Chris asks…
When a guitar is being sold a second due to finish flaws, is that a bad thing?
or is it just as good as a brand new one? I’m browsing ebay, and the price is AMAZING and there’s about 6 photos of it and it looks perfect, the seller is 99.8% reliable but the guitar says it was second stamp used at the factory. It’s not specified why. What does all this mean?
actually 9 photos.
let me rephrase my question. Are second stamped guitars reliable?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Resale value would drop, if the second stamp is permanent. Otherwise, enjoy!
Jenny asks…
What acoustic guitar too purchase?
Hi YaHoos,
I am in the market for a new acoustic/acoustic electric guitar. My price range is 250-450. I currently own an Ovation deep body and it is quite a lovely sounding guitar however it is about 10 years old now and it is just time for a new one. I am trying to decide if I should stick with Ovation or try a new brand. So far I have looked at the Ovation Celebrity CC24 mid depth body and it is a very nice guitar. I am likely going to purchase this guitar but I am looking to see what you all recommend prior to making the plunge. I was also thinking about a Taylor baby as I love the sound of a Taylor but they are so expensive and the baby is not too outrageous. I have only owned one guitar my entire life so I am not too sure what else is really a good guitar. I like to just pick up the guitar in my down time and play some jams. I like to plug in when I am playing with friends so acoustic electric is likely what I will want to keep. What do you guys/gals play on/in your experience what has been a great guitar? Looking for something with a solid tone, hold its tune well, and sounds great acoustically as well as when plugged into the amp.
Thanks,
SB
NydiaMccartney answers:
Hi there! :)
I love Taylor guitars, but I could never afford them, so I talked to my best friend, who’s an experienced musician. Now I own an Ibanez AEF30E in violet! The tone is great, and it’s a beautiful-looking guitar! I got mine for around 300 on eBay, it was a factory second (which means it was never used, but had a few minors scratches so they couldn’t sell it new). It’s an acoustic/electric with a built-in tuner, pickup, equalizer, etc. All the time I’ve had it, it’s been amazing! Stays in tune well, too.
Here’s what it looks like, as well as the specs, prices, reviews, etc: http://www.zzounds.com/item–IBAAEF30E
Good luck!
Mandy asks…
Where is the old Pabst Blue Ribbon factory located in Milwaukee?
I’d like to visit the old building, is it still standing?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Pabst Blue Ribbon Street Festival
Erie Street between Water St. And MIAD Milwaukee WI All ages Free
Sat. Sept. 26, noon Pabst Blue Ribbon Street Festival: The Scarring Party at Erie Street between Water St. And MIAD Perhaps no Milwaukee band has made a more unexpected or unsettling record in recent years than The Scarring Party’s 2006 debut, A Concise Introduction. Focusing on zombies and vigilante justice in a barren land on the verge of apocalypse, it’s a collection of weird, old American folk songs played with guitars, tuba, and a typewriter, among other instruments. The Scarring Party mines similar territory on 2008′s Come Away From The Light, only this time the execution is more polished and the songs aren’t quite as off-putting. Somehow, The Scarring Party’s strange formula has made it one of Milwaukee’s more popular indie bands. Here it heads up a lineup of local acts for the second annual Pabst Blue Ribbon Street Festival.Sat. Sept. 26, noon Erie Street between Water St. And MIAD Erie Street between Water St. And MIAD, Milwaukee, WI
Helen asks…
What are your opinions on the ‘Starcaster by Fender’ guitars?
I own one of the older, made in China, limited edition Starcasters. It was one of the first models made when they switched to the standard Fender headstock from the pointy one.
Most people I have talked to think they’re cheap pieces of junk from the one’s they’ve played…
But, personally, I think they’re hit and miss like a lot of lower priced guitars. Some are complete junk that are basically either firewood or a pretty wall ornament, where as others are surprisingly high quality. I don’t think quality control is one of their manufacturers high points.
Anyway, I bought the thing for 250$ plus tax. It was a little over 100$ more than the regular Starcaster.
Everyone who’s played this one thinks it’s a true Strat and somehow broke the original neck so I switched it… Why the heck would I buy a Starcaster neck to replace it with? lol
It has that heavy, high quality feel to it. Fantastic black sparkle paint job, and a beautiful 3 layered shattered pearl pick guard like the Strat it’s copied after. Multi-colored (It’s actually really pretty. Light and dark wood swirled and striped throughout it) rosewood fretboard, and perfectly smooth frets. The fretwork on this this is actually pretty phenomenal. I’ve never seen a guitar that doesn’t have a bound neck have frets this smooth along the sides.
As for sound? Factory pickups. They sound really nice, actually. Both clean AND distorted.
The tremolo and tuners are obviously low quality, but I’ve never had a problem with them going out of tune. I also never use the trem bar, so that may be why… but I’ve never been a fan of them. I prefer doing it the old fashioned way using bends and slides.
