Lets look at our guitars thread
Discussion
HighwayToHull said:
OldSkoolRS, that thing with the one pickup and no switches was called a Top Twenty I believe. Probably cost about £20 too in the mid 70s.
Which one? My Strat(ish) copy or the SG style one? I can't remember mine having a name on it other than Sakai; I do now recall that it was £40 and not £50, which included a 6 watt JHS pratice amp. Been having similar conversations on a guitar Whatsapp group I'm part of. It's surprising what first guitars some of them had, but almost to a person that they all had really high action and played badly. Makes me wonder how well I could get one playing these days if I do find one for sale as I didn't even know how to change strings back then, let alone adjust action, truss rod, etc. Of course the fretwork is maybe so bad that the action had to be that high to stop it rattling...
Just spent a nostalgic hour giving this unloved mutt a spin. Fender Katana, one year only (1985). Supposed to be Fender's answer to the Jackson / Kramer hair metal onslaught. Failed miserably, hence this one acquired new (by me) for £125 from the Soundhouse in Soho in 1986. Recently stripped and refurbished with Iron Gear pickups, now rocking like a hurricane! 
Wow...looks almost dangerous. 
I remember reading Soho Soundhouse adverts in guitar magazines year ago. I may have even been in the shop at one point, but it must have been a long time back now.
I spent this weekend converting my Esquire partscaster into a Telecaster (or perhaps 'double Esquire' since I changed the headstock logo last year from Tele to Esquire; it's a MIM Fender neck). I did this so I can now sell my other Telecaster as I don't need two and the partscaster one has a nicer fat neck, plus various mods hidden from view like an Eric Clapton mid boost and a tapped bridge pickup for fatter or brighter tones.
The pickguard was already quite worn, so I didn't want to just buy a new Tele one only to put the Esquire one in a drawer and never use it again. I cut the pickup hole using a Dremel, round files and P500/1000 paper. I'm pleased with the end result:
Oil City Diesel Tap in the bridge (6k/9k) and an Oil City Thames Delta in the bridge, nicely fattened up (or not) by the mid boost.
I remember reading Soho Soundhouse adverts in guitar magazines year ago. I may have even been in the shop at one point, but it must have been a long time back now.
I spent this weekend converting my Esquire partscaster into a Telecaster (or perhaps 'double Esquire' since I changed the headstock logo last year from Tele to Esquire; it's a MIM Fender neck). I did this so I can now sell my other Telecaster as I don't need two and the partscaster one has a nicer fat neck, plus various mods hidden from view like an Eric Clapton mid boost and a tapped bridge pickup for fatter or brighter tones.
The pickguard was already quite worn, so I didn't want to just buy a new Tele one only to put the Esquire one in a drawer and never use it again. I cut the pickup hole using a Dremel, round files and P500/1000 paper. I'm pleased with the end result:
Oil City Diesel Tap in the bridge (6k/9k) and an Oil City Thames Delta in the bridge, nicely fattened up (or not) by the mid boost.
OldSkoolRS said:
HighwayToHull said:
OldSkoolRS, that thing with the one pickup and no switches was called a Top Twenty I believe. Probably cost about £20 too in the mid 70s.
Which one? Here's a little story for you: Back in August I was scanning eBay looking for an Epiphone Les Paul and came across a nice Trans Amber one (does that mean you have to wear a dress while playing it?) for £330 + £20 carriage. Then I noticed the name of a music shop in Liverpool on the listing, so I Googled them and guess what, when I went to their website there it was in the secondhand section, and I could tell from the serial number that it was the same guitar. £295 and free carriage.
So I thought I'd done well, particularly last week when I sold it for £335. Parcelforce collected it on Tuesday and delivered it to the buyer on Thursday. By Friday it was back on eBay. For £599!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-KOREAN-UNSUNG-BUIL...
I just see too many stories of scams and people using Paypal or eBay, etc to get money back from sellers, so I can't bring myself to try selling online/via delivery myself. Shame because I'm maybe missing the boat in selling my Gretsch, Tele and possibly Les Paul Junior, but I'd rather wait until we can sell face to face again. Better to get a bit less than end up with no guitar and no money as seems to happen all too often.
I'm not that sure about Trans amber myself; it's an acquired taste I think, but good mark up if they get anything close to what they've asked after buying it from you.
I'm not that sure about Trans amber myself; it's an acquired taste I think, but good mark up if they get anything close to what they've asked after buying it from you.
OldSkoolRS said:
I just see too many stories of scams and people using Paypal or eBay, etc to get money back from sellers, so I can't bring myself to try selling online/via delivery myself. Shame because I'm maybe missing the boat in selling my Gretsch, Tele and possibly Les Paul Junior, but I'd rather wait until we can sell face to face again. Better to get a bit less than end up with no guitar and no money as seems to happen all too often.
I'm not that sure about Trans amber myself; it's an acquired taste I think, but good mark up if they get anything close to what they've asked after buying it from you.
I'd agree with avoiding eBay, I typically sell (and buy) through thefretboard.co.uk forum, has its own feedback system (forum thread each!) and people typically pay each other via bank transfer or paypal gift. Never had any issues, in fact I just sold a Schecter last week and shipped it in one of my Hiscox cases that the guy has sent back to me as arranged.I'm not that sure about Trans amber myself; it's an acquired taste I think, but good mark up if they get anything close to what they've asked after buying it from you.
rsbmw said:
I'd agree with avoiding eBay, I typically sell (and buy) through thefretboard.co.uk forum, has its own feedback system (forum thread each!) and people typically pay each other via bank transfer or paypal gift. Never had any issues, in fact I just sold a Schecter last week and shipped it in one of my Hiscox cases that the guy has sent back to me as arranged.
