"Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

A

Adieu

New member
...who ever said you needed obscene $$$ to have nice, playable guitars & gigworthy big loud amps? Let's show the youth of the day how it's done, so kids don't get pulled into thinking they need a ton if dough to play or that $800 price tags on chinese junk are a good deal just cuz it says "20% off!"

Mine:
$200 - Bugera 6262 2x12 (6505+ copy), came retubed w/ JJ's - from private seller (part trade, $100 + $100 Schecter Gryphon)
$175 - Carvin USA 4x12 loaded w/ UK Rola Celestion g12-65's - from GC Lake Forest
$420 - ESP Std Eclipse I (Japan), OFR, EMG 81/85 - GC online offer (pre-blk fri deal?)
$125 - early 70s Westminster LP Custom (Japan), Matsumoku, Super 70 - private seller, estate selloff

= $920

webrig.jpg

Soon, m/b tomorrow if a deal goes through: couple V30s for the Bugera, likely ~75 ea
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Digging the Westminster LP copy from the Seventies but one question keeps playing on my mind. How does that strip of tape affect yo' tone? :D
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Funkfingers said:
Digging the Westminster LP copy from the Seventies but one question keeps playing on my mind. How does that strip of tape affect yo' tone? :D
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The semihollow effect? Lol... Bloody loud unplugged, especially before I did a lowaction setup.

Kept meaning to throw in some kinda neck bucker (super 70 in neck is TOO gnarly, and that monstrous string pull wasnt doing any good), but blew the pickup ring. Which turned out to have been a proprietary japanese 70s size. Hard to find, though some places you can custon order em...never got around to it. And kinda like the simplicity.

PS ditching the tone pot , the switch, and the neck pup gave a +5-10% /ea. boost to output ballziness
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Its a kicka$$ axe.

Westminster's a badge engineering label, same guitar was available from: Greco Ibanez Antoria Electra and others....as well as a cheaper hardware version from Hondo (trapezoid tuners, mb cheaper bridge - expensive versions have Gotoh all around, inc. Greco/Ibanez "star"-type tuners, though w/o star lid for other brands).

Its sooo distinctive in looks that it makes for a nice case study on relationships between badges and manufacturers in 70s japan. And also proves in all certainty several popular web suspicions like "Ibanez Super 70 = Greco U-1000 = Maxon Hi-Power", among others.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

I might suggest:

Mexican Tele. Stock ones are fine. They need no mods to be very good sounding and reliable guitars. $250 to $300
Blues Deluxe. Versatility, convenience, tone quality, and bang for the buck. $300 to $400
Pitchblack tuner. Cheap, decently made, and simple. $40, give or take ten bucks.
Two quality ten-foot cables, and a cheap twenty-foot backup. $60 to $75
Quality gig bag or case for the Tele. Kind of a wide range here in terms of price. I'll say $100 to $150.
Strap. $5 or $10
Four pack of Grolsch. $7 or $8
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$752 low end to $993 high end. Spend whatever is left on tons of picks and strings.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

My best deal rig would be just over the mark by $100
2007 PRS Custom 24 $800
120 watt Peavy Ultra + head $150
Blackstar 1/12 cab $150
Or another rout would be
Zinky Blue velvet 1/12 combo- I traded a Washburn USA MG 100 I had resued from a pawn shop and only had $150 in + $400 cash for a total of $550 invested
1995 Washburn MG 102 off ebay $375
Total invested in the rig $925
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

ItsaBass said:
...
Four pack of Grolsch. $7 - 8
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Well, we do agree on something... However, with the amp for 300, why not go American? Or some cool japanese thing like the Fender Japan Thinlines, an ESP Ron Wood, a real non-reissue Schecter PT, or smthn?
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Adieu said:
Well, we do agree on something... However, with the amp for 300, why not go American? Or some cool japanese thing like the Fender Japan Thinlines, an ESP Ron Wood, a real non-reissue Schecter PT, or smthn?
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"Going American" is a waste of money with the Standard Teles IMO. The Mexican ones are good guitars. The American ones are only slightly better (if any), but cost twice as much. I was thinking bang for the buck. If I was in the market for a very cheap, yet quite good, Tele, it'd be a used Mexican Standard. It's easily one of the best bang for the buck guitars in existence on the used market.
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

ItsaBass said:
"Going American" is a waste of money with the Standard Teles IMO. The Mexican ones are good guitars. The American ones are only slightly better (if any), but cost twice as much. I was thinking bang for the buck. If I was in the market for a very cheap, yet quite good, Tele, it'd be a used Mexican Standard. It's easily one of the best bang for the buck guitars in existence on the used market.
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Well, your suggestion spends 500-550... And kinda wastes the rest on stuff that often shows up as free case candy anyway.

Btw, cases wise, one the LP Custom in my pic came with an iconic orange fuzz jap hardshell. As have about 50% of all used axes I've bought, ever.

Ascension said:
USA Custom 24 and it was a pawn shop find at $800 OTD>
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Whoary shït!!! o_O ...even birds too, which often bumps asking prices by 300-400 just for inlays! NIIIIIICE :-)
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Adieu said:
Well, your suggestion spends 500-550... And kinda wastes the rest on stuff that often shows up as free case candy anyway.

