NGD - Happy birthday to me...

[zhivago]

GOLD! Now he's in love with you He's in love with you!


D

[PorkyPrimeCut]

GOLD! Now he's in love with you He's in love with you!


D

One of my guilty pleasures, that song.

I still have fond childhood memories of the LA Olympics montage the BBC did with Seb Coe (who later turned out to be a massive cunt!) virtually flipping the bird at the doubting UK press assembled in the stadium as he won gold...



Also, guilty pleasure #2 is seeing Mr Hadley (another bellend, in political terms) having the time of his life, singing his heart out at the Isle Of White festival a good few years back. Not bad for a 50-something year old. He's in full on dancing-dad/X-Factor-contestant mode but there's just something touching about the whole thing. Bless!

[StevenO]

Late to the party, but congrats on the new beautiful guitar and a very happy birthday to you, Yannis! Really wonderful guitar and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I had a similar moment of reevaluating guitars this past year... I went to Chicago Music Exchange last February on a work trip and after spending close to 2 hours playing as many unique and interesting holy grail vintage pieces, I left with just about zero GAS. Everything I played was kind of just OK, even the super "mojo"-filled ones just kind of left me wanting. Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, nothing really blew me away and most of the gear actually felt worn-out rather than worn-in. They just didn't play or feel or sound the way I'd want something of that caliber to be. I actually left with the realization that I have perfectly fine guitars at home that have been setup by me and shaped to and by my own playing. That kind of realization is not just priceless but actually saves a lot of mental and financial anguish.

[zhivago]

Late to the party, but congrats on the new beautiful guitar and a very happy birthday to you, Yannis! Really wonderful guitar and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I had a similar moment of reevaluating guitars this past year... I went to Chicago Music Exchange last February on a work trip and after spending close to 2 hours playing as many unique and interesting holy grail vintage pieces, I left with just about zero GAS. Everything I played was kind of just OK, even the super "mojo"-filled ones just kind of left me wanting. Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, nothing really blew me away and most of the gear actually felt worn-out rather than worn-in. They just didn't play or feel or sound the way I'd want something of that caliber to be. I actually left with the realization that I have perfectly fine guitars at home that have been setup by me and shaped to and by my own playing. That kind of realization is not just priceless but actually saves a lot of mental and financial anguish.

Thank you Steven!

I am totally with you on the "worn out" comment...many of the guitars I see online just look knackered by now.

Even with the ones I still have, a refret was mandatory (and costly). On all of the guitars the fingerboards had to be planed too to get playing 100%...this either discoloured some of the aged inlays, or almost took out one or two completely in the case of my Martin.

I had a moment of madness a week or so ago wanting to re-start my search for a 60s SG, but after factoring in all the fretwork that would need to be done on the bound necks, I came to my senses!

[StevenO]

That's exactly it. I've also come to a point where I play so little and just for fun that I really only expect two things from my gear. Good sound and good reliability. If I find time to pick up an instrument, I just want to know that I can depend on it to be enjoyable right way. I have no patience with projects anymore or vintage basketcases,

[zhivago]

That's exactly it. I've also come to a point where I play so little and just for fun that I really only expect two things from my gear. Good sound and good reliability. If I find time to pick up an instrument, I just want to know that I can depend on it to be enjoyable right way. I have no patience with projects anymore or vintage basketcases,

Totally with you...they can very quickly become money pits.

Yesterday, I came across a video of this guy showing off his newly-acquired 60s Gretsch...I think it was a '65 or '66 Chet Atkins...it had binding rot all over and it needed a neck re-set...hardware rusted all over...he was going to get it re-bound and do the reset.

This other guy asks him "are you going to re-fret it as well?" the owner's reply "I'll leave it as-is"

My thought was that he is still in shock having to drop just over $1k in the initial repairs as it is...he is probably just trying to skip the re-fret for now (on a bound neck, which always costs extra).


Don't get me wrong, I can see the appeal of "bringing an old dog back to life", but man, I am not paying for any more resurrections!

[shadowplay]

That's exactly it. I've also come to a point where I play so little and just for fun that I really only expect two things from my gear. Good sound and good reliability. If I find time to pick up an instrument, I just want to know that I can depend on it to be enjoyable right way. I have no patience with projects anymore or vintage basketcases,

Totally with you...they can very quickly become money pits.

Yesterday, I came across a video of this guy showing off his newly-acquired 60s Gretsch...I think it was a '65 or '66 Chet Atkins...it had binding rot all over and it needed a neck re-set...hardware rusted all over...he was going to get it re-bound and do the reset.

