I was literally waiting for you to say, "here's the thing, these 2 guitars went back to ATB and I purchased the entire store. I've decided that my journey isn't about A guitar... it's about ALL guitars." Stay tuned for Part 3.....hundred! I'm loving this stuff.
This was a really fascinating watch, and above all things, I've enjoyed how honest you've been with this vintage journey, James. Very excited to see what Friday's instalment brings- thanks for letting us tag along for the ride!
Well... let me know what you think! There is another episode to come... watch this whole video to find out what might happen in part 3... cheers! Sub and comment to be in my 6,000 Subscriber Kingtone Duellist giveaway - will pick a winner when I hit 6,000 subs and send the kingtone duellist pedal anywhere!
My pre-CBS forever guitar is a late '64 jazzmaster, IMO a great and underrated year! It took me years to find it, vintage guitar journeys can last way more than expected, as you know. I loved that refin's sound even more than the guitars on the first part, but I agree that the one you choose should be THE one. Aim for that final purchase. Also, I gotta say, the '56 Les Paul is just unbelievable. My favorite tone from any video of yours! Cocked wah goodness!
This tale is becoming rather pretzel like isn’t it! Finding the right vintage instrument isn’t something you should take lightly… fascinating to watch the process.
My take on a vintage guitar is that if it displays a lot of play wear, like the ‘58 does, then it will usually sound killer and will be great to play - it must have something about it to have been played that much… the neck might be a bit smaller than you’d ideally like, but you soon get used to it. I have a ‘57 Tele that is a total war baby, but it has an incredible V neck and sounds amazing… my custom shop Teles sound different but equally great… but I get a kick out of knowing the 57 was someone’s main guitar for a good many years…whichever you choose, ENJOY!! Xx
Just found your channel watching the first part of this series and I love the honest talk and thoughts and being able to follow a journey like that, I’m going through sort of a similar thing but with Esquires. Just subscribed and I’m looking forward to watch your other videos!
Great video! Very fun watching your journey, also the time stamps are always so welcome! You make such great content and it’s all so incredibly polished! Can’t wait to see part 3!
Such a personal journey to share but you do it well James. Like many say, thanks for being brave and bringing your channel community along for the ride. When you "really" want to stop spending, you might need some kind of hard stop to lean on, as you've become used to the collecting. I know I have. For me I moved out of a sales tax free US state, back to the UK and simply refuse to pay the UK street prices. Tax and import duty aside which is what it is, fair enough; the market is so small in the UK that stores laugh at the idea of giving what a US customer takes for granted when it comes to negotiating the final price. When you're ready to slow down, I hope you can find that switch and focus on the music to break the cycle successfully. But for now I can see you need to let rip and get through Friday first. Take several deep breaths ;-)
Cheers man. Yeah, my way to stop for now is going to be - set myself a playing goal, something long term. Although it is hard to know how to set that goal, because i don’t sit and learn music, i think i just have to wait until i hit another ‘level’ in my playing… maybe 6 months or a year from now. I will know from a change in the comments here… i sort of get an idea for a trend of how my playing is doing and improving by reading all the comments. We’ll see 😂
Great video. I can’t help but feel you are searching for a feeling that doesn’t exist. And if it does, it’s a one in a million. The Excalibur legend. I don’t blame you, we’ve been conditioned our entire lives to believe in this.
Killer vid. Fun to watch. Sounds like you're really getting a handle on the recording technique for that Roseland. Wow, that thing sounds fantastic, and you're really capturing the deep sound of that cab! I was listening along in the background and had to look up and rewind when I heard that! Bravo, and good luck with the continued search.
Good to hear you're cooling off the buying. The cold sweat of buyer's remorse is honestly a bit hard to watch. You're a heck of a player, nice to hear you're doubling down on that!
I saw your video that was recorded a year ago at atb and I have to say that you have improved a LOT! I am enjoying with these videos but I agree, buy your dream guitar + vibrolux and focus on playing and improving 👌🏻. I did exactly that with my 63 ES-345 and 67 deluxe reverb
that 64 refin is rad, same with the jr. I'm lucky I don't have the means to buy more and more guitar because I'd have way to many. Cool video's by the way, I like seeing your journey.
Keep the LP junior!! The sound and look of that model is fantastic. I am very biased, I love them and want one just like that. I don't think you'll get another like that.
I’ve given up on the idea of guitar “ownership.” I cycle through so many guitars that I’ve felt like would be “the one.” I’m just the caretaker of my guitars while they are with me.
If it were me, I would have stayed with the Junior. What a great find! However, when you have your heart set on something, it's difficult to go back. Those two guitars are incredible, but you should go after what you want.
I hope you get a 65 for me the best era for Stratocasters are 1965/66 … I have a 65 and a 66 that used to belong to Omar Khorshid the late great oriental guitarist that I can’t live without! Strats are like watermelon might look good but tasteless and vice versa … Waiting for your next episode
@@JamesOnGuitar ha, it was mine about 2 years ago. I ended up with an amazing ‘69 Maple Cap Strat in its place, so all good :) Also, have a white ‘64 Strat refin, very similar to what you thought about doing with that blue Strat. Congrats on your hunt. I learned awhile ago, it’s never ending.
