Strange Tradings: New Guitar Day: Gretsch Edition

It all began with a Craigslist ad.  No!  Not that kind of ad you pervert!  I was browsing the musical instruments on Craigslist when I saw an add that interested me.

It said, "Gretsch 135th Anniversary Edition G5420TG FS/FT."  I had to click on it.  I knew I couldn't buy it, but something told me I had to take a peek.  The photos were great.

A two-tone Gretsch in Ruby Red and Gold Sparkle?  That's a pretty kick ass guitar!  I was reading the description when something caught my attention.  It said, "Will consider trades of multiple guitars for this guitar."

So I made a few offers to the seller.  He was receiving multiple offers so he wasn't sure which one to go with.  I made a second offer for three guitars and two cases for his Gretsch and case.  I also agreed to meet him at Guitar Center which was halfway for both of us.  It was also the closest meeting place that someone (me) had offered to me him at.  Everyone else seemed to be fifty miles away from him.

So here's what I offered.

I had just traded a Tele for this 2004 MIM Stratocaster.  I looked the Strat up on the Fender Serial Number Lookup.  It showed it exactly as pictured.  The only difference was someone had added Fender Locking Tuners.  I also traded a generic hardshell case with it.

An Agile 2500 Les Paul style guitar.

And an Epiphone ES-335 Pro with GFS hardshell case.

I realize that some might say that I overpaid/over-traded for the Gretsch, but there is a method to my madness.  90's to 2000's Fender MIM Strats are great guitars.  I've had a few, and I really dig them.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of them on the market, so they don't command high prices.  Well, let me say, sellers ask a good amount for them, but I never see them selling for what they are asking. 

The Agile I managed to snag for a good deal.  It needed one of my fabulous fret-dressings and set-ups, but after that it played well.  I just couldn't bond with it. 

The Epiphone I also received a good deal on.  I did add a lot of things such as new pickups, a bone nut, strap-locks, fancy knobs, and of course the GFS paisley hardshell case.  

The trader brought a family member to check out the guitars.  He was really impressed with how I had them set up.  He gave the gentleman the okay to make the trade.  I glanced over the Gretsch.  It didn't have a mark on it.  The neck wasn't perfectly straight like a Japanese made one would be, but the frets were all even, and all notes were playable.  

So I think it worked out for everyone.  The Orlando Guitar Show is coming up, and everyone is trying to sell gear before the show comes.  So the buying market is terrible right now.  That's one reason I was glad to trade off three guitars.  I didn't have to worry about trying to sell them individually.  

It worked out well for both of us, and in the end, that's what's important.  I hope he had fun with them.  I know I will.  Let's all just keep on rock'in.  

New Bass Day: My First Schecter

Today has been a good day.  After hounding a guy for (today included) three days I have a new bass.  Despite having upteen guitars in my lifetime, I have only had four (including this one) basses in my life. 

Here's the story.  I was checking late at night on Craigslist, and saw a listing that simply said, "Bass Guitar - $120."  So I clicked on it.  After checking reading the ad, I had to do some research.  He didn't actually list what kind of bass it was.  I could see the Schecter logo on the headstock, but I had to blow up the image to see the model it was.  It was a Damien 4.

I saw that they weren't made anymore, but when they were new they cost $550 new.  On the used market they were going for $250 to $350.  So this was a good deal.... maybe.

I still had to check it out.  I admit, I broke a couple of my own rules in buying this bass.  The guy had been given the bass to him for his son to try out.  His son didn't like it, and it sat unplayed for a quite a while.  So when I checked it out I noticed the neck was pretty bowed.  But I ended up getting "Luthier muscles" and thought, "I can fix anything!!!!!"

So I met the guy in a Walgreens parking lot.  This also broke another  rule in that, I didn't test the bass out through an amp.  I'll admit, I was 50/50 on buying the bass.  The neck was bowed, and it hadn't been played in a while.  But that part of me couldn't let go, so I went ahead and bought it.

When I got it home it didn't work, but I was expecting that.  I was sure the battery was dead.  I performed the tongue test, and the 9 volt battery was completely dead.  So I slapped a new battery in it, and it started to work.  However, the electronics needed cleaned out.  I got to that later, and the pots worked just fine.

The big problem was the neck.  It was really bowed.  So I did my usual luthier thing, and was not happy with myself.  The neck did not want to bend.  So I walked away for a bit, and checked the online videos from the Godfather of guitar repair himself, Dan Erlewine. 

I realized that I was in fact, human, and had made a mistake (which I won't say what it was here.)  So I went back out to the workshop, performed my super secret repair, and managed to get the neck as straight as it was going to get.  It's no Tobias or Modulus, but it's much better than a Squier.  Due to the truss rod not being set for years, it was going to have a little warpage.  However, I still have it set up better than 90% of the basses at Guitar Center. 

