what to do about guitars and emigration?

fuzzbrew

Looking for some advice here....


I have just emigrated to Spain, it would have been too expensive to courier my electric guitar and amp over to Spain so i just brought an acoustic. I am mostly an electric guitarist though. I don't want my playing to suffer and i don't want to make the switch to acoustic, so, I have my gear up for sale back home on adverts.ie and I am thinking i will sell it and buy a small set up over here.

I can raise about 800 off my gear i would think. My amp is a peavey classic 30 with a 70s celection blackback and upgraded tubes, don't remember what brand at the moment, but high quality tubes. The guitar is a Higher end Yamaha Pacifica, a Yamaha Pacifica 812v to be precise. I think it cost about 600 or 700 when they came out. i think i could get 500 for the amp and 300 for the guitar with it's hard case. i already sold most of my pedals and board, except for my power supply (t.rex fuel tank), drive pedal (MI audio blues pro) and Wah (standard cry baby), think i will be keeping those though as i am not arsed selling them. someone would have to go to my house and collect them, so on and on, my guitar and amp are at a studio, makes for an easy sale.


My issue is when i come home, which hopefully is not for at least a year, i will have to start again, buy an electric, buy an amp, buy some pedals buy the board etc..... Do you guys think I Would be better off saving some of my wages (which i make very little of at the moment as i just started a job in Barcelona and could take months to have enough) and buying a cheap set up over here?, or selling up my gear back home and buying a decent set up but leaving my self no gear to go home too?

( I'd like to add it took me a while to find a setup i was reasonably happy with as i don't have the money to just go out and splurge on top quality high end gear)

martinedwards

What I would do is buy a cheap guitar there and learn to set it up properly, and get a zoom MultiFX pedal and a set of headphones.

OK, its not nearly as good as a valve amp and a good guitar, but it's cheap and you'll have it in your hands!

and a basic guitar well set up can be a dream to play...... I've just bought a project Encore Bass. it need refretted, but it cost a fiver!

if you decide that Spain is a permenant thing then get the guitar and amp sent out.

KeithTS

I wouldn't sell your gear back home.
For the 700-800 you'll get you'll probably end up having to spend double that amount when you come home and get decent set up again.

Pick up something cheap or settle for acoustic. It can only be a good thing for your playing. I find putting the electric down for a bit and picking up an acoustic does wonders for my playing. It could be a good opportunity to force you to learn some different techniques and save you a couple of quid too.

fuzzbrew

thanks for the advice lads, gives me something to consider. I will wait and see what a few others say and then make a desicion. Ultimately, it is i who has to make the choice, but, all the friendly advice helps.

wild turkey

If you like pacificas I would buy one of the 112 models & a fender mustang from thomann when you get to spain

Either that or bring your electric as hand luggage & pack a small amp in your case Microcube etc

I wouldn't sell your gear at home

fuzzbrew

wild turkey wrote: »

If you like pacificas I would buy one of the 112 models & a fender mustang from thomann when you get to spain

Either that or bring your electric as hand luggage & pack a small amp in your case Microcube etc

I wouldn't sell your gear at home

i´m already here man, guitar is back home. I am fairly certain this is a permanent thing so i think i am just going to sell the gear....

seachto7

If you like the gear don't sell it. The amp, yeah, but hold on to the guitar.

-=al=-

Leaving in a few weeks myself and keeping all of my gear at home... Not even bringing a guitar with me since I'll be travelling a bit at first. I really considered selling my half stack since I rarely even use it but I think I'm too attached to it! There is probably only one of my guitars I'd sell but for a few hundred quid I'd rather keep.

I just intend to get something cheap and chirpy to keep me going and get a very basic setup when I get a bit settled or whatever all be it from a simple soundcard/guitar/multifx for a few hundred quid


If you have gear you don't like/use now then consider selling it but for 700/800 quid I'd keep! It's up too you really!

