Guitar Recommendation

[TC]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

So what's the problem with a Pawn Shop??

[studemax]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

They're mostly crooks, man!
At least the ones here in Wichita are all run by crooked bastards trying to rip off honest folk, and deal with lowlife scumbags and felons for their "merchandise".

I have too many cop friends with dark stories about how things go down in pawn shops, and as a former repair guy for a music store, I have experience with their underhanded dealings.

I have testified in court twice against a particularly evil shop that is thankfully out of business, and thanks to my meticulous recording keeping for my business, have worked with law enforcement, insurance companies, and music store clients to achieve the recovery and return of stolen instruments that ended up in pawn shops under less than legal circumstances.

Pawn shops are run on the underground economy, same as the drug trade, gun runners, etc., - they are not to be trusted.

If you got a good deal, power to ya - but there's a reason why TV & movies portray pawn shops and their staff as criminal elements.
It's called art imitating greasy, rat-infested life.

[dieselgeek]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

I know we learned after purchasing two guitars for the wife (Breedlove acoustic, PRS electric) that ALL purchases go directly to our local Luthier.

Same guy also fixed her rather expensive (yet still entry level) violin too. Who knew a $700 bow beats the $300 bow by so much??? lol.

Anyways, do what Studemax says, with possible exception of having an instructor or trusted friend who plays well, test the guitar out for you.

Studemax is/was a Luthier and those guys are badass. They can take a POS and make it work great...

[studemax]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

Who knew a $700 bow beats the $300 bow by so much???

While the violin family of instruments is expensive and mysteriously made, bows are absolutely voodoo in the field of handcraftsmanship. I know of two violinists here in town with exotic Italian instruments that appraise for more than a basic Ferrari, but their bows are even more stratospheric in price range with arcane histories to match. I marvel at them, but can't wrap my mind around the minute differences that define their lofty excellence.

[Ron Ward]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

Who knew a $700 bow beats the $300 bow by so much???

While the violin family of instruments is expensive and mysteriously made, bows are absolutely voodoo in the field of handcraftsmanship. I know of two violinists here in town with exotic Italian instruments that appraise for more than a basic Ferrari, but their bows are even more stratospheric in price range with arcane histories to match. I marvel at them, but can't wrap my mind around the minute differences that define their lofty excellence.

Whatever you do, don't let Groucho hear you talk like that!

;D


Ron

[TC]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

They're mostly crooks, man!
At least the ones here in Wichita are all run by crooked bastards trying to rip off honest folk, and deal with lowlife scumbags and felons for their "merchandise".

I have too many cop friends with dark stories about how things go down in pawn shops, and as a former repair guy for a music store, I have experience with their underhanded dealings.

I have testified in court twice against a particularly evil shop that is thankfully out of business, and thanks to my meticulous recording keeping for my business, have worked with law enforcement, insurance companies, and music store clients to achieve the recovery and return of stolen instruments that ended up in pawn shops under less than legal circumstances.

Pawn shops are run on the underground economy, same as the drug trade, gun runners, etc., - they are not to be trusted.

If you got a good deal, power to ya - but there's a reason why TV & movies portray pawn shops and their staff as criminal elements.
It's called art imitating greasy, rat-infested life.

Trusted or not I got a Smoking deal on that Gibson. ;)

And I'm not disputing the types of people that sell things to pawn shops, sure they are shady, but if that gets me a $3000 guitar for $175 I'm not going to complain. I mean it's not like I'll take it back to them to repair it or service it. That I would leave in the hands of a professional.

I guess here in Phoenix the pawn shops that deal in music items are pretty good, with actual musicians working for them. Like this year my kid has band and we had to get a Saxophone for him, we went to this pawn shop that specializes in music items and the guy was real helpful, told us that all the Sax's they have need some type of work. They had some nice new ones, but they were brass and white, which he told us that some schools don't allow, so he was honest with us and then he told us a place to go that sells new ones that are all brass, which is where we bought it. So there are good guys working at pawn shops, I guess it might just depend which one you walk into..........

[Ron Ward]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

So I am sitting here, enjoying my first cup of coffee and perusing YouTube for some deep, funky, nasty, foot-stompin', whiskey drinkin', ass kickin' blues...


I found this. It is footage of Luther Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars playing a hand-built cigar box guitar. This thing wreaks of hardcore badderassedness/ Tell me that Chad doesn't have the skills to build one of these bad boys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXG9jhucsnI&feature=related

Ron

[173rdherd]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

Ron....thanks for bringing this thread back as I had not read it before. I have listened to some of Peewee on youtube a while back.
i got an Airline acoustic that was miserable at 13, but it only had to last acouple of months when my uncle gave me a 57 Les Paul with a small gibson amp. I agree with peewee on cheap guitars back then.
Chad if you haven't purchased yet I got a Peavey SC-1 and small amp for under $400 and it plays really well....but I'm not an expert on the subject, i just know what I like.

[DanStokes]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

If anyone needs violin info, PM me and I'll pass it along to Mary Ellen. She actually KNOWS this stuff. ME's good Chappuy (French 1780s) instrument plays best with a relatively inexpensive Brazilian-made pernumbuco (wood of choice for bows) bow that she bought from a friend. Her carbon fiber instrument works best with an expensive carbon fiber bow. Violinists are in a constant search for "The Perfect Bow". This is all mind-blowing to me.

Scott - if you get on this side of the country bring the fiddle and we can have your bride try out ME's stack of bows to see what she likes. She has cases of 'em (well, 8 or 10 at least).

Dan

[Ron Ward]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

If anyone needs violin info, PM me and I'll pass it along to Mary Ellen. She actually KNOWS this stuff. ME's good Chappuy (French 1780s) instrument plays best with a relatively inexpensive Brazilian-made pernumbuco (wood of choice for bows) bow that she bought from a friend. Her carbon fiber instrument works best with an expensive carbon fiber bow. Violinists are in a constant search for "The Perfect Bow". This is all mind-blowing to me.

Scott - if you get on this side of the country bring the fiddle and we can have your bride try out ME's stack of bows to see what she likes. She has cases of 'em (well, 8 or 10 at least).

Dan

Kickass!

Can she play some Charlie Daniels?

Ron

[DanStokes]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

I'd love it if she did - but not much. She occasionally takes a fiddle lesson but she pretty much does classical. She teaches Suzuki method to all ages and has several adult students. She runs about 1/2 as many students as the full-time teachers do, which is all she wants. There's usually a waiting list.

Dan

[Ron Ward]

Re: Guitar Recommendation

I'd love it if she did - but not much. She occasionally takes a fiddle lesson but she pretty much does classical. She teaches Suzuki method to all ages and has several adult students. She runs about 1/2 as many students as the full-time teachers do, which is all she wants. There's usually a waiting list.

Dan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQoNT9Xwd94

Ron