@rusty I've heard some of the Squires are unplayable. Frets cut your hands, neck has a slight bow to pickup problems and more.
But on the other hand, I imagine the Squires that have "SQUIRE by Fender" on the headstock have to be okay generally speaking. I'm not sure why some of the Strats and Teles at the music store here don't have the Fender name in smaller letters. Maybe it depends on where they are made and certainly if the Fender name is there in small letters, they would be more careful about how it's constructed and set up for shipment.
They have a beautiful cherry red Epiphone Les Paul down there now. It's $700 dollars but cheaper than one with Gibson on the headstock. For $700.00 dollars it would have to be made with some quality and standards.
Man told me recently he bought a $900.00 Dean electric for his son who was really into guitars plus they sold him a good used Fender amp. His son woodshed with Metallica, Black Sabbath and Ozzy albums for about two years then lost interest and the guitar just sits now.
This is where a $100.00 guitar has a place in the music store.
@robertdee I think the term for a find like that is, "Closet Queen". Some parents will go out and buy their kid the absolute finest instrument as soon as he/she takes an interest. Only the best for their kid! I know a few folks who got almost too good to be true deals on guitars that have been abandoned by fickle-minded children.
One of the places I search for guitars is Craig's List. I've made a couple of purchases, but I have seen a couple of just too damned good to possibly be true listings.
On the Brunswick, GA Craig's List (Musical Instruments) there is a listing for a 1976 Fender Rhodes Suitcase Piano (with the front facing amplified speaker) for $800. Photos and description show that it is in very good condition. I'm not a great piano player but I've always wanted one of these. On Reverb, the listed prices start at $3-4K. How can this be?
There is a listing on the Jacksonville Craigslist for a 1995 Gibson Les Paul Custom (wine red) for only $1500.00! I've been Jonesin' for a Les Paul pretty seriously lately. My preference would be a late model Standard, but by research tells me that the 2005 Studio models were basically Standards minus the paint and binding. The 1995 Custom - that's the "good wood" era following the Norlin years (right?). The Customs from this period (1990s) seem to list between $2 -3K on Reverb and other more reputable sites. I am giving serious thought to buying this guitar but I fear that at that price - it has to be a scam!
@bill_graham Thanks. I did enjoy. There are so many makes of guitars that I seem to discover a new one every few weeks.
But other than Ibanez and Paul Reed Smith, apparently Gibson and Fender are the two which sell the most and they have bought up some smaller known names such as Fender buying Jackson and Charvel several years ago.
Taylor has emerged as a big seller in the acoustic market but their electrics not so much. Not long ago I saw a band with two guitarist and one had a Guild electric and the other a Washburn. The bass was Rickenbacker. I felt like someone at a stock car race and nobody had a Ford or Chevrolet:)
No long ago I saw a guy playing a gold Yamaha. Tone similar to a Les Paul. Santana use to play a Yamaha but his main guitar now is Paul Reed Smith. Apparently PRS sells a lot of guitars now.
@bill_graham Thanks. I did enjoy. There are so many makes of guitars that I seem to discover a new one every few weeks.
But other than Ibanez and Paul Reed Smith, apparently Gibson and Fender are the two which sell the most and they have bought up some smaller known names such as Fender buying Jackson and Charvel several years ago.
Taylor has emerged as a big seller in the acoustic market but their electrics not so much. Not long ago I saw a band with two guitarist and one had a Guild electric and the other a Washburn. The bass was Rickenbacker. I felt like someone at a stock car race and nobody had a Ford or Chevrolet:)
No long ago I saw a guy playing a gold Yamaha. Tone similar to a Les Paul. Santana use to play a Yamaha but his main guitar now is Paul Reed Smith. Apparently PRS sells a lot of guitars now.
Yeah there are a lot of small boutique guitar makers now.
I have a made in Japan 1987 ESP Mirage Custom pointy lawsuit headstock HSS pickup guitar I bought new back in 1988 and it is a beautifully made guitar. They were very popular with the hair metal bands in the 1980's along with Jackson's, Kramer's, Ibanez and Charvel's.
ESP is still popular with the metal band musicians but don't sell like the big name brands you mentioned.
Few of the hairband guitar players in the 1980's were playing Les Paul's. Some credit Slash with making Gibson Les Paul's cool again in the late 80's and possibly saving the company.
