When you can't find a guitar...

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
User avatar
JazzmasterJonny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 526
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:53 pm

When you can't find a guitar...

Post by JazzmasterJonny » Sun Jul 23, 2017 8:14 am

Hey guys,
I'm in a strange place at the moment, I just can't seem to bond with a guitar! I've just sold a Tele custom road worn which I loved for a while then just seemed to take a dislike to. And I'm guitarless.

I don't really know what to do next. In the past few years I've gone through a few guitars after having to sell my 335 for financial reasons. I think I want a semi acoustic again but cannot afford a 335 again, I don't like new shiny guitars.

Anyone else ever been in this position? And what did they do to shake the funk?

User avatar
soggy mittens
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2086
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 2:08 am
Location: middle of somewhere

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by soggy mittens » Sun Jul 23, 2017 8:27 am

how about a jazzmaster jazzmasterjonny?
If OSG has tort me anything...

User avatar
JazzmasterJonny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 526
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:53 pm

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by JazzmasterJonny » Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:07 am

soggy mittens wrote:how about a jazzmaster jazzmasterjonny?
That was my other thought. I gave myself that name when I joined after building one. Why I sold it I don't know???

User avatar
jakeisjake
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 6683
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:39 am
Location: i am the OGRE kukukachu, vermont
Contact:

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by jakeisjake » Sun Jul 23, 2017 4:45 pm

an electromatic Gretsch.

superb guitars and relatively cheap!
If I was a byrd, I'd be mighty sore every time they shut the door and I don't think I'd sing...

User avatar
Shadoweclipse13
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12435
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:22 pm
Location: Stuck in the dimension of imagination

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sun Jul 23, 2017 5:10 pm

What's the/a sound you're looking for? Maybe start there (single coils, P90, humbuckers) and figure out a few options...
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

User avatar
stevejamsecono
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 4552
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by stevejamsecono » Sun Jul 23, 2017 6:34 pm

Two things to think about:

1. If you only have one guitar, you are encouraged to find a harmony with it. When I first moved here to NYC I had to sell my only electric and didn't have one for awhile, so I had to bond with my acoustic guitar for awhile. Then, my bass player took pity on me and bought me my Highway 1 Tele. I basically only played that guitar for about three years and learned everything in and out of it. Not having other options made me adapt to what it was and write around and with its inherent attributes. This is much like when as we are first learning we get out first guitar, and we learn with it as we try to figure it out. In an era of hobbyist players having way more guitars than they will ever use, I find this approach very useful to remember.

2. You don't have to own one if you aren't inherently gigging or busy. In the meanwhile, just go to shops, friends houses, etc. and play tons of them until you find one that sings to you. Ultimately it's supposed to be something that makes you want to play music, so it might not be something you expect. Don't assume anything. I came up on Fender guitars and Fender amps, so if you told me when I was younger that I'd be playing a Yamaha SG through Marshalls I would have thought you were crazy, but here we are.

Enjoy! The search can be fun if you don't spend most of it buying and flipping stuff or reading too much into internet guitar forums ;)
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

Resident Yamaha Fanboy

COYS

User avatar
JazzmasterJonny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 526
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:53 pm

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by JazzmasterJonny » Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:39 am

All good advice guys thanks.

I just don't want to buy something cos it's there if you know what I mean. The search could be fun but I'm hating not having a guitar in the house!

User avatar
rexter
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1689
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:44 am
Location: Norwich, East of England

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by rexter » Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:49 am

Maybe you're spending too much time looking for a guitar instead of playing one? Like stevejamsecono says.

When I just had my £100 Mexican Duo-Sonic and never thought about guitars I was probably most productive and happiest! I was only 16 but...

When you just have one you can spend time on it, get the setup perfect, really bond with it. These days it's too fucking easy to spend spare time idly browsing the internet for theoretical dream guitars in stead of playing. At least that's what I find myself doing.

After years of guitar flipping and switching, I'm finally happy with my Jazzmaster (Buickmaster) and Tele Thinline with Bigsby. Both parts builds, both incredible instruments. Don't get me wrong though, I still have an insatiable thirst to one day own an ES330, just don't see a point when I'll ever have that kind of money!

User avatar
rumfoord
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 713
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:06 am
Location: Boston-ish, MA, USA

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by rumfoord » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:51 am

I would look for one of those 90s, Peerless factory, Epiphone Rivieras if I were you. But the best guitars for me also come with some sort of inexplicable magic---like I can tell if it's special even through rusty strings, or every other similar model is non-magical.

