Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' title='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' />Gretsch Guitars Understanding Gretsch guitar serial numbers. Gretsch used several different serial number schemes through the years. Each of them can be used to. Vintage Fender Guitars, we offer a huge range of vintage and used Fender guitars. Ver. 3. 5 The Epiphone serial number decoder currently supports 12 serial number formats from 25 factories. Vintage numbers from 1932 to 1970 are supported. Fender Telecaster, made in China Ive been an MIA snob for years but now Im GASsing hard for the Chinese Fender that got away. I dont know about you, but Ive made the worst mistakes trying to get right after letting something get away. Fascinating how the observers who have embraced the new offerings from Japan, then Mexico and Korea, and India and Indonesia and so on are less liable to be bowled over. I admit I was let down by that overseas Epiphone acoustic I bought in 1. I ever took on a guitar purchase was an all USA Harmony guitar. Jpegs/New%20Titlepage%20picts/91%20GMB%20Strat%20Plus%20Top2.jpg' alt='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' title='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' />So, I tend to be circumspect and resist making broad generalizations about sources and pricevalue assumptions. Quicken 2004 Basic Download on this page. Within this context, I find a Most countries make both great and lousy guitars and amps. The country that makes the most of each is also the one with the widest range of quality b When the CV line first came out, FMIC made sure only the sweetest examples were available for our eyes, and at that time the price was astoundingly low. The Modern Player line was supposed to catch the crest of that wave, but it was too late that train has left the station and there is IMO no standout pricevalue product anywhere in the FMIC universe of models at every conceivable price point c Theres a great deal of difference in quality, piece to piece, in all of these Import model lines right now. Too many choices, too many plants making a handful of this and a handful of that, and with the world economy revving up again, materials quality is suffering and costs have soared. Id say if for some reason a buyer wants Import but doesnt for some reason want a CV, they should check out that Indonesian Squier T type with the S headstock and a Jazzmaster neck pickup. Thats a cool piece, and if the neck was thicker Id have some. Fender_serial_number_v_1404916204.jpg' alt='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' title='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' />Guitars Buying a new guitar is a considerable investment for most of us. To get the best possible experience, it is therefore important that youve done some research and decided on what kind of model youre looking for. In this feature well look at a handful of models with David Gilmours tones in mind. The V. C. Squier Company manufactured strings for violins, banjos, and guitars. It was established in 1890 by Victor Carroll Squier in Battle Creek, Michigan. An instrument is all about inspiration. You are the musician and the guitar is the tool you use to express your feelings and music. It may sound like a clich but you need to be at one with the guitar for the inspiration to flow. This has nothing to do with what models you choose or how much they cost. You could very well build the guitar yourself from scrap metal but whats important is that youre comfortable with holding the guitar in your hands, playing it and the sound it creates. Some basic knowledge about the different wood types, neck and body profiles, pickups etc will help you in making the best choice. Fender US, CIJ or MIM
Theres little doubt that US Fenders are better than Mexicans. Thats kind of the point too, considering that MIM models are Fenders budget brand above Squier. However, over the last decade or so, the MIMs has gotten a considerable face lift and the overall quality is very high. In fact, the reason why they are cheaper, ha sless to do with quality but rather lower labour costs, cheaper type of laquer and apply methods etc. Japanese Fenders are considered to be above the Mexicans and perhaps even just as good as the US. In the 8. 0s and early 9. Japanese Fenders were well known for being superior to any other models and the quality is still top notch. Maple or rosewood necks
Neck wood and contour plays an important role in how the guitar sounds and how it feels to play. Some like thick necks and some prefer a thinner contour. Some like the vintage glossy nitro finish and some prefer the more modern satin finish. Depending on the radius, thickness and contour of the neck, maples are generally brighter sounding with a bit more top and less mid range. Rosewood necks or rosewood fretboard has a slightly warmer tone with more mid range and perhaps an overall more balanced character. Alder, ash or basswood bodies
