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The "forum guitar" phenomenon

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TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
I was wondering about this recently - we've probably all seen it, that guitar that over the years has done the rounds of members, changing hands without being dissed or disgraced, but never finding a permanent home in even the largest of collections. 

Are these guitars just somehow less than the sum of their parts so fail to impress? A poor version of their ilk? Faulty in some hard-to-spot way and being passed around disingenuously? Or does their veru 'forum guitar' status make them interesting to others?

I've had I think 2 in the past that might be considered such, for me it was the 'less than the sum of the parts' factor - something that outwardly should be a fine instrument but which ultimately failed at all to appeal to me once I had my mitts on it (enter Brawley, stage left, then exit stage right)

Now I think about it I did once sell a pedal that worked perfectly as it was designed, but which as a not-that-common pedal most folk would not have been aware that it was frankly a bit crap despite its price. I PM'd 2 friends who expressed an interest and put them off it but let a stranger buy it. I wonder if any 'forum guitars' move around similarly? 

I don't have a particular point to make - it's Sunday and I'm putting off taking the dog out is all. 
Red ones are better. 
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Comments

  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Actually, I think it would be quite interesting to see how many guitars we've got amongst us that have passed through a fair few hands ...
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    On the other side of the coin, I had 2 guitars that sold on MR to new users who since disappeared that I would LOVE back but can't track down :-( lol 
    Red ones are better. 
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  • I knew a guy from universal. He told me about a documentary script he was given about a guitar and its journey though different owners.
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  • I used to own a Mexican Strat. It was certainly looked after by me, had had a setup, and upgraded with BareKnuckle Pickups and Pots, which has subsequently been sold on a couple of times.
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    I think if you did a 'degrees of separation' thing for the classifieds and could map all of the transactions, we could cover any journey across the country with a handful of members. Maybe we should sort out our own delivery company.

    I don't know why it happens, but I have just sold a Hofner to @Jonnyburgo that I bought from @Dean2371 that he got from Jonnyburgo.

    No doubt @blueskunk was in the mix somewhere too and if @DrBob hasn't had his dabs on it yet he will no doubt in the future, then of course that would inevitibly bring @travisthedog and @retsacourt into the mix and...

    (Note to self: Must remember to buy shares in Interparcel)

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    TimmyO said:
    I was wondering about this recently - we've probably all seen it, that guitar that over the years has done the rounds of members, changing hands without being dissed or disgraced, but never finding a permanent home in even the largest of collections. 

    Are these guitars just somehow less than the sum of their parts so fail to impress? A poor version of their ilk? Faulty in some hard-to-spot way and being passed around disingenuously? Or does their veru 'forum guitar' status make them interesting to others?

    I've had I think 2 in the past that might be considered such, for me it was the 'less than the sum of the parts' factor - something that outwardly should be a fine instrument but which ultimately failed at all to appeal to me once I had my mitts on it (enter Brawley, stage left, then exit stage right)

    Now I think about it I did once sell a pedal that worked perfectly as it was designed, but which as a not-that-common pedal most folk would not have been aware that it was frankly a bit crap despite its price. I PM'd 2 friends who expressed an interest and put them off it but let a stranger buy it. I wonder if any 'forum guitars' move around similarly? 

    I don't have a particular point to make - it's Sunday and I'm putting off taking the dog out is all. 
    Is one of those my old gold top warmoth tele?
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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    benvall said:
    I knew a guy from universal. He told me about a documentary script he was given about a guitar and its journey though different owners.
    Sounds like the wonderful novel Accordion Crimes. With one obvious difference.


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  • I've had a couple which were like that - a PRS SE One, I think, and a modded RGT42 (which someone got scammed over recently on another forum).

    The most interesting one wasn't quite what's being discussed here - many, many moons ago I bought a Steinberger Spirit off eBay with a rather large bash on one edge. I sold it to a friend, who eventually sold it back to me, then it sat in the corner for ages. I got around to selling it on MR after a while, and DrBob recognised it as one that he owned a few years before I bought it (we don't know how many steps there were between him and the guy I got it from). He took it back in the end - it's quite a surprising story.

