Very cool looking guitar. Reminds me of my 2013 Charvel San Dimas.

I picked this up today. My youngest wants to learn guitar so I thought it was a really fine excuse to pick up another. It's an Ibanez AS73, semi-hollow body. Came with a case, used. Pretty good deal. I tuned it up and was messing around with it a bit just now. Nice sound. I think it will become mine and I'll have him learn on the Epiphone.

I have that guitar. I love it!

It wants me to learn a Chuck Berry song tonight. I can hear it calling out ..."Maybelline...Maybelline..."

How cliche - another guy picking up a guitar to get his hands on some pussy.

What do you all think of American Special Strats? I'm thinking about picking up this one...

According to this, you should.

http://www.musicradar.com/us/reviews/gu ... ter-237197

I'm planning to purchase my first "real" guitar next month. I'm thinking of the Epiphone Dot.

Hmmm...I think I should!

I don't know if Uncle Twitchy ever checks this thread, but I'm pretty sure he has a Dot. He could probably give you his thoughts. My recollection is that he loves it.

You NEED to get this guitar.

I have a Highway One model (the discontinued predecessor of the American Special), and they share many of the same features. The jumbo frets are great to play on (you don't need to press as hard to fret a note), the necks are super comfortable, and they sound really good.

Thought I'd share some pictures of my gear, if that's ok...

First up... My '83 Stratocaster. People will tell you these aren't very good guitars, that Fender was trying to make everything on as low a budget as possible. I'm sure there's a lot of truth to some of that, but I have to say this is flat out the very best, biggest personality guitar I've ever owned. I brought it from new January 84 I think.

(Sorry for the lousy picture, Didn't realise it was blurry till I uploaded it. Will try and get a better one soon. IGNORE THE WHALE ON THE WALL HE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE STARED AT)



As you can see, I've played the hell out of it over the last 30 years. Even dropped it down a flight of stairs once. Tough SOB didn't even go out of tune. It does need a fret dress/total clean-up soon, we just haven't been parted much in the last 3 decades and I'm scared...

My current main guitar, is, very unimaginatively another Strat:



This is a 2009 Highway One, with Custom 69 pickups fitted (the stock ones while good, lacked a bit of personality to me, and when the neck pick-up died, thought I'd have the lot replaced)

A really really good strat, hard working, very very Chilli-peppers sound comes out of it. Build quality is amazingly good for the money

Another blurry shot, Sorry. This is my 1999 Korean built Epiphone:



A simple, warm rhythm machine. I don't use it live for much, as it's a bit weak, but it has a sweet tone that sounds great recorded.

It's a bit shy I think

My latest buy (I was forced into it my my partner, honest!)

Korean tele;



It's a '96, so it's actually real wood, and excellent build quality, and a kick-ass rhythm beast!!! Honestly, it just growls chords, great for that KEEF sound (obviously) but it loves punk/edgy rock too! Nice guitar for the money!

And finally, an Oddity:

My Irish Bouzouki



I can play 2 tunes on it, but I'm virtually banned now for overplaying them

Nice!

Very nice! I'll have to take pics of all mine one of these days...after I get the new strat

I got to hold a Les Paul for the first time today and fiddle around with it. It was nice but it confirmed that I'm definitely a Fender man.

One cool thing about it: John Hiatt once borrowed it to play a local gig.

Here is a terrible picture of how I hang my guitars when not using them (I took 4 pics all equally out of focus and gave up). I am in love with the Ibanez and the Fender. I wish I'd just held off for a better Les Paul than the Epiphone Special...but it's still a pretty thing. I just wish my terrible playing skills could accommodate their obvious capabilities. On the bright side, every time I feel as if I should just sell them and stop trying I learn something new and stick with it.

All that matters is that you have fun. We're our own worst critics - I talked to Nalle Colt from Vintage Trouble after they taped their Mountain Stage appearance last year, and he complained that the rented amp they used sounded "like shit". You couldn't tell - it sounded like his normal rig where I sat, other than he didn't have his Vibratone (and I can't always tell when that's on). One of my guitar boards is currently discussing consistency - how we can play pretty well one day and the next day it's like we never saw a guitar before. THAT'S frustrating! Especially because there's no rhyme or reason to it. I've had those wild swings happen in one day, which is maddening, especially if I'm trying to record. Especially if I'm doubling a part and all I've done is switch guitars.

Guthrie Govan described it as a journey - I just wish I hit fewer potholes.