Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

[Hoss]

Thinking pretty hard about picking up another guitar in the next week or so. I'm down to a Gretsch G5420T, a Fender Cabronita Thinline, & a Fender Classic Player Jazzmaster? They are all very close $ wise and can be had on ZZounds and AMS 8 payment plans. Any of you guys have experience with any of them, did you upgrade anything, or even need to? How was the fit and finish & etc?











Or i could stretch the payments out for 12 mos and get the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster?

 

[speakerjones]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

For me, it would have to be the TVL Jazzmaster. The Tele and the Gretsch are both pretty meh to me. The CP JM is probably OK, but the TVL has the tremolo in the right spot, AVRI pickups and a good bridge. It's just more of a "real" Jazzmaster to me. Cool color too.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

My vote goes to the LCT Thinline.

Modifications? Better (metric width) bridge saddles. TV Jones Classic Plus B pickup. Two top quality A500k pots, wired as volume and tone. Through the right valve amplification, this combination should be able to turn its hand to a wide variety of styles and sounds.

 

[DreX]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

It so happens I have that same gold Cabronita headed my way. Cabronita seem to be all the rage, neo-chicano looking, they look like they would go well with a zoot suit. I'm not a too hot on the lone volume control, though, I'm thinking about trying to make a single knob do volume one way and tone the other somehow.

I think the decision hinges on what style you play. IMO the large hollow body is better for finger style while the smaller solid / thinline is better for strumming / digging in with a pick. The higher clearance between the strings and the body on that style of hollow electric guitar makes strumming a little more awkward. If you're not paying attention your fingers can crash into the strings.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

My future son-in-law bought a Classic Player JM. He replaced the bridge with a roller type, and had a tech dial it in. It sounds great, returns to pitch after "trem" use, and plays like a dream.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

I bought the Classic Player JM for my son as a high school graduation gift and he loves it. Part of the gift was an upgrade to the SD JM pickups of his choice. He told me he loves the sound of the stock pickups and hasn't taken me up on the second part of his gift.

 

[daan]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

It so happens I have that same gold Cabronita headed my way. Cabronita seem to be all the rage, neo-chicano looking, they look like they would go well with a zoot suit. I'm not a too hot on the lone volume control, though, I'm thinking about trying to make a single knob do volume one way and tone the other somehow.

I'm all for simple control layouts, but this might be TOO simple... Get one of THESE
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/CPCS55/CTS-Stacked-Dual-Concentric-Audio-Pot-500K500K.html
and you'll be able to have Vol/Tone without drilling other holes in your new guitar.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

Well they are all pretty cool IMO

I prefer the CP JM trem placement but I honestly liked the J Mascis Squier sig better than the CP version when I went shopping. I bought the Squier and love it, I up'd the pots, switch, jack and wiring but left the pups and the rhythm circuit as is. Sounds and plays great. I haven't see the the TVL sig yet but I'd be interested in checking it out.

Most of the Cab's I've played were so-so I love the idea though and if you get a good one I bet it ROCKS!

The Gretsch, especially in that color, looks great. They're nice guitars too.

What are you going to be doing with it? Any one of them would be nice to own for sure.

 

[Vajazzled]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

If you don't already have any hollow-body Gretsch's, or filtertron pickups in another guitar, I would recommend the Gretsch.

They are a nice piece to have in your arsenal, classic/unique sound.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

I play Praise & Worship music exclusively these days. I want it to compliment my Schecter PT/Saturn. Looking for something with a little more jangle and chime for big open cord strumming.

 

[DreX]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

The Jazzmaster will do jangle and chime. The Gretsch will sound more dry, and again, not my favorite for chords. I don't know that the Cabronita Thinline would differentiate from the Schecter all that much.

You might consider putting series/parallel push/pulls in your Schecter with 4 conductor humbuckers, if you haven't already. That would give you some added jangle and chime as well, although not to quite the extent the true single coils in the Jazzmaster would.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Needs some opinons on a couple of guitars?!

I'm really leaning towards either one of the Jazzmasters or the Gretsch? I need to get my hands on them next I suppose.