Back in the late 60's early 70's Santana was a Gibson Les Paul man I believe. Not sure when he switched to PRS guitars but Smith made Carlos a custom guitar with bird inlay fingerboard markers which has been his main guitar for a while now.
@bill_graham Yes I've seen a couple of nightclub metal bands doing mostly covers and the lead players had ESP guitars. They had a big fat tone and sustain. They didn't strike me as cheaper instruments.
I too noticed in the 1980's with the Metallica/Van Halen type bands, Gibson and Fender guitars which were so widely seen in the 60's and 70's with rock bands. Many of those bands used what were often called super Strats. But made by lines such as Kramer, Hamer, Jackson, ESP, Charvel etc.
The country bands were mostly Fender Telecaster and Gretch when I saw those bands.
There was one band I saw at a theatre in the late 80's called Night Ranger. Two lead players, one with a Gibson Les Paul and the other with a Fender Stratocaster. Gregg Allman sang on one of their early 90's albums.
Lots of young women are playing along with records and sounding real good. Here is another.
https://youtube.com/shorts/YTJG4cRMwp0?feature=share
- @bill_graham Brad Gillis I think now had Gregg Allman sing on a solo album.
I've seen Night Ranger twice. I'm not a huge metal fan though but I remember Brad's Strat with a black headstock.
Here it is up close and the Fender logo is on the headstock apparently this guitar is heavily modified. Zoom in on the pickups. I see maybe a Humbucker without it's cover in the bridge and a hotrail in the neck position.
It's was just a fat and powerful as the other guitarist on a Goldtop Les Paul.
https://images.app.goo.gl/GYvmgKLceMNGqhF57
Brad's Strat is really beat up when you zoom in. The body is all scratched up.
Night Ranger live.
This is not my bag. They are running around on one leg and skipping and all over the place. Looks like Van Halen inspired. I can't imagine Duane Allman, Dickey Betts and Berry Oakley doing than Van Halen type jumping and running around. Or Clapton. Pink Floyd never did that and they were bigger than Van Halen. The Rolling Stones use to do it to a degree.
@bill_graham Here is that fat and sweet Les Paul tone I love. I may like it better on the neck pickup. That is how Dickey usually played.
@bill_graham Bill I found several old Santana videos and he is playing a Les Paul. On Woodstock it looks like an SG Gibson.
Oddly the four times I saw Santana in the 1970's Carlos was playing a Japanese guitar. A Yamaha. He is a Paul Reed Smith player now.
https://images.app.goo.gl/5Rsv5BdDucxNJuFV6
@bill_graham Yes I've seen a couple of nightclub metal bands doing mostly covers and the lead players had ESP guitars. They had a big fat tone and sustain. They didn't strike me as cheaper instruments.
I too noticed in the 1980's with the Metallica/Van Halen type bands, Gibson and Fender guitars which were so widely seen in the 60's and 70's with rock bands. Many of those bands used what were often called super Strats. But made by lines such as Kramer, Hamer, Jackson, ESP, Charvel etc.
The country bands were mostly Fender Telecaster and Gretch when I saw those bands.
There was one band I saw at a theatre in the late 80's called Night Ranger. Two lead players, one with a Gibson Les Paul and the other with a Fender Stratocaster. Gregg Allman sang on one of their early 90's albums.
Lots of young women are playing along with records and sounding real good. Here is another.
ESP guitars are played by a number of main stream metal band guitar players like George Lynch, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Dave Mustane (Megadeath) etc.
https://www.espguitars.com/artists
Similar to the Gibson Epiphone line ESP makes less expensive second label called "LTD" which are made in Korea and Indonesia. Like Epiphone's many of the models look like the USA and Japan made ESP high end handmade guitars but use less expensive materials. ESP also makes Custom Shop Guitars in California which you can customize and are $$$. I bought my Japan made ESP for $800 and change back in 1988 and could probably sell it for 3X what I paid for it which is about what a new Japan made ESP goes for.
Some of the LTD guitar's used to be Neck-thru designs like some of the USA and Japan ESP models which have full neck-thru designs but from what I understand they are now set neck-thru which is a cross between set and neck-thru. Some of the the Japan made ESP models are still neck-thru depending on the model.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set-through_neck
Here is my 1987 Japan made neck-thru Mirage Custom model with the Jackson Lawsuit headstock. ESP also made a less expensive Mirage Deluxe with a bolt on neck that resembled a Fender strat headstock.
