Confessions of a Rehabilitated Cork Sniffer

[Bill Hicklin]

I don't know if preferring tubes to solid state is mere sniffery. Sniffery implies a sort of empty snobbery with no real basis, based on secondary characteristics, whereas tubes produce tone that transistors simply can't, it's in their nature.

Now, there can certainly be amp sniffery within the tube world, much of it silly. Electrons don't care whether they're moving through copper wire or a copper trace on a PCB. Honest, they don't. (That's not to say that some amps don't have thin, cheap PCBs that don't hold up, but that's another story).

 

[MooCheng]

I played around with American Strats at GC when I visit there and none of them feel any better than my Squier. They may have nicer finishes, but I don't care about that.

sort of my experience too, I have both a MIA and MIM and to be honest theres very little to choose between them once I changed out the MIM's pu's to a broadcaster set. If anything the Mexi has become my favorite
Also I have to agree, some of the CV's I've tried have been stunning.

Leo was a clever guy, his "engineers approach " took variables and the possibility of things going wrong out the equation

 

[cybermgk]

A Snifter of Corks for sniffing

 

[Bill Hicklin]

sort of my experience too, I have both a MIA and MIM and to be honest theres very little to choose between them once I changed out the MIM's pu's to a broadcaster set. If anything the Mexi has become my favorite
Also I have to agree, some of the CV's I've tried have been stunning.

Leo was a clever guy, his "engineers approach " took variables and the possibility of things going wrong out the equation

As I understand it, Mexican Fenders are made on CNC decks running the same programs that Corona does- in other words, they're dimensionally identical to American Fenders. Where they differ is the use of multipiece bodies (on solid-color guitars), and cheaper electronics and hardware.

But that raises this observation: For the price of an American Standard Strat ($1200 street), one could buy a $300 Mexican Strat, put $600 into upgrades (that will easily get you boutique pickups, a new wiring harness, a high-end aftermarket bridge/whammy, and good tuners), and still have enough left over for another one.

Now, could anyone legitimately sniff at that hotrodded Mexicaster? Nope.

 

[acstorfer]

As I understand it, Mexican Fenders are made on CNC decks running the same programs that Corona does- in other words, they're dimensionally identical to American Fenders. Where they differ is the use of multipiece bodies (on solid-color guitars), and cheaper electronics and hardware.

There are several different models made in Mexico of varying cost and quality. The electronics in my Classic Player are pretty excellent. The pickups are Custom Shop. As far as hardware, again pretty impressive. It's solid body so I'll take your word on the multipiece body.

Classic Player '60s Stratocaster®, Rosewood Fingerboard, Sonic Blue | Fender Electric Guitars

 

[THDNUT]

There's an Epiphone section on this forum? Who knew?

 

[bulletproof]

I like guitars and gear.....all of them! If it sounds good,thats what I use.....amps? Same Same.....the only area that Im a sniffer is pickups. Very picky about my pups,man....Over time,my ear has tuned in to those subtle chirps,squalls and thick tone(again,its subjective and this is just my opinion) that seem to reside in the higher end of the pickup world. Outside of that,its all good.....And never,NEVER trash another persons gear/rig. Told this story once before....Was at an open mic night,this kids comes in with a No-Name strat copy,a Crate SS amp and one of those June Bug looking Tube Screamers and just tore that place down,man. I quite enjoyed the looks on the faces of them dip****s who were bad mouthing the dude

 

[edro]

Hmm wonder what difference a multipiece body body makes that's been Titebonded and clamped... Is it not as good?

Necks are multipiece since that board is Titebonded and slapped on top of it...

I guess Lesters suck because they are multipieces all Titebonded together...

That neck what has the board Titebonded on top of it is Titebonded in the neck pocket of that body that is maple Titebonded on top of hog wood.

You know, the Lesters played decades back by them famous Lester rock players had bodies that were a couple of slabs of offset hog and Tightbonded together with syrup wood Tightbonded on top and I think some even had a thin sheet of syrup wood sammiched in and Titebonded betwixt the slabs of hog...

Lawdy mercy, Strats and Teles are bolt on necks with a board Titebonded on top of the neck and then bolted on a body...

Oh my homey jeebus, some of them Strat and Tele bodies are multiple pieces of pallet wood Tightbonded together....


AHAH! I have discovered the elusive secret of mondo mojo!


Glue!!!!!

My work here is done.

 

[Minte]

Cork sniffer..whenever I shop for guitars online I always set the filters to list them by *most expensive*. I don't always buy the one at the top of the list, but rarely do I make it to page 2.

 

[Donal]

There's an Epiphone section on this forum? Who knew?

 

[MooCheng]

As I understand it, Mexican Fenders are made on CNC decks running the same programs that Corona does- in other words, they're dimensionally identical to American Fenders. Where they differ is the use of multipiece bodies (on solid-color guitars), and cheaper electronics and hardware.

Now, could anyone legitimately sniff at that hotrodded Mexicaster? Nope.

I've even heard that all the necks are made at Corona and shipped down to Ensenada, I'm not sure how true this is but to my tired old eyes they certainly look identical in every way

As for multipiece bodys Mines black and if you hold up up to bright sunlight you can just about see the joints, its 3 piece the centre piece the bridge sits bang in the middle which sort of suggest some care has been taken in positioning the body blank before routing

perhaps we should all keep quiet about how good these guitars really are before they cotton on an put the price up

 

[Bill Hicklin]

Oh, yeah..... kids and their "cheap crappy" equipment.