My only question is wat the heck u do for a living bc I want to do that lol having all the guitars and amps u got and they’re all really great too is awesome
The 64 Sonic Blue was the clear standout of all eight or so of the Strats by a good ways. I thought it was mind-blowingly good. As a guitar goes, pretty damn tough to beat. It would have been The One for me.
If I own a guitar store, and Aynsley Lister walks in, I don’t tell him how loud he can set the amps. I just write a note on the door that says “Aynsley Lister: One Day Only. Limited Seating.”
Love it. This was my thought 😃 also at one point everyone went off for tea and i turned up a little and i got in trouble, and then Aynsley played louder sometimes and no one said anything 🤣 quite rightly
Not a slow watch at all... I was engrossed all the way and identify with the thought processes.... Love your honesty as ever. Must have taken some discipline not to keep that Junior!
Alas i didn’t look at the double neck really. Used to have an epiphone one just to play stairway to heaven - live a couple of times - and i don’t think i have room for one in my life 🤣
Personally I would go for a player grade transition era,, mainly because you want one to play. I really believe the ones that are played lovingly and kept up through upgrades are gonna be the best ones. So I refin is a really good choice for playing live because it's a bit less sacred and you're not afraid to play it. I think a refin is also probably formally someone's main guitar because it was just better on some level.
I agree. Refin's would be what I'd go for. The neck is still original and the wood for the body. It's going to still sound the same. It will have pretty much all of that vintage vibe too. The original finish thing to me is just a collector thing. Or at least I'm not going to pay an extra $10,000 for the original finish as a player myself.
All very logical! I actually was thinking that about how refin’s are on their second life so must have been loved… but on the other hand if you play my favourite guitar and i play yours we might hate them! So i guess even though it was loved by someone, it still may not be my cup of tea
@@JamesOnGuitar that's,the main thing for that amount of money as close to perfect as possible is really important. If you're paying that much it should be the best
Can’t wait to see how this all ends but for damn I would have found a way to keep that junior. The way those guitars age is insanely beautiful and they’re so much fun to play
Think you might be on the guitar lust rebound James, the one you are going back to (58 maybe) you did not bond with it the first time. might be better to leave well alone and try somewhere else for your dream strat. there's no real rush is there you have some other belters to keep you company for a while. either way good luck James
It’s a good problem to have. Lol. We’ve all been there, trying to make sure we got the right one. It’s a huge investment but fuck that. Get something you vibe with. The greats before us got what they could get their hands on or what sounded good to them, amongst other things. You play well enough that you will squeeze out the goodness of the guitar. I really like your delta style finger picking. To me it keeps up with most, even the original players. The guitar will hold its value so worst case you sell it and get your money back. I’m enjoying this guitar journey that you have. I’m hoping eventually I will have a nice vintage piece that sounds amazing.
Hey man! maybe video idea, when u get urself focused again more on playin than finding the strat, i would love to see u doin a new vid on playing the chords and ur improv/composing journey, i just saw ur older vids and they were very enjoyable to watch ;D also if u didnt saw them already, highly reccomend to read the 10 guthrie improv advices, if u cand define them in way for urself, i think there are proly the best advices one can get.
Just keep the Junior, regardless of what's coming. It's pretty obvious you can stretch it, so just take the opportunity. You never know if you'll ever come across one that's that good or that "affordable" (considering the headstock break).
I enjoy watching your hunt even though I am looking at way cheaper stuff... Guessing you went for rhe pristine one. You might not get the opportunity to buy one as nice as that again...
It’s interesting to me that you said as they got newer, they sounded more Straty - I kind of wonder if maybe the sound in your head of the “Strat sound” is actually early CBS era. I am unapologetically a fan of CBS Strats; my first experience of “Strat sound” was instigated by being a young fan of Hendrix (playing CBS guitars) when I started playing electric in the late 70s. I tend to ignore the hype about pre-CBS Fender guitars and amps. It’s a mentality that only really got into people’s heads and became an issue and started became a talking point sometime probably in the 80s. For my taste, Fender guitars and amps, and Gibsons, only started to go to pot in the early 80s, when everyone became obsessed with high output pickups (which are garbage to my ears) and high gain amps (same opinion there). I feel like it was only in the late 90s and on when people started to re-appreciate low gain pickups and small great sounding amps, after a couple of decades of chasing more and more gain (and getting worse tone as a result). As far as I’m concerned, the era of great vintage gear lasted through the CBS and Norlin era, and ended around 1980, rather than the mid 60s, like most people obsess about.
This all makes sense to me! I want to own a part of history as much as have a great guitar. I can see me searching for a real hendrix-y big headstock strat one day for sure!
I totally get it. There’s a lot riding on this purchase, it needs to be right. That Jr though!! I’m guessing it’s the pristine ‘64 (I think, or was it ‘63?, the pristine one anyway!!)
