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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ If You're Ever In London

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 9 2016, 08:46 PM

Hope you enjoy these videos, very interesting. smile.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKf9mP9KgNc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCg5h4s6r7g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcQwgr-xO9o


Cheers

Phil

Posted by: Mertay Sep 9 2016, 09:07 PM

That was fun smile.gif

I specially liked the shops which were old looking, the smell must be awesome biggrin.gif

Posted by: Phil66 Sep 10 2016, 08:41 PM

I'm going to try to get there next year when we visit London for my wife's birthday smile.gif I might buy her a guitar from there for her birthday present wink.gif


Posted by: Ben Higgins Sep 12 2016, 11:00 AM

Was in Denmark St a few weeks back.. or was it months? Can't remember.

It's good if you're into vintage Gibsons and Fender. Not much there for anyone into Super Strats and anything pointy though smile.gif

Posted by: Chris Harrington Sep 12 2016, 11:39 AM

Ah man I love Denmark street, its my local guitar mecca. My guitar repair guy (Tim Marten) works on Denmark street too, he was Jimmy Page's guitar tech for some of the later Led Zep days.

Its lost a lot of what was great about it though, a lot of the older shops are disappearing due to online competition, Andys was an amazing set of shops which has now gone, but for vintage gear its still one of the greatest places to go. Also for any comic book fans there is a 'forbidden planet' round the corner from it. smile.gif

Chris

Posted by: Mertay Sep 15 2016, 04:16 PM

Most expensive guitar ever seems to be sold there smile.gif

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/this_1958_gibson_explorer_just_became_the_most_expensive_guitar_in_the_world.html

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Sep 16 2016, 07:29 AM

Cool - I'd love to check it out some time!

Posted by: HungryForHeaven Sep 16 2016, 12:14 PM

QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Sep 12 2016, 11:00 AM) *
Was in Denmark St a few weeks back.. or was it months?

I was, too, actually. smile.gif

There are some vast reconstructions going on in the area. So far, the short street itself seems intact though. Does anyone know what the plans are for the nearest future? Will Denmark Street keep looking the same?

Posted by: Ben Higgins Sep 16 2016, 04:20 PM

QUOTE (HungryForHeaven @ Sep 16 2016, 11:14 AM) *
I was, too, actually. smile.gif


I remember walking around and talking with this Swedish dude who looked just like you ph34r.gif

Posted by: HungryForHeaven Sep 16 2016, 09:13 PM

QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Sep 16 2016, 03:20 PM) *
I remember walking around and talking with this Swedish dude who looked just like you ph34r.gif

Funny, I recall hanging out with some English dude who strongly reminded me of you. But he had short hair... ph34r.gif

Posted by: Phil66 Feb 7 2017, 09:49 PM

Well I went and came back really wanting a Telecaster.





http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r394/PhilDY6/20170203_132141_zpsxjxxtlfa.jpg


Fender Deluxe anyone??

Posted by: bleez Feb 7 2017, 10:01 PM

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Feb 7 2017, 08:49 PM) *






Posted by: Phil66 Feb 7 2017, 10:08 PM

I like the Thinline and the 1977 "Teleaster" laugh.gif the best. The Thinline is the original model of the one Gab's girlfriend bought him last year cool.gif

Posted by: bleez Feb 7 2017, 11:12 PM

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Feb 7 2017, 09:08 PM) *
I like the Thinline and the 1977 "Teleaster" laugh.gif the best. The Thinline is the original model of of Gab's girlfriend bought him last year cool.gif

I would love a fender or gibson from the 70's. it was the most awesome of decades but that '66 white tele is just a thing of beauty. I would have stood outside that window and wept like a little girl ph34r.gif

Posted by: klasaine Feb 8 2017, 03:46 PM

QUOTE (bleez @ Feb 7 2017, 03:12 PM) *
I would love a fender or gibson from the 70's. it was the most awesome of decades but that '66 white tele is just a thing of beauty. I would have stood outside that window and wept like a little girl ph34r.gif


The decade was indeed awesome but sadly Gibson and Fender's quality went WAY down. They were both bought by conglomerates (Norlin and CBS respectively) and they made a lot of horrible instruments. Some of he early 70s stuff is OK because they used materials and workers that were from the previous era but after 73/74 it's mostly shite - until about 1983 (when they got their companies back).
There are of course exceptions but that '77 Tele is more than likely an awful instrument.

I have a 1974 LP special that's pretty great but ALL the 70s Fenders I've played were bad to mediocre.

*One of the greatest things about the 70s (and early 80s) is that you could get 50s and 60s Gibsons and Fenders for super cheap.

Posted by: Mertay Feb 9 2017, 03:23 PM

QUOTE (klasaine @ Feb 8 2017, 02:46 PM) *
The decade was indeed awesome but sadly Gibson and Fender's quality went WAY down. They were both bought by conglomerates (Norlin and CBS respectively) and they made a lot of horrible instruments. Some of he early 70s stuff is OK because they used materials and workers that were from the previous era but after 73/74 it's mostly shite - until about 1983 (when they got their companies back).
There are of course exceptions but that '77 Tele is more than likely an awful instrument.