The neck is 1 piece and looks like it’s unfinished, but that’s fine with me. Cleared necks tend to make my hand sweat and I start sticking to it.
Anyway, I was just wondering what your opinions are of these guitars?
Has anyone else ever found a gem? Or have they all been junk?
Would you consider them actual Fenders, group them with Squires, or are they a class all of their own?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Hello there,
I have seen that quality control with Chinese made guitars is really hit or miss. That means no quality control. Just about anything passes out of the factory. So with Chinese made guitars you really do have to play them before you buy them.
My opinion of the Starcaster is not as high as yours. I consider them to be very cheaply made. On the maple fretboard, they did not even lacquer it! Of course you finish the fretboard on a maple fretboard. That saved them maybe $1 in costs. The screws were all smaller than on my old Fender Strats. They were made of some cheap alloy. Who knows what that bridge block is made out of. The frets need to be crowned and dressed. They just snipped the ends of the frets and made no effort to smooth those. The pickups and pots are not worse that those used in the lower end Squier Strats. Chinese made pots are a crap shoot. They must not have any quality control at all for those. I did not bother to strip a Starcaster body, but I am guessing 5 piece construction. Less wood wasted so lower production costs. But that lowers quality of the body. Do you have any idea what wood that body is made from? I am guessing agathis. But it really does not matter. With that thick poly finish, the tone of the wood is lost anyway.
Usually when I hear someone tell me how their Starcaster or Squier is as good or better than a Fender Stratocaster, I just wonder how much playing experience they have. If you have been playing Fender guitars for 50 years and you tell me that, well that is one thing. If you have been playing 50 months, that is another.
The Starcaster is not junk, but it is what it is. A very cheaply constructed guitar made to look like a Fender Stratocaster. The original arrowhead shaped headstock was appropriate. That came from a failed CBS era design. The Swinger. That was a guitar CBS era Fender tried to market using left over parts (mostly seconds). Bad bodies and bad headstocks. So they cut a chunk of the heel of the body and cut the headstock down to the arrow shape to use up the seconds.
Actual Fenders? Heck no. They are not made in Fender plants by Fender employees. They are made for Fender by some Chinese guitar making company. Actual Fender guitar made in Fender plants. They are like the Squiers. They are made for Fender by someone else. This Starcaster line (Fender is reusing the name) was not intended to be sold by Fender dealers. Fender had a deal with some big box stores to sell them some guitars. They could not use their Squier guitars for that purpose. So they contracted to have an even cheaper guitar made to fulfill that contract. Years later, the Starcaster is sold a lot more places than originally intended.
To be fair, I should acknowledge that Squier guitars have not always been contracted out. Fender used to made Squier guitars. They started the Squier line when the opened Fender Japan back in 1982. Then they moved production to Korea. Then the Squiers were made at Corona for a few months. Then they were made in the Fender plant in Ensenada Mexico. Then production was moved back to Asian on a contract basis. The old Squier MIJ guitars are very good, maybe equal to the MIM Fender Strats. The MIA and MIM Squier guitars are also very good. Those were probably Fender seconds.
Later,
Sharon asks…
What places in and around Cebu are worth exploring if we go around the island for 10 days?
I am doing my 2014 travel plans for our travel-photography group and I want to more or less finalize an itinerary and budget. Please make personal recommendations based on experience, or experience of friends. Need to know accommodations options too. Not online links because I also know how to search. Thank you.
NydiaMccartney answers:
Cebu City – downtown area: sto nino church, magellans cross, metropolitan cathedral, plaza independencia, colon st, casa gorordo/parian area. Mid to uptown area: fuente osmena circle, cebu capitol, ayala center cebu/cebu business park, it park lahug, tops (brgy busay)
Cebu City Metro – olango island, lapu-lapu shrine, lilang’s guitar factory in lapu lapu city, second mandaue mactan bridge, south reclamation project
Northern Cebu – bantayan island, malapascua island, san remigio town. Churches and plazas of towns and cities
Southern Cebu – churches and plazas of towns, especially argao, oslob (looks like Mediterranean area), dalaguete, san fernando, carcar, etc. Beaches of badian, moalboal, samboan, santander. Swim with butandings/whale sharks in oslob. Eat the best lechon in the world at carcar public market (trust me!). Visit vegetable farms in mantalongon, dalaguete. Climb osmena peak in badian.
How to get around: by public bus, jeepneys, boats. Asking for directions is easy. Everyone speaks english, cebuano, and tagalog.
Where to stay: lots of inns and hotels in cebu city metro area but would recommend the following: super high end – shangrila or plantation bay; mid to high end – radisson blue or marco polo hotel cebu; cheap to budget – mayflower pension, hotel stella, hotel asia. If out of cebu city, you can stay at lodging houses or inns. Just search online. Lots of b&b in the towns of cebu.
