ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 368
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Feb 26 2022 06:49 PM
Most of us probably have a favorite guitar that we spent a fair bit of money on. I’m wondering who has an inexpensive guitar that turned into a favorite and a keeper.
OK, I’ll start. When I first started playing, I was piecing together guitars from parts that I’d buy, mostly on eBay. Here’s one that has a Silvertone somewhat offset body, a no-name 24” scale neck, pickups I made with a short, fat coil targeting a Jazzmaster style, a Strat-style bridge with Fender saddles and Jackson reverse tuners (so that clockwise tightens, which actually makes sense). This one came to about $175, although I don’t count my labor. It sounds good and plays well, and the 24" scale is nice. I bring it out now and then and enjoy playing it. It’s a keeper.
As for bass, I have a Squier Jaguar Bass purchased for about $200 in 2014. It always feels nice going to its 30" scale after playing a full-scale bass.
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4452
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Feb 26 2022 08:35 PM
I have ‘70s Squier Thinline Tele with the wide range humbucking pickups that I like. It’s an inexpensive guitar, but plays well and sounds great.
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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ArabSpringReverb
Joined: Jul 13, 2012
Posts: 490
San Diego CA
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Posted on Feb 27 2022 11:09 AM
any of my Mexican Fenders ..I have a 62 style strat , a Jazzmaster , Jag and now a Tele ... Ive changed the pickups in most of them and they play and sound fantastic ..really good value for the money . The jazzmaster has some Seymour Duncan 'Vintage For Jazzmaster ' pickups I got from another forum member and its my #1 surf machine ; I just love it . I dont have much $$$ in these and they really punch above their weight . the Tele is my everyday 'living room on a stand' grab it guitar .
Last edited: Feb 27, 2022 11:11:49
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4452
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 12:54 AM
ArabSpringReverb wrote:
any of my Mexican Fenders ..I have a 62 style strat , a Jazzmaster , Jag and now a Tele ... Ive changed the pickups in most of them and they play and sound fantastic ..really good value for the money . The jazzmaster has some Seymour Duncan 'Vintage For Jazzmaster ' pickups I got from another forum member and its my #1 surf machine ; I just love it . I dont have much $$$ in these and they really punch above their weight . the Tele is my everyday 'living room on a stand' grab it guitar .
MIM Fenders are great, and Teles are magical.
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2243
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 02:10 AM
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 05:33 AM
Here's one of my favorite strats. It has evolved over several years of changes and upgrades. It's a true partscaster. I had purchased a Jimmy Vaughn neck and loaded pickguard several years ago and cobbled it to a body. Later I added all gold hardware. Most recently I purchased a fiesta red alder strat body and built it into its current config. Though I don't use it for my surf playing, I can do anything with it including Hank Marvin. The 4th position is dead on Gilmour because of the unique Jimmy Vaughn wiring. The Tex/Mex pickups cover so much ground and could probably do surf equally as well if needed. The hot bridge puts me in hard rock territory very easily.
Total investment. 400.00 US
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
Last edited: Feb 28, 2022 05:37:42
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ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 368
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 11:08 AM
stratdancer wrote:
Here's one of my favorite strats...
The one you painted, I think. Looks great.
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2775
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 11:24 AM
I scored a used one of these Ibanez AS-73's some years back and I noodle around on it a lot. It plays great and has a very friendly neck. Plugged in it's OK but it's a bit mellow sounding pickup wise. I frequently drag it around when I travel somewhere. I've got it strung 11-49 Will it run with my ES-355? Dumb question.........
Ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4452
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 02:37 PM
eddiekatcher wrote:
I scored a used one of these Ibanez AS-73's some years back and I noodle around on it a lot. It plays great and has a very friendly neck. Plugged in it's OK but it's a bit mellow sounding pickup wise. I frequently drag it around when I travel somewhere. I've got it strung 11-49 Will it run with my ES-355? Dumb question.........
Ed
I have a friend's Epi Dot sitting in my living room. He inherited it from his brother, who paid something on the order of $300 for it. It's not mine, but I'm the only person that has played it in nearly a decade. I'm amazed by what a good instrument this is. As I understand it, these have Gibson pickups, and, from what I can tell, the construction is as good as it gets, although I suspect that the neck joint employs epoxy, which is not so good.
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Feb 28 2022 03:00 PM
ldk wrote:
stratdancer wrote:
Here's one of my favorite strats...
The one you painted, I think. Looks great.
Ah you remembered the orange and chrome strat! Actually, the orange body turned out to be basswood and it was too light  and I hated it! I found an ebay site with great prices on alder bodies so I went with fiesta red. I love the color!