I also Picked up a used Made in Korea 2001ESP LTD MH-301 model about 15 years ago that has passive EMG pickups and is the old neck-thru design. I got it cheap used and had planned on upgrading the pickups and wiring and using it just for kicking around, using it as a platform to try different pickups and letting my daughter's play with it but never got around to it as my daughter's decided they would rather learn to play piano. Really nice guitar that went for about $450 new back. It is a solid guitar but you can definitely see and feel the difference in quality from my hand made Japanese Mirage Custom. Nice beginners guitar though.
Back in the late 1980's Jackson Guitars sued ESP over the shape of their pointy headstock being too similar to Jackson's. ESP then made a small change to the headstock shape to settle the lawsuit. You can see my 1988 ESP has the old Jackson patent Lawsuit headstock while the 2001 LTD has the modified design to satisfy Jackson.
ESP also distributes Takamine Acoustics which I have been told make nice stuff but never played one.
A little ESP history
https://www.axebition.com/blog/history-esp-mirage-m-i-m-ii-m-iii-series
Interesting article about various guitar company patent lawsuits
@bill_graham Very interesting read! Plagiarism and copyright infringement can certainly dig deep into the profit of businesses and individuals. It doesn't stop with guitars. Taking advantage of cheap (often childhood) labor in Asia to undercut the OWNER of the original design/copyright - to me, just shouldn't be acceptable.
Mom and Pop businesses get Wal-Marted to death on a daily basis. Yeah, the big-box boys can save you a buck or two, but in addition to buying blind, sight-unseen (okay, they do have photos on their websites), in doing so you're crushing the local music store. Like the disappearing corner pharmacy who can't purchase the drugs and meds for what Wal-Mart sells them for - the local music store might soon be a thing of the past.
The local music store - more than just a quick place to stop by for strings - has often been a hang-out for local pickers. I know many a local band who got together over their meet-ups at the guitar store. These places usually have several models of various instruments for you to test-drive. They often have luthiers on-site for help with set-ups and repairs. It's a shop that we all need! I will always be willing to spend a little more just for that relationship with the local music store.
I don't care how much import clone models have improved, they are just NOT every bit as good as the original (usually American made).
Speaking of copyrights and trade infringements - if you're in a local band, you're probably playing tunes that somebody else wrote. Chew on that for a moment.
(These thoughts haven't been completely finalized - I'm out the door for an 84 year-old emergency. - Later.)
For some the real value in changing parts on a Les Paul Standard is not necessarily an upgrade in quality but rather they are chasing the perfect tone. Just my 2 cents and YMMV.
Oh, for sure. I can see that. Chasing that " tone" can be an endless game. . I know what I want, and with the right amp guitar combo , it can be done. It what your ears like and hear. All subjective.
Speaking of the right guitar amp combos that seem to work well. Some years back I played a Gibson Firebird, cant remember the year, but I paired it with just a basic Crate Palomino 32v tube amp and it just sounded fantastic. The other was just and Ibanez artcore series semi hollowbody with a Peavey Delta blues 30 watt with a 15 inch speaker, and those two sang real well.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@bill_graham Very interesting read! Plagiarism and copyright infringement can certainly dig deep into the profit of businesses and individuals. It doesn't stop with guitars. Taking advantage of cheap (often childhood) labor in Asia to undercut the OWNER of the original design/copyright - to me, just shouldn't be acceptable.
Mom and Pop businesses get Wal-Marted to death on a daily basis. Yeah, the big-box boys can save you a buck or two, but in addition to buying blind, sight-unseen (okay, they do have photos on their websites), in doing so you're crushing the local music store. Like the disappearing corner pharmacy who can't purchase the drugs and meds for what Wal-Mart sells them for - the local music store might soon be a thing of the past.
The local music store - more than just a quick place to stop by for strings - has often been a hang-out for local pickers. I know many a local band who got together over their meet-ups at the guitar store. These places usually have several models of various instruments for you to test-drive. They often have luthiers on-site for help with set-ups and repairs. It's a shop that we all need! I will always be willing to spend a little more just for that relationship with the local music store.
