Am I Making a Catastrophic Mistake?!

[Telesavalis]

24 years old with the soul of an 90 year old black man.

?

[Toto'sDad]

You might like a new '52, you might not. I owned two of them, there is a lot more difference guitar to guitar of the same model than some would have you think. I liked the neck on one, the sound of the other, but I didn't have them at the same time so I couldn't do any swapping around, which I wouldn't feel right about doing anyway.

The first one I had the intonation was perfect even with the 3 saddle bridge, the second one I finally got it where I wanted but it was a learning process. Setting a 3 saddle bridge up to play and intonate is worthy of an in depth study if you want to get the most out of them. So just 'cause it's new, don't mean a thing. I can't stress how much you should buy a guitar that speaks to you, I had always heard about that, but one day it finally really happened. Now I REALLY know what to look for in a guitar, and every guitar I've bought since then I learned to listen to them for what they had to say, and life has been good.

If you buy trying to protect you investment, you maybe should be in the stock market business. Lots of people have been burned, and been the burnee on guitars. I try to be honest to a fault in my guitar dealings, because my conscience is worth more than the money, which ain't worth nothin' 'til it's spent!

If you ever get the itch for a box again, try a made for Guitar Center, MMV, I've had D-18s HD-28s, Jumbos, even a D-28 Marquis. Stuff a UST in the MMV, you have a light weight great sounding Martin acoustically or amped for very little money, if you buy used and later you don't like it, you can get your money back, just like a stock broker.

When you do get the guitar, try and avoid the mile deep hole that lots of us here on the forum have to tunnel out of. That's the one where as soon as you buy a guitar, you start looking for another, or changing the one you just bought, though you liked it enough to lay the loot down for. Play the guitar at least three months before you start messin' with it other than setting it up. If it's setup pretty well, take some measurements of string height, neck bow, and the pickup heights so you can get back in the vicinity of where you were when you started monkeying with it.

[Kyluckyman]

Originally Posted by spkovach

Toto, you've made me feel slightly better about being essentially ripped off. The problem is, I was initially ripped off by some rich lawyer in a trade for the Martin. I traded him a brand new Gibson ES-335 glosstop tobacco sunburst - my dream guitar. He lied about the age of the guitar. Told me it was a 72, found out it was an 89. Just sold it on eBay for 1400, not including all those bloody paypal fees. So I feel like every deal I make, I end up getting screwed. That's why I'm referring to the experts here.

-Steve

Not to hijack the thread, but Martin lists the serial numbers for each year manufactured. Check their website. Lots of fake Martins out there. Don't buy used unless you are sure its authentic.

[Hop2it]

the soul of a 90 year old black man??? what color and how old is your heart?

[fezz parka]

Keep looking.

[trev333]

'87 was the first year the new Corona factory came online....

the made a fuss of getting the Strats back to an "american standard"...

I don't know how Teles fit into the Corona first run story.... or if any changes were made from the Fullerton days... or how many Teles were made that year... some may still have E4xxxxx serial #'s...

[goonie]

1987 is not vintage by anyone's definition so the vendor already has a black mark from me ... and this sort of guff doesn't impress either: "You will get lots of compliments on this guitar" (Golly gee, will I?) Then there's the classic line "no hurry to sell", invariably used to justify an inflated price tag.

Oh yeah and those two "small dings" are ugly.

[Mad Kiwi]

I see a bit of beating around the bush here so I am going to be forthright with my "opinion" :)

You are annoyed that you lost money on the Martin right?

Your GAS is setting you up for the same thing again.

From your description the 52 is modified and has a way lower resale than what you are considering paying. This doesn't mean to say don't get it but it does mean to expect to lose on resale unless you find someone else GASsing for the guitar as you are.

Personally I think the guy is being a hard ass and the guitar is overpriced. It may be a dog of a player for all you know and you will have no right of return....

Have you checked the USED Musicians Friend list. They may have one and you would at least get to return it if you didn't like it or it was a dog (does happen).

In regard to the Stones, I think any humbucker guitar will get you the humbucker sound for any particular song, not that difficult. But getting the tele sound, you need a tele (one with the single coils).

Finally a modified guitar for that sort of money would be a no go for me,mostly due to resale value but more importantly saleability i.e it will take longer too sell, if at all...

I think you should back off and keep a look out for a bit longer....As I said at the start, this all just my opinion.

[thelowerlip]

I vote don´t do it...unless you have to.

I would not want to be in your position. Gassing for a guitar with that much money to spend. Nerve racking.

You will take a hit if you ever try to resell it. Those dings aren´t that small and the body is not stock.

Definitely look around first. After all, he´s not in a hurry. And for that kind of cash you do have options.




