Birthday Guitar Poll

Birthday Guitar Poll

  • Gordon-Smith Graduate

    Votes: 1 3.4%

  • Yamaha SG

    Votes: 8 27.6%

  • Kramer Focus

    Votes: 4 13.8%

  • Brian May Sig

    Votes: 11 37.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • Total voters
    29
stevie_bees

stevie_bees

Cat In The Hatministrator
Ok, so the big 4-0 steams in to view next month, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to get myself a guitar to celebrate.

As usual, my budget will be pretty restricted, but I'm hoping to get around £400-500 towards it. I have my G&L Legacy, which contains the Everything Axe set, that I'm thinking of reverting to all single-coils. Plus my homebuilt Tele which contains a Broadcaster/Fralin Blues Special set up, and a 4-way switch.

So, what to get as my birthday guitar??

I've narrowed it down to 4 choices at the moment. They will almost certainly be purchased from eBay, to maximise my budget. The choices are:

Gordon-Smith Graduate (single or double-cut) Les Paul-type made in UK. There are a few variants to it, but most would suit.

Yamaha SG 500/700/1000, early 80's ones sometimes come up with a decent price.

Kramer Focus (all variants). Again early/mid 80's ones appear every so often, and it would induldge my closet hair-metal leanings!! :) (not that I can play that stuff very well!)

Brian May Signature. I have always been a huge Brian May fan!!

Any other suggestions???

I guess I'm torn with going for the Gordon-Smith/Yammie choices to give me the humbucker sounds I don't have, or a complete indulgence purchase with a Kramer or Brian May sig...

I've stuck a poll in, if you check the 'Other' option, make sure you post what that option is!!!

What do you guys think?
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

Congrats Bro! I hit that mark 2 years ago :(

l I can make all kinds of suggestions, but what I like and what you (and everyone else) likes can be completely different.

AFAIC , the old Yammys are where its at based on your choices in the poll. I'm not a fan of BM, or any sig/copy guitars really, and Not familiar with Gordon-Smith ata ll. I had a Kramer focus way back when briefly- they are very respectable guitars if you want that type of thing. But the rep of those Yammy SGs is up there for a reason.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

The Yamaha option is always a good one Stevie as is the Gordon Smith. You may consider a Jap Tokai LP or SG for around your budget too. It's a buyers market at the minute and I think you'll get a great guitar for your money.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

I think that you should buy one of my "surplus" guitars. :)

I guess this suggestion belongs under Rob Option.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

I've always wanted one of those Brian May guitars. That's why I voted for it.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

Well I voted 'other' on the strength of the Tokai suggestion, but otherwise, the idea of the SG is very persuasive...

I'll wish you the very best of early birthday felicitations too.

PS. Anyone got any suggestions for 'gifts' my 5-0 in November?
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

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Here are some reference images of the Gordon-Smith for those that don't know about them, including one that our very own Brow owns!! :D
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

You know what might be interesting? One of those new Yamaha Pacifica models with a humbucker in the bridge/treble position and a P90 in the neck/rhythm position.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

I voted for the Focus. ESP-built with OFRs and super-fast necks. I had a couple and regretted selling them shortly after I did. Now, they're 3x what I paid for them. People are starting to catch on. For your closet 80s leanings, I vote Focus 1000 just for authenticity lol.
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

I've never played a Kramer or the Yammie, but as you pointed out above I HAVE played the Gordon Smith stuff :D

1 thing about them if you do go that route: make sure you play it 1st. They're a very small operation (2 guys) and sometimes some less than great stuff slips out. There's been tales of both sides of necks not being parallel to each other for example :omg:

I love mine and it has no issues, but it's something to bare in mind :)
 
Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

formula73 said:
I voted for the Focus. ESP-built with OFRs and super-fast necks. I had a couple and regretted selling them shortly after I did. Now, they're 3x what I paid for them. People are starting to catch on. For your closet 80s leanings, I vote Focus 1000 just for authenticity lol.
Click to expand...

yeah.. used to be able to buy the focus' and Charvel model series and washburn USA mg axes for a song. new they are going up and up. I had a Focus 6000 that I hate myself for selling.. It delivered that woody 80s metal tone in spades.. (C8/fast

Stevie,
In the interest of a mid life crisis, get a Kramer and get yer hair metal follies on!! They can be versatile too..
 
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Re: Birthday Guitar Poll

I say get yourself a funky old Burns of London and celebrate being British!

Brian May would be my next choice.

Cheers!
 
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