What is the best deal you ever made on gear?

[Robert]

I got a pretty good deal on my Richard guitar. I payed $300 plus a really beat-up Lab Series L5 amp.

I could start a new thread on the worst deals I've made. I could list way too many stories there... don't even wanna think about it. :D

[marnold]

Actually both of my guitars were screaming deals. The Fender listed for $899 (selling for $699) and I got it for $249. The Floyd listed for $499 (IIRC) and I got it for $149. New pickups and a rewiring later and it's still cheaper than it was originally selling for!

[Spudman]

$80 for a new hand picked Aria STG8 which was around $600 retail. Also a brand new Hagstrom Viking Deluxe Natural for $135 which is $697 retail.

[hubberjub]

I bought a brand new autographed Ernie Ball/Music Man John Petrucci Model guitar with piezo pickups in it for $600 on Ebay. I played it at two gigs and decided the neck was too skinny for me. I put it back on Ebay and sold it for $1800. I also bought a used Electro Harmonix Micro Synth for $118 on Ebay. I thought it was a reissue but when I received it it was a 30 year old pedal that had never been used and was in it's original box. I loved the sound of the pedal but could not put it on my pedal board where I knew it would get beat up. I put it back on Ebay and sold it for almost $750. I've had quite a few good deals.

[sunvalleylaw]

Probably my Hagstrom. Not quite as good a deal as Spud, but still a good deal. Followed closely by my deal on my strat. I love that strat. And although I have yet to truly get to know my Viking, I am sure I will love it too. The other "best" deal in my opinion is my $25 Bad Monkey. Or maybe my Fullerton ST-4 fat strat for only $45 plus shipping. That was another great deal. My $350 Peavey C-30 was not too bad either. Hey, you guys have helped me make lots of good deals. Oh, and also, I got this killer deal on a custom built Rat Clone that has like 12 dirt modes between distortion and overdrive. That was great deal too. Contact this guy that calls himself, Duhvoodooman. :D

Lots of good deals. :AOK:

[SuperSwede]

I bought a old Sigma LP copy and got a free pedal many years ago.

The pedal was a green pedal from Ibanez called TS-808 (the original first version).

Price? About 100usd for the guitar, pedal and hardcase.

[tunghaichuan]

Jim Kelley FACS amp: $50 for a non-working chassis and hardwood cabinet. $200 to have the transformer rewound and the amp fixed. Sold it for $800 about ten years ago.

Original TS-808 Ibanez Tube Screamer, paid $32.

Ibanez Artist, paid $130.

Traded a guy a pickguard for some tubes. I made the pickguard by using the original as a template. The lot of tubes came from the storeroom of Ball Aerospace for when they still used tubes in some of their equipment. In the lot were about 25 6V6GTA tubes, 20 Amperex 6922 gold pin tubes that I sold on eBay for $400, a bunch of 12AU7s and some various other assorted oddball tubes.

tung

[Glacies]

This thread makes me sick.

[jpfeifer]

The best deal I ever had on a gear purchase was my Hamer Newport. For some odd reason Musician's Friend was having a difficult time selling them when they first came out. The Hamer USA guitars are really good guitars, on par with PRS in terms of their quality. I was trying to buy one on Ebay, used for $1200 and lost several bids. Then I checked Musician's Friend and they said to "call for price". So I did, and they were blowing them out for $599, I couldn't believe it. I snagged one. I should have bought 2. It's still my favorite guitar.

-- Jim

[Spudman]

This thread makes me sick.

Uh oh, someone has been paying retail.:poke: :D

[ShortBuSX]

My MIJ Strat for only $100 was a pretty damn good deal...its been my goto guitar and beater ever since, this will be my workhorse that I just wont mind what happens to it, the more character the better.
Although, I think my 410 Hotrod Deville for $400 was a pretty good deal too.

[duhvoodooman]

I really haven't bought all that much gear, because I only got back into guitar in late '05. But a couple come to mind:


That MIK Squier Strat I bought for $86 + shipping on eBay was just a fantastic deal. The thing plays as well as my MIA Strat, I swear. Fabulous neck and very fast action. Pickups aren't as good, but that's a fairly cheap upgrade. I ended up selling it to a guy here at work so I could get the Surf Green Xaviere XV870 Strat copy, and he just loves the guitar.
The Epi '56 Goldtop LP I got on eBay was another great deal. Got a 20% refund on the deal when I discovered that the guitar was actually a factory second and not represented as such. The only defects were minor cosmetics--nothing wrong with the functional aspects of the guitar. They go for $500 and I got mine brand new with a new HSC for $295 delivered.
And there's always the eminently playable Fullerton ST4 "Fat Fully" that I got during the Music123 closeout deal for $24, delivered. Yeah, you read that right.... :D

[Rocket]

Freebies: Ovation Deacon, Ovation Custom Legend, Ovation 12-String Glen Campbell Special.

