@@CMHobbies if it's year 2000+ you can shorten that statement to never buy a Gibson. Even though Gibson is my favorite brand, I've bought Epiphones that were better quality.
@@deadshot4245 yeah... Mahogoni neck TOTALY change tone compare with maple neck. 99.999% people hear no differnce between theese two. So dont get scammed by this bs
As woodworker/botanist, I felt the need to answer Dave's question: The difference between Mahogany and Maple comes from the grain pattern. Normally, when talking about 'sturdiness' of wood, you look at several elements, such as: Hardness, shock resistance and decay. Maple has really good shock absorption, but that is a completely negligible trait for a guitar neck. Mahogany has a much thighter grain pattern which makes it more resilient to being bent/misformed over time (density is something else). Another thing is that there are MANY different kinds of Maple in the market. With Mahogany that is much less the case. Normally, pale sapwood would be the most ideal kind of Maple, but that is also a very expensive kind. -Afaik- Most guitar-makers do not specify what kind of Maple they use so they can ask top-prices for low quality Maple. I would assume the former and/or the latter causes this difference in the necks of those Les Pauls.
Isn't maple heartwood quite a bit darker than sapwood? Personally I've never seen a maple neck that had that darker reddish colour that I would associate with maple heartwood. The Wood Database also says that unlike with other wood types, with maple usually the sapwood is used instead of the heartwood. The sapwood "ring" looks rather small for maple, that might explain why quarter sawn maple necks aren't exactly cheap even considering that the process creates more waste as is. Please let me know if I understood all of that completely wrong though! By the way, would it make more sense to glue together multiple pieces of quarter sawn lumber for a body or should you just use a plain sawn slab?
_Maple has really good shock absorption, but that is a completely negligible trait for a guitar neck._ Clearly a person who never had to beat somebody with a guitar neck 😜
In 2022 I sold my 78’ Les Paul for 60k, plus a lot of trades, to a friend and bought a Lava Red Epiphone Les Paul off EBay for $284. I’m not humoring the “98%” argument. They sound and feel the exact same. It’s the same Freaking guitar! Two identical 60’s sound and feel different; Time for players to grow out of “Vintage Worship.” Everything else is Cope. Cheer!😂🎉 Edit: Fun Fact: One of the trades was a 1977 Nova; looks ugly and I still drive it!
@robertdesertrider2694 $60K? Right... They sell for $4kish all day on Reverb. And your Epi might be great for YOU. That's awesome. But not for me, it doesn't excite me, the sound isn't to my liking without having to swap pickups. I'll stick with my vintage Les Paul Customs.
@@robertdesertrider2694…You sold a 1978 Les Paul for $60,000? You have got to be kidding. A killer 1976 with not a mark on it just sold on Craigslist locally for $4800.00 How in the world did you get $60K?..to a friend no less…
Rick. . This is YOUR show. . But I *LOVE* how you let your guests talk. . and continue to talk - when they have something worthwhile to say. . You don't hog the camera or dominate the conversation because it's YOUR show. . You have guests who you respect for their knowledge and experience and so you let them speak about that knowledge and experience. . You don't interrupt. . and on the rare occasion when they might interrupt you - you don't get annoyed or upset about it. . You let them have their say and then you go back when they finish to complete what you were saying. Well done to you!
Petition for a new title: "Why Dave Onorato is priceless." In all seriousness, after I got burned on Reverb one time I decided to become a luthier (I was also tired of paying ridiculous prices for what I later learned were simple mods), as well as learn everything I could about the different eras of models like Les Pauls, Strats, etc. After a couple years, and a lot of money spent on project guitars, I became quite a good luthier. My knowledge increased on what to look for as well. Both things actually led to a really nice side business with my wife buying and selling mostly vintage guitars on Reverb. She isn't a musician, but she fell in love with researching them and learning with me. Now she's an amazing treasure hunter!
@@jmabs5096 Great feedback! But that´s, what life is. Nobody can have all advantages and only advantages. But one one can have enough advantages to be considered enjoying a happy life. (Sry for the "whacky" english - I´m german..)
Dave Onorato is da bomb. I love the guy. He's worked on 4 on my guitars. Visits to his shop are always enjoyable - for the "shop talk", the technical education, and the history of the instrument. Dave is truly a guitar mensch.
I've had the same guitar for 50 years. I've swapped the neck once, the pickups, and rewired it at least twice. Just like my ax that's had two new heads and 5 new handles.
My favourite videos are you and Rhett and Dave together . I'm someone who knows nothing and doesn't play and just watches for fun and to learn a little. And these videos are always fun.
Great episode. As an aside, I have a 1971 Guild D40 that I bought new when I was in college. The $350 that it cost then broke the bank (mine anyway). Not a year after I bought it, I dropped a heavy hair brush on it, putting a huge split on the top. Can't tell you how sick that made me. My girlfriend (now my wife) happened to work at a furniture refinishing store in Annapolis, MD across the street from a start-up guitar maker named Paul Reed Smith. I took it to him, and his repair was perfect. (I've heard he's gone on to great things...). I still have the guitar, have taken it all around the country with me, and it sounds amazing. Other than a big, self-inflicted crack in the top, no other quality issues at all. It's held up great over 50 years!
Good stuff! I built a couple parts-casters last year. One was a really cheap entry level Fender. It was a good project to learn on and make mistakes. I then invested in Warmoth neck and body plus good hardware and electronics and ended up with a good guitar I love. The biggest thing I learned is I’m not a builder and in the future will leave major repairs to experts like Dave. Keep up the good work, I have learned a lot from all of you!
I've bought several of my guitars online. All your tips are right on. My best purchases were from reputable shops, whether new or used. There is so much more room for error or being disappointed from private sellers, (but that's just the way that goes). You've gotta be prepared and somewhat knowledgable about the guitar you're looking for and ready to ask questions and get more pics if you need to. Very very good video! PS: I just bought a brand new Duesenberg online last week, and it's one of the best (if not THE best) online guitar purchase I've ever made. It was from a reputable store with in-store techs. Stellar guitar. I haven't even touched my other guitars since I got it.
Excellent point about how upgrades can diminish the value of an instrument, especially a collectible guitar. I picked up a used Squire P-Bass at a garage sale for $50. I made it my project bass and upgraded the bridge, pickups, and pots, plus worked on shielding the electronics to cut down on electronic buzz. After all the parts costs and time I invested, I'm guessing that my Squire is now worth about $50. lol My point is this: I had a ton of fun working on it and I learned a bunch about bass components, instrument setup, and how to work on a bass. Plus, with a nice set of flat-wounds, it sounds fairly decent.
I end up changing parts, even on Gibsons. I keep the original Gibson parts, so I can go back to stock. The cheaper guitars are improved by most changes.
I bought a very well used Les Paul gold top from reverb about a year ago. It’s pretty beat up but i find myself picking it up and playing it more than any expensive guitar I own. I just don’t have to worry about it getting dinged up so I instinctively play it more.
My philosophy exactly except it for me and my budget...it is the excellent quality guitars from overseas between $2-$450 available today... I can't afford a 2k or $1500 les paul (as if lol),.... but I can afford a cpl of nice well built asian knock offs that at $200-$300 new, with proper quality upgrades, add up to about $350 - $450 they play beautifully, sound awesome, and WHEN it falls off a stand, gets bumped into a wall, amp, door way, dropped & scratched etc. i'm good. I just know if I had a clean real 2k+ Les Paul, of any vintage,......at my income it would be an investment & it would live in the case.
