What's the cheapest keeper guitar you have?

Cheapest guitar I have that's a keeper is an Arbor J-138 that I've thoroughly reworked. Internet legend says that they're leftover Gretsch guitars after St. Louis Music lost the license to Fender at the turn of the millennium. This is probably just a legend, but it's a quality laminated construction hollow body instrument with crap components. I sanded the bridge base to the body to lower it, installed a roller bridge and a Bigsby B7, replced the pickups with a pair of Porter Pickups Portertron PAF-sized Filtertrons to replace the stock mudbuckers and painted the top with a gold sparkle. initial cost was $200 on FB marketplace. It is now one of my favorites, I like it as much as my custom builds.
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Nice Sparkle-Gold GreTscH Wannabee finish @Gigantic !

I bought my Lefty GreTscH Wannabee for 100 Euros, and indeed invested some effort and money on it...

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Initial condition :

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And just like you : it's one of my favorites...
 
tubelectron said:
Nice Sparkle-Gold GreTscH Wannabee finish @Gigantic !

I bought my Lefty GreTscH Wannabee for 100 Euros, and indeed invested some effort and money on it...

8k9HMb-P1130425.jpg


Initial condition :

a4RjNb-P1040831-Copie.jpg


And just like you : it's one of my favorites...
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Thanks! I'm semi retired after 30 years in high-end residential construction and make guitars for a living; I specialize in sparkle finishes.

I was initially inspired by this relic'd Gretsch:
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However, after I got the gold flake down, I didn't have the heart to tear into it and I'm more of a mind that every scratch and ding represents a regrettable heartbreak, so I left it as it is.
 
Gigantic said:
However, after I got the gold flake down, I didn't have the heart to tear into it and I'm more of a mind that every scratch and ding represents a regrettable heartbreak, so I left it as it is.
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For sure ! I can't agree more... I don't like the look nor the intentions of those Fake-Damaged-Relic guitars. :confused:

My Venerable 1980 Gibson ES-335TD LH is simply a well-preserved Vintage guitar... I take care of Her for 46 years... :)

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T
 
tubelectron said:
For sure ! I can't agree more... I don't like the look nor the intentions of those Fake-Damaged-Relic guitars. :confused:

My Venerable 1980 Gibson ES-335TD LH is simply a well-preserved Vintage guitar... I take care of Her for 46 years... :)

19092609532625019416426806.jpg


T
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I have one quasi-intentional relic, this Epiphone Wildkat that I bought new 23 years ago. I decided to give it my touch and accidentally sanded through the clear coat into the flake. At this point, my choices were to remove the finish and redo it, leave it as is with a subtle error where I’d exposed the silver behind the glitter coating or lean into it. I didn’t want to redo it and I can’t live with an error, so I went all in with the relic. I’ll probably redo it at some point anyway.
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Are basses acceptable?

If so, I nominate the Ibanez SDGR "Sound Gear" series.

I played a $600 one at Guitar Center and really liked it.
Found it online for $275 and free shipping.

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Decided the active pickups were too much of a PITA (the 9v battery always dies right before you play in front of anyone).
Found a standard pickup version at a pawn shop for $75.
The only issue is that the mail ordered one has a bit of fret buzz that neither personally auditioned one has/had.
I've done just a bit of adjustment but so far it's not quite gone.
That's the risk you take with mail order.

I find myself liking the low line one better, and no worry if the active pickup 9v is good.

Funny, I don't care for the feel of Ibanez guitars, but these basses fit me just fine.
 
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Gigantic said:
Cheapest guitar I have that's a keeper is an Arbor J-138 that I've thoroughly reworked. Internet legend says that they're leftover Gretsch guitars after St. Louis Music lost the license to Fender at the turn of the millennium. This is probably just a legend, but it's a quality laminated construction hollow body instrument with crap components. I sanded the bridge base to the body to lower it, installed a roller bridge and a Bigsby B7, replced the pickups with a pair of Porter Pickups Portertron PAF-sized Filtertrons to replace the stock mudbuckers and painted the top with a gold sparkle. initial cost was $200 on FB marketplace. It is now one of my favorites, I like it as much as my custom builds.
After:
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Before:
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Good job on that!
 
Late '60s Gibson Melody Maker (SG body style), a total "Frankenstein":
Bad Ass, Grover machine heads, repainted black (my dad repainted it, looks outstanding), two different pick guards (one black, one white), two new humbacker pickups (vice one), new pods, and gone over by a guitar luthier. A stage guitar. Neck is straight as an arrow, fretboard perfect.
What's it worth? Absolutely no idea of value. :dunno:

Also also have a late '60s Gibson LG-1 hollow body that's a bit beat up, one of the tips on the headstock is broke off (long ago, not me) and the front wood on the guitar has a tight 6 inch crack in it, from the sound hole heading towards the bottom (wood just separated), but has been repaired perfectly. If you didn't know it was cracked you wouldn't even see the repair. Other than that, necks straight as an arrow and sounds 'lovely"!!! My brother gave it to me - a keeper for sure. It's really a fine sounding and smooth playing HB. Value??? :dunno:
It wouldn't be hard to fix the tip on the headstock - but why? Fine 'as is'. I'm a little beat up too!! :rflmao:
 
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I have a couple cheaper keepers. A partscaster made from a Squier SE body, '89 Squier II neck, MIM bridge, Gotoh vintage style tuners, quality controls and Graphtech nut and string trees. I swap pickguards and pickups now and then. It currently has a set of Tonerider Pure vintage pickups. I really like the neck on this one. A keeper for sure.

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A couple more cheapies. An '89 Squier Bullet. My first electric, given to me by my wife for Christmas about 30 years ago.
All original except for the tuners. It's now set up as a dedicated slide machine. IMG_8111.JPG

This 1939s Ohau parlor is a lot of fun. No cracks, straight neck, set up nicely. When I got it someone had
put a piece of soft wood for a saddle so I made one from bone. I think it cost about $6.00 new in the '30s.
IMG_5546.JPGept mostly for sentimental value.
 
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