I have a 1974 LP special that's pretty great but ALL the 70s Fenders I've played were bad to mediocre.

*One of the greatest things about the 70s (and early 80s) is that you could get 50s and 60s Gibsons and Fenders for super cheap.


Just recently I went to my regular luthier for chat and he told me about a 70's Gibson a customer recently brought for pickup change and setup.

The customer was so careful about the guitar before inspection he thought it was something special, sadly though it was simply a terrible guitar overall. Ofcourse he didn't say anything to the customer and did his best but seriusly mocked the quality.

I heard about Fender amps being bad at that transition era but didn't know guitars were also not so good.

Posted by: bleez Feb 9 2017, 06:13 PM

That's a bit of a shame, although Im not too upset because I also really want a 1960's era strat biggrin.gif

what types of things are typically wrong with these 70's era models?

Posted by: klasaine Feb 9 2017, 06:48 PM

QUOTE (bleez @ Feb 9 2017, 10:13 AM) *
That's a bit of a shame, although Im not too upset because I also really want a 1960's era strat biggrin.gif

what types of things are typically wrong with these 70's era models?


Wrong wood - too heavy (especially Gibson).
Thick finishes (a lot of poly instead of nitro).
Cheaper hardware as well as hardware not specifically designed for a specific guitar. Used just because it 'fit'.
3 bolt necks with micro-tilt adjust (Fender. Leo eventually perfected it when he was at G&L years later).
Cheaper labor - unskilled at specifically guitar building/pkup making.
Gibson didn't calibrate or service their pkup winding machines for years and a lot of 70s pkups are real crap.

Many of the great and innovative crafts people and master builders left at this time. Some left to form their own companies and/or work for others.

There are of course exceptions. You have to play them.
Fender Starcasters and Coronados are desirable axes but they are also pretty funky and not for everybody. A 1970 LP gold top is usually a good guitar. They weren't as popular then so production was low on those. Consequently they used old stock and put them together more slowly.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Feb 10 2017, 06:50 PM

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Feb 7 2017, 10:08 PM) *
The Thinline is the original model of of Gab's girlfriend bought him last year cool.gif

I have a 72 and a 1990 MIJ '72 Reissue' Thinline. Great sounding guitars, the pair of them. I can't wait until the MIJ is 30+ years old too!!

Unfortunately Denmark Street has changed loads since I bought my first Guitar there.
Several of the original Shops have closed and worse still is what used to be "Andy's Guitar Centre" at the bottom of the street became a great Bar called "The 12 Bar" and now that is closed too. Although, in truth, it has moved to a new location.
smile.gif smile.gif

Posted by: klasaine Feb 12 2017, 05:25 PM

QUOTE (Sensible Jones @ Feb 10 2017, 10:50 AM) *
I have a 72 and a 1990 MIJ '72 Reissue' Thinline. Great sounding guitars, the pair of them. I can't wait until the MIJ is 30+ years old too!!


A 'real' 1972 Fender Thinline Telecaster is usually a great guitar. The builders spent more time on them due to the upper hollow chamber and f hole.

The MIJ and CIJ (crafted in Japan) Fenders are as good and sometimes better than the USA Fenders.
MIM vintage style Teles are more often than not better than their American counterparts ... and I have no idea why.

*The current 'American Professional' series (which replaced the American Standard) seem to be of very high and consistent quality. At least the one's I've tried so far.
Gibson quality is back to shit again, except on the $2500 and up models.

Posted by: AK Rich Feb 12 2017, 05:59 PM

QUOTE (klasaine @ Feb 12 2017, 08:25 AM) *
A 'real' 1972 Fender Thinline Telecaster is usually a great guitar. The builders spent more time on them due to the upper hollow chamber and f hole.

The MIJ and CIJ (crafted in Japan) Fenders are as good and sometimes better than the USA Fenders.
MIM vintage style Teles are more often than not better than their American counterparts ... and I have no idea why.

*The current 'American Professional' series (which replaced the American Standard) seem to be of very high and consistent quality. At least the one's I've tried so far.
Gibson quality is back to shit again, except on the $2500 and up models.


Yeah there is something good going on with the MexiStrats in my experience too, I haven't played a boatload of them but I haven't played one that was bad yet, and I have set up and played at least one that to me, felt and sounded better than the 07' American Standard that I have now. Up here in AK you can find a used one for $300, sometimes a bit more depending on finishes, customization etc.
I haven't tried any of the Japanese Strats yet, but maybe I should.

This one I think is probably Mexi or Japanese made. I may have to give him a call. rolleyes.gif
https://anchorage.craigslist.org/msg/5939354785.html

Posted by: klasaine Feb 12 2017, 06:24 PM

At this point too, the Japanese Fenders are priced about the same as the USA models - both new and used.

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