Guitars & other musical instruments...

[high plains drifter]

Figure this won't be too popular but you never know. Feel free to post up any musical instruments that you play... all welcome here! It would be really cool if this thread somehow inspires someone to dust off an old instrument or to pick up a new hobby! Anyway... I have a few guitars that I'll share here, as well as a couple restoration/ modification projects that I've done.

First up is this Fender Stratocaster VG ( MIM) This was a gift from my wife that I returned due to the gimmicky nature of the on-board effects. A cool guitar but wasn't for me.



Taylor 150e 12-string acoustic/ electric... An inexpensive yet beautiful-sounding guitar that plays like a dream. I don't play this one enough but run through a Flux Effects Liquid Ambiance Polyphonic Reverb & Effectrode Blackbird Vacuum Tube Pre-amp pedal and this guitar absolutely sings!



This is a Godin Freeway SA in a flame-maple top. Decent inexpensive guitar from a great [Canadian] company. This one is unfortunately no longer in my collection.



From a company that I really like... this is my Schecter Blackjack SLS with Sustaniac and Floyd Rose. Not a guitar that I play much but depending on the presence of the sustain, it's certainly a lot of fun at times.



While not a Dean fan, I picked up this pair back before I came to terms with how shamelessly Dean was capitalizing on Dimebag Darrel's death. I've always been a big Pantera fan but I eventually sold both of these guitars due to Dean's lack of integrity... the "tribute" seeming more of a marketing gimmick. The black one is a Razorback Lone Star Dime tribute and the red one is a Dimebag Dixie Rebel tribute. Neither are great guitars and I never was able to get comfortable with the neck-profile but I sure did love the graphics. RIP, Dime.



Shown here is a rare American made Guild X79 Skyhawk from 1982-1983. Not many of these SSS configured guitars in white were made... I believe less than 200. It never gets played but it's still one of my favorites in regards to the aesthetics. The mojo is undoubtedly unique as it looks like a futuristic metal guitar that would've been made in the 1950's lol.





Next is a Schecter C7-Classic ( 7-string). This is a pretty decent limited-run guitar that plays and sounds wonderful. I've always liked the Ibanez Vine-Of-Life fret-boards so this one appealed to me before I ever even laid my hands on it.





This next one is another Schecter.. an Avenger hard-tail with passives that I picked up for a ridiculously great price.



One of my absolute most favorite players... a PRS SE limited production run in a Trampas-Green quilted maple. This wasn't an expensive guitar but it plays like butter... the smoothest neck that I've ever held in my hands. I've since replaced the knobs with knurled chrome barrels, replaced the plastic nut with a nice Graphtech synthetic, and swapped out the factory tuners for a set of Sperzel lockers, but that's about it.






Another PRS... an American made Single-cut Custom-S2 semi-hollow body in a whale blue flamed maple. This guitar sounds absolutely fantastic but is not necessarily my favorite player. Still though... no plans to part with it anytime soon.




That's all for now... More to come & post up if you want!

[B-MOW71]

Beautiful collection! I have a few that I haven't played in a couple years. I'll get some pictures and get them posted.

[Jim85IROC]

I have a bunch of inexpensive guitars that I rotate through. My newest addition is an Indonesian P90 Hamer Sunburst that I picked up in Austin a few months ago. I love the raunchy sound of the P90s, and how much sparkle they have when they're clean or slightly overdriven.



Most recently, I restored an inexpensive Ibanez AX120 for my son who's also learning to play.

before:



After:

[2mtech]

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

First up is this Fender Stratocaster VG ( MIM) This was a gift from my wife that I returned due to the gimmicky nature of the on-board effects. A cool guitar but wasn't for me.

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Always a sucker for a tobacco sunburst Strat!

Taylor 150e 12-string acoustic/ electric... An inexpensive yet beautiful-sounding guitar that plays like a dream. I don't play this one enough but run through a Flux Effects Liquid Ambiance Polyphonic Reverb & Effectrode Blackbird Vacuum Tube Pre-amp pedal and this guitar absolutely sings!

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Pretty, pretty, pretty...love my Taylor, I'll post that up later. Nothing like Stairway or Edmund Fitzgerald through a choroused, reverbed 12-string.

[2mtech]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

Most recently, I restored an inexpensive Ibanez AX120 for my son who's also learning to play.

Very nice resto job! That's beautiful!