OH MYYYY GODDDDD I SWARE TO GOD I SAID HES GONNA GO HOME WITHA GREEN STRATTT! NOOO WAYYY! AND DIDNT I SAY YOUR GONNA BUY SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I KNOW ITS BLUE BUT THERE GREEN IN IT! AND YOU WANTED A STRAT BC YOU COULD OBVIOUSLY GET ONE, LIKE THE PERSON ASKING THAT QUESTION! THEYD DO THE SAME,,,,IF IT MEANS ANYTHING IM HAPPY FOR YOU! ROCK ON JAMSIEBOYYYYY!
I really enjoy your channel...despite most of the guitars been financially out out my reach...although I'm quite content with the ones I own and given work commitments struggle to use them all...I've got an old 80s usa bc rich gunslinger ( think eddie van halen frankenstrat)..that sat in its case for 2 years its a tatty looking thing that looks like its been around the world 5 times with motley crue..lol..I mainly use the strat and a les Paul junior...my Ibanez GB10 George Benson signature doesn't get as much use as it deserves as I only dabble in jazz...my 2006 epiphone casino with its fitted bigsby gets the occasional outing...although it's a fine guitar as well made as any gibson I've played or owned (hats off to world class Korean factories )..its pickups are its only weak point but I'm too lazy to change them as they're not bad...just...not great either...but I'm enjoying your journey...its kinda like porn..and you're Italian love God rocco stifridi.....your trying out all these various women of so many different body types and nationalities... a dizzying array beyond the wildest fantasy of the average guy with his longterm partner/wife..and breif history of younger days when he'd struggle to get his leg over..occasionally coming across that rarest of finds ..a woman who was promiscuous lol...I don't know who to be jealous of more you or rocco...lol..like.".ahhh..that guy...OK so he fools around with a new guitar every week and uses them and abuses them and then casts them aside for another...sometimes using 3 or 4 in one session...but is he happy?...compared to me and the longterm relationship I've had with my main squeeze I met 25 years ago...nah his empty and meaniless one night stands with fancy guitars willing to let him plug in to any jack plug he wants when ever he wants doesn't make him happy...not like me and the inner contentment I've found with my one shitty fucking temperamental guitar always with some fucking issues ...25 years I've plowed money into it.......and...it still won't let me do to it what jimi hendrix did to his guitars..."....lol...time for a lie down me thinks...loving your channel mate...thank god my wife doesn't look at guitar youtube videos...she'd probably not appreciate my attempt at ricky Gervais irony humour lol
haha love it ;) I've gotta say, I'm a one woman man, but currently like a 19 year old with my guitars... but i think my one night guitar stand days are over. I have what I've been looking for, for now ;)
@@JamesOnGuitar joking asisde ...(ive been married 30 years )....and given the choice of spending time with a nice guitar or a one night stand night of passion with a temptrous other than my lovely wife ...id pick the guitar lol..actually ..that reminds me of an editorial i read in a guitar mag in the 90s ....legend Neville Martin the then editor of UK mag Guitarist...(in those pre internet days magazines were where we got most of our guitar info and id buy 4 every month...USA ones as well...I've still got about 12 cardboard boxes full from about 1984 to 2005ish) ,,,anyway he tells how him and his fellow journalists used to at a certain time of day break off reviewing the latest Patrick eggle super strat/ Peavey Bandit/Gibson nighthawk etc and gather together to perv on/ watch a couple in the over the road opposite office window have very athletic and vigorous sex on show for all to see...and how as interesting and exciting as their show was he'd find his eyes wandering over to his custom shop Gibson les paul R9 admiring how fantastic it looked and sounded ....And thats why one should never keep keep a guitar in the bedroom ...or a TV set according to she who must be obeyed ...lol...glad you got the joke and were not offended...
The 64 refin sonic blue was my favorite tone wise for sure but the 58 was also great in every position. For me it's between those two but I do prefer rosewood over maple. Rosewood and maple sound different and I almost always prefer rosewood but we need one great example of each. The refin wouldn't bother me and I would go for my favorite sound and that is the 64 blue refin BUT the 58 has original finish and has all the vintage vibe in every position. I would buy both!! HAHA! But I can see you picking the 58 because its the best overall because it's not a refin and sounded better than all the rest.....sounded most vintage. I'd have to play the 64 refin and the 58 back to back to really decide. I think the 58 has everything you're looking for and it won't be nagging you in the back of your mind like a refin would. How much was 64 refin....hmmm hell I might buy it. It had nice mids. That 71 surprised me as well. Sound and vibe with that one too.
this line of guitars is more thicker sounding 1st 64, 2nd 65, 3rd 71... Les Paul JR sounds good but it's not Fender Pre-CBS and you don't have neck pickup, lol
JamesOnGuitar Agreed in that! Especially considering you don’t know if a particular aftermarket pickup set will sound better until you’ve bought and installed them. I’ve seen so many videos of people swapping their pickups out where the original pickups sounded better than the replacements.
Unless you attach a certain criteria or tangible specifications to exactly what you are looking for, the search won't end as your brain will naturally crave novel experiences.