................unless you have to.

[Bartholomew3]

The bottom line is that a really good luthier/tech can pretty much make anything play great - mine can anyways. So get a new tele for $1,000 and have it set-up...unless it absolutely has to be that model.

I personally don't buy used Fenders - Gibson maybe but never a Fender.

Too much room for "error" & bs.

[Larry Mal]

I agree with everything above. I also don't like humbuckers, and if I wanted the Tele sound I surely wouldn't want a humbucker.

It's a nice guitar, but you can do better.

Here's one, still stock, no idea about what shape its in. You'd have to call and get more pictures. I bet you can return a Guitar Center guitar, unlike what you have in the Craigslist ad.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store...382303.gc#used

[macaroonie]

Most of the guys in the build challenge will sell you a guitar for that kind of money and it will be better made than that beater.


Or go with my personal favouite , an amazing body / neck with P90's for your bucker desires

http://www.fender.com/en-GB/products...tno=0262350538

you will have change in your pocket to change the bridge pup for something more spanky if you wish. In fact I would reckon you could even afford a TV Jones classic within your budget and still have change. So you get a La Cabronita and a Stones special all in one go.

And you will still have 80 bucks saved on gas.

pic of the fantastic set neck heel... well comfy !!

[BackNtheSaddle]

I'd pass on this. But, that's just me.

Since this is your first tele, take your time and find the right one. There are a lot of them out there. Look at new ones, too. You could get a new AVRI52 or a 52HR for about the same price as that used one. With new, you can always return it if it is not right and get another.

Or, if you want an older, pre-owned tele... keep looking until you find one that you know is right for you.

When you have a "bad feeling" about something, there is almost always something wrong. Listen to that feeling. When you find THE ONE, you will know it.

Good luck with your search!

[flyingbanana]

I say do what you want, but I'd try and get a new one. Price shop. I like American Musical and Sweetwater, because they still let you bargan with them. Call up one and tell em the other one is giving you 15% off, then you not only get 15% off, but you pay no shipping cost or tax, plus you can choose to make a few payments and spread it out.

[DrOctagon]

I agree, personally I'd pass on this one, but it all depends on your situation. If this is the one you want nobody else can put a price on it.
The body being routed for a humbucker definitely brings the resale down and Fenders from this period aren't generally perceived as their best but they're definitely high quality instruments, as are most American Fenders. That's not to say there aren't some dogs, though.
How long have you been looking? If the answer is "not that long" I'd be patient. If your surfing CL you're already on the right track to get some quality gear for a good price. I'd wait and find one for a good price but then again, if you've got the dough go for it.

[PJ]

I think you can do better. If you want a neck hummer, find a low-mileage Hot Rod 52. The Duncan in the neck slot is just flat-out terrific. You can find a A+ shape example for the same money this fellow's asking.

[getbent]

catastrophic mistake... marrying a short woman or injecting meth...

that guitar looks awesome. If you play it and it is awesome, I think it is an okay deal... make sure it plays and sounds awesome though.. otherwise you can find something similar for about 900.00...

[James J LaRue]

first of all, you need to watch Crossroads if you haven't already. If you love the soul of old black men (who doesn't) and telecasters (who doesn't)...it's right up your alley.

I do think the price is high on that guitar, but I like it...love the color combo. Very standard, but happens to be one of the regulars that I really like. if you DO go out to see it...ask to have a look under the pickguard. Might be a bit of a pain/hard to talk the seller into it, but that's a good chunk of change and there's a chance it's routed really crappy, all freehand and whatnot...IF that matters to you. I really really dig that's it's older...yeah not a '50s or '60s....but it's got a head start on being an antique...again IF that's important to you...I really do believe that older wood (wood that has been a non-tree for longer, whether recently turned into a guitar or not) resonates better than a piece of the same species/starting weight, etc that is still full of moist saps and tree jizms...this may all be "mojo" or "placebo" but to me it seems like wood keeps drying and hardening over time and it seems acoustically louder. So I really dig that it has some years on it...the stories it could tell, etc...BUT...I'd be way more comfortable at $850ish...if you're gonna spend a lot more...then yeah new kinda makes sense. But I do dig that guitar...low ball him. It's not such a great price that it warrants jumping on.

Whichever Tele you go with...post pics of it! urrbody loves the NGD posts. But if your pictures are blurry someone will point it out to you :)

[James J LaRue]

dude says the price is firm...eh...see if he'll throw in the rustic chair.

[garytelecastor]

I would proceed cautiously.
I really believe that if you keep looking you will find
a 52RI for around 1K.
I saw one on Ebay recently that was immaculate and the guy wanted 850.00