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OT: Guitars
 

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/21/20 5:37 PM

OT: Guitars

I always thought that, when I retired, I'd get a guitar and learn to plunk out some blues.Could this be the time, with this enforced, extended home stay? (Too bad I have a tin ear and am arrhythmic, but I can dream, can't I?)

I know there are several luthiers on board here, so I'm asking: any suggestions about an inexpensive guitar for a beginner who is not particularly musical? What should I look for in a guitar or in a "package" deal? I wish I could drop into a local shop, but that's not an option right now, so it will have to be an on-line purchase, unfortunately.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/21/20 5:56 PM

Assume an Electric and a little amp that will do the blues dirt tone?

Be happy to link you to some internet purchase with 30 day return etc.

Few questions; Spend range? What blues rings with you, players I mean. SRV, Clapton, Muddy Waters or Buddy guy etc.?

Do you know what tonal difference there is from a Humbucker [gibson ilk] or Single Coil pickups [Fender]?


Righty or Lefty?

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/22/20 6:09 AM

Thanks, Sparky. I'm not sure what the ballpark dimensions are for spending range. Maybe $150-200? Is that reaiistic?

I appreciate the guitarists you mention, especially Muddy Waters, but I'm more partial to musicians like Son House, Bukka White, Blind Willie Johnson, Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, Elmore James.

Tonal difference between guitars? Nope. I'm a righty.

I'm happy to hear anything others may offer, but if you think it's more appropriate to take this off-line, my email is LRZipris at yahoo.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/22/20 10:51 AM

Quick Craigslist PA listing:

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/d/oreland-squier-vintage-modified/7089595114.html

New, I can't recommend anything under the 400-500.00 range for the guitar, so used looks more budget friendly.

Peavey Amps sell used very low and are quite good. I paid 40.00 for a Studio Pro I'd used to gig with.

Feel free to click on the little envelope bottom of my post if SMTP is better for you.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/22/20 11:10 AM

I have one of these for years. They have a boxy tone you'd probably consider akin to the blue grass metal guitars used for delta slide tone more than a fender/gibson elec in any cheaper range.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1990s-Danelectro-56-U2-Reissue-Electric-Guitar-Lipstick-Pickups-Burgundy-Brown/133276928720?hash=item1f07ec8ad0:g:MS4AAOSwNhNd-uiU

I won't ever sell mine I can say...

Guitar Center sells used,returns for 180 days too. Shipping on used I am not sure about.

example: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Squier/Vintage-Modified-Telecaster-Custom-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-116246461.gc?dcs_action=delItem&comId=ci10380000894&quantity=0#

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

4/22/20 6:33 PM

Speaking of Guitars

Sparky, you might be interested in this one--I put it together out of two cheap guitars (a Canvas for the neck, and a Behringer for the body) and routed the body out and wired it with two EMG H4 pickups. The wiring is two 3-way switches, so that either pickup can be single-coil, humbucking, or off, one volume control, and one tone control. The Behringer body has a tremelo. I liked the shape of the bodies but I don't like trems, so I put in all the springs it could handle and it's pretty much locked down.

I call it "Rosie," and this is a little bit of bad noodling I did to show off the sounds right after I (more or less) finished it, through a Fender Mustang I amp (I've since switched to Peavey).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck7hX3KlkPw

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/22/20 7:40 PM

I like it...


As far as over springing a trem, it works, but can put undue stress on the pivots/posts. I prefer to use blocks of wood to center it and hold it centered rather than risk a grain pullout in the wood between the trem cavity and bridge pickup route.

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/23/20 6:17 AM

Tangentially: in college, I had a friend who had a National steel guitar. Someone once admired it, so he gave it to them. Ah, the 1960s communal values!

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

4/23/20 6:51 AM

National

That raises an interesting question--we've all been talking electric here, but there are advantages to acoustic.

Did you like the sound of the National? If so, there are a number of acoustics out there that do a reasonable job of reproducing that "frying pan" sound. Even some of the cheap little Martin "travel guitars" have that tone.

NB: I missed the '60s, but the '70s had some of the same feel. I miss those values, too.

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/23/20 7:41 AM

What's not to like! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsMpHHSLSlc

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

4/23/20 7:46 AM

Once the quarantine clears...

