Lunch Report, Thursday March 11, 2010

Hey gang,

What's for lunch
Pay a visit to the Frontier Room, a BBQ place on 1st Avenue. It's a decent lunch and they have some good beer to wash it down.

First, I am happy to announce the nomination for next weeks Lunch Reporter: shawn500. Shawn has already graciously accepted, so I'm looking forward to some cajun mojo next week!

Today no poll. I couldn't really come up with a good one related to today's topic. But lets first discuss yesterdays result. Not entirely surprising for a forum of guitar enthusiasts, nobody seemed to have a single guitar. The poll showed an 1/3 vs 2/3 split of EOP (Equal Opportunity Players) and people with clear favorites. There are also still votes trickling in for Monday's LR. If you haven't voted in that yet, please do.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
Questions of the day:
How do you buy your instrument? What process is involved if any?
Do you have instruments that have some interesting history to it, even if it only has relevance to you? Would you like to share these tidbits?

Nowadays, whenever I buy an instrument, quite a number of hours of research are put in. Of course the first decision to be made is whether there is any G.A.S. (budget) left. If so, what model/year/make would be a good addition to the collection. Get the Vintage Guitar Price Guide out to get an idea of the going price and see whether it fits the budget. Then you have to look around to see if one is available. This includes eBay, craigslist, and about any decent guitar store with a website. But beyond that, more than likely there are Harmony Central reviews, magazine articles, other G&L websites (of course with our own Greg Gagliano's (GGJaguar) website taking a prominent place), books, and what not to peruse.

That whole process sometimes uncovers little nuggets or things I didn't know before that truly add to the 'story' of that model or even that particular guitar. Here are a couple of examples relevant to guitars I own:


How many Commemoratives have been built? A question I posed a month or so ago on the old forum. Why? Most of us have always gone by the number mentioned in the Registry and/or Greg's web site, namely about 350. But I was rereading George Fullerton's book George & Leo, How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars, and he mentions that production was halted after about 250 instruments. An obvious misprint: '2' instead of '3'. But I was contacted by our own Buffalo Tim, who happens to have the original manuscript. And the number '250' is used there. Which jibes with the maximum number listed in the Registry which (maybe coincidentally) is S/N 250. Now I'm believing the number '250' to be more historically accurate than '350' unless other convincing evidence to the contrary is submitted.


The story of a little decal and a number. Again this involves Buffalo Tim, another great asset to this board and a source of countless stories. I bought one of the original 20 solid body Blues Boys last month from Buffalo Brothers: the #9 BB (Contour) as printed on the COA. And this COA also reads '1 of 1'. Why was that? Tim related to me 3 different tidbits about this guitar: #9 is his lucky number, it is the only one with a contour (hence '1 of 1'), but also the only one with this little decal. Tim wished all 20 solids as well as 12 semi-hollows would have been adorned by it but alas that was not to be. Unfortunately, the original template of the artwork has been lost (correct me if I'm wrong Tim).


My wife calls this the disco guitar and I guarantee you that is not 'affectionately' This John Jorgenson Signature caused me to stumble over 2 things I didn't know. First, I learned from reading a caption in George's other book ('Guitar Legends') that the first silver metallic finish for a Fender instrument was produced by pulverizing a silvered mirror and delicate handling of the resulting (glassy) powder! Three Telecasters were finished in 1962 with this stuff, one each for Buck Owens, Forrest White, and George. The other was a recent interview with JJ for Guitar International which is a fascinating read, especially on his relationship with G&L and how the JJ Sig came to be (and not to be). But read it for yourself.

All of these things are interesting to me because I maintain a website of my collection. Guitars become more interesting to me when there is some history to them, and than I can write about that.

Checking out. See ya tomorrow.

First, I am happy to announce the nomination for next weeks Lunch Reporter: shawn500. Shawn has already graciously accepted, so I'm looking forward to some cajun mojo next week!


First, I learned from reading a caption in George's other book ('Guitar Legends') that the first silver metallic finish for a Fender instrument was produced by pulverizing a silvered mirror and delicate handling of the resulting (glassy) powder!

Thanks for the nomination! I'll be sure to put a bit of Tony Chachere's on my posts s next week, and a little touch of gris gris.

