Did my friend make a mistake?

[jeremypodom]

So here's the story.

I have a friend who has been playing for 7 years or so. He's 20 now, in college with me and doesn't have any money to spare. He has primarily been an acoustic player until this past year.

He has a Schecter six string. I'm not sure of the exact model but here are some of the specs:
Dual hum buckers with coil splitting
set neck
24 frets
double cutaway
24.75" scale length

He has had this itch for a new guitar for a while now because for some reason he doesn't like his. He can't even tell you what he doesn't like about his, but the answer changes every time. "I want something with more tone and more sustain" or "I want something different" or "I want something more versatile"

For one, his guitar sounds great and is about as versatile as any guitar out there with it's coil splitting. Another, it does jazz extremely well and that's his favorite genre.

Without knowing anything about what he wants in a guitar or what he doesn't like about his, he pulled out a loan got one of these. It's a Gretsch Committee from 1978.

It's basically the same spec'ed guitar except for the fact that it doesn't have coil splitting and the cutaway on the bottom side is not deep enough, making playing past the 21st fret extremely uncomfortable.

When he told us (the other guitarists at my school) that he got it off ebay we pretty much tore in to him. He has no idea what he's looking for or how to judge the quality of a guitar. It's also very similar to his schecter.

It's arrived now and I had a chance to play it unplugged. It definitely has a unique acoustic character and I'm interested to hear it plugged in. He hasn't even plugged it into his full rig yet, just his little frontman practice amp. He's completely tickled though and talks about how it feels great and has the best sustain ever.

Personally, the sustain didn't seem anything special (sustain is over rated anyhow) and the neck wasn't particularly fantastic. The frets were either low to start with, which I know they did sometimes in the past, or they've been worn down like crazy. They're also very dirty and scratchy and need to be worked on.

I think he's fallen for the myth that vintage automatically means better. He constantly spouts the word vintage when he hands people his guitar and expects them to go gaga over it... I know some vintage instruments are great, but it's not a guarantee.


I guess the question would be this:
If he wanted something different, was this a good choice? He hasn't even used it yet because of it's inability to be played beyond the 21st fret, which is apparently something he needs for all the stuff he's working on right now. He is still using the schecter at practices and stuff.

Note: the pic is not of his guitar, it's just from google image search. His is semi beat up. The body has a lot of scratches and the finish has cracked in some places. The binding on the neck is also cracking around the fret dot markers on the side and it's definitely noticeable to the fingers.

[LOSTVENTURE]

If your friend is happy with what he got, then nothing else matters.
I don't buy into the "vintage is better" idea, and I don't consider the 70's stuff to be vintage. However, if your friend should ever decide to go that route, be sure that he does his homework first. Those "vintage" pieces seldom go for the near the price you might expect.

[losergeek]

That's a pretty sweet looking guitar. Without knowing anything about the situation, I'd just say you and your bandmates are jealous:)

Seriously though, guitar preference commonly has nothing to do with specifications and a lot to do with vibe and other intangibles. Let your friend enjoy his score.

[imsilly]

Some people can't be helped. I'd let it slide. If it makes you feel any better you probably aren't the only other person who is going, "WTF!?"

I had a friend that was convinced his Fender Mustang Reissue was an original 60s guitar. He'd been given it as payment for a job he'd done for someone. They told it was an vintage American guitar, so he choose to believe it. Went around banging on about how it was the best guitar ever, gave it a stupid nickname (The Moo, as in Moo-stang), generally making an idiot of himself. I tried to explain to him it was made in Japan and there was nothing wrong with that. He just thought I was being mean. Sometimes you just can't win.

[KokoTele]

I've learned a lot about guys and their gear while I've been in business, and one of the most important lessons I've learned is that there is very little rational about players and their gear. Most of what guys try to describe is a failed attempt to quantify something that defies quantification: desire.

It's very similar to trying to figure out exactly why one guy is attracted to a girl when another guy isn't. It doesn't matter on paper why that desire is there, it just matters that it is.