@@JamesOnGuitar as it is for all of us, even for the ones who say they don't care 😂 btw, buddy, do whatever you have to, steal, borrow, work overtime but don't let go of that junior
You and Aynsley seemed not very happy with the four strats in part 1… and so much happier with the Junior and 64 in part 2, that I’m surprised where you’re heading but then you’re playing the guitars and hearing them live. From here the Junior sounded amazing, and the 64 too (can’t a refin. be part of the story e.g. Muddy Waters’ and Jimmy Page’s Telecasters?). But searching for ‘the one’… maybe it doesn’t work like that- maybe a guitar just sort of becomes your guitar? My Mexican Classic Series 60s Telecaster, even though it’s a bit heavy, I don’t particularly like the colour, and I really don’t like the indestructible poly finish, is hard to escape somehow, and that’s ok.
You know, i think it was the weight of expectation that got to us! Just wasn’t the right environment to make such a big decision. The blue 64 definitely had more compression going on, that hairy edge thing, and although a lot of money in itself it was a lot less in comparison so it was easier to be comfortable. The thing is i am pretty flexible with guitars - but i hear so many things from so many people ringing around in my head about what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’. So i spent a day after the trip really connecting with what i actually want!
If i was playing out and about then a refin would be a great thing to have - less to worry about! People like jimmy page (and aynsley has this view) really do see the instruments as tools as well as desirable things… they need them to work and to sound great for them. For me at this point i have the couple of guitars i would gig with if it came to that, and this vintage i want to be the ‘real deal’ 🙌
THE GUY AT OTB, SHOULD SPEND A COUPLE THOUSAND SOUND PROOFING THAT JOINT! HE HAS TO LOSE BUSINESS, BC ID DEFINITLY WANNA HERE HOW THE PICKUPS REACT WITH THE AMP JACKED! AND IM BUYING VINTAGE FOR THE STORY,AS A GUITAR PLAYER IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IM BACK IN TIME, WHEN MUSIC ROCKED! AND THERE BETTER PERIOD! WELL, MOST OF THEM!
@@JamesOnGuitar Hes a nice guy, but seems like hell start wining, if you go any louder...Put him in the bathroom till your finished.....hahahahs Id bug out! your looking to spend 40 thousand, and hes worried about the neighbors! id put him right in the bathroom and lock the door, till i was done hahahahahsh im serious too! lol
ill chip in for your next guitar if you send him to the bathroom, on film,next time your there! hehehehehehr that would be hilarious! Tell him to go on Amazon and get some foam, for christ sake! lol
It honestly sounds a little like you are disappointed in the sample size of vintage guitars you had to choose from. I can honestly say that if you are nervous and have anxiety about it, then you haven’t found the one yet. Just enjoy the Gibson and be done with it. You won’t be done buying. It isn’t about the guitars but rather the chase and desire for more. We all suffer from it.
Tbh i didn’t express it fully. The anxiety was because i knew ten seconds after coming out of the store i had made the wrong choice. I thought i could go home and make it happen. So i was then anxious to make the call about wanting to exchange because i didn’t want to muck around with anyone, and i didn’t want the guitar i am thinking about to disappear either!
I was literally waiting for you to say, "here's the thing, these 2 guitars went back to ATB and I purchased the entire store. I've decided that my journey isn't about A guitar... it's about ALL guitars." Stay tuned for Part 3.....hundred!
I'm loving this stuff.
🤣 oh god, if i had won the lottery that could well have been the case…
This was a really fascinating watch, and above all things, I've enjoyed how honest you've been with this vintage journey, James. Very excited to see what Friday's instalment brings- thanks for letting us tag along for the ride!
Well... let me know what you think! There is another episode to come... watch this whole video to find out what might happen in part 3... cheers!
Sub and comment to be in my 6,000 Subscriber Kingtone Duellist giveaway - will pick a winner when I hit 6,000 subs and send the kingtone duellist pedal anywhere!
the 64 strat is gorgeous... i have a thing for BRW, i can't really afford a standard american strat though! (i mean i can, but hard to justify it)
the passion, the addiction, never ending chasing of the right guitar. always the same whereever you are on this planet. greetings from Istanbul.
James: "I want it to be over."
The Guitar Gods: "Oh, you poor child, it's NEVER over."
😳
My pre-CBS forever guitar is a late '64 jazzmaster, IMO a great and underrated year! It took me years to find it, vintage guitar journeys can last way more than expected, as you know. I loved that refin's sound even more than the guitars on the first part, but I agree that the one you choose should be THE one. Aim for that final purchase. Also, I gotta say, the '56 Les Paul is just unbelievable. My favorite tone from any video of yours! Cocked wah goodness!
This tale is becoming rather pretzel like isn’t it! Finding the right vintage instrument isn’t something you should take lightly… fascinating to watch the process.
New (to you) gear is great but perfecting and forming an intimate bond with a great guitar is a greater joy.
My take on a vintage guitar is that if it displays a lot of play wear, like the ‘58 does, then it will usually sound killer and will be great to play - it must have something about it to have been played that much… the neck might be a bit smaller than you’d ideally like, but you soon get used to it. I have a ‘57 Tele that is a total war baby, but it has an incredible V neck and sounds amazing… my custom shop Teles sound different but equally great… but I get a kick out of knowing the 57 was someone’s main guitar for a good many years…whichever you choose, ENJOY!! Xx
Just found your channel watching the first part of this series and I love the honest talk and thoughts and being able to follow a journey like that, I’m going through sort of a similar thing but with Esquires.
