Christmas GAS is good GAS!

[Katastrophe]

This past weekend, Mrs. Katastrophe and I were having a conversation about what to do for each other for Christmas. Mrs. K says the following:

"Well, I was gonna get you a guitar for Christmas, but I didn't know what you wanted. I wanted it to be a surprise, and give you something to unwrap under the tree. Did I ruin it for you?"

My response: Uh, no. I'll have plenty of stuff to unwrap when the UPS or FedEx truck arrives.

Then I said something goofy like YEEEEEHAAAAAWWWWW or some such nonsense. I was a bit giddy and lightheaded at that point.

Anyway, I've got it narrowed down to two guitars to choose from. My budget is no higher than $400.00. This will be my first new electric guitar purchase in 12 years.

1. Fender MIM Strat HSS - Man, I've wanted a good Strat for a long time. I would have picked the SSS version, as I like the more traditional look, but Fender upgraded the switching system to coil tap the 'bucker for that "quack" sound in position 4. I can always mod it to SSS later. Color - Arctic White, with a maple fretboard. $399.00 at zzounds, and it would support our forum.

2. Tribute by G&L Legacy Premium - Leo's other company. Legal issues may have prevented him from calling it a "Strat," but it's a cool guitar. It's SSS, but I can mod it, too. Swamp Ash body, natural finish, Maple FB, USA made pickups Tortoise shell pickguard. $399.00 at the 'Friend.

Both come with gig bags.

I decided not to go with Squier for this purchase. Why? I gotta tell 'ya, it had nothing to do with the playability of those fantastic guitars. I really wanted a maple FB guitar with either an alder or ash body, and Squier doesn't make those, unless you count the Affinity models, and I didn't want the thinner body.

I'll make the order tomorrow and post how it all goes!

BTW, I'll be going to get the camcorder she wants tomorrow as well.

[sunvalleylaw]

Congrats Kat!! What a great gift. As far as the pick goes, can you go play the ones you are interested in somewhere? I would feel the need to play first. The Tributes are nice. Haven't played the HSS Fender with the switch. Double check your understanding of what it does. I thought you had to buy up to an American to get that tapping type feature. Also, I don't think it really acts like a true coil tap. At least that is what I understood when I was shopping this summer.

[Lev]

I had a serious attack of GAS yesterday also. I deliberately didn't want any guitar related gifts this christmas because I have some exams coming up in January & I felt that there would be very little chance of me doing any academic work while I had new toys to play with.

Anyway I'm getting married in April and my girlfriend told me the other day that she'd buy me a guitar as a wedding present!! So, I thought there's no harm in taking some early test drives. Almost all the guitars I've owned have had some kind of humbucker in them so I thought I'd look for something a little different, maybe a tele or a P-90 guitar. Here's what I tried out

MIM Standard Tele - really nice guitar, lovely maple neck, started playing brown sugar and it just nailed that Stones sound
G&L Tribute ASAT w/ P-90's - very twangy, perfect for country but not too versatile.
Highway 1 Strat - not very impressed - just seemed a bit characterless, not the smoothest neck either, MIM's seemed far better quality.

And then I fell in love......

Epiphone 56 Goldtop - the sexiest guitar I've ever played. No photograph could do justice to the finish, just gorgeous!! And the sound? Clean chords just ring out and for leads it just asks you to play blues. Definitely my next guitar!!!

Alas, I had to leave her back on the stand but I will be back for her...
I satisfied my Christmas GAS by buying a Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal - sweet little overdrive

Attachment 788

[Robert****]

Kat, either of those are good guitars. I'd go with the G&L because they are really cool and different. But their higher end guitars are of course a few steps above in quality. I've been thinking about getting a Lecacy - they are still cheaper than Fender US strats.

[Katastrophe]

Yesterday, Mrs. K. mentioned wanting to pick the guitar out from a list that I preselected, so she could still have some semblance of surprise for me, but kept putting off making the order. Later, I go to the 'puter and she's tracking a package on the internet. When asked what she was tracking, she said, "Don't worry about it."

It is possible that she either talked to a mutual friend of ours (that I play guitar with), or has looked up this very post (I have TheFret saved in my favorites, and she knows my user name), and made the order already.

The story is developing, more later...

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yesterday, Mrs. K. mentioned wanting to pick the guitar out from a list that I preselected, so she could still have some semblance of surprise for me, but kept putting off making the order. Later, I go to the 'puter and she's tracking a package on the internet. When asked what she was tracking, she said, "Don't worry about it."

It is possible that she either talked to a mutual friend of ours (that I play guitar with), or has looked up this very post (I have TheFret saved in my favorites, and she knows my user name), and made the order already.

The story is developing, more later...

In *that* case....

Helooooo Mrs Kat!

You're as cute n' sexy as the Katman said you were.

Time for a little mind erasure....

Forget you read anything about a camcorder.

[Katastrophe]

Don't exactly know what "it" is, but Mrs. K made the order from a list of models that I described earlier. I also included the FSR Black HSS Strat in the list as well, so I know I'm getting a Strat, but have no idea as to color. She said she ordered "something else" as well, but wouldn't tell me what it was.

Mrs. K is one helluva woman. She also looked at amphs while she was looking at guitars. I almost passed out when she told me that.