How much would you spend on a guitar...

[DanTravis62]

I spent 5k on this, but i dont even play it. Its just awesome to look at but, i dont get alot out of playing it like my Charvels. I think i will give it to my son.

Man, I think its beautiful - I know some don't like those types of finishes, but I love it

 

[Rackman]

I'm really jealous of your mockingbird, I've loved those since high school, but unfortunately BC Rich has a ravenous hobbyist group that will raise prices on literally everything

Thank you. That mockingbird in a lot of ways really changed my thinking on how a guitar should sound, especially in the studio. It's the first guitar I ever had that had Alnico II Pros, and combined with the half-maple body that brighter sound really upended how I approached tracking. It really got me digging into how bright a lot of my favorite recorded tracks were.

 

[skoora]

Shit, I just came across a Murphy relic SG that my local GC is doing a clearance on that is making me rethink life choices. Has a fat neck which is not easy to find on an SG. I just have to fight the perceptional, psychology of the “deal” and keep telling myself that even at 2K plus off the OG price, it’s still stupidly expensive. They also have a M2M 1960 LP that is just plain sexy as fuck but with tax you’re getting to 7K. It’s so bizarrely expensive it almost breaks your brain when you know the very slight difference between it and a regular LP standard.

 

[tallcoolone]

The amount of value you can get out of partscasters has been going up every single year because of the globalized nature of the guitar market

And because everyone has specific features they look for, that value proposition has been getting more and more disproportionate - especially with high end bolt ons.

It would be literally fucking impossible for me to find a Fender or G&L that I would love the specs on until I get to the 3 grand range - why would I, or anyone spend that kind of money when I can just do it myself?

The parts and know-how (because of youtube and forums) has been getting cheaper and easier to come by, and the prices of Fender, Suhr, TA, etc have been skyrocketing.

I missed this—truth brutha! I can source lightweight wood, figured necks, the pickups, tuners, wiring, bridge and nitro finish I want for half the price of the assembly shops. Working on a rear routed HH fiesta red Jazzmaster with a gotoh trem and birdseye maple neck now. Should end up around 7.25lbs. Prob run me $1400 all in and that’s if I’m lazy and pay my guy $200 to put it together.

 

[tallcoolone]

Shit, I just came across a Murphy relic SG that my local GC is doing a clearance on that is making me rethink life choices. Has a fat neck which is not easy to find on an SG. I just have to fight the perceptional, psychology of the “deal” and keep telling myself that even at 2K plus off the OG price, it’s still stupidly expensive. They also have a M2M 1960 LP that is just plain sexy as fuck but with tax you’re getting to 7K. It’s so bizarrely expensive it almost breaks your brain when you know the very slight difference between it and a regular LP standard.

I still think about the fat neck historic SG I passed on 20yrs ago. Get that guitar

 

[DanTravis62]

I missed this—truth brutha! I can source lightweight wood, figured necks, the pickups, tuners, wiring, bridge and nitro finish I want for half the price of the assembly shops. Working on a rear routed HH fiesta red Jazzmaster with a gotoh trem and birdseye maple neck now. Should end up around 7.25lbs. Prob run me $1400 all in and that’s if I’m lazy and pay my guy $200 to put it together.View attachment 426657

1000%. I do it all myself, and end up with guitars that punch way, way above their price for anything bolt on.

 

[tallcoolone]

1000%. I do it all myself, and end up with guitars that punch way, way above their price for anything bolt on.

If you like a substantial neck on a bolt on you either do it yourself or spend $2500 minimum. Stupid

 

[DanTravis62]

If you like a substantial neck on a bolt on you either do it yourself or spend $2500 minimum. Stupid

Exactly why I do it, too. Basically your only options are like a baja tele or ritchie kotzen - good luck if you want ANYTHING that isn't a tele

It's so dumb, and so annoying, and makes me feel like im going crazy.... there HAS to be people over 6 foot that play guitar, right?

 

[tallcoolone]

Exactly why I do it, too. Basically your only options are like a baja tele or ritchie kotzen - good luck if you want ANYTHING that isn't a tele

It's so dumb, and so annoying, and makes me feel like im going crazy.... there HAS to be people over 6 foot that play guitar, right?

Ha! I’ve had 2 Baja teles. Older Jeff Beck Strats used to be ok before they started selling for $2500. And good luck finding one under 8.5lbs

 

[skoora]

I still think about the fat neck historic SG I passed on 20yrs ago. Get that guitar

I wish. It’s being blown out at only $4500 My brain keeps fucking with me on what it’s marked down from and thinks it’s a deal.
I already have humbucker/Gibson covered and really want a Tele/Strat or Gretsch but I think Fender hates my fretting hand. I played a Susan Tedeschi Tele that felt OK (not fat, but comfy, decent frets) but you’re talking 2K. Plus it’s not a color combo that would be my 1st or 2nd choice. I’ve tried the Baja but the board radius is too small and the frets are too.
It seems every GC is littered with $4500 CS Strats and Tele’s, usually relic’s. Who the fuck is buying those?