[evenkeel]

Two stand out.

Found a 70's reissue MIM Strat in a pawn shop. Near mint, other than a serious need for a cleaning. Paid $100 (with a case) and sold it for just over $300 if memory serves. I think even the buyer got a pretty good deal.

The 00 Dean Sweetwood I currently own. Also a pawn shop buy. Never in a million years would have thought I'd own a Dean. But this 00 is a real sweetie. All solid, spruce and rosewood. Very much a Martin knockoff. Terrific sound and I love the slot head oldtimey look. Paid about $275.

[Spudman]

And there's always the eminently playable Fullerton ST4 "Fat Fully" that I got during the Music123 closeout deal for $24, delivered. Yeah, you read that right.... :D


Oh ya. I forgot all about the three that I got. $24 was a good deal.:AOK:

[aeolian]

The best deal I ever had on a gear purchase was my Hamer Newport. For some odd reason Musician's Friend was having a difficult time selling them when they first came out. The Hamer USA guitars are really good guitars, on par with PRS in terms of their quality. I was trying to buy one on Ebay, used for $1200 and lost several bids. Then I checked Musician's Friend and they said to "call for price". So I did, and they were blowing them out for $599, I couldn't believe it. I snagged one. I should have bought 2. It's still my favorite guitar.

-- Jim

Others posted killer deals, but this one is most interesting to me because this is one guitar that I would love to have.

I've had some good, but not outrageous, deals. I picked up a used Ampeg BA115 bass amp for $175, looks and works great except for making a pop when turning off. My Heritage H535 was bought used for $775; I don't think I've seen one for under $1000 anywhere. Early this year I got a US-made G&L L-2000 bass in excellent condition with wood body-binding for $450, that is about half the price of used ones I see on eBay, and less than a new equivalent G&L Tribute import L-2000.

[Brian Krashpad]

Honestly, every guitar I've got (and I've got a few) was at least a good deal, and some were GREAT deals!

I start with the real cheapies, all for around a Benjamin:


$120 shipped, new:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/513345453_efd157102c.jpg

$99 new on closeout, + shipping:

http://static.flickr.com/33/64969414_025241fa57.jpg

$100, VG+, pawnshop:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/419396776_8ba65ee8cc.jpg

$100 +shipping, VG+, came with original scratchplate (single bridge humbucker and single volume pot), P-90's are GFS, new pots are CTS, Ebay:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2564111223_31fefd10d6.jpg

$100 +shipping, G, Ebay:

http://static.flickr.com/62/188512407_8a37548044.jpg

[Robert]

Nice floor, Brian! :D

[Brian Krashpad]

Nice floor, Brian! :D

Thanks. Mrs. Krashpad and I put that in oursleves.

It took the better part of a couple years, but our entire downstairs has that flooring now. I always photograph the guitars in the kitchen though.

My basses and my acoustics include some gifts, which may be the best "deals" of all.

For basses, both of mine are cheapies. '80's MIJ Squier P-bass, $100:

http://static.flickr.com/16/92632799_645eaf262c.jpg

'90's MIM Fender Jazz, $250 w/ohsc:

http://static.flickr.com/24/64187962_974e2d0103.jpg

Of my acoustics, the 6-string guitar is a MIJ '70's no-name, gift, the mandolin in a German '60's Framus, also a gift, the banjo is a long-neck (Seeger-style) MIJ called Pirles, also a gift. All from my dad. The ukelele is a $20 MIC Johnson, the 12-string is a '70's Yamaha, $150, all cheapies:

http://www.afn.org/~afn52445/acoustics2003.JPG[/

[Brian Krashpad]

OK, I listed my One-Benjamin cheapies. I have another batch bought for around $200-$250 that I also consider very good bargains.

But first, a couple that were just over the One-Benjamin threshold that I forgot to list before, Fender Tex-Mex Telecaster Special, $125 w/non-Fender gigbag:

http://static.flickr.com/25/64208937_f659426fdf.jpg

And a beater Frankentele ($100, but spent another $56 on upgrades to make her playable):

http://static.flickr.com/43/90598563_113a47e647.jpg

In the $200-$250 range:

