Have you ever ended up getting a dud? - Page 3

kizz · #31 09-23-2021, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

Nice happy ending and a lesson learned. Sometimes the sound is in there and the instrument needs to be tweaked to find it. Other times nothing works.

Or that the player just needs to get to know the instrument to make it sound good, here the right strings can help it a lot.

buddyhu · #32 09-23-2021, 04:32 AM

I have bought a few guitars that I knew weren’t right for me in just a few hours, and a couple of others that, over time didn’t continue to enchant me. And a couple of guitars that didn’t sound “right” until i got them set up or found the right strings for them.

Maybe one dud…but I am uncertain about this: sometimes my first impression of a guitar proves to be a very temporary and inaccurate perspective, and I once decided that a guitar wasn’t right for me (and,I considered it to be a dud) in less than 12 hours. I might have been right, might have been wrong.

Mbroady · #33 09-23-2021, 05:06 AM

For every guitar I purchased (dozens) I’ve probably returned 1.
Can’t say they were duds, but they were not for me.

RustyMcdangles · #34 09-23-2021, 07:57 AM

Yup, had a j35… just sounded completely flat no matter what strings were on it, adjusted etc. sold it and seen it for resale a bunch of times after, same guitar. Shame

hairpuller · #35 09-23-2021, 08:12 AM

Mine was a Bourgeois OM country boy. Man, didn't like the way that played or sounded. Happy I found it a loving home.

scott

fitness1 · #36 09-23-2021, 08:14 AM

Late 90's Larrivee C-72 presentation Brazilian.

Found one used at a great price about 10 years ago - was waiting like a kid in a candy store to get it.

Absolutely the least lively guitar over 500.00 I've ever played.

blakey · #37 09-23-2021, 09:00 AM

Fender Baja electric telecaster. Everything was great on it except the horrendous boat size neck. Bought sight unseen - I'd heard it was on the large size. But I couldn't believe it when it arrived. Could have made it into a canoe I suppose.

Zissou Intern · #38 09-23-2021, 06:04 PM

I had a 2016 D18. It was sort of "meh" sounding. Couple that with the MLO/PA neck, and it had to go, but only after 6 months of hoping it would change and I'd adapt to the neck profile. Nope and nope. I sold it to a local guy. He loves it! Go figure.

mcmars · #39 09-23-2021, 10:22 PM

I got a 50's Kay on Ebay, intonation was really bad, so I put on new strings. Still way bad, luthier measured it and said factory put bridge in wrong spot. Message me if you are interested, lol. So check intonation for sure before you buy. I have another I got almost free that has bad backbow, a 20 year old S6, still hanging on the wall and message me on that one as well, haha.

jpmist · #40 09-24-2021, 09:57 AM

Oh, yeah. I'm not gonna name it cause it's an underdog brand with lots of fans here, but the small bodied 12 fret I got had one of those finishes that looked like Karo Syrup and almost as thick. On paper it had everything I liked, but it's tone was quite unremarkable due to it's thick finish I'm guessing.

Buying sight unseen and unheard one braces for a bad one now and then. I didn't waste any time deciding it was a goner and I didn't get too down about it. I managed to eBay it off without too much of a hit.

Glennwillow · #41 09-24-2021, 10:25 AM

Have you ever ended up getting a dud?

I never did, though I have played some duds on stores.

- Glenn

DBW · #42 09-24-2021, 10:47 AM

Yes. My Gibson G45 Studio was a dud. I traded it for a Martin D-16.

Mark Stone · #43 09-24-2021, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pdubs76

Tell me about your experience. What kind of guitar was it? What made it a dud? Did you return it or resell it? Also, could it be possible that most cases with these perceived duds could be solved with the right setup/strings or even the setting in which they are played?

Mine was an Ovation Celebrity that I bought about 15(?) years ago. The guitar itself was cool, there were no real problems - but the barn door had an on-board tuner that made me crazy. When the tuner is activated, it shuts off the signal - but then you can't manually turn off the tuner and restore the signal. You have to wait for a timer. Sooooo, the band wants to continue and I would have to wait for the signal to turn back on. Pfffft. An OK guitar for just playing, but in a live band? Naw.

rollypolly · #44 09-24-2021, 12:48 PM

nope , that's the problem. They all sound good and I keep way too many of them.

musicman1951 · #45 09-24-2021, 12:54 PM

I never purchased one, but I've played quite a few in music stores. Lifeless sound, no sustain, no overtones. A new set of strings might help a little, but these were always going to be duds for me.

But I do realize that the things that make them duds for me might be perfect for a different player and a different style music.