Posted on 12/17/2001 10:12:56 AM PST by Nita Nupress
FReeper help needed!
My son has taught himself to play the guitar and he's no longer content with just playing the acoustical guitar that he learned on. He's now wanting an electric guitar and amp for Christmas, and to achieve this goal, he's telling all the family to forego any Christmas presents this year and is asking for the equivalent cash instead. For those of you who remember what it was like to be young and wanting that first electric guitar, you'll understand that he's so desperate that he'll spend his Christmas money on trash if I don't take some action here and help him out.
I have several choices on how to help him find a good quality, yet affordable (i.e. "cheap") guitar, but I have no technical background or expertise on which to rely. Thus the vanity to ask the Freeper experts. ;-) I need your opinions and any information that I can collect before making a decision.
My main problem: Do I fix one of the guitars that I already have? Or do I go help him pick out something retail?
Here are the facts I'm working with:
I have two 'hand-me-down' electric guitars in storage that I used to play in the mid-'80's (When I started having kids, that was essentially the end of my guitar-playing days.) Neither of the guitars are in working order -- one of them (a GRETSCH) was taken apart and needs to be put back together (more on that later). The other (an Ibanez) just plain doesn't work; it may be something as simple as a loose wire.
I'm thinking that it would be much cheaper and safer from a consumer standpoint to choose one of these guitars to get repaired than to go retail and be at the mercy of some salesman who takes advantage of the dumb blonde. My main fear with going retail is that my son will get stuck with a guitar that's so low-quality that he'll get discouraged. I have no idea how much money he'll be getting for Christmas, which is another problem. My other fear is that I'll give him my vintage GRETSCH and find out later that it's worth thousands and he won't be nice to it. ;-)
Before I can make an informed decision on the repair job, I need information on the value and quality of the two guitars. I'm in the middle of doing an internet search but it's getting discouraging because I'm not finding much. Here's what I have:
- GRETSCH - Model 7628 Committee - solid-body guitar with a natural wood, two-tone finish. It has two pickups and 5 switches/knobs, but the problem is that all the electrical components are in a cigar box! It was given to me in this condition, but I played it before it was taken apart and it played fine. This was in the late '70's and early '80's, so it's at least that old. I'm not sure how much money I'm looking at to get it reassembled. Any guesses out there? I don't want to get ripped off.
This is the closest I can find to what it looks like: http://abacus.sj.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_6f5b41d7ead029265e1ab7c604/i-1.JPG
- Ibanez Silver Series - D77**** (Made in Japan) - If I'm reading this page correctly, the "D77" means it was manufactured in April, 1977, which means it's one of the Lawsuit Tele clones. I used to play this guitar on a Marshall amp and absolutely loved it. In fact, I used to own an American-made Fender Telecaster at the same time, and I always preferred playing the Ibanez. It stopped working one day for no apparent reason; hopefully it's just a loose wire or something minor.
This is what it looks like: http://www.tonezonenc.com/guitar_gallery/Mvc-593f.jpg
Here is a review: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Ibanez/Silver-Series-01.html
I suspect the Gretsch is more than a 15-year-old beginner needs and may be too valuable to give him. (If he sticks with it, maybe later.) But part with my Ibanez? Yikes!
Now that I've typed all this, I'm thinking maybe I should just take him to a music store and let him pick out a cheap guitar to learn on and give him one of my older guitars later if I see that he sticks with it. LOL!
Thoughts, anyone?
MM
At least thats my favorite.
I'm not sure what the relatives will give him, but I can't see him having more than around $300 or $400. Problem is, he has to find a cheap amp also with that amount of money.
I do have an older Fender amp that needs repairing, which is also an option, but I didn't even get into that. LOL!
-Clay
Lots of reviews of whatever you are looking for here: http://www.harmony-central.com/User_Reviews/
Also, guitars are now DIRT CHEAP. You can get Fenders (from Mexico) for under $150. Just find one with a decent neck.
I'd suggest taking the Ib to a repair shop, having the elec problem fixed and getting a setup done on it. Polish it up, let him feast on that for awhile.
Oh Yeah, Jesus is Lord. ;-)
You can usually find an overseas Strat, and a fairly decent amplifier, packaged together for a couple hundred dollars.
Also, I like the Yamaha Pacifica as a solid beginner electric for a very nice price.
If that was ALWAYS the case then I would have never attained the skill-level I posess now.
I struggled through several cheap no-name Japanese guitars (none with less than 4 pick-ups *grin*) all sporting horrible large gauge, flatwound strings - before I finally attained a Gibson SG at 16 yrs old. But I believe it made a better guitarist out of me, paid my dues, so to speak.
Wish I still had those old battle-axes (sniff)
You're right!
This is what my mom did with me. My guitar wasn't the "cheapest" but it certainly wasn't expensive.
Get him one to *learn* on and then upgrade accordingly.
All strings make music.
As for the 'sound' resonation....I wouldn't worry about it. Until he really learns 'how' to play he won't know the difference between good and /or bad sound. LOL
Hang onto your *old* guitars. : )
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