Topic: Guitar question

[Don R]

There's a D'Angelico New Yorker solid body electric hanging in my local shop. I think they were made in Korea. It's got a bigsby tremolo, dual humbuckers and a beautiful finish. Lightly played and owned by a guy who has a collection, not in a band. They're asking $1200, I could probably get it for less. I can't find another one to compare the price to.  Any informed opinions? It's like that 750 you saw for sale, don't need it but.....

[tramp]

play it
if you like the way it plays and sounds, buy it for what you think it's worth to you
too many times i let a good guitar go just because it didn't have the right name on the neck

[Retro Rocket]

That would want to be one hell of a guitar for 1200 dollars especially how your economy is at the moment.....If you really want it go talk a deal......And i agree with what Tramp has said, it has to have the "feel", all the good ones do...

Mick

[thelowmax]

That's around what they are going for new. If that's the guitar for you then... that's guitar for you.

[Goofaroo]

Guitars are a very personal thing, If you like it is the guitar for you.
Now from the practical side of me:  When I spend that kind of money or more on a guitar I always want to ensure that it will hold it's value or appreciate. Typically that means the safe bet is something made in the USA although there are exceptions. I don't know much about that brand but I know that they have been around for a long time. If it a 60s vintage with a nitro finish it could be a steal at that price and a fantastic instrument that will only become more collectible. If it is a recent Korean built model, it may only have value as a decent player and may or may not have future value. Obviously you have other guitars on hand to play and you may be better served to do some research before you buy this one. You may find that for a bit more you can get a vintage instrument with real mojo and higher future value.
By the way, I did look at this model on-line and it is a beauty. Love the headstock.
Just my two cents.

[the technological J]

do u have a local music shop that you can go play a piece of crap and then some thing top end that is similair?  then compare it to the one your checking out... also check that no frets buzz and the intonation is ok..........have u checked ebay to compare prices?

[simon#42]

found this

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Jun/D_Angelico_New_Yorker_Series_EXL_1DP_Archtop.aspx

[Don R]

Thanks, that gives me a little perspective.

[hotpocket]

found this

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Jun/D_Angelico_New_Yorker_Series_EXL_1DP_Archtop.aspx

That would want to be one hell of a guitar for 1200 dollars especially how your economy is at the moment.....If you really want it go talk a deal......And i agree with what Tramp has said, it has to have the "feel", all the good ones do...

Mick

if it was priced at $1200 in june 2008 there's no way it's worth that now. 

[the technological J]

found this

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Jun/D_Angelico_New_Yorker_Series_EXL_1DP_Archtop.aspx

That would want to be one hell of a guitar for 1200 dollars especially how your economy is at the moment.....If you really want it go talk a deal......And i agree with what Tramp has said, it has to have the "feel", all the good ones do...

Mick

if it was priced at $1200 in june 2008 there's no way it's worth that now. 

arch tops are quite more expensive by almost double I cant access that site on my phone.... but solid body guitars are quite easier and cheaper to make

[Don R]

I'm still a hack, I'm not sure if I would recognize "the feel". It is just so pretty I thought I might need it. Kinda over it now, Thanks for talking me down. Maybe after I get a little better I will get a mexican fender jaguar,

[Retro Rocket]

found this

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Jun/D_Angelico_New_Yorker_Series_EXL_1DP_Archtop.aspx

That would want to be one hell of a guitar for 1200 dollars especially how your economy is at the moment.....If you really want it go talk a deal......And i agree with what Tramp has said, it has to have the "feel", all the good ones do...

Mick

if it was priced at $1200 in june 2008 there's no way it's worth that now.  

arch tops are quite more expensive by almost double I cant access that site on my phone.... but solid body guitars are quite easier and cheaper to make

I can buy myself a world class arch top for that kind of money.....Wouldn't be a Gibson either...... Gabe , i collect guitars and my solid body LP's are worth more than my arch top {335 type} and they are all excellent instruments..

Mick

[the technological J]

True but generally speaking solid body guitars are cheaper... I would think a top end solid body would be less than a top end arch top... but I'm not a collector

[Don R]

I had some drinks around the firepit saturday night and was playing a little, a friend was there, he mentioned he has a 1952 les Paul, he took it from a fellow band member in payment of borrowed money a long time ago. He also knows of a guy with an even older one. They both know they are holding gold.

[Don R]

http://dangelicodirect.biz/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DG&Product_Code=NYSD-T&Category_Code=NYS

Just for giggles, it's this one.

[Retro Rocket]

Just to point out a few things here. It is made from "Indonesian mahogany" which of course isn't mahogany at all, it is a fast growing plantation timber that resembles mahogany and is used on a lot of Korean and Chinese guitars, it is NOT the same mahogany or wood that Gibsons or other higher end manufacturers use and for that price you could buy a Beautiful Tokai {made in Japan}335 for instance, which would be a far superior guitar.
http://www.google.com.au/images?hl=en&q=tokai%20es%20145&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=866

Some pics of the Tokai 335. If you are after a seriously good guitar for a great price , look into Japanese guitars, i have 2 Tokai Les Pauls that cost me a grand total of just under 2 grand {Aussie dollars} and both are as good as custom shop Gibson's, they are both Honduras mahogany {same as the 50's LP's} and have the same hardware of the high end Gibsons, i will never sell these guitars.

