Stay in school, son. Learn a trade or a skill or a craft that employers are willing to pay handsomely for. With a marketable education, you'll have a leg up on all the other folks groveling for the jobs. Once you land one, you'll be in a position to buy whatever fits your priorities without worrying whether or not your wallet can withstand such an onslaught.

Best of luck!



Arjay

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"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

I'm already in a good business. I'm learning my boss' tricks and such. I fix computers, which is a great moneymaker, considering how often they break. I was thinking my own computer repair/guitar repair shop. I work on guitars in my spare time, so why not make a living off of it? Also, I'm fixing a friend's neck in Driver's Ed tomorrow. Everyone comes to me because I have so many spare parts.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I was so poor as a kid that I had to build much of my own gear.

And now that I can afford pretty much anything that I want I still build a lot of my own gear.

Go figure!



Arjay

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"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

Building this Tele has been trouble. eBay has some not so reliable sellers. I found an early 80s Japanese maple cap neck for $75 and secured it but the guy never sent it. I guess when I have more funds builds will go more smoothly.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Hear, hear -- a man after my own heart!

Rawk on!!!



Arjay

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"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

I forgot which one was the second one.

I have an hr57 hr 62 and cp 60s,
Next will be an American standard in charcoal frost and a
Maple neck. Or a cp baja telecaster.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Hi!

A Fender custom shop Crossroads Eric Clapton Blackie Stratocaster

http://www.unplugged-cafe.org/blog/wp-c ... strato.jpg

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EC is the best

I do.

Although, that said, only usually two at any one time. I kind of spoiled myself recently.

First Strat: 2001 American Deluxe HSS.
Second Strat: 2004 Highway 1 HSS.
Third Strat: 1999 Lone Star HSS.
Fourth Strat: 1986 Japanese '68 RI HSS.
Fifth Strat: 2005 American Deluxe HSS None More Black.
Sixth Strat: 2005 Speed Shop Strat H.
Seventh Strat: 1987 Japanese Contemporary Standard HSS.

And, for now, I've stopped. Until the Custom Shop Custom Deluxe HSS becomes affordable.

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

My first guitar (3 years ago) is an HSS Mahogany American Special - excellent for Hard Rock.

I hope that my second will be close to those late 90's "Lone Star Strats" with the Texas
Specials in them. I would like it for more of that Blues Rock (SRV, Cream, Hendrix) vibe.

I took apart a late 80's E.M. Martin "Stinger" Stratocaster - love the body and neck, but the electronics are really poor and the soldering renders everything unusable. I was thinking of dropping a loaded pickguard into it - Dimarzio has an "Area" pickguard and Lace Sensor has a "Red, White and Blue" pickguard which is supposed to be pretty "hot".

To answer a few other questions here:

Why have a 2nd stratocaster?

Because they do all sound different - hotter pickups, faster necks, better chording frets, more resonant bodies, more/less twang - and you may even want alternate tunings.

I tune my HSS guitar 1/2 step down (Eb) for more Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and even SRV stuff. I would like another Strat for regular tunings and even one for open G - a lot of Rolling Stones used that tuning due to Keith Richards faithful study of Robert Johnson. Even Clapton has used that tuning.

Why not do other guitars (Les Paul, shredding Ibanez etc.)?

I guess I just love the feel and classic looks and vibe of stratocasters. All guitars are beautiful in the eyes of the beholder, so I'm not inclined to make broad generalizations about them being the best. Just the best for me.

So - short answer is my 2nd will be a used late 1990's Lone Star Strat.

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Electric Guitar #1: Fender American Select Mahogany Stratocaster HSS
Electric Guitar #2: Agile Al-3110 Les Paul
Acoustic: Fender CD200SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Amp: Line 6 Spider III 75 75W 1x12 Combo Amp
Piano: Yamaha M450

What a coincidence. Mine is for sale!

They are brilliant guitars. The Texas Specials are perfect.

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

I made $63 today, I have another odd job coming up, and my birthday in about a month. I always ask for cash. I'll probably get a few pairs of pants (guitar took away from clothing. Only have 5 or so outfits. most are band t shirts and poorly sewn up jeans) I might have enough for a MIM Strat or something. (My Tele will be finished shortly.) There is a nice purple one that's been in store for $250 for months.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic