Nothing kills my interest like...

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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Mclean
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by Mclean » Mon May 15, 2017 1:34 am

Location - nothing is an automatic deal breaker, but if I can't try it out before handing over that hard earned wedge, I'll probably pass.
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by hornz » Mon May 15, 2017 2:01 am

The play-dumb sellers who are "selling on behalf of my uncles long lost brother who found the guitar in an attic. I don't know anything whatsoever about guitars but this one is a refin, refret, with a rewound neck pickup and replaced waterslide decal. Oh, and it was routed for humbuckers, but this was in the 80's. Like I said, don't ask me because I'm clueless about these things. Duh!"

Its funny how tastes evolve. I used to snub refin's or changed parts for total originality but I've probably missed out on some guitars. I enterain everything now, apart from some of the stuff in the "why did you do this to me thread" :)
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by shadowplay » Mon May 15, 2017 2:12 am

Self appointed larger than life vendors (or dickheads if we are being honest), pictures or film of said vendors with our without the guitar in question, any information about their lives, opinions and exploits and pictures of their significant others in or out of bikinis.

I also generally dry heave when I see any of the following with a guitar leaning on it; petroliana, neon, American cars, jukebox. IMO that shit stains.

Any reference to rock, rocking or sweet blues anything, in any form. (generally goes hand in cowboy boot with the above)

Video demos of any kind seldom add any desirability (see above).

With guitars, cars or anything I prefer facts to editorialising or any lifestyle bullshit and plain, clear photos.

Any use of the phrases; 'I believe', 'believed to be', 'thought to be' etc.

I'm also generally put off by things that are excessibly worn, broken or manky, unless I'm just going to scorch earth them and totally restore them so no trace of the neglector is left.

D
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by simonhpieman » Mon May 15, 2017 2:24 am

When buying Jags and JMs I'm definitely put off by the words "Staytrem" and "Mastery" and also by the phrase "upgraded Mustang bridge". I think Mastery bridges look particularly terrible, added to the fact I've never had a problem with a stock bridge once it's been properly set up either on a USA guitar or a Japanese one.

I'm also a stickler for original pickups. I just don't see why you wouldn't keep the originals when "upgrading". A vintage guitar without the original pickups almost seems pointless to me as a huge chunk of the character sits in those little wound magnets. A different set of tuners, replacement pickguard, even pots and knobs being replaced are ok but there's so much character in the pickups... Surely you want the holy trinity of neck, body and pickups to be original at the absolute least?

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by Squirrel » Mon May 15, 2017 5:17 am

The serial number being missing or only partially legible is always a deal killer for me, as well as any irreversible routing or changes to the body shape, no matter how slight. I'll also never buy a guitar with non-original pickups, even if they've been replaced with ones from an identical guitar from the exact same year. Oddly I don't mind if the pickups are original but rewound, though.

Oh, and ebay listings where one of the photos is of some long-forgotten dad-rocker playing an identical guitar. I'll also agree with Shadowplay on the "jukebox in the background" thing. I repair old audio stuff for a living and I've stopped doing jukeboxes purely because I'd rather climb Mount Everest with a typewriter glued to my balls than have to visit some house that's decorated like a novelty American-themed diner and do an extremely fiddly repair while the owner stands directly behind me and lectures me about Elvis ever again.

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by NickD » Mon May 15, 2017 5:38 am

If the price is right I'll accept quite a lot of the stuff above. But in general, I'm not put off by refins and sensible changes (like for like tuners when the old ones have fallen apart for example)

In terms of advertising, simple is best, and I like to buy in person - the guitar that looks the best is often not the one that plays the best. The two vintage guitars I have now, one came from a local shop and one came from a friend.

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Mon May 15, 2017 5:45 am

Price & location are good ones, yeah.

I mean, price goes without saying. Unless I suddenly come into pots of cash I'm always going to be a tight-arse and, frankly, anyone who pays silly money for a guitar needs their bumps felt.

I remember a time when location wasn't such a problem. It wasn't all that long ago that I was able to buy a secondhand guitar from the US and still pay less than its asking price in the UK, even with shipping & import tax/duty attached. This meant that there was a whole load more choice on offer. Of course, that was when the dollar was weak & the pound was strong. I doubt I'll be in that situation again any time soon.

Moving to Germany will be interesting as a bunch of different stuff will suddenly be more attainable as postage will fees for stuff sold on mainland Europe will be less. I'm hardly in the money for an gear at the moment but I'm still hoping that one of these days some interesting pedals come up, maybe even another amp.
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Mon May 15, 2017 5:47 am

Blurred photographs.

