Guitars: New, used, or vintage

[Cedar]

I have an 88 Les Paaul Custom Black Beauty, and didnt want to take it to Europe with me on tour. So I bought a 1980 Les Paul Firebrand for $550 CAN!!! The guitar is really nice. I cant say its as much fun as the Custom to play, but for one quarter the price, its a steal. And I dont have to worry as much about it when Im on the road.

[KennyLusk]

I'll second the Jimmie Vaughan Tex Mex Strats. The pickups are outstanding, the neck is very nice and the wiring is good. No re-wiring necessary.

That was a killer guitar even when it first came out 6 years ago, or whatever.

Only 2 drawbacks for me with that one. It's a poplar body and I don't believe you can get a rosewood fretboard. If you don't have a problem with those to feature facts then you've got an outstanding guitar on the cheap.

Doesn't help Zeppie since he's looking for a LP but it's a great recomend.

[twitchmonitor]

Yep, buying a new one seems dumb. I scoured the second hand guitar shops here in SF (back in the dot com boom - when prices where unusually high) and eventually found an '89 Gibson Les Paul Custom. The Black Beauty. It was $1250. The binding on the headstock was fucked up, so I had to take it to a luthier and get it fixed, which cost me like an extra $100 or so. New at Sam Ash they're $3,000 (not even sure if that includes the case). So $1350 vs. $3000. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

[neve1073]

Im saving for a good guitar. I need one, badly. I spend too much time with the music to be using crap now. The les paul is my thing, it just feels right. its the guitar for me. but the $ is insane on some of thoes new ones, compared to others companies like Fender. Do you think its a better idea to look for a vintage 70s or 80s les paul vs getting a brand new one? I mean, it will be worn but sometimes this is all aprt of the tone + characters. the downside is obviously who knows what it has been thru and who knows the life left in the parts. but I dont know. Ive read stories about Gibsons quality control getting pretty crappy over the last few years. Their top quality is going into the custom models...the '59 les paul, for example. but im not at the point where I can afford a $3999 guitar!!! so, what would you do...

thanks

Dave

I would keep saving, if I were you. Maybe buy an interim guitar to hold you over (I don't know what you have now), but save up and get yourself something you will treasure forever. Check out the real vintage stuff. Get a feel for ones that are in different conditions and therefore different price ranges. Compare them to the different "reissues" and take your time focusing on what you want---all the while saving up $$. By the time you have enough money, you will really know what you are looking for and understand the market.

[luckybastard]

finally a post where i actually have something to contribute. word has been floating around on the net for awhile now about a couple of korean les paul copy manufacturers. the two most buzzed about are sx and agile. the prices of their lp's range from about 200-400. ALL of them are neck-through with mahogany bodies and maple caps, just like the gibby's. the pickups are only ok on the cheaper side and from what i hear, pretty damn good on the high end. also the high end has the mahogany neck(just like the gibby's) as opposed to maple necks on the $200 models. i know it sounds too good to be true, but i've heard so many good things about it that i'm probably going to take the dive as soon as my band gets out of the studio in late february. anyways, just thought i'd pass on some info...

www.rondomusic.com

[Zeppelin4Life]

hi guys, as always, thanks a lot for all the knowledge. Right now i have an Agile 2800 copy from 2 years ago from Rondomusic.com (the link in the last post). I learned on this guitar and a really old Squier strat a few years earlier. I didnt think about upgrading guitars until I felt like my playing would be at the point where a new gutiar would benifit me, now Ithink it would. like my drums, which I also spend a lot of time and money on. I did a lot of work to the Agile. I replaced the pups, I rewired it, and I had some fretwork done. it plays fine actually, but I do want a new guitar. I play a vintage gibson or even the new ones, theres something missing. I think its in the feel of the guitar, im not sure.

[pk]

If one is on a tight budget and can only afford a GC off-the-shelf guitar, surely, there must be some not-too-bad deals out there? Yeah, i'd love a vintage 335, but I've played a $400 Epiphone Dot and was pretty damn impressed at how it felt, played, looked, sounded, etc. Ok, it won't be worth jack shit in 10 years, but then again, it's a guitar, not a mutual fund....

I just might get that Dot, actually, I need some tone variation from my Strat.

[Catoogie]

Hey Zep, I listened to the clip of your playing, two suggestions. First, cut back just a tiny bit on the gain. I mean just a little.

Second that third chord is a D with F# in the bass. So it's A-A-A, D, D/F#, G. Just play the D chord at the second fret and use your thumb to fret the F# note on the low E string at the second fret.

Other than that it sounds good!!

[Zeppelin4Life]

Hey Zep, I listened to the clip of your playing, two suggestions. First, cut back just a tiny bit on the gain. I mean just a little.

Second that third chord is a D with F# in the bass. So it's A-A-A, D, D/F#, G. Just play the D chord at the second fret and use your thumb to fret the F# note on the low E string at the second fret.

Other than that it sounds good!!

yeah thnx.

that F# is definetly there but I think i missed the string. oh well who cares. ill record it again as soon as my fried preamps get fixed

[Rolsen]

The Epiphone Dot is rad. Don't pay $400 for it, pay $250, brand new, on sale at GC (at least I think I've seen it at that price).

[pk]

The Epiphone Dot is rad. Don't pay $400 for it, pay $250, brand new, on sale at GC (at least I think I've seen it at that price).

Wow, really? Seems I can't actually see a GC website listing all their products (only GC PRO, lists what brands they carry, that's it). I checked AMS and MF, it's $399, do you just haggle with them to get that price?

In any case, thanks for the tip!

[StivBatorsWreckedMyCar]

New Gibsons blow! I bought a new SG a few years back. It looked great, and even though my ears told me different, I convinced myself it sounded great. Well, there was a short somewhere which forced me to open the back and discover... It was a piece of F*CKING PLYWOOD! For 1000+ bucks I was hoping for more than that. Luckily, I sold it for a goodly sum because SG's were the taste du jour among the rocker set. After much searching, I found a 59 Les Paul Special that was a little beat up but sounded and played wonderfully. I still own it and it's my fave guitar ever.

My advice... Have cash handy and be on the lookout for a good deal on what might be a cosmetically inferior vintage piece.

[Bigsby]

I love my '78 LP Deluxe. Somebody routed it for full size HB's. I put some Duncans in there, sounds great. Plays great. Well worn, but looks great that way. $800 about 4 years ago.

[swingdoc]

Cheap dude, Used and Cheap. It's not the guitar. It's you. I recommend early 80's squires, ibanez rock n rolls, anything with a straight neck and good frets. You can always yank the electronics out and redo everything. Trust me, I've spent way too much on guitars before. Cheap, used and cheap. Spend the money on the amp. Or on your girlfriend.

Werrd!!
..Or your anus. It deserves the best.

[Zeppelin4Life]

I know a guy who owns a vintage guitar shop a little ways from here and he is going to look for some late 70s models that pop up. They seem to be the most affordable of the vintage LPs. I think this is because they are made from 2 peices in the body. can someone enlighten me? thnx

Dave