[high plains drifter]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Beautiful collection! I have a few that I haven't played in a couple years. I'll get some pictures and get them posted.

Please do... That would be great!

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

I have a bunch of inexpensive guitars that I rotate through. My newest addition is an Indonesian P90 Hamer Sunburst that I picked up in Austin a few months ago. I love the raunchy sound of the P90s, and how much sparkle they have when they're clean or slightly overdriven.

Most recently, I restored an inexpensive Ibanez AX120 for my son who's also learning to play.

Ah yes! I remember some mention of that P90 equipped Hamer not too long ago. I wanted it!! haha. Fine guitar and I love that burst!

Man... I saw that first Ibanez pic and thought that was the refinished job but HOLY JUJU!... That axe looks so much more amazing in that silver with that particular scratch-plate! Especially looks nice with the rosewood board too. Well done!

Originally Posted by 2mtech

Always a sucker for a tobacco sunburst Strat!

Pretty, pretty, pretty...love my Taylor, I'll post that up later. Nothing like Stairway or Edmund Fitzgerald through a choroused, reverbed 12-string.

I replaced that one with another tobacco burst, but in an American Standard version with a solid rosewood neck. I also did a somewhat detailed mod-project on it shortly after I got it... replacing hardware, knobs, tuners, pick-guard, bridge pickup, and tremolo. It was a nice guitar to start but now it's simply fantastic. One of my favorite players for sure.

Agreed on the tunes and the proper way to play them lol. I'm amazed at what Taylor is able to manufacture for the price as opposed to Martin. Obviously both make incredible high-end models but in terms of the lower-end stuff, Taylor has my vote. This one sounds so lush, is well made with high quality woods/ electronics, and didn't break the bank. I also have a cheap Taylor 6-string that I'll post up along with some others.

[Topher Builds]

Beautiful instruments in here!

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

One of my absolute most favorite players... a PRS SE limited production run in a Trampas-Green quilted maple. This wasn't an expensive guitar but it plays like butter... the smoothest neck that I've ever held in my hands. I've since replaced the knobs with knurled chrome barrels, replaced the plastic nut with a nice Graphtech synthetic, and swapped out the factory tuners for a set of Sperzel lockers, but that's about it.






Another PRS... an American made Single-cut Custom-S2 semi-hollow body in a whale blue flamed maple. This guitar sounds absolutely fantastic but is not necessarily my favorite player. Still though... no plans to part with it anytime soon.




That's all for now... More to come & post up if you want!

Really digging both of these! I’ve only ever owned Gibson, epiphone, Ibanez, fender, and a squier but PRS always catches my eye. That trampas green is just bad ass!

I’ve been casually learning the guitar over the last 5 years or so, it’s a great challenge but I enjoy it very much. My collection is down to 2 guitars as when I moved out of Colorado I had to sell off a Gibson Firebird and midtown custom. Ah I miss those.

These 2 keep me plenty happy still.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Man... I saw that first Ibanez pic and thought that was the refinished job but HOLY JUJU!... That axe looks so much more amazing in that silver with that particular scratch-plate! Especially looks nice with the rosewood board too. Well done!

Thanks. That pick guard was a lot of work, and ended up costing me more than I wanted. I went through a couple sheets of pearloid and didn't like how any of them looked. One cost me 1/2 as much as I paid to return it, and the other one I missed the return window on, so I still have it. I eventually found this material and bought a Tele pick guard, then cut it down to this shape. If I just bought the tele pickguard in the first place, it wouldn't have been too expensive. Making it proved more difficult than I expected too.

[high plains drifter]

Originally Posted by Pant Danza

Beautiful instruments in here!

Really digging both of these! I’ve only ever owned Gibson, epiphone, Ibanez, fender, and a squier but PRS always catches my eye. That trampas green is just bad ass!

I’ve been casually learning the guitar over the last 5 years or so, it’s a great challenge but I enjoy it very much. My collection is down to 2 guitars as when I moved out of Colorado I had to sell off a Gibson Firebird and midtown custom. Ah I miss those.

These 2 keep me plenty happy still.

Thank you, PD! Seriously... That Epi and that Ibby cutaway ( Looks like an AEG10 ?) are all anyone needs.. best of both worlds. Fwiw White & gold LP's make me weak in the knees lol! I'll take an Epiphone over most Gibson's these days... overpriced and inconsistent quality control. For the money, Epi's seem to have much better QC and the craftsmanship is on par with any mid-level to even an upper-level Gibby. I've got a USA made SG because I've always loved that iconic guitar so much... had to have one, but I really had to do some work to it to fix some things that never should have passed an American factory's final inspection.