Next, it cleaned it up a bit.  Since it hadn't been played, it was pretty dusty.  I gave it a moderately good cleaning.  It still has a few dings, dents, and marks, but I'm not overly worried about that.

The other good part about this deal was that I received a Roadrunner bass soft case and a Levi's guitar strap along with the bass.  I think Guitar Center wants $40 for a bass case, and $20 for the strap, so I really can't complain about the deal.  Well, I can't complain now that I have the neck straightened out. 

So now, onto the pictures!!!!!

New Guitar Day: Boy I Really Have A Problem

It's true.  I really do have a problem.  I just can't pass up a good deal.  I can't even believe I was able to snag this.  I mean, it's not as good a catch as getting the Dean Gran Sport for $96, or the Dean Hardtail with case for $180.  However, I managed to snag a Ebony Epiphone Les Paul for $165.  They originally sold for $499 plus tax.  So I was ecstatic to get this one for that price.

Onto the pictures!!!!

I mean, this deal was just made for me.  First, the seller had it listed for $175, but I let it pass.  I knew I shouldn't be spending money on even more guitars.  Then, he lowered it three days later on Craigslist to $165.  I gave him a call, and he said that the one guy who was coming over for it said he couldn't make it.  So I jumped on that chance.

I think a lot of my deals are due to me being able to drive a bit out of the way.  This seller lived in Holiday, which is right next to Tarpon Springs.  He was only a mile or so from the water.  Since I am in Lutz, he was 25 miles from me.  So for people in Tampa, he could be 40 miles from them.  I had the day off, so I was happy to make the drive. 

Now the guitar isn't perfect, but for a 2005 model it's in pretty good shape.  It has belt buckle scratches, and the tailpiece is nicked up.  But I have to admit, it was one of the best set up guitars I have ever bought used.  Someone did a really good job on that.  I made a few personal adjustments, but I could have lived with the original set up. 

Now, part of me says, "Yeah, buy it now, and flip it for $300."  But part of me wants to keep it.  And since I'm closer to Tampa, I might be able to flip it locally.  But we'll really see what I do with it.  I'll sit on it for a few weeks. 

Check, check. Microphone, microphone.

Lately I have been writing about how the guitar market is terrible.  I mean, it is worst than terrible.  I don't know what that word would be, but let's just say it's "even below terrible."  At the beginning of the year I made it my mission to sell four guitars.  I already had way too many guitars, so getting rid of five of them wasn't going to make much of a dent into my collection. 

Out of the five, I only sold one.  And then that guy wanted to return the guitar the next day.  That did not go over well.  Here's the hilarious adventure of everything that happened (short version.)

1.  Traded an Ibanez Artcore for a 99 Fender Stratocaster with case.  Great deal!  (I kept the Strat.)

2.  Traded a 2008 Fender Stratocaster for a Japanese Jackson DNKY.  I then traded the Jackson for a Dean ML 79 Bubinga Guitar.  (I kept the Dean.)

3.  I sold the 1993 Stratocaster with tons of upgrades.  That's the one the guy wanted to return to me.

4.  I traded the Rosewood Telecaster I built for a Dimarzio Super Distortion, M-Audio Interface, and Shure SM-81 microphone.

5.  Since no one knew what the Luna Andromeda was I did two things.  I took the EMG pickups out of it, and sold them on Ebay.  I actually made a good deal on that.  I then took the Luna to Sam Ash where they weren't sure what to do with it.  There's not much info on it if you aren't a Dean fan.  So I told the guy I would trade it straight up for a Sennheiser 835 microphone.  Since they have a fair mark-up on Pro Audio items, it made it worthwhile for him to say yes.

So this brings me to the meat of my blog.  I've never really had that much Pro Audio equipment.  True story.  I once bought a microphone on sale for $20 back in 1994.  It made it through six band practices until it came apart. 

So I never had a good one before.  So now I have two.  I know a lot of non-musicians are wondering why two?  Well, one is for recording, and one is for live use.

Here's the write up on the first one:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/condenser-microphones/shure-sm81-condenser-mic

Eventually I will want to record, and the Shure SM-81 is the way to go.  I wandered through Guitar Center, and noticed it's about the most expensive microphone of it's kind.  To get any better you really have to start paying some big bucks.  So I'm glad to have it.

The Sennheiser 835 was recommend to me by a few Pro Audio guys.

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/304221.html

I tested it out versus my friend's time tested Shure SM-58.  The Sennheiser was much more clear with a spike in the treble frequencies.  The Shure had a more pronounced bass, but was not as clear.  I guess it's like ice cream.  It depends upon what flavor you like.  Only you can tell you what you like. 

So after five months I have finally traded all the guitars I was planning to.  But I can't actually say I actually pared myself down.  I mean, I traded for two other guitars, traded for microphones, and actually bought a bass with the sale of the pickups.  So I think I am right back to where I started.