@@RaptorV1USA eh! Let em get scratched….who cares? Dont do it on purpose but play the thing! If the bass player bumps it, thats character….it you smack it into your amp….whoops, thats more character…..every scratch tells a story. Guitars are tools. Play em, take care of em the best you can, forget the rest
I’ve just come to realise that my ‘Vintage’ Les Paul copy (from a guitar shop on Denmark st in London) we’ll set up, is actually a better guitar and nicer to play than my expensive 87 Gibson ES347 and is what I like to pick up… it’s a bittersweet feeling after obsessing over the Gibson for ages but just never really gibing with it. Might sell it and get a Fender Strat. 🤷🏼♂️
I have an early 70's Goldtop I beat up during several years of dragging it around to gigs. All honest wear and no breaks. I am the 3rd owner, the 1st owner routed out the bridge baby pup for a full sized humbucker. Too many did that back then. I would rather have a straight Deluxe.
@@RaptorV1USA You can find some decent Epiphones in that range.And if you're willing to clean a guitar up,set it up and etc,you can find a inexpensive nice one.I bought a Epi. Les Paul Classic,quilt top for between $350-$380 from guitar center.It's been a couple of years now.
Great video! Only guitar I've bought sight unseen was my Seagull Artist Mosaic. The model had been discontinued the week I placed the order, but the factory fired up the line again just to finish my guitar. So cool of them! It's fun knowing I own the last original Artist Mosaic they ever made.
That is so cool. I have a Seagull Artist Mosaic and bought it online as well. I was so impressed with my daughter’s Seagull that I took a chance, and it’s fantastic.
Rhett, if you get yourself a second hand 12 String Rickenbacker you need to make sure there are no cracks in the R tailpiece. Plenty of Rick owners have opened their cases to find the R has ‘exploded’. The 6 string tailpieces are fine.
I was 18 (1992) when I had the bridge pickup replaced with a multibucker on my new Ibanez RG570. Microswitch to tap bothe humbuckers - great pickup. I pulled the single coil blade out of my old Ninja Nighthawk and soldered in the V2 from the Ibanez. The guitar turned out to be pre-routed for humbuckers so happy days. It sounded amazing after that. I was given a schaller single coil neck pickup which I soldered in as well. That guitar had a Horrible locking bridge that never worked and had to be blocked to maintain tuning. Other than that - Fantastic guitar. Taught me so much. I later gave it to the singer in my band. She didn't have an electric. I wonder if anyone plays it anymore? Partscasters are a learning experience and a labour of love. Once you outgrow them the right thing is always to give them away. I bought that guitar for £110 with a hard case. That was a bargain even in 91. Still use the case. :-) Luv and Peace.
Love the videos with you, Dave and Rhett. I hope Dave makes a RUclips channel one day, seems like he has so much knowledge. As a beginner guitar ist, his set-up tips are very insightful.
I bought a 2014 HH Stratocaster in Wembley, UK - they advertised it as "Store Display"- I sent them a mail asking for photos of the guitar. The response was amazing - the guitar was with stickers and case candy and everything and looking ace. It was a real bargain too. I love this weird Stratocaster that has a beautiful humbucker tone. It is a beautiful Sunburst. Only detail is I put 2 treble bleed circuits in in, since it has 2 volume pots and 1 tone.
I've bought quite a few guitars on reverb and ebay and the best advice is to ask lots of specific questions. That way if its not as advertised especially with ebay they'll refund you 100% with no trouble. I recieved a damaged guitar and the guy tried to claim I damaged it on purpose to get a refund. Contacted ebay and they refunded me straight away no hassle. Had 1 from reverb where I asked about the frets and was told they were in great shape when it arrived they weren't. But because I had specifically asked about it and was misinformed I got $150 knocked off to have the frets dressed. It's my favorite playing guitar.
I made a semi-blind purchase on an Am Ultra Luxe strat with SS frets. I do not regret my purchase at all, having only read the specs and saw pictures/demos. It blew my expectations out of the water.
My thing is mid 80's Japanese Tokais , they're great to play and are worth 2 or 3 times what I paid for them , I don't have enough money to gamble on Fenders and Gibsons , loved the video , its great to hang with you guys , Love from Scotland !!
Bought many many guitars online and even from overseas. Agree with Dave that you need to closely examine the photos and the seller’s feedback. I would say that you shouldn’t hesitate to buy a guitar that has been very played,if it looks like it has been loved and not just beaten up. That’s the real relic that can so many pay big bucks for.
I know I waited probably 8 months before I finally bought the Les Paul I got a few months ago. Plus I happened upon it, in a guitar store 1500 miles from where I live. I was there visiting, went to a Guitar Center for some strings, and there it was. I left with strings, they just happened to be connected to the Les Paul. I was thrilled to find it, because I was able to get a couple hundred bucks knocked off, and it was exactly what I was looking to get. The credit card advice is spot on! I never buy anything guitar related that's expensive, without using a card.
As a guitar player who buys many instruments I can totally appreciate how damn interesting this video is.. Well done guys . One of the guitars I feel confident buying online sight unseen and never had a problem with is the Parker Fly ... imo Carbon Fiber = Bulletproof .. And btw that is a gorgeous pelham blue LP!!!
Always a good idea to ask for extra pictures and be specific of what you want to see. Protects you against brokers and disreputable sellers who may not have the actual guitar in their physical possession and/or are using photos they found in the internet.
Thank you Rick and the guys. Great advice. I’ve also found it helpful to head over to the twoodfrd channel from time to time. Ted is a Canadian luthier who has probably forgotten more than most know (except Dave!) about repairs and dealing with problem acoustics.
Love Matt, Mike, and everyone over at Action Music. My favorite guitar store in the DC Area. Great to tune in and here a shout out from Rick and Rhett. I actually just finally bought a guitar from them yesterday. Got a nice Reverend Manta Ray in this cool sparkly green finish!! Now to play.
I bought a Collings D2H online and I couldn't have been more thrilled when I got it. I bought it because of the Collings reputation of superb quality control. Bought it in 2019 and it's a 2019 as well. i figure some guy bought his dream guitar and then lost his job or something. When I got it it looked brand new. I really got lucky on it. $1000 price drop because it was technically used and of course I had no warranty.
Never having owned a LP, I've always loved their sound in the music I love (70's 80's rock). I got a Squier Strat in 1989 to learn on, then progressed to a 1990 Ibanez RG570 Jewel Blue. I still have it and love it for what it is, but still wanted a Gibson LP. Managed to score an 83' Gibson Explorer in 2004 and absolutely loved it. Needed funds once so had to sell it. About 2 years ago I found a vintage modified PJ bass on Reverb. It was listed as a P bass. Still, I converted it to P bass with a non functioning J pickup and I love it. Right before Christmas 2021, I found a 2008 Gibson Classic in black on Reverb again. I got it and absolutely love it. I added a cream pickguard, poker chip, pickup rings and jack plate. While changing all the parts, I noticed the bridge pickup is not the original, but a Seymour Duncan. Since I love the sound, I kept it as is, but that was NOT listed on the listing.
I sold a 58 Reissue and a 58 Reissue Historic Makeover to help fund my 1952 Goldtop. Do I miss them? Yes, but the Goldtop is the most amazing guitar I have ever owned. On the flip side. I bought a Squire Vintage Vibe Telecaster for almost NOTHING and put a replacement neck on and its one of my favorites. Its all about the actual guitar
Easy way to understand quarter sawn lumber. Think of your solid top acoustic. That lumber is perfectly quarter sawn. If the top was flat sawn it would have split years ago. Wood typically splits perpendicular to the growth lines, so from the center of the log to the edge. So you could actually split 'quarter sawn' boards, from a log, splitting along the natural fracture lines, the strongest and most stable possible. Good start for a guitar top...
