On the bench - Banker Flying V

[ICTGoober]

The owner is going to hit the builder up for a single ply truss rod cover.....Should be an improvement.

[Ashurbanipal]

Cool top on that.

[NegativeEase]

Cool top on that.

Aside from some creative appointments, Wood is Banker's thing -sourcing exotic and interesting wood specimens is the main value add for their business.

[ICTGoober]

It's flamed maple that has spalted.

Back in the 80's when spalted woods were first used by guitar makers, I didn't get it. What was so special about what is essentially mildewed wood? Took me about 25 years to realize the patterns were more interesting than the actual species of wood. Of course - it should be stabilized for best performance over time. This wasn't. It has voids that caused the lacquer finish to crack.

[idsnowdog]

I've always hankered after a Flying V (and a long blonde wig).

But right now I can neither afford nor justify an Epiphone, let alone the $5000 string through body Gibson I really want.

People are asking crazy prices even for beat up examples too.

There's an Epiphone on GC for $400 that needs a repspray, at least, and a husk on eBay for $400 with a (badly) repaired headstock crack.

For that kind of money, I'd just buy the Epiphone one new, which is string-through and has a proper set neck (unlike previous years bolt-ons). Spend $650 on the Epi and another $200 on SD pickups and you've easily got as good an instrument as the $5000 Gibson, or just spend $1500 on the basic Gibson with the standard stop tail bridge.

Why not a Dean V?

[JOLLY]

Why not a Dean V?

Headstock

[NegativeEase]

Headstock

Thank god I'm no alone.

I do need to get over my first impressions of Deans being those crapping import ones in the 90s that were in Pawn Shops in sort order, I know they are a quality instrument again for years and years....

[ThreeChordWonder]

Why not a Dean V?

Like the man said, headstock.

If I ever get allowed to buy a V, winning the lottery and being allowed to do whatever the #### I like aside, I expect it'll be an Epiphone with added SD open faced (not covered) pickups.

[Mincer]

Thank god I'm no alone.

I do need to get over my first impressions of Deans being those crapping import ones in the 90s that were in Pawn Shops in sort order, I know they are a quality instrument again for years and years....

Dean still has those cheapy instruments they had in pawn shops. They are like Fender where they have something at every price point.

[NegativeEase]

Dean still has those cheapy instruments they had in pawn shops. They are like Fender where they have something at every price point.

I think they are all better than that late 80s and 90s period right? I mean, they've been a real guitar maker since Armadillo acquired them from that interim company right?

[Mincer]

I think they are all better than that late 80s and 90s period right? I mean, they've been a real guitar maker since Armadillo acquired them from that interim company right?

They still make a bunch of low end stuff that is really bad. Their Custom Shop makes legit stuff but at $4k a guitar, there is a lot of competition.

[ICTGoober]

They still make a bunch of low end stuff that is really bad

The guitars themselves are not bad - but the pickups and electronics are basically junk on the bolt-on neck beginner stuff.
Those little brown Evos, the day-glo Custom Zones, and the like play very well with a competent setup and sound great with aftermarket pickups.
Better tuners would help, too - but the bones of the guitars are quite decent on average.
The Dean dealer here in town (not GC) sold a bunch of them to their students and I set them up - everybody happy.

Believe it or not, that little ML ukulele sounds terrific plugged into a Marshall and cranked up.
You wouldn't think nylon strings can play metal.... but they can - I've seen it done more than once.

[ICTGoober]

Yes, as a matter of fact. It was a real crowd pleaser at music class concerts.

[Mincer]

The guitars themselves are not bad - but the pickups and electronics are basically junk on the bolt-on neck beginner stuff.
Those little brown Evos, the day-glo Custom Zones, and the like play very well with a competent setup and sound great with aftermarket pickups.
Better tuners would help, too - but the bones of the guitars are quite decent on average.
The Dean dealer here in town (not GC) sold a bunch of them to their students and I set them up - everybody happy.

Believe it or not, that little ML ukulele sounds terrific plugged into a Marshall and cranked up.
You wouldn't think nylon strings can play metal.... but they can - I've seen it done more than once.

Yeah, if you upgrade them, they turn into nice little instruments. But their bad hardware and electronics are really bad.

[ICTGoober]

So you agree with me.