Thanks for letting me know. I'm aware of Fretboard, but not a current member. rsbmw said:
I'd agree with avoiding eBay, I typically sell (and buy) through thefretboard.co.uk forum, has its own feedback system (forum thread each!) and people typically pay each other via bank transfer or paypal gift. Never had any issues, in fact I just sold a Schecter last week and shipped it in one of my Hiscox cases that the guy has sent back to me as arranged.
Better than Reverb? I've got to sell my guitar, and really don't want tons of hassle!OldSkoolRS said:
You're a flash Harry...I only had one pickup and no switches. I just did a search to find a picture and turns out there is one for sale. I'm tempted to buy it for old time's sake, even though I remember it was pretty rough. Turns out it was older than I thought as I bought it about 1980 maybe 1979, but it looks like it must have been 10 years old at least at the time.
Echoing the earlier picture, this is a picture of my first guitar, bought by my cousin from Woolworths in about 1978, so I aquired it off him when he gave up a few months later. It was originally marked as a 'Top Twenty', though actually made by Teisco in Japan. This was obviously the luxury version with two pick-ups and a vibrato. I modified it by taking a jigsaw to the headstock to give it more attitude! and using my rudimentary electronics knowledge addlng switches to be able to wire every possibly combination of two pick-ups I could imagine. Careful observers will note the HH knob for the tone control. Plays OK actually, but the dust shows it's not played that often!
That's great Niallf even if you don't play it much, it's still cool that you have that first guitar...I traded mine in against a really nice Ibanez Les Paul copy (LP140 I think the model was), which in turn was traded in against my Squier Strat in 1982 (one of the first made in Japan ones, so it's a really decent guitar I do still use today).
niallf said:
Echoing the earlier picture, this is a picture of my first guitar, bought by my cousin from Woolworths in about 1978, so I aquired it off him when he gave up a few months later. It was originally marked as a 'Top Twenty', though actually made by Teisco in Japan. This was obviously the luxury version with two pick-ups and a vibrato. I modified it by taking a jigsaw to the headstock to give it more attitude! and using my rudimentary electronics knowledge addlng switches to be able to wire every possibly combination of two pick-ups I could imagine. Careful observers will note the HH knob for the tone control. Plays OK actually, but the dust shows it's not played that often!
I remember trawling through our local Woolies in the early 70's, coveting the Audition-branded guitars and amps. They had an 18w mini-stack (in my eyes, anyway) for around £20. My mate bought the semi-acoustic Audition, and still has the scars on his fingertips to attest to the height of the action. I ended up with a junkshop guitar and amp combo for £15. Still have the guitar. I spent years (decades, actually) trying to find out what it was. Eventually, a couple of years ago I saw a photo of Ry Cooder playing exactly the same guitar. Turns out it's a SS4L. Still got it somewhere, complete with broken neck. Must be worth at least, ooooh, £25 now. What an investment!
http://superrareset.com/super_rare_the_earliest_50...
Not a new guitar, but I’ve just bought an iRig.
I’ve never dabbled in digital music before, but in the interests of staving off lockdown boredom I’m in a WhatsApp group where we’re each learning a solo a week and posting the learning process & final results. Recording a track/video with your phone propped up near your amp is all well and good, but the quality isn’t the best. A few of the folks on the group record ‘properly’ so I thought I’d dip a toe in the water too...
I must say that so far I’m impressed. Even the free amps/pedals in GarageBand sound really good and overall the sound quality is excellent.
I’ve never dabbled in digital music before, but in the interests of staving off lockdown boredom I’m in a WhatsApp group where we’re each learning a solo a week and posting the learning process & final results. Recording a track/video with your phone propped up near your amp is all well and good, but the quality isn’t the best. A few of the folks on the group record ‘properly’ so I thought I’d dip a toe in the water too...
I must say that so far I’m impressed. Even the free amps/pedals in GarageBand sound really good and overall the sound quality is excellent.
HighwayToHull said:
OldSkoolRS said:
HighwayToHull said:
OldSkoolRS, that thing with the one pickup and no switches was called a Top Twenty I believe. Probably cost about £20 too in the mid 70s.
Which one? Here's a little story for you: Back in August I was scanning eBay looking for an Epiphone Les Paul and came across a nice Trans Amber one (does that mean you have to wear a dress while playing it?) for £330 + £20 carriage. Then I noticed the name of a music shop in Liverpool on the listing, so I Googled them and guess what, when I went to their website there it was in the secondhand section, and I could tell from the serial number that it was the same guitar. £295 and free carriage.
So I thought I'd done well, particularly last week when I sold it for £335. Parcelforce collected it on Tuesday and delivered it to the buyer on Thursday. By Friday it was back on eBay. For £599!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-KOREAN-UNSUNG-BUIL...
OldSkoolRS said:
rsbmw said:
Some teaser pics. My friendly luthier is building me a body and neck for a partscaster. This one will be an RG style but with a normal nut and non fine tuner Floyd, which is my favourite bridge. Body will be roasted English ash with a Koa top, he’s sent me these pics of the blanks.
I really admire the skills of people who can produce a working guitar from a bare (beautiful) blank of wood like that. Makes me feel a bit of a hack assembling Jaguars and Strat from parts I've bought (though still very satisfying when they work out well).Keep us posted with more pictures as it progresses.
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