One of my pupils showed up with a Gibson USA case today...

[Caleb]

Originally Posted by your idol

Did you just watch License to Drive too the other night?

Don't f*ck with the DMV.

[Thundergod]

OK, picture time... here's the guitar as it was from the store (I have visited that particular Samash -at Dolphin mall in miami- and am willing to bet this is their doing, as they are morons), notice how the lower part of the tailpiece is way higher than the lower part of the bridge, same goes for the upper part of both pieces.



Here's the fretboard, before and after a cleanup and conditioning:




And here's Rafa, my pupil, very happy with how the guitar ended up... yes, those of you thinking "ain't that one of Bobby Lee's screwless pickguards?" are right, I had one spare and gave it to him as a "NGD present" as he wanted to have a pickguard because he knows he's still a little heavy handed and don't want to damage the guitar's finish, but he didn't want to drill holes or cover the beautiful top.






EDIT: looks like they are showing the right way now

[Rocknburn]

I hate my parents they dont even buy me a epiphone.I bought my guitar with my own money...**** you dad and mom

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Oton,

I bet he thinks the world of you, nice work!

Matt

[Toris93]

Originally Posted by Rocknburn

I hate my parents they dont even buy me a epiphone.I bought my guitar with my own money...**** you dad and mom

**** your dad and mom for creating such a little shit as yourself

[Malikon]

fretboard looks nice after oil.

[LedZeppelin]

Originally Posted by Thundergod

/snip

Guitar looks cool, I'm just not digging the clownburst

[Thumpalumpacus]

That's cool stuff, TG. I don't mind the tailpiece being up a ways, but that does seem a bit ridiculous there.

[EnjoGuitar]

Originally Posted by Rocknburn

I hate my parents they dont even buy me a epiphone.I bought my guitar with my own money...**** you dad and mom

Ya know what, I'm a lucky bastard. I might have started on a Yamaha Pacifica and worked my ass off, but I got a Les Paul after only a year and a half of playing. My family is not even close to being wealthy, but I ended up with a couple very nice guitars because of the way things turned out. While I'm incredibly grateful, I didn't deserve the Les Paul. I really didn't.

But good lord, if I had just stayed with the Pacifica, or even had a Squier, I would have been just as grateful to even have a guitar.

Seriously buddy, shame on you for feeling that way. That's not cool, one little bit.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Originally Posted by EnjoGuitar

But good lord, if I had just stayed with the Pacifica,

if someone is new to guitar I always point them to the Yamaha Pacifica, it is not a good guitar for the money, it is simply a good guitar!

Over a period of 12 years and having scores of pupils who have owned them, I don't believe there have ever been tuning issues, faulty electrics etc. They just do what they say on the tin!

Matt

[EnjoGuitar]

Originally Posted by Cpt Matt Sparrow

if someone is new to guitar I always point them to the Yamaha Pacifica, it is not a good guitar for the money, it is simply a good guitar!

Over a period of 12 years and having scores of pupils who have owned them, I don't believe there have ever been tuning issues, faulty electrics etc. They just do what they say on the tin!

Matt

I agree, they're fantastic guitars. I loved mine. It was a 312, I think. It was metallic green with a black pickguard and HSH pups. It had high action but I loved learning on it. I took my guitar playing farther on that guitar than I would have guessed.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

The Yamaha connection...

From a personal perspective, the reason this little guy getting a nice instrument - and his parents encouraging him, reminds me of me when I was his age with my piano.

My dad (in his late 70's now), owns c.20 cds, cannot tell major from minor and there are family jokes about how tone deaf he is (and what a horrendous singing voice he has!) Which is why his support, has always meant all the more!! I started learning Piano when I was 13/14 initially on a beginners £300 pub piano; it was out of tune and a couple of the keys were wonkey. A year (and hundreds of hours of playing) later; I had simply outgrown it. My dad, listening to the advice of a friend of the family and realsing how seriously keen I was on the piano, took me out piano shopping.

With a budget of about £2000 and the understanding it was my birthday and Christmas present together (and a very special present at that!!), ordered the piano on the right in the picture. I remember looking out the window as the van came up the drive and seeing these two 'mofos' of men carrying it out.

Having that instrument, opposed to the pub piano, helped me climb further - and knowing my dad wasn't a rich man, (or a musical one ) made it even more special! I know with the guitar you get more 'bang for the buck' (a phrase I learned on American guitar sites ) but even so, if someone is passionate about something and the parents have the cash, why not?

[Luckynumber3]

On one hand, it is somewhat good to start off cheap, and if you suck, great gear might not help you that much.

On the other hand, giving a beginner or kid great gear can really inspire them to play more, and it can be something they have forever.

I have seen both oer the years. There are some people who say "I had to start with crap and work my way up, and it wasn't until I was 30 that I even owned a les paul studio! It is unfair for people to get a historic when they start!" On the other hand, I have seen the review of the les paul silverburst, saying "I remember christmas 1982 when I opened up my present and found a les paul custom silverburst that my dad got me. Ever since then, it has been my favorite guitar and I have treated it excellently." I have also seen guys on youtube playing some really sick Norlins that are in great condition and I read that they bought it in highschool and never looked back. In some of those cases, people were given guitars by their parents and it literally changed their life.

So, you can look at things 2 different ways. I personalyl got a POS acoustic when I started, even though I was only interested in hard rock and wanted an electric. My teacher basically told me that it was above my level or that I needed to first learn on an acoustic, but having an acoustic only made me QUIT learning the guitar. Who knows, if I had got an electic when I started, I probably would have never given up and would have been several years further along in my playing.

It all depends on how you look at it...

Edit: Btw Thunderdgod, that lp with the clear pickguard is SICK! I may have to buy me a clear pickguard now (the rest of the guitar is badass though, even if I am only talking about the clear pickguard).

