DaveA wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:16 pm Semi-amusing to read repeated praise for the Classic Vibe Tele here. I own several guitars now, nothing too fancy/arcane, but at least one or two axes that would be more coveted than that among collectors, gear snobs, and the like. Any yet, that Squier CV Telecaster made in Indonesia, which I picked up within the last year, is the one that gets played the most. Mine had some mods/upgrades done, true, but even without them it wouldn't have been shoddy at all. However, this assumes something, and brings about another point . . .

If one were buying a new guitar, of any stripe, and didn't know how to do their own setups, paying $40 to $60 to get that done is always a wise investment and should be factored into the overall cost. I feel so foolish for not having done this when I started playing in bands (at first not very good ones) as a freshman in high school. It's just a wise idea to have a luthier look over a guitar or bass, especially a new one. Intonation, pick-up height, fine-tuning any defects around the nut, polishing the fret edges, getting the action right . . . that's stuff I wouldn't think of not getting done now. It's not that uncommon for a cheaper instrument, even a pretty good one, to have a flaw or two that needs addressing to make it more playable.

tallchris wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 3:11 pm On the "pick a random Music Go Round and try to make it work" front:

MGR: Albuquerque, NM

Bass: $250 (https://www.musicgoround.com/product/al ... tar-yellow)
Cab: $350 (https://www.musicgoround.com/product/al ... net-1-x-15)
Amp: $400 (https://www.musicgoround.com/product/al ... guitar-amp)

I'll just find some cables left behind at the venue, use dial tone to tune, and adjust the preamp gain if I want more distortion.

indiegrab_360 wrote:

DaveA wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:16 pm Semi-amusing to read repeated praise for the Classic Vibe Tele here. I own several guitars now, nothing too fancy/arcane, but at least one or two axes that would be more coveted than that among collectors, gear snobs, and the like. Any yet, that Squier CV Telecaster made in Indonesia, which I picked up within the last year, is the one that gets played the most. Mine had some mods/upgrades done, true, but even without them it wouldn't have been shoddy at all. However, this assumes something, and brings about another point . . .

If one were buying a new guitar, of any stripe, and didn't know how to do their own setups, paying $40 to $60 to get that done is always a wise investment and should be factored into the overall cost. I feel so foolish for not having done this when I started playing in bands (at first not very good ones) as a freshman in high school. It's just a wise idea to have a luthier look over a guitar or bass, especially a new one. Intonation, pick-up height, fine-tuning any defects around the nut, polishing the fret edges, getting the action right . . . that's stuff I wouldn't think of not getting done now. It's not that uncommon for a cheaper instrument, even a pretty good one, to have a flaw or two that needs addressing to make it more playable.

True... but I've been in at least one guitar shop where the guy doing setups sounded like he was listening through a tin ear. Or guitar shops where the owner was kinda flaky, questionable ability to really fix up a guitar. More interested in how high he had marked up the cheapo imported stuff or the barely functioning used stuff. Or those dudes at Guitar Center will act like they have better things to do and like slap your guitar on the bench, crank it with an allen key a few times and call it a day.

DaveA wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 3:31 pm

indiegrab_360 wrote:

DaveA wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:16 pm Semi-amusing to read repeated praise for the Classic Vibe Tele here. I own several guitars now, nothing too fancy/arcane, but at least one or two axes that would be more coveted than that among collectors, gear snobs, and the like. Any yet, that Squier CV Telecaster made in Indonesia, which I picked up within the last year, is the one that gets played the most. Mine had some mods/upgrades done, true, but even without them it wouldn't have been shoddy at all. However, this assumes something, and brings about another point . . .

If one were buying a new guitar, of any stripe, and didn't know how to do their own setups, paying $40 to $60 to get that done is always a wise investment and should be factored into the overall cost. I feel so foolish for not having done this when I started playing in bands (at first not very good ones) as a freshman in high school. It's just a wise idea to have a luthier look over a guitar or bass, especially a new one. Intonation, pick-up height, fine-tuning any defects around the nut, polishing the fret edges, getting the action right . . . that's stuff I wouldn't think of not getting done now. It's not that uncommon for a cheaper instrument, even a pretty good one, to have a flaw or two that needs addressing to make it more playable.

True... but I've been in at least one guitar shop where the guy doing setups sounded like he was listening through a tin ear. Or guitar shops where the owner was kinda flaky, questionable ability to really fix up a guitar. More interested in how high he had marked up the cheapo imported stuff or the barely functioning used stuff. Or those dudes at Guitar Center will act like they have better things to do and like slap your guitar on the bench, crank it with an allen key a few times and call it a day.

^^^ We're assuming "proper luthier/tech who cares about a job well done" and not "horse's ass guitar chooch."

VaticanShotglass wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 5:26 pm

DaveA wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 3:31 pm

indiegrab_360 wrote:

True... but I've been in at least one guitar shop where the guy doing setups sounded like he was listening through a tin ear. Or guitar shops where the owner was kinda flaky, questionable ability to really fix up a guitar. More interested in how high he had marked up the cheapo imported stuff or the barely functioning used stuff. Or those dudes at Guitar Center will act like they have better things to do and like slap your guitar on the bench, crank it with an allen key a few times and call it a day.

^^^ We're assuming "proper luthier/tech who cares about a job well done" and not "horse's ass guitar chooch."

I'd say this almost disqualifies most of the jag/jazz classic vibes as I have more often than not picked up the $2000 versions in nearly unplayable condition. The exception was a classic vibe jazzmaster from a smaller shop that set up every instrument they stock. Set up on a tele or strat is a bit easier to diy on the spot.

benadrian wrote: Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:03 pm I'm gonna get real "play for the home team" on this.

Line 6 Catalyst 200 2x12 combo $499. Loud as balls and it has what is basically a model of my Traynor inside. It's okay if you want to change your answers here
2 button footswitch $35
That fender offset tele for $399

OR

The cheapest Yamaha Revstar $499
Catalyst 100 $399
and the same footswitch.

Right on!

TylerDeadPine wrote: Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:04 pm

benadrian wrote: Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:03 pm I'm gonna get real "play for the home team" on this.

Line 6 Catalyst 200 2x12 combo $499. Loud as balls and it has what is basically a model of my Traynor inside. It's okay if you want to change your answers here
2 button footswitch $35
That fender offset tele for $399

OR

The cheapest Yamaha Revstar $499
Catalyst 100 $399
and the same footswitch.

Right on!

I looked at the catalyst like “hey that actuallly LOOKS great.. but I haven’t heard a thing about it”