Vintage Guitars,2nd Hand And Repairs?

[pluto_manibo]

I would like to get some modifications and maintenance done on guitars..Can anyone recommed some good addresses..I am also looking for older American Fenders and Gibsons( Les Pauls', SG's). Thanx

[AndrewD]

Have you tried Atsadang Road, North of Charoen Kung Road? There are a bunch of guitar shops there. I don't know anything about guitars so I couldn't say if they have any vintage ones. Most of them looked pretty cheap (prices starting at 800B).

I'm actually looking to sit on a beach somewhere and learn how to play the guitar if you have know any instructors who live near a nice beach and speak good english. I will pay for lessons, of course.

[pluto_manibo]

Well you could get some chord books, buy yourself a half decent acoustic guitar( Yamaha for example), buy an electronic tuner....and learn a handful of chords...a,b,c,d,e,f,g.........then use the chordbook and strum along...slowly..be patient....and it will come to you. The most important is keep in tune and rhythm. Good luck!

[stewart479]

Hi; there is a Gibson/Epiphone ONLY shop on RCA (Royal City Avenue)Look for the Big banner. The same Company has another branch in ChinaTown, where there is also several other shops.17-21,Soi Werngnakorn Kasem,Charonkrung Rd.Ph.622-6099. Mostly new stuff though.Have seen some nice used Fenders at a shop off New Petchburi road.If you are familar with Pratunam; on same side asAmari Watergate, walking away from WTC, you will come to a big Music Shop on a corner, after looking in there; go down the ally and there is a much more interesting shop.You can see it from the back window of the first shop.Good luck!

[pluto_manibo]

Hi; there is a Gibson/Epiphone  ONLY shop on RCA (Royal City Avenue)Look for the Big banner. The same Company has another branch in ChinaTown, where there is also several other shops.17-21,Soi Werngnakorn Kasem,Charonkrung Rd.Ph.622-6099. Mostly new stuff though.Have seen some nice used Fenders at a shop off New Petchburi road.If you are familar with Pratunam; on same side asAmari Watergate, walking away from WTC, you will come to a big Music Shop on a corner, after looking in there; go down the ally and there is a much more interesting shop.You can see it from the back window of the first shop.Good luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Awesome, a lot of new addresses I didn't know! Where is this shop on New Petchaburi? Is it in the direction of Panthip or the other way? I have to check out the Gibsons as well, although they are overpriced...

[stewart479]

Hi;if you are on the other side of Petchburi Road,opposite pantip,turn so that Pantip is on your left.You will walk past Svensons', BurgerKing; then soon come to the Music shop.it might be called "Lion Music" or similar.Remeber that it is actually the shop behind it that you will probably want! Cheers.

[merlin1]

Speaking of guitars generally, where would be the best place to buy a new or used half decent acoustic eg yamaha? and how much would I expect to pay?

I'm thinking of bringing over mine but it's a bit of a hassle and to be honest, it ain't that great.

[chonabot]

Tbh I would rather buy one in KL/HK/Singers , you would get a better deal.

High end acoustics can be bought in Los with not too much added , but I have seen intermediate level Yammies and Takkies way over priced.

[BKKdreaming]

there are some places in Fortune town ,

top floors more to the left as you enter, away from software guys,

Used Amps , old stereos and some other cool stuff

the subway stops right there too !

[Tom Kagai]

I'm actually looking to sit on a beach somewhere and learn how to play the guitar if you have know any instructors who live near a nice beach and speak good english. I will pay for lessons, of course.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Once you know how to tune the thing, as Pluto says, get a chord reference book (Amazon.com) and every song you ever wanted to learn is on the web these days. Do a search in Google "song name" "artist" & "chords". Nine times out of ten you get numerous billboard sites where Joe Public has layed out the lyrics and chords for you. Have fun.

[Tom Kagai]

Speaking of guitars generally, where would be the best place to buy a new or used half decent acoustic eg yamaha? and how much would I expect to pay?

How about doing the next visa run via Singapore. You'll get a bargain there. Prices are all on the net, whether you're after a Yamaha, or a Martin.

[ProfessorFart]

Fenders and Gibsons are guitars for fogies! Get a Jackson!!!

You could try asking some of the funky old geezers in the old vinyl stores at Chatuchak. They have some great tales to tell about some of the big manes who've either played or just visited Bangkok over the years. (you'll have to buy the beers though!!)