[ed1996]

All I know is starting out on a crappy nylon string is completely uninspiring.

[Luckynumber3]

Originally Posted by ed1996

All I know is starting out on a crappy nylon string is completely uninspiring.

As I just posted about starting out with a POS acoustic, I definately agree there. It probably didn't help that I was too small for the darn guitar, but still the action was terrible and high, and since I was only interested in hard rock music, I got turned off bigtime.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Originally Posted by ed1996

All I know is starting out on a crappy nylon string is completely uninspiring.

Even though nylon string guitar is my passion and what I do, I completely hear what you are saying! It sounds good playing what it is meant for, classical/Spanish guitar music, but as an instrument for someone who wants to learn rock/blues I think it can put people many people off. It is a completely different instrument like the clavichord is a different instrument to the piano or the jazz organ.

Matt

[Slashperryburst]

Am I the only person who thought Rocknburn was joking?

Originally Posted by ed1996

All I know is starting out on a crappy nylon string is completely uninspiring.

I started on a squier and didn't even own my first acoustic until after I had my Les Paul. As a matter of fact, other than failing miserably with both steel and nylon acoustics in school, I hadn't played a nylon strung guitar until about two years ago. My neighbour had a real P.O.S nylon string acoustic. He kept claiming "It's a good one. It cost me 80 pounds."

The guitar was very tricky to play on a count of how awful it was, but I had a blast on it.

[D-POLAND]

Originally Posted by Roberteaux

Yes, and I have seen one too many really hard-bitten kids who turned into violent hoodlums because they never had anything nice at all. And I would guess that where you live, people don't encourage that vile attribute either.

I have seen rich kids who were nice, even though their parents stroked them will all kinds of expensive things that were out of the reach of poorer families. I have seen rich kids who turned into gangsters because that's just how they rolled. They never needed to-- they were just criminals at heart and did what they dug doing.

I've seen poor boys who came out righteous even though they stayed poor, and others that turned into really evil people and ended up rich because of it.

It's a case-by-case thing, man. Predictions regarding the future nature of an child's innate character as an adult that are based solely n the fiscal circumstances of his life as a youth have turned out to be a flop over and over, except that poorer children are far more likely to become involved in criminal activites than their wealthier counterparts.

And even this is not an accurate assessment of character, either, truth be told.

--R

my comment wasn't meant to be a predictor of any ones future!what I was alluding to, is that as a parent there is, in my mind , a requirement to teach your kids MANY THINGS that prep them for real life!Iam not opposed to giving nice gifts either! I am personally concerned with not raising a thankless no good kid and will do all I can to prevent it! I well know that there aren't any guarantees also! but if the stuff hits the fan , Iwill at least know I did all that I could. to do what was needed the best I could!

[FUS44]

Originally Posted by ed1996

All I know is starting out on a crappy nylon string is completely uninspiring.

Erroneous. I got just as big a thrill out of being able to play the ventures chuck berry and ramones riffs on my nylon string acoustic as anything.
The amp and distortion were just gravy.

[Tone deaf]

I had two problems with my first guitar which was a POS nylon string acoustic: 1) it was pretty lame looking and not a chick magnet, and 2) I sucked at playing it.

However, I can still remember figuring out how to play Dazed and Confused on it (about 36 years ago) and making some of those first couple of stanzas sound pretty good (like a real guitarist might). Got me hooked on playing guitar so, I guess that old POS wasn't a bad place to start.

TG, he'll definitely remember you. It's great that he is interested in how the guitar works (i.e. wants to see how a set up is done) as well as playing it. Keep up the good work.


PS: I still suck but my guitars are nicer these days and every now and then I strike a note that sounds like how a real guitarist would play it, so I keep playing. Coincidentally, last week I actually started looking for a nylon string acoustic to add to the stable.

[brettk7]

He had to of had a dud... The ones that Eddie's have been getting have been awesome. And IMHO, I was very skeptical myself. I agree, I think the world maybe "prefers" a rosewood board on their Les Pauls, but those are far from bad guitars. The maple definitely has its tonal pros too, the purists just need to broaden their horizons.

*Edit*
Just seen the photos... Nice top on that one! Good on you for taking him under your wing.

[Stevie 202]

Originally Posted by Rocknburn

I hate my parents they dont even buy me a epiphone.I bought my guitar with my own money...**** you dad and mom

My parents are in their mid 80's now.
I'm just glad they're still here.

Get some perspective.

(EDIT: If he WAS joking....he shoulda used purple)

[Stevie 202]

Originally Posted by LedZeppelin

Guitar looks cool, I'm just not digging the clownburst

Yeah, that one does look pretty clownish.

I guess it really IS the liuck of the draw with those things.

Mine's a little paler, more 'vintage' looking

Go figger.

[hobbyman]

TG, I love how that fretboard looks after you cleaned and conditioned it. The picture of your student is great! He looks like he's just amazed at what you did to his guitar and it's all sinking in to him now that he has a great instrument in his hands!

Good for you!

[TOMMYTHUNDERS]

terrible clownburst.

still... ask that kid if his parents want to adopt me.

[Grand Toad]

Originally Posted by Stevie 202

My parents are in their mid 80's now.
I'm just glad they're still here.

Get some perspective.

(EDIT: If he WAS joking....he shoulda used purple)

I only have my mom left and she's 80. I'm sure glad she's still around. I sure wish my dad was still around.

And Rocknburn use purple if you're joking.

BTW Thundergod you've obviously helped a young fellow love guitar and music even more.

Sure a lot better than my old guitar teacher.

[Thundergod]

Actually the guitar doesn't look that way (or that bad) in person, it looks lighter, the pic was taken directly under a white/cool lightbulb maybe that made it look that way.