Help with choice important

I agree,

No hard feelings I hope, as I said there are great craftsman all over the world, I was just trying to assume the best in that post and not the worst :)

Scott

For the Dad's present, I would (in my opinion, just me, for what it's worth, for example) actually go out and buy one Epiphone Les Paul (one of the really nice, pretty ones, the higher end ones), and one MIM Stratocaster (again, one of the prettier ones), and take them both to a good local luthier and have them both restrung and set up professionally.

Hard cases too ;)

I might even spend a little more and get nice pups for each and have the luthier install those before doing the final setup.

I would then wrap both and give them as presents. The total cost for the two and the setups might come out around the same as for the one super high end guitar. The Dad will have two great looking, great playing (due to the setup) guitars to fiddle around with; two guitars I might add (with all due humbleness) which combined, represent most of the classic tones in rock history.

Then, maybe next year, buy the super high end version of the one which seems to get the most use.

Thing is, the Dad might find he's quite happy with what he already has.

Just a thought 8)

sdolsay: I think we best just leave it be until he comes back to clarify his words.

PKrider: if I mis-nterpretated your words please accept my apologies.

I'm here to clarify... Apparently I struck a nerve or two. First, my mistake was thinking the LP was an overseas copy. The Vintage LP offered at $800 is a great buy IMHO. Second, I never said the US has all the good luthiers but there is no doubt that a person in Long Island New York has limited choices (the top spanish luthiers have a long waiting list and it's difficult to fit them into the christmas shopping rush). Since he's talking Gibby and Fender, and in a price range that's within reach of the US made, I made a case to avoid the foriegn built copies. I'm sure his dad will love either the strat or LP (I stand by my remark that whammy bars are a waste for most players). While we're discussing world class guitar builders, there is no doubt the US dominates. Even tho the BEST builders may not all be here, wherever you live it's easy to acquire a well built US made guitar. Where's the long list of great guitar companies located outside the US that have innovated? There's none! Fender, Gibson, and Rick (to lesser degree Rick) are being copied by profit seekers all over the world! I doubt you can name a guitar maker outside the US that has revolutionized the industry not to mention how we create and enjoy music in the way Fender, Gibby, Ric, Martin, Taylor and now an entire slew of small shops like Huss & Dalton, Collins, Santa Cruz, etc. have. Martin's dreadnought is the most copied guitar in the world. Btw, the original Martin came to the US from europe (where it all started).

Peace,

PK

PS
No apology needed.... even the retard remark :roll: . I'm opinionated and I don't mind controversial subject matter. I rarely take things presonal :)

If your Dad is anything like the rest of us, he would more appreciate a gift certificate to his favorite store so he can spend 4 hours playing everything they have and then making his own decision.

However, here's a story about how I got my Epiphone Masterbilt DR500. I was walking around a music store with my 8 year old son one day, playing everything they had, and I finally stumbled upon the Epi. I fell in love with it and told my son, "One day, when I learn how to play guitar a little better and I have more time , I'm going to buy this guitar!" I was going to school nights trying to finish my degree. My son told my wife and her and him went back to the store a few days later and bought it for me for an early graduation present. They are the best.

On a side note: I live in America and I can't afford to buy a good quality American made guitar. I looked, and the best I could do was a laminate-side-and-back Martin. It is inferior to my Chinese made Epiphone. Such is life.

It's really an emotional choice. So here's a way that can sometimes provide a tie-breaker.

Decide which one is 'heads' and which is 'tails' and then flip a coin.

You now have a decision.

But the trick is to sit on that decision for a short while and assess whether it made you feel happy or just a touch sad....

Then change it or run with it, depending on how you feel. Oddly enough, this can work. I believe it's an old chinese stratagy for uncovering your true feelings. I must try and remember to ask the next old chinese I meet and see whether that's a myth or not.. :wink:

Very nice of Pkrider to clarify what he meant and apologize to anyone who might be offended.

Not to start it all over again, but Japanese Fenders are prized by many and many also consider the quality far superior to American Fenders.

Enough of that.

If your Dad likes old Hendrix and Clapton, it is not so much an issue whether he plays a Strat or LP.

You gotta get him a good Marshall amp. :wink:

Howz about a P-90 equipped LP with a Bigsby trem unit?

Or a Fat strat with the trem blocked?

Or a Thinline Tele with a Bigsby?

Ohhh, I got it!

Fender Strat and Les Paul Doubleneck!!!!! :lol:

I really don't think he would mind either, boy, I'd love to see his face on Christmas day! Lucky man to have such a family!

How 'bout this:

Get him the Strat this year.

Get him the LP next year.

Trust me, he won't mind having both.