Occasionally you find cheap gems

[ylekot]

Originally Posted by Muddslide

Maybe I've just been outta the game too long, but I'd love a little clarification or context here, re: "bug spray guitar."

I've been accused of clearing a dance floor like an exterminator, but that was my electric guitar...

sorry about any confusion.....it is my "beater" campfire guitar so not worried about bug spray wrecking the finish or soaking into the plywood and ruining the thing......

[downtime]

Iv'e owned several vintage Harmony guitars that have turned out to be inexpensive gems. They will need a neck reset 99% of the time but if you're patient you can find them that have already had the work done but still at bargain prices.

Here is my current H1203. Loads of fun to play and tons of cool vintage vibe.

[Pickcity]

I bought a mid 70's Yamaha last year in an antiques store. I paid $70. It is a very good guitar. I play it regularly.

As far as new guitars are concerned, the quality of new guitars for low prices these days is astounding. I know we are living in good guitar times when I have to search for a bad guitar. I don't feel that I'm exaggerating with that statement either...Some guitars play and sound better than others, but I'm not finding many new guitars that are completely unacceptable or at least unsalvageable, and the overwhelming majority are way better than that. This goes for electrics as well as acoustics.

[zombywoof]

For me the key is not the initial purchase price but what I end putting into them to get them in the condition to do what they were designed to do.

That said my best two buy on the cheap deals have been:

An early 1930s Oscar Schmidt-made Galiano spruce top, mahogany body jumbo. Without anything to ID the guitar apparently nobody knew what it was so I was able to get it for $225 with a hardshell case. Nothing needed to make it an everyday player other than a setup.



At $400 I snagged a 1955/56 Epiphone FT-79. Other than needing a new pickguard and some screwholes left by a nasty double scratchplate filled in I have had to absolutely nothing else to it.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by downtime

Iv'e owned several vintage Harmony guitars that have turned out to be inexpensive gems. They will need a neck reset 99% of the time but if you're patient you can find them that have already had the work done but still at bargain prices.

Here is my current H1203. Loads of fun to play and tons of cool vintage vibe.

No argument that Harmony guitars can be gems which are there for the taking at a very nice price. The problem with Harmonys is that unless you go the kamikaze neck reset route, the all to common needed repairs drive up what you end up having in them pretty quickly. The neck reset issue is why I did not count any Harmony guitars. If I dismissed that little need I would add a 1956 H40 "Uno tone," a 1942 H165 (the earliest known surviving example of the model), and a block letter logo late-1950s Harmony 1260 Sovereign.

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

For me the key is not the initial purchase price but what I end putting into them to get them in the condition to do what they were designed to do.

That said my best two buy on the cheap deals have been:

An early 1930s Oscar Schmidt-made Galiano spruce top, mahogany body jumbo. Without anything to ID the guitar apparently nobody knew what it was so I was able to get it for $225 with a hardshell case. Nothing needed to make it an everyday player other than a setup.



At $400 I snagged a 1955/56 Epiphone FT-29. Other than needing a new pickguard and some screwholes left by a nasty double scratchplate filled in I have had to absolutely nothing else to it.

So beautiful. I love old Harmonys! I love a guitar with a little age on it in general. Those seem like steals!

I only own one El Cheapo Ibanez-- currently my only guitar. It's a perfectly fine instrument, really. Much better than the cheap stuff you could get when I started out in the 70s.

I don't really have the need for (or skills to justify) owning very many guitars or very fine/expensive ones. I do like to play a bit of slide...maybe have one set for an alternate tuning...perhaps 3 at most...maybe an electric again someday, for recording. But I digress.

When it's time for my next purchase, I'm hoping to land something with some age to it, but not something so vintage that I'd be worried about it or that was very delicate or required a bunch of work or maintenance.

I was born in '68. A birth year guitar would be cool. Hopefully I can find something decent and affordable and cool that was made then or between 1968 and '77 (the year I started playing.)

I am a pretty nostalgic, sentimental person. I love older things. Instruments in particular, that have some history, some battle scars.

I'll be scouring pawn shops and antique stores seeking some old Epiphone or Yamaha or Harmony...some guitar that's been around like me, and it and I can spend the rest of our lives together...

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

No argument that Harmony guitars can be gems which are there for the taking at a very nice price. The problem with Harmonys is that unless you go the kamikaze neck reset route, the all to common needed repairs drive up what you end up having in them pretty quickly. The neck reset issue is why I did not count any Harmony guitars. If I dismissed that little need I would add a 1956 H40 "Uno tone," a 1942 H165 (the earliest known surviving example of the model), and a block letter logo late-1950s Harmony 1260 Sovereign.