Squidgy Black

I'll mind them for you

I'd just get a cheap headphone set up as most have said, if you have a smartphone use iRig or the other similar apps, or something like a Line6 pod. You could be waiting for ages to pick something up off adverts when you get home.

fuzzbrew

stetyrrell wrote: »

I'll mind them for you

I'd just get a cheap headphone set up as most have said, if you have a smartphone use iRig or the other similar apps, or something like a Line6 pod. You could be waiting for ages to pick something up off adverts when you get home.

Like i said before, it looks like i will be living here on a permanent basis so i think i will sell.

endacl

Hey OP. Doesn't that Pacifica have a bolt-on neck?

Alternative solution:

Have somebody take the strings off, unbolt the neck, package it up really well, and post it to you. Maybe even as two parcels. Pick up something like a V-amp or pocket POD, and you're still an electric player, albeit on headphones or through a stereo till you get an amp sorted.

Don't sell the Peavey. Crackin' little box, and you will regret parting with it. It'll either be here for you when you get back, or you can have it shipped over later.

This way you lose nothing. And avoid the hassle of selling/haggling.

Now for the clever part:

If you think this is a good idea, an absolutely kick-ass way to repay me for my most excellent advice would be to allow me to babysit that lovely little ampleefryer!



Feel free to ignore the 'clever' part of course, although you must admit, it was worth a shot.

:P

fuzzbrew

endacl wrote: »

Hey OP. Doesn't that Pacifica have a bolt-on neck?

Alternative solution:

Have somebody take the strings off, unbolt the neck, package it up really well, and post it to you. Maybe even as two parcels. Pick up something like a V-amp or pocket POD, and you're still an electric player, albeit on headphones or through a stereo till you get an amp sorted.

Don't sell the Peavey. Crackin' little box, and you will regret parting with it. It'll either be here for you when you get back, or you can have it shipped over later.

This way you lose nothing. And avoid the hassle of selling/haggling.

Now for the clever part:

If you think this is a good idea, an absolutely kick-ass way to repay me for my most excellent advice would be to allow me to babysit that lovely little ampleefryer!



Feel free to ignore the 'clever' part of course, although you must admit, it was worth a shot.

:P

HAHAHA! everyone is loving that Peavey. It´s actually in a mates home studio, I decided to leave it there when i went away as i know it will be looked after there. It might get played on a recording or two also, which i´d be glad to allow and hear. It really is a great amp, Fender-y cleans, rockin´texas blues sounds and can get real crunchy too. I read on forums people putting the classic 30 in the same bracket as Vox amps, but that is just because of the tube configuration i think. When i play my amp it doesn´t sound like a vox to me, i owned a vox before, it´s a completely different sound. My amp has an American quality in the clean to clean break up sounds but when you really crank the output, the mids and the pre amp gain it sounds like an old Marshall combo.

You know what? I´m keeping the gear, you guys have me convinced, I have taken the ads down. I started to think about playing the amp and guitar and realised i don´t want to part with them. I am just getting G.A.S. I have G.A.S at the best of timmes, never mind when my own gear is in another country...... I will plug on with the acoustic until i have enough money to buy a guitar here.

endacl

fuzzbrew wrote: »

HAHAHA! everyone is loving that Peavey. It´s actually in a mates home studio, I decided to leave it there when i went away as i know it will be looked after there. It might get played on a recording or two also, which i´d be glad to allow and hear. It really is a great amp, Fender-y cleans, rockin´texas blues sounds and can get real crunchy too. I read on forums people putting the classic 30 in the same bracket as Vox amps, but that is just because of the tube configuration i think. When i play my amp it doesn´t sound like a vox to me, i owned a vox before, it´s a completely different sound. My amp has an American quality in the clean to clean break up sounds but when you really crank the output, the mids and the pre amp gain it sounds like an old Marshall combo.