Like the neck, the wood used for the body, and its quality, plays a role in how the guitar sound. Alder is used in most Fender Strats mainly because of its light weight and its easy to finish due to minimal grain lines. Alder is also the most neutral sounding of the commonly used wood types with a full tone, well balanced lower end a hint of mid range. Swamp ash, or southern ash, is considered as the most musical wood and its often preferred by the more demanding players. Its high density makes it a bright sounding wood with a strong punch and rich sustain. Basswood was often used for Japanese Fenders in the 8. Although a soft wood, it has a rich and warm tone with a smooth sustain. Basswood has long been favoured by jazz musicians and it can also help to balance a bright punchy maple neck. Setups. A good tip when youre trying out new guitars is to focus on how the guitar plays and sound acoustically. Dont start by plugging it into a loud amp and lots of pedals but listen to the acoustics, the natural resonance and sustain. If this sound and feels right, then its a guitar well worth considering. Pickups can easily be replaced for a more desired tone but you cant fix a dead resonance. Consider it a bonus if the stock pickups are to your liking. Toshiba Drivers For Portable Hard Drive. The string and pickup height and the tremolo action is often set to a so called factory standardized setup. This can easily be adjusted later on, so dont dismiss a perfectly good guitar just because the setup isnt how you normally prefer it. Keep in mind though that theres a difference between a setup that you dont like and a bad setup caused by poor assembly and parts. Squier
Squier is Fenders budget range. Over the last decade, Squire has regained much of its old reputation of producing high quality instruments for even the tightest budgets. Squier Classic Vibe
The Classic Vibe series captures the essence of the 5. These are very good beginners instruments thatll give you a good start and a classic Strat tone. Body alder. Neck modern C shape maple 5. Pickups vintage style single coils based on respectively 5. Pros light weight and easy to play, classic looks and tone
Cons hardware and electronics are more or less just for show and should be replaced. Considering the Classic Vibe The stock tremolo system can be hard to keep in tune and it may also lack some sustain and resonance. Runaway Road Adventure Patch there. Replace it with a Callaham Vintage S system for better stability and more sustain. To take the guitar up to a pro level, replace the pickups with some Fender Custom Shop 6. Fat 5. 0s. Fender Mexico MIM
The Mexican models are Fenders mid range line. From being the black sheep of the catalogue, the MIMs has gotten a thorough face lift and are now great alternatives to the much more expensive US counterparts. Fender MIM Standard. The budget version of the legendary American Standard. This model has gone through many changes during the last decade and the result is a very good guitar with a great tone and feel that suits a wide range of genres and styles. Body alder. Neck modern thin C shape maple and rosewood fingerboard. Pickups Fender Standard hotPros an overall good entry level guitar with a versatile tone and easy to play neck
Cons the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Fender MIM Classic Series
The Classic Series was originally introduced in Japan as the Collectable Series but the production was moved to Mexico and renamed when Fender in the late 9. Japanese models. The Classic series includes faithful reissues of the original 5. All in all some very fine instruments thatll give you lots of value for the buck. With a few upgrades, such as better hardware and pickups, youll get a guitar that will stand up to any US model. Body alder, ash 7. Neck soft V shape vintage tinted glossy maple 5. C shape rosewood fretboard 6. U shape maple and rosewood fretboard 7. Pickups vintage style single coils based on respectively 5. Pros classic looks, feel and tone, very easy to play
Cons the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Fender MIM Road Worn. The Road Worn series are Fenders budget versions of their popular US Custom Shop Relic models. The aging process looks very authentic and gives the guitar a warm and balanced tone not least due to the nitro lacquer finish. The black 5. 0s model in particular makes a great basis for your David Gilmour Black Strat project. The only real drawback of these guitars are the necks, which due to the very little finish, can dry out and leave some nasty fret edges. Body alder
Neck soft V shape maple 5. C shape rosewood fretboard 6. Pickups Fender TexMex. Pros light weight and easy to play, nitro finish for warmer tone and cool relic look. Cons dry necks and the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Considering the Road Worns The necks have very little lacquer and the wood can dry out easily. Buy a loaded body off e. Bay and order a custom neck from Warmoth for the best setup. The bridge system can also be replaced by something a bit more reliable, like the Callaham Vintage S system. Fender Japan MIJCIJ
Japanese Fenders is a bit tricky to get but its well worth the effort. Considered superior to the US Fenders in the 8. Japanese instruments still holds a very high quality. Fender CIJ ST series.