Your Guitar Biography?

[Danley]

Did this as a little exercise and figured might as well share - excluded (for the sake of simplicity) : Bass guitars, acoustic guitars, or guitars I only bought to sell with no earnest intent to keep; in order to somewhat keep this less an unwieldy mess:

Tried to keep descriptions brief, with the exception of particular amusing/noteworthy stories - But feel free to post just the name or write novels about them It might be interesting to see what other members here have in their past (& present.) I do have pics of all except the first

...

Jay Turser Spirite:
~2001 - 2003
First electric guitar; found it on eBay as a sixteen year old. Plywood, crazy shape, metal/adjustable nut. Sold it to a guy at the dorms, saw it at Guitar Center a month later

1996 Fender MIJ Jaguar
~2002 - Present
Bought for me by my dad as a graduation present; I’ve replaced just about everything removable on it with US-made equipment since, and gotten a refret.

Schecter Omen 6
~2003 - 2006
Didn’t want to take the Jaguar to the dorms initially (though I eventually did,) so I bought as a cheap knock-around guitar that eventually got modded to hell. Traded it to a guy for some work on one of my other guitars

1996 Gibson ‘The Paul’ II
~2005 - 2008
Bought blowing my first paycheck from my first internship; needed about $300 in eventual setup/repair work as glued things came loose, fretwork went bad etc. Never sounded how I wanted, so sold

1966 Fender Mustang
~2006 - Present
I won a (small) jackpot my first time using a slot machine, and used it to buy the hulk of a Fender Mustang and a bunch of parts. A friend in North Hollywood helped me put it together and painted; adventures ensued and this is a memorable keepsake of the period for me

Squier ’51
~2006 - 2007
Everyone had these, so I picked one up too; big surprise, it was basically just like a regular Squier - except uglier. Still not quite sure what made these a fad, but I got rid of it in a span of a few months

*Honorable Mention* Ibanez SZ720
~2007 - 2008
My band had two of these between myself and my singer, but they were never ‘mine.’ Very nice guitars, but our singer detested anything ostentatious so the flame/quilt maple tops were covered in spray paint. One eventually got the neck broken off; I’d love to have one now as a no-worries solid player

Telecaster/Jazzmaster
~2008 - Present
I was cheated out of a Jazzmaster body by a ‘friend’ (maybe the same individual who helped me build my Mustang.) As a result, I had to make-do on this project by butchering an MIM Telecaster to accept Jazzmaster hardware/pickups. Did a quickie duplicolor refinish and was alarmed it was playable at all. Still own it - but it’s been pirated of many parts at this point and is basically a hulk

Jackson Soloist SLX
~2014 - Present
I didn’t pick up a guitar between somewhere around 2008 and getting this one, when I made the decision I needed to re-learn everything I’d forgotten (which was a lot) in that near half-decade; I wanted a ‘no excuses’ guitar that didn’t have any of the ‘quirks’ of my existing keepers; little did I know a locking tremolo has even more quirks. Still - a great guitar

Daisy Rock Heartbreaker Artist
~2014 - 2014
So uncomfortable/un-ergonomic I could barely consider keeping it

Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster
~2014 - Present
Traded an Orange amp I disliked for this one; has gone through several pickup/hardware iterations after eliminating some of the initial dodgy modifications from a previous owner

’94 Fender Mexican Telecaster (Squier Series)
~2014 - Present
Was cheap on eBay; great guitar, that’s all I have to say about it

*Honorable Mention* ’91 Yamaha RGZ112P
~2015 - 2019
Bought for my wife but she never played it; at one point the neck did a back-flip and I successfully straightened it basically by standing on it; this worked great until I took it on a camping trip up to Big Sur, and the fretboard popped off after a bump. In Gilroy I bought clamps/glue and repaired it on the spot; was more stable than ever after that. Not a bad guitar, but made redundant by everything else I own considering my wife never touched it

’07 American Select Stratocaster
~2016 - 2019
Craigslist find in poor shape; I really wanted to like it, but the neck on this one too did a severe front-flip; one neither my luthier nor my boots could fix. Had to go, no room for anything with a fault IMO

$50 eBay Strat
~2016 - ?
Trying to get rid of it, but when a guitar is $50 new I neither have to much explain the condition of its construction or the difficulty in doing anything but donating it (which is probably what I will wind up doing.) Alarming - the vibrato actually keeps tune and floats

Sparkle Strat
~2017 - Present
Cheap Eden body; now with Lace Sensors. I’ll probably swap the neck from my oddball Telecaster hulk onto it and keep playing