I never bonded with PRS guitars for many years but I kept trying them and finally ran into a few that I liked. Plenty of different specs as well so I figured I might eventually find a winner. Never dreamed it would be an SE model but I would take another one of these ( unfortunately no longer available) over a core model any day. That being said, I do tend to frequently drool over the high end PRS models from time to time.

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

Thanks. That pick guard was a lot of work, and ended up costing me more than I wanted. I went through a couple sheets of pearloid and didn't like how any of them looked. One cost me 1/2 as much as I paid to return it, and the other one I missed the return window on, so I still have it. I eventually found this material and bought a Tele pick guard, then cut it down to this shape. If I just bought the tele pickguard in the first place, it wouldn't have been too expensive. Making it proved more difficult than I expected too.

Haha! Our niche hobbies often include these kinds of stories though! Plenty of times I've paid 2-3x more than necessary just to learn something the hard way lol. I've never made my own guards because I've been afraid of messing up the bevels but I've had several custom jobs done by WD Music out of Florida. They do good work and have a lot of materials & ply combinations to choose from. I think that the red-color and the pattern on that AX120 are what makes it so stunning on top of that silver. They just compliment each other perfectly.

[Jim85IROC]

Yeah, I really labored over the right material. I really wanted a mixture of chrome and black over a gray body, but then it needed the right pick guard to pop. The first one I bought was a tortoise pickguard, but it was just a printed laminate over a white/black/white/black guard and looked cheap. The second was a red pearloid but had a pink hue that my son and I hated. This last one was what I wanted all along... it's the same black and red swirl as my Fender medium picks. It really compliments that plain body and black/chrome motif. Unused mistakes notwithstanding, the entire project cost me under $150 and the only things that the guitar came with were what you see in the first pic. The pickups are $20 alnico 5 pickups from Amazon and they sound amazing. The thin mahogany body has that SG bark, and the size & weight is very manageable for my 9 year old.

[CM9000]

I bang the skins and can finger the fat strings. I cannot play a guitar to save my life. its a talent I cant understand.. or the picking rather.

nice collections I see here.

[high plains drifter]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

Yeah, I really labored over the right material. I really wanted a mixture of chrome and black over a gray body, but then it needed the right pick guard to pop. The first one I bought was a tortoise pickguard, but it was just a printed laminate over a white/black/white/black guard and looked cheap. The second was a red pearloid but had a pink hue that my son and I hated. This last one was what I wanted all along... it's the same black and red swirl as my Fender medium picks. It really compliments that plain body and black/chrome motif. Unused mistakes notwithstanding, the entire project cost me under $150 and the only things that the guitar came with were what you see in the first pic. The pickups are $20 alnico 5 pickups from Amazon and they sound amazing. The thin mahogany body has that SG bark, and the size & weight is very manageable for my 9 year old.

You know, I know you mentioned that the first attempts were on pearloid but never even noticed till just now that the one in the pic is also pearloid... Thought it was tortoiseshell when I first saw it. Yea... silver guitars can look pretty lackluster depending on some different factors but that body shape and particular silver makes for an ideal match with the vividness of the pick-guard color. Very cool that you were able to find some great-sounding alnico5 hum's for so little. I keep wanting to put a BKP bridge/ neck combo in one of my fiddles but the cost is just too damn much to justify.

Originally Posted by CM9000

I bang the skins and can finger the fat strings. I cannot play a guitar to save my life. its a talent I cant understand.. or the picking rather.

nice collections I see here.

Thanks, man. Fat strings and skins are welcome here too fwiw! I've got one bass but it's an Ibanez SRC 6-string so it's not very popular with the bass crowd. I dig it a lot but it's partly due to me being a guitar player and this particular bass having a thin neck and 30" scale length. I'm definitely not a very legitimate bassist... that's for sure lol.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Ebay LP kit I finished a few weeks ago. Ditched the stock pups for some Dragonfire Screamers. Do like.



1987 RG550 I picked up a couple of years ago. Total basket case when I got it, but it was all there and had EMGs to boot. A bit of cleanup and some new paint and it plays awesome. Super thin neck. Not a fan of the Floyd Rose though.