As for that specific guitar, if your buddy is in love with it and it treats him well, makes him want to play more, and doesn't insult him in front of his friends, then it's the right choice. Borrowing money to buy it... maybe not so much.

[getbent]

it is something different.
it is kind of interesting.
there aren't a ton of those around.
having a schechter won't help you get chicks, but having that guitar may help you get some chicks (the tatted up kind come to mind, with some weird piercings and who are really pale and love to wear 50's retro or punk clothing) so, that should work too.

There are no mistakes friend... there are just the choices we make along the way... this chapter is called "remember the time I got the cool old gretsch from the 70's" which is better than "my schechter continues to be a good guitar but since my playing isn't getting any better because I don't practice enough and because I'm too conservative to try some outlandish thing like a gretsch from the 70's I grew disinterested in guitar and decided to try meth." or something like that.

[Starrman44]

I gotta say, I think I'd like that Gretsch better than the Schecter, too. He'll either love it, or he'll come to regret it. Either way it'll be an experience for him.

My favorite guitar I picked up off of Ebay.

[jeremypodom]

Originally Posted by Starrman44

I gotta say, I think I'd like that Gretsch better than the Schecter, too. He'll either love it, or he'll come to regret it. Either way it'll be an experience for him.

My favorite guitar I picked up off of Ebay.

I told him from the beginning that I really do hope he loves it... and I'm glad that he does. We just wanted him to be educated about what he had just done in ordering it.

However, I feel that if he had done more research (he didn't even go try any guitars in person before ordering), he would have gotten something different. He's insistent on the fact that he hates teles and yet when I handed him my tele (a RK, but a tele none the less) he practically fell in love. Every time he described the tone he was looking for to someone, they told him a strat or tele would be perfect.

Ah well.... he's just a wee baby as far as knowledge of gear, but it takes time and practice and definitely a few regrets before you can begin to understand what you're doing. I hope he sticks with this Gretsch and loves it.

Another question:
He keeps saying that in a few years he's pretty sure he can sell it for much more, he claims twice, than what he got it for. He paid a little over $600. Again, I don't think he has a clue what he's talking about.... but is it true?

[Arbiter]

Without touching on the merits of the guitar, let me just say that getting a loan to buy a guitar is a really stupid idea.

[KokoTele]

Originally Posted by jeremypodom

Another question:
He keeps saying that in a few years he's pretty sure he can sell it for much more, he claims twice, than what he got it for. He paid a little over $600. Again, I don't think he has a clue what he's talking about.... but is it true?

It's an oddball guitar from a company whose collectible guitars are only moderately collectible. He's not going to double his money. If he's lucky it'll appreciate enough to cover the interest on his loan, but probably only if he keeps it several years after he's done paying for it.

My advice is to give up trying to talk sense into him, and let him love his guitar. It's unlikely you'll get him to see the error of his ways, and continuing to argue with him will only strain the friendship.

[Starrman44]

Originally Posted by jeremypodom

However, I feel that if he had done more research (he didn't even go try any guitars in person before ordering), he would have gotten something different. He's insistent on the fact that he hates teles and yet when I handed him my tele (a RK, but a tele none the less) he practically fell in love. Every time he described the tone he was looking for to someone, they told him a strat or tele would be perfect.

Ah well.... he's just a wee baby as far as knowledge of gear, but it takes time and practice and definitely a few regrets before you can begin to understand what you're doing. I hope he sticks with this Gretsch and loves it.

Another question:
He keeps saying that in a few years he's pretty sure he can sell it for much more, he claims twice, than what he got it for. He paid a little over $600. Again, I don't think he has a clue what he's talking about.... but is it true?

I'm a big fan of Kirn, LOL! As far as selling for a profit, I find that is rare unless you know what you are doing. I also don't condone the loan deal, but GAS is terrible to deal with. .

I know I've made purchases I would like a do-over on. He'll probably end up liking teles and strats and regret that he didn't invest that $600 in a used American....