I've been pretty successful buying Ibanez RG bodies, necks and parts to create customized guitars. Edge tremolos are very versatile as they have a large range of adjustability. I built a parts-caster with a Fender Sunburst body, a Mighty Mite maple neck, Wilkinson trem, Sperzel locking tuners and a loaded pickguard from Dragonfire with hot rails. It came out great. Probably the easiest and cheapest build I've ever done.
Look at the end of a log, and the tree's growth rings. Draw a giant + aligned with the center of the rings. Boards cut along (or very close to) the + will have grain that goes straight through from one side to the other, at close to a 90° angle to both faces of the board, like this: |||||||||||||||||| or (((((((((((. That's quartersawn. If the grain runs mostly parallel to the face of the board, that's flatsawn: ======= If the grain runs between 30°-60° to the face, it's riftsawn: ///////////// They all have different properties w.r.t. warping, twisting, cupping, appearance, and strength in each different direction. Quartersawn tends to be expensive because the geometry of a tree only yields something like 20%-30% quartersawn, and it takes more labor to do so. Sometimes you can be creative with joinery and put two or more pieces together to achieve the strength and stability of quartersawn with cheaper cuts, but you're usually sacrificing appearance. And that's what paint is for.
BTW, it's very astute of y'all to feature Lay-Pauls and Acoustics in this discussion: as they are both potentially VERY sketchy to purchase without trying them out "in person". I kind of "lucked-out" just before "The Holidays" in my pursuit of an "under-$1500" L/P. Virtually all I was finding were "de facto fixer-uppers" in that range, but (of all sources!) Guitar Center Tacoma, WA over-delivered MAJORLY on a 2013 Honeyburst Studio Deluxe II...for UNDER a G, no less!!
Even the big guys dont get string alignment right, I bought a Clapton Blackie , that the high E was hanging of the end of the fret board. Thankfully I have a very reliable guitar tech , cost me , but I got it fixed
Wish you would do more group chats with the 3 of you. It ends up being some of the most interesting stuff you don't need a degree to understand on your channel.
Every NEW instrument I've bought from big online distributers has had quality glitches. Used purchases have all been good, because the sellers were individuals. Amazing how honest and helpful individuals can be.
Rhett is right, don't ever sell unless you are in the process of trading up. Difficult times are common for everyone, don't sell your guitar just to pay the electric company. Do that, you'll have no gear in no time. I sold an original JEM 77FP for 1k because I needed to pay a bill. I have hated myself for that decision ever since. Today the JEM 77FP brings a minimum of 5k+ if it plays at all. Mine played like a dream. Hard times happen, selling good instruments doesn't have to happen. There is always another way.
That’s a ridiculous rigid mindset as an instrument for any serious maker of music is not solely about how much their instrument(s) are worth $ but how much utility they posses in the quest to generate the best end result achievable which @ the end of the day… contains an infinite amount of variables and nuances the least of which in terms of your instrument ought to be not to be redundant “solely” based on its cost or even it’s by extension replacement value . Some of the best music has been made on real “clunkers” . That being said that doesn’t mean I’m remotely suggesting one should throw caution to the wind… not at all… I am however emphatically stating that there are always many variables on the road of creation . Also on another note 😎 I would be very hard pressed to purchase a guitar online without have @ least actually having played the model before and even then I be extremely hesitant as no two are alike . Same goes for Ecuadorian so called “Panama” hats .
Man, I feel you, Rhett. Seeing a 400 Unit show will definitely make you start shopping for guitars, whether it be a Ric, and SG, a Les Paul (Red Eye, anyone), a Tele, a Duesenberg, etc., etc. ...
The one instrument I regret selling which I purchased new is a Roland Juno 60. Since that day I have sold no instruments, rack equipment, mixers or associated studio bits 'n pieces. Clearly I am not a guitarist but the feeling of regret of selling an instrument, any instrument, never goes away. That was an interesting discussion and I was able to follow along with the info on technical aspects of guitars as I have watched for sometime now the Utube channel twoodfrd.
Fortunately, I've had rather good experiences with guitars obtained through ebay and Reverb over the past few years. At worst, some have had high action, but worked great after a little adjustment. Others have had odd ball replacement tuners that I was fortunate enough to find originals to refit. Another guitar I obtained from Florida started sounding better & better as it dried out in my drier climate. In a bit of irony I eventually re-sold back to someone in Florida. Another bit of irony is a brand new fab sounding Martin D-35 I bought that had the high 'e' string slipping off the fretboard. A little nut work by a local luthier fixed it up & I avoided the hassle of shipping it off for warranty and possibly other damage.
I just got my first expensive guitar, Wine Red Gibson Les Paul Studio and I'm in love with it. I started playing at 11 and I'm now 21 and I've only ever been able to afford 200-300 dollar guitars.
The timing of this video couldn't have been more serendipitous. Started getting back into electric guitar recently, and decided to treat myself to a Gretsch FSR 5628 P-90. Made sure to go through a reputable dealer, so I have no doubt it'll arrive safely and in one piece. The wait is killing me though...
I bought my last guitar online from Righteous Guitars based on Rhett’s videos and their reputation. The fact that it was from that shop pushed me past my normal trepidation.
@@halhammond6831 The problem is these descriptions are terrible. I was imagining cutting the wood as discs across the log by reading them. I advise anyone trying to figure this out to do a Google image search instead
Quarter sawn is cutting the log at the middle down the length of the log. Then cutting each half down the center length of those. You end up with 4 equal pieces of the log. Hence, a quarter sawn log. So any piece you cut from any quarter of the log, using a cut side down on a table saw, yields a board with tight wood grain.
I actually got a Gibson (LP Standard) for graduation in '05 and unfortunately about a year later it took a nosedive off of a bad guitar stand and fell on the floor cracking the head stock. Luckily, the people at Gibson were able to repair it, near flawlessly; the only way you can actually see any sign of the crack at all is under a black light. So grateful they were able to because I sure do love that guitar!
Not in the market to buy a used guitar. But it's always interesting when the 3 of you get together for subject matter conversations. Oh, much of the insights apply to buying used cars or motorcycles too.
That's funny about LPs suffering from twisted headstocks. A friend of mine had a vintage LP, maybe late 70s, which he lent me for a gig. And, as I was tuning up the headstock snapped off in my hand!
This video came SO close to being something I’ve wanted you to do for SO long! “What Make This…” is YOUR thing Rick! So keep it going with something you CAN monetize and make some WELL DESERVED money! And I always think I’m the only one that wants to see these things.. but after watching and RE-watching your videos I know I’m NOT the only one that wants to see this. Here’s my idea… “What Makes This GEAR Great.” And this is why. I’m NOT a guitar player (would LOVE to learn bass and I do own one but I just get frustrated.) But I sit and see all your guitars on the (lol) GREEN SCREEN and wonder (why does he need 6 of the same guitar?) For example the 6 Les Pauls you have… why do you need 6 of the same guitar? And yes I do understand they may all sound different but they ARE the same guitar. I would LOVE to see you talk about that stuff! Like for instance the Rickenbacker bass you have.. it’s an “old man’s” looking guitar (but MY dream bass!) so why do some of the best bass players play it? Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, Cliff Burton… why do they choose THIS bass for some of their best songs. Please Rick… make this happen! But if you do, PLEASE give it more then 1-3 episodes to take off. As always thank you for the great content!
Regarding the Rickenbacker bass: it has a totally unique sound that I personally LOVE... It's got a distinctive grunt/trebly "clank" that no other bass produces, and it cuts through a mix admirably because of its distinctive tonal palette. Plus, ever since they added a "dual circuit" feature in 2006, you can get both the trademark Rickenbacker tonal eccentricities (which I personally adore; some people like it and some don't) PLUS a setting with more bottom/girth more like what I would expect more from a Fender. Bottom line is try one for yourself if/when you get a chance to see if it would actually suit YOU personally. Be aware also that their dual truss rod arrangement/design can be tricky to adjust properly, so make sure you know a tech who knows how to deal with the eccentricities of a Rickenbacker bass.