I've also got a '97 Ibanez RX40 I scored at Guitar Center for $100 w/gig bag. Definitely a cheap guitar with some mileage, but the setup was perfect on it. Somebody loved it and took good care of it.

Last but not least is a cheap Dean bass. It gets the dust knocked off of it occasionally.

[high plains drifter]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Ebay LP kit I finished a few weeks ago. Ditched the stock pups for some Dragonfire Screamers. Do like.

1987 RG550 I picked up a couple of years ago. Total basket case when I got it, but it was all there and had EMGs to boot. A bit of cleanup and some new paint and it plays awesome. Super thin neck. Not a fan of the Floyd Rose though.

I've also got a '97 Ibanez RX40 I scored at Guitar Center for $100 w/gig bag. Definitely a cheap guitar with some mileage, but the setup was perfect on it. Somebody loved it and took good care of it.

Last but not least is a cheap Dean bass. It gets the dust knocked off of it occasionally.

I finally get to use your name in the proper context. Duuuuuuuude... That LP is awwwesome!!

Absolutely love that particular green finish along with the trapezoid's and bound neck. The fact that the finish has a nice gloss to it just makes it that much more stunning. Never heard the Dragonfire Screamers in person but I think that they have pretty decent reviews iirc.

Love that RG too... Always liked that Ibby red color accented with black. Solid guitar obviously but yea... I cringe every time that I have to set up a Floyd Rose. Even changing strings can be aggravating. I've got some FR equipped guitars but I don't find myself utilizing whammy's as much as I used to. I favor a traditional TOM or fixed Hipshot these days. Love those EMG's configured with the single-coil too!

Never played an RX40 and offhand I really know nothing about them aside from the fact that they were only in production for a short time. Really cool to hear about your collection, man!

[high plains drifter]

Not honestly expecting for anyone to read all of this but this is the rundown of my Stratocaster Blackout project. It's a 2014 USA American Standard model with rare solid rosewood neck. Always loved the guitar but after a few years, it was time for some upgrades. The final result is beyond what I'd expected and now one of my most favorite of the entire family.

FENDER LOCKING TUNERS: The factory tuners weren't the worst but over the years I've just grown to hate wrestling with wrapping strings around posts so it was time for some lockers. Very happy with these direct drop-in replacements from Fender.

GOTOH 510T TREMOLO UNIT: Nothing awful about the tried-n-true factory trem but the arm bugged me... wobbly and hard to keep consistently positioned where I wanted... lost the ball-bearing & spring tensioner long ago anyway. I'm absolutely blown away with this Gotoh replacement... Solid, sleek, notched saddles, excellent trem-arm engagement, and I like the little touches like the set-screws inside of the studs that extend down to contact the base of the anchors. All in all, this unit is much more comfortable and seemingly more performance-oriented than the original. One thing that's definitely noticeable, is that when I pluck or strum the guitar while unplugged, it sounds much more resonant and harmonic than it used to... almost like a hollow-body. It's amazing. Resonance is much more pronounced and overall this Gotoh 510T is simply phenomenal. The Gotoh trem-springs are a bit stiffer than the originals so I'm only using two of them along with one of the original Fender springs. All three springs are dampened with silicone tubing. I did this in order to eliminate any flutter or noise.

SEYMOUR DUNCAN SSL-5 BRIDGE PICKUP: This guitar came equipped with Custom Shop Fat 50's but I wanted a little more heat and the SSL-5 delivers. I sincerely love the SSL-5 much more than the Fat 50 at the bridge. Driven dirty, the SSL-5 sounds more sculpted and warm than the Fat 50 and I'm impressed with it not only when pushing gain but also while playing clean. Rolling off the volume knob really showcases the tonal aspects of this pickup. It sincerely wakes up this particular guitar and produces more pronounced lows & mids. Overall I'd say that this guitar has much more dynamic character now so I'm definitely super satisfied with my choice.

FRET POLISH & FRET-BOARD CONDITIONING: While I was at it with the strings removed, I decided to tape off the board and hit the frets with some 0000 wool and finish them off with a thorough polish. Lastly, I hydrated the rosewood board, neck, and head-stock with some Guitar Honey. Much smoother and supple-feeling now.

