GUITARS

[Bikeguy Joe]

...but I digress. The VW guitar was in overall fair shape, meaning it arrived filthy, missing strings, and in need of some help, lol. I paid 75 dollars. Most go for around the 200++ mark with shipping, so I am not complaining.
It came with the VW picks, the VW embossed (and nice) padded gig bag, and the VW seat belt guitar strap. (The knobs all work, which I have read that they don't always- they have a problem with the detent breaking, and spinning 360 degrees sometimes). The built in pre amp and distortion work as well.
I cleaned it thoroughly (Zippo lighter fluid to get the finger crud off the fretboard after Mean Green to get the main funk off) dressed the frets, and oiled up the tuning machines. I have a 6 pack of strings coming in the mail today, (buy in bulk, they are $3.50 a pack for good ones when you buy a 3 or 6 pack) and it will be ready for a set up. Can't wait.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Forgot to mention- Last week I traded a chinese strat copy and 50 bucks for a Squier Strat. Super score! It's an '03 Ltd edition with the reverse silverburst- black with a white pearloid pickguard, and the "burst" is just a spray of silver around the edge. It was so ugly that Fender changed it to "silverburst" where it starts off silver then fades to black, and no pearloid, just a white pickguard) You can't find many of the reverse silverbursts.

I am waiting on strings, but it plays AMAZINGLY WELL.

Yesterday, I sold the cheap chinese strat copy for 50 bucks. I paid 35, bought Fender frets and refretted it just for fun (and education). The frets were ten bucks, so I made 5 bucks on it, but got a free education in freetwork. It came out good.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Another one bites the dust. Sold a bass today. down to 18 now, so sad.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Oh yes, an update. I got the VW guitar all set and ready to go. I put the strings on it, and low and behold, the scarf joint came apart on the neck. I got scammed. HOWEVER, I put my skills to work, and fixed it and it's as good as new.

I looked at the pics again on ebay... the strings were on it, and it was clean. When I got it, 2 strings were off, and the rest were loose. Plus it was uber filthy. So, the pic was old....I am guessing he threw the switch in the box, since I looked at that closely, and it was a very old break- oxidized, not a fresh break like UPS mishandled it. Plus the box had no damage.

I let the guy know.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Fixed it! It plays great, and sounds great, just waiting on the PU switch.

Then I worked on a Hannah Montana guitar.....a wicked POS put out by Washburn.

I got it to play decently. (4 hours of gnashing of teeth) It SOUNDS great, but the quality is one step above firewood.

That's all I want to say about that one.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I sold four guitars in a week....the herd is down to 16.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I ordered a Firefly DC Jr. Double cutaway LP Jr. copy. I got the last one by about 5 minutes....SOLD OUT!

I applied for an amazon credit card that I will never use, and got a 60 dollar credit, plus I had a 5 dollar gift card. $74 shipped!

 

[FOG]

Joe, do you do any finger picking? I normally use a pick but lately I've been working on a finger style version of the Beatles "Yesterday" and having a helluva time consistently thumbin' the bass notes. I can't decide if I should try to use my thumbnail or cut the thing off and get it outa the way! Any advice?

 

[FOG]

Double post ...

 

[Greg58]

Joe where are the pictures? We like pictures.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I almost exclusively "finger pick", but my technique is not normal. I use a combination of bass style for the fast stuff, Wes Montgomery thumb for a lot (majority), and for added whack on occasion, I'll use my fingernails like "brushing off crumbs".

Personally, I keep my nails short so I use the fleshy parts. I find it's too easy to break a nail, or have them get longer/shorter/inconsistent.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Pictures.....I have a major problem with those- I take them with my phone, and send them to my (two) emails, and 9 times out of 10, I don't get them, or they take literally 9 days when I do. Here's what I do have. The orange Strat, sold. The Jazzmaster is my baby, The "fake" Broadcaster is the one I built from a 27 dollar ebay kit. Decal on the headstock added by me.

 

[MTBNewf]

Got these.

Explorer is 90's
Kramer is an 86.

 

[FOG]

I almost exclusively "finger pick", but my technique is not normal. I use a combination of bass style for the fast stuff, Wes Montgomery thumb for a lot (majority), and for added whack on occasion, I'll use my fingernails like "brushing off crumbs".

Personally, I keep my nails short so I use the fleshy parts. I find it's too easy to break a nail, or have them get longer/shorter/inconsistent.

Thanks Joe. I'm definitely more consistent with the fleshy part of my thumb. That nail's gone.

I'm still growing the other four tho. Whether they turn out to be useful or not remains to be seen.

 

[Greg58]

Joe the new forum software works great with my iPhone, I can upload a picture without doing any resizing.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Can you run me through that procedure? I take a photo with my phone (android) the how do I get it to upload here?
I have only had a smart phone for a year.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Got these.

Explorer is 90's
Kramer is an 86.

Hey Mr.Bassman! (I know, that song refers to the vocalist).

I started on guitar, then my brother and his friends needed a bass player, so I got one (60 something Hagstrom ) to join the band.
The first thing I ever played live in front of an audience was Cat Scratch Fever, and we did a lot of Thin Lizzy, Ac/Dc, Godz, like a set of each and a few others. I played bass until I was 18, then I decided I "needed a guitar to be able to write songs". Funny thing was, by then I was in my second band doing all originals, (late 70's punk band) and had been "writing songs" for two years.
Now among my 20-ish guitars is a Harley Benton P bass "replica' '56-ish with the single coil. I call that one "Thud". (lovingly)

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I always wanted a Thunderbird....too bad they were "too expensive" in the late 70's! lol.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

If I could sign in with my phone, it would be a piece of cake....but it says my email is invalid. I sign in with my chromebook just fine,and receive notifications, so I am not sure. I am not spending a lot of time worrying about it.

 

[Greg58]

Try typing the user name or email completely yourself, don't use auto fill. I've had problems with other sites not recognizing auto fill before.