P.S. -- if you DO find yourself drawn to a Rickenbacker bass, I recommend the 4003 with the "dual circuit" feature, as it's tonally more versatile than a traditional Rickenbacker bass. As I mentioned, the "dual circuit" was introduced in 2006, and it involves a push-pull knob to switch between traditional Rickenbacker bass sound and fatter, bassier sound.
Totally agree about building a guitar yourself. I picked up a squier strat antiqued it. Then I put a hot rails with quality electronics and capacitors along with a nice middle and neck pickup. I then bought a new bridge with heavy block to get a fatter sound. Then after a good set up this is one of my best and favorite guitars. And it's also my lowest priced even with all the added parts. Building something yourself is a great experience if you really think through what it is your looking for!
Another huge asset is learning how to trade up guitars. I went from a used squire affinity tele ($120) to a 1970 ES-335 ($6,000). I only traded. No added cash involved. A ton of fun and a great way to try new gear!
yeah i traded my partscaster for my friends vintage 63 stratocaster. his attorney however has a different view, but with the money i saved i can afford to post bail.
I bought a guitar online once, came with a broken off headstock. Most likely due to the fact that the main shipping company in my country is notorious for just throwing packages around as hard as they can, the packaging was good. It was only like $220 so I got a new one sent out right away and got to keep the broken one for spare parts so I'm not complaining!
Very helpful. I like Dave’s horror stories, lol. There is one guitar I really like but hesitate to buy-mainly because I haven’t earned it yet as a player, but also because I’m afraid of buying online at a certain price level.
I suck and bought a Gibson SG, getting it made me want to play and get better even more. If you got the cash to spend, “treat yo self”. I’ll only order brand new online though. I can’t afford to get burned or scammed
Buy the guitar! I was going to buy a 2nd hand baby Taylor on FB, an upgrade from my Yamaha travel guitar & a no name electric acoustic, but I wanted to play one first so went into a store to try one. I walked out of the store with a Maton Mini instead 😂.
When buying a guitar at a pawn shop that only has five strings because one of them broke... just put it back and walk away. I got home and strung up the missing string and the bridge came out with the tension. As is.
That’s how I learned just this year bought a squire for daughter and modded it with American standard parts. Cleaned fret spout up and put new pickup guard, and internals and Eric Johnson pickups and brass tremelo block. Lots of research and experimenting with parts and ability to return things that did not work or fit properly. Her friends are jealous it sounds so good. Lucky I know how to soldier from making guitar pedals. It was a great learning experience.
Nice to see The Three Musketeers together again, just missing Keith Williams. Dave always has the best T-shirts, “Ampex 456 Gand Master”, amazing, where do I get one?
I was in the market for a new guitar and just couldn't get over the "gotta play it" mindset. After going to a well-stocked, quality guitar store and playing some guitars that, at least on paper and in my mind, were the guitars that I wanted, I just didn't like them when I played them. I ended up getting a PRS CE 24 Semi-hollowbody and it's the best guitar I've owned or played.
So the convo about guitars showing up with MAJOR breakage (due to the seller straight-up _not_ knowing how to safely ship an instrument) got me thinking: Should people be video-ing their unboxing of a new instrument just as a matter of course? I'm not sure if a video (on its own) would be enough "evidence" in a dispute (because video can be edited/doctored), but I feel like actually taking a video in which you show the _intact_ carrier artifacts (i.e. an unbroken tag or unopened box with a visible carrier label on it, etc...) could go a long way toward helping you make your case should you need to dispute the delivery and get your money back.
The most important conclusion for me regarding the topic. Budget guitars (and all music instruments in general), since about 20 years, have increased in quality drastically. Before that, cheap instruments would always be complete shite.
Partscasters in respect to reinventing the wheel. Generally I’m assuming you’re talking about Fenders. My proven idea is to buy a Japanese 82-85 Fender made by Fugi Gen. Some were completely USA pots,caps,pups , but many you may want to just change the electronic at most. They are easily as good as any USA made Fenders. On the Strats they for some reason put 57 maple necks,on 62 body’s . Best of all world’s in my opinion …
This was super timely, as I seek another axe & have issues not being able to see & play 1st. This is an excellent checklist of how to handle the distance purchase!
Absolutely. Especially with older (pre 2015) guitars from different Fender lines. They now say that all Squier, MIM, MIJ and USA made run the same specs, but of course it's still buyer beware.
I have bought 2 new basses sight-unseen after ordering them online that I had absolutely no reservations about. I knew the quality would be stellar on both and they were. My Alembic Distillate and Knaggs Severn 5.
Every guitarist needs a friend like Dave.
My friend who is like Dave told me to never buy a Gibson without playing it first. So buying one online is a no go for me.
Can you get Daves at Walmart? I know my local Guitar Center does carry them…😏
@@CMHobbies if it's year 2000+ you can shorten that statement to never buy a Gibson. Even though Gibson is my favorite brand, I've bought Epiphones that were better quality.
@@deadshot4245 yeah... Mahogoni neck TOTALY change tone compare with maple neck. 99.999% people hear no differnce between theese two. So dont get scammed by this bs
Epiphones are great instruments. Especially to mod!
Everyone needs a Dave. He is a wealth of knowledge; protect him at all costs!!
"Protect him" ? From what ?
@@stevejette2329 Woodworm! lol
As woodworker/botanist, I felt the need to answer Dave's question:
The difference between Mahogany and Maple comes from the grain pattern.
Normally, when talking about 'sturdiness' of wood, you look at several elements, such as: Hardness, shock resistance and decay. Maple has really good shock absorption, but that is a completely negligible trait for a guitar neck. Mahogany has a much thighter grain pattern which makes it more resilient to being bent/misformed over time (density is something else).
Another thing is that there are MANY different kinds of Maple in the market. With Mahogany that is much less the case. Normally, pale sapwood would be the most ideal kind of Maple, but that is also a very expensive kind. -Afaik- Most guitar-makers do not specify what kind of Maple they use so they can ask top-prices for low quality Maple. I would assume the former and/or the latter causes this difference in the necks of those Les Pauls.
Isn't maple heartwood quite a bit darker than sapwood? Personally I've never seen a maple neck that had that darker reddish colour that I would associate with maple heartwood. The Wood Database also says that unlike with other wood types, with maple usually the sapwood is used instead of the heartwood. The sapwood "ring" looks rather small for maple, that might explain why quarter sawn maple necks aren't exactly cheap even considering that the process creates more waste as is. Please let me know if I understood all of that completely wrong though! By the way, would it make more sense to glue together multiple pieces of quarter sawn lumber for a body or should you just use a plain sawn slab?
I have a 78 pro deluxe with ebony board. No issues. It was routed out for humbuckers in the 80s.
Awesome info, thank you
_Maple has really good shock absorption, but that is a completely negligible trait for a guitar neck._
Clearly a person who never had to beat somebody with a guitar neck 😜
Ive seen makers specify birdseye maple vs other kinds but never any other kind of wood unless an exotic
Rick: “I never buy guitars” sitting in front of a rack of 50 dream axes.
😆
In 2022 I sold my 78’ Les Paul for 60k, plus a lot of trades, to a friend and bought a Lava Red Epiphone Les Paul off EBay for $284. I’m not humoring the “98%” argument. They sound and feel the exact same. It’s the same Freaking guitar! Two identical 60’s sound and feel different; Time for players to grow out of “Vintage Worship.”
Everything else is Cope.
Cheer!😂🎉
Edit: Fun Fact: One of the trades was a 1977 Nova; looks ugly and I still drive it!