Companies to search for guitars in Japan are..Bacchus, Burny, Greco, Tokai, ESP, There are many more and most of the guitars these guys produce are absolutely gorgeous and very well made, there is a lot more pride put into making guitars in Japan and they build some beauties. I was a Gibson man for a long time until i was told about these oriental beauties, i now own NO Gibsons and 8 Japanese guitars, they are all keepers and i am yet to buy a dud.... and i have bought all mine online without being able to play them first....


Mick

[seanbarney41]

Yep, Gibson's have not lived up to their reputation(or price tag!) in quite some time.  And this coming from a guy who lives less than a mile from the original Gibson factory.  Watch the "Abandoned Thread" for pictures!  Mick, I've heard from other Aussies that selling Gibson's in Australia could fund quite a bike collection!

[Retro Rocket]

Yep, Gibson's have not lived up to their reputation(or price tag!) in quite some time.  And this coming from a guy who lives less than a mile from the original Gibson factory.  Watch the "Abandoned Thread" for pictures!  Mick, I've heard from other Aussies that selling Gibson's in Australia could fund quite a bike collection!

HAHA, yes there are always people that buy because of the hype and really have no idea of what a good guitar is, i was kicked from aa Aussie guitar forum for questioning Gibsons shoddy workmanship, the local Gibson distributor {an American} got quite upset because i supplied quality photo's to back up my stance and i was banned for starting trouble {telling the truth}...   I have been playing for over 30 years and am quite anal about most things including my bike's and my guitars. I had a really nice Gibson SG for about 10 years and i should have kept it but most other Gibsons i have played have been overpriced mass produced rubbish.

Mick

[seanbarney41]

Yep, last time I was in the guitar shop in the check out line I caught a reflection off a brand new black Explorer hangin' on the wall.  About all I saw from that view was all the overspray and waves in the finish.   ughh  Really didn't need to pick up and play it at that point.  Right next to it with the same reflection angle was a $250 Squier.  Finish was perfect.

[BobbyR]

I'm still a hack, I'm not sure if I would recognize "the feel". It is just so pretty I thought I might need it. Kinda over it now, Thanks for talking me down. Maybe after I get a little better I will get a mexican fender jaguar,

I looked onto the Mexican and Japanese Fenders and found them badly made. Finish and tuning machineary shoddy.  I found the Yamaha Pacifica line in the shop. Nicely finished and the machinery was solid. Yamaha has been making instruments in Asia for a long time and they have it down. It would probably fit your budget and get you buy till you can afford your dream axe.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

My last guitar was a 1964 Framus Strato De Luxe..thing was the bees knees. Made a Fender Strat feel like playing a 2X4, and the only cool guitars that Gibson ever made was the "Flying V" and the "SG". I had an SG with a bigsby tremolo.....like butter. All sold away on ebay.

[Retro Rocket]

I'm still a hack, I'm not sure if I would recognize "the feel". It is just so pretty I thought I might need it. Kinda over it now, Thanks for talking me down. Maybe after I get a little better I will get a mexican fender jaguar,

I looked onto the Mexican and Japanese Fenders and found them badly made. Finish and tuning machineary shoddy.  I found the Yamaha Pacifica line in the shop. Nicely finished and the machinery was solid. Yamaha has been making instruments in Asia for a long time and they have it down. It would probably fit your budget and get you buy till you can afford your dream axe.

Bobby, if you know what you are looking formate you will find the best strats on the planet in Japan, remember, just like fender the Japanese strats are built for different levels as well, yes there are some cheap ones but there are some extraordinarily good ones as well. Try , Seymore duncan, higher models of Fender Japan, Bacchus, ESP and Navigator, Tokai, and many more. The high end Fender Japan strats are made by Tokai and are top notch, the 80's JV fender Japan are worth a fortune and are very collectable now they are great guitars and would be worth nothing if they were crap..... The Hardware on the higher modelled Fender Japan guitars is exactly the same as their US counterparts.....

Mick

Mick

[seanbarney41]

I had a Hondo(that's hondo not Honda ) strat copy that I dearly loved.  Sometimes you can really get lucky with the cheapos.    Had a really solid action and sound.  Man, I thought you could chop wood with that guitar...until I tried it on a microphone stand.

[Retro Rocket]

I had a Hondo(that's hondo not Honda ) strat copy that I dearly loved.  Sometimes you can really get lucky with the cheapos.    Had a really solid action and sound.  Man, I thought you could chop wood with that guitar...until I tried it on a microphone stand.

The good early Hondo's were made by Tokai, i think Matsumoko also made Hondo guitars. Japan has a very closed market and there are some brilliant musical instruments up for grabs there, problem is that the ship has sailed and they are becoming increasingly popular abroad, soprices are going through the roof at the moment. I paid $695 dollars for a custom order Gold top LP clone and it is now worth {3 years later} 3'500+, it is all Honduras mahogany and if it came out of Gibson it would be custom shop only and worth 5 times as much as it is worth now.......

Mick

[Don R]

My local shop has some ESP's on the wall, maybe I'll give them a look. Great discussion thanks, guys.  Listening to Chet and Les right now, Caravan.