What's that supposed to mean?

A commentary on that pedal's durability? Or on my nonchalance?

Both. Pedals have a way of "travelling" especially when you are young and full of piss and spit (and booze)

Leads are worse. I pretty much buy new leads for every show.

There's always those dicks that refuse to lend you a lead because they've "just lost too many over the years," but it's totally relatable.

Yeah, I was at least 30 years old before I invested any money in good cords (or leads if you will) but now that ive got really good ones i dont let them out of my site.

Also, having a pedalboard (and oh, not being wasted all the time) helps a lot with keeping up with stuff. Velcro is your friend.

I always felt a little too David Gilmour-ish standing behind that monster, but fuck, that huge pedalboard I made back in Athens sure did keep all my shit organized.

A friend of mine offered me his Gretsch g5120 for $550 with hardshell case included. They normally sell for $700+ without a case. This one is in new condition, he barely ever played the thing. Just like my last guitar I don't need it, but it's something I've always wanted and won't set me back too far in terms of the price. Anyone else have any experience with these?

[img][650:235]http://www.nickdymond.com/photogallery/blogpics/gretsch4.jpg[/img]

If you can afford it, go for it! It's a beauty!

They sound great, but if you're a basher, it'll go out of tune between that bigsby and the floating bridge.

FWIW, all my electrics have been floating bridge hollow bodies, and I'll get pretty aggressive, but i think it's more of staying loose in the wrist.

Hmm.

I don't know much at all about the cheap Gretsches. Where's it made? Is the top solid or ply? How have they been holding up for people? Is the quality consistent, or are they hit/miss?

I ask these particular questions because they relate to the closest thing I DO know anything about, which is the cheapish Gibson ES135 (edit: just searched and they do not seem to be making / selling these now) but back 4 or 5 years ago you could find them new for less than a grand. They were "Gibson" branded, foreign made, and the quality was so-so. People reported that one would play really well and stay in tune, and the next would have a warping top, or dead spots on the neck, so you really had to see one first before you bought.

Hollowbodies sound so amazing for jazz and rockabilly, so if you have a boner for Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Eddie Cochran, etc, this might be money well spent. Even if the pickups disappoint, you can always swap them out. But hollowbodies are also more fickle, harder to make right, more easily damaged, feedback sooner, and weigh more on your shoulder, so it's something to consider.

If it were me, I'd go play it for an hour through an amp I know, and see how big it made me smile. If it feels good, and you don't see cracks at the neck joint, and it makes sounds that make your balls tingle, it's a cheap buy. Knowing me I'd probably pick it up. But if it doesn't really have that sparkle, let somebody else deal with it. They are so pretty, but they can be bitches to live with.

Speaking of imported Gretches, I had to exert some self control (and was somewhat relieved when somebody bought) this guy off of eBay. The temptation to buy it and drop in some Dark Stars was serious:

[img][334:500]http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3609/bb1fjbwbgkkgrhqqheiequw.jpg[/img]

Ooooohhh.... man that is beautiful. I would love to hear that through a warm old SVT.

I'm not sure, but I think that these are either assembled here or in Korea. Top is a maple laminate, and from what I read they seem to hold up pretty well. I'm not too much of a basher, and even when I do my MIM strat usually takes the brunt of that.

And yeah, I have an idea about the problems surrounding hollow bodies. I've been playing an Epi Dot Deluxe for about 4 years now, so I encounter some of them with that. But between the price and the bigsby I think I would be foolish not to go for it. And the way I figure it, if I don't like the thing I can probably turn around and sell it for at least my money if not more.

Oh, and that's the next thing I'm gonna need: a better amp. But maybe I can hang on and wait for Christmas to get that.

As long as you get to play it before buying, and it plays well, then hells yes buy it. I would LOVE something just like it, actually. I'm too poor to afford a Tenessean or a Country Gentleman but fuck I want one so bad it hurts.

So what amp are you playing through now, and do you know what you want to move to?

Line 6 Spider 1x12 (was a present) But I'd want to move to a Twin Reverb or something of that ilk.

Ugh. I have little / no patience for Line 6 amps. Plasticy solid state emo bedroom crap. They sound like a recording of a guitar, not like a real guitar amp, and there is a huge difference. They disappear in a room with drums and bass.

Twins are LOUD. And heavy. It can be frustrating to use them, if you want the sound of a pushed tube amp, because to push those 100 watt beasts you have to be making a serious amount of racket. I saw Junior Brown playing through 2 of them once, and his tone was unbelievable (just a tele into a Roland echo/reverb, into a tube screamer I think, really simple), but he had his at "7," which is just shy of a 747 on take off. If you want crystal clear clean sounds, deep reverb, and endless headroom, they are perfect. They make a great platform for outboard distortion, among the best in my opinion, right up there with 4x10 bassmans (similar idea but tighter, less bottom end, and 60 watts). But to get them to do the dirty work and break up a bit, you've gotta be at glass-shattering volumes.

I've found that the humble 40 watt 1x12 Devuxe Reverb is able to do pretty much everything I want, without weighing more than me. Great bottom end for a pedal steel, good highs, endless reverb, plenty of volume for gigs, not huge or heavy... I lust after them. Something to maybe play through if you haven't.

See, this is why its good to know people like the good Cap'n. All the guitar advice is invaluable.

As for the line 6 amp, i don't like it either...its just all i've got for now.

I feel ya. Free is the right price, for sure.


You got a sound in mind?

Got it today. Didn't realize how little my friend had played it: it still has the plant inspection tags on the neck and the plastic on the pickguard. Might as well have ordered it myself from the company. And the case couldn't be a better fit for it. It's a beauty and I'm glad I got it. Pictures to follow soon as I can.

Next time, do it. Those things are round, warm, beefy. I saw Buffalo Killers this summer, and that's what the singer was using. It doesn't need the darkstars. Promise.

It was gone before I could even consider it, Phil. (and according to the nerds at leftybassist.com, they are as rare as hen's teeth)

PICS, STAT

[img][650:344]http://www.strikerbill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Gretsch2.jpg[/img]

Shit that looks good. Now mail it to me so I can play around with it.

But what do I accomplish by doing this?

You bring joy into the life of a little one