[penzman]

I just bought one in the Klong Tom (not sure of spelling) area, near Chinatown. There were a few shops selling mostly crap but one was selling a few Gibsons and Les Paul.

Another one is an Ibanez distributor and had a nice huge selection of other brand names as well. Lots of beauties in there.

There's a map on their website, still under construction.

Hong Seng & Song Musical Instrument Co., Ltd.

121-125 Nakornkasem, Sumphantawong, Bangkok 10100

Tel. 66-2-2216251

Fax. 66-2-2262030

Homepage: www.hongsengmusic.com

I got this baby.

By the way, I just purchased Cakewalk-Sonar 4 Producer Edition. Wow! Best audio production software I've ever used.

[pluto_manibo]

Last night on my way back home, going up Pattaya Nua Rd. I saw a stack of Marshall amps in this fluorescent lit shop, with a couple of guitars as well....AS, I was on the otherside of the road, I couldn't see if they were copies or the real thing!!! Going to have to check it out....

Nice Ibanez Penz...they play well! wafer thin necks....The name of the Gibson dealer is Petch Siam Sound, they also have a branch in RCA....In the same area, in chinatown, there is the Fender Dealer, ESP Dealer, Ibanez/Jackson dealer and as assorted number of music shops....The bad thing is I always get lost....

[huski]

Last night on my way back home, going up Pattaya Nua Rd. I saw a stack of Marshall amps

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

marshalls and penzman's axe my blood is boiling for rock and roll

[penzman]

Does anyone know where I can find a good "guitar doctor" ?

There's a bit of fret buzz with the new guitar and I'd like the action and intonation set to my needs.

[pluto_manibo]

Intonation and action, is no problem....I found out, it was better to get the books and videos and learn how to set up and fix yourself...Anyhow, I could give you some help or you can check out a Place called Alicia Guitar repair opposite RCA in Bangkok, you can ask at the Gibson dealership in RCA... or Second Music behind Lucky on New Petchaburi rd. ...100 meters after Burger king and Pizza hut going towards Paya Tai....

[jaidam]

penzman where do you live,

I was a guitar tech/salesman before retiring to LOS.I am now based in Koh Tao and have all my fretwork tools with me although for the intonation a digital tuner would be a big help.

I can explain to you briefly how to set the intonation.The shop where you purchased the Ibanez gave you the set of allen keys right?

step 1, tune your guitar perfectly

step 2,starting with the bass e string.play the e at the 12th fret and look at your digital tuner.It should be 100% perfect if your intonation is set correctly.If it is out you will need to use the allen key to slide the bridge saddle at the bass e string in one direction or another.After each movement(move a little bit at a time) of the bridge retune the string and test the note/harmonic at the 12th until it is matching the open e note.Then mov on to the a string and repeat process.Make sure you slacken the string before moving the bridge or you'll round the hex nut inside the saddle.

Simple.

However your guitar has a floyd-rose style tremolo sytem.It just takes a lot longer than your fender or gibson would.

Fret buzz.

A quick test to check your frets.

You will need a straight edge.I'd prefer a metal one but in a push you could use a 8" plastic ruler or something similar.Needs to be perfectly straight.

With the guitar fully tuned lay the straight edge along the frets parallel with the strings and try to rock it.If your frets are correctly dressed you will NOT be able to make your straight egde rock at all.

If it rocks in almost all positions from the first fret to the 12th your truss rod is likely overtensioned.This is a common bodge guitar shop do to lower the action on a new guitar.

Loosening the rod(1/4 turn at a time-tune and retest)will stop fret buzz but also potentially leave you with uncomfortably high action.Fret dressing is more complicated than setting intonation.Do not attempt fret dressing if you are not sure about the trussrods adjustment.

Step 1) Basically first you check for individual frets that aren't seated firmly.Tap them in with a hammer(carefully!)

Step 2)lay your straight edge along the strings again and try rocking to find any high spots.Using an oil stone, flatten the frets slighly and recheck with straight edge.Using a long straight edge you get a feel of how the frets as a whole are lying,and your small straight edge to check small portions.

When you cant rock the straight edge anymore then you must reprofile your frets with a round fret file then sandpaper.Wire wool is a good cheat to polish up the frets after first using 1000 grade paper.Cover your pickups well with masking tape first though!!!!Also mask your fingerboard with tape as its too easy to gouge it with the file.

