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Where Do You Draw The Line?
Poll ended at Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:42 pm
Go for the cheap guitar and add on as money allows. 11%  11%  [ 3 ]
Save up for the real deal. 89%  89%  [ 24 ]
Total votes : 27
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Post subject: Where Do You Draw The Line?
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:42 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
How many times do we read this:

"I just bought a Fender (fill in the blank) model Strat. I love everything about it but what can I do to make it better?"

Well, if said poster loves everthing about it, then the question is obviously preposterous. The fact that this question is asked under the above premise, means that the poster is thinking something quite contrary to what (s)he has typed.

Naturally, if said poster is being truthful and does in fact, "love everything about it", there's no deficiency in his/her evaluation and the guitar should simply be left alone for his/her continued enjoyment.

Of note is the fact that there is no shame in enjoying a completely stock guitar either.

Now, if there's stuff that said poster finds lacking, how far should (s)he go before common sense dictates (s)he has indeed, bought the wrong guitar?

For example, buying a real budget Strat just to have the tuners, nut, pickups, electronics, bridge, etc. changed to all universally touted "high end" stuff and then, having fretwork done implies (to me, at least) that this person clearly bought the wrong guitar.

Yea, I've heard the argument that this way, the person can build her/himself a top notch instrument without having to shell out the big bucks in one shot. To this, I say, guaranteed, after this person is done shelling out for anything and everything, it has now cost a lot more than say, a used MIA Strat, totally OEM and still, it won't be as good. Further, when this person next has the money to buy what (s)he feels is the OEM Strat that (s)he has wasted more money than the cost of this one on to bring her/his Strat up to this level, her/his folly is now realized. To boot, this person must now vehemently defend how superior her/his mutt is to 'most' Strats; a lost cause for sure.

Here are a couple of simple examples: You've just bought a used MIM Strat and already, you've paid more in all Callaham hardware than you've paid for the guitar. Next, you've just bought a set of Kinman pickups which cost even more than the Callaham stuff. Does this make sense? Where do you draw the line?

Discuss

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Post subject: Re: Where Do You Draw The Line?
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:04 pm
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Where do you draw the line?

Discuss[/quote]

The answer is simple, and I believe most would agree.......
You draw the line when you are satisfied.

The company builds a guitar which it believes the greater numbers will be pleased with.

The 'different drummers' tweak 'em.

Lately, the company has taken cues from this practice. They claim the new '08 American Standard was one such, as was the '57 and '62 Hotrods.

The new Corgan is quite a departure from the norm and will likely draw a great deal of interest from contemporary players.

Doc :wink:


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:18 pm
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i always get the guitar i want sometimes i wait to afford but its better than being regretfull latter


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:03 pm
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I work exactly the other way around. I fully intend to stay down within a budget that will suffice for my realistic needs - and then the catalogues, shop windows and salespeople get to work on my wallet.

For example. A couple of years back I decided I really had to have my own bass, just for simple tracking purposes, rather than endlessly hassling after other people's. For the required work and my very limited abilities on the instrument my researches concluded a dirt cheap Aria STB bass would do fine.

'Cept its a fake Fender, not a Fender. OK, go for a Squier, that says made by Fender on it: good enough. Squier? Hell, I need the curly writing to say Fender. OK, go for a MIM. That's already way over my needs, settle for that. But they don't have maple fingerboards - I gotta have maple. OK, a basic US jazz bass and STOP THERE.

Which was what I firmly intended till I arrived in the shop and saw the block inlays and neck binding on the Marcus Miller jazz bass. Where's my credit card spent up to this month? All right...

And that was when the salesperson said, "oh, no, not the Marcus Miller, with that ugly pickguard. Surely not? But look over here, at this nice 75 Reissue Jazz Bass. All the features you require, plus covers for the bridge and pickup all set on this particularly nicely grained piece of ash. Suits you, sir..."

So that's how my modding is done: prêt-à-porter.

Now I just need to learn to play the damn thing...


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:32 pm
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For me it's easy, save up and buy the guitar that feels and sounds great just as it is. If I think it needs different pups, then I haven't found the right guitar yet.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:59 pm
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There's always Ebay. I own 19 or so Strats. Have bought MANY hard to come by Fender/Strat parts. I've posted 1 pic of 4 of my Strats on the PICS OF YOUR STRAT posting page 60-something.

Now, you guys tell me, which are live & which are Memorex?????

I've built more than 1 "FRANKEN"Strat and will continue to do so.


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Post subject: Re: Where Do You Draw The Line?
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:06 pm
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Martian wrote:
How many times do we read this:

"I just bought a Fender (fill in the blank) model Strat. I love everything about it but what can I do to make it better?"


Yeah, those posts are tiring, but the posts that say:


"I just bought a Fender (fill in the blank) model Strat. Is it any good? Are there any reviews you'd like to give?"

are pretty funny. I want to ask the guy "isn't it a little late to start doing research on a guitar after you've already bought one?"

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:32 pm
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Hello Martian,

Of years late I leave my guitars alone
but I do continue to hotrod for others. 8)

One of these years I'm going to
build a strat from parts---I been
saying that for a decade :shock:

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:43 pm
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save and buy

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:41 am
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save and buy all the way, once you go American Strat you can't go back....

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:24 am
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Save and buy. Takes time but it's worth it in the end.


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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:08 pm
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I voted save up for the real deal... there are many reasons why but a good reason is not wasting your time to much on the guitar itself... play, learn, write... u will find that just about any man can adapt to any guitar...

With that said, get the closest thing you can to what you want & then find a balance between experimenting with the instrument itself & adapting urself to the instrument... Don't just mod, PLAY~
It's a hard line to draw (more for some than others)... If u are aware of what you want & give it some thought; I agree that it can save u alot of money & time. Point is, getting the sound you really love on the instrument that has a life of its own in your hand is PRICELESS! (if u ask me).

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:51 pm
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dont draw any line. the main idea behind the broadcaster was that it was to be a working guitar that a working-person could own and repair inexpensively. The next logical step in that thought process would be modifying. I dont think i'd mod a 51 though.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:37 am
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Real deal for me. I bought a cheap one once to modify but the expense got out of hand and I would have been better off waiting a couple of months to buy what I really wanted.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:54 am
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Couple of thoughts...
1. I say save and buy to get what you really want - although sometimes our cash reality and the desire to get it now override what is best in the long run.

2. As guitar players we all want our own, unique voice which leads to tweaking and buying stuff.

In the end...who really gives a rip? Just have fun :D

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