Right?! That is a relatively low amount of guitars, good job Rick!
@robertdesertrider2694 $60K? Right... They sell for $4kish all day on Reverb. And your Epi might be great for YOU. That's awesome. But not for me, it doesn't excite me, the sound isn't to my liking without having to swap pickups. I'll stick with my vintage Les Paul Customs.
@@robertdesertrider2694…You sold a 1978 Les Paul for $60,000? You have got to be kidding. A killer 1976 with not a mark on it just sold on Craigslist locally for $4800.00 How in the world did you get $60K?..to a friend no less…
Seeing you guys band together again beings me joy. Always enjoyed and appreciated the knowledge you three bring to the table.
It's fun to watch them just chat about things they love. They could do a podcast.
Rick. . This is YOUR show. . But I *LOVE* how you let your guests talk. . and continue to talk - when they have something worthwhile to say. .
You don't hog the camera or dominate the conversation because it's YOUR show. .
You have guests who you respect for their knowledge and experience and so you let them speak about that knowledge and experience. .
You don't interrupt. . and on the rare occasion when they might interrupt you - you don't get annoyed or upset about it. . You let them have their say and then you go back when they finish to complete what you were saying.
Well done to you!
Dave should have his own RUclips channel... A very fascinating man with all his knowledge of guitars... Great talk guys!...
Petition for a new title: "Why Dave Onorato is priceless." In all seriousness, after I got burned on Reverb one time I decided to become a luthier (I was also tired of paying ridiculous prices for what I later learned were simple mods), as well as learn everything I could about the different eras of models like Les Pauls, Strats, etc. After a couple years, and a lot of money spent on project guitars, I became quite a good luthier. My knowledge increased on what to look for as well. Both things actually led to a really nice side business with my wife buying and selling mostly vintage guitars on Reverb. She isn't a musician, but she fell in love with researching them and learning with me. Now she's an amazing treasure hunter!
What a clever move: "She" is buying them! Now a find a way to hide and keep some of those guitars! 😀
@@jmabs5096 Great feedback! But that´s, what life is. Nobody can have all advantages and only advantages. But one one can have enough advantages to be considered enjoying a happy life.
(Sry for the "whacky" english - I´m german..)
Lol
@@jmabs5096 😀
My favorite Beato episodes have Dave and Rhett! More please!
Most of my favorite Beato vids are when the three of you are together. You all give each other enough space, just as a good musician would!
it's a great thing you have a friend like Dave.
Dave Onorato is da bomb. I love the guy. He's worked on 4 on my guitars. Visits to his shop are always enjoyable - for the "shop talk", the technical education, and the history of the instrument. Dave is truly a guitar mensch.
A bad day with an upload from Rick Beato automatically becomes a good day.
I've had the same guitar for 50 years. I've swapped the neck once, the pickups, and rewired it at least twice. Just like my ax that's had two new heads and 5 new handles.
That's like the Ship of Theseus of the ax world 😊
Fellas. Great video. Appreciate the discussion. We all need friends like Dave!,,
My favourite videos are you and Rhett and Dave together . I'm someone who knows nothing and doesn't play and just watches for fun and to learn a little. And these videos are always fun.
I've dealt with Matt at Action Guitars, it's a great shop - I'm sure that he's loving the shout out. He really has quality gear...
I just got a dedicated Nashville guitar. My tech replaced the nut and adjusted the neck. Love it. This episode is awesome!
I wanna see a video with you guys jamming together. I’d like to see Rick put his licks to work within context. It’d be overall awesome to see.
Would love to see this too!
Yes! That would be fun to watch
Right!? and tired of him saying he's not a guitarist- the dude has major league chops for sure
What a really great requst!
I too would like a ticket for such a session.
Great episode. As an aside, I have a 1971 Guild D40 that I bought new when I was in college. The $350 that it cost then broke the bank (mine anyway). Not a year after I bought it, I dropped a heavy hair brush on it, putting a huge split on the top. Can't tell you how sick that made me. My girlfriend (now my wife) happened to work at a furniture refinishing store in Annapolis, MD across the street from a start-up guitar maker named Paul Reed Smith. I took it to him, and his repair was perfect. (I've heard he's gone on to great things...). I still have the guitar, have taken it all around the country with me, and it sounds amazing. Other than a big, self-inflicted crack in the top, no other quality issues at all. It's held up great over 50 years!
Good stuff! I built a couple parts-casters last year. One was a really cheap entry level Fender. It was a good project to learn on and make mistakes. I then invested in Warmoth neck and body plus good hardware and electronics and ended up with a good guitar I love. The biggest thing I learned is I’m not a builder and in the future will leave major repairs to experts like Dave. Keep up the good work, I have learned a lot from all of you!
I've bought several of my guitars online. All your tips are right on. My best purchases were from reputable shops, whether new or used. There is so much more room for error or being disappointed from private sellers, (but that's just the way that goes). You've gotta be prepared and somewhat knowledgable about the guitar you're looking for and ready to ask questions and get more pics if you need to. Very very good video! PS: I just bought a brand new Duesenberg online last week, and it's one of the best (if not THE best) online guitar purchase I've ever made. It was from a reputable store with in-store techs. Stellar guitar. I haven't even touched my other guitars since I got it.
As a lefty, online is a blessing. I’ve bought 4 guitars online, 2 used and 2 new. All great results.
Still gay though innit.
Excellent point about how upgrades can diminish the value of an instrument, especially a collectible guitar. I picked up a used Squire P-Bass at a garage sale for $50. I made it my project bass and upgraded the bridge, pickups, and pots, plus worked on shielding the electronics to cut down on electronic buzz. After all the parts costs and time I invested, I'm guessing that my Squire is now worth about $50. lol My point is this: I had a ton of fun working on it and I learned a bunch about bass components, instrument setup, and how to work on a bass. Plus, with a nice set of flat-wounds, it sounds fairly decent.
I end up changing parts, even on Gibsons. I keep the original Gibson parts, so I can go back to stock. The cheaper guitars are improved by most changes.
GREAT INFORMATION, YES WE NEED A DAVE. Thank you Rick.
I bought a very well used Les Paul gold top from reverb about a year ago. It’s pretty beat up but i find myself picking it up and playing it more than any expensive guitar I own. I just don’t have to worry about it getting dinged up so I instinctively play it more.
My philosophy exactly except it for me and my budget...it is the excellent quality guitars from overseas between $2-$450 available today...
I can't afford a 2k or $1500 les paul (as if lol),.... but I can afford a cpl of nice well built asian knock offs that at $200-$300 new, with proper quality upgrades, add up to about $350 - $450
they play beautifully, sound awesome, and WHEN it falls off a stand, gets bumped into a wall, amp, door way, dropped & scratched etc. i'm good.
I just know if I had a clean real 2k+ Les Paul, of any vintage,......at my income it would be an investment & it would live in the case.
@@RaptorV1USA eh! Let em get scratched….who cares? Dont do it on purpose but play the thing! If the bass player bumps it, thats character….it you smack it into your amp….whoops, thats more character…..every scratch tells a story. Guitars are tools. Play em, take care of em the best you can, forget the rest
I’ve just come to realise that my ‘Vintage’ Les Paul copy (from a guitar shop on Denmark st in London) we’ll set up, is actually a better guitar and nicer to play than my expensive 87 Gibson ES347 and is what I like to pick up… it’s a bittersweet feeling after obsessing over the Gibson for ages but just never really gibing with it. Might sell it and get a Fender Strat. 🤷🏼♂️
I have an early 70's Goldtop I beat up during several years of dragging it around to gigs. All honest wear and no breaks. I am the 3rd owner, the 1st owner routed out the bridge baby pup for a full sized humbucker. Too many did that back then. I would rather have a straight Deluxe.
