Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

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to have a guitar tech look at my truss rod on my Robert Cray. It is at the end of the adjustment being tight and I needed a little more room.

Well...it did not take much. He gave it a thorough examination, cleaned around the truss hole better, lubed and put a washer in there. Then he leveled some frets after getting the neck perfect!

I told him I had it adjusted not long ago my a different luthier.
He said he has seen a few come in (around the same year as mine) and that the necks on some Cray Strats seems to be sensitive to changes of humidity. (This tech used to work for Fender.) He also said "I am not a big fan of Fender Stratocasters really, but I do like the hardtail Strats okay and yours is really nice"! That is the second tech that has said that to me! :)

As he worked on the guitar, I strolled through the store looking at vintage Strats, Les Pauls and Telecasters. Then looked at new ones.

Gosh-dang-it-man...I was so disappointed in the new guitars. Those road worn Strats get bad fret buzz when you bend the strings. I played a custom shop LP standard that my 77 Les Paul would put to shame! Man, the quality just was not there on this guitar. At first I was thinking it was a knock off!

I did play an original 1957? Les Paul Jr. that had extremely nice sustain. They had a price tag of $4,000.00 on it. I did not plug in any of the guitars, as I test them unplugged.

I was impressed with some China made Jazz box guitars called Michael Kelly. The bridge and switches was your usual cheaper China made, but golly dang did that thing play sweet! Very nice bang for the buck! The Deuce Phoenix (es-335) did not have the sweet neck and action like the Velvet II.

I played PRS guitars again. I just am not a fan of those guitars. They just do not feel right to me.

I had a fun day. I know that all the guitars I own , I better hang on to. They are gems compared to what I witnessed.

P.S. I almost forot!!! I had this sales person to tell me that the road worn strats have hand select woods, quarter sawn necks (did not see one with any flame) and are true to the real vintage Fenders. :lmao:
 
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Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

They always have a nice Hamer or two listed when I've visited thier website.

Always nice to find a quality tech/luthier. :approve:
 
Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

If you plan to make a trip to Elderly Instruments, plan on being there when they open, break for lunch and go back until they close. You can actually spend a whole day there looking at gear! I have to do it every so often. :)
 
Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

They always have a nice Hamer or two listed when I've visited thier website.

Always nice to find a quality tech/luthier. :approve:

Indeed! This guy, Steve Olson, spent about 2 hrs. and 45 minutes thoroughly going over my guitar. I told him I was fussy. My cost was only $72.00. I though it was fair. He did a great job getting the frets leveled and crowned. Now I have 3 luthiers to choose from! :)

I also examined another Robert Cray Strat they had hanging while Steve was working on my guitar. It has the same exact neck pitch and action.
I swear it is like traveling back to 1962 and getting a Strat straight out of the Fender factory. Really nice guitars.
 
Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

That's cool man, I wish I had the luxury of choosing between several good luthiers.
Here, I've mostly been disappointed (repeatedly) so even one is too much...

BTW, I could be wrong but I think Michael Kelly are all MIKs.
Like you saw, GREAT bang for buck!

This is the one I have on retention:
dsc00145qz7.jpg
 
Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

That's cool man, I wish I had the luxury of choosing between several good luthiers.
Here, I've mostly been disappointed (repeatedly) so even one is too much...

BTW, I could be wrong but I think Michael Kelly are all MIKs.
Like you saw, GREAT bang for buck!

This is the one I have on retention:
dsc00145qz7.jpg

I am certain the ones Elderly had were made in China. Maybe the solid bodies are made in Korea and the hollow bodies in China?
 
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Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

Dan, I have gone to Elderly Instruments many times, and have bought guitars from them. They are the class of the industry, and worth the 2hr.15 min. drive from Ludington. How far is it from Zeeland? Sometime I'll have to ride my bike to your house, then we can ride to E. Lansing, get lunch and go to Elderly's for a few hours.
 
Re: Went to Elderly Instruments in east lansing, MI today...

FWIW Tim Swartz aka: 'Swarty' is the amp tech for Elderly and when I bought my amp last year [a Marshall JCM 800 combo-#4010] i sent it to him for a tune up and he ended up doing his 'Swarty' mod on it [w/ a PPIMV etc] and it came back 'hot to go'! He definitely 'knows' amps--I learned of him when I first browsed the 'Marshall Amp Forum' as he`s a regular there as well as at TGP and also 'The Vintage Amp' forum. So if you looking for an honest and highly skilled amp tech I highly recommend him. He is definitley 'old school' and specializes in Marshall and Fender amps but he`s worked on them all! Elderly has had him as their amp tech for well over 10 years so that says alot about him!
 
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