philipnz wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 12:27 pm
I need to decide on a U2/Edge delay and a combination Reverb/Trem so on their way to me at the moment are ........
MXR Joshua (to replace my one that died at the weekend), Strymon Dig, TC Electronic Flashback
Strymon Flint, Fender Treverb, Milkman F-Stop
4 of these will probably be back on trademe in a week or so
That's like six or so nice guitar stuff items in one big splurge. Was it you that won that big powerball prize recently
Haha, I wish. Trying to be careful at the buying end so I don't haemorrhage at the selling end. I live in the wops so if I want to try something properly there is no option but to buy and sell. Times like these I envy USA musos that can try and send back
I was there in the USA for a while. The guitar market is quite amazing. So many good deals and prices that we can only dream of, e.g., a new Fractal FM3 for just $999 USD and free delivery, or the Gibson and Fender prices are good too (I heard last year they pay more for Marshall amps for some reason though, so they end up costing Friedman kind of money -- tariffs and the distributor cut I guess).
But what hurt most was a little thing. How much they pay for Ernie Ball Slinky strings. Almost as cheap as a pack of smokes is there, which is very little. Less than half what we pay. I felt like I'd been robbed for decades in NZ music shops. Oh well. Such is life and all that. Apathy is inevitable if you are powerless - lol.
P.S. How do you power the script logo Phaser? I have one and it's so good, but it's battery only. I need a spare battery cover for it that I can cut a hole in for a 9v battery clip I guess.
Aquila Rossa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 3:45 pm
P.S. How do you power the script logo Phaser? I have one and it's so good, but it's battery only. I need a spare battery cover for it that I can cut a hole in for a 9v battery clip I guess.
Filed a small nick in the edge of the case for a battery clip to link into the brick. Works fine and sounds fantastic. Lack of an LED isn't a big worry as I only use it sparingly and you certainly can't miss when it's on. Again, I've been trying all sorts of combination phasers but given up and this stays,
Never put down to malice what can adequately be explained by stupidity
Aquila Rossa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 3:45 pm
P.S. How do you power the script logo Phaser? I have one and it's so good, but it's battery only. I need a spare battery cover for it that I can cut a hole in for a 9v battery clip I guess.
Filed a small nick in the edge of the case for a battery clip to link into the brick. Works fine and sounds fantastic. Lack of an LED isn't a big worry as I only use it sparingly and you certainly can't miss when it's on. Again, I've been trying all sorts of combination phasers but given up and this stays,
I am not sure about quality, but I imported a Mooer Ninety Orange Phaser for my nephew a few years back. Aliexpress. About $3 shipping, so all up it cost about $60.
It held up to the MXR custom shop one really well with the vintage switch on. We were comparing them and the tone was very close. It still works perfectly, so the quality can't be too bad.
It does not look as good on a pedal board though. I tell myself that I do not care how stuff that sounds good looks, but I am just kidding myself really
Aquila Rossa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 1:51 am
1am in the morning and still dithering over what guitar I should buy.
I settled on the Explorer and just pulled the trigger. A bit scary.
I have wanted one since the 1980s, but always ended up with something else. Ishibashi in Japan. 2017, but it looks decent enough. Explorers are proven riff machines and Gary Moore proved they are good for shredding too.
It has the 500T and 496R hot ceramic pups. I had those before. I really like them. Fun pups. My current fav is a Super Distortion though. I like the way the mids are strong, but the highs are tapered off a tad. That makes them really sing when using overdrive, instead of sounding shrill.
I had one similar about 20 years ago. The pickups suit them very well.
Never put down to malice what can adequately be explained by stupidity
Jay wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:55 pm
11 days from USA to front door, acceptable to me
Were you checking tracking a few times a day? I am for my new guitar. The last update was 'international departure' a few days ago.
Somebody here told me stuff from this place with this carrier sometimes slips through customs. That would be nice. No GST etc. A head start on maybe one more little guitar related thing this year and then it's getting the Xmas prezzies sorted etc. July seems to lead to December very quickly these days.
Jay wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:55 pm
11 days from USA to front door, acceptable to me
Were you checking tracking a few times a day? I am for my new guitar. The last update was 'international departure' a few days ago.
Somebody here told me stuff from this place with this carrier sometimes slips through customs. That would be nice. No GST etc. A head start on maybe one more little guitar related thing this year and then it's getting the Xmas prezzies sorted etc. July seems to lead to December very quickly these days.
The Gibson Explorer I ordered from Osaka in Japan a week ago is with courier for delivery already. Yay.
It somehow slipped thru without being nicked for GST. Double yay!.
Somebody else here who bought a guitar from Japan just over a week ago was not so jammy. Probably because it's a PRS, so fully deserves to be taxed hard. Hehe
Aquila Rossa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2024 7:28 am
The Gibson Explorer I ordered from Osaka in Japan a week ago is with courier for delivery already. Yay.
It somehow slipped thru without being nicked for GST. Double yay!.
Somebody else here who bought a guitar from Japan just over a week ago was not so jammy. Probably because it's a PRS, so fully deserves to be taxed hard. Hehe
Aquila Rossa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2024 7:28 am
The Gibson Explorer I ordered from Osaka in Japan a week ago is with courier for delivery already. Yay.
It somehow slipped thru without being nicked for GST. Double yay!.
Somebody else here who bought a guitar from Japan just over a week ago was not so jammy. Probably because it's a PRS, so fully deserves to be taxed hard. Hehe
Snuck through, nice!
Hopefully they're not paying attention when mine comes through too.
I sometimes wonder if there is the odd guitar nerd in customs that let sit slide
I reckon I’ve had just as many pass through as get caught up
Mind you it’s been a few years since I ordered from Japan
Safe and sound. One week to arrive from Japan. Duty free. Tax free. I got lucky. Cool bananas
Looks like ex demo stock, because it's proper mint, i.e., newer than most of the guitars in NZ music shops that get tire kicked to death for years but are still sold as brand new for brand new prices.
451662012_1543909016563628_2210157573193423166_n.jpg (55.61 KiB) Viewed 2878 times
P.S. It's a 2017 one. Around that time was the torrent of Gibson QC issue posts online. I wondered if it would have sharp fret ends and be a dog. Nope. Fret ends are smooth, rounded, and polished. So far I have not found a single blemish in the finish either. She's minty.
I finally have an Explorer. It only took me almost four decades to get around to, because I always ended up getting something different. Life goal complete lol
9 days from Tokyo to my front door for my PRS CU24 to be delivered As someone else said, there must be a guitar nerd that works at Customs and just let this one through without collecting duty.
The guitar itself is super comfortable and easy to play. Sounds fantastic as well. This one has the HFS bridge and Vintage Bass neck I think it is, 5 way knob selector gives some great tones. Chuffed!
StratMatt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 12:55 pm
9 days from Tokyo to my front door for my PRS CU24 to be delivered As someone else said, there must be a guitar nerd that works at Customs and just let this one through without collecting duty.
The guitar itself is super comfortable and easy to play. Sounds fantastic as well. This one has the HFS bridge and Vintage Bass neck I think it is, 5 way knob selector gives some great tones. Chuffed!
Nice! That's a great bit of savings! I've had mixed results. A Kemper and Epiphone LP snuck through. A bootek pedal from Oz got stung.