Man...powered glass from a smashed mirror? That must have been a fun process. I think it cost Fender more than 7 years of bad luck (How long was the CBS era??)

Anyhow...when I buy a new instrument, I read a lot of reviews, and if possible try out the model in question.
When I bought my first G&L, I joined this site, and asked a lot of questions. I spent a couple of hours at the local G&L dealer playing through all the models. I finally decided on an S500.

I've very rarely bought a guitar sight unseen. My S-500 was a special order, but I was already sure of the quality of G&L, so I took the gamble. I've also bought a Rickenbacker, Gretsch and a Reverend without playing them, but was reasonably sure of the quality of those brands to pull the trigger.

I know that some of my old guitars must have checkered pasts, I just don't know what they are. If they could talk, well, what stories they'd tell. Somehow I suspect that my red '88 ASAT III and black '86 ASAT would have the most interesting stories. This based mostly on play-wear in evidence telling me that they were enjoyed by someone, somewhere. When you play either one of them, you find out why. The ASAT III, being an early one, and the fact that I bought it from a professional musician, leads me to believe that someone very famous once owned it. Of course I'll never be able to prove it until I take it onto the Antiques Road Show, and one of their experts does some delving.


As far as buying guitars and time invested in research, etc., my time spend here is very much an ongoing research project. Greg G.'s website is a treasure trove of good information and has helped me make good purchases and avoid bad ones. Thanks Greg.

Man, you guys have some nice guitars.

I just bought a crusty Peavey T-40 bass with Jamaican stickers all over it.

I don't know what its story is, but it bacame a pretty nice bass after total diassembly, cleaning and a new phase switch installation.

I wish I had pictures, but I don't.

I like Tim's stories. He has designed some pretty cool G&Ls!

Questions of the day:
How do you buy your instrument / What process is involved if any?

First I look for the G&L stamp and ASAT body! I have bought many without seeing in person i.e. ebay or friends recommendation. My homework is done by playing as many versions of the guitar type I am looking for before purchase, to prevent impulse buying.

Do you have instruments that have some interesting history to it, even if it only has relevance to you?

My latest that I have been showing off so much. A parts Jerry Donahue ASAT that was pieced together and put together by various folks from GLDP. 88 Neck and three bolt body (no date) purchased off ebay, both said they used to frequent GLDP. Crinkle bridge, control plate, 86 ASAT knobs and guard from Thumbs, locking tuners and body routing by local G&L dealer, assembly and JD pickups by Burnt999. So, this is a true GLDP guitar.

"How do you buy your instrument? What process is involved if any?"

Well, I spend hours reading up online for the most part. The other major part of it is will it occupy a sound spectrum place unique in my collection?
then I buy, mostly online... I tend to be taken for a ride when I purchase local.

"Do you have instruments that have some interesting history?"

Just one, but it isn't a guitar... My grandfathers drum from when he was in grade school. It was a total wreck when I got it so I sent it off to have it restored.

I buy mostly using beer and eBay. I depend on the reputations of the instruments and the sellers as well. I have been lucky.
My Guild acoustic is special because my wife got it for me ten years ago for my 40th birthday.
My '86 ASAT is special because I bought it from Zombywoof. I love that guy!
My first style SC-2 and SC-3 are special because I purchased them from (different) forum members named Gary.
My Bluesboy is special just because.
I'll let you know how special my SB-2 and L1K are just as soon as I learn how to play them! - ed

There were a lot of very nice guitars posted yesterday. We have some serious gear addicts on this site. I feel right at hom

What is my secret to buying guitars? I stop by Fat Sound Guitars in Cary, NC and look at what they've got. I've gotten a lot of cool pieces from them over the years. Stu and the gang have a knack for picking the right product lines and models to fill the store.

RickT

Here's the G&L ASAT Classic I own from Mr. Fullerton's collection. Figure a little G&L Porn wouldn't hurt

More, more Some wonderful variation in color on the neck or is that just lighting?

Here's the G&L ASAT Classic I own from Mr. Fullerton's collection. Figure a little G&L Porn wouldn't hurt

That is like a once in a lifetime score to be sure. And to get such a beauty is just icing on the cake!