Get thee to a music store and try a Martin "backpacker". It's not exactly the same sound, but it's pretty close. Much quieter, because it's not a resonator guitar like the National, but the same tone.

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/23/20 8:06 AM

This? https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/backpacker/steel-string-backpacker-guitar/

Martin is a PA-based company, I believe; it's good to support the local/regional economy.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

4/23/20 8:12 AM

Nazareth, PA

I have a Martin that's nearing the half-century mark, and I love it. But listen to the individual guitar you're thinking of buying. Every single guitar sounds different. I think the "backpacker" model's tiny body lends it THE sound, but it's up to you--and of course, the one I played might differ from the one you're looking at.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/23/20 11:00 AM

That just sez Martin on it, I have no knowledge of the quality or lack of with those, not seen or touched one.

As far as local economy, that is probably made in Indonesia.

Having said that, you could do up delta blues slide easily with that. They make a steel nut that fits over the bone [plastic] nut to raise the action up high so you are not banging on frets..

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/23/20 11:43 AM

Well, if I wait for the quarantine to clear, I can go back to all my old hobbies and activities, instead of picking up a new one. Maybe, maybe not, we'll see.

I'm still intrigued by this package: https://shop.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/squier-stratocaster-pack/0371823006.html

I have two young (13 and 10) grandsons who play, and we're already talking about our trio. Yeah, that'll be the day.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6935
Location: Maine

4/23/20 11:50 AM

Nazareth PA trivia

The Portland Museum of Art is renting movies in these stay at home days, and I rented and watched “Once Were Brothers” the new Scorsese flick about The Band (or Robbie Robertson’s version anyway).

Robbie related that his inspiration for “Pulled into Nazareth” in “The Weight” was that he saw Nazareth written inside his Martin.

As mentioned the movie is likely a bit one-sided but lots of interesting stuff in it. Clapton says he wanted to join as rhythm guitarist. Springsteen says the group couldn’t miss as it had “3 of the greatest white singers in the history of rock & roll.” Etc.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/23/20 1:37 PM

Andy, I steered him in eMail towards elec due to email convo direction we were having. And IMO light action lower ga strings tears up virgin finger tips so much less.

If he lived close, I'd lend him a git fiddle and amp for the duration...

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dfcas
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 2827
Location: hillbilly heaven

4/23/20 3:21 PM

Sparky whats different and good about the vintage modified Strats?

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/23/20 5:40 PM

The Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe lines are levels above the Affinity Squiers and actually quite decent. The starter line is Sears/Walmart fodder IMO.

I have to say, and did in eMail that the Tremolo on cheap Strat guitars is worrisome.

I have one US version vintage trem on a strat/guitar I built, and it is from the quite expensive Eric Clapton US line/model. Claimed made in US 18 years ago when I bought it, dunno now, but doubt US anymore...

It has a steel block instead of being pot metal, and nickle then chrome plating, including steel saddles plated the same instead of more pot metal.

Discounted highly it cost more than the lower end Squier Stratocasters. You can actually use it and have the guitar stay in tune.

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/23/20 5:51 PM

I am getting that Squier Stratocaster Pack, with the worrisome tremolo. When the guitar arrives, I'll play around with it, then I might take you up on your email offer to show me the "reversible modification."

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19200
Location: PDX

4/23/20 6:35 PM

Keep me posted, blocking it removes instability in use. Guitar use staying tuned, not trem use to be clear.

I'll show you how to do it. Or at least how to make it sit and stay in a direction as to not effect tuning if you don't try to use it. ;)

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3255
Location: Midland, MI

4/24/20 9:37 AM

Paul Simon


quote:
I had a friend who had a National steel guitar. Someone once admired it, so he gave it to them.


"The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar."

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6935
Location: Maine

4/27/20 10:35 AM

Local example

Roy, maybe you could learn this tune from local cop Fat Knuckle Freddy:

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/maine-police-officer-performs-disinfectant-blues-from-cruiser/video/545d8af2f142e7790483f12046f7364d

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lrzipris
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 532
Location: Doylestown, PA

4/27/20 11:36 AM

Thanks, Dan. It appears that I'll have a lot of stay-at-home time to practice.

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