Buying Guitars Online + ES-339

[Shane_B.]

7 hours ago, Byron Dickens said:

I've never had any problems with GC, either.

The nicest one I've ever been to was in Des Moines IA. The employees handed out business cards with all their personal contact info, what instrument they specialized in, and they were very professional.

My last guitar purchase was at a GC in Kansas City. I bought a used Epi Sheraton II. I paid almost nothing for it because it was a lefty. I just happened to walk in one day and it was the only lefty in the store. They said it was sitting there forever. I told them I'd buy it if they threw in an actual Epi branded case and they did for free. It's got stock everything and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

I'm right handed but have been cursed to play guitar left handed. I've only ever purchased 2 guitars online. A MIM Martin and one of those Fender hybrid guitars, which ultimately got returned and the order canceled.

The Martin was never set up and never got the 55 point inspection or they would have found the G string tuner is bad and the nut sticks. After 10 plus years I still haven't taken it in to get worked on and at the time I was so busy with work I never contacted Sweets to get it rectified. That said, there is still nobody else I would trust other than Sweets for online buying. I've had damaged stuff arrive and they sent me new equipment overnight and didn't charge me a penny before I even got a chance to pack up the damaged stuff and send back.

I love my Epi Sheraton II. It has stock pups and pots. I did have to set it up and clean the pots, but it plays like a dream 100% original. FWIW it's MIK. I read a while back that they stopped making them. I don't know if that's true anymore.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Shane_B.
Spelling error.

[craigb]

3 hours ago, Shane_B. said:

I'm right handed but have been cursed to play guitar left handed.

[Shane_B.]

4 hours ago, craigb said:

Yep. I tried to play righty. Something's wrong in my brain. My fingers freeze on both hands. I physically can't move them. Lol. I learned how to play on my brother's right handed guitar with the low E on the bottom. When I finally got a real lefty I had to relearn how to play, but it was a quick process. 

[57Gregy]

I resisted as long as I could. I haven't played enough in the last few years to justify getting another guitar.

Then they put it on sale. $150 off.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by 57Gregy
speelink

[Brian Walton]

On 7/30/2023 at 2:14 PM, 57Gregy said:

How many of you have bought guitars online? Of course, you can't play them first, but I've played those models in the store. 
Were you satisfied with them? You probably had to do a little setting-up but that would be expected. I would rather have one that hasn't been played by every pimply-faced EVH wannabe in town.

I like the smaller size of the 339 versus the 335 (I'm not a big person) but over the years I have read some folks here saying they were 'crap' or words to that effect. Why? I didn't notice any difference from the 335 (Epiphones, not Gibsons). 

If you have played these guitars, what is your opinion of them? 

Thanks.

I thought I was going to land on a 339 as a life long Gibson owner but tried a few and then ended up buying a Heritage Prospect instead.  

I would only buy on-line if the return policy is good.  I played a couple 339s in local stores and the Heritage mopped the floor with them.  But I've played some 339s that are quite good.

[Brian Walton]

On 7/31/2023 at 3:01 PM, Matt Rayner said:

You look old enough to be able to fix a guitar on your own.

Questions seems a bit silly, to be honest. Sorry.

 

Most professional guitarists hire someone to work on their guitars...there is a massive difference between playing them and working on them for both setup and swap out...especially on a semi-hollow body which can be a real pain.  

[57Gregy]

1 hour ago, Brian Walton said:

Most professional guitarists hire someone to work on their guitars...there is a massive difference between playing them and working on them for both setup and swap out...especially on a semi-hollow body which can be a real pain.  

I don't know what he was going on about. I didn't ask about fixing a guitar but it was so off-key I had to give it a 'like'.

I should have mentioned it's a 335 not a 339. It has the split-coils and the variety of tones are infinite, it seems. Playing through a Fender Mustang I modeling amp. Sounds pretty good unplugged, too.

[Shane_B.]

4 minutes ago, 57Gregy said:

I don't know what he was going on about. I didn't ask about fixing a guitar but it was so off-key I had to give it a 'like'.

Lol.

Not to drag it further off topic, all I can say is, I read about all these tips and tricks for setting up guitars. I've tried a lot of them. In the end the best setup techniques I have ever done were the setup instructions readily available from the manufacturer. By the book. Did that to my beloved MIJ Strat after years of frustration having tuning problems. It played better than it ever did before with the manufacturers setup specs. 

The guitar is a beauty. Happy for you and it's great you got a deal on it! Let's hear a nice recording or three. ?

[vanzhao]

Only bought one second handed american ultra ST on line which was delivered well.

[Reid Kaylen]

i don't know about buying it from online....what if they send you a defected guitar? also when you buy a guitar from the store you can check and buy no?

[Shane_B.]

1 hour ago, Reid Kaylen said:

i don't know about buying it from online....what if they send you a defected guitar? also when you buy a guitar from the store you can check and buy no?

I feel the same way, unfortunately guitar shops are going the way of the DoDo. All the major ones in North NJ are gone. One that's been in business 50 years here just closed their doors a few months ago. The GC near me is a complete joke.

Sweets is excellent about returns.

I call "sw. E. Et wah ter" Sweets because I'm convinced they have a bot or someone scanning the forums and I swear every time I mention their name in print here I start getting calls from a sales rep.. It's not that they bother me, it's just I can't afford anything and it causes me great anxiety to have tell them I'm not buying. Makes me feel crappy.

[57Gregy]

I ended up getting it from the local GC and not mail-order. 
I understand most reputable dealers have generous return policies, so it's not as if the seller would disappear overnight once they got the money.

[kitekrazy]

On 7/30/2023 at 12:24 PM, craigb said:

Definitely not my experience!  And part of the reason I went with custom guitars.

 USA models aren't  all the same.   You can play the same model of a Strat or LP and find differences and I'm guitar stupid and I only go by feel.   

Edited April 16 by kitekrazy

[kitekrazy]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:30 AM, Shane_B. said:

I feel the same way, unfortunately guitar shops are going the way of the DoDo. All the major ones in North NJ are gone. One that's been in business 50 years here just closed their doors a few months ago. The GC near me is a complete joke.

Sweets is excellent about returns.

I call "sw. E. Et wah ter" Sweets because I'm convinced they have a bot or someone scanning the forums and I swear every time I mention their name in print here I start getting calls from a sales rep.. It's not that they bother me, it's just I can't afford anything and it causes me great anxiety to have tell them I'm not buying. Makes me feel crappy.

Many are that way in smaller areas.  Most of the stuff is low price gear.  You don't see too many USA Fenders, Gibson, PRS. in a small store unless someone traded it in.

[Gswitz]

I have an es 336 that I enjoy. 

I bought a new Martin without seeing it. 

Experiences were good.