’87 G&L SC3
~2017 - Present
Remarkable eBay find and my first G&L - never getting rid of it

’83 G&L F100
~2018 - Present
Inherited from my dad; will always be near me

G&L Tribute ASAT Deluxe Carved Top
~2018 - Present
See above; kept at my mom’s house

’00 or so MIM Stratocaster
~2018 - Present
See above; kept at my mom’s house

’14 Fender American Special Jazzmaster
~2019 - Present
Couldn’t resist it at the price - great guitar

[ieso]

I have a list but I'm too self-conscious to post it. It would be loooooooooong

My last purchase, two days ago, was a Martin GPC, lovely guitar.

I often wonder how much I'd have if I had just bought 5 killer guitars at the begnning and invested the rest

Needless to say, my kids will never need to buy a guitar of their own: Oh, you want one of those? Hang on a sec, let me dig one up out of the basement....

[yowhatsshakin]

I'll try to keep it short.

1977-1985
1- My aunts acoustic guitar modded by hanging the mike of the wireless "baby phone" in the sound hole so you could hear it over the radio.
2- Cheap self-built guitar with the worst pickups ever.
3- Hondo Les Paul clone with DiMarzio buckers played over a very nice Lab L5 solid state amp.

1985-1998
Move to Amsterdam, then Sicily and the Pacific NW while getting my PhD and getting my feet wet in academia meant living in small spaces and no room for gear and guitars. My only (guitar) companion during all these years was my Ibanez AW-25 acoustic 12-string, which hence has a large sentimental value even while it is literally falling apart at the seams.

1998
Gibson Les Paul Standard: Bought together with a Boogie DC-3, this '82 Burgundy LP had warped pickup rings and shoddy craftsmanship, so ...
PRS Artist II: ... the LP was traded for a PRS, a brand I have loved ever since.

1999-2009
PRS Archtop II: Lovely guitar with Piezo pups too.
G&L Legacy Special: my first George and Leo, and mainly because that Clear Orange ASAT Classic has been sold already ...
G&L ASAT Classic: Never thought I'd like Tele-style guitars much but this Butterscotch AC convinced me otherwise.
G&L George Fullerton Signature: Because a Strat-type guitar was needed.

2009-current
PRS Sunburst 245: Because some LP-ish was still missing and the 57/08 pups are amazing. Last non-G&L electric purchased because ...
The rest of them: ... mayhem ensued on the G&L front.

- Jos

[Danley]

Jos - It’s always an entertaining read to hop on your site and see the acquisition steps involved in your G&Ls Since posting this thread, I also wound up with another ‘66 Mustang project guitar (came about like an accidental pregnancy ) Need to make room, but can’t say where or how.

[DanDoulogos]

I'll chip in.

1986
- 72' Gibson Les Paul Deluxe - natural finish. I paid $600 second hand.
History: I bumped into a friend I'd known since kindergarten but hadn't kept in touch with, and hung out at his place that day. He was in a band, and had his setup at home - a sunburst Les Paul and a Marshall stack. I'd always wanted to play guitar, and so he let me plug his in and pluck some notes. I was hooked. He told me that if I was serious, the Saturday paper always had some guitars for sale. Just save up five or six hundred bucks, then start looking. I did, and I bought the Les Paul. It came with the original case, and the fellow threw in the strap and Dunlop strap locks. I foolishly sold this in and around '91

1987
- Gibson L6S, black. I bought this used on a layaway plan. It was $400 at the time. Great little player, wish I hadn't have sold it.
- Ibanez doubleneck SG - left handed, strung right handed. Clearly I didn't know a lot about how guitars are set up at the time...
- BC Rich Acoustic - It was cheap, and I used it to busk. Nothing helps a person learn guitar like playing to eat.

1988
- Martin "Sigma" acoustic. First guitar I bought brand new - think I paid about $270 for it at the time. This guitar was stolen along with others.
- Hondo four string bass. I was in a band by this time, and this bass passed between me and the other guitarist several times. It's his now.

1989-92
- 88 Fender Strat plus in Gun Metal grey (or "pewter"). I still have this one, bought it new.
- Gibson Les Paul Standard - Cherry Sunburst - brand new. I sold this one later.
- FP series Takamine (high end). I still have this one.

1993-2005
I got married in 1992, and had five kids. I managed to hold onto the Strat Plus and the Takamine, but whatever else I had was sold, stolen, or given away.

