Talk me out of it?

[BigTim]

This is a little different guitar scenario from an acoustic your are after but.....I walked into GC about 6 months ago just to look at a bass by Ibanez.

Well they didn't have one. So I got to wandering around and came across that platinum room.

I wasn't even thinking about a new electric guitar. But I walked out of there with a brand new Gibson 57 reissue gold top Les Paul custom shop.

Now....like I said I was not looking to buy that day...but when I plugged it in and played it....to me it was the best guitar I ever played or owned.

It was priced at 4699.00 before tax.

I whittled the price as much as I could and got it for 4621.23 out the door.


So they will work with you some if you are a serious buyer.


There happened to be another guy in there who played very well so I asked him to play it while I listened. It is no doubt my favorite guitar of all time.


So when you do decide to go back....try to get someone else that can play to play the guitar you like as well so you can get a different perspective on your decision. It really helped me that day.


Good luck!!!!

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by BigTim

So when you do decide to go back....try to get someone else that can play to play the guitar you like as well so you can get a different perspective on your decision. It really helped me that day.


Good luck!!!!

Dude. Thank you so much for this! It didn't even occur to me, but you're right, I should have someone play it and listen from the audience perspective.

And yeah, very similar situation.

I guess I'll shower, suit up, and hit the road to GC. Final decision will be in-store, obviously. I will go over the entire guitar from stem to stern to make sure there isn't any hidden flaw that I would discover later... and I'll have someone play it for me.

[BigTim]

Oh and I just went back and read the entire thread on investment and your kids in college etc.


So, out current money situation is terrible since it basically based and backed up by practically.....nothing!!


You mention investments etc......well to help curb my custom shop purchase...I sold 2 other nice guitars I have.


I also just purchased one of the new Taylor 724ce all koa guitars.

Priced at 3799.00 at sweetwater....well I didn't need it as I already have a nice Taylor....but there was something very beautiful and elegant with the wood grain it has and also the little fret markers, etc that makes it stand apart from my Taylor 810ce.


So since that recent purchase as well...I have sold a gibson and a tube amp in which I didn't use much.


I took can afford to just keep it all.....but by selling off my other gear I am not using much, it helps justify my new purchase.


Or you can buy it now and just make your kids pay for it when they graduate college and get a good job!!




I

[gurroz]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

I guess the money thing is the obvious question. Yeah, I can do it, but anytime I'm looking at something in the thousands I immediately think about how that money can make me money

Quick math on $1000: in 5 years at 8% return, that $1000 is now just under $1500.

I would never pay 4K for a single guitar. I have 4 guitars in my stable that total 4K. I started investing in BTC back in 2016 and have experienced 114% average return annually. I cannot afford the opportunity lost, spending on wants versus needs. For example, it would take 10 BTC in January 2016 to purchase a 4K guitar. Today it would cost me .15 BTC to buy a 4K guitar. Put another way, I could purchase 60 4K guitars today instead of one 4K guitar in 2016! Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[BigTim]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

Dude. Thank you so much for this! It didn't even occur to me, but you're right, I should have someone play it and listen from the audience perspective.

And yeah, very similar situation.

I guess I'll shower, suit up, and hit the road to GC. Final decision will be in-store, obviously. I will go over the entire guitar from stem to stern to make sure there isn't any hidden flaw that I would discover later... and I'll have someone play it for me.

That's the spirit!! And keep us posted!!

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by gurroz

I would never pay 4K for a single guitar. I have 4 guitars in my stable that total 4K. I started investing in BTC back in 2016 and have experienced 114% average return annually. I cannot afford the opportunity lost, spending on wants versus needs. For example, it would take 10 BTC in January 2016 to purchase a 4K guitar. Today it would cost me .15 BTC to buy a 4K guitar. Put another way, I could purchase 60 4K guitars today instead of one 4K guitar in 2016! Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

It's a good soapbox to stand on, my man. You get it.

Speaking of BTC, I had a young guy on my team back in the early 2010s and he (and his brother) acquired large quantities of BTC when it was under $1. He tried to get me into it, but honestly I just didn't get it. My mind was stuck in the traditional investment mentality. I couldn't wrap my head around how it was a legitimate investment opportunity.

Needless to say, he hit bigtime and is semi-retired. He didn't cash out when a lot of early speculators did. He held until it was over $10k and then started converting some of it and diversifying into other investments.

I get to watch his posts on Social Media where he's in Bali, or Fuji, or wherever else he chooses to be...

Life's too short for regrets, but that's one that stings whenever I think about those conversations with him about BTC.

Good for you, man! Keep that investment train a'rollin'...

[TheGITM]

As I'm sure everyone expected... I did the deal.

Here's the breakdown: Retail on it was $4,599. I wanted it under $4,000. The most they could do was -$500 (all corporate will allow) getting it to $4,099, so they added over $100 worth of free merch. I grabbed some string and such... free. So it was $4,099 + tax, making it $4,483.34 out the door with over $100 in free merch.

Now, for the fun part. I generally do not like debt vehicles, but they have a Gear Card with a current promotion of 48 months at 0% interest. They also have a 10% promotion for purchases over $499. So, I get them to lend me the money at 0% interest over 48 months and I get a gift card for $410 to use in store. I'm planning to use the gift card on some recording-related stuff.

