Seems as though I ruffled a few feathers with the posting of my guitars. I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone. . I really don't understand why some people are so rude. I was responding to the question concerning stock strats. The pic shows my two strats in unmodified condition; a Fender Jimmie Vaughan and a mid 80's MIJ Squier. The other groups I participate in like to see pics, that is why I posted it. I was not trying to show off or brag. Back in the early 60's when I got my first guitar it was a cheap semi-hollow with a very high action. It was difficult to play but I persevered, I loved that guitar. I developed some mean calluses with that action, a few years later I bought a better guitar with a pretty good action, it was a Japanese guitar with four pickups and I thought it was just all that. In 1969 I got my first job a bought a used Fender Telecaster, felt like I was on top of the world. I had to sell that guitar in the mid 1970’s because I needed the money. I have studied and played classical piano since the late 50’s so I maintained my involvement and love for music all these years. I was without a guitar after I sold the Tele until last year when I decided I wanted to get back into it. I have a tendency to get carried away with my interests. My guitars are all relatively inexpensive, but I love them all and am very proud to own them. I get many hours of enjoyment out of them. I love Fender guitars, but I really don’t care what the name on the headstock is. The inexpensive guitars nowadays are worlds apart from those of the 60’s & 70’s and are good enough for me. I am somewhat hearing impaired and wear hearing aids. I don’t really think I would hear the differences in more expensive guitars. Enough rambling and again I apologize if my post was inappropriate.

I didn't see your post but I'll look for it.
We've been seeing lots of ruffled feathers here lately....all it takes to get along is to be civilized and not have a chip on one's shoulder....we all have opinions and express them strongly at times.....then somebody takes offense and then it takes off from there.

Okay,so I looked it up,you did nothing wrong from what I read..the guy who made the idiotic comment about your guitars seems to be low class.
pay him no mind.

+1 Rebelsoul,

I enjoyed the pic of crmartin guitars, he did nothing wrong at all. Nice collection crmartin! I would be proud to own any of your guitars.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

Hi CR,I took that poster to task about his rude unsolicited remarks,I quite enjoyed your pix,you have some cool gear.The OP has made a few posts lately that were less than well received.One was trying to pass off an obvious Photoshoped guitar logo as being a factory mistake then decrying it as a joke after it being long proven a hoax.As I said in another post earlier today:"If a jackass brays one is not obligated to respond."With any luck this guy is just another fly by night troll that stirs up the pool and then moves on to pollute other places.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Nice collection, CRMartin, the only feathers ruffled were thejakeludwig, irrelevant, this forum is most certainly not about dismissing anyone's gear as inferior.
eventually he'll move on to another infantile welcoming forum.

_________________
"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Thank-you, I appreciate it.

CR Martin

Don't stress mate. Some people learn at a slower rate than others. Let it go pal, be the bigger man.

Oh my favourite, absolute no1 guitar, is my Mexican Squier Series strat from 95. Despite owning three guitars that cost five times it's price each. So don't be put off by anyone slighting your choices.

Infact please post some individual pictures of your 'cheapies' and tell us all about em.

We like you, just love them bits of wood and metal that make a noise. Whoever makes em, we can still enjoy em. It's the difference between a muso and a American Express guitarist. Not that you can't have money and music. I'm sure Mr Clapton has a few bob in the bank.

_________________
No no and no

You have many nice instruments, sir.

Pay the naysayers no mind.

JMO

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Deleted.

_________________
Bill

Niki nails it here CR, you just have to learn to be a bit thick skinned at times. I didn't see anything wrong with your post at all. We're all like brothers here except for a few that sometimes don't think before they post.

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Fools come and go here. I enjoyed your pics and you have no reason to apologize for anything..........Mike

_________________
The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

crmartin the only thing you have to apologize for is that you should apologize to yourself for apologizing!!

No need to let a broken person try drag you down.

You have some cool gear (info on the hollowbody with the soapbar p90's?!)

I agree whole heartedly with you on 'budget gear' a bunch of us have talked about it several times. It is night and day from when I was a teen. back then most budget gear was nearly unplayable, and poorly constructed. Now for only a couple hundred dollars you can get gig worthy gear.

Like Nik i have some favorite gear that isn't 'premium' A close second to me Stratocaster is my mid 80's Ibanez. hardly a bank breaker, and not worth any more than it was 25 years ago but a more comfortable neck is hard to find.

Welcome to the forum, don't let that one incident colour your perceptions of the members here. It's a pretty friendly place.

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

As I'm still a newbie, am I wrong to assume that the BEST addition to your Strat is a book on how to set it up and maintain it? I just got Paul Balmer's The Fender Stratocaster Handbook and Dan Erlewine's "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!" and already the first few little tweaks have made a noticeable difference.

They are certainly inexpensive accessories.