FeratuGuitar.
When I was a teenager, I checked out the book "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great" by Dan Erlewine from the public library. To non-muso types it appears to be just another bland book on guitars, but to a guitar enthusiast it is a great hands-on guide to "setting up" your instrument (insider term for filing off rough, factory produced edges, adjusting intonation, and generally fixin' up yer axe to operate like a piece of state-of-the-art, military grade weaponry).
Dan meticulously details numerous actual repair jobs, noting every single step he took to solve whatever problem each guitar was having. Along the way he explains the DOs and DONTs of maintaining and adjusting each individual make, brand and style of guitar that he's dealing with. Of course he can't touch on every single type of electric guitar in existence, but he does a great job of at describing the pros and cons of the more common models. This works just fine as most guitar companies outside of Fender and Gibson tend to recycle the same set-ups and materials generation after generation. Real innovations in the guitar world are quite rare, and when they do occur, they don't usually reach widespread popularity until years after they are initially introduced. To add a final spice to mix, Dan writes with undeniable passion for the instrument. As someone who obviously deals with pampered, asshole guitar players on a regular basis, he sounds like a guy who won't take any undue shit from anyone, but still maintains the wit and humor of a veteran craftsman. I renewed my check out date for this book for several months before I decided to give some other library patron a chance at it. I then went directly to the book store and bought my own copy. It's been quite valuable to me ever since.
I play and admire guitars, but I'm not a collector. I've only owned three electric guitars in my life. My dad inspired me to play guitar when I was a kid. I'd always heard tales of him playing in country cover bands since the early 70s and the idea of doing something like that fascinated me. When I got old enough to pursue the interest on my own, I taught myself how to play. I asked my dad to teach me, but outside of a quick ten-minute lesson and a few chord diagrams on a sheet of notebook paper, he never really taught me much. His style was too drastically different than the stuff I was interested in learning at the time. I took two semesters of a "guitar fundamentals" class in college, which helped to solidify my playing and give me a better understanding of the instrument.
Unlike most guitar hobbyists, I never liked learning other people's songs. Covering other bands held very little interest to me. I always wanted to start my own thing.
1983 Gibson SG
This was the first guitar I've ever owned. My dad bought it for me as a high school graduation / birthday present. I remember being a teenager and seeing a video of Tony Iommi playing a black SG. I don't remember what song it was, but it was in stark black and white, and the guitar slung 'round his neck looked liked something an evil sorcerer would play (assuming said sorcerer was into rock and roll). I was already playing guitar quite a lot in my spare time, I just never had the cash to buy my own. I managed to get by borrowing guitars from friends and uncles. I'll forever be in debt to ol' Pappy for setting me on the right course and giving me this fine instrument. It's been my main guitar ever since.
When I got the guitar it was fairly road worn, and that certainly enhanced the appeal. I didn't want no fresh-off-the-rack Guitar Center bullshit. I wanted the real deal! My dad, either by divine coincidence or sheer knowledge of his kid's taste picked the right instrument for me. He could have gone all generic on me, as I assume most fathers would have and gotten me a standard, entry-level learner's guitar (Epiphone, Fender Squier, etc). This instrument was so perfect that it even came without a pickguard, which I've always disliked. I named the guitar Gina, and after reading Dan's book I customized the SG in a few minor ways; first I changed the string direction on the stop-bar tailpiece (wrapping them through and over rather than directly through) to get better string clearance, then I filed slight V-shaped grooves in the bottom of the tailpiece to eliminate string breakage. Finally, I slapped a big "SMASH IT UP" sticker on the body and she was done.
Gretsch Solidbody Electromatic
I bought this guitar from Chaz Matthews. I was really getting into Rockabilly and Psychobilly and I wanted a Gretsch real bad, but not a hollowbody. The lighter tone of hollowbody guitars just never appealed to me. I like a good, solid plank of wood for good sustain and crunch. This guitar was affordable at the time, I decided it was a good place to start.
When I pulled the guitar out of the big brown box it was shipped in, I immediately loved it. I never owned a guitar with a tremolo arm, so this was a whole new weapon. It went slightly out of tune when you hammered on the Bigsby too hard, but I knew of this hazard going into the affair.