2006-2010
- 85 Gibson Les Paul Standard - root beer finish. Regrettably, it could not compare to my old Les Paul Deluxe. I sold it.
- 85 H-157 CM Heritage (Les Paul) - If you don't know about Heritage guitars, look them up. This is the Les Paul I was looking for - still have it.

2011-now
Two of the five kids are out of the house now, and the house is paid off... so the pinch isn't quite as pinchy...
- 2012 Fender Telecaster Select Koa top - love this guitar still got it.
- 1997 G&L Legacy - my first G&L. I liked it, but I traded it to acquire the Taylor below
- 2008 G&L Comanche Tribute (amber burst). This guitar is my go-to Strat, I still have it.
- Seagull CW acoustic. I had this for a couple of months but traded it along with the '97 Legacy, for the Taylor below
- Takamine G- series. I picked it up almost new for a third the price - I wanted a beach guitar. Still have it.
- 2018 Taylor 214CE Deluxe. Still have this one.
- 2018 G&L ASAT Special Tribute blue burst - bought it new. I love this guitar., and still have it.
- 2005 G&L ASAT Special Semi-Hollow blue burst - Still got this one. Oddly, I the Tribute plays/sounds better, but I still have this one.
- 2019 MJT build of Fender 55 Esquire, relic'd. - I heard a lot of good things about MJT. Took a shot, and did not regret it. Still got it.
- [edit, Dec. 20, 2019] PRS-CE 245, with p-90s, and sunburst over maple flamed flnish. Still Got it.
There are a probably around a dozen more cheap and forgettable guitars that I haven't mentioned, mostly because they don't come to mind off the top of my head. I have a cheapo bass, a few cheapo acoustics and electrics for the kids. Guitars I've given away etc. that did not keep my interest, and so didn't make it into the list.

[WitSok]

1986 – Import Les Paul copy, I bought it used for $100. I don’t recall the brand or model. It was cherryburst finish. Never learned to play it and donated it in 2008

2009 – My oldest, seven at the time decided she wanted learn guitar.

2010 – Washburn Idol WI-45. Honeyburst, 24.75” scale, I’d call it 1-1/2 cutaway, definitely a variation on the Les Paul theme. I still own this guitar.

2012/2013 – Don’t remember the exact year. Tribute ASAT Special Deluxe, my first G&L. I still own this guitar.

2014 – LE-2 #4 of 25 Lake Placid Blue, matching headstock, my first USA build guitar. I still own this guitar.

2015 – ASAT Classic S, this was a built to order guitar. Margarita Metallic, matching headstock, football plate output jack (off menu option), qs neck, Graphtech nut and string tree. LOVE THE COLOR! I still own this guitar.

2015 – SC-3, 3-Tone Sunburst, hardtail. Saw this in inventory at a Guitar Center on my way to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. Stopped along the way and picked it up. My only pre-BBE era guitar. I still own it.

2015/2016 – Another one where I don’t remember the exact year. Tribute JB-2 bass. Picked up a bass since the primary bass player at church was retiring and moving south. Figure it would be good to learn and pickup more playing opportunities. Still own it and I seem to be play bass at church more often than guitar. This is my only bass.

2015/2016 - Guild AO-5CE, my first acoustic. It was too good a deal to pass up. I think Cordoba was trying to clear old Fender stock models. I have considered replacing this guitar as I don’t care for the short narrow frets. But I’m still tweaking the set-up to see if I can get it too my liking.

2018 – ASAT Z-2 #1 of 10. This was one of those guitars I coveted, and I thought I never run across. I debated about one day then went ahead and purchased it. Told the family afterwards. Don’t plan on parting with this one.

2018 – Fender Blacktop Tele HH. I bought this for my first project guitar. When I bought it, it had new pickguard with no hole for the neck pickup. Removing guard found neck pickup still installed. I removed the neck pickup and replaced the bridge pickup with a Fralin P-92. I change the bridge to a Hipshot Hardtail (really wanted an ashtray bridge but could find one to match the existing hardtail mounting holes), changed the wiring to Esquire / Solamente inspired circuit, and CFL Research knobs. It is my LP Jr / Solamente hybrid. I still own this guitar.

Future – Thinking about building Jazzmaster partcaster. But instead of Jazzmaster pickups, I am thinking of putting in some S-500 MFD, I’d stack the bridge and middle right next to each other to form an offset humbucker and the neck pick I would offset like on the Mustang. I’m think Pharaoh’s Firemist Gold body color and roasted maple neck. White pickup covers with some sort of red pickguard. But still just thoughts in my head. I don’t own this guitar.

Update...

