Any Guitar Players Here?

[colchar]

Yeah. "Blackie"--as I'm sure you're aware-- is just one guitar. It was the name of the black strat played by Clapton for years that was somewhat of a Frankenstein guitar. Long story short, he bought six vintage Strats in 1970 at a shop in Nashville. He gave one each to George Harrison, Pete Townshend, and Steve Winwood. With the remaining three, he assembled the best parts in the black finished one and that become his ax. That guitar was played for years before it was retired by Clapton, with all sorts of rock & roll scars.

Back in the 80s or 90s, Fender began making black Strats based on the Clapton Frankenstein guitar. They labeled these "Blackies". That's what I have. In terms of sound, pickups, etc., it's identical to Blackie. Then, a few years ago, Fender re-did Blackie with replicas of all of the scratches and burns and whatnot that Blackie had on it. That's the $24,000 guitar.

Gibson has done the same thing with Jimmy Page's No. 1 Les Paul - they've recreated it right down to the cigarette burns on the headstock. They produced only 150 of these, 25 of which were signed by Page himself. Unfortunately the signed ones cost around $80,000 and the unsigned ones cost around $20,000 so I'll never ever be able to afford one (even if I could there is no way I could justify that amount of money regardless of my love of Led Zeppelin and my obsession with Les Pauls).

[rockymtn devil]

Gibson has done the same thing with Jimmy Page's No. 1 Les Paul - they've recreated it right down to the cigarette burns on the headstock. They produced only 150 of these, 25 of which were signed by Page himself. Unfortunately the signed ones cost around $80,000 and the unsigned ones cost around $20,000 so I'll never ever be able to afford one (even if I could there is no way I could justify that amount of money regardless of my love of Led Zeppelin and my obsession with Les Pauls).

That's cool. I didn't know that about the Page Les Pauls. I have a watercolor of a Les Paul in my office that a friend of mine did a few years ago. It adds a nice touch.

Do you have a Les Paul? They are so heavy and hard to play, and yet they provide that blues-meets-hard-rock sound better than any other guitar. Well worth the workout it takes just to stand with one.

My next guitar purchase will be a Rickenbacker 12-string, preferably a semi-hollow body, sunburst finish, but I can't be picky

[Bostondevil]

When I win the lottery (and be forewarned I don't actually buy lottery tickets), I will get each of you the guitar of your dreams.

[colchar]

Gibson has done the same thing with Jimmy Page's No. 1 Les Paul - they've recreated it right down to the cigarette burns on the headstock. They produced only 150 of these, 25 of which were signed by Page himself. Unfortunately the signed ones cost around $80,000 and the unsigned ones cost around $20,000 so I'll never ever be able to afford one (even if I could there is no way I could justify that amount of money regardless of my love of Led Zeppelin and my obsession with Les Pauls).

That's cool. I didn't know that about the Page Les Pauls. I have a watercolor of a Les Paul in my office that a friend of mine did a few years ago. It adds a nice touch.

Do you have a Les Paul? They are so heavy and hard to play, and yet they provide that blues-meets-hard-rock sound better than any other guitar. Well worth the workout it takes just to stand with one.

My next guitar purchase will be a Rickenbacker 12-string, preferably a semi-hollow body, sunburst finish, but I can't be picky

No, I don't own a Les Paul but I want one in a big way. As I said earlier in this thread, I played guitar as a kid but gave it up and am only now starting to learn again using my roommate's Strat as he doesn't really want me screwing around on his Gibson SG.

I've decided to buy a guitar and have picked out an Ibanez that I want (the model seen here). But my parents and my brother and future sister-in-law have also agreed to my request that, rather than buy me anything for Christmas this year, they will simply give me money so that I can put it towards a guitar. Because of that I think I might hold off on the Ibanez I've chosen so that I can buy a Les Paul after Christmas as their contributions will help me afford one on my grad student income. I can't afford the Gibson version so I will have to settle for the Epiphone version. Luckily, Epiphone is owned by Gibson and their guitars are quite good (Les Paul worked for Epiphone when he invented the model and I would argue that, during the 1970s, Epiphone made better guitars than Gibson did). I'll be able to get the Les Paul sound without the Les Paul price.

