Help me pick my guitar!

the goon

Well after a long period of not having a guitar to hand, I want to rectify the situation. I always leaned towards electrics ( even just for messing with on the couch) but am looking for something with a bit of warm tone and at the same time, some umph!! The budget isn't massive ( defo can't go over 500) so with that in mind any suggestions or advice is much appreciate.

Having a look on Thomann, a Gretsch is a bit beyond me so was checking the following Epiphones:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_sheraton_II_bk.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_casino_nc.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_ultra_339_na_b_stock_2.htm

If anyone has any info on these or possible other options I havent included, please let me know!

thanks in anticipation

the goon

Sorry, I should have said, I am looking down the road of semi-acoustics. hence the above

Ravelleman

The Casino is a full-hollowbody, not a semi-. It is a thinline though, which makes it look similar on a visual level. It's much more prone to feedback than the likes of the Sheraton, for example.

the goon

Cheers.! My technical knowledge wouldn't be great. I like the look of the Sheraton, alot. Looking at the Thomann site, they have the Wildkat and The Dot for circa 350. Would there be much of a difference quality wise? Has anyone a preference for which of all these is best? I'm pretty much shooting in the dark at the moment.

Seanf999

the goon wrote: »

Cheers.! My technical knowledge wouldn't be great. I like the look of the Sheraton, alot. Looking at the Thomann site, they have the Wildkat and The Dot for circa 350. Would there be much of a difference quality wise? Has anyone a preference for which of all these is best? I'm pretty much shooting in the dark at the moment.

As far as I'm aware the wildcat is more of a les paul that happens to be semi hollow (I think?) and the Sheraton is more of a es335 size

Matt Bianco

Unless you are heel bent on buying new, I would consider going second hand. I have a Korean made Sheraton which is of much better quality than the current Chinese models - they come up regularly on Adverts for around the €350 mark which would give you the option to upgrade the pickups and electrics which many do. A fantastic guitar and a huge variety of tones available.

Don't rule out the Gretsch options though - again 5 series Gretschs are regulars on Adverts although I would imagine you'll be spending close to the max of your budget to secure one.

the goon

Cheers for the replies! I think from everything I see and hear, the Sheraton is the one for me. I was under the impression that the this one below, which is on Thomann is Korean? Find that information hard to find on the site. I have no problem buying second hand only that where I am and where most of the gats are that I would be interested are geographically removed from each other! That, work and kids makes it difficult for me to give something like that the time.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_sheraton_II_bk.htm

Ravelleman

The above is made in China. Production changed from Korea to China about seven or eight years ago.

They're nice guitars - much nicer after a pickup change, as said.

the goon

Cheers guys for all the info. Based on all said here maybe best thing I can do is try and go second hand and hope something comes up in my area. Maybe that way I might be lucky and come across something really nice for round 500. Fingers crossed some nice guitars come up after Christmas!

stateofflux

wait and save for a les paul Standard.

Dord

stateofflux wrote: »

wait and save for a les paul Standard.

Completely different guitar. He's looking at semi-hollowbodies.

Ravelleman

stateofflux wrote: »

wait and save for a les paul Standard.

Yes, there's no comparison, really.

the goon

Hi guys. Well have been drooling over gats for the last couple of days.A Korean Sheraton seems to be my main option. But after thinking about it, I was looking at something like below and thinkin of stickin it on the credit card. Any advice?

http://www.thomann.de/ie/gretsch_g5622t_cb_electromatic_blk.htm

Ravelleman

I think that's an astonishingly high price for a Chinese-made guitar.

In 2008 I got a mint Pro-Line G6118 Anniversary model for just over the price of the above Electromatic. A while ago, for sure, but it goes to show.

Have you considered anything by Reverend Guitars?

the goon

Thanks. As far as I can see the Gretsch is Korean made?. Those Reverend guitars are lovely but I found it hard to try and track down a seller for them

il gatto

I have a Korean casino and as much as I love it, it has a baseball bat of a neck and feeds back like a motherf@cker. As an only guitar, I wouldn't go for it.
Sheratons are really nice and far more useable. The Chinese made ones are very nicely finished in my opinion. The Dots are also great value. I'm not one for changing pickups but if they turned out to be a weak link, you could always change them down the line.

boycey

Have you bought yet?
Two to check out....
http://www.adverts.ie/6942823

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-guitars/yamaha-aex-502/5937024

Big fan of Yamaha stuff, really well put together for the price point, from their lower priced models right up to their MIJ higher end line. If I had the bucks to spare both of those would be in my harem as we speak!

