A Pox On Your Houses...

[t_ross33]

...all you GAS 'ers. I've been back and forth to the Rondo site about 10 times today, putting together my shopping list. At these prices, I can get one of everything: strat, lp archtop, that cool strat with the P90's, a 5-string jazz bass...

Might start with the SST57 in Lake Placid Blue. If they are everything you say they are, and I have no reason to doubt you, then I'll be adding to (though in "spud" terms, just starting) my collection

My wife will kick your collective @$$es if she ever finds y'all

Nothing to report. Just venting some GAS.

Trev

(BTW check out "My New Baby" in the Acoustics section)

[Katastrophe]

Told ya! This place is BAD for increasing the GAS pressure! The Rondo site is bad, too. You see, not only does Kurt have a variety of models to choose from, in just about every famous body style, but they don't always stay around long! SOOOOOOOO, just about the time you've made up your mind and decided, "Okay, I'll start saving my pennies for THIS one," it either goes away, or some other new model comes along to tempt you. It can be a fun game just to try to find out what he's gonna bring out next.

My wife will kick your collective @$$es if she ever finds y'all

... And that's why we use screen names and nonspecific home locations. Any woman that can handle a Canadian winter and deal with beer swilling Canucks, with all the hockey, and saying "hoser" and "eh" could probably kick my mild winter livin' Texan @$$!

The above comment was meant for humor purposes only... not meant to offend in any way, shape or form.

[t_ross33]

... And that's why we use screen names and nonspecific home locations. Any woman that can handle a Canadian winter and deal with beer swilling Canucks, with all the hockey, and saying "hoser" and "eh" could probably kick my mild winter livin' Texan @$$!

The above comment was meant for humor purposes only... not meant to offend in any way, shape or form.

LMAO! Yeah, she puts up with alot! Hey, a lot of my favorite music is from Texas BTW! SRV, Waylon, Willie, Buddy Holly, Stoney LaRue... Y'all have a cool scene goin' on down there. Have to check it out one day.

My new favorite is Cross Canadian Ragweed. Imagine my surprise when I found out they weren't even Canadian!! Maybe they are officially "Okies" but I think they are based out of TX now. Awesome band at any rate. Seem like the kinda guys you could sit back and jam with all night

[Katastrophe]

I live about 30-45 minutes away from Austin... You can't throw a stick downtown on a Saturday night without hitting a good band playing live music of just about every style... if you're lucky enough to find parking within a mile of downtown... I've seen some darned fine music over the years, cheap, and was even fortunate enough to play downtown once... worst gig of my life, but we won't go into THAT here!

And, to stay on topic, nothing worse for GAS than walking downtown and seeing all these awesome guitar players and eyeballing their equipment. I go home thinking "Now how exactly do I afford a Strat, Tele, Les Paul, et cetera!"

[tremoloman***]

Rondo's is so addicting! I login daily in the hopes a bright yellow SST62 shows up. As soon as one does I'll be ordering one.

Why buy a MIM when you can have 4 SXs?

[Tone2TheBone]

Rondo's is so addicting! I login daily in the hopes a bright yellow SST62 shows up. As soon as one does I'll be ordering one.

Why buy a MIM when you can have 4 SXs?

Between Bill and Kurt you've made #1 customer of the year buddy.

[Spudman***]

Why buy a MIM when you can have 4 SXs?

Um, I personally feel that mostly the MIM's are a better quality axe. While my SX sounded good (the electronics) it didn't "feel" as quality as the MIM's I've played and own. Plus I had neck problems with my SX and not on any of the MIM's I've played. My MIM still sounds better than the SX's I've played too. Maybe not 3 times the cost better, but still the MIM is good enough to keep for many years. I've had mine 11 years now. I wouldn't think twice about letting an SX go to someone else. Now the MIM's play and sound even better in my opinion than they did in the past.

I do think the SX's are great for the $, but not that great.

Please don't hate me. I'm just dropping a bit of reality in here.

[Nelskie]

. . . I personally feel that mostly the MIM's are a better quality axe.. .

I'll have to agree. Of course, this is strictly personal preference, but I have yet to play any entry-level brand (SX, Agile, Turser, etc.) guitar and have it really flip my switch.

Indeed, getting a new guitar for less than $175 is a really cool thing, esp. if it fits the way you play. I had kind of the same experience when I bought my Epi Valve Jr. amp. As cool as it was, however, it did have its share of "issues". Still, the fun factor is high, and I'd assume that it's the same with a good budget axe.