This other guy asks him "are you going to re-fret it as well?" the owner's reply "I'll leave it as-is"

My thought was that he is still in shock having to drop just over $1k in the initial repairs as it is...he is probably just trying to skip the re-fret for now (on a bound neck, which always costs extra).


Don't get me wrong, I can see the appeal of "bringing an old dog back to life", but man, I am not paying for any more resurrections!

I've not got a lot of experience bringing back old guitars but I do with old cars. The way I look at it is that when you buy it you need to be honest with yourself about how much it's going to cost to put right and accept that's the 'real' price. If you're not comfortable with that figure then you shouldn't be buying it.

I also think I'm waking up to those little lies I tell myself, like 'once this is done it's an investment because it's going to be worth three or four times what's in it or more'. In the light of day you have to think about that a lot because let's face it car or guitar if it's good in the end it's market value is really only abstract because I'm never selling the cars I love, so really they are only worth money as an inheritance.

With some cars, they aren't really worth the money to do a full restoration, so you want to be buying one some chump is drowning underwater on, unless it's SO cheap and you really know what you are doing (basically this goes for anything 'common' and anything super niche and complicated but not overly glamorous). IMO most Gretsch are in this realm, they aren't worth doing a restoration yourself outside of a few models, they are quite specialised and more for professionals and VERY advanced DIYers and it's best to just buy a good one and cry into your pillow for a few months because getting a rough one into that sort of condition is more than likely going to cost more. They are also a bit like Lancia's easy to buy but hard to sell and the market is very small. Like Lancia's you see big money being asked for Gretsches but you don't really see them selling at that money. It's all very well some guide telling you something is worth X but in reality it can be hard to winkle that out of it.

D

[cestlamort]

Congratulations. What a cool guitar (and it’s cool that they’ve reissued these super rare ... birds).

White falcon = pinnacle of 50s guitar bling
White penguin = one louder so to speak.

I (very) briefly had a white falcon on evaluation - it sounded so great. Mrs Cestlamort (also my bandmate) playfully quipped “what band are you planning on playing that in?" As it was very very white and gold (as well as too rough for the price).

Speaking of bridges, I also tried a green country club (pre fender) which fed bad amazingly (and near instantly) as a bridge screw would magically unscrew at 60 rpm or so. I've played a friend’s duo jet (or some jet) with a Compton and it sounded great, even unplugged.

Again, congratulations and happy birthday. This has obviously already given you joy and inspiration- that’s all we can ask of these things, right?

[zhivago]

I am totally with you David...and although I don't own a classic car, I go to the vintage Car Show in London every years I appreciate the designs so much...some of the prices I see are astronomical!!

I am all for just buying something that works nowadays...I just cannot justify the expense anymore...just the repairs on my '43 Martin to get it playing well were just under £800...and to tell the truth I am not really happy with the neck reset performed

[Maggieo]

Yannis, what do you think of that crazy tone switch? I'm still coming to terms with it on my Goldilocks.


Gretsch Sparkle Jet, January 22, 2013 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[zhivago]

Yannis, what do you think of that crazy tone switch? I'm still coming to terms with it on my Goldilocks.


Gretsch Sparkle Jet, January 22, 2013 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

It can be useful depending on the amp or pedal setting.

For example with my Model H distortion high, into a clean Matchless it sounds twangy in the down position, much like a Telecaster...I can nail lots of Frank Black's parts on Pixies live videos...but straight into the Nano both positions sound...weird...kinda nasal...not sure why to be honest...the Nano reacts strangely to the TV Jones pickups...my usual setting for my Gibsons and my Jazzmaster sounds flabby, but the thin man setting sounds a lot better.

I don't really use the tone controls on electric guitars, so I think it will mostly be in the middle/bypass position.

I can see why Chet Atkins wanted the switch, but I am not real sure it has many applications in my playing

[Maggieo]

That's pretty much where I am, too.

[StevenO]

I am all for just buying something that works nowadays...I just cannot justify the expense anymore...just the repairs on my '43 Martin to get it playing well were just under £800...and to tell the truth I am not really happy with the neck reset performed

This is me as well. After awhile, having all the cool toys that everyone can ooh and awe over just doesn't mean as much as having something that you enjoy because it works for you. And more importantly, sinking money into something as a restoration doesn't always guarantee that you'll be perfectly happy with the outcome either. It's tricky but I'm happy to know that I've been playing long enough and been around the block enough to know what I like and to know what's worth my time, money, and attention and there is a sense of relief with that as well.