NGD - A sonic blue Strat and new beater acoustic

[jay4321]

Vacation starts now and 1 guitar being born and one arriving tomorrow.

Someone will ask for specs, it's alder SSL2s with a '59. Contoured heel, good hipshot locking tuners, wolfgang profile, Gotoh 510. Of course two knobs thing - seriously I know people like the stock way but I learned on an SG-style, and early on my hand claimed the space where the Vol 1 sits on Strats. It has to be this way.

This by the way is how I see a "normal" Strat. My last one I tried a dozen in the bridge and 59 just pairs well with the neck, it's not a smooth transition like I used to aim for. They work together and cover 100% of what I like in a Strat. Actually a 3-way switch and no middle would have been more my style but it looks cooler with the middle. I have a dummy single I'll save for another one I'm working on.

The beater...let's just say I worked awfully hard this past year. Present to self

 

[Seamas]

a Gibson J-45 is your beater?

 

[Sadie-f]

a Gibson J-45 is your beater?

I was thinking that's a fair humblebrag ;-)

 

[jay4321]

Unlike my situation with electrics I only ever really rolled with one acoustic. My old Yamaha has served me faithfully and punched far above its weight for many years but it’s time to move on.

 

[Sadie-f]

Good on. I rewarded my own hard work last year with an OM28, now I'm eyeing something from the custom shop, or maybe an older Martin.

 

[jay4321]

Yes I just thinned out a bunch of projects and gear. I’m down to one amp head a 5150 50w, Mesa 2x12 and axe fix 3. 1 bass, 1 acoustic.

Electrics I now own I think ten but all under $1k, the pricey stuff gone. It took a while to mentally process it but a used 2020 Epiphone “61 SG (with a pickup swap and some work) has become my all-time favorite guitar and wound up with three new Epi LPs including two moderns with same neck profile. It’s a noticeably flatter profile than the Gibbys which many folks would surely hate but feels like it was built for my hand.

But on the acoustic side there was nothing I could find better than the J-45. Tried the Epiphone version, a handful of Martins, a  very respectable Eastman, and a couple cheaper versions of the 45. one had walnut back and fretboard which I liked a lot and nearly bought it for $1000 less, was different but excellent sounding. The two J45s might have been 2% better sounding if that but looked cooler so I went for it.

Hopefully new Warmoth Strat works out but have another coming right behind it.