Just subscribed and I’m looking forward to watch your other videos!
Great video! Very fun watching your journey, also the time stamps are always so welcome! You make such great content and it’s all so incredibly polished! Can’t wait to see part 3!
Such a personal journey to share but you do it well James. Like many say, thanks for being brave and bringing your channel community along for the ride. When you "really" want to stop spending, you might need some kind of hard stop to lean on, as you've become used to the collecting. I know I have. For me I moved out of a sales tax free US state, back to the UK and simply refuse to pay the UK street prices. Tax and import duty aside which is what it is, fair enough; the market is so small in the UK that stores laugh at the idea of giving what a US customer takes for granted when it comes to negotiating the final price. When you're ready to slow down, I hope you can find that switch and focus on the music to break the cycle successfully. But for now I can see you need to let rip and get through Friday first. Take several deep breaths ;-)
Cheers man. Yeah, my way to stop for now is going to be - set myself a playing goal, something long term. Although it is hard to know how to set that goal, because i don’t sit and learn music, i think i just have to wait until i hit another ‘level’ in my playing… maybe 6 months or a year from now. I will know from a change in the comments here… i sort of get an idea for a trend of how my playing is doing and improving by reading all the comments. We’ll see 😂
The drama! Love this journey you’re taking us on. Can really appreciate the amount of thought and all the feelings going through this process.
Haha you’re right… the drama! Cheers
Kudos for taking both the time to find the right one AND document your journey! Lovin' every minute.
Cheers man!
Great video. I can’t help but feel you are searching for a feeling that doesn’t exist. And if it does, it’s a one in a million. The Excalibur legend. I don’t blame you, we’ve been conditioned our entire lives to believe in this.
I know what you mean! I think I come to terms with this in part 3 :)
Killer vid. Fun to watch. Sounds like you're really getting a handle on the recording technique for that Roseland. Wow, that thing sounds fantastic, and you're really capturing the deep sound of that cab! I was listening along in the background and had to look up and rewind when I heard that! Bravo, and good luck with the continued search.
Good to hear you're cooling off the buying. The cold sweat of buyer's remorse is honestly a bit hard to watch. You're a heck of a player, nice to hear you're doubling down on that!
That’s a really nice way to put it.. thank you!generally i have loved what i’ve bought individually but overall i now have buyer’s fatigue!!
I have a 61 strat, a 54 junior, and 63 Firebird. You have good taste. Enjoy the journey.
Lovely!! Cheers man
That bluey is a beauty!
reminds me of (my saying, ha) 'procrastination of contemptment" love your videos James, enjoying your journey
I saw your video that was recorded a year ago at atb and I have to say that you have improved a LOT! I am enjoying with these videos but I agree, buy your dream guitar + vibrolux and focus on playing and improving 👌🏻. I did exactly that with my 63 ES-345 and 67 deluxe reverb
HAHA THE LP SPECIAL, THAT THING RINGS KIDDDD! AND KNOWN FACT A REINFORCED NECK? SOUNDS BETTER! GOOD FOR YOU PAL!
that 64 refin is rad, same with the jr. I'm lucky I don't have the means to buy more and more guitar because I'd have way to many. Cool video's by the way, I like seeing your journey.
Love it!!! You needed a rosewood board in your arsenal anyway.
magic on the bridge PU of the blue strat
Keep the LP junior!! The sound and look of that model is fantastic. I am very biased, I love them and want one just like that. I don't think you'll get another like that.
I hope you get the 71.. IMO it sounded the strattiest out of all of them. Early CBS strats can be amazing. And KEEP the JR
I’ve given up on the idea of guitar “ownership.” I cycle through so many guitars that I’ve felt like would be “the one.” I’m just the caretaker of my guitars while they are with me.
If it were me, I would have stayed with the Junior. What a great find! However, when you have your heart set on something, it's difficult to go back. Those two guitars are incredible, but you should go after what you want.
I hope you get a 65 for me the best era for Stratocasters are 1965/66 … I have a 65 and a 66 that used to belong to Omar Khorshid the late great oriental guitarist that I can’t live without! Strats are like watermelon might look good but tasteless and vice versa …
Waiting for your next episode
As a former guitar shop employee I can imagine the conversations going on at that shop 😂
That’s my old ‘71 Strat :) I miss it, the bridge sings!
Wait, that was yours?! Sorry you had to give it up! I never got to try it out with a loud amp, but what I did try was great!
@@JamesOnGuitar ha, it was mine about 2 years ago. I ended up with an amazing ‘69 Maple Cap Strat in its place, so all good :) Also, have a white ‘64 Strat refin, very similar to what you thought about doing with that blue Strat.
Congrats on your hunt. I learned awhile ago, it’s never ending.
My only question is wat the heck u do for a living bc I want to do that lol having all the guitars and amps u got and they’re all really great too is awesome
The 64 Sonic Blue was the clear standout of all eight or so of the Strats by a good ways. I thought it was mind-blowingly good. As a guitar goes, pretty damn tough to beat. It would have been The One for me.
Yes, in all honesty, I might have made a regrettable mistake with that one. Hope someone else is loving it!