When I worked guitar tech for a living I charged 15 pounds an hour + materials.A complete set up involving fret job/repolish frets and set intonation,set action etc etc would normally take 2 hours.With floydrose trem sytem maybe 3 hours.For that fee I would happily come out of retirement again!

Vintage guitars in LOS.

Take extreme care when buying any vintage guitar.

I have seen some photos of a private collection of vintage fenders,gibsons etc from the owner of a nice guitar shop near Royal hotel.Without exception they were fakes/unoriginal.The prices he was buying/selling them for were also double the price you could pick one up from Ebay from.Bear in mind that on Ebay most are also fakes/copies/unoriginal but at least they look right.

I always had more luck buying vintage acoustics on Ebay than electrics.One memorable time I won on Ebay a 1958 stratocaster from Chicago for a customer in Italy.The guitar when arrived was a screaming fake.The pickups/all electrics were orig although the solder joints were fresh.Body, neck etc were reproductions.Seller wouldnt take it back and customer liked the look of it so I sent it off to Italy for him.It was a 10k dollar nightmare though the Italian punter was impressed.

Still ebay is a good place to buy cheap vintage acoustics.Get lots of photos sent looking down the fingerboard from both ends to make sure the neck isnt twisted, and that the fingerboard doesnt have too much relief(esp. old Martins without adjustable trussrod).Best value in my mind are 1970s Martin acoustics.Like a D18.You can pick one up cheaper than a new Jap guitar.

Sorry thats so long.Time for a Chang.

Penzman,if you try any of the above operations and get stuck PM me and will advise.Remember do a little bit at a time to avoid a complete balls up.

[pluto_manibo]

Maybe, you should come out of retirement....You would make a killing in Pattaya. All the guys have to go to Bkk and go back 5 days later to pick them up.....Do you do refrets....If so come on over, I got 5 guitars waiting for some work.... And my friend has a bunch with mandolins which need attention....

Last night on my way back home, going up Pattaya Nua Rd. I saw a stack of Marshall amps

, I went to check out the amps. They are real Marshalls...900 Jcm 50/100 watt heads with 1960 a cabs...50/50 condition but way overpriced.....Nice to see a new Music shop in Pattaya though.....It seems the neighbors are having a stroke of good luck....

[jaidam]

Maybe, you should come out of retirement....You would make a killing in Pattaya. All the guys have to go to Bkk and go back 5 days later to pick them up.....Do you do refrets....If so come on over, I got 5 guitars waiting for some work.... And my friend has a bunch with mandolins which need attention....

Hi pluto,

Thanks for the reply.

Most cases of fretware can be resolved easily with a good fret dressing.Its amazing how quickly even severe grooving comes out with a little stoning.After the reprofile job and a sand and polish its good as new.

You will find that with the slightly lower frets your guitar seems far smoother and easier to play.Not to mention improved intonation as the strings are not overtensioned when fretting a string like when playing with high frets.Supposedly you lose a little volume and tone but I never noticed any.

Refrets are not good for your guitar.Look at Clapton's Blackie.He had to retire it because after something like 3 refrets the fingerboard couldn't handle another.No matter how carefully the repairman is,when pulling the old frets you lose some wood.So you whack and glue slighly fatter fretwire in next time.Rosewood or ebony fingerboard(especially if the player has used oil and not let the fingerboard dry) way easier and safer than a maple or laquered one.Plus with the maple/varnished ones you need to respray the fingerboard and sides of the neck as well.Id say on the whole its a costly and often unneccessary job.

What instruments do you have?I'm an early '60s Fender nut.Still have a nice '66 tele and mustang in storage back in blighty.Seems a waste-I dont know how they would take to the tropical climate?

[pluto_manibo]

Yeah I am not a big fan of refrets as well, especially on a Les Paul. I would much rather go the fret dress route....But it is a bit delicate to do, especially with my unskilled hands. Wow a Tele from the '60s and a Mustang...The Mustang has gone way up in value since, Kurt Cobain and the guy from Dinosaur jr. used them in the early '90s. As for the Tele, it must be worth a pretty penny.

[penzman]

Thanks jaidam!

I'm in Chonburi, near Pattaya.

I'll print out your instructions and give it a try. Previously found instructions on the net but found it rather confusing.

I've had a ball recording bass and guitar with drumloops and keys over the last few days with Sonar 4. I have an electronic drum (SPD-11) that needs to have the AC adapter changed so I can use it here. I'll also be shopping for a synth soon.

Pluto, I've said this before but we have to meet over a beer and talk music and gear.