And where is that?  Remember at the beginning when I said that the market was terrible?  Well it certainly is for selling/buying.  However, for trading it's surprisingly okay.  I may have to stick on the trading train for a while.  At least until the economy improves. 

Give a Penny, Take a Penny, But With Guitars

I am not having much luck in selling guitars.  As you may have noticed in my last few blog posts, I have had much better luck trading guitars.  My main goal was to sell four guitars.  So instead of being four guitars down, I am actually up one.

So I finally sold, not traded, an old Stratocaster I had.  Which meant that I immediately went and bought another guitar.  However, they don't make this kind of guitar anymore.  It's a Dean Icon.

Anyway, there's a funny story behind this.  The guy posted this for sale on Craigslist months ago.  I even posted a PSA on the Dean Guitars forum.  However, the owner would not ship at any price.  So month after month it languished on Craigslist.  Once I had the money, I bought it for $230.  He originally had it priced for $350 months ago.  He could have gotten that if he had only shipped it. 

This has nice Seymour Duncan pickups in it.  It has the standard 59/JB set.  What's really strange is that, I usually don't like the JB, but this one sounds fantastic.  I suspect the Alnico 5 magnet has been changed to an Alnico 8.  Namely since it's brighter, and has less compression.  I won't know until I open it up. 

For the time being I set her up, and put new strings on her.  I haven't gotten much time to play her, but I really like the neck.  It's actually pretty thin for a Dean neck.  Most of the time those things are like playing half a baseball bat.  This also has coil splitting.  I've never been a big fan of doing that, but I might find myself playing some ska song, and use it.  You never know.

Craigslist: Strange Tradings, Part 2

For this to make sense, it might help to read this blog post first:

Craigslist: Strange Tradings
http://angjellockheart.blogspot.com/2014/03/craigslist-strange-tradings.html

I have been trying to sell guitars on Craigslist for a few weeks now, but I am having a little trouble.  As I stated in the earlier post I have been "going sideways" in getting rid of guitars.  I've been getting rid of them.... by trading.  So I'm not actually going down in the number of guitars I own.  I kind of find it funny.

In the last post I talked about trading for the Jackson Dinky DK2M.  I'll admit, I'm just not a Jackson guy.  I'm not much of a Floyd Rose guy either.  So I knew I was going to trade the Jackson.  It turns out I was able to trade it much faster than I thought.

You see, I am a huge fan of Dean Guitars, but they just sit on the market.  A small percentage of people like them, and a lot don't.  So the re-sale value of them is jack squat.  So I found a Dean 79 ML Redwood on Craigslist, and offered the guy a trade for the Jackson.  He had one guy who was supposed to pay cash for it, but never got around to it.  Sine he could sell the Jackson for $100 more than he could the Dean, he agreed to the trade.

Well, he made it over, and we traded straight up.  I was more than happy after hearing his story about the Dean.  It seems that he got it from a Dean rep, and then it sat collecting dust.  The back control plates still had plastic on them, and they hadn't made this model in years.  I set it up, re-strung it, and checked out the electronics.  I also took my brush to it to knock off quite a bit of dust off of it.

It's much lighter in weight than my Dean ML Select from 1998.  It's also thinner, with a few changes.  The body is a touch smaller, the headstock bigger, and the dimensions just a touch different.  Dean has gone through different "series" of the ML, and this one is just a touch different, but I think easier to play.  At least it's not like a boat anchor like the other one.  This one was made in Korea at the Unsung plant.  They are known for their good work. 

So here's the pictures, cause as we know by internet's rule, pics or it didn't happen.

Craigslist: Strange Tradings

The guitar market is like any other market.  When it's a "Buyer's Market" there are tons of great guitars for great prices.  However, no one actually has any money to buy them.  When it's a "Seller's Market," everyone is doing okay financially, but everything is overpriced.  Then you have what we have now.  It's a "Buyer's Market," that has gone stale.  In other words, every one has something they want to sell, but no one is buying it, and it has been for sale for months with no takers.

I recently put four guitars up for sale on Craigslist.  I haven't really had any bites on them for people wanting to buy them, but I have had quite a number of offers for trades.  In fact, just last month I wrote a blog called "Awesome Guitar Weekend."  It's about how I bought a guitar for less than 40% of what it costs new.  I also traded a guitar I had for another guitar.  Here it is:
http://angjellockheart.blogspot.com/2014/02/awesome-guitar-weekend.html

What was weird is that, in the deal I traded a $400 guitar (new cost) for a $500 guitar (new cost) plus a hardshell case ($100 new.)  Take note of this weird fact.  The guy didn't even plug it in.  I must look trustworthy or something?