2019 - Fender Jazzmaster CME Exclusive Player Series. It has more in common with Vintera series. Vintage '65 pickups, 22 fret 9.5" Pau Ferro fingerbord. 4 way switch for parallel and series. Ice Blue Metallic.

I try to keep all my guitars in playing rotation. I buy them to play them, not collect them.

Cheers, Dan

BTW, the first electric I got for my daughter was Jay Turser JT-300. It is a really nice sub $150 guitar. I actually play it occasionally at church. She has a few other guitars, but no G&L's.

[maps_or_guitars]

Okay, I'll play!

...

Hondo Deluxe Series 808
1983-1987
First electric bass, a short scale P-type. In retrospect, a surprisingly solid build for so inexpensive an instrument. Sold to another beginner. The circle of life.

1987 Fender Jazz Bass Special
1987 - Present
Bought for me by my dad as a graduation present. Original body, neck, bridge, tuners; nothing to mess with there. For my sins, I put in EMGs around 1989 but I've since gone back to passives and the original TBX tone control. Utterly thrashed, utterly unstoppable. It remains my primary gigging bass.

1980(?) Mako Exotec XK-4 Blue
1990-1993(?)
When I started 4-tracking I got sick of pestering other guys to lay down guitar tracks and figured I should learn enough guitar to do it myself. Bought this thing for fifteen bucks from a guy down the hall and YE GODS how is it that someone is selling one of these on the verb for five hundred? Honestly, it was dreadful. But 15 bucks!

Late 60s Sears Silvertone (Kawai built)
1993(?) - 1996
My first Silvertone. Traded it even-steven for the Mako, at Blue Note Music in Northampton, Massachusetts. Marginally better sounding than the Mako, about as reliable, but a million times more my vibe. I wound up giving it to a student because by that time...

1965 Sears Silvertone 1457
1995 - Present
Bought with money that should have been spent on food. Mojo up to here. Shockingly stable. Astonishing tone. Semi-retired in 2015 but after having replaced the tuners and swapped in a steel-plate bridge with a compensated rosewood saddle, I could gig it tomorrow.

90s Reissue Danelectro Baritone
2001 - Present
A present from My Lovely Wife, bought from Mojo Guitar in the East Village. The 90s reissues got it right: solid, lightweight builds, decent tuners, but sticking with the aluminum nut and rosewood saddle of the original Danos. Don't know what they're thinking with the recent spate - if it's got adjustable saddles, it ain't no Dano. Mine's a bit neglected - I use it for songwriting but I've only gigged it maybe once? How often can you really haul out a baritone?

Mid-60s Danelectro Convertible
2004 - Present
My only acoustic, and another gift from MLW: midsixties Danelectro convertible, unconverted with the original plugs over the holes for the electrics. Plays like a charm. Miraculous intonation. Astonishing considering it's a box of masonite. Bought at Main Drag Music in Brooklyn.

Mid-60s Danelectro Shorthorn Bass
2005-present
The couch-bass par excellence, and the bass I do most of my recording with: beauty of a shortscale. Pretty sure there wasn't any Masonite showing when I got it...another present from my lovely wife.

2003 Fender Nashville Telecaster MIM
2015-2017
Baby's first Telecaster. The 1457 had become unreliable and I needed a gigging and recording guitar. This was actually a really great instrument, but over time I came to dislike that I couldn't pair the neck and bridge pickups.

2016 'Richiecaster' Partscaster/ASAT
2016 - Present
Richie Baxt of Richie's Guitars in the East Village made this one for me. Light as a feather, allparts 'gold foil' neck pickup, and a G&L ASAT bridge and MFD. My first step towards G&L.

2016 G&L Tribute Fallout
2017-2019
Can't say that I strictly needed it, but I really loved the look of it and the feel was great. Too dark a tone for me, in the long run. Sold it to a beginner THE CIRCLE OF LIIIIIFE

2018 'Hankcaster' Partscaster/ASAT
2018 - Present
I got the parts together for this guitar with the express intent of selling it, but I did not count on how I would feel about it after sanding down and refinishing the body in my late father's workshop. About halfway through the process I knew there was no way I could sell it, even if it sucked. It doesn't suck! A better soloing instrument than the Richiecaster.

G&L CLF Doheny (clear red, chechen fretboard, tortoiseshell pickguard, made of candy)
Present
This is the guitar I get for surviving fifty years. It makes every guitar I ever had sound two-dimensional. It's also the first guitar I've had that has a stable vibrato. (First since 1996 that had vibrato at ALL...)