Originally Posted by: JeffS65

I know we've chatted (and agreed) that all the value is in the ability to enjoy and play.[/quote]

Definitively.[br][br]

Originally Posted by: JeffS65I am going to swap out pickups to TV Jones for a 'more Gretsch' sound but since I've saved $150 when I bought it, I 'payed' for at least one pickup.[/quote][br][br]I genuinely love the sound and tone of TV Jones pickups. I don't have anything fitted with them to date. One day perhaps, should I live long enough.[br][br]Re swapping out pickups. [br][br]I adhere to similar practice. I'll buy [u]with[/u] if it makes reasonable economic sense, e.g.PAC612VIIFM with custom hardware i.e. Seymour Duncans, GraphTech everything and Wilkinson Vibrato bridge, or if I like everything about an instrument including its pickup characteristics tones regardless e.g. RS420MYG of my avatar.[br][br] With my others, upgrading boils down to a the compromise of economic viability with opportunity buying triage. Some are strategically planned well in advance, e.g. my PAC311H's G&B 113 bridge PUP to a Seymour Duncan TB-14 Custom 5. Others, e.g. PAC112V consequent to luck, patiently watching and waiting for an opportunity buy which resulted earlier this year in fitment of a new Seymour Duncan TB-4 JB bridge PUP to one of them. Although hardly shabby in the first instance, replacing tone and or volume pots, capacitors, tuning mechs, nuts, saddles or the entire bridge are other ways I improve originals playability and tones without overcapitalising on the original instrument in the unlikely event I should come to sell it. [br][br]

Originally Posted by: JeffS65Anyway, I digress...Being in the moment can lead to snap judgements and you come home with something you're not really sure you like. By knowing I liked Gretsch and also doing this thing where I pine long enough for something, it ends up on sale, I got a good value that I love to play.[/quote][br][br]A pro, or con I suppose if perceived that way, of being so analytical and older, impulse buying and so change of mind buyer's remorse isn't something I'm particularly prone to. I tend to prethink my needs, wants, desires long before that buy button is pressed such that by that time a long cooldown period has had ample time to excise momentary lust or infatuation. Being like this, knowing what I want tends not to waver which in combination with patience also lends itself to fortuitious price buying. [br][br][quote=JeffS65]If you're lifelong goal is to own a Gibson Les Paul Stnadard, save and get what you want.

[br][br]I concur. No one bestowed by life experience, with wisdom and maturity could refute this. As a place to start, and I know you're not suggesting the above as such, compromise is the necessary and wiser position as you allude in your following sentence. [br][br] [quote=JeffS65]If you want to play guitar and the bank tells you that you don't have a Les Paul budget, there are a ton of great options.

[p]

[quote=JeffS65]Like that Yamaha Revstar. Mighty fine guitar there...I'm sure you concur manX :)

[br][br]Thank you. Mea culpa. I confess to my preferences/biases. Years now on, I'm still 'very much in love' with it. The instrument is just a good fit with me. I've since bought another Revstar, different model & PUP ftitout, which I love just as much in its own right. In fact, enjoyed buying quite a bit of kit expanding my perspectives of musicality over the past 18 months including major purchases like acoustic drums, a bass amp which of course required a bass guitar too, but haven't done a show and tell on any of it here to avoid offering opportunity for further malevolence inspired personal attacks. [br][br]Quite in the excitement of the moment as I am that my wife bought me my highly desired, long planned and lusted for current guitar pride and joy for my birthday the other day, nevertheless I hadn't posted anything. I may take a pic and do a short (I promise, the pic can do the talking) show and tell of it shortly, or not. And no, it's not a Yamaha anything. = ] [br][br]It sounds very much like this if I don't, and toil away as I might, won't ever. Per Ardua Ad Astra.