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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Guy at work says.. "Brad.. I bought my kid an electric guitar. Would you do a set up for him?"
"Sure... I'd be glad to. What kind of guitar?"
"A Gibson"
"Where'd ya get it?"
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"Best Buy"
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I said I'd look at it but asked him to talk to me next time he's looking to buy a guitar.
Wish me luck.... I'll need it. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | I know the Gibson bashing is a big thing around here, but I have owned a few really good examples. Give it a go Brad, a guitar is a guitar as far as setup goes. Just a series of mechanical operations to make it right. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I dunno TJ.
I'm afraid the only thing that makes it any kind of a Gibson is the name on the headstock. This is the deluxe special made only for *ahem* ... Best Buy model. Just imagine the cut Henry wants right off the top for use of the name.
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If he had talked to me first I might have steered him to a Danlectro. |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Be careful. The tuners on those things are so fragile you can break them by just looking at them. One of my students got one for Christmas and it is THE very worst piece of junk I have ever seen. I mean, this is the Esteban of electric guitars. No, actually, it's even WORSE than an Esteban!! |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Be careful, Brad! If the kid can't play it, it'll be your fault 'cause of the set-up. ;) |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Sorry I didn't know it was "one of those". That's what pisses me off. Most manufacturers will sell their souls (in the form of a brand name) for a little extra cash. What ever happened to integrity? :mad:
Tell him to return it and buy something REAL! |
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May 2010
Posts: 46
Location: Michigan | There oughta be a law. I've been giving lessons to the son of a friend. He's got a collection of some of the worst...well, he just won't listen when I advise him that he could have one really good guitar for the cost of his next two or three junkers.
Sheesh.. |
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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Brad,
The best way to set it up would be to carefully bag it up, get the receipt and return it. Take him to Motor City Guitar. They have tons of those electric things. |
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December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | Originally posted by Slipkid:
If he had talked to me first I might have steered him to a Danlectro. I assume that was sarcastic? I recently played a few current Dan-e-lectro's at Gutter Center and was underwhelmed.
Enquiring minds want to know… ;)
I don't know what he paid for that BBGibson, but, IMHO, Hamer offers some great bang-for-the-buck imports for someone looking for a relatively inexpensive electric. I'd have directed him to contact Al to see if he can get new ones or check out the upgraded one MWoody's currently got for sale… |
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Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Brad,
We can rescue this poor kid... |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by Dano48:
There oughta be a law. Nah. We got enough lawmakers AND lawyers already.
Cheap guitars are like cheap sunglasses ... they are perfect for some people and some people are perfect for them.
Every manufacturer has low end guitars at Best Buy - including Taylor, Takamine, Martin, Ovation, Fender, Yamaha, Epiphone and so on. The disposable models ... specially for the market.
My Danelectro is pretty cool and plays real well. I have a '59 DC in Daddy-O Yellow with a white seal pickguard. It's got a certain something. Maybe it's the plastic body thing again. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan |
If he had talked to me first I might have steered him to a Danlectro.
I assume that was sarcastic? Nope. I had a blue one for a while. It looked cool. It sounded good enough. It stayed in tune. But most of all, it played very nicely. A perfect beginner guitar. All for about $175. |
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January 2007
Posts: 430
Location: WNC-God's Country | Manufacturer's will set anybody up.....GE is tryng to put appliances in the BP station next to my appliance store... |
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December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | Originally posted by Slipkid:
If he had talked to me first I might have steered him to a Danlectro.
I assume that was sarcastic? Nope. I had a blue one for a while. It looked cool. It sounded good enough. It stayed in tune. But most of all, it played very nicely. A perfect beginner guitar. All for about $175. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Originally posted by MWoody:
Brad,
We can rescue this poor kid... I'm sure we could but I think that will have to wait for the next purchase. The kids first guitar (also a new cheapee) lasted a little over a year. I don't expect this "Gibson" to last much longer than that.
I've offered him my help for next time. It will be up to him if he wants it. |
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January 2006
Posts: 1486
Location: Michigan | my 2 cents worth is you are going to get a guitar that is a peice of sh#@ and if your luck is like mine you will have something break on it that is totaly not your fault because the quality of the guitar is crap and then you will be the bad guy who offered to do a good deed and it backfired.
brad do not try to make chicken salad out of chicken shit ,, it will never taste good . GWB |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Okay... in a round-a-bout, non-confrontational manner, I've convinced the guy to take it back to Best Buy.
If he had kept it he would have had about $350 invested in two crap guitars.
I'm on the hunt for him. The Danlectros are selling for about $290.
Allison ... I read your opinion to him verbatum. If he didn't beleive me, he beleived you.
I don't think this guy wants to go much more that $300. I'll do some reasearch. I told him if I can't come up with something that fits he can always go back and pick up another at Best Buy.
Man... of he could / would just get into the $500 or $600 range he could get a really nice, non-professional grade guitar.
And I think I was off on the price I paid for my Danlectro... It was about TWO-seventy-five. |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Get him a used Ibanez or something. Take him to all the pawn shops around and you'll find something decent. Explain to him that, just like buying cars, you can spend a lot on a new "economy" car, or spend the same amount on a used car and get something so much better. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My Parkers both play well for Indonesian imports. (P-36 & PM20)
They don't make them any longer so they were blowing-out the P-series.
(They were selling them cheap and now the prices have gone up cuz they are discontinued! :rolleyes: )
One is a poor-man's Tele with a piezo bridge.
The other is a poor-man's LP with coil-taps.
But there are still Parkers out there for less than $300 if you shop around.
To continue the Alison's analogy... Buying a Gibson or a Fender is like buying a Harley.
You are paying for the name.
There are many better guitars out there for less money. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | If he doesn't have to have a new one and likes a strat style, find him an Ultra GS. If he's stuck on a Les Paul style, I don't have a suggestion other than Alison's. Ibanez makes some pretty good electrics, maybe better than similar Epiphones. |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Yeah, Epiphones are OK if you get the ones that have "Gibson" on the truss rod cover. The newer ones have the flimsy tuners and cheaper pickups. Ibanez is better. You might even be able to find him an LTD, but then you have to hassle with the Floyd Rose. Another option is Peavey. They are solid, and still made in the USA. |
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November 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Corpus Christi, TX | Being partial to Peavey's I would suggest the US made Predator - a nice strat copy that can be bought used for in some cases a lot less than $200. There are a lot of you tube videos of people playing and bragging about their Predators
I just rescued one from a pawn shop for $55 out the door, in great shape but needs cosmetics such as pickguard, knobs, pup covers which I have spent about $60 on. I plays real well as is so I'm in no hrry to take it apart.
Anyway I think the US made Predator is worth a look. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I've printed out some reviews on the Peavey for him.
He's going to go Guitar Center first, then over to Huber-Breese. If Huber can't hook him up he'll go back to GC.
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My job done. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | posted May 25, 2010 08:36 PM
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Sorry I didn't know it was "one of those". That's what pisses me off. Most manufacturers will sell their souls (in the form of a brand name) for a little extra cash. What ever happened to integrity?
Henry doesn't have any, soul or integrity. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | I agree with the Peavey Predator. There are some on eBay every day, in great shape, and some go for around $150. None are over $200. Just make sure it's a USA and not International Series.
I own three Peavey USA electrics. They are fabulous and VERY under-rated. Look at this one: Black USA Predator
This seller really knows how to post nice photos on eBay. |
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Set-up from Hell
