Tom,beatbyrd wrote:In order to broaden your range of guitar 'sounds', would you go for
1. Gretsch G5120 or G5122 ($699 - MF), modded with new pickups, tuners, bridge, etc.
2. Gretsch G5191 no mods ($1150 - MF)
3. Fender American Standard (or Standard HSS) Strat ($999 - MF)
4. something else?
It's amazing what one can find via local used musical instrument boards like Craigslist and Kijiji. It's where I do all my "new to me" instrument shopping. Oh, sure, I bought new once, years ago, but I can't go through the experience of the first scratch on a pristine axe ever again. It was devastating
No, now I find lost kittens that need a new home by doing searches of Craigslist and Kijiji for my area each morning and evening. The good deals go quickly. It pays to be sharp, though. I found my Rics using this method. I also scored a terrific deal of an E-series Japanese strat upgraded with EMG active pups for $400. That's the cost of the pickups alone now! It's an excellent guitar, as good or better than many American made Strats. Oh, and why did I get a Strat? Simply because Strats have a very unique sound that is not reproduced anywhere else in my collection. Next on the list are a Gretsch of some sort and either a Les Paul or SG. A man's gotta dream....
My two cents. All the best,
SJ