Long ago, I had a great Gibson Nighthawk that I just loved (even though it looked like Joe Bonamassa's sunglasses were having a wank about a saxophone solo...also, I have a high tolerance for ugly guitars). Up to that point, I'd only had a few guitars that were all exceptional used deals. So even though the Nighthawk was used, $600 still felt indulgent. It wasn't even exactly like I couldn't afford it, but it just didn't feel right. I was in the middle of a break-up too, so that probably was part of it. But I sold it, and ended up finding a used Oscar Schmidt OE-30 for $100. It had an amazing setup, and has been spectacular.

For a while it was my only guitar, and then main guitar, and I ended up replacing the pickups with P90s, and now it's more of a backup. But the interesting thing is that I keep coming really close to selling it. It sounds just a little plasticky unplugged, and I have plenty of guitars. But there's a lot about it that's perfect as a second guitar. It's cheap and I love it enough that if I get weird about changing my main guitar, I don't really mind coming back to it as my home base. To me it sounds as good as any other semi-hollow in GC under idk $700? (electromatics included, for instance), and I could probably only sell it for $150 (and even then, to the right buyer).

Anyway, IME, having a cheap guitar now that's 90% there, and then keeping it as a second once you stumble upon THE ONE is something you might consider. Well, you probably already have! But I'm guessing the point of one guitar is to keep your mind clear and things simple, and for me having two guitars in this way did that.



lol:
I think I still kind of think of myself as having two guitars (main and backup)....aaaaaand a bunch that either don't count or are different. :D
SQ strat (main)
OE30 (backup)
Peavey Foundation bass (doesn't count)
Cort acoustic (doesn't count)
ukulele (doesn't count)
Charvel Skatecaster in a weird tuning and surf/mean90s (different)
Danoblaster with flats tuned to C standard (different, also cost $45)
Teisco hollow-body with foil pickups tuned to C# (different)
Dearmond SG 2k pickup 12-string (different)
Ibanez RG 7-string with alumitones and flats (different)

User avatar
MrFingers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1560
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Puss Creek - Brussels - Belgium

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by MrFingers » Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:32 am

(2nd hand) Guild Starfire V. It looks like a 335, it sounds like a 335, it plays/feels like a 335, but it's considerably cheaper, and it has a Bigsby. (or the Starfire IV HT if you're not into that stuff).

User avatar
sessylU
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 534
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:33 am

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by sessylU » Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:20 pm

Don't play for about a year, then buy a second hand Squier Strat and love it.
a total idiot jackass

User avatar
leokula
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1139
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:36 pm
Location: Brazil
Contact:

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by leokula » Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:26 pm

There are just so many cool semi acoustics that are cheaper than the 335... Epi Sheraton, Riviera, Casino, Wildkat, a lot of the Ibanez Artcore series...

Anyway, so many cool guitars out there. Maybe you should try something you never tried before.
Jaguar > Jazzmaster :)

User avatar
stevejamsecono
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 4552
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by stevejamsecono » Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:36 pm

leokula wrote:There are just so many cool semi acoustics that are cheaper than the 335... Epi Sheraton, Riviera, Casino, Wildkat, a lot of the Ibanez Artcore series...

Anyway, so many cool guitars out there. Maybe you should try something you never tried before.
Cheaper yes, but if it doesn't scratch the itch then you'll be lost in an neverending spiral of coulda/shoulda/wouldas.

One thing I will say in regards to this whole thing in regards to cost, just from my own experience, is that neither is "good enough" or "the most expensive thing in the store" worth the aggravation on either end. At last count it took me almost 20 "good enoughs" to get a guitar that was actually worth the effort, and this came with spending (imo) a reasonable amount of money.

If you do come on the type of thing you want, then focus on it and play loads of them and when you find the right one, it'll be worth whatever it costs. If you can't afford it at the time? Save until you can. Too many people I think go "Ugh, I can't afford this American Fender" or whatever and then settle for a lesser one and then spend money upgrading to the point that they could have just saved and gotten the right thing the first time. Not to discount people who enjoy modding things or personalizing equipment, but I do think there's a certain satisfaction from saving up and getting the exact thing you want. I think it's worth the self control and patience if you can manage it. YMMV of course.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

Resident Yamaha Fanboy

COYS

User avatar
bacongrease
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 81
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:57 pm

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by bacongrease » Tue Aug 01, 2017 8:29 pm

When I can't find the one keep searching im not afraid to let go of everything either. There have been a few times when I dumped all I had even stuff I thought I'd hold for life.
Just get what you like who really cares?

User avatar
Whiny Minotaur
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 360
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:39 am
Location: Korea
Contact:

Re: When you can't find a guitar...

Post by Whiny Minotaur » Tue Aug 01, 2017 11:17 pm

Why not quit and just play a different instrument for a while?

I've got bored as hell of guitars and have just been tinkering around with synths and my laptop for a few months, and now I can approach the guitar with a fresher perspective.
soundcloud.com/kkamaguicrow

Post Reply