@@RaptorV1USA You can find some decent Epiphones in that range.And if you're willing to clean a guitar up,set it up and etc,you can find a inexpensive nice one.I bought a Epi. Les Paul Classic,quilt top for between $350-$380 from guitar center.It's been a couple of years now.
Great video! Only guitar I've bought sight unseen was my Seagull Artist Mosaic. The model had been discontinued the week I placed the order, but the factory fired up the line again just to finish my guitar. So cool of them! It's fun knowing I own the last original Artist Mosaic they ever made.
if that's true story is awesomely cool :)
That is so cool. I have a Seagull Artist Mosaic and bought it online as well. I was so impressed with my daughter’s Seagull that I took a chance, and it’s fantastic.
Seagulls are the best bang for the buck, when it comes to acoustic guitars!! They're amazing guitars
Bought an S6 about 6 years ago and I love it. Did a lot of research beforehand and most people say Seagull punches way above their weight class.
Seagulls are killer for the money!
I purchased a guitar from EBay years ago for the original retail cost. It was in fantastic condition with all original parts. I feel so lucky.
Rhett, if you get yourself a second hand 12 String Rickenbacker you need to make sure there are no cracks in the R tailpiece. Plenty of Rick owners have opened their cases to find the R has ‘exploded’. The 6 string tailpieces are fine.
I was 18 (1992) when I had the bridge pickup replaced with a multibucker on my new Ibanez RG570. Microswitch to tap bothe humbuckers - great pickup.
I pulled the single coil blade out of my old Ninja Nighthawk and soldered in the V2 from the Ibanez.
The guitar turned out to be pre-routed for humbuckers so happy days.
It sounded amazing after that.
I was given a schaller single coil neck pickup which I soldered in as well.
That guitar had a Horrible locking bridge that never worked and had to be blocked to maintain tuning.
Other than that - Fantastic guitar. Taught me so much.
I later gave it to the singer in my band. She didn't have an electric.
I wonder if anyone plays it anymore?
Partscasters are a learning experience and a labour of love.
Once you outgrow them the right thing is always to give them away.
I bought that guitar for £110 with a hard case.
That was a bargain even in 91.
Still use the case.
:-)
Luv and Peace.
Love the videos with you, Dave and Rhett. I hope Dave makes a RUclips channel one day, seems like he has so much knowledge. As a beginner guitar ist, his set-up tips are very insightful.
I bought a 2014 HH Stratocaster in Wembley, UK - they advertised it as "Store Display"- I sent them a mail asking for photos of the guitar. The response was amazing - the guitar was with stickers and case candy and everything and looking ace. It was a real bargain too. I love this weird Stratocaster that has a beautiful humbucker tone. It is a beautiful Sunburst. Only detail is I put 2 treble bleed circuits in in, since it has 2 volume pots and 1 tone.
I've NEVER liked a red LP... Except for this. This is stunning.
I've bought quite a few guitars on reverb and ebay and the best advice is to ask lots of specific questions. That way if its not as advertised especially with ebay they'll refund you 100% with no trouble. I recieved a damaged guitar and the guy tried to claim I damaged it on purpose to get a refund. Contacted ebay and they refunded me straight away no hassle.
Had 1 from reverb where I asked about the frets and was told they were in great shape when it arrived they weren't. But because I had specifically asked about it and was misinformed I got $150 knocked off to have the frets dressed. It's my favorite playing guitar.
I made a semi-blind purchase on an Am Ultra Luxe strat with SS frets. I do not regret my purchase at all, having only read the specs and saw pictures/demos. It blew my expectations out of the water.
Watching a second time just because it's fun to see three amigos hangin' out... talkin' guitars and havin' a beer or two
My thing is mid 80's Japanese Tokais , they're great to play and are worth 2 or 3 times what I paid for them , I don't have enough money to gamble on Fenders and Gibsons , loved the video , its great to hang with you guys , Love from Scotland !!
Bought many many guitars online and even from overseas. Agree with Dave that you need to closely examine the photos and the seller’s feedback. I would say that you shouldn’t hesitate to buy a guitar that has been very played,if it looks like it has been loved and not just beaten up. That’s the real relic that can so many pay big bucks for.
I know I waited probably 8 months before I finally bought the Les Paul I got a few months ago. Plus I happened upon it, in a guitar store 1500 miles from where I live. I was there visiting, went to a Guitar Center for some strings, and there it was. I left with strings, they just happened to be connected to the Les Paul. I was thrilled to find it, because I was able to get a couple hundred bucks knocked off, and it was exactly what I was looking to get. The credit card advice is spot on! I never buy anything guitar related that's expensive, without using a card.
As a guitar player who buys many instruments I can totally appreciate how damn interesting this video is.. Well done guys . One of the guitars I feel confident buying online sight unseen and never had a problem with is the Parker Fly ... imo Carbon Fiber = Bulletproof .. And btw that is a gorgeous pelham blue LP!!!
Always a good idea to ask for extra pictures and be specific of what you want to see. Protects you against brokers and disreputable sellers who may not have the actual guitar in their physical possession and/or are using photos they found in the internet.
Thank you Rick and the guys. Great advice. I’ve also found it helpful to head over to the twoodfrd channel from time to time. Ted is a Canadian luthier who has probably forgotten more than most know (except Dave!) about repairs and dealing with problem acoustics.
My dad worked for Ampex from like 73 until 95.. that is pretty cool to see. Ampex always did make the best tape.
The best advice from this video is be patient and don’t impulse buy. You’ll find what your looking in time
Love Matt, Mike, and everyone over at Action Music. My favorite guitar store in the DC Area. Great to tune in and here a shout out from Rick and Rhett. I actually just finally bought a guitar from them yesterday. Got a nice Reverend Manta Ray in this cool sparkly green finish!! Now to play.
So true what Dave said about over improving Partscasters! I made that mistake several times. Great video gents…👌
I bought a Collings D2H online and I couldn't have been more thrilled when I got it. I bought it because of the Collings reputation of superb quality control. Bought it in 2019 and it's a 2019 as well. i figure some guy bought his dream guitar and then lost his job or something. When I got it it looked brand new. I really got lucky on it. $1000 price drop because it was technically used and of course I had no warranty.
Never having owned a LP, I've always loved their sound in the music I love (70's 80's rock). I got a Squier Strat in 1989 to learn on, then progressed to a 1990 Ibanez RG570 Jewel Blue. I still have it and love it for what it is, but still wanted a Gibson LP. Managed to score an 83' Gibson Explorer in 2004 and absolutely loved it. Needed funds once so had to sell it. About 2 years ago I found a vintage modified PJ bass on Reverb. It was listed as a P bass. Still, I converted it to P bass with a non functioning J pickup and I love it.
Right before Christmas 2021, I found a 2008 Gibson Classic in black on Reverb again. I got it and absolutely love it. I added a cream pickguard, poker chip, pickup rings and jack plate. While changing all the parts, I noticed the bridge pickup is not the original, but a Seymour Duncan. Since I love the sound, I kept it as is, but that was NOT listed on the listing.
A need to be Dave’s friend. What an incredible resource.
Dave rules! These collabs with you and Rhett are fantastic.
I sold a 58 Reissue and a 58 Reissue Historic Makeover to help fund my 1952 Goldtop. Do I miss them? Yes, but the Goldtop is the most amazing guitar I have ever owned. On the flip side. I bought a Squire Vintage Vibe Telecaster for almost NOTHING and put a replacement neck on and its one of my favorites. Its all about the actual guitar
Easy way to understand quarter sawn lumber. Think of your solid top acoustic. That lumber is perfectly quarter sawn. If the top was flat sawn it would have split years ago. Wood typically splits perpendicular to the growth lines, so from the center of the log to the edge. So you could actually split 'quarter sawn' boards, from a log, splitting along the natural fracture lines, the strongest and most stable possible. Good start for a guitar top...
