TLDR: played the guitar of my dreams but it's a relic and relic ain't my thing.
Went into a local shop today to pick up a Tele. The wife and I had some time to kill before our dinner date so I decided to check out some guitars. It's my 40th on Monday and so I've been thinking about maybe splurging on something of an heirloom guitar. Something that I can pass down or be buried with, which ive never really had, though Ive owned some really nice guitars. This is the nicest shop in town, they have tons of awesome stuff so I decided to Try some strats, and naturally, some Teles.
I first picked up a CS 64 Strat, it was really nice, sounded good, very tasteful journeyman finish. I liked it. Then, I decided to try a CS 52 Blackguard. As soon as I picked it up I knew. This thing was different. It was light as a feather, like shockingly light, and the neck felt like it was literally carved specifically for my hand. I plugged in to a Mesa Fillmore 25 and I got goosebumps. The guitar sounded incredible. The neck pup was bell-like and full, very stratty, warm, but open. The bridge was ballsy and punchy but sweet. Quintessential Tele tones. I raised the gain on the Fillmore and it just got better and better. This damn guitar felt like a living breathing thing. It was crazy, my palms were literally sweating as I put it back in its place.
Here's the caveat. It's a Heavy Relic. I've always thought the notion of a $3k+ bolt on slab body guitar a bit of a mental hill to climb, and the thought of a simulated beat up guitar doubly so. They look cool, don't get me wrong, but as far as owning and playing one? I can get NOS, Closet Classic, even Journeyman but beyond that it gets a little iffy for me. But this guitar, it was so good! I asked the guys at the shop about ordering one without the heavy relic, and they said they can do that for me but it's going to be "considerably more expensive". Plus, with all the variables that go into a guitar there's no guarantee that it will play or sound as nice as this one. Not sure what to do.
Went into a local shop today to pick up a Tele. The wife and I had some time to kill before our dinner date so I decided to check out some guitars. It's my 40th on Monday and so I've been thinking about maybe splurging on something of an heirloom guitar. Something that I can pass down or be buried with, which ive never really had, though Ive owned some really nice guitars. This is the nicest shop in town, they have tons of awesome stuff so I decided to Try some strats, and naturally, some Teles.
I first picked up a CS 64 Strat, it was really nice, sounded good, very tasteful journeyman finish. I liked it. Then, I decided to try a CS 52 Blackguard. As soon as I picked it up I knew. This thing was different. It was light as a feather, like shockingly light, and the neck felt like it was literally carved specifically for my hand. I plugged in to a Mesa Fillmore 25 and I got goosebumps. The guitar sounded incredible. The neck pup was bell-like and full, very stratty, warm, but open. The bridge was ballsy and punchy but sweet. Quintessential Tele tones. I raised the gain on the Fillmore and it just got better and better. This damn guitar felt like a living breathing thing. It was crazy, my palms were literally sweating as I put it back in its place.
Here's the caveat. It's a Heavy Relic. I've always thought the notion of a $3k+ bolt on slab body guitar a bit of a mental hill to climb, and the thought of a simulated beat up guitar doubly so. They look cool, don't get me wrong, but as far as owning and playing one? I can get NOS, Closet Classic, even Journeyman but beyond that it gets a little iffy for me. But this guitar, it was so good! I asked the guys at the shop about ordering one without the heavy relic, and they said they can do that for me but it's going to be "considerably more expensive". Plus, with all the variables that go into a guitar there's no guarantee that it will play or sound as nice as this one. Not sure what to do.
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But it was inevitable, so it had to happen sooner or later.
