a guitar dilemma...

[No Use]

Well dudes, this isn't like Brett's female posts, though i wish i got female attention... but i digress...

so i guess this is a dilemma most guitarists go through, with G.A.S. and all.

you see, i got this cool guitar and everything. and i thought it was gonna be sweet, and had a cool history to it, and i thought it was gonna feel and sound amazing.

...well, the honeymoon's over, and i put it through the paces. and while it does sound good, and look killer, its just doesn;t have "it" for me. and it doesn't feel as great as i thought.

My dilemma is this. whether i should go back and think about returning it to the store that'll probably charge me a restocking fee, and hopefully will return my money from the credit card. and replace the strap buttons on it and change strings and all that jazz. and wonder if i'll regret selling it later?

as some of you saw i'm also looking for a new axe, to keep for awhile, something versatile that'll fit me better than my esp eclipse. but what i'm looking at is also a bit more expensive.

i guess i'm just wondering if all this effort's worth it. or if this just a phase new guitar owners get. it just doesn;t have the feel, ya know? and so whether to keep it and hope that the magic will come and deal with it, or to jump through hoops and scary UPS shippings and potentially be more happier in the long run...

does this make any sense? i hope someone can shed some light and give some input. yeah, i know, its my axe, but any input's appreciated from you guys who have GAS, and have gone through this.

gracias! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[ApeDosMil]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

If you don't like the feel what will make you feel about it later? I regret some of the guitars I sold, but I finally found a real keeper (my les paul custom) and I'm searching for another keeper so I can have two good guitars.

[DarkSaga]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

Dude... I know exactly how you feel! I was 18 and a half and was doing pizza delivery at my local Round Table and was making some serious cash (tips [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]) and I ordered a RR1 w/ Lightning Sky from Musicians Friend. Well it basically took over a year to get that guitar from them [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] So while I was waiting for the RR to come in, I had tips coming out of my thong.. I mean Pizza Delivery uniform and went on a Furkin guitar buying spree! On this guitar spree I dropped $1800 on the ESP George Lynch Skulls and Snakes w/ skull inlays and $1300 on a Malmsteen Sig Fender [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] I just absolutely love that graphic and inlay on the ESP and I was and still am a huge Malmsteen fan! Anyway, I order the guitars and was expecting to have these monster fucking guitar that look killer and squeal and play just like their axes, But when I brought them home and played em .... I was soooooo disappointed! The ESP played like shit!!!! The string tension was horrible and super tight and it felt like crap! I spent sooooo much time trying and hoping to get it to feel right and even took it to my tech to get it setup to feel better but nothing worked! So it sat in the case under my bed for about a year and then I finally just realized that I am never going to play this thing even though it killed me that I couldn't get it to feel right cause it had the killer look I wanted and would be pleased with for the rest of my life! So I put it on Ebay and luckily sold it for $1500! On the Malmsteen strat, I just couldn't get use to the scallopped board so i took it back because I only had a week to try it out and got my money back minus a restocking fee. Then I went out and got some guitars (JACKSONS) that felt right and also some flowers for my girlfriend at the time and was a much happier man! Moral of the story... No hoping and praying is going to make the guitar feel better. If you know in your heart that it just doesn't cut it, then do everything now to get as much of your initial investment back so you can find and get something you want that will make you happy instead of having this negative experience sitting in your room making you depressed and fucking with you mentally!! Just take the loss of the restocking fee, strings, etc and take the money and put it towards something that is going to make you happy! Good Luck and hope this helped!

Jeremy

[kremit]

Re: a guitar dilemma...


^ DarkSaga makes a very good point

[BillMeiggs]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

it's kind of like a bad relationship..

sometime you have to cut your losses and move on..

if it doesn't feel right now it probably won't later

[zeegler]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

The other side of the coin.

My other guitar player plays a Peavey Odyssey. When he first bought it, he was playing his Ibanez RG. He was very disappointed with the Peavey because he didn't like the feel, and it sat in it's case for 2 years!!! Well, at one point, he took it out, and started playing it. Now, he plays nothing else. He has a King V Pro, a Soloist, and the Ibanez, and simply refuses to play anything but the Peavey.

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

I say bring it back. The restocking fee will be a small loss, but you might talk them into giving you a coupon to buy some strings for that restocking money.

Just play an axe a couple of times before buying it (when not buying ebay, etc) and don't feel bad about flipping it the second you feel it doesn't cut it or doesn't have 'the' edge you were looking for. Flip that baby and buy something else with the money!

[neilli]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

Dude, in a way I'm in a kind of similar position:

For the last few years I've been fortunate enough to be able to buy 'new' guitars without having to sell any that I already had: The plus side is that I have a decent sized collection (25 or so), the downside is that they take up a lot of space (especially with cases), and many of them are (if I'm honest) not desert island guitars.

