Sold: TV Jones Spectra Sonic Supreme - £1475

DB1

Crazy name, crazy guitar, clearly unstable idiot selling it.

I bought this back yesterday. No, listen, there's method in this. Honestly there is. If you could just stop laughing for a second, I can explain. Thank you. Come on, it's not that funny. Please. Now you're hurting my feelings.

Sooooo....  I recently bought a Stephen Stern Masterbuilt 6118T Anniversary, and have had a a little bit of trouble getting on with the controls, so put it up for sale. No takers really, which surprised me, but not to worry. I've been getting on a lot better with it, which is nice.

It's still expensive though, at £3499, so I wondered whether trying a Terada Gretsch - whose quality I'm always impressed with - would make me be still happy to sell the Stern. Ideally, I'd like a 6120 with a master tone control. Anyway, some of the used asking prices are a bit hefty and I'm not buying new, because I'd be a right idiot and lose loads of money. I know what you're thinking, by the way and if you 'lol' this, I know who you are.  :-)

 Anyway, @Hattigol put this TVJ up for sale, and I thought 'why not? I know that it's a nice guitar, because it used to be mine, it looks as cool as polar bear in a fridge being rogered with a popsicle, and it will give me a chance to see if an alternative Gretsch-type guitar will do'.

Sounds sensible, right? Oh, OK.

Of course, @Hattigol would have just lent me his guitar to do that, but I didn't think that that would be fair, so I bought it.

Guess what? It's not quite as good as the £7500 (new) Custom Shop Gretsch. Who'd have thought it? It's a very good guitar - of course it is - it's a Terada built Gretsch in all but name, and in fact this model, with some modifications, was actually a Gretsch by name as well until TVJ took over the licence. And I prefer a hollow bodied Gretsch - ideally deeper than the Annie, truth be known.

So, it's worth it for the trial alone, just to show myself the difference, and to reaffirm that the Stephen Stern model is a bit special, and I feel happy passing this on to someone who is a little more mentally robust than myself, which narrows it down by, well, not much, in all honesty. There seemed to be a few comments about it in the ad that @Hattigol placed that were lavish in their praise, and hearty in their approbation and delectation (I've been reading grown up books again) so thought I'd offer it up to the forum first.

It's in fabulous condition (there are a couple of small dings on the back, which only show up when the light hits them), and I think that the Ice Blue metallic colour is absolutely beautiful. I might be biased, but I haven't seen a colour that suits this guitar better. There, I've said it.  Maple top and neck on a single cutaway chambered semi-hollow Alder body. It has an ebony fretboard and is fitted with a TV Jones TV Classic Plus Bridge and Classic Neck pickup. Original branded hardshell case, too. Terada built, so expect the same build quality as the Gretsch Proline models. The TVJ website is very short on detail, so here's a really good review - https://guitar.com/review/tv-jones-spectra-sonic-supreme/ ; - again, this gives me the opportunity to show you a few pics, having let someone else do the hard work of actually reviewing it. 

If you've ever had the misfortune to read any of my sales posts, and even more misfortune to get to the end of them, honestly, haven't you go anything better to do? then you'll know that I'm happy to travel, deliver, meet up - dogging spots a speciality, public conveniences, deserted laybys, forest glades where the faeries gather to dance in the moonlight, Watford Gap at a push and possibly North Yorkshire, when I can arrange some missionary work in the area.

If you'd like to know more about the guitar, or the glades, etc, PM me. Don't be a stranger. And if you are, you might not be stranger than I am anyway.

All photos (c) A Weirdo.

Hattigol

PM'd.

DB1

Hattigol said:

PM'd.

I've blocked you.

Hattigol

The blocking is harsh but fair...

On the now widely used 'GAS Insanity Test' aka the GIT, I like to think I am probably a steady 7 to @DB1's 10. I am a mere Stormtrooper to his Sith. But given that I have had serious thoughts of having this back off him, barely 24 hours after I sold it to him,  I may need a recount.

It's a belting guitar and great value for money.

Please keep me blocked for my own safety...

CFH

Hattigol said:

The blocking is harsh but fair...

On the now widely used 'GAS Insanity Test' aka the GIT, I like to think I am probably a steady 7 to @DB1's 10. I am a mere Stormtrooper to his Sith. But given that I have had serious thoughts of having this back off him, barely 24 hours after I sold it to him,  I may need a recount.

It's a belting guitar and great value for money.

Please keep me blocked for my own safety...

Stay away!!!

Although if I end up with it it will make it easier for you to buy it back next week. 

Hattigol

CFH said:

Hattigol said:

The blocking is harsh but fair...

On the now widely used 'GAS Insanity Test' aka the GIT, I like to think I am probably a steady 7 to @DB1's 10. I am a mere Stormtrooper to his Sith. But given that I have had serious thoughts of having this back off him, barely 24 hours after I sold it to him,  I may need a recount.

It's a belting guitar and great value for money.

Please keep me blocked for my own safety...

Stay away!!!

Although if I end up with it it will make it easier for you to buy it back next week. 

You'd be advised to stay out of such discussions. There's talk of a special GIT category 11 for you.

DB1

What a pair of GITS you are.  :-)

steviebee74

I bought a red one of these from @DB1 about 2 years ago. I don't use it as much as I should but it's a great guitar. They definitely benefit from going up to 11s and the filtertrons always sound better with a bit more gain than other pickups. It's definitely a cool guitar for a cool player (something which i am unfortunatly not).   

DB1

Hi Steve - hope you're well. Just to say that you most definitely ARE a cool player!

Good point about the strings - I haven't changed them yet (and I think there were 10's on when you bought my other one) and I think that they're 10's now. I'll gladly change up to 11's if anyone prefers them - or change to a new set of 10's.

I always like to change strings when I can if anyone wants to buy a guitar from me, although with a Bigsby-equipped guitar, it's like playing 'slaps' with an octopus.

AlexO

Oh for FFS I’ve played this guitar and it’s bloody brilliant like a Gretsch but feels a bit Gibson-esq at the same time.

I’ve nearly bought one of these about 10 times now and now I’m thinking should this be the time… I don’t need one and I don’t love that pearly pickguard but I’ve seen TV Jones make some parchment ones…
Someone please buy this quick!

DB1

Sir - I'll have you know that that pearly pickguard is not only magnificent, it also matches my shoes.

DB1

On hold until the weekend for a discerning forum member. Not the one that doesn't love the pearly pickguard. I mean, come on. Bloody hell. Not that it bothers me.  :-)

CFH

Drat. 

musicman100

If your buyer falls through please send me a message 

donner

And if that tasteful chimney would still be free, I might be interested ;-)

DB1

I have the remains of previous guitar buyers in there, so it would be a little tricky.  

SPECTRUM001

donner said:

And if that tasteful chimney would still be free, I might be interested ;-)

While we are at it - I quite like the twenties stylee phone and the art deco lampshade. But I guess the tulip tiles are cemented in 

DB1

It's actually a genuine 1920's phone (it still bears the original Chelmsford exchange number)and it even works! Pardon?

I'll give you dibs on the fireplace if we're evicted.

DB1

Now sold - thanks to the forum, as ever, for letting me advertise on here and allowing me to type relentless drivel.

And a big thanks to @Dontgiveupyourdayjob (James) for being such a lovely fellow to deal with. Absolutely top class.

dazzajl

Really glad it ended up with James, I feel his GAS for this was the greatest amongst us and his Duesey seems to found a lovely new home to make it all happen. The forum trading wheel at it's best 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Thanks again for making the trek oop norf @DB1 , glad you made it back safe. Pleasure doing business with you.