    I'd like to say it had a happy ending, but as soon as he got it back from me he pulled it apart for spares and as a donor guitar for a mini-V :D
    <space for hire>
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  • Whenever I see an ad that starts "I got this off forumite X in a deal, but its not my thing..." the first thought that pops into my head---rightly or wrongly---is always "oh, so TWO forumites have decided this isn't good enough to keep it...?" 
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  • Some of the forum guitars are well priced jobbies, so I see them as a 'taster' - by the time you've sold it on, it's been a free guitar for a few months and you'll know if you like LP Jnrs, PRS, Strats... Whatever it is.  

    Certainly doesn't put me off buying one, though I never have the money because I keep giving money to people for partscasters...
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    I've had a couple which were like that - a PRS SE One,
    You didn't sell that to DrBob, which came to me and then to @stonevibe, I wonder...? :)

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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7082
    JookyChap said:
    I've had a couple which were like that - a PRS SE One,
    You didn't sell that to DrBob, which came to me and then to @stonevibe, I wonder...? :)
    That PRS SE One is a brilliant guitar. Although I have modified it a lot.

    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7082
    Actually I think I own a few 'Forum Guitars'

    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    octatonic said:
    TimmyO said:
    I was wondering about this recently - we've probably all seen it, that guitar that over the years has done the rounds of members, changing hands without being dissed or disgraced, but never finding a permanent home in even the largest of collections. 

    Are these guitars just somehow less than the sum of their parts so fail to impress? A poor version of their ilk? Faulty in some hard-to-spot way and being passed around disingenuously? Or does their veru 'forum guitar' status make them interesting to others?

    I've had I think 2 in the past that might be considered such, for me it was the 'less than the sum of the parts' factor - something that outwardly should be a fine instrument but which ultimately failed at all to appeal to me once I had my mitts on it (enter Brawley, stage left, then exit stage right)

    Now I think about it I did once sell a pedal that worked perfectly as it was designed, but which as a not-that-common pedal most folk would not have been aware that it was frankly a bit crap despite its price. I PM'd 2 friends who expressed an interest and put them off it but let a stranger buy it. I wonder if any 'forum guitars' move around similarly? 

    I don't have a particular point to make - it's Sunday and I'm putting off taking the dog out is all. 
    Is one of those my old gold top warmoth tele?
    <sniff> yes. I sold it for exactly what I paid you for it. I bonded like hell to that guitar, but went through a mad selling spree to fund a DGT (that I still have). If I could get that guitar back I would (I emailed the address I had for the guy which was a work address and it doesn't exist any more) 

    The other one I wanted back was my Wavecaster  
    Red ones are better. 
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  • JookyChap said:
    I've had a couple which were like that - a PRS SE One,
    You didn't sell that to DrBob, which came to me and then to @stonevibe, I wonder...? :)
    Yup, that's the one :)

    stonevibe said:
    That PRS SE One is a brilliant guitar. Although I have modified it a lot.
    Oh, absolutely - the neck was just too chunky for me to deal with effectively. The P90 in it sounded absolutely glorious...the only non-humbucker I've ever really liked.
    <space for hire>
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    TimmyO said:
    I was wondering about this recently - we've probably all seen it, that guitar that over the years has done the rounds of members, changing hands without being dissed or disgraced, but never finding a permanent home in even the largest of collections. 



    <SNIP>

    I have known girls like this...

    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    hahaha
    Red ones are better. 
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  • blueskunkblueskunk Frets: 2867
    @jookychap haha , my keeper riv came from @jonnyburgo which probably came from the old place :)

    Me and Jonny swap for fun :)
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  • ESchapESchap Frets: 1428
    edited February 2014
    I had a Tokai LS85(?) quilt top that I bought from @surfguy13 and sold on to @TTony back in the MR forum days, not sure if it's still in circulation?
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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7082
    JookyChap said:
    I've had a couple which were like that - a PRS SE One,
    You didn't sell that to DrBob, which came to me and then to @stonevibe, I wonder...? :)
    Yup, that's the one :)

    stonevibe said:
    That PRS SE One is a brilliant guitar. Although I have modified it a lot.
    Oh, absolutely - the neck was just too chunky for me to deal with effectively. The P90 in it sounded absolutely glorious...the only non-humbucker I've ever really liked.

    Looks like this now.

    image

    image

    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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