[jeremypodom]

Originally Posted by Starrman44

I'm a big fan of Kirn, LOL! As far as selling for a profit, I find that is rare unless you know what you are doing. I also don't condone the loan deal, but GAS is terrible to deal with. .

I know I've made purchases I would like a do-over on. He'll probably end up liking teles and strats and regret that he didn't invest that $600 in a used American....

It just amazes me that he didn't go try anything before he whipped his wallet out. I advised him to go do that at least ten times and he didn't listen.

[Muddslide]

Play what you like, like what you play. All that matters.

Brand name doesn't matter. Headstock doesn't matter. Price doesn't matter. Country of origin doesn't matter. Year of manufacture doesn't matter.

[Tred]

What Muddslide said...

[RubyRae]

I think it looks like a cool guitar. I'd choose it over a Schlecter, but that's just me.
When we roll the dice sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.
I'll be rolling them tomorrow, and I'm feeling lucky (but I did my homework too).
Hopefully he's happy and it plays good. Might need a set up or attention of a tech to be even better, never know. Friends are funny and I can't tolerate most of mine for more than an hour, but we all have our quirks about us.

[Fenderfiend]

Originally Posted by KokoTele

My advice is to give up trying to talk sense into him, and
let him love his guitar.
It's unlikely you'll get him to see the error of his ways, and continuing to argue with him will only strain the friendship.

Don't pick on him until he has buyer's remorse...
Just be happy for him.

(No offense meant to you whatsoever, but)
What does it matter to you if he wanted another guitar and then got it?

And whether he borrowed the money, collected cans or pimped himself out to get it doesn't matter either -that's his business.
He wanted something and went out and got it.
More power to him.

[plymman]

I like it, and if he likes it, that's all that matters. Sometimes the connection you get with a guitar can't be rationalised by specs alone.

My friends thought I was mad to sell off my Fender's because I loved my Squier CV so much. I even sold my prized Fender USA Anniversary fretless jazz bass in favour of a Squier VM Jaguar bass, they couldn't understand why and said I must be off my head, because on paper the USA jazz was clearly the better bass. For whatever reason I prefer playing the Jag and get much more enjoyment from it so it was a no brainer for me to bank over $1500 by selling the Jazz rather than having it hanging there unplayed.

One man's meat is another man's poison. He obviously feels the Gretsch has that extra mojo or unquantifiable other ingredient that his Schecter doesn't, and that can only be a good thing.

[Teiscoman]

"Dear Abby,

I'm worried about my best friend. He has dated a number of women, but never seemed to connect deeply with any of them. Then a couple of weeks ago he showed up at a party with some woman he'd met on-line! She isn't like any woman he's dated before, and I'm certain that she's not right for him!

What should I do? Should I tell him that he made the wrong choice, or should I sit back and watch him ruin his life?

--Meddling in Someone Else's Affairs"

[jeremypodom]

Originally Posted by Teiscoman

"Dear Abby,

I'm worried about my best friend. He has dated a number of women, but never seemed to connect deeply with any of them. Then a couple of weeks ago he showed up at a party with some woman he'd met on-line! She isn't like any woman he's dated before, and I'm certain that she's not right for him!

What should I do? Should I tell him that he made the wrong choice, or should I sit back and watch him ruin his life?

--Meddling in Someone Else's Affairs"

Women are not guitars. Women don't make sense, guitars do. He's so new to the electric guitar realm and he doesn't know what he's doing, honestly. It's not a bad thing for those of us who know more to try and offer him help.

Like I said, I'm glad that he is happy with it. Initially though we were all fairly sure it was a poor choice with a huge risk. Personally, after playing the guitar, I don't think it's everything that he seems to think it is. He may regret it in the future or he may not. Either way, it's going to be a learning experience for him.

[brookdalebill]

Hilarious, T'man.

JP, at y'alls age, go ahead, make a couple of mistakes.
Just keep playing, the future needs us "lifer" guitar players.
There are zillions of good, bad, weird, cool, and worthy guitars out there.
Find one that draws you to it, and inspires you to explore it.
There's your keeper.