Schecter Tempest Special, Duncan Designed P-90's, $250 w/ohsc:

http://static.flickr.com/97/207025704_4ce5ab591f.jpg

Gretsch Electromatic Special Jet G5255, US-made DeArmond 2000 pickups, $235 (+shipping):

http://static.flickr.com/27/94152145_373b9f3161.jpg

1980 Peavey T-60, w/ohsc, $200:

http://static.flickr.com/20/71021519_a6a90ee6d3.jpg

DeArmond Jet Star, US-made GoldTone pickups, $225 new (+shipping):

http://static.flickr.com/25/64187965_109d547812.jpg

And the Queen of the Two-Benjamin deals, my Ric 620, obtained in a straight trade for an Epi Flying V (for which I'd paid $250), both guitars w/ohsc:

http://static.flickr.com/34/64187964_178d5e6b9c.jpg

The Ric is probably my best deal ever. At a minimum I believe I could sell it for 3 times what I paid for it, especially after Ric's recent price hikes. Maybe even 4 or 5 times, but that's stretching things due to the beater condition. However, offsetting that is the red/black color/hardware combination which was a weird late 80's/early 90's thing that's not made any more, so who knows?

[Rocket]

Jeesh... the question was "best deal", not laundry list! If ya mean all of them... just say, "all of them."

[just strum]

Definitely the Fender American Strat.

The free ones I can't call deals, but they are extremely appreciated:

Epi Dot and the Orpheum acoustic.

[Spudman]

Nice floor, Brian! :D

Have you noticed that some guitars are in almost the exact same spot too. Look at the grain in the floor.

Nice floor...but was it a good deal?:)

[marnold]

The floor was made from spare guitar necks that he got a good deal on.

[Brian Krashpad]

Jeesh... the question was "best deal", not laundry list! If ya mean all of them... just say, "all of them."

Where's the fun in that?

I know if anybody else has a passel of good/great deals, I wanna know about them.

Comparison shopping and all.

More info > less info.

Don't pee on my parade.

[just strum]

Where's the fun in that?

I know if anybody else has a passel of good/great deals, I wanna know about them.

Comparison shopping and all.

More info > less info.

Don't pee on my parade.

Or his floor.

[Spudman]

Where's the fun in that?

I know if anybody else has a passel of good/great deals, I wanna know about them.

Comparison shopping and all.

More info > less info.

Don't pee on my parade.

Okay. You want to talk about a parade? I'll list all my killer deals then.:D

See doods, only Crashy and me get parades.:tongue: Unfortunately the list is so long I'm going to have to host it on another site.

[wingsdad]

I think I've always gotten good, even great deals.

But the best has to be this pawn shop score:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/TheFretNet%20Pix/FretNet%20Misc%20Instros/FenderStudioProLapSteel.jpg

'57 Fender Studio Pro Lap Steel. It looked horrible when I got it 5 years ago for... about no more than 20-25% of what I've seen them go for on e-bay & other vintage guitar sites. That includes about $50 for new tuning keys (it only had one button left) and rubber feet for the legs (bottoms chopped off) and a load of sweat equity to clean her and the case up.

[Brian Krashpad]

Okay. You want to talk about a parade? I'll list all my killer deals then.:D

See doods, only Crashy and me get parades.:tongue: Unfortunately the list is so long I'm going to have to host it on another site.

Just break them up into thirteen to fifteen posts of manageable size.

That way the interweb won't break.

See, I'm a helper!

[R.B. Huckleberry]

Well, I've only paid ful price for my Reverend jetstream (but technically it was a birthday present...so I didn't pay anything for it, my wife did) and my Dr.Z amp. Please note: no used gear on this list at all...


I paid $1952 for my PRS McCarty Standard (10% off street preice. An okay, but not great, deal)

My American Series Telecaster had a street price of $900. I paid $699. Over a period of 6 months.

My Martin D-15 had a street price of $949. I paid $550.

Both of those guitars hung in the stores for over a year. Patience paid off, but nowhere near as much as it did from 1999 to 2004...

My Hamer 25th Anniversary Artist hung in a store, unpurchased, for 5 years. In 2004 dollars a non-Anniversary Artist went for $1799. I paid $850, and I had an unlimited amount of time to make payments (I had been visiting/playing the thing the whole time it was there. The manager got to the point where he wanted me to own it. He said something along the lines of: "I don't care if you pay $20 a month on it. You're the only one interested in it, and there's no chance you'll regret it when you get it home. You've had years to make up your mind").

Ebay auctions for this Hamer were starting at $1000 to $1100 the night I got it home. I could have made a profit, but I don't see myself ever letting this on go. My wife would cry hysterically.

[Algonquin]

I think what constitutes a 'deal' is as subjective as what is a good tone... it's going to be different for everybody. For me it was likely picking up my Epi LP Elite a year and a half ago. This is the guitar that reignited my passion for playing, and what lead me to the Fret... so this guitar in my opinion tops my gear purchases in the 'best deal' category.