@@JamesOnGuitar A great journey, even so. At least you got a chance to “sleep” with it.
Thought your playing on the blue Strat and the sound to be excellent! But it has to feel right for sure.
I’d have kept both if i could 😬
If I own a guitar store, and Aynsley Lister walks in, I don’t tell him how loud he can set the amps. I just write a note on the door that says “Aynsley Lister: One Day Only. Limited Seating.”
Love it. This was my thought 😃 also at one point everyone went off for tea and i turned up a little and i got in trouble, and then Aynsley played louder sometimes and no one said anything 🤣 quite rightly
Dude, the 71 Strat sounded killer!
Not a slow watch at all... I was engrossed all the way and identify with the thought processes.... Love your honesty as ever. Must have taken some discipline not to keep that Junior!
Cheers Darren, really glad it was good to watch 👍🏼 ah, junior…
That junior sounded amazing! Still waiting to see that double neck in your hands! ;)
Alas i didn’t look at the double neck really. Used to have an epiphone one just to play stairway to heaven - live a couple of times - and i don’t think i have room for one in my life 🤣
@@JamesOnGuitar I wanted to live vicariously through you! Looks like I’ll have to get my own sometime soon
any part 3 teasers? :D really enjoying the journey, thanks for sharing James
It’ll be better than expected 😃🤟🏼
Personally I would go for a player grade transition era,, mainly because you want one to play. I really believe the ones that are played lovingly and kept up through upgrades are gonna be the best ones. So I refin is a really good choice for playing live because it's a bit less sacred and you're not afraid to play it. I think a refin is also probably formally someone's main guitar because it was just better on some level.
I agree. Refin's would be what I'd go for. The neck is still original and the wood for the body. It's going to still sound the same. It will have pretty much all of that vintage vibe too. The original finish thing to me is just a collector thing. Or at least I'm not going to pay an extra $10,000 for the original finish as a player myself.
All very logical! I actually was thinking that about how refin’s are on their second life so must have been loved… but on the other hand if you play my favourite guitar and i play yours we might hate them! So i guess even though it was loved by someone, it still may not be my cup of tea
@@JamesOnGuitar that's,the main thing for that amount of money as close to perfect as possible is really important. If you're paying that much it should be the best
Can’t wait to see how this all ends but for damn I would have found a way to keep that junior. The way those guitars age is insanely beautiful and they’re so much fun to play
Yeah so much vibe😩
Think you might be on the guitar lust rebound James, the one you are going back to (58 maybe) you did not bond with it the first time. might be better to leave well alone and try somewhere else for your dream strat. there's no real rush is there you have some other belters to keep you company for a while. either way good luck James
What a twist! I'm betting you got one of the 63s!
It’s a good problem to have. Lol. We’ve all been there, trying to make sure we got the right one. It’s a huge investment but fuck that. Get something you vibe with. The greats before us got what they could get their hands on or what sounded good to them, amongst other things. You play well enough that you will squeeze out the goodness of the guitar. I really like your delta style finger picking. To me it keeps up with most, even the original players. The guitar will hold its value so worst case you sell it and get your money back. I’m enjoying this guitar journey that you have. I’m hoping eventually I will have a nice vintage piece that sounds amazing.
Hey man! maybe video idea, when u get urself focused again more on playin than finding the strat, i would love to see u doin a new vid on playing the chords and ur improv/composing journey, i just saw ur older vids and they were very enjoyable to watch ;D also if u didnt saw them already, highly reccomend to read the 10 guthrie improv advices, if u cand define them in way for urself, i think there are proly the best advices one can get.
That junior is so cool! Would love to try one out
I couldn’t believe it was just hanging there looking like a dream!
Man you cannot beat a Jr, my preference would be an SG Jr, I had an original years ago and a reissue now.
Just keep the Junior, regardless of what's coming. It's pretty obvious you can stretch it, so just take the opportunity. You never know if you'll ever come across one that's that good or that "affordable" (considering the headstock break).
I do think that refin sounds fantastic but I understand the desire to get an original.
I enjoy watching your hunt even though I am looking at way cheaper stuff... Guessing you went for rhe pristine one. You might not get the opportunity to buy one as nice as that again...
I am intrigued to know which guitar store you went to
ATB 👍🏼
It’s interesting to me that you said as they got newer, they sounded more Straty - I kind of wonder if maybe the sound in your head of the “Strat sound” is actually early CBS era. I am unapologetically a fan of CBS Strats; my first experience of “Strat sound” was instigated by being a young fan of Hendrix (playing CBS guitars) when I started playing electric in the late 70s. I tend to ignore the hype about pre-CBS Fender guitars and amps. It’s a mentality that only really got into people’s heads and became an issue and started became a talking point sometime probably in the 80s. For my taste, Fender guitars and amps, and Gibsons, only started to go to pot in the early 80s, when everyone became obsessed with high output pickups (which are garbage to my ears) and high gain amps (same opinion there). I feel like it was only in the late 90s and on when people started to re-appreciate low gain pickups and small great sounding amps, after a couple of decades of chasing more and more gain (and getting worse tone as a result). As far as I’m concerned, the era of great vintage gear lasted through the CBS and Norlin era, and ended around 1980, rather than the mid 60s, like most people obsess about.
