Leaderboard

So since I spent $300 on this guitar, and it was worth it, then wouldn't another Slammer Series strat with the roller nut be even more worth it at $150? So, yeah, I "won" the bid with $150. I really expected someone to snipe it away, but I couldn't resist less than $170 shipped. So here's what I ended up with: http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7520_zps66b3ed11.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7521_zpse45fb141.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7523_zpsb9d88877.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7522_zpsb3dbcf48.jpg.html'> The seller talked about cleaning and oiling it, so I figured he also stripped the paint off, but after getting it, I guess it was originally finished in natural. Dunno. The little white button is cool. The seller thought it might be a bypass button, but it seems to be a mid-range boost. In any case, it seems to make the guitar twangier. I love the strat tones from this one. The trem is blocked, so I haven't seen if the trem stays in tune. I love both of the import Daytonas enough to keep them both, I think. One maple board, one rosewood. The frets are divoted almost to canyons in the cowboy chord area, but no buzzes and pretty low action and playability. Absolutely a keeper.

A few months ago, Carfish7 helped me snag a Hamer Slammer Series strat copy. It was the 2nd version, without the roller nut. It sounded sort of strat-like, but just didn't grab me. With apologies to him for not bonding with it despite his generous help, I sold it. After already buying a half-dozen guitars, I saw this Slammer Series strat copy. With the roller nut. Like an idiot, drunk on New Guitar Excitement, I decided it was worth a $302 bid. I "won" the guitar as the only bidder at $300. http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7516_zps500d1a41.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7518_zpsf77f2b1d.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7519_zpse2a219fd.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7517_zps32923efc.jpg.html'> But you know what? It is pretty, plays well, sounds great, and the roller nut keeps it tune. It was actually worth the $330 shipped.

A New Guitar Extravaganza in Multiple Posts! When I signed up for the challenge, I didn't count on the effect of having my wife go back to visit the old country, leaving me on my own for nearly 8 weeks. I don't hide it from her, but she gets irritated with every guitar box that arrives, especially when someone uses styrofoam peanuts that get on the floor, because I never manage to get them all cleaned up. When she's out of the country, however, I can wheel and deal and bring them all in, send others out, and generally make a mess of the house for a few weeks, and she doesn't see it, so it doesn't irritate her. This one started because I was watching eBay while with her, and I picked up 3 guitars that I just couldn't pass up in the last week of my portion of the visit. Then I came home and, well, "in for a penny, in for a pound", and I had stumbled on the high-end Yamahas for cheap. One thing led to another, and it culminated in the red Yamaha Pacifica 812S I posted yesterday. Here are some of the others: Other High-End Yamahas: Yamaha Pacifica 1221: http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7508_zps4c80d9f8.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7509_zpscc1548fa.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7510_zps91e0eef3.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7511_zps27ff3724.jpg.html'> Amazingly low action and skinny neck. Great sound despite the aftermarket EMGs. No real story about this one. I jumped on it and got it with the high bid of $380, shipped. The total-access neck joint works as claimed. Yamaha RGX 1212: http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7512_zps9bd38e8c.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7513_zps4d129a7c.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7514_zps316efe5a.jpg.html'> http://s716.photobucket.com/user/brainfertilizer/media/all%20guitars/DSC_7515_zpsb3343a8b.jpg.html'> This was the one that started my Yamaha obsession. I jumped on it because when you can get a neck-through, ebony fretboard guitar at the professional end of Yamaha's guitar lines for under $500, you do it. The mini-switches are all aftermarket. One is a bypass, one is a coil split, and the other one does nothing that I can tell. The seller had no idea, either. Great tone, great player, stays in tune without touching the fine tuners for literally months. It arrived in tune, I just pulled it out of the box and played. I have adjusted the fine tuners once since I got it in mid-February. The graphics are what made me look closer in the first place. It is just a decal applied to the front, and you can take it off w/o hurting the guitar...but I kind of like it.

Hero ! Do you have to get rid of some when your wife comes home ?

" And that's it. I'm pretty much in guitar heaven these days..." Pretty much huh? wow. If I was a string maker, I would want your bizz, You'd be #1 okay.

Higher-end Yamahas are underrated! Great build quality, and used ones don't usually break the bank. Now, if you can just find a minty early '90's Yamaha Weddington Custom... Ain't single life wunnerful? No worries about anybody getting "irritated"...except maybe the neighbors when you crank your amp's volume!

Final edits are done-book will be sent off to the printer's at the end of this week/ beginning of next. Looks like 4-6 weeks until it hits the streets! I'm going to be arranging a book signing at a local bookstore here in town for early Summer. My plan is to have some choice Hamers and maybe some special guests there too This is a very exciting thing for me-many thanks to everyone at the HFC for all of your support and assistance!!

This one looks great to play lullabies:

I love that 612. If you're going to lose, lose big. Good job.

I got a kid who's excited to spend a weekend at the cabin with her dad, goofin' around, singing songs, splashing in creeks and climbing mountains.