topic on how much I loathe the dipintos.
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