So I have four guitars up, and I get a trade offer up for one of them.  He wants to trade me a Jackson guitar for it.  I am in the middle of writing an e-mail to him saying, "no thanks," when I look at his e-mail a bit closer.  He says this is a "Made in Japan" Jackson Dinky DK2M.  I had to think that all the Jacksons I ever played were Korean or Chinese made and not really great guitars.  In all my years, I had never played a real Japanese Jackson.  I looked the price up on Musician's Friend, and was surprised to see that the new ones where going for around $800, give or take, depending upon the options.  So I called him up and decided to take a chance on it.

Here's what I traded him:  A 2008 MIM Fender Standard Stratocaster.

They run $500 new, $280 - $300 on the used market.  I was selling her completely stock.

So this is the guitar he traded me:  A 1997 (I think that's the correct year) Jackson Dinky DK2M.  It's a very metal guitar in that, it's all black, has a Seymour Duncan Jazz/JB set, and a Floyd Rose Tremolo on it.

I am a member of the Dean Guitars forum, and will ask the forum members there about this guitar.  Since a lot of them are metalheads, they know a great deal about metal guitars like this one.  The new models run $850 new, but I wonder what this one, being older, runs used.  The guy was honest, and said that he figured I could get at least $350 used for it. 

He was running into the same problem I was.  It was tough for him to sell.  And since he was in Spring Hill no one would come to look at it.  So he wanted a Stratocaster, and it was easier for him to trade, maybe lose a few bucks, than to actually complete a sale, then try to find a Strat he liked on Craigslist. 

And remember, what I said about the one guy not even plugging in the guitar.  Well, this guy completely trusted me too.  He wouldn't have plugged it in, if I hadn't of already fired up the amp, and started playing the Strat.  He was more than fine with it.  I guess I just look trustworthy.

So I got around to playing the Jackson, and it was perfect.  I couldn't do anything to it.  The action was perfect.  The intonation was perfect.  I thought about changing the strings, but they still have some life left in them.  The only thing I did was lower the bridge pickup because it was hitting the strings when I pulled back on the whammy bar.  After lowering it just the height of the side of a nickel, the whammy bar worked fine without any problems.

Now comes the question, what am I going to do with it?  I mean, it's not my style.  I've never owned a Jackson before.  I might try to trade it on the Dean Forum.  It's kind of funny, but I am trying to get some money, and the market is just not swinging that way.  Once I get some feedback from the Forum I'll decide what to do. 

Free Is For Me

My girlfriend Lili (not her real name) had just moved a few months ago.  She's still getting the new place together.  I have been working on the outside of the house taking care of a few things.  But there were still a few things that she needed on the inside of the house.  That's where I come in.  I like to take a peek at Craigslist to see what is for sale, and what is being given away for free. 

Something kind of wild happened.  A couple who lived about three miles from me were moving to Baltimore, and decided to give away the things they didn't need.  So I managed to snag a few things.

First up, a book cabinet.

I had to use some glue and screws to get it to hold together properly, but it's as good as new right now. 

Next up is something all of us in Florida can use.  A box fan.  Seriously, they are worth their weight in gold.  Also in this picture you can see the extension cord I also got for free.

It's one of the old timey metal ones that you can't kill.  Not like the new all plastic ones.

I also scored a bathroom rug.  It was new and unused. 

And speaking of rugs, here's another free rug story.  Lili's place could really use a rug.  Since she likes purple I started searching for a purple rug.  But then it occurred to me, I was certain I had seen a purple rug somewhere before.  Then it hit me.  When I had a small business back in 2001, I had a purple rug for my shop so my feet wouldn't hurt when I stood there working on things.

But then I had to think.  Where did I put that rug.  I mean, rugs just don't disappear.  Then it hit me... again.  It was underneath my work bench with all sorts of things sitting on top of it.  I found it, pulled it out from underneath all my junk, and gave it a good cleaning.  I took it up to Lili's place, and it fit in the main living room perfectly.  I didn't have to cut or alter it at all.

This is a picture of only the corner of the rug.  I don't think she would like it if I took a picture of the inside of her house.

The one thing I forgot to take a picture of might have been my greatest (free) score.  I asked the lady who was giving away free stuff if she had any old paint.  She said yes.  In fact, she had quite a bit.  I grabbed 12 one gallon cans and 2 five gallon buckets of paint.  After I checked out which paint was good, and which was bad, I had about 5 gallons of white paint, 4 gallons of red paint, and one gallon of blue paint. 

Since Lili has been making over the house in red and white, I was ecstatic to get that much red and white paint.  Soon we will be painting the front and back steps, so all we need to get right now is the primer. 

So that was a great haul for one day.  Even though the people who were moving were giving away a lot of stuff, I only took what I needed.  Or should I say, what Lili needed. 

I will keep a look out for good things, and hopefully get to write a blog about it.