CHROME DOME KNOBS: I had intended to simply switch out the parchment Strat knobs for the same style in black. But while the black Strat knobs did indeed look okay alongside the now "more modern" look of the guitar, I ultimately chose to keep pushing the aggressiveness and opted for some chrome knurled knobs instead. I'm sincerely satisfied with the metal chrome knobs on this particular axe. They fit in very well with the Gotoh trem and they feel so solid. They're also easier and quicker to subtly manipulate compared to the traditional plastic Fender knobs.

Everything else that I changed out was simply related to appearance and included:

Black scratch-plate from Stratosphere
Black pick-guard screws
Black trem-cover
Black trem-cover screws
Black switch-tip
Black switch screws
Black pickup covers ( neck & mid)
Black Seymour Duncan pickup cover ( bridge)

Before pics:










During the project pics:


















Finished!

[2mtech]

My sole guitar at the moment...Taylor 210e and a Roland AC-60 acoustic chorus amp.

Story with this was I had wanted a cherry sunburst Gibson Hummingbird since I started playing, and when I retired from the service I decided to buy one. Went to Guitar Center and was all ready to plop down my $3600 for the Hummingbird when the sales guy asked me if I'd ever played a Taylor. I hadn't, so he pulled this one down in the acoustic humidor room. I had never played such a resonant, sustained acoustic. For under a grand it was a no brainer. Saved so much I bought the amp, high end mike, stands, cords, picks, six packs of Elixir strings, tuner and cases. THIS one I'll never part with!



I've had a bunch in my three-ring-circus life...Gibson G45, Ovation Balladeer, Seagull 12-string, Epiphone...all hocked or traded for guns, weed or car batteries (changing priorities, ya know).

Worst heartbreak was a creme yellow Fender Telecaster I bought in a hock shop in the Philippines for $100. I knew it was a knock-off because it was brand new in 1988 and $100. Sweet guitar though.

Fell short of lettuce in '91 and advertised it in the Phoenix paper for $400 thinking I might get $300. Phone blew up. Had three people show up at the house at the same time. One guy had a Fender guide and checked the numbers. Turns out the damn thing was an original '74 Blonde that had either never been played or had been meticulously cared for and was probably worth $1500. Dammit.

If I could have that and my '69 Roadrunner back life would be sweet.

[B-MOW71]

I have only been part-time playing for about two years. Between life and tiny trucks, it’s hard to find the time to just pick one up and play. But I’m hoping this winter will give me a little more time.

This first guitar is a PRS Tremonti SE. It is so easy to play and sounds fantastic.

This one is an Ibanez Artcore AS-83 Semi-hollow. Love the color and warm sounds it produces. It sounds just as good unplugged.

This one is my first guitar I bought. It’s a Squier Bullet Strat made by Fender. Sweetwater had a combo deal that came with an amp and accessories so I couldn’t resist. It didn’t play really well out of the box, so I replaced the bridge, tuning pegs and strings. Doesn’t play too bad now for a cheapy. I also bought a black pic guard for it to match David Gilmour’s Black Strat. Love to hear him play. Have always been a Pink Floyd fan!

This one is a Fender DG-6 Acoustic. Bought it off a guy I work with. He had it for years and didn’t play it anymore so he sold it to me. It is in really great shape and sounds so good.


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[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Absolutely love that particular green finish along with the trapezoid's and bound neck. The fact that the finish has a nice gloss to it just makes it that much more stunning. Never heard the Dragonfire Screamers in person but I think that they have pretty decent reviews iirc.

Thanks, it came out a better than expected. I'd never done a finish like that, so I really didn't know how it would turn out. Check out Highline Guitars on youtube and fb. He builds guitars in his garage and makes a crap ton of how to videos. The LP was done with oil paint from Hobby Lobby and many light coats of polyurethane. Just a couple of weeks ago I stripped the parts back off and gave it a wet sanding and polish. It's way shinier now.

The Screamers are new to me, and they live up to their hype. If I do another build it'll get a similar setup.

FWIW, everything on that guitar (apart from the pups) is how it came in the box. It just needed color, a little bit of soldering, and assembly. It was the cheapest LP kit I could find ($125 shipped). My only real complaints are that the neck arrived with a backbow (it's getting better), and the pocket for the neck was cut 1/2" too long. If you're not careful, the scale length will be all jacked up and intonation is impossible. I've got mine close, but it could be better. I'm mulling over ideas for a more permanent fix.

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Love that RG too... Always liked that Ibby red color accented with black. Solid guitar obviously but yea... I cringe every time that I have to set up a Floyd Rose. Even changing strings can be aggravating. I've got some FR equipped guitars but I don't find myself utilizing whammy's as much as I used to. I favor a traditional TOM or fixed Hipshot these days. Love those EMG's configured with the single-coil too!

