Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
- Thread starter ratherdashing
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Jocelyn
New member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Yes. This one. This was my first electric got it back when I was around 18. Its very light weight and resonates Very very well. Its seen lots of changes, since I got it. I changed the bridge to a more Solid one. The stock pickups were single coils, which I then upgraded to a Single pickup JB and then later added a single coil in the neck. I retried it when I got My Ibby, 5 years back. I gave it a total refinish with a new decal on the headstock and new standard tuners a few months back and put in the stock pups from my Ibby SA120. It sounds and plays good. I aint gona get anything for it if sell it, I might give it away for free to a needy musician, but honestly I am sentimentally attached to it. Over the last few days i have had the urge to remove the Ibby Pups and just put a single Duncan Humbucker in it.
Yes. This one. This was my first electric got it back when I was around 18. Its very light weight and resonates Very very well. Its seen lots of changes, since I got it. I changed the bridge to a more Solid one. The stock pickups were single coils, which I then upgraded to a Single pickup JB and then later added a single coil in the neck. I retried it when I got My Ibby, 5 years back. I gave it a total refinish with a new decal on the headstock and new standard tuners a few months back and put in the stock pups from my Ibby SA120. It sounds and plays good. I aint gona get anything for it if sell it, I might give it away for free to a needy musician, but honestly I am sentimentally attached to it. Over the last few days i have had the urge to remove the Ibby Pups and just put a single Duncan Humbucker in it.
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Dr. Vegetable
New member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
I don't play my first electric much these days, because it is in rough shape from all those years when it was my only electric. It needs a fret job badly, and it has a bit of corrosion happening on some of the hardware. I'll never sell it. I'm sure I'll make it playable again someday, but for now it sits in its case, pinin' for the fjords...
I don't play my first electric much these days, because it is in rough shape from all those years when it was my only electric. It needs a fret job badly, and it has a bit of corrosion happening on some of the hardware. I'll never sell it. I'm sure I'll make it playable again someday, but for now it sits in its case, pinin' for the fjords...
lpmarshall
New member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
My first acoustic, an cheap Alvarez. It's pretty much unplayable at this point, but I'll never sell it (not like I could get anything for it anyways).
My first acoustic, an cheap Alvarez. It's pretty much unplayable at this point, but I'll never sell it (not like I could get anything for it anyways).
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
HAHA! No worries. It's excluded from any list of items that could possibly be sold. In fact, it's right there with wedding pics, Franky (my frankenstrat) and my Martin as things to save in case of a fire.
HAHA! No worries. It's excluded from any list of items that could possibly be sold. In fact, it's right there with wedding pics, Franky (my frankenstrat) and my Martin as things to save in case of a fire.
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
It's encouraging to know that other people have done this, and for good reasons too.
I have a tough time imagining myself without some kind of HSS Strat though. I've always thought of that as MY guitar.
Hmm.
It's encouraging to know that other people have done this, and for good reasons too.
I have a tough time imagining myself without some kind of HSS Strat though. I've always thought of that as MY guitar.
Hmm.
TheLivingDead
Dawn Of The Shred
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Not yet.
Not yet.
IMENATOR
Well-known member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
hehehe, David Guilmour had retired his black strat and got it back for world touring and doing such amazing solo record. It was like watching that "Rocky Balboa" movie, so old but sill kicking ass
. I think the best thing to do with a guitar that sounds good and you love is to play it till you die, I would only retire a good instrument from the road (if I was a pro 
) but would still use it home/rehearsl/studio as much as possible.
hehehe, David Guilmour had retired his black strat and got it back for world touring and doing such amazing solo record. It was like watching that "Rocky Balboa" movie, so old but sill kicking ass
. I think the best thing to do with a guitar that sounds good and you love is to play it till you die, I would only retire a good instrument from the road (if I was a pro ) but would still use it home/rehearsl/studio as much as possible.Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Chalk up another 90s MIM fender owner here.
It's a 1995 MIM Strat. My first real guitar. It used to be red, I refinished it in metallic purple. It's had a ton of pickups in it, from hot rails to JBs to lace sensors. I've had it refretted once. The headstock has been glued back together after a stage accident in '05. The only original bits are the knobs, the bridge plate and saddles, and the jack plate and the wood itself.