I am sure you will love cebu as many before did!
Sandy asks…
What guitar should I get? (I’m a beginner)?
I use to have a Taylor guitar but never played it and now I miss it and want a guitar again. What are some good beginner guitars that have a great sound. I would prefer not to spend a whole lot but not have a crappy guitar.
Thanks
NydiaMccartney answers:
Www.americanmusical.com
this website has a lot of factory seconds. Which means the guitars are great brand names with a good reptuation, but the finish on the guitar might be scratched or dented slightly. You can usually pick up one of these guitars for less than 50% of the original retail price.
Good luck.
Paul asks…
Does anyone know where I can find the complete score for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?
All I can find are things for piano – does the original score exist like it does for Pirates of the Caribbean and the other Disney movies?
NydiaMccartney answers:
I’ve seen several arrangements of songs from this film,
This link has most of the links below (but there is one link below that is more faithful than these) — http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/search?q=Willy+Wonka
You could try this –
http://www.amazon.com/Roald-Dahls-Leslie-Bricusse-Songbook/dp/1575608340
Here are two arrangements for different skill levels –
http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=313181&menuid=753&subsiteid=3&
http://www.amazon.com/Willy-Chocolate-Factory-Guitar-Songbook/dp/0634031538
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Willy-Wonka-The-Chocolate-Factory/3978922
————————–
http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=222530&menuid=1090&subsiteid=64&
http://www.amazon.com/Willy-Wonka-Chocolate-Factory-Easy/dp/0793506492/
The first has a ‘medium’ difficulty rating, while the second has an ‘easy’ difficulty rating. Sadly, the Amazon reviews refer to the Roald Dahl story!
I had found this version of the song ‘Pure Imagination’ previously. It appears the most faithful, but it is not available for United States citizens….
You will need to install this software first to view the sample images — http://www.sibelius.com/products/scorch/index.html
It appears pretty faithful – though I no longer have access to a piano –
(D-flat Major) http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0601672/details.html
Here’s a version of a song in the above Hal Leonard title, though it appears ‘dumbed down’ (G Major) — http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/look_inside/2888261/image/140080
Two other ones –
(E-flat Major) http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?ppn=MN0074193
(D Major) http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?ppn=mn0074172
You also want to look at this arrangement — http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/2940280
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/look_inside/2940280/image/143526
Hopefully one of these arrangements will work for you and the links will help you find other songs from the score, if you want a more faithful arrangement.
Donald asks…
Does it mean good or bad? The frets and neck are not worn beyond normal for a guitar this age?
I’m buying guitar and I don’t totally get second sentence.
The frets and neck are not worn beyond normal for a guitar this age
Does this mean it’s in good condition? or bad condition?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Its in the kind of condition you might expect for its age.
Which suggests that its old.
Now if you were a collector i would expect you would know that
so if you arent and this is your FIRST guitar i would suggest buying a newer guitar that is in new condition so you can learn under factory specified conditions rather than learning on sloppy seconds if thats the case.
You want the “action” on the guitar strings to be as it should be so that you can hear when you get the notes right. If the action is too forgiving then you might learn lazy habits and will have to learn all over again on your next guitar.
If its not forgiving enough you might never get a good sound and just give up
Maria asks…
Why is my guitar making a weird noise?
I just started playing bass recently, and I still have to learn basic stuff like finger dexterity and the notes and stuff. The problem is that when I hold down a fret, I can hear the string hitting the metal fret really loudly. I thought the height of the strings off the body might be what’s wrong, but that didn’t seem to make much of a difference.
NydiaMccartney answers:
I’m not a bass player, but I’ve been playing guitar for about 4 years. You can do 2 things that will help. Well, actually 3. First of all, if you are using hte strings that came with the guitar, they WILL do that. When the people make the guitars, they don’t really care about what strings they slap on there, mainly because they should only last long enough to where they need to be changed after purchase. A pack of bass strings can probably be sold at around $12 at your local guitar center, sam ash, or whatever.
The second thing that you could do is mess with the settings on your amp. Your gains could be too high. The gains should be somewhere around the middle, with the volume 1/4 to the right. That is from the left. 25%. Yeah. Math. If you can purchase, or invest, I would save for a good pedal, with at least 40 user/40 factory presets. You can edit the sounds that come through your guitar, and have a noise removal, sustain, chorus, flanger, ect.
The last thing I would try, would be to take your strings off, and clean of your frets. Don’t be lazy, and just lift up the string, because believe it or not, it will shorten the length of the life of that string more than taking it off would. And check if you’re pressing it hard enough. You need to callouse your hands to play correctly. That is using the frets correctly, without making your hands sore, and to even prevent bleeding.
Hope I helped
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