Would I choose (4) SX's over (1) MIM Strat?

Nope.

[t_ross33]

okay, I'm sulking now. With shipping and duty charges to the Great White North, the price of a SST57 doubles! A great find at $115 CDN just went to nearly $250 bucks...almost entering MIM territory here.

I'll have to try to dig up an SX dealer in Canada. In the meantime I'll have to feed my GAS jones with other things

"But honey, if I play 2 more gigs I can have it paid off"

Peace and Beads, Brothers and Sisters,

Trev

[Tim]

Of course, this is strictly personal preference, but I have yet to play any entry-level brand (SX, Agile, Turser, etc.) guitar and have it really flip my switch.

Nelskie - being the seasoned player that you are, I agree with your statement. But purchasing a Turser as a beginner, it was a very good guitar at that time. Now that I am progressing in my playing skills and learning so much from the Fret Net, I knew it is time to upgrade to a better performance instrument. So I bought a Squire. The only thing that holds me back from purchasing the real McCoy is $$$. Time will come for me to purchase a name brand guitar.

For every season, turn turn. There is a time, turn turn.
A time to spend, a time to save.
A time to be thrifty, a time to splurge…

Ok I got carried away there. But it could be the makings of a song about GAS!


Ok I made some of it up.

[Katastrophe]

As far as my playing is concerned, I usually buy the name brand stuff first, then use the cheaper stuff for a backup. I have a Charvel that I bought on sale, relatively inexpensively that used to fit the bill quite nicely. Actually, the guitar played so well that the more expensive ones were given a break, in order to play the Charvel.

Was it my No. 1? Nah. But it was (and still is) a good, basic, inexpensive, well built guitar, and works well for it's intended use.

Were I to be a gigging musician, starting to play shows, without a lot of money, I'd probably assemble this rig.

1) MIM Fender Stratocaster, in either SSS or HSS configuration. IMO, one of the best gear values out there, with a good balance between price/features. - $400.00

2) SX SST57 OR Squier Tele Custom - The SST because it's a good idea for a backup to have the knobs and switches in the same place or the Squier to have a guitar for that 'bucker sound. - $99.00 - $199.00

3) Peavey ValveKing 50W combo - Big enough to play a decent size venue, cheap enough to afford, and with 50W, its powerful enough to handle an extension cab. - $400.00

4) Digitech Bad Monkey overdrive pedal - Just because Robert owns one, and he sounds good. - $40.00

5) Cheap Chorus Pedal - Can't live without chorus on my clean sound. Danelectros start at - $30.00 at zzounds.

Substitute an Epiphone LP and an Agile AL for a backup for about the same average prices for LP fans...

So, for anywhere from $969.00 to $1069.00 a person could have a great rig, that's versatile enough to play just about any style of music out there.

Truly, this is a golden age for musicians!

[kerc]

I agree with that, Kat.

My most expensive guitar (excluding a Puerto Rican cuatro my father gave to me) is my 2000 MIM Telecaster, which I bought used for $260. Other stuff I've bought:

- Danelectro 56U2: 1998 reissue, aqua, bought in 1999 for $142.
- SX SLPJr: Bought in 2000 for $169
- Squier 51: Bought last year for $119
- Hamer Slammer DA3 Strat: Bought in 1998 for $99

A bunch of gear for only $789!

EDIT:

Wanted to add that about 90% of cheap guitars can be made quite playable with a good setup. All my guitars play sweetly, with good action and intonation.

[t_ross33]

EDIT:

Wanted to add that about 90% of cheap guitars can be made quite playable with a good setup. All my guitars play sweetly, with good action and intonation.

Gotta agree there kerc, I was about to lament the purchase/steal of my Peavey Generation EXP (only $189 CDN) when I couldn't tune or intonate it properly ("sigh...you get what you pay for" I was about to say to myself). Then I had a new nut installed and a pro setup for $40 and it's a new guitar. I gig with it at least once a month, practice with the boys once a week, plus home time and I haven't tired of it yet. The neck is quick and comfortable, it's in tune all over the fretboard, nice tone combinations from the HSS pups...it's all I need for now.

What I WANT...well, that's another story

[Bloozcat]

My best deal from Rondo:


$199.95...I doubt we'll see this come back at that price.