After getting to know the instrument and playing around with it for a while, I noticed a few imperfections. There were a few minor dings in the finish, but nothing major. But I didn't find out for several weeks (probably the first time I changed the strings) that one of the tuning heads was stripped. Every time I would get a newly wound D string near the proper tension, the internal gear would pop out of place and I'd have to start the process all over again. As a result changing strings, especially in hasty, on-stage situations became a big pain in the ass.Then one day the strap screw at the rear of the guitar completely pulled out of the wood, leaving an empty chamber instead of a tight threaded groove where the screw should have been. I mixed up a batch of wood shavings and wood glue, filled in the hole and re-screwed the damned thing. It was an easy fix, but I was still annoyed.
I played this guitar live for a couple of years. There were some really cool gigs (most notable would be when I let Stu Arkoff from Zombie Ghost Train use it onstage after he broke a string on his purple Brian Setzer Hot Rod), but I eventually tired of it's noticeably weaker tone, in comparison to the SG. This guitar was really heavy weight-wise and that goddamned toggle switch always got in the way of my strumming hand! Also, in yet another case of me contradicting myself, I decided that I wanted to break free of Psychobilly cliches and distance our band from giant quiffs, songs about cars and... Gretsch guitars. I've always been inclined to go the opposite direction when I notice a trend and it was clear the EVERY Billy band considered it necessary to have a Gretch.
It was time to press our second record and we needed as much cash as possible, so the time came to part ways with the ol' silver Gretsch. I sold it to a good friend of mine for a couple hundred bucks and started the hunt for a new backup guitar.
Italia Mondial Sportster
I found the right one for me a few years later. I always wanted a white guitar and I'd kicked around the idea of getting a white SG, but the thought of having two versions of the same guitar didn't sit well. Fender Strats still seemed way too common, and although I loved the sound and playability of a Les Paul, they were so heavy that it was like an anchor pulling me toward the stage after two or three songs. I was leaning toward a Fender Mustang or Jazzmaster, but couldn't find one that looked visually appealing.
Out of sheer boredom one day, I stopped in to Music Brokers in Central Phoenix and saw this sweet thing hanging off the wall. It certainly looked cool, but what did it sound like? I plugged 'er into a Fender Hot Rod Deville and started picking around. I loved every detail of this thing. The shape and size of the guitar, the off-white finish, the odd, curvaceous, black pick guard, the headstock and the hardware. It completely sealed the deal when I plugged it in and it sounded like greased-ass lightnin'!
I've been using this guitar pretty heavily ever since I bought it in January and I don't regret buying it one bit.
Dan meticulously details numerous actual repair jobs, noting every single step he took to solve whatever problem each guitar was having. Along the way he explains the DOs and DONTs of maintaining and adjusting each individual make, brand and style of guitar that he's dealing with. Of course he can't touch on every single type of electric guitar in existence, but he does a great job of at describing the pros and cons of the more common models. This works just fine as most guitar companies outside of Fender and Gibson tend to recycle the same set-ups and materials generation after generation. Real innovations in the guitar world are quite rare, and when they do occur, they don't usually reach widespread popularity until years after they are initially introduced. To add a final spice to mix, Dan writes with undeniable passion for the instrument. As someone who obviously deals with pampered, asshole guitar players on a regular basis, he sounds like a guy who won't take any undue shit from anyone, but still maintains the wit and humor of a veteran craftsman. I renewed my check out date for this book for several months before I decided to give some other library patron a chance at it. I then went directly to the book store and bought my own copy. It's been quite valuable to me ever since.
I play and admire guitars, but I'm not a collector. I've only owned three electric guitars in my life. My dad inspired me to play guitar when I was a kid. I'd always heard tales of him playing in country cover bands since the early 70s and the idea of doing something like that fascinated me. When I got old enough to pursue the interest on my own, I taught myself how to play. I asked my dad to teach me, but outside of a quick ten-minute lesson and a few chord diagrams on a sheet of notebook paper, he never really taught me much. His style was too drastically different than the stuff I was interested in learning at the time. I took two semesters of a "guitar fundamentals" class in college, which helped to solidify my playing and give me a better understanding of the instrument.
Unlike most guitar hobbyists, I never liked learning other people's songs. Covering other bands held very little interest to me. I always wanted to start my own thing.