I don't care how much import clone models have improved, they are just NOT every bit as good as the original (usually American made).
Speaking of copyrights and trade infringements - if you're in a local band, you're probably playing tunes that somebody else wrote. Chew on that for a moment.
(These thoughts haven't been completely finalized - I'm out the door for an 84 year-old emergency. - Later.)
Yeah I think in most cases the clones are not as good as the originals they are copying but I hve read the Tokai Gakki Company made Japanese clones of Gibson Les Paul's in the 1970's/ 80's which some feel were superior to Gibson's of that era. Never played one but they have a real hard core loyal following.
I never played Japanese Tokai or any other Les Paul clone but agree I would prefer to support Gibson and pay the premium for one of their guitars but I can see the attraction for those who can't afford the real thing.
Blindfold test Gibson vs. Tokai
Some info on Tokai
https://www.cmuse.org/tokai-vs-gibson/
Interesting debate on the Les Paul Forum
https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/love-rock-vs-les-paul-studio-ultimate-argument.102481/
Jason Momoa buys the last Murphy Labs Custom Shop limited edition Peter Green Greenie replica. Kirk Hammett of Metallica now owns the original.
It is estimated Momoa paid $50K+ for the privilege while there are a couple on Reverb going for $85K. Would be cool to own one I guess as they are like a piece of art IMHO but man crazy money for a beat up Les Paul Standard.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/jason-momoa-gibson-custom-greeny-les-paul
Here is the original announcement when they released them
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/gibson-greeny-les-paul-collectors-edition
Marshall Major 200W head
Not sure if I posted this in the past, Ritchie Blackmore favored these back in the day
https://www.vintageguitar.com/38567/the-marshall-major/
@bill_graham The Tokai story - pretty much a self-inflicted wound by Gibson and Fender - IMO. Strange business model! When sales begin to slow or you start to get competition - lower your quality standards! Makes no sense! The Gibson/Norlin and Fender/CBS reorganizations just opened the door for embarrassment and humiliation (also MO). Japanese made Fender Strats from that era often command higher prices than the American mades during the same period. I think both Gibson and Fender righted their ships. I think that most of the quality has returned to both. If anything, I think they cut corners on the guitar cases. One step beyond chip-board with furry/fuzzy lining.
More Les Paul copies
https://reallysimpleguitar.com/best-les-paul-copies/
https://spinditty.com/instruments-gear/5-Best-Non-Gibson-Les-Paul-style-guitars
Gibson Les Paul evolution 1952-1978
https://www.guitarworld.com/features/gibson-les-paul-evolution-timeline-1952-to-1978
Best Fender Stratocaster years.
For you Strat players and lovers
https://musicstrive.com/best-stratocaster-years/
@bill_graham Two very interesting articles! Thanks for posting!
(From the Fender article) "In 1985, William Schultz and his management group purchased Fender from CBS for $12.5 million, and Fender became the ‘Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.’ However, the sale did not include the Fullerton factory and some of the patents and names.
This meant that for a while, production was moved to Japan, and for a short period, in 1985, no Fender Stratocasters were made in America. ..."
- I guess this explains the popularity of those Japanese made models! The article goes on with descriptions of changes in designs and materials made by "the New Fender" - whose staff must've been among the earliest users of crack or something!
What I choose to take from these articles is that instead of making a futile pursuit of an older, (near) vintage model - that'll cost me more than the guitar is deemed worthy of - instead, purchase a more recent specimen - especially post 2000. Most of my guitars are from the 80's - mid '90s. Maybe it is that I am used to playing them, but they respond to my playing. My 1996 Mexican Fender "Squier Series" (again, not a Squier) does have a poplar body. Gear (and Fender) snobs may rightfully argue for alder and ash (especially swamp ash ... whatever the heck that is) as the best tonewoods. In this modern era of stomp boxes and high-end amp's, the final sound can be tweaked in so many directions. I have done a "gut transplant" on my Mexi-Strat to the point that it could be made a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Found a couple of interesting guitars here in Indy on craigslist.
Out of my range, but I always just like to look and see whats out there.
1970 Guild S-100 Standard - $1,900
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/msg/d/danville-1970-guild-100-standard/7569415323.html
1974 Gibson ES 150 DC - $3,300
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/msg/d/danville-1974-gibson-es-150-dc/7569416962.html
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Marshall JTM45, the holy grail of Marshall's?
https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/vintage-vault/1966-marshall-jtm45-amp
@jszfunk The prices on those instruments are comparable to similar models currently listed on Reverb. If you were interested and financially inclined, I don't see any red flags.