Start this one at 2:54-

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtoM7XMIi9o[/ame]

 

[kevinpaul]

I love the pick ups, bridge, and all the stuff it takes to make a great guitar. The good stuff costs a good bit of money. I try pick up combinations, two pick ups, three pups or just one.
I love trying to make a sounding guitar. That takes a balance for head stock on back. I have guitar were the mojo or harmony is just not there, I like it but never play it. The guitar is not complete. By fixing another guitar I came up with my problem, I like a balance and have an extreme pup in the tail and a pastoral thing in the neck is wrong. I keep it even or close and I have a new guitar, personality change was all it needed.

 

[FUS44]

I think the most important thing here (and even though we all know it, we'd best say it out loud), is that my whatever-level of cork-sniffery and snobbiness doesn't extend to looking down my nose at other people's stuff.
When I show up with my LP Std and a 2204, and they show up with a MIM Tele (fine guitars, btw....) and a Bandit or something, we play music, we jam, and if he (a purely invented person for hypothetical purposes) asks any questions, I answer them honestly, but in such a way that he doesn't feel like I'm calling his gear ****.
****!! Why can't we say ****?!!!

This.

In February we played a bit of a throwback, all ages Legion Show. It was awesome fun and we were kinda like the curators of new bands in the area.

At one point, 6 or 7 dudes had their guitars (4-5 LP's of various makes) out on the covered pool table, talking shop. It was one of the first times I had ever seen a flat out, pants down gear discussion in many years of gigging. We had played with one of the bands before and their guitarist had been very praising of my guitars and urged me to get 'em out and join the discussion.
I felt like a douche to be honest. But I thrust my no.1 and 2 guitars into the hands of anyone who wanted to check 'em out. I joined the discussion and didn't feel like quite such a douche anymore. It was just such a cool little happening I didn't want to wreck it with d-comparisons or sniffery, perceived or otherwise.

 

[edro]

Cork sniffer..whenever I shop for guitars online I always set the filters to list them by *most expensive*. I don't always buy the one at the top of the list, but rarely do I make it to page 2.

Hell, you earned it. Buy what you want.

That in itself does not make one a corksniffer.

I could probably buy any guitar I wished. My guitars I've collected "to play" widely range from my old ass Custom in its old ass case to an old original 3-digit bottom of the line original head Ibanez Blazer that I would sell LAST and only if at gunpoint.

Is my Custom better than the Blazer since I could buy a bunch of em for the value of the Custom? Nawt.

Is my Blazer better? Nawt.

Is my Goldie with minis as good as my old ass Custom? Yep.

Is my old ass Custom as good as my Goldie with minis? Yep.


Some of the same folks that swore one would go straight to hell for buying a Jap Fender over a USA, now say the Jap Fenders are better than the USA Fenders. Same guitars, just changed their view... I've actually heard some folks say they liked the MIMs better than USAs...

"You'll go to hell for playing a Studio Lester. Everruhbody know the Studios ain't got no tonez cause they ain't got no binding... They ain't no good..." Corksniffery...

Sooooooo, just because you buy expensive, a corksniffer you are not.

Play ten of ANY guitar. Some will make you moist, some will not at all... Any guitar....

Your call on what you buy.

However, I would suggest you are missing out on some killer opportunities to play some really sweet guitars that don't cost a mint.

There's magic in some of all of em...

Except Esteban... He's going to hell.....

 

[defcrew]

Cork sniffer..whenever I shop for guitars online I always set the filters to list them by *most expensive*. I don't always buy the one at the top of the list, but rarely do I make it to page 2.

 

[AXE]

There's an Epiphone section on this forum? Who knew?

Please!

My allergies!

 

[Dolebludger]

I select guitars for the nice, low action I like. I select amps for the deep, rich tone I like. Not all like the action and tone I like, but if I'm going to play the gear, it needs to fit me. Don't have the time or desire to criticize any other player for what gear he has selected and owns. Might not fit me, but it fits him,And mine fits me, and that is all that matters here.

 

[kevinpaul]

Please!

My allergies!

I am glade you asked that question. The preferred wood of bums for a good old garbage can fire is a pallet. They are just laying around and are seldom reused.
Not easy to take apart without tools. Down by the river you and the guys a few gallons of Ripple, no tools! So you kick the hell out of it. I was a guessed at a with hobo party. I bought the booze after they got their flu shot plus others. Samo and I carried a pallet 5 blocks to the burning.
We called a cab so we could borrow his tire tools to break up the pallet. They are made out of crap level pine. They are not good for a fire place fire cause of creosol. That can clog and burn your house down. So pallets are good for fender fakes and bum, ripple, fire and flu shot party's. That was the theme of our party.

 

[DRF]

I've never been a snob judging peoples ability on what they play, I mean does anybody do that?, the proof is in the pudding regardless. I've always liked nice guitars but it doesn't matter what you have you still have to work for it.

I seem to have settled on around the $1300-2000 mark for store bought guitars (when I was buying) some of them used. Like many here if I thought it important enough I could probably somehow swing a 10-20k guitar but in my price range to play around with I'd rather have a bunch of guitars.