It's funny, I didn't make it an OG Ibanez color on purpose. Out of all the rattle cans of paint at the auto parts store, it was the one I thought would look the best. It's Toyota red pearl.

I despise FR tremelos. I really don't like tremolos at all if I'm honest about it. Eventually they all get blocked and locked. Years ago I had a Schaller tremolo on an Aria V which I did like very much. Just like a FR, but without all of the PITA.

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Never played an RX40 and offhand I really know nothing about them aside from the fact that they were only in production for a short time. Really cool to hear about your collection, man!

If I had to guess, I'd say it was an attempt to draw in the low budget Strat crowd. They rounded the sharp edges of the RG, threw on a cheap tremolo, gave it a H/S/S configuration and fatter, non-wizard neck. It's nothing special at all, but it plays nice and sounds good. IIRC, they retailed new for $150.

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

I have only been part-time playing for about two years. Between life and tiny trucks, it’s hard to find the time to just pick one up and play. But I’m hoping this winter will give me a little more time.

It's hard to find time to dedicate to practicing, but if you can do a little multitasking, it's way easier. Most of what you will learn eventually boils down to simple repetition and muscle memory. Sitting and consciously playing the same scale over and over again sucks. Learning a scale, then absentmindedly (but correctly) playing it over and over and over again for hours on end while binge watching Netflix is way better.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

I also bought a black pic guard for it to match David Gilmour’s Black Strat. Love to hear him play.

Yes. Love Gilmour.

[high plains drifter]

Originally Posted by 2mtech

My sole guitar at the moment...Taylor 210e and a Roland AC-60 acoustic chorus amp.

Story with this was I had wanted a cherry sunburst Gibson Hummingbird since I started playing, and when I retired from the service I decided to buy one. Went to Guitar Center and was all ready to plop down my $3600 for the Hummingbird when the sales guy asked me if I'd ever played a Taylor. I hadn't, so he pulled this one down in the acoustic humidor room. I had never played such a resonant, sustained acoustic. For under a grand it was a no brainer. Saved so much I bought the amp, high end mike, stands, cords, picks, six packs of Elixir strings, tuner and cases. THIS one I'll never part with!

I've had a bunch in my three-ring-circus life...Gibson G45, Ovation Balladeer, Seagull 12-string, Epiphone...all hocked or traded for guns, weed or car batteries (changing priorities, ya know).

Worst heartbreak was a creme yellow Fender Telecaster I bought in a hock shop in the Philippines for $100. I knew it was a knock-off because it was brand new in 1988 and $100. Sweet guitar though.

Fell short of lettuce in '91 and advertised it in the Phoenix paper for $400 thinking I might get $300. Phone blew up. Had three people show up at the house at the same time. One guy had a Fender guide and checked the numbers. Turns out the damn thing was an original '74 Blonde that had either never been played or had been meticulously cared for and was probably worth $1500. Dammit.

If I could have that and my '69 Roadrunner back life would be sweet.

Ugh... '69 Roadrunner??? My condolences! Probably one of my top five favorite MC's of all time. I've got some regrets as well regarding guitars that I let get away but c'est la vie. So... lead-acid, grass, and heaters? We MUST have crossed paths somewhere along the way lmao! Man, Sorry about the Tele too... I think you were Born Under A Bad Sign!

I love the story of how you came to acquire the 210e. It's funny b/c have a very similar story regarding my Taylor 6-string... but at the other end of the spectrum. When it came time for me to replace my cheap-o battle worn acoustic... I went to the local music store with a fist-full of cash in hopes of acquiring the cheapest yet best sounding acoustic that I could get. I found a few that were cheaper than my budget and I was thinking... "Cool... Get a new crappy guitar and keep some money in my pocket!". But the salesman there encouraged me to play a couple of lower end Taylors. I did and I was absolutely blown away at how much better they sounded than the bargain brands. After a few more minutes I decided on a Taylor 110 series. It cost me just about every bit of cash that I had but to this day, it still sounds fantastic and has stood some serious abuse. Made me a Taylor customer for life. IIRC it was about $400 +/-

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

I have only been part-time playing for about two years. Between life and tiny trucks, it’s hard to find the time to just pick one up and play. But I’m hoping this winter will give me a little more time.