A Gibson ES 335 is another guitar I've always lusted after. As a rule, the asking price is just more than a hack like myself should probably be willing to pay (not that they're not worth the price). A while back, there was a Craigslisting of one for under $2K - which just sounded too good to be true. It was all that I could do to not bite at this. Then, one day the guitar disappeared from THAT CITY'S listing. I figured that a braver soul than me actually bought it. A couple of weeks later - the exact same guitar showed up in another city's listings. This smelled fishier than two-week old tuna salad.
The two listings that I mentioned earlier have me intrigued. The Fender Rhodes Suitecase Piano for only $800.00? Check Reverb and you won't find one of those (or the Wurly's) for less than $3-5K. The 1995 Gibson Les Paul Custom (in wine red) for $1,500.00 - well under the usual asking prices of anywhere between $3 - 5K! I'm doing everything in my power to not respond to to either of these ads because they just seem too good to be real.
Thanks for chiming in with your own Craigslist ventures. I have bought a guitar on CL. I've sold a car on CL, too. There are some legitimate offers and deals, but I have run across some genuine nutjobs, too.
Reading recent articles on counterfeit Gibson guitars has also shake me a little. Anybody can buy aftermarket "strat" bodies, necks and hardware - even the FENDER logo decals. It'd be pretty easy to build a bogus "Fender" strat, but faking a Gibson would require a lot more effort. Watch for those CHIBSONs! Yeah, they're out there. It's a thang.
Anybody else got a Craigslist (Ebay or other) story?
When I was younger, dumber and a whole lot stronger I wanted a Marshall stack. I eventually bought a 100 watt Ampeg VT 22 (combo amp). All of these things are cumbersome and heavier n' HELL! Unless you're playing colosseums or big auditoriums or if you have a person roadie - I'd offer that you don't really need an amp like this. The amp ( the Ampeg) was so powerful that even at low volumes, it'd knock mirrors and framed art off of the walls in my house. Dogs, cats, pigs and chickens would flee en masse. I have settled into a Fender Blues Jr (tweed). This thing is plenty loud enough for a small to medium sized venue and it has reverb. I'm not saying that it's the greatest amp around, but it serves the purpose. A frail old fart like myself can manage it without developing a inguinal hernia!Marshall JTM45, the holy grail of Marshall's?
https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/vintage-vault/1966-marshall-jtm45-amp
Thanks for chiming in with your own Craigslist ventures. I have bought a guitar on CL. I've sold a car on CL, too. There are some legitimate offers and deals, but I have run across some genuine nutjobs, too.
Yeah, I usually troll on Craigslist a few times a week. I have gotten some REALLY good deals, and some things have been kinda sketchy. But for the most part people seem to be on the up an up and honest.
I love 10's speakers for my guitar playing. To me they seem to give me more of a mid range bark/ honk to it. So a few years back someone had an old Sunn 410 cabinet , that was in great shape, built like a tank , but no speakers. So i got it for 50 bucks and loaded it with Peavey Blue Marvels(used as well) and has been my cabinet for the last 15plus yrs. Never well get rid of it.
I have owned a variety of Epi LP ES/Florentines . I bought a tobacco burst one for about 300.00 some time ago and got rid of it. Totally regret it. I think some times you can get build variations with certain models , but this one had it nailed. Not sure what I was thinking when I sold it, DUMB!
Other deals I got were an Epi valve junior 5 watt head with a matching cabinet 175.00 and a Carvin Bel Air 212 50 watt combo tube amp for 300.00.
I also got an old Magnavox Receiver/Tuner off of CL awhile back. Still chugs along nicely.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@jszfunk This is the Cragslisting in Jacksonville, FL for the 1995 Les Paul Custom:
https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/d/jacksonville-1995-gibson-les-paul/7569079371.html
$1,500.00??? I can't find anything similar anywhere under $3K! If this thing is still listed after Christmas (next Monday), I might have to make an inquiry. I figure that as long as I don't give a credit card number or agree to meet in a dark alley after midnight I might be safe. Anybody want to ride shotgun with me on this?