I hate the neck on it. It's very thick and chunky with huge shoulders. Despite all the improvements it doesn't sound as good as most random strats, MIM or otherwise, that I can pick off a wall. I haven't played a gig with it since 2006 and I haven't actually played the thing in a few years. It spends months in its case at a time.
Yet, every time I think about selling it or parting it out, I just can't do it. Something stops me. I thought I'd part it out and keep the bare neck and body as a keepsake, but the idea of it not being functional just bothers me. I can't get over it for some reason.
Chalk up another 90s MIM fender owner here.
It's a 1995 MIM Strat. My first real guitar. It used to be red, I refinished it in metallic purple. It's had a ton of pickups in it, from hot rails to JBs to lace sensors. I've had it refretted once. The headstock has been glued back together after a stage accident in '05. The only original bits are the knobs, the bridge plate and saddles, and the jack plate and the wood itself.
I hate the neck on it. It's very thick and chunky with huge shoulders. Despite all the improvements it doesn't sound as good as most random strats, MIM or otherwise, that I can pick off a wall. I haven't played a gig with it since 2006 and I haven't actually played the thing in a few years. It spends months in its case at a time.
Yet, every time I think about selling it or parting it out, I just can't do it. Something stops me. I thought I'd part it out and keep the bare neck and body as a keepsake, but the idea of it not being functional just bothers me. I can't get over it for some reason.
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Ha, mine's a 95 as well. I just counted it up, and including the stocks it's had a total of 15 pickups in it.
I know what you mean about leaving it whole. The black Strat has nice pickups (Custom 5 and two Texas Specials), and the Sperzel tuners could certainly be put to good use elsewhere, but I don't think I could bear to see this instrument in a less than whole state.
Ha, mine's a 95 as well. I just counted it up, and including the stocks it's had a total of 15 pickups in it.
I know what you mean about leaving it whole. The black Strat has nice pickups (Custom 5 and two Texas Specials), and the Sperzel tuners could certainly be put to good use elsewhere, but I don't think I could bear to see this instrument in a less than whole state.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
I guess my Yamaha MSG is more or less retired, and has been since BA baggage handling snapped the headstock off it. Whilst it has been very well repaired, it really doesn't come out much at all, though it's still a nice player. In hindsight, I'm not sure the CC was such a great choice in the bridge position, but you live and learn.
I guess my Yamaha MSG is more or less retired, and has been since BA baggage handling snapped the headstock off it. Whilst it has been very well repaired, it really doesn't come out much at all, though it's still a nice player. In hindsight, I'm not sure the CC was such a great choice in the bridge position, but you live and learn.
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Most of the retired guitars being discussed aren't great instruments, just ones with great sentimental value.hehehe, David Guilmour had retired his black strat and got it back for world touring and doing such amazing solo record. It was like watching that "Rocky Balboa" movie, so old but sill kicking ass
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
this is the right answer. i had an hrr strat that was my main guitar for years. i eventually made the body into a clock.
this is the right answer. i had an hrr strat that was my main guitar for years. i eventually made the body into a clock.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Shame...
I don't play my first electric much these days, because it is in rough shape from all those years when it was my only electric. It needs a fret job badly, and it has a bit of corrosion happening on some of the hardware. I'll never sell it. I'm sure I'll make it playable again someday, but for now it sits in its case, pinin' for the fjords...
Shame...
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Day-um...
Day-um...
metlking
Well-known member
Re: Have you ever "retired" a guitar?
Not really retired but 6 months ago I acquired a Les Paul that feels and sounds so good I put away (for the time being) my trusty 81' Les Paul I've been faithful to for the last 25 years........Thats really saying something about this new LP!
Semi-Retired:
Newbie:
Not really retired but 6 months ago I acquired a Les Paul that feels and sounds so good I put away (for the time being) my trusty 81' Les Paul I've been faithful to for the last 25 years........Thats really saying something about this new LP!
Semi-Retired:
Newbie:
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