Got Gassed (and releived)

[ThisSiteSucks]

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I work at a University and over the summer break, we get 1/2 hour lunches since not much is going on.

 

Well, in the Fall and Spring we're required to take an hour lunch. No biggie, right? Well, where I work this is no break room, no cafeteria etc. And the student union is full, of, well students and is packed.

 

Then, with our increased enrollment of about 25k students and 10k parking spots, should I dare leave for lunch (no matter what time) odds on finding a parking space close to my building are slim to none. So, where does this all lead?

 

Decided to just use the hour here and make it a useful guitar practice hour. Now, I did not want to haul my high end Strat or LP here everday, so I decided to look for el cheapo at the local shop.

 

I set $400 as my limit and even felt that was high. Saw some strats around that price (but, I already have one). Played a Highway One Tele...nice..about $450. I could have done that.

 

Decided to look around more and "forced" myself to look and Fender Squire line. They were all Teles and about 20 of them. Picked a black one, neck don't feel good; red one, frets are nasty. About the 12th one I hit, I knew it when I picked it up!

 

Nice yellow Tele with maple neck and rosewood fretboard. Even with strings that were toast, this sounded nice. I swear I was the first person to ever play it cuz the fretboard was raw (no finger oil etc on it at all).

 

Did the acoustic thing for about 10 minutes...plugged in and played for another 20 minutes. Nice tone, no buzzes...it was good

 

Went back and tried 2 others and the feel was all wrong with them. Took the yellow beastie to the counter...$199!! They couldn't find their "stock" gig back so he gave me their upgraded bag for same price and a set of strings.

 

Took it home and played for 4 hours (with new strings). For a $200 guitar, I would not hesitate to play live with it. At least I won't be afraid to leave it at work like I would with my other 2 guitars.

 

[miroslav]

 

If it plays and sounds nice...it's a keeper!

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yeah, it ain't bad; not at that price. I was only running it through my 5 watter last night; will plug into Super Reverb tonight and see what its got!

 

Would like to dump the plastic nut and put 10's on it...I swear I can bend the B string off the low E string side!!

 

On that issue and since cheaper woods are used and this is the slimest neck I've ever used, would going to 10's put the neck "at risk"? I know just that little jump with 6 strings can create a big amount of force...

[The Geoff]

I've a Squier Standard Tele, and I'm pretty impressed with it too.

 

Nut's OK - I wouldn't change it unless it cracked. I've replaced the saddles with those with the little set-in wheel which cuts down breakages.

 

I've replaced the neck pup with a GFS Fatboy and it honestly sounds amazing. I also have a Fender '52 ReIssue in the bridge - fantastic.

 

The neck is 40mm at the nut which is 2mm less than usual, but it suits my smaller hands. I've also replaced the 3 pos switch with a 4 pos & that extra position is really interesting.

 

Enjoy.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/Sale/P6050075.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/Sale/P6050076.jpg

 

[Big Red 67]

I have been looking at those for a while. With my new job I will have to pick one up.

[ThisSiteSucks]

I get a little "TINK" from the nut (could be the string tee too..hmmm) when I bend the high E or B string...may just need a touch of 600 grit in the nut to clean it up. It doesn't translate to the amp, but is annoying nonetheless

[RumpleCragstan]

Rather than make a thread about it, I'll just ask in this thread (as its somewhat relevant).

 

I've heard the term gas (and thus, gassed) lots around here. Whats the lingo mean?

[Caevan O'Shite]

For a $200 guitar, I would not hesitate to play live with it. At least I won't be afraid to leave it at work like I would with my other 2 guitars.

 

Yeah, as far as money goes; but- didn't you go through fourteen guitars to find this one good one? (And from the way you describe the remaining unlucky 13, this was one good one out of 14 and the rest were turds!) A good guitar is a good guitar, in my book, whether you got it fer free, onna cheep, or even if you technically paid way too much for it. May or may not be so easily, truly replaced.

 

You'll miss it if it you lose it somehow!

 

I do think that you should play the livin' snot out of it, though; give it a real good relic-ing goin' over just by actually using it and enjoying it with the kind of abandon that'll let you play all wild and care-free onnitt.

[Chunk]

Gas

[Terrell]

I love cheap guitars, it's almost a sickness for me.

 

Did you guys see my $125 chinese tele?

 

http://a859.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/l_7f88c428c9bfab63d5ea868544e1671a.jpg

 

http://a162.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/16/l_50a6051fd802151de79bcbc5c6e72b29.jpg

 

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yeah, pics That light spot on the left shoulder is just a flash spot; the finish on this thing is perfect

Told you it wasn't played...that shop was hotter than all get out and you can see where I was playing it on the fretboard LOL

 

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o40/ariesdch/P1010018.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o40/ariesdch/P1010019-1.jpg

[Goalie Blues]

I gotta say, I've been leaning more and more towards getting "lower end" guitars and just changing the pickups than paying more for a name. I've actually been thinking of picking up a squier affinity tele and converting it into a nashville style. Anybody else tried that?

[ThisSiteSucks]

Is there a need....this sucker sounds just awesome "out of the box" I'm still in shock this was only $200. No, you don't get the AA, AAA maple flamed quilted top. Who cares? I kinda like this flat finish vs. my tri-burst strat and cherry sunburst LP.

 

And the saddles on this are the nice machined ones like on my strat, not the chrome plated cheapies. And I"m not sure what wood this is made of, but just picking it back up tonight, it's got some weight to it

 

Hell, I might have to leave this in the "home" stable and get another one to take to work...it's just a pleasure to play a $200 guitar with this quality.

 

And I exageratted; I probably went through 6 of them; but with any maker, you get some good ones, you get some bad ones. I just had the luxury of having a nice lot to pick from and it must have been a good day at the shop on this one because it's just built great

[Sauce]

Sweet score. Enjoy the new guitar. Yeah those Squire's are hit or miss but every now and then you find the diamond in the rough. One of my friends has a Squire Strat, the electronics are a little weak but I've always thought it had a great neck.

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yeah, I tuned it last night and then hit the harmonic on the 12th fret; about 1/2 - 3/4 step sharp...what's up with that?

 

I'm no good at doing setups and the tech I use charges $60 (but his setups are dead, dead nuts perfect.)

 

Is this something I should try to tweak myself (again, I know nothing about setups) or just bite the bullet and let the pro do it?

 

TIA

 

Roots

[ThisSiteSucks]

As the man Ronnie Z. said " Get all my mules out!"

 

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o40/ariesdch/P1010020.jpg

[ThisSiteSucks]

Lucked out again. Just happened when I took the Tele in for setup and was getting strings for that, none other than the guitar tech was behind the counter.

 

I explained to him what was off and the action I wanted. He said that standard charge was $60...I told him their website says $40. He said, "oh, that's old". I suggested the page be updated then.

 

So we talked about the Tele a little more, told how happy I was with the Les Paul setup. So he goes, "ok, I'm just going to ring this up as a restring and light setup....$15" SWEET!!!!

[Caevan O'Shite]

"...I'm still in shock this was only $200. No, you don't get the AA, AAA maple flamed quilted top. Who cares?"

 

It wouldn't sound the same with that onnitt, anyways.

 

And if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

Glad you got a good one!

[ThisSiteSucks]

Yeah, I'm excited to see what the setup does for it. I asked him to put 10's on since that is what I use on other guitars.

 

It went out of tune for me pretty quick; some of that can be from new strings not broken in yet; hoping to not have to put new tuners on, but that would be a fairly inexpensive job.