Hi Everyone


Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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Joined: 08/05/19
Posts: 8
08/07/2019 10:13 am

Hi everyone, good to meet you all. I decided to pick up the guitar in my 60s. I should have stuck with it when I was 16, but I let it slide. Anyway, after all those years I am making the effort to "get there" now that I have retired I have plenty time for practice :-)

My main "guitar heros" are Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Jeff Beck, though I will never be able to play like these guys except in my dreams .. hahaha.

Nick


# 1
William MG
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William MG
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08/07/2019 11:25 am

Hi Nick,

We share a similar story in that my 1st guitar was at the age of 17, purchased with my very 1st paycheck as a Naval Reservist.

I quickly became frustrated, however, and put it aside until Jan of this year. A 38 year break. Still have the guitar and now am able to play it at a very modest level. I am getting so much enjoyment out of the simplest of accomplishments.

Good luck.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 2
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/07/2019 12:04 pm

Thanks William. Lets hope I can attain at least the same level as you. I would like to succeed this time around !!


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manXcat
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manXcat
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08/07/2019 10:22 pm

Hi Nick

Familiar story many here will relate too with minor variation I expect inc moi.

Inspired momentarily in youth => intervention of LIFE, career, family, other more enticing adventures, => retirement or later life the niggle is still about....hmmm, guitar ....I wonder if?

Welcome to GT forums.

What are you learning with, electric (Strat given your hero list) ...or?

Cheers manXcat


# 4
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/08/2019 8:46 pm

I have a Fender Squier Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul. Unfortunately, cant afford the real deal right now, but they are good to start with :-)


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William MG
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William MG
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08/08/2019 9:10 pm

No need to feel bad about those guitars. Practical, serviceable units.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 6
manXcat
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manXcat
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08/08/2019 11:04 pm
Originally Posted by: Nick McCulloch

I have a Fender Squier Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul. Unfortunately, cant afford the real deal right now, but they are good to start with :-)

Nothing unfortunate about those guitars at all Nick. Unfortunate would not being able to afford to buy any guitar. Seldom is anyone's guitar the weakest link in their playing, if used as a convenient excuse for it.

Without word of a lie one of my favourite players hanging on my wall is my Aldi Tele regardless it cost me a whopping USD$65 new! ROFL

A curiosity buy with a backup plan of 'return if junk' or as a potential project for its Alder body if not, my expectations for AUD$99 weren't high, so it wasn't going to be difficult to meet them. Instead, I was utterly blown away by it exceeding any reasonable expectation one might have of a unit for less than AUD$100 retail.

After adjusting the neck relief and action, it played fine right OOTB. I've made a couple of inexpensive minor mods since, neither absolutely necessary, and now it plays [u]great[/u]. Importantly, and something which can't be conveyed in any vid demo or hearing its tone or that of any guitar, is the hand feel playing it, notably neck feel, fit, weight and balance. It feels comfortable and facilitative like a well fitting pair of shoes rather than awkward, resisting or fighting the player in any way.

I was originally at time of purchase intending to make it a complete project rework job, but after playing it awhile I decided instead to leave it pretty much as was it didn't need it. New D'Addario strings, Korean quality Wilkinson 1:19 tuner mechs and Wilkinson brass compensated saddles the only changes I made.


# 7
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/09/2019 11:31 am

That Aldi Telecaster looks nice manXcat! Lovely colour !!!


# 8
manXcat
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manXcat
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08/09/2019 9:02 pm

Thank you Nick. Not that I can take any credit for it, but the colour and finish look much better in reality than that image represents. This might offer a more accurate representation. The body really is Alder according to spec, and my comparative assessment of its weight.

Decent unit regardless, incredible for the price. Aldi just passing on the meat in the pie to consumers as a loss leader inducement to come shop with them instead of gorging on it themselves. They do a musical instruments promo annually in Feb. Illustrative just how much margin distributors are enjoying even at low end, (r)etailers not so much.

Not so lucky in my neck of the woods, but the previous year (Feb 2017), some picked it up on closeout for ....wait for it....AUD$40! If only I could have when I bought.(2018). I'd have bought another or two as project unit/spare neck. Word having spread to the disbelievers over the previous two years, in 2019 methinks there were lots of folk waiting in anticipation, but Aldi didn't do any electric guitars in their musical instruments and gear promo this year.

Curiosity begs. What colour bodies are your two units? If you like Rory Gallagher, you might be interested in this guy's channel. Dave's an 'interesting' character, he plays like you and I might dream. I don't really like the word fan, but I'm inspired by Clapton, Moore, Beck too adding Jeff Lynne to that list, even if the horse with any realistic probability of being in that class of player skill or achievement race has long bolted.


# 9
andrew.colomb
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andrew.colomb
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08/10/2019 4:40 pm

I was in the same position as you Nick - I listened to most of those bands.

I am 61 and have found GT to be amazing.

Which Country do you live in?


# 10
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/11/2019 11:03 am
Originally Posted by: andrew.colomb

I was in the same position as you Nick - I listened to most of those bands.

I am 61 and have found GT to be amazing.

Which Country do you live in?

Hi Andrew, I am in the UK.


# 11
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/11/2019 11:09 am

Here are my 2 guitars. The Les Paul is the Slash "Appetite for Detruction" endorsed model from Amazon.


# 12
manXcat
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manXcat
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08/11/2019 11:57 pm

Thanks for sharing those images Nick. Anything in a traditional Sunburst is always hard to beat as a colour scheme. I like the Lemon Flame of your AFD too. I very nearly bought that colour myself in my HB SCC, but went for the Honey Flame in a burst instead.

It's probably just the closer-ness of the image vs that of the Strat with its narrow nut or its lack of contrasting neck edge binding presenting as an optical illusion, but that Epiphone neck looks wide. Mine has edge binding, but also isn't a trad LP neck and certainly looks slimmer.

Is that Epiphone body heavy [u]relative to your (Affinity?) Strat[/u]? The AFD body is Okoume which is a softer much less dense timber than traditional Mahogany. According to Epi spec it's 7.2lb or 3.3kg (rounded up), [u]considerably[/u] lighter than a std LP ...or my Custom.

Either way, you've got the bases covered. Ceramic buckers sound very vintage rock with crunch or edge of gain applied, and a Strat config is versatile.


# 13
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/12/2019 9:38 am

Neck width is the same for both. I do find the Strat lighter and is probably why i use it the most.


# 14
andrew.colomb
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andrew.colomb
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08/12/2019 12:50 pm
Originally Posted by: Nick McCulloch
Originally Posted by: andrew.colomb

I was in the same position as you Nick - I listened to most of those bands.

I am 61 and have found GT to be amazing.

Which Country do you live in?

Hi Andrew, I am in the UK.

Thought you might be!!! Me too!! I am down in Eastbourne-would be nice to jam if you are closeby!!


# 15
Nick McCulloch
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Nick McCulloch
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08/13/2019 1:48 pm

Hi Andrew,

Im at the other end of the country :-( Im located in Edinburgh.


# 16

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