Cheers :beer:

[Tone2TheBone]

Woah where did this thread come from. I'll post two deals that were good to me. First was the Zonkin Yellow Screamer that Duhvoodooman made...can't get a better overdrive pedal than that for the price. The second has to be the new Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster that I got for $259.00 which is $40.00 less than the going price. With the quality of the guitar and the beauty of it...it's gotta be the best deal I've ever had.

[Robert]

Tone, I think your best deal was your Jubilee!!!!!!

[Tone2TheBone]

Tone, I think your best deal was your Jubilee!!!!!!

This is true. I wish I would have paid less than the full price for one at the time however since the going rate for them used these days exceeds original pricing I guess I came out ahead. :rockon: :AOK:

[Brian Krashpad]

It's almost impossible to get a really good deal on anything really new, the exceptions being when either the model is closed out, or a store is liquidating. Seconds, shopworn, and b-stock are a whole nother category though, somewhere between new and used.

Of my current 22 electric guitars and basses, only 3 were bought new. All were model closeouts.

[just strum]

It's almost impossible to get a really good deal on anything really new, the exceptions being when either the model is closed out, or a store is liquidating. Seconds, shopworn, and b-stock are a whole nother category though, somewhere between new and used.

Of my current 22 electric guitars and basses, only 3 were bought new. All were model closeouts.

also seeing the advantage of used, I have 6 guitars, and only one is new.

[evenkeel]

also seeing the advantage of used, I have 6 guitars, and only one is new.

Never thought of this until now, but I have never bought a new guitar. Of course as a acoustic guy that has some advantages. The guitar is already "opened up" assuming such a thing really exists.

[LagrangeCalvert]

The best deal I ever have been part of is my woman picked up a U.S. made Peavey Predator at a yard sale for 2 dollars......It was just missing screws on the little E's tuner.....I got those for free from a friend....a new set of string and a setup and for $8-9 I now have a guitar that is quite possibly the best feeling Strat style guitar I have ever laid hands on. :beer:

[mark wein]

My two best deals

1979 "The Paul" - $180 in 1999

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/markwein/IMG_0961.jpg

1971 Deluxe Reverb $380 in 1996

Qhfz11vTYsI

EoLcYYI0vyU

My 2005 Les Paul Standard was a good deal in that I got a great guitar for a reasonable price but these two were real steals....I have gotten hundreds of gigs worth of use from them...

[SuperSwede]

Hey Mark, that "The Paul" looks absolutely amazing, 3pcs body?
You gotta let me hear how it sounds!

[mark wein]

Hey Mark, that "The Paul" looks absolutely amazing, 3pcs body?
You gotta let me hear how it sounds!
Thanks! I think it is 3 pieces...all Walnut, too...

Here are a few samples:

Intro lick and solos on "Over Pennsylvania"

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6160052

Everything you hear on "Travis Bickell Day"

http://www.markwein.com/soundfiles/Felt - Travis Bickel Day.mp3 (http://www.markwein.com/soundfiles/Felt%20-%20Travis%20Bickel%20Day.mp3)

Solos on "Co-Dependence Day"

http://www.markwein.com/soundfiles/Co-Dependence Day.MP3 (http://www.markwein.com/soundfiles/Co-Dependence%20Day.MP3)


I currently have 12's on it and use it for slide on my video lesson this week:

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=37

[SuperSwede]

Sweet! It sounds GREAT both heavily distorted and clean!

I really really dig your "Over Pennsylvania" song. The intro guitar is nothing but excellent.

[mark wein]

Sweet! It sounds GREAT both heavily distorted and clean!

I really really dig your "Over Pennsylvania" song. The intro guitar is nothing but excellent.

Thanks! The guitar is kind of on "injured reserve" until I can get the electronics repaired ...needs a new pickup selector, I think...its nice because it is completely different sounding from my Standard but really nice in its own right...

[SuperSwede]

Listening to you play it is a truly humbling experience ! :R

I recently had a chance to pickup a Firebrand LP a while ago but decided that I needed a new Strat instead..


I really dig those old Firebrand/The Paul models, they seem to be more "crude" in a good sense.. More rock´n´roll and less fancy details.

[mark wein]

Listening to you play it is a truly humbling experience ! :R

:o

Having to pay my rent with the guitar has just made me work harder over the last two decades is all....



I recently had a chance to pickup a Firebrand LP a while ago but decided that I needed a new Strat instead..


I really dig those old Firebrand/The Paul models, they seem to be more "crude" in a good sense.. More rock´n´roll and less fancy details.

The other guitarist in my rock band picked up a Firebrand SG last year and its a really nice guitar, too...its nice because they are less desirable from a collectors point of view so the prices are still pretty realistic but they are for the most part still a really good instrument. I would probably try and get one soon though as we watch all of the Gibson prices go up....

[pes_laul]

I bought all the danelectro mini pedals for like 10 bucks each from radio shack