I suppose this can go both ways though. It could be a) a seller deliberately obscuring some crucial detail - damage perhaps. Or it could be b) a seller who doesn't know what they have, is in no mood to take pro pics & just wants rid. The pictures will pass more people by so maybe, just maybe, there's the chance of a bargain.
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by shadowplay » Mon May 15, 2017 6:12 am

Squirrel wrote:I'll also agree with Shadowplay on the "jukebox in the background" thing. I repair old audio stuff for a living and I've stopped doing jukeboxes purely because I'd rather climb Mount Everest with a typewriter glued to my balls than have to visit some house that's decorated like a novelty American-themed diner and do an extremely fiddly repair while the owner stands directly behind me and lectures me about Elvis ever again.
In the UK these diddies always seem to think no room is complete without a confederate flag (actual or knick-knack) and some terrible beer merch. I run past a house most days where the owner has a series of crapoid US cars pock marked with rebel stickers, 'hilarious' bumper stickers and fake/illegal US numberplates, a house filled with related tat such as klassy rebel flag neon clocks and...a longhorn skull over his front door. I've known a few folk who specialise in American cars and they fucking weep at the typical constituency who can seem to separate the cars from the dressing up in the hallowe'en garb, be it fully mulleted (like the local guy above), cowboyed or greasered. My mate Ross had a NO REBEL FLAGS sign in the days before he switched to air-cooled Porsches and got into all sorts of grief with owners who didn't get 'it'. I thank the design gods that folk into Italian cars seldom feel the need to have a collection of Blackshirts and a life size cutout of Il Duce.

D
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by Axolotl » Mon May 15, 2017 6:24 am

If priced right, I could overlook some things - My 65 JM had a neck humbucker and horrible route, but at the price I bought it I didn't give a damn.

A refinished neck is kinda of a bummer but it is usually reflected on the price.

A flattened fretboard is totally off putting.

Truss rod screw all the way in or out -and usually nothing disclosed about it- is a red flag.

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by crankheart » Mon May 15, 2017 7:04 am

apreswho wrote: What is your immediate turn off when browsing vintage instruments?
The sellers. Or more specifically the sellers who feel duty bound to never actually answer any questions you go through the trouble of asking, because the idea of photographing pot dates or a neck heel is an insult to their credentials as a 'first page of google results' guitar savant.

shadowplay wrote:
Squirrel wrote:I'll also agree with Shadowplay on the "jukebox in the background" thing. I repair old audio stuff for a living and I've stopped doing jukeboxes purely because I'd rather climb Mount Everest with a typewriter glued to my balls than have to visit some house that's decorated like a novelty American-themed diner and do an extremely fiddly repair while the owner stands directly behind me and lectures me about Elvis ever again.
In the UK these diddies always seem to think no room is complete without a confederate flag (actual or knick-knack) and some terrible beer merch. I run past a house most days where the owner has a series of crapoid US cars pock marked with rebel stickers, 'hilarious' bumper stickers and fake/illegal US numberplates, a house filled with related tat such as klassy rebel flag neon clocks and...a longhorn skull over his front door. I've known a few folk who specialise in American cars and they fucking weep at the typical constituency who can seem to separate the cars from the dressing up in the hallowe'en garb, be it fully mulleted (like the local guy above), cowboyed or greasered. My mate Ross had a NO REBEL FLAGS sign in the days before he switched to air-cooled Porsches and got into all sorts of grief with owners who didn't get 'it'. I thank the design gods that folk into Italian cars seldom feel the need to have a collection of Blackshirts and a life size cutout of Il Duce.

D
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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by mgeek » Mon May 15, 2017 8:01 am

shadowplay wrote:
Squirrel wrote:I'll also agree with Shadowplay on the "jukebox in the background" thing. I repair old audio stuff for a living and I've stopped doing jukeboxes purely because I'd rather climb Mount Everest with a typewriter glued to my balls than have to visit some house that's decorated like a novelty American-themed diner and do an extremely fiddly repair while the owner stands directly behind me and lectures me about Elvis ever again.
In the UK these diddies always seem to think no room is complete without a confederate flag (actual or knick-knack) and some terrible beer merch. I run past a house most days where the owner has a series of crapoid US cars pock marked with rebel stickers, 'hilarious' bumper stickers and fake/illegal US numberplates, a house filled with related tat such as klassy rebel flag neon clocks and...a longhorn skull over his front door. I've known a few folk who specialise in American cars and they fucking weep at the typical constituency who can seem to separate the cars from the dressing up in the hallowe'en garb

Haha this is brilliant- reminds me of the odd time I've dj-ed rockabilly/rock n roll and been harangued by the historical re-enactment rock n rollers who can't get their head around someone with long hair being a nerd about 'their' records. Fancy dress mods are just as bad.

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by Kent » Mon May 15, 2017 8:11 am

When 'modifications' are called 'upgrades'.

Any time that the word "minty" is used. :k

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by NickD » Mon May 15, 2017 8:51 am

^^The misuse of the word 'mint' gets me too.

It's bad in the guitar world, but terrible in the car world. Especially when suffixed with 'except'. It's either mint or it isn't, not mint except for the rust in the floor that means I'm flintstoning it down the fucking road.

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Re: Nothing kills my interest like...

Post by N0_Camping4U » Mon May 15, 2017 10:24 am

Routes of any kinds. Cracks of any kind.
I'm okay with refinishes... BUT... It has to be periodically correct, has to be an actual Fender color, and has to be nitro.
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