Ravelleman

the goon wrote: »

Thanks. As far as I can see the Gretsch is Korean made?. Those Reverend guitars are lovely but I found it hard to try and track down a seller for them

You could probably get a Reverend from a shop in the US for around the price of the Gretsch on Thomann, all included, if you shop around.

the goon

Ya I have been looking at the Reverends over Christmas. They seem to have an unbelievable reputation! On a side note, having spent alot of time recently lookin at guitars on ebay, is there anything to be said for buying guitars as an investment, or is it only at the high end that this makes sense? For example, will something like the below hold its value?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-Gibson-ES-335-Satin-Cherry-Red-Faded-/271707447099?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f43069f3b

il gatto

the goon wrote: »

Ya I have been looking at the Reverends over Christmas. They seem to have an unbelievable reputation! On a side note, having spent alot of time recently lookin at guitars on ebay, is there anything to be said for buying guitars as an investment, or is it only at the high end that this makes sense? For example, will something like the below hold its value?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-Gibson-ES-335-Satin-Cherry-Red-Faded-/271707447099?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f43069f3b

It'll hold it's value give or take. You won't make much but you won't loose much. Even high end stuff won't appreciate. Vintage is where you can make money, if you know what your at. 50s and 60s stuff alway commanded a hefty premium but nowadays even 70s stuff is. The 70s are not regarded as a high water mark of quality at Fender or Gibson. Just being old seems to be enough. Eventually 80s stuff may attract a premium.
Modern stuff will probably never appreciate as there's too much of it around. When I bought my Les Paul (99 I think) there was feck all Les Paul's around. I'd only seen two guys with them in the flesh. These days the county is full of them in their many guises.
If you have 10k you don't need you could invest in a pre CBS tele that you can sell on in a few years, provided you haven't become attached to it, by all means go for it. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

the goon

Cheers, just thought it was interesting, lookin on Ebay etc at the actual Gibson ES 335's. Unfortunately, don't have 10k handy right at this moment! But have decided I could get away with spending circa 800-1000. Would be nice to get something which I could hold on to and maybe eventually give to my daughter. I also like the idea of buying something a little older which might have a bit of a story or history to it. Most of the guitarists I like seem to use the ES 335.

Ravelleman

Investing in guitars is a risky business. You don't want something that will just hold its value; rather something that will appreciate in value. I guess the aim is always to beat the inflation rate and that is very difficult when the likes of Gibson and Fender are pumping out large amounts of guitars with similar features. Value goes up when certain features become less common and more desirable at the same time, which is very difficult to account for or plot.

I would suggest that the above is a bad investment instrument. First of all, shipping is with FedEx, which is about $150 more than USPS. They also charge a brokerage fee for bringing the item through customs. Their valuation of instruments tends to be more rigorous than the likes of USPS and An Post, meaning that you will typically pay closer to what you should. The instrument itself is relatively non-descript - there are quite a lot of them out there.

The key is comparing how much the item costs in Europe, how much it sells for second hand and how much it will cost you to obtain. I find that certain instruments at around the €800-1000 mark tend to hold their value well. The price is sufficiently low that people on the likes of Adverts can muster the cash for it, something which is by no means a given. Selling instruments online is a horrible experience given the amount of absolute fools out there.

If you're just looking for a way to justify the guitar you've wanted for a long time then just decide if it's worth it to you or not. Even if you buy well an item may not hold its value but it might well give you €300-worth of pleasure over 3 or 4 years.

the goon

Thanks for the advice. I think you might have hit the nail on the head there. You should be a shrink! My head is trying to justify what my heart wants. Feels better for having said it outloud!

Ravelleman

the goon wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I think you might have hit the nail on the head there. You should be a shrink! My head is trying to justify what my heart wants. Feels better for having said it outloud!

I base my diagnoses on personal experience.

il gatto

Buy something you want to keep and years down the line, when the money you've spent is long forgotten about, total up the hours of pleasure it's given you and enjoy how cheap it was as a form of entertainment. That's how I look at it. I look at €4000-€5000 worth of stuff I've accumulated over the last 20 years and then consider I would've spent 4-5 times that if I played golf instead.

coppinger

thomann.de/ie/fender_modern_player_tele_thinline_sb.htm


Tried one of these in a shop and it was great fun, sorta hollowbody, sorta semi.

the goon

I have looked at so many guitars now I've gone google eyed. Still good fun

the goon

Just wondering what people think of this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/EPIPHONE-SHERATON-with-Barenuckle-pickups-and-case-/301489301095?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item463229a667

the goon

Or this one?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1997-Epiphone-Sheraton-Electric-Guitar-w-hard-case-and-upgrades-/141540202111?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item20f474167f

Any advice much appreciated.

the goon

Well its s defintely down to these three bad boys. From what I have seen, all three are pure quality. At the mo, I can't pick between them. Would appreciate some opinions...
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-REVEREND-MANTA-RAY-HB-BLACK-KORINA-W-MAPLE-SEMI-HOLLOW-GIBSON-ES335-SIZE-/381053444842?pt=Guitar&hash=item58b88e22ea

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Gretsch-G5622T-CB-Electromatic-Center-Block-Black-Electric-Guitar-/281212435903?pt=Guitar&hash=item4179913dbf

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/EPIPHONE-SHERATON-with-Barenuckle-pickups-and-case-/301489301095?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item463229a667

biketard

Well personally I'd go for the Sheraton. That one's pre-China and it's had a (very nice) pickup upgrade.

Very easy to sell years down the road too.