On a completely different tangent I stumbled today, upon a cool used Schecter. It’s the AM6, in a real nice emerald color. It’s an sig model of a guy I’ve never heard of but it was a very nice player for the HH Super Strat kind of thing. Massive frets and and a reasonable neck, not too skinny and flat. Had a Fender style Gotoh trem and graphite nut which I kind of dug over it having a Floyd. Pickups were a little too honky but those could be changed. Played with a lighter touch it was butter.

 

[tallcoolone]

I wish. It’s being blown out at only $4500 My brain keeps fucking with me on what it’s marked down from and thinks it’s a deal.
I already have humbucker/Gibson covered and really want a Tele/Strat or Gretsch but I think Fender hates my fretting hand. I played a Susan Tedeschi Tele that felt OK (not fat, but comfy, decent frets) but you’re talking 2K. Plus it’s not a color combo that would be my 1st or 2nd choice. I’ve tried the Baja but the board radius is too small and the frets are too.
It seems every GC is littered with $4500 CS Strats and Tele’s, usually relic’s. Who the fuck is buying those?

I agree on those fancy bolt ons. The SG I missed was $2800 back then. I could've done it, but I would have felt it. Would have been worth it. I bet it was light too, wasn't it?

 

[tallcoolone]

I already have humbucker/Gibson covered

I seriously don't know what this means

 

[DanTravis62]

It seems every GC is littered with $4500 CS Strats and Tele’s, usually relic’s. Who the fuck is buying those?

Very few people are buying them until they get blown the fuck out for 2/3's the original price, normally. Especially the relic ones.

 

[tallcoolone]

Very few people are buying them until they get blown the fuck out for 2/3's the original price, normally. Especially the relic ones.

And they still aren't losing money on 'em. Fender that is.

 

[skoora]

I seriously don't know what this means

View attachment 426663

That white Firebird with the Filtertrons speaks to me

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

I'm really jealous of your mockingbird, I've loved those since high school, but unfortunately BC Rich has a ravenous hobbyist group that will raise prices on literally everything

Especially when they end up in Japan.

I'd be willing to greatly exceed my normal $2500 limit for a USA Mock or Bich or Eagle, but I'm not touching $6000+ for a piece of wood....sorry....

 

[DanTravis62]

Especially when they end up in Japan.

I'd be willing to greatly exceed my normal $2500 limit for a USA Mock or Bich or Eagle, but I'm not toughing $6000+ for a piece of wood....sorry....

Its absolutely insane. I would love a nice mock or bich or honestly any model but the prices are batshit

 

[jtgainor]

I recently spent 5k on a refin’d 55’ Les Paul junior. Most I’ve ever spent on one item of gear. Things just happened to work out that I had a somewhat rare amp that someone wanted to buy right as this thing went up for sale. At this point though, I don’t know if I could spend more than $7500 ish on say a complete original. I couldn’t spend more than about $4000 on any Gibson reissue either. It all depends on the item.

 

[skoora]

I recently spent 5k on a refin’d 55’ Les Paul junior. Most I’ve ever spent on one item of gear. Things just happened to work out that I had a somewhat rare amp that someone wanted to buy right as this thing went up for sale. At this point though, I don’t know if I could spend more than $7500 ish on say a complete original. I couldn’t spend more than about $4000 on any Gibson reissue either. It all depends on the item.
View attachment 426707

There’s really nothing quite like a very old P-90, especially a dog ear. I don’t know if it’s the age of the magnet or what but the couple I’ve had a chance to play over the years just develop this fantastic midrange growl and aren’t spiky on the top end at all.

 

[jtgainor]

There’s really nothing quite like a very old P-90, especially a dog ear. I don’t know if it’s the age of the magnet or what but the couple I’ve had a chance to play over the years just develop this fantastic midrange growl and aren’t spiky on the top end at all.

I agree 100%. I never really understood the whole “vintage just sounds better” thing until I got this guitar. Really didn’t think there would be a marginal difference from my 2023 57’ reissue junior, but man was I wrong. The 55 has the same tonal qualities acoustic that it does when plugged in, but the vintage p90 almost has a very subtle harmonic overlay that blankets the tone in a very warm and pleasing way. Has ruined me so bad that I’ll be getting a 50’s p90 to put in my custom shop junior too.

I’ve also noticed that every modern guitar has a very bassy and high end sounding acoustic tone, but this 55 is all mid range even acoustically. Bass is a ton tighter. Not sure if it’s the wood or the hardware or a sum of everything. Amazing guitar though.