1983 Gibson SG
This was the first guitar I've ever owned. My dad bought it for me as a high school graduation / birthday present. I remember being a teenager and seeing a video of Tony Iommi playing a black SG. I don't remember what song it was, but it was in stark black and white, and the guitar slung 'round his neck looked liked something an evil sorcerer would play (assuming said sorcerer was into rock and roll). I was already playing guitar quite a lot in my spare time, I just never had the cash to buy my own. I managed to get by borrowing guitars from friends and uncles. I'll forever be in debt to ol' Pappy for setting me on the right course and giving me this fine instrument. It's been my main guitar ever since.
When I got the guitar it was fairly road worn, and that certainly enhanced the appeal. I didn't want no fresh-off-the-rack Guitar Center bullshit. I wanted the real deal! My dad, either by divine coincidence or sheer knowledge of his kid's taste picked the right instrument for me. He could have gone all generic on me, as I assume most fathers would have and gotten me a standard, entry-level learner's guitar (Epiphone, Fender Squier, etc). This instrument was so perfect that it even came without a pickguard, which I've always disliked. I named the guitar Gina, and after reading Dan's book I customized the SG in a few minor ways; first I changed the string direction on the stop-bar tailpiece (wrapping them through and over rather than directly through) to get better string clearance, then I filed slight V-shaped grooves in the bottom of the tailpiece to eliminate string breakage. Finally, I slapped a big "SMASH IT UP" sticker on the body and she was done.
Gretsch Solidbody Electromatic
I bought this guitar from Chaz Matthews. I was really getting into Rockabilly and Psychobilly and I wanted a Gretsch real bad, but not a hollowbody. The lighter tone of hollowbody guitars just never appealed to me. I like a good, solid plank of wood for good sustain and crunch. This guitar was affordable at the time, I decided it was a good place to start.
When I pulled the guitar out of the big brown box it was shipped in, I immediately loved it. I never owned a guitar with a tremolo arm, so this was a whole new weapon. It went slightly out of tune when you hammered on the Bigsby too hard, but I knew of this hazard going into the affair.
After getting to know the instrument and playing around with it for a while, I noticed a few imperfections. There were a few minor dings in the finish, but nothing major. But I didn't find out for several weeks (probably the first time I changed the strings) that one of the tuning heads was stripped. Every time I would get a newly wound D string near the proper tension, the internal gear would pop out of place and I'd have to start the process all over again. As a result changing strings, especially in hasty, on-stage situations became a big pain in the ass.Then one day the strap screw at the rear of the guitar completely pulled out of the wood, leaving an empty chamber instead of a tight threaded groove where the screw should have been. I mixed up a batch of wood shavings and wood glue, filled in the hole and re-screwed the damned thing. It was an easy fix, but I was still annoyed.
I played this guitar live for a couple of years. There were some really cool gigs (most notable would be when I let Stu Arkoff from Zombie Ghost Train use it onstage after he broke a string on his purple Brian Setzer Hot Rod), but I eventually tired of it's noticeably weaker tone, in comparison to the SG. This guitar was really heavy weight-wise and that goddamned toggle switch always got in the way of my strumming hand! Also, in yet another case of me contradicting myself, I decided that I wanted to break free of Psychobilly cliches and distance our band from giant quiffs, songs about cars and... Gretsch guitars. I've always been inclined to go the opposite direction when I notice a trend and it was clear the EVERY Billy band considered it necessary to have a Gretch.
It was time to press our second record and we needed as much cash as possible, so the time came to part ways with the ol' silver Gretsch. I sold it to a good friend of mine for a couple hundred bucks and started the hunt for a new backup guitar.
Italia Mondial Sportster
I found the right one for me a few years later. I always wanted a white guitar and I'd kicked around the idea of getting a white SG, but the thought of having two versions of the same guitar didn't sit well. Fender Strats still seemed way too common, and although I loved the sound and playability of a Les Paul, they were so heavy that it was like an anchor pulling me toward the stage after two or three songs. I was leaning toward a Fender Mustang or Jazzmaster, but couldn't find one that looked visually appealing.
Out of sheer boredom one day, I stopped in to Music Brokers in Central Phoenix and saw this sweet thing hanging off the wall. It certainly looked cool, but what did it sound like? I plugged 'er into a Fender Hot Rod Deville and started picking around. I loved every detail of this thing. The shape and size of the guitar, the off-white finish, the odd, curvaceous, black pick guard, the headstock and the hardware. It completely sealed the deal when I plugged it in and it sounded like greased-ass lightnin'!
I've been using this guitar pretty heavily ever since I bought it in January and I don't regret buying it one bit.