This all makes sense to me! I want to own a part of history as much as have a great guitar. I can see me searching for a real hendrix-y big headstock strat one day for sure!
Bringing back the refin makes sense. But you’re going to slap yourself upside the head if you get rid of that LP Jr. that thing sounds incredible.
🥵 that junior was something to behold
Cheers for making the effort to make this
Cheers man!
I totally get it. There’s a lot riding on this purchase, it needs to be right. That Jr though!! I’m guessing it’s the pristine ‘64 (I think, or was it ‘63?, the pristine one anyway!!)
That Jr 😩
The twists and turns on this it wouldn’t surprise me if you came away with another SG
I decided not to pick up any of the SG’s… even the double neck!!
A 3 part happy ending??? Don't let the Mrs find out that im enjoying this or I'll never get any sleep.
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OH MYYYY GODDDDD I SWARE TO GOD I SAID HES GONNA GO HOME WITHA GREEN STRATTT! NOOO WAYYY! AND DIDNT I SAY YOUR GONNA BUY SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I KNOW ITS BLUE BUT THERE GREEN IN IT! AND YOU WANTED A STRAT BC YOU COULD OBVIOUSLY GET ONE, LIKE THE PERSON ASKING THAT QUESTION! THEYD DO THE SAME,,,,IF IT MEANS ANYTHING IM HAPPY FOR YOU! ROCK ON JAMSIEBOYYYYY!
I really enjoy your channel...despite most of the guitars been financially out out my reach...although I'm quite content with the ones I own and given work commitments struggle to use them all...I've got an old 80s usa bc rich gunslinger ( think eddie van halen frankenstrat)..that sat in its case for 2 years its a tatty looking thing that looks like its been around the world 5 times with motley crue..lol..I mainly use the strat and a les Paul junior...my Ibanez GB10 George Benson signature doesn't get as much use as it deserves as I only dabble in jazz...my 2006 epiphone casino with its fitted bigsby gets the occasional outing...although it's a fine guitar as well made as any gibson I've played or owned (hats off to world class Korean factories )..its pickups are its only weak point but I'm too lazy to change them as they're not bad...just...not great either...but I'm enjoying your journey...its kinda like porn..and you're Italian love God rocco stifridi.....your trying out all these various women of so many different body types and nationalities... a dizzying array beyond the wildest fantasy of the average guy with his longterm partner/wife..and breif history of younger days when he'd struggle to get his leg over..occasionally coming across that rarest of finds ..a woman who was promiscuous lol...I don't know who to be jealous of more you or rocco...lol..like.".ahhh..that guy...OK so he fools around with a new guitar every week and uses them and abuses them and then casts them aside for another...sometimes using 3 or 4 in one session...but is he happy?...compared to me and the longterm relationship I've had with my main squeeze I met 25 years ago...nah his empty and meaniless one night stands with fancy guitars willing to let him plug in to any jack plug he wants when ever he wants doesn't make him happy...not like me and the inner contentment I've found with my one shitty fucking temperamental guitar always with some fucking issues ...25 years I've plowed money into it.......and...it still won't let me do to it what jimi hendrix did to his guitars..."....lol...time for a lie down me thinks...loving your channel mate...thank god my wife doesn't look at guitar youtube videos...she'd probably not appreciate my attempt at ricky Gervais irony humour lol
haha love it ;) I've gotta say, I'm a one woman man, but currently like a 19 year old with my guitars... but i think my one night guitar stand days are over. I have what I've been looking for, for now ;)
@@JamesOnGuitar joking asisde ...(ive been married 30 years )....and given the choice of spending time with a nice guitar or a one night stand night of passion with a temptrous other than my lovely wife ...id pick the guitar lol..actually ..that reminds me of an editorial i read in a guitar mag in the 90s ....legend Neville Martin the then editor of UK mag Guitarist...(in those pre internet days magazines were where we got most of our guitar info and id buy 4 every month...USA ones as well...I've still got about 12 cardboard boxes full from about 1984 to 2005ish) ,,,anyway he tells how him and his fellow journalists used to at a certain time of day break off reviewing the latest Patrick eggle super strat/ Peavey Bandit/Gibson nighthawk etc and gather together to perv on/ watch a couple in the over the road opposite office window have very athletic and vigorous sex on show for all to see...and how as interesting and exciting as their show was he'd find his eyes wandering over to his custom shop Gibson les paul R9 admiring how fantastic it looked and sounded ....And thats why one should never keep keep a guitar in the bedroom ...or a TV set according to she who must be obeyed ...lol...glad you got the joke and were not offended...