I've been pretty successful buying Ibanez RG bodies, necks and parts to create customized guitars. Edge tremolos are very versatile as they have a large range of adjustability. I built a parts-caster with a Fender Sunburst body, a Mighty Mite maple neck, Wilkinson trem, Sperzel locking tuners and a loaded pickguard from Dragonfire with hot rails. It came out great. Probably the easiest and cheapest build I've ever done.
Look at the end of a log, and the tree's growth rings. Draw a giant + aligned with the center of the rings. Boards cut along (or very close to) the + will have grain that goes straight through from one side to the other, at close to a 90° angle to both faces of the board, like this: |||||||||||||||||| or (((((((((((. That's quartersawn.
If the grain runs mostly parallel to the face of the board, that's flatsawn: =======
If the grain runs between 30°-60° to the face, it's riftsawn: /////////////
They all have different properties w.r.t. warping, twisting, cupping, appearance, and strength in each different direction. Quartersawn tends to be expensive because the geometry of a tree only yields something like 20%-30% quartersawn, and it takes more labor to do so.
Sometimes you can be creative with joinery and put two or more pieces together to achieve the strength and stability of quartersawn with cheaper cuts, but you're usually sacrificing appearance.
And that's what paint is for.
This is super great information to remember if you want to spend money wisely. I've learned a lot from watching this that I'll never forget.
BTW, it's very astute of y'all to feature Lay-Pauls and Acoustics in this discussion: as they are both potentially VERY sketchy to purchase without trying them out "in person". I kind of "lucked-out" just before "The Holidays" in my pursuit of an "under-$1500" L/P. Virtually all I was finding were "de facto fixer-uppers" in that range, but (of all sources!) Guitar Center Tacoma, WA over-delivered MAJORLY on a 2013 Honeyburst Studio Deluxe II...for UNDER a G, no less!!
Even the big guys dont get string alignment right, I bought a Clapton Blackie , that the high E was hanging of the end of the fret board. Thankfully I have a very reliable guitar tech , cost me , but I got it fixed
Excellent talk. Very informative.
I bought a Guild D-40 (no cutaway) in 1973 that my son now has. That thing never sounded any better than the day I took it home! Good luck, rick!
Wish you would do more group chats with the 3 of you. It ends up being some of the most interesting stuff you don't need a degree to understand on your channel.
Every NEW instrument I've bought from big online distributers has had quality glitches. Used purchases have all been good, because the sellers were individuals. Amazing how honest and helpful individuals can be.
Rhett is right, don't ever sell unless you are in the process of trading up. Difficult times are common for everyone, don't sell your guitar just to pay the electric company. Do that, you'll have no gear in no time. I sold an original JEM 77FP for 1k because I needed to pay a bill. I have hated myself for that decision ever since. Today the JEM 77FP brings a minimum of 5k+ if it plays at all. Mine played like a dream. Hard times happen, selling good instruments doesn't have to happen. There is always another way.
That’s a ridiculous rigid mindset as an instrument for any serious maker of music is not solely about how much their instrument(s) are worth $ but how much utility they posses in the quest to generate the best end result achievable which @ the end of the day… contains an infinite amount of variables and nuances the least of which in terms of your instrument ought to be not to be redundant “solely” based on its cost or even it’s by extension replacement value . Some of the best music has been made on real “clunkers” . That being said that doesn’t mean I’m remotely suggesting one should throw caution to the wind… not at all… I am however emphatically stating that there are always many variables on the road of creation . Also on another note 😎 I would be very hard pressed to purchase a guitar online without have @ least actually having played the model before and even then I be extremely hesitant as no two are alike . Same goes for Ecuadorian so called “Panama” hats .
Man, I feel you, Rhett. Seeing a 400 Unit show will definitely make you start shopping for guitars, whether it be a Ric, and SG, a Les Paul (Red Eye, anyone), a Tele, a Duesenberg, etc., etc. ...
Rick cracks himself up with inside producer jokes. I love this dude.
The one instrument I regret selling which I purchased new is a Roland Juno 60. Since that day I have sold no instruments, rack equipment, mixers or associated studio bits 'n pieces. Clearly I am not a guitarist but the feeling of regret of selling an instrument, any instrument, never goes away. That was an interesting discussion and I was able to follow along with the info on technical aspects of guitars as I have watched for sometime now the Utube channel twoodfrd.
Fortunately, I've had rather good experiences with guitars obtained through ebay and Reverb over the past few years. At worst, some have had high action, but worked great after a little adjustment. Others have had odd ball replacement tuners that I was fortunate enough to find originals to refit. Another guitar I obtained from Florida started sounding better & better as it dried out in my drier climate. In a bit of irony I eventually re-sold back to someone in Florida. Another bit of irony is a brand new fab sounding Martin D-35 I bought that had the high 'e' string slipping off the fretboard. A little nut work by a local luthier fixed it up & I avoided the hassle of shipping it off for warranty and possibly other damage.
I just got my first expensive guitar, Wine Red Gibson Les Paul Studio and I'm in love with it. I started playing at 11 and I'm now 21 and I've only ever been able to afford 200-300 dollar guitars.
Another educational and useful video! Nice work guys.
Thanks Dan!!
The timing of this video couldn't have been more serendipitous. Started getting back into electric guitar recently, and decided to treat myself to a Gretsch FSR 5628 P-90. Made sure to go through a reputable dealer, so I have no doubt it'll arrive safely and in one piece. The wait is killing me though...
WOW, nice choice of guitar! I hope it arrives soon and in excellent condition. What amp ya gonna run it through?
I bought my last guitar online from Righteous Guitars based on Rhett’s videos and their reputation. The fact that it was from that shop pushed me past my normal trepidation.
the collective demands more of these videos! I know your all busy but the 3 of you together talking about a specific subject matter is gold!!!
I think a better explanation of "quarter-sawn" is that all the lines of the wood grain are 90° to the width of the piece of lumber.
Even better.
That seems like it would make for a much weaker piece of wood
Seems you’re wrong. Quartersawn is better. Carpenters and luthiers know this.
@@halhammond6831 The problem is these descriptions are terrible. I was imagining cutting the wood as discs across the log by reading them. I advise anyone trying to figure this out to do a Google image search instead
Quarter sawn is cutting the log at the middle down the length of the log. Then cutting each half down the center length of those. You end up with 4 equal pieces of the log. Hence, a quarter sawn log. So any piece you cut from any quarter of the log, using a cut side down on a table saw, yields a board with tight wood grain.
Love Action Music! Matt runs a great shop and is super knowledgeable. He remembers me even though I only visit once a year or so.
Great video! I would have liked seeing you guys going online on reverb an picking an electric and an acoustic guitar! Maybe next time!
Cool to hear 3 friends talking of their favourite theme.
I actually got a Gibson (LP Standard) for graduation in '05 and unfortunately about a year later it took a nosedive off of a bad guitar stand and fell on the floor cracking the head stock. Luckily, the people at Gibson were able to repair it, near flawlessly; the only way you can actually see any sign of the crack at all is under a black light. So grateful they were able to because I sure do love that guitar!
Not in the market to buy a used guitar.
But it's always interesting when the 3 of you get together for subject matter conversations.
Oh, much of the insights apply to buying used cars or motorcycles too.
Love listening to you 3 guys talking about guitars.
I could watch these three guys chatting all day😁
That's funny about LPs suffering from twisted headstocks. A friend of mine had a vintage LP, maybe late 70s, which he lent me for a gig. And, as I was tuning up the headstock snapped off in my hand!
wow what a bummer :( , sorry to hear that ,I hope you are still friends :)
@@Shagley it was a shock!