This first guitar is a PRS Tremonti SE. It is so easy to play and sounds fantastic.

This one is an Ibanez Artcore AS-83 Semi-hollow. Love the color and warm sounds it produces. It sounds just as good unplugged.

This one is my first guitar I bought. It’s a Squier Bullet Strat made by Fender. Sweetwater had a combo deal that came with an amp and accessories so I couldn’t resist. It didn’t play really well out of the box, so I replaced the bridge, tuning pegs and strings. Doesn’t play too bad now for a cheapy. I also bought a black pic guard for it to match David Gilmour’s Black Strat. Love to hear him play. Have always been a Pink Floyd fan!

This one is a Fender DG-6 Acoustic. Bought it off a guy I work with. He had it for years and didn’t play it anymore so he sold it to me. It is in really great shape and sounds so good.

It's sometimes hard for me to find time as well... especially since about six years ago when some crazy woman moved into my house! But I still try to find at least an hour or so a day to play. It may be acoustic, electric, bass, seven-string, 12-string, etc... but if I miss a day or two then I start to get pretty antsy. Luckily my wife understands and tries to steer clear when she knows I need to play.

Agreed on the Tremonti SE. It's a damn good guitar and has a great sound. I really dig what PRS is doing to produce affordable quality guitars that sound nice and feel comfortable.

I had an Artcore Ibby that I regret selling. Those are really amazing sounding guitars for the price and wow... they just look beautiful.

Good choice on the black pick-guard! I've played some Squires that sounded really nice. They're one of those brands that shouldn't be overlooked when considering a budget-oriented instrument. I think that they're as good or better now than they ever have been. Squire also has pretty consistent quality control imo. I'm actually looking at a Squire bass currently... Has great reviews and is very affordable.

Absolute lifelong Floyd fan here! Saw them in Columbus Ohio back in idk... 1989 maybe? Fun fact- One Thanksgiving, I put a vinyl pressing of Careful With That Axe, Eugene on my dad's turntable during dinner and wound up scaring my grandmother half to death. My parents were not amused. Anyway.. The Pink Floyd will always be a huge part of who I am as a musician and I can't imagine the world without their music. Oh... and long live Syd!

BTW... I've never played one but that Fender DG-6 looks really nice!

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Thanks, it came out a better than expected. I'd never done a finish like that, so I really didn't know how it would turn out. Check out Highline Guitars on youtube and fb. He builds guitars in his garage and makes a crap ton of how to videos. The LP was done with oil paint from Hobby Lobby and many light coats of polyurethane. Just a couple of weeks ago I stripped the parts back off and gave it a wet sanding and polish. It's way shinier now.

The Screamers are new to me, and they live up to their hype. If I do another build it'll get a similar setup.

FWIW, everything on that guitar (apart from the pups) is how it came in the box. It just needed color, a little bit of soldering, and assembly. It was the cheapest LP kit I could find ($125 shipped). My only real complaints are that the neck arrived with a backbow (it's getting better), and the pocket for the neck was cut 1/2" too long. If you're not careful, the scale length will be all jacked up and intonation is impossible. I've got mine close, but it could be better. I'm mulling over ideas for a more permanent fix.

It's funny, I didn't make it an OG Ibanez color on purpose. Out of all the rattle cans of paint at the auto parts store, it was the one I thought would look the best. It's Toyota red pearl.

I despise FR tremelos. I really don't like tremolos at all if I'm honest about it. Eventually they all get blocked and locked. Years ago I had a Schaller tremolo on an Aria V which I did like very much. Just like a FR, but without all of the PITA.

I don't think I'm familiar with Highline. I'll have to check out some of the youtube content. Crazy that Hobby Lobby was your paint source for that finish lol. Truly eye-catching.

Fwiw If I'm ever doing a budget-minded project, I think I'm going to give the Screamer's a try. Also I appreciate the heads-up on the back-bow and the pocket. You never know though... I've seen awesome high-end guitars with horrible truss-rod, fret, and neck issues so it can be hit or miss no matter what. Hopefully yours is acceptable now or can be tweaked a little more if need be.

Lol... I thought that was Ibanez's signature candy red! Fooled me! It does ( at least on the screen) look just like it. Great choice!

Meh... I've had good trems and bad. As long as they stay in tune and allow me to intonate properly, most of them don't bother me... just not a feature that I use very much. I am planning on blocking my PRS SE trem though.