That's one potential issue I have with older instruments, and Harmonys can be particularly prone to these things, having been essentially "catalog" instruments. Still love them, though!

I used to own a LOT of ukuleles and had several old Harmonys, Silvertones, Regals, Kays... very cool stuff and if some of those ukes needed tweaking, I was handy at it.

I've also done a fair bit of electric guitar nodding, refinishing, minor repairs and upgrades.

But I've always been way too intimidated (and not knowledgeable enough) to feel good about working on an acoustic guitar. I've filed a few nuts and saddles, swapped tuners...that's about all I'm willing to do, and it does get expensive having that kinda work done.

[C_Becker]

Originally Posted by GangstaPat

I had one of these at about half what you paid. Excellent guitar but I just could not get along with the tuners. When I evaluated the price of new tuners I just decided to move on.

I get where you are coming from,but I managed to find some Kluson tuners (MK6LN is the model) for 23€ that are actually quite good. Since this was really the only thing holding this guitar back, I decided to keep it. I even tried changing out the saddle for a TUSQ one - I put the stock one back.

[JohnnyT]

Originally Posted by davistld01

Just bought a Yamaha FG830 from a Reverb seller. It was NOS, and a floor model...and I got it for a steal. Let's say, under $250 shipped. It is supposed to be for my stepson to learn on...but it sounds amazing and plays great. I think it's pretty beautiful too. I'm not saying it sounds as good as a $5000 Martin...but it's the best thing I've ever heard for the money, or even close to it. Heck, I might have to pick one up. I've bought, sold & traded many expensive guitars...and I still basically suck as a player, so why invest in the high price spread?

Pretty! I've got my eyes on an 850...

[Oldguy64]

A lot depends on what you call “cheap”.
I only have one guitar that has broken the $1000 mark.
I have a number of bargain boxes.
Three Alvarez guitars that were $200 or less.
The “nicest” is a PD85S with solid top and back.
It is a wonderful guitar.

I spend way too much time on BST and CL.
I sift through tons of guitars looking for...and occasionally finding bargain beauties.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Muddslide

That's one potential issue I have with older instruments, and Harmonys can be particularly prone to these things, having been essentially "catalog" instruments. Still love them, though!

I used to own a LOT of ukuleles and had several old Harmonys, Silvertones, Regals, Kays... very cool stuff and if some of those ukes needed tweaking, I was handy at it.

I've also done a fair bit of electric guitar nodding, refinishing, minor repairs and upgrades.

But I've always been way too intimidated (and not knowledgeable enough) to feel good about working on an acoustic guitar. I've filed a few nuts and saddles, swapped tuners...that's about all I'm willing to do, and it does get expensive having that kinda work done.

When it comes to Harmonys about the only guitars that are worth any kind of decent money would be the Buck Owens flattop, the carved top Cremonas and the figure 8 H922 Stella 12 strings. With most once you figure in repairs you would be lucky to break even but most likely would end up underwater on. That is why I called it a labor love. For those of us who genuinely love these guitars and would rather own them than say a $500 import they are worth every penny you put in them.

This was my last repair job - a mid-1960s Silvertone Sovereign. I fixed the headstock break and a few other things. Unfortunately while the repair guy who checked it out for me told me my job would last a lifetime he found a previous neck joint repair that was incredibly poorly done and not stable. In the end, this one got the neck off another Sovereign. Not for the squeamish.

[muscmp]

i just recently picked up this 2014 00015m for $640. on reverb and ebay they were not listed below $970. owner needed cash to pay mortgage.

play music!

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by muscmp

i just recently picked up this 2014 00015m for $640. on reverb and ebay they were not listed below $970. owner needed cash to pay mortgage.



play music!

You got a deal. Enjoy!

[muscmp]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

You got a deal. Enjoy!

i am. it goes very well with my 0015m when both are being played.

play music!

[bluesfreek]

My 2017 Sigma 000M-1ST is one of the finest playing and sounding acoustic guitars I have ever owned. I bought it last April for $350 brand new.

Just recently I bought a used 1976 made in Japan Morris W604M dreadnought guitar which I paid $300 for including a hard-shell case. Except for the three tiny dings on the top it's in almost mint condition with perfect action and no signs of any neck angle issues. It's Solid spruce over laminate rosewood with beautiful tone and sustain.. It's my go to flatpicking guitar.