Jeezuz! I just had a quick look at Bourgeois prices. On Eddie's Guitars, the cheapest one is $5,800 and the most expensive is about 17 grand!!!!!
This video came SO close to being something I’ve wanted you to do for SO long!
“What Make This…” is YOUR thing Rick! So keep it going with something you CAN monetize and make some WELL DESERVED money! And I always think I’m the only one that wants to see these things.. but after watching and RE-watching your videos I know I’m NOT the only one that wants to see this.
Here’s my idea…
“What Makes This GEAR Great.”
And this is why. I’m NOT a guitar player (would LOVE to learn bass and I do own one but I just get frustrated.) But I sit and see all your guitars on the (lol) GREEN SCREEN and wonder (why does he need 6 of the same guitar?) For example the 6 Les Pauls you have… why do you need 6 of the same guitar? And yes I do understand they may all sound different but they ARE the same guitar.
I would LOVE to see you talk about that stuff!
Like for instance the Rickenbacker bass you have.. it’s an “old man’s” looking guitar (but MY dream bass!) so why do some of the best bass players play it?
Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, Cliff Burton… why do they choose THIS bass for some of their best songs.
Please Rick… make this happen! But if you do, PLEASE give it more then 1-3 episodes to take off.
As always thank you for the great content!
Regarding the Rickenbacker bass: it has a totally unique sound that I personally LOVE... It's got a distinctive grunt/trebly "clank" that no other bass produces, and it cuts through a mix admirably because of its distinctive tonal palette. Plus, ever since they added a "dual circuit" feature in 2006, you can get both the trademark Rickenbacker tonal eccentricities (which I personally adore; some people like it and some don't) PLUS a setting with more bottom/girth more like what I would expect more from a Fender. Bottom line is try one for yourself if/when you get a chance to see if it would actually suit YOU personally. Be aware also that their dual truss rod arrangement/design can be tricky to adjust properly, so make sure you know a tech who knows how to deal with the eccentricities of a Rickenbacker bass.
P.S. -- if you DO find yourself drawn to a Rickenbacker bass, I recommend the 4003 with the "dual circuit" feature, as it's tonally more versatile than a traditional Rickenbacker bass. As I mentioned, the "dual circuit" was introduced in 2006, and it involves a push-pull knob to switch between traditional Rickenbacker bass sound and fatter, bassier sound.
Totally agree about building a guitar yourself. I picked up a squier strat antiqued it. Then I put a hot rails with quality electronics and capacitors along with a nice middle and neck pickup. I then bought a new bridge with heavy block to get a fatter sound. Then after a good set up this is one of my best and favorite guitars. And it's also my lowest priced even with all the added parts.
Building something yourself is a great experience if you really think through what it is your looking for!
Another huge asset is learning how to trade up guitars. I went from a used squire affinity tele ($120) to a 1970 ES-335 ($6,000). I only traded. No added cash involved. A ton of fun and a great way to try new gear!
pray tell....
yeah i traded my partscaster for my friends vintage 63 stratocaster. his attorney however has a different view, but with the money i saved i can afford to post bail.
@@RaptorV1USA I’ve got a channel with some videos detailing some of the trades. It’s fun.
Legend
How many trades in between?
I bought a guitar online once, came with a broken off headstock. Most likely due to the fact that the main shipping company in my country is notorious for just throwing packages around as hard as they can, the packaging was good. It was only like $220 so I got a new one sent out right away and got to keep the broken one for spare parts so I'm not complaining!
Very helpful. I like Dave’s horror stories, lol. There is one guitar I really like but hesitate to buy-mainly because I haven’t earned it yet as a player, but also because I’m afraid of buying online at a certain price level.
Don’t be negative on yourself. If you have the cash and want something that will bring you many hours of enjoyment, go for it! Life is short!
I suck and bought a Gibson SG, getting it made me want to play and get better even more. If you got the cash to spend, “treat yo self”. I’ll only order brand new online though. I can’t afford to get burned or scammed
Buy the guitar! I was going to buy a 2nd hand baby Taylor on FB, an upgrade from my Yamaha travel guitar & a no name electric acoustic, but I wanted to play one first so went into a store to try one. I walked out of the store with a Maton Mini instead 😂.
I'm just a bass player, but that blue LP is outstanding! 👌
When buying a guitar at a pawn shop that only has five strings because one of them broke... just put it back and walk away. I got home and strung up the missing string and the bridge came out with the tension. As is.
My regret sale: Ovation Preacher solid body 6 sting electric. I needed the money at the time. LOVED that guitar.
just entertaining, as always. I love the three of you discussing different topics
That’s how I learned just this year bought a squire for daughter and modded it with American standard parts. Cleaned fret spout up and put new pickup guard, and internals and Eric Johnson pickups and brass tremelo block.
Lots of research and experimenting with parts and ability to return things that did not work or fit properly.
Her friends are jealous it sounds so good.
Lucky I know how to soldier from making guitar pedals.
It was a great learning experience.
Nice to see The Three Musketeers together again, just missing Keith Williams.
Dave always has the best T-shirts, “Ampex 456 Gand Master”, amazing, where do I get one?
I need one of those shirts as well. Though I use ATR and 3M tape.
I got it online years ago but haven’t seen any lately :(
I was in the market for a new guitar and just couldn't get over the "gotta play it" mindset. After going to a well-stocked, quality guitar store and playing some guitars that, at least on paper and in my mind, were the guitars that I wanted, I just didn't like them when I played them. I ended up getting a PRS CE 24 Semi-hollowbody and it's the best guitar I've owned or played.
So the convo about guitars showing up with MAJOR breakage (due to the seller straight-up _not_ knowing how to safely ship an instrument) got me thinking:
Should people be video-ing their unboxing of a new instrument just as a matter of course?
I'm not sure if a video (on its own) would be enough "evidence" in a dispute (because video can be edited/doctored), but I feel like actually taking a video in which you show the _intact_ carrier artifacts (i.e. an unbroken tag or unopened box with a visible carrier label on it, etc...) could go a long way toward helping you make your case should you need to dispute the delivery and get your money back.
Yes, video the unboxing.
@@RickBeato or even better if the seller records boxing and packaging , than there is no way that somebody can say you edited the video ;)
@@snezakovic There are artefacts if a video has been edited. So saying so, and proving so are two different things.
Yes definitely video the entire unboxing
The most important conclusion for me regarding the topic. Budget guitars (and all music instruments in general), since about 20 years, have increased in quality drastically. Before that, cheap instruments would always be complete shite.
Partscasters in respect to reinventing the wheel. Generally I’m assuming you’re talking about Fenders. My proven idea is to buy a Japanese 82-85 Fender made by Fugi Gen. Some were completely USA pots,caps,pups , but many you may want to just change the electronic at most. They are easily as good as any USA made Fenders. On the Strats they for some reason put 57 maple necks,on 62 body’s . Best of all world’s in my opinion …
Those are great guitars....and priced accordingly,
This was super timely, as I seek another axe & have issues not being able to see & play 1st. This is an excellent checklist of how to handle the distance purchase!
At last someone tells the truth about squier stuff not fitting fender stuff and vice versa!
Absolutely. Especially with older (pre 2015) guitars from different Fender lines.
They now say that all Squier, MIM, MIJ and USA made run the same specs, but of course it's still buyer beware.
I have bought 2 new basses sight-unseen after ordering them online that I had absolutely no reservations about. I knew the quality would be stellar on both and they were. My Alembic Distillate and Knaggs Severn 5.
Bought a nice Gibson, old and looks beat up but is solid and just needed a little TLC. It sounds great.