You know what? I´m keeping the gear, you guys have me convinced, I have taken the ads down. I started to think about playing the amp and guitar and realised i don´t want to part with them. I am just getting G.A.S. I have G.A.S at the best of timmes, never mind when my own gear is in another country...... I will plug on with the acoustic until i have enough money to buy a guitar here.

Seriously. Unbolting the neck and posting will do that Yamaha no harm at all. And postage costs won't break the bank. When you have the cash you can put that GAS to the use for which it was intended. To buy 'another' guitar. Not a 'replacement' guitar.

You don't need to wait.

Oh! And best of luck with the new start in Spain. I presume a Senorita was involved?

fuzzbrew

endacl wrote: »

Seriously. Unbolting the neck and posting will do that Yamaha no harm at all. And postage costs won't break the bank. When you have the cash you can put that GAS to the use for which it was intended. To buy 'another' guitar. Not a 'replacement' guitar.

You don't need to wait.

Oh! And best of luck with the new start in Spain. I presume a Senorita was involved?

Thanks for the well wishes.. no Señorita involved in the decision. At least no one señorita in particular! Seriously man, the women in this country, and it´s not like just some of them are fit. I see a hot chick about every minute walking down the street, and on a good day, every few seconds! A 10 in Ireland would be like a 6 here!

Anyway, back to guitars. *adjusts collar*

I am just going to get some one to bring it over on the plane when they come over to visit and i will pay the extra. I just booked 2 checked bags and brought the acoustic on the plane that way. The airlines want you to play like 60 quid or something to book it as an instrument, or in some cases, buy a seat for the guitar. **** THAT! i think it cost me 20 quid extra to book 2 bags!

Squidgy Black

fuzzbrew wrote: »

I am just going to get some one to bring it over on the plane when they come over to visit and i will pay the extra. I just booked 2 checked bags and brought the acoustic on the plane that way. The airlines want you to play like 60 quid or something to book it as an instrument, or in some cases, buy a seat for the guitar. **** THAT! i think it cost me 20 quid extra to book 2 bags!

I carried mine onto the plane in a soft case and stuck it in the overhead bins. Just said it to them at the desk. That was aerlingus though, I'm sure Ryanair would try charging you.

il gatto

fuzzbrew wrote: »

Thanks for the well wishes.. no Señorita involved in the decision. At least no one señorita in particular! Seriously man, the women in this country, and it´s not like just some of them are fit. I see a hot chick about every minute walking down the street, and on a good day, every few seconds! A 10 in Ireland would be like a 6 here!

Anyway, back to guitars. *adjusts collar*

I am just going to get some one to bring it over on the plane when they come over to visit and i will pay the extra. I just booked 2 checked bags and brought the acoustic on the plane that way. The airlines want you to play like 60 quid or something to book it as an instrument, or in some cases, buy a seat for the guitar. **** THAT! i think it cost me 20 quid extra to book 2 bags!

I felt sorry for you until about here.
Spanish girls get fat really quick. So there.

mitosis

If you are permanently gone, then sell the gear. You need to get it into your head that it is only "stuff", and you will never use it again. Better the cash is used to replace it where you live

K.Flyer

Hey Fuzzbrew,
I was in your same situation about 12 years ago and I have a particular guitar that I have vowed I will never part with (I've had it over 30 years).
I couldn't take it on the first trip over so I left it with my parents who put it away safe for me. It was almost eighteen months later when it eventually made its way to Spain.
Unpacking it was like meeting a best friend who I hadn't seen for a very long time.
Back in Ireland now a few years and its still with me!

endacl

mitosis wrote: »

You need to get it into your head that it is only "stuff", and you will never use it again.

Heh?!? But it's a guitar!

fuzzbrew

stetyrrell wrote: »

I carried mine onto the plane in a soft case and stuck it in the overhead bins. Just said it to them at the desk. That was aerlingus though, I'm sure Ryanair would try charging you.

i only fly aer lingus

sarkozy

Don't sell your gear. And... You'll end up spending the money on toothpaste and butter. Sound idea in theory, but there's enough wisdom in this thread.