The 64 refin sonic blue was my favorite tone wise for sure but the 58 was also great in every position. For me it's between those two but I do prefer rosewood over maple. Rosewood and maple sound different and I almost always prefer rosewood but we need one great example of each. The refin wouldn't bother me and I would go for my favorite sound and that is the 64 blue refin BUT the 58 has original finish and has all the vintage vibe in every position. I would buy both!! HAHA! But I can see you picking the 58 because its the best overall because it's not a refin and sounded better than all the rest.....sounded most vintage. I'd have to play the 64 refin and the 58 back to back to really decide. I think the 58 has everything you're looking for and it won't be nagging you in the back of your mind like a refin would. How much was 64 refin....hmmm hell I might buy it. It had nice mids. That 71 surprised me as well. Sound and vibe with that one too.
this line of guitars is more thicker sounding 1st 64, 2nd 65, 3rd 71... Les Paul JR sounds good but it's not Fender Pre-CBS and you don't have neck pickup, lol
I think if you messed around with pickup swaps, it would bring a new energy to your guitars. Also its much less expensive.
I don’t like pickup swaps! Nothing wrong with my current guitars either 🤣🤔
JamesOnGuitar Agreed in that! Especially considering you don’t know if a particular aftermarket pickup set will sound better until you’ve bought and installed them. I’ve seen so many videos of people swapping their pickups out where the original pickups sounded better than the replacements.
Unless you attach a certain criteria or tangible specifications to exactly what you are looking for, the search won't end as your brain will naturally crave novel experiences.
So you took the blue 64 ? I have one :)
The only reason enough to buy a vintage guitar is that you want to buy a vintage guitar ;) I really liked the meaty sound of that 65 strat.
Yeah the 65 was great, but didn’t grab me visually - which is always part of it for me!
@@JamesOnGuitar as it is for all of us, even for the ones who say they don't care 😂 btw, buddy, do whatever you have to, steal, borrow, work overtime but don't let go of that junior
Not watched it yet.. did you buy the dirty burst 💥
🤫
@@JamesOnGuitar yup! Dibs on that too 🫣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You and Aynsley seemed not very happy with the four strats in part 1… and so much happier with the Junior and 64 in part 2, that I’m surprised where you’re heading but then you’re playing the guitars and hearing them live. From here the Junior sounded amazing, and the 64 too (can’t a refin. be part of the story e.g. Muddy Waters’ and Jimmy Page’s Telecasters?). But searching for ‘the one’… maybe it doesn’t work like that- maybe a guitar just sort of becomes your guitar? My Mexican Classic Series 60s Telecaster, even though it’s a bit heavy, I don’t particularly like the colour, and I really don’t like the indestructible poly finish, is hard to escape somehow, and that’s ok.
You know, i think it was the weight of expectation that got to us! Just wasn’t the right environment to make such a big decision. The blue 64 definitely had more compression going on, that hairy edge thing, and although a lot of money in itself it was a lot less in comparison so it was easier to be comfortable. The thing is i am pretty flexible with guitars - but i hear so many things from so many people ringing around in my head about what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’. So i spent a day after the trip really connecting with what i actually want!
If i was playing out and about then a refin would be a great thing to have - less to worry about! People like jimmy page (and aynsley has this view) really do see the instruments as tools as well as desirable things… they need them to work and to sound great for them. For me at this point i have the couple of guitars i would gig with if it came to that, and this vintage i want to be the ‘real deal’ 🙌
You took us through a journey we as viewers doesn’t have the time / money/ shops to go through. Thank you very much for making this content.
Cheers man - i’m happy to hear that!
Brand new nut on the Sonic Bluey?
i will guess the 63 in primo condition.
the 71 .
THE GUY AT OTB, SHOULD SPEND A COUPLE THOUSAND SOUND PROOFING THAT JOINT! HE HAS TO LOSE BUSINESS, BC ID DEFINITLY WANNA HERE HOW THE PICKUPS REACT WITH THE AMP JACKED! AND IM BUYING VINTAGE FOR THE STORY,AS A GUITAR PLAYER IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IM BACK IN TIME, WHEN MUSIC ROCKED! AND THERE BETTER PERIOD! WELL, MOST OF THEM!
100% right!
@@JamesOnGuitar Hes a nice guy, but seems like hell start wining, if you go any louder...Put him in the bathroom till your finished.....hahahahs Id bug out! your looking to spend 40 thousand, and hes worried about the neighbors! id put him right in the bathroom and lock the door, till i was done hahahahahsh im serious too! lol
ill chip in for your next guitar if you send him to the bathroom, on film,next time your there! hehehehehehr that would be hilarious! Tell him to go on Amazon and get some foam, for christ sake! lol
Why buy a Mercedes when a Toyota will get you A to B. Easy cause I want a frickin Mercedes!
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It honestly sounds a little like you are disappointed in the sample size of vintage guitars you had to choose from. I can honestly say that if you are nervous and have anxiety about it, then you haven’t found the one yet. Just enjoy the Gibson and be done with it. You won’t be done buying. It isn’t about the guitars but rather the chase and desire for more. We all suffer from it.
Tbh i didn’t express it fully. The anxiety was because i knew ten seconds after coming out of the store i had made the wrong choice. I thought i could go home and make it happen. So i was then anxious to make the call about wanting to exchange because i didn’t want to muck around with anyone, and i didn’t want the guitar i am thinking about to disappear either!
@@JamesOnGuitar Ah. That makes sense!
That sound….
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No Stream?
Stream?
@@JamesOnGuitar it wouldn’t stream on UA-cam (USA). It’s up now.
@@mattpaul5026 ah, glad to hear it!!