Guys, I can't pass up 0% interest deals. I get to keep my money working for me while paying them <$100 a month... that put it over the top for me, so I now own a Martin 0012-28 Modern Deluxe acoustic guitar.

It is truly an exceptional guitar.

[islandguitar]

Very Nice!!! Congrats to you! Looks like GC really wanted to make this work....as you did too!

[BigTim]

Ok so before I get into any details of the guitar itself.....did you find someone to play it as well by chance for you???


And as far as the 0% goes....you cannot beat that at all. I did the same with my Taylor 724ce I just bought from Sweetwater music.


However I was able to sell some pieces of gear to help toward the purchase. So I am going to throw a few good chunks of green toward it very soon and whittle down the bulk of the price.


So on your new Martin......is that the way both E strings should be wound on your guitar?


I have never paid attention to the slotted headstock types much


But it is pretty!

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by BigTim

...


So on your new Martin......is that the way both E strings should be wound on your guitar?


I have never paid attention to the slotted headstock types much


But it is pretty!

Haha... I mean, it's fine, but that's not the best way to string it. The Es should actually be wound to the inside for one loop and then outside for the rest so it lines up more directly with the nut slot. The other strings should be one loop to the outside with the rest to the inside. You want as straight a line as possible from the post to the nut, generally. And you want loops one and two to cross over the string so it gets a good set.

My experience with slotted headstocks is pretty limited, though.

I love everything about this guitar. I'm digging into my memory banks and throwing all kinds of songs at it, and she's responding like 'Yeah? Really? Is that all you got?'

The only thing I can't really do is pound it with any kind of aggressive strumming. It's just not built for that. But all of my finger-picking stuff just seems so much easier on this guitar... and it just sings every note. I'm in guitar nirvana right now...

Edit to add: Oh, and yes, I did have someone play it for me. One of the younger GC dudes play a lot of classical so he ran through some different things for me. The only negative (and it's not unexpected) is that it's not very loud. It's loud enough for how I intend to use it, but you wouldn't play it in a group setting with D28s, fiddles, and banjos... I'm planning to use it primarily for writing and recording, so it's just what I need. The tone is very balanced across the board.

[jschmitz54]

If spending the money is not going to put you in a financial tailspin and the significant other is not going to hurt you physically or emotionally then go for it.
You only live once!

[LemonOswald]

I got a 0012-28MD about a month ago. It is a great guitar-- and I agree that it is perfect in many respects, that is, if you are good with a 00 12-fret size and if you like the rosewood sound. (My only beef is the red dots on the bridge pins-- why, oh why, did they think that that was a good idea?)

I did a trade for mine-- mostly because I don't have much space-- so my advice is to follow what a few folks have said above: commit to trading one in to get something you feel is ""just about the perfect combination of size, tone, playability, aesthetics, and overall total tactile response. It's just beautiful. It's beautiful presentation. Beautiful sound. Beautiful to play."

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by LemonOswald

I got a 0012-28MD about a month ago. It is a great guitar-- and I agree that it is perfect in many respects, that is, if you are good with a 00 12-fret size and if you like the rosewood sound. (My only beef is the red dots on the bridge pins-- why, oh why, did they think that that was a good idea?)

I did a trade for mine-- mostly because I don't have much space-- so my advice is to follow what a few folks have said above: commit to trading one in to get something you feel is ""just about the perfect combination of size, tone, playability, aesthetics, and overall total tactile response. It's just beautiful. It's beautiful presentation. Beautiful sound. Beautiful to play."

I don't mind the red dots. Not sure why they chose that, though. I can't say for sure that the liquid metal pins add resonance (as they claim), but they look okay to me. And they seem to be holding the strings in...

[LemonOswald]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

I don't mind the red dots. Not sure why they chose that, though. I can't say for sure that the liquid metal pins add resonance (as they claim), but they look okay to me. And they seem to be holding the strings in...

I may get mine vaccinated against measles/mumps/rubella, to get rid of the possibility of red dots. Just a thought, for when it's old enough.

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

Haha... I mean, it's fine, but that's not the best way to string it. The Es should actually be wound to the inside for one loop and then outside for the rest so it lines up more directly with the nut slot. The other strings should be one loop to the outside with the rest to the inside. You want as straight a line as possible from the post to the nut, generally. And you want loops one and two to cross over the string so it gets a good set.

My experience with slotted headstocks is pretty limited, though.

I love everything about this guitar. I'm digging into my memory banks and throwing all kinds of songs at it, and she's responding like 'Yeah? Really? Is that all you got?'

The only thing I can't really do is pound it with any kind of aggressive strumming. It's just not built for that. But all of my finger-picking stuff just seems so much easier on this guitar... and it just sings every note. I'm in guitar nirvana right now...

Edit to add: Oh, and yes, I did have someone play it for me. One of the younger GC dudes play a lot of classical so he ran through some different things for me. The only negative (and it's not unexpected) is that it's not very loud. It's loud enough for how I intend to use it, but you wouldn't play it in a group setting with D28s, fiddles, and banjos... I'm planning to use it primarily for writing and recording, so it's just what I need. The tone is very balanced across the board.

Be careful stringing the "E"s like you said. Stringing it so the "E"s have a more straight shot into the nut (toward the outside of the headstock closer to the tuners) may dig into the channels in the headstock and give you some nasty scratches (or worse). I assume this is the reason you always see slot head guitars strung the way your guitar came.