NGD (80's Superstrat content.)

[THEE HAMMER]

First off.... pics

Bought for less than a used Squire in the local pawn shop this week.

Late 80's? Zion Classic.
Candy apple red alder body with maple neck... toting a very nice ebony board.

The pickups are so/so EMG designed, but the Floyd rose is one of the older originals and is awesome.

It needs some work, i'll be throwing in some dimarzios or GL pickups in the next few weeks... as well as some floyd upgrades and a new neck finish.

It plays and sounds better than it has any right to after being in a pawn shop and forgotten, the body really resonates and I can tell this one is gonna be getting a lot of play time. Surprised I found one in my small town, much more surprised how little I paid.

 

[Chubtone]

Congrats! Yeah, that is a score. Those pickups are total turd and I highly doubt Zion put those in there. But swap those out with something cool and I think you will have a monster guitar on your hands.

 

[jcj]

Man...I had a Zion in the (probably) early 90's that was FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC....I gave it to a buddy on perma loan when I quit playing (back then) and he ended up selling it...I was not a happy camper.....

but I digress ....congrats on your score

 

[rupe]

Great score...those are really nice guitars. Like Curt said, lose the pickups and you've got a killer superstrat.

 

[SDMF38]

Great Score!!

 

[Digital Jams]

Yeah that is a score

 

[THEE HAMMER]

Yeah that is a score

It cost me a bill, so it better be awesome!




Just kidding, it's pretty awesome as an alternative to a So-Cal/Dinky/Rg/etc.

 

[gibson5413]

That's a cool looking guitar. Brad Gillis approved!

 

[Valtyr]

Outstanding!

I got my Zion for $199 at Guitar Center a few years ago. Those guys make excellent guitars.

 

[Chubtone]

It cost me a bill, so it better be awesome!

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was that expensive. Maybe you overpaid by about 40% but you know how pawn shops are these days, it's almost impossible to get anything for a deal anymore.

Still though, if you decide to sell due to being embarrassed about getting taken by that pawnshop, I will give you that bill back just so you can sleep better at night.

I can imagine the pawn shop guy after you left turning to his wife and saying, "there's one born everyday! I only paid $30 for that."

Sorry Hammer that you got hosed like that. Poor guy.


$100 You bastage!

 

[Chubtone]

Outstanding!

I got my Zion for $199 at Guitar Center a few years ago. Those guys make excellent guitars.

And here we have another sad story. Nothing makes me feel worse than hearing that Guitar Center let something go too cheap.

 

[The Hoff]

NICE!!! HNGD!

 

[Valtyr]

Outstanding!

I got my Zion for $199 at Guitar Center a few years ago. Those guys make excellent guitars.

And here we have another sad story. Nothing makes me feel worse than hearing that Guitar Center let something go too cheap.

I watched it for about a year in the store. They tried $550, then $450, and finally $199. It looked bad, but once I got it home I found most of what looked like "damage" to the finish was just dirt. The only other issue was the action was too low. I think they could have gotten the $550 or $450 if they had just cleaned it up and set the action.

Heck of a deal at $199.

 

[THEE HAMMER]

It cost me a bill, so it better be awesome!

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was that expensive. Maybe you overpaid by about 40% but you know how pawn shops are these days, it's almost impossible to get anything for a deal anymore.

Still though, if you decide to sell due to being embarrassed about getting taken by that pawnshop, I will give you that bill back just so you can sleep better at night.

I can imagine the pawn shop guy after you left turning to his wife and saying, "there's one born everyday! I only paid $30 for that."

Sorry Hammer that you got hosed like that. Poor guy.


$100 You bastage!

Yea, in hindsight they really took me for a sap

They even made me spend the same amount on this on my way out....

Alvarez Yairi DY-38.... it's beat to shit but it sounds awesome.


As a full disclosure I do repairs for several local pawn shops and music stores so I occasionally spot these diamond in the rough deals.

 

[Chubtone]

That guy probably thinks he scored, getting $200 for a couple of guitars he's never heard of. Congrats also on the AY. So you spent $100 on probably the best sounding "beater" acoustic in the world.

 

[Dave L]

Congrats, the old Zions are very cool. The new ones are cool too, by the way... I ordered one a couple of years ago, but it´s a good thing I won´t be selling it because the resale is nowhere near what it should be. Boy, talk about killer scores on the used market.

 

[THEE HAMMER]

Congrats, the old Zions are very cool. The new ones are cool too, by the way... I ordered one a couple of years ago, but it´s a good thing I won´t be selling it because the resale is nowhere near what it should be. Boy, talk about killer scores on the used market.

Yea the resale is one of the reasons i've never gone for a new one, because some of their tele designs recently have gotten my heart racing. Ken Hoover leaving to Moriah guitars is another reason.

I just love these old superstrats so much more than the reissues, they can still be had for a great deal if you know how to look and do a little dirty work.

 

[blackba]

Cool looking guitar. Never heard of Zion guitars, sounds like they are very undervalued guitars.

 

[THEE HAMMER]

Cool looking guitar. Never heard of Zion guitars, sounds like they are very undervalued guitars.

Check 'em out. They were made in Greensboro NC then moved to Raleigh. Always high quality (though pickups and things have often been from outside sources). Phil Keaggy, Ty Tabor, and a few other bigger guys have played them.

 

[Dave L]

Congrats, the old Zions are very cool. The new ones are cool too, by the way... I ordered one a couple of years ago, but it´s a good thing I won´t be selling it because the resale is nowhere near what it should be. Boy, talk about killer scores on the used market.

Yea the resale is one of the reasons i've never gone for a new one, because some of their tele designs recently have gotten my heart racing. Ken Hoover leaving to Moriah guitars is another reason.

I just love these old superstrats so much more than the reissues, they can still be had for a great deal if you know how to look and do a little dirty work.

Ken has been gone for quite some time, true, but new guy Dale can build a mean guitar too. My Radicaster easily hangs with the stuff I have from more well-known custom builders. Zion has had some trouble getting guitars out on time in recent years, though. I think mine ended up six months over estimate, and others had it far worse. I don´t know if they´re back on track now or not.

Another great buy on the used market are the American-series Kramers that ESP made in Japan, I´ve had a few and they really are ESP quality at LTD money - so to speak.