Or maybe I'll buy the Ibanez for now and the Les Paul after Christmas...

[rockymtn devil]

No, I don't own a Les Paul but I want one in a big way. As I said earlier in this thread, I played guitar as a kid but gave it up and am only now starting to learn again using my roommate's Strat as he doesn't really want me screwing around on his Gibson SG.

I've decided to buy a guitar and have picked out an Ibanez that I want (the model seen here). But my parents and my brother and future sister-in-law have also agreed to my request that, rather than buy me anything for Christmas this year, they will simply give me money so that I can put it towards a guitar. Because of that I think I might hold off on the Ibanez I've chosen so that I can buy a Les Paul after Christmas as their contributions will help me afford one on my grad student income. I can't afford the Gibson version so I will have to settle for the Epiphone version. Luckily, Epiphone is owned by Gibson and their guitars are quite good (Les Paul worked for Epiphone when he invented the model and I would argue that, during the 1970s, Epiphone made better guitars than Gibson did). I'll be able to get the Les Paul sound without the Les Paul price.

Or maybe I'll buy the Ibanez for now and the Les Paul after Christmas...

The good thing about guitars is that you can always find a great one at a good price. The Epiphone will be a great guitar, and one that you'll play for years. I grew up in the home of a guitar collector (my Dad's prize of the collection is a 1934 Martin D-28; the first year of production of that model) and yet he always preferred to play his pawn shop guitar on a day to day basis. On one of my favorite albums of all time--Whiskeytown's "Stranger's Almanac"--Ryan Adams played all of the acoustic guitar on a $100 guitar he bought in a pawn shop in Nashville because he forgot his guitar in Raleigh. It sounds great on that album.

[colchar]

No, I don't own a Les Paul but I want one in a big way. As I said earlier in this thread, I played guitar as a kid but gave it up and am only now starting to learn again using my roommate's Strat as he doesn't really want me screwing around on his Gibson SG.

I've decided to buy a guitar and have picked out an Ibanez that I want (the model seen here). But my parents and my brother and future sister-in-law have also agreed to my request that, rather than buy me anything for Christmas this year, they will simply give me money so that I can put it towards a guitar. Because of that I think I might hold off on the Ibanez I've chosen so that I can buy a Les Paul after Christmas as their contributions will help me afford one on my grad student income. I can't afford the Gibson version so I will have to settle for the Epiphone version. Luckily, Epiphone is owned by Gibson and their guitars are quite good (Les Paul worked for Epiphone when he invented the model and I would argue that, during the 1970s, Epiphone made better guitars than Gibson did). I'll be able to get the Les Paul sound without the Les Paul price.

Or maybe I'll buy the Ibanez for now and the Les Paul after Christmas...

The good thing about guitars is that you can always find a great one at a good price. The Epiphone will be a great guitar, and one that you'll play for years. I grew up in the home of a guitar collector (my Dad's prize of the collection is a 1934 Martin D-28; the first year of production of that model) and yet he always preferred to play his pawn shop guitar on a day to day basis. On one of my favorite albums of all time--Whiskeytown's "Stranger's Almanac"--Ryan Adams played all of the acoustic guitar on a $100 guitar he bought in a pawn shop in Nashville because he forgot his guitar in Raleigh. It sounds great on that album.

Funnily enough, I was listening to Whiskeytown about an hour ago. And I agree, the guitar used on that album sounds great.

I am hoping to find a reasonably priced but good quality used Les Paul. If I can't I'll buy a new one. The price of that, however, also dictates the price of my first amp - the cheaper the guitar the better the amp. But used amps can be found anywhere so I don't have to buy a new one. I am looking at a Line 6 Spider III or Spider IV right now but would also love to grab a Marshall (how cool would it be to combine a Les Paul with that?!?). I've got some shopping to do between now and Christmas as I hope to have my equipment picked out by then so that I can take advantage of any Boxing Day sales. I'll make sure I have a couple of options guitar, amp, and store wise so that I can jump on the best deal available.

[ArkieDukie]

When I win the lottery (and be forewarned I don't actually buy lottery tickets), I will get each of you the guitar of your dreams.

And a grand piano for me?