I'm now in the process of slowly moving out the ones that I don't play much, haven't bonded with or (and this last bit is probably really sad!) if someone here posted pics of them I'd just think 'meh, it's OK but nothing special'. So far this year, I've got rid of a BGF KV2, Sunset Fusion, '98 DK1, SL2H 'Yankees', Jackson 88 Ltd, Charvel Fusion, JJ1 and will be moving on a Charvel SD3 and an RR1 later this week (the RR1 in part ex for a yellow gold pearl SL2H - thanks Steve!). I'm glad I've had each of these guitars, but it was time they were enjoyed by someone else. I've actually found it quite theraputic and it means that I have been able to go shopping! (Charvel 25th, Mustaine KV Pro, GX Bullseye, GMW and a Jackson custom-shop on order).

I've just read this back and it looks kind of like a thread hi-jack, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you haven't fallen for the guitar yet, IMO it's unlikely that you will, so get rid of it while you can still can for a small restocking fee.....

[Inazone]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

A perfect guitar may not be perfect for you. I was all set to get one of the SL2GXs from GuitarXpress when they were announced, but ended up changing my order to a KV2 because I always wanted one and couldn't afford two brand new guitars. Well, the KV2 was beautiful, but after years of getting used to the Rhoads/Soloist neck profile, the speed neck just wasn't working for me. Nothing I did could change the fact that it just wasn't the right guitar for me.

I worked out a deal with another JCFer who wanted a KV2, and I got a Soloist out of it that is a much better fit for me. Sometimes I think that I could have kept at it with the KV2, but ultimately the Soloist was the right choice.

[Newc]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

Similar story here:
After reading about everyone here rave about GMPs I finally got a chance to try one while working a deal with Brad for his Jazz'R.
Despite Brad's jokes about having the "Mojo Capacitor" removed or some other "mystical b.s.", the GMP didn't do anything for me.
The Jazz'R, on the other hand, kicks ass.

I used to own that beat up white LPC that Michael owns now, and after years of lusting after both a 3-pickup LPC AND a white LPC, thought my ship had truly come in when I found both features in one guitar.
While it plays and sounds great, I just couldn't bond with it like I did with my LP Standard. It wasn't the condition of the paint or the ebony board or the frets or the neck profile - everything but the paint was perfect (and imperfect paint doesn't scare me), but that guitar just didn't have "it" for me. It had everything else I wanted, including tall skinny frets on a black-as-Sully's-soul fretboard [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] and a comfortable neck profile, but those weren't enough to make it a keeper for me.
Michael seems to love it though [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Don't feel bad about ditching a "dream guitar" that doesn't live up to the dream.

[Crusher]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

Same thing happened to me too. I bought this awesome KV2 in blue, it looked incredible and sounded great. There were times when I would take it out of it's case just to look at it and count my lucky stars that I had such a sweet axe. However, I play mainly Les Pauls with chunky necks so the KV just never felt right in my hands.

I tried and tried to get used to it but I think I developed some kind of "mental block" where I can't play thinner necks. I hated to sell it but it went to a very good friend of mine (this guy is like a brother to me, more than a brother actually) and he is enjoying it and he can play it the way it was built to be played, so it worked out in the end.

Same thing happened with my recently sold RR5. Again, awesome looks, rare finish, sounded great, but the thin neck forced the sale. It's on it's way to a new owner and he should have it any day now.

[PowerTube]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

That has probably happened to most people who have played guitar for a while. I actually tried out and bought a guitar once, then regretted it that SAME DAY! [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

I've also found that more expensive/better built doesn't mean better "bonding" in any way for me. To this day, I can't really explain that magical "it" that makes some guitars work for me and others not.

[pro-fusion]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

I've owned probably 40-50 guitars over the years, and I only regret getting rid of maybe 2 or 3 of them. There were probably some that I didn't give enough of a chance to. However, it's really strange how you can play a guitar in the store and it feels great, but when you get it home, it doesn't feel remotely the same.

I think most guitarists have a very personal relationship with their favorite guitars, and it's tough to find just the right one. Look at how long Clapton played his Blackie strat as his main guitar--basically until the neck wouldn't accept any more refrets--and he could have any guitar he wanted (and probably does).

[No Use]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

*bows* I thought this thread would sound dumb, but i love how you guys knew what i was talkin' about!

i thank you all. i guess, its time for me to call the store and let 'em know whats up...which i hate doing, calling and tellin' em i didn't like the gear. maybe its an anti-conflict part of me, who knows...and more searching for the right axe (i.e. more debate over the Petrucci, lol).

do you guys ever find the right one? i'm so paranoid that i'll always have a revolving door of gear. All my friends who've seen me live have called me the "Joe Perry" of where i live. i never use the same bloody guitar live!

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: a guitar dilemma...

I agree with many of you guys.
And from what I have been though, your search just doesn't end.
Good luck on finding "the right One".
[img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]