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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BenPerkins
Joined: Oct 19, 2011
Posts: 144
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Posted on Mar 01 2022 08:49 PM
eddiekatcher wrote:
I scored a used one of these Ibanez AS-73's some years back and I noodle around on it a lot. It plays great and has a very friendly neck. Plugged in it's OK but it's a bit mellow sounding pickup wise. I frequently drag it around when I travel somewhere. I've got it strung 11-49 Will it run with my ES-355? Dumb question.........
Ed
Have you considered a mag swap in the pickups? I’ll bet roughcast A5’s would sound great. Similar to Cream era Clapton.
— I want to hear Caravan with a drum solo.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2775
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Mar 01 2022 09:10 PM
Thanks for the input Ben. I have quite a collection of miscellaneous humbuckers lying around which over the years, I had swapped in and out of my '68 Les Paul Custom. At one point in all this el-swap-o lunacy, I came to the sobering conclusion that my guitar's "problem" wasn't the guitar, it was me...... I still think that is pretty humorous.
The Ibanez is a cool guitar to haul around in a soft case, and have handy when I feel like banging out some tunes without plugging it in.
I'll ponder the swap idea and see what't in my "pile--o-pickups."
Cheers and best reverbs,
ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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cosmonaut
Joined: Apr 02, 2019
Posts: 339
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Posted on Mar 03 2022 03:47 PM
those ibanez artcores were an absolute BARGAIN. i played one when i stopped taking my mosrite celebrity out on gigs.
i always liked them a touch better than the epi dots i tried from the era. more solid QC?
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Mar 03 2022 08:13 PM
These guys. Modded Gibson-made Kalamazoo KG-1's. I've played a lot of shows on these guys and made some records too! Not too bad when you consider that the bodies were made by a toilet seat manufacturer!
Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 20:14:38
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ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 368
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Mar 03 2022 09:44 PM
My brother gave me his KG-1 and a Kalamazoo Model 2 amp. I sold the guitar to someone in Kalamazoo, and I reckon it's hanging on the wall of some cafe. I sold the amp to a harmonica player. These amps are prized by them I hear. No regrets.
Nice you've gotten great use from yours.
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 21:45:59
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websurfer
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 1753
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Posted on Mar 03 2022 09:50 PM
My Squier Classic Vibe '60s P bass! I read good things about the quality of this series, so I snagged a used one several years back when they were cheaper and easier to find. I put flats on it and it sounds great.
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Mar 04 2022 04:45 PM
ldk wrote:
My brother gave me his KG-1 and a Kalamazoo Model 2 amp. I sold the guitar to someone in Kalamazoo, and I reckon it's hanging on the wall of some cafe. I sold the amp to a harmonica player. These amps are prized by them I hear. No regrets.
Nice you've gotten great use from yours.
I can understand the no regrets part for sure. These needed considerable work to get them road worthy. Tuners, bone nut, re-fret, custom guards and pickups, replaced pots and jack with CTS/Switchcraft, new bridges. A lot more went into these than they are worth, but I did the work myself so it wasn't so awful! And they sound and play fantastic!
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swijak
Joined: Sep 09, 2021
Posts: 5
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Posted on Mar 23 2022 05:17 PM
Partscaster with Fender Robert Cray neck I pieced together for around $400.
Wilde L200 (N/M)and L290 (B) unknown body from guitar show years ago...
90's Fender MIJ ST-62 I bought for about $300 15 years ago. Wilde L280 pickups.
Last edited: Mar 23, 2022 17:23:11
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Clodmiran
Joined: Jul 04, 2022
Posts: 1
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Posted on Jul 04 2022 10:39 AM
My favorite to this day is my first one. It's an acoustic guitar, but I still love it and play it once in a while. It usually happens when we get drunk at a barbecue party. A friend of mine even broke it in half once, and it took me about half a year to find someone willing to repair it. It doesn't sound the same anymore but still sounds good, and I'm keeping it for as long as possible. By the way, guys, can someone share with me their experience regarding the accessories you use? I've been reading about it here https://ironageaccessories.com/collections/choosing-the-right-pick but got a bit overwhelmed with too much info.
Last edited: Jul 06, 2022 05:37:57
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LosVenturas
Joined: Feb 10, 2011
Posts: 443
Antwerp, Belgium
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Posted on Jul 04 2022 01:18 PM
Believe it or not... Both squier mini strat and p bass...
Cheers,
Andy
— www.LosVenturas.be
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