Btw, cases wise, one the LP Custom in my pic came with an iconic orange fuzz jap hardshell. As have about 50% of all used axes I've bought, ever.
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My suggestion spends $650 to $815 on the essentials of guitar, amp, tuner, and cables, not $500 to $550. The only possible "waste" I see in my list is the case/bag, the strap, and the strap locks. If you get any of that stuff along with the guitar, good for you. Go eat some hamburgers in celebration.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

ItsaBass said:
"Going American" is a waste of money with the Standard Teles IMO. The Mexican ones are good guitars. The American ones are only slightly better (if any), but cost twice as much. I was thinking bang for the buck. If I was in the market for a very cheap, yet quite good, Tele, it'd be a used Mexican Standard. It's easily one of the best bang for the buck guitars in existence on the used market.
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Not IMO it's not a great bang for the $.
Nice USA Peavy Generation S-1 and 2's like the S-1 I have can be found on Ebay in the
$300-500 range regularly and will smoke a Mex badly and give most USA CS Fenders a solid run. I bought mine ina Pawn shop for $150.



Washburn USA MG guitars from mid 1990's IMO are the best bang for the $ deal out there . Comparable in quality of woods, workmanship and playability with Surh, Anderson, USA Jacksons and CS Fender stuff but because they say WASHBURN on the headstock they sell cheap ( at least right now they do). You regularly see decent examples sell for under $500 on ebay.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

ALSO...might i add, that, for a penny pincher or a shoestring budget, flipping cases = WIN for scoring cheap deals. Like a Mexistrat or LTD 400-500 w/ EMGs can be found for 250ish all day long, but sometimes they come with pristine OHSCs... sell em for 80-90 bucks, and you just got yourself a quite serviceable axe for <200.

Once got an MIJ Ibanez Sabre 540s for a final grand total of $120 (200-80) like that...lol the LoPro Edge OR the japanese Wizard I neck alone on ebay cost like twice that.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

ItsaBass said:
My suggestion spends $650 to $815 on the essentials of guitar, amp, tuner, and cables, not $500 to $550. The only possible "waste" I see in my list is the case/bag, the strap, and the strap locks. If you get any of that stuff along with the guitar, good for you. Go eat some hamburgers in celebration.
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Tele $200-250 in my experience
Amp $300 your words not mine

Hardshell, cables, mb a tuner stand etc - common case candy/deal sweeteners. Also, tuners and cables are 20 bucks tops, or total if you catch a sale. And a $150 hardshell for an instantly replaceable and easily serviced $200 mexican fender? Izzat a joke?
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

Used Epi LP Std, Dot, or SG, with a couple of used Duncan's. That's $300-$400, and leaves plenty of room for a decent used amp.
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

blueman335 said:
Used Epi LP Std, Dot, or SG, with a couple of used Duncan's. That's $300-$400, and leaves plenty of room for a decent used amp.
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Unless that's a Matsumoku/Elitist Epi, you just arent getting your moneys full worth... Btw, my local CL has had an old Matsumoku SG at $125 (not an epi, but same diff) since like AUGUST, which, if its still there tonight, might just become my newest project. Recipe same as above (or EMGs from my ESP, if I decide to pull the plug on blackouts or livewires for her)

Good solid old japs just arent that hard to find if you know HOW to look (hint: find a brand or keyword list to hit the search with)
 
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Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

My new used Samick and I laugh at your $1,000.00. I spent $40 on this totally playable, giggable and great sounding guitar...picked it up a couple of weeks ago ;-)
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

jtees4 said:
My new used Samick and I laugh at your $1,000.00. I spent $40 on this totally playable, giggable and great sounding guitar...picked it up a couple of weeks ago ;-)
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Your samick is a halfstack short of gigability (you might own one, but you didnt tally its cost)

... And my $125 matsumoku westminster lp custom w/ 2 super 70s and OHSC laughs at your samick, since it'd be the same $40 after flipping the case (i just like it and need an lp case atm) OR $ 25 after flipping the neck Super 70... or, yknow, a PROFIT of ~$50 for keeping her as now, flipping the extra super 70 & case.

And it REALLY IS extra, cuz she plays better junior'd, without the extra string pull. I didnt yank it for economic reasons, but cuz i like it more this way
 
Re: "Best mileage out of a grand" : show off your ~$1k used rigs

I've got a late 90's-early 2000's Hamer EchoTone (Korean) that I snagged earlier this year for $200 from GC. Came with Duncan Designed pickups and whoever had it before me had a pro setup done. It plays like butter. It can technically be called a gift because I used GC Gift Cards and cash I had gotten for my birthday and Christmas. $2 and change came out of my pocket.

Back in the 90's I got my Marshall JCM 900 MkIII head for around $450-$500. I made the footswitch with a Hoover vacuum cleaner switch and an enclosure from Radio Shack, less than $10 in parts.

Got an Avatar Vintage 2x12 w/ CL80's in the "Specials and Overstock" section for $325 (somewhere around there).

That's not all I have but the combo of my gear that gets in the ~$1k ballpark +/- a few bucks.
 
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