RIP A1, I used to go there just to ogle as a kid 🙁

🙂 , I think it might have been Anne. I didn’t mind her trying it on; she was a vast improvement on the lanky-haired burks employed at Preston’s A1. I could write a whole, almost-humorous thread on those types paid to widdle all day and sell nothing (found in every store worldwide).

Sparky, you must mention the opening bars to “Stairway” – or am I showing my age? I shoot those types on site (EDIT: or even “on sight” – pun not intended). Still, I reckon the store assistant is worse. The type that snatches a guitar off you and “shows you what it can do” 👿

[quote=”lee_UK”]No accounting for taste, in my eyes sparkykink still has one of the naffest looking guitars ever to grace to the Fender logo, but i suppose some like it otherwise they wouldnt have brought out the reissue.[/quote]

I really like it.

No accounting for taste, in my eyes sparkykink still has one of the naffest looking guitars ever to grace to the Fender logo, but i suppose some like it otherwise they wouldnt have brought out the reissue.

Ah, thanks for the info. FWIW, the original “bronchial asthma” is the finish I like least, but that’s just my op. And I’ve bought some right butt-uglies myself, anyway, so I’m hardly an art critic.

The varying colours of the Antigua finish over the years is not, in the main, a fading thing.

The originals were a short of cream to brown “sunburst”. The 1979 reissues were more grey than brown – I always though it looked “mushroom-like” – and 2004’s Antiguas were more cream to olive green.

I’ve no idea why Fender change the Antigua colour with each re-issue, but that’s the way it is.

Red mist, sounds good enough to drink to me 🙂 . Interesting about the exposure to pubsmoke etc. Fender’s Olympic White certainly looks a bit “have you brushed your teeth?” after a while, but I quite like that patina.

I know A1; although I know the smaller sister in nearby Preston better. Shortly before it changed to “Academy of Sound”, a woman from the M/C A1 was assigned to the Preston branch. Don’t know her name, but she was a right tough cookie; major battles to get any discounts (again, I prefer it when it’s a proper haggle). I wonder if M/C A1 was usually like that? And is it still A1 or something else now?

Sparky,

Firstoff – apols for sounding a bit grouchy. Like most peeps, it varies with how the day has been. That shop in Leeds; might it have been Music Ground? They do have a tendency to pitch it high and see if someone bites; it’s just their way. Not that I’m an expert, but I’ve seen variations in the Antigua finish myself. I wonder if the greyish is the original/intended, but it takes on a green/brown with exposure to pubsmoke and/or lights? Just curious.

Sparkykink, I love these guitars and was looking for one myself. A year or so ago I was watching a 1979 hardtail Antigua Strat on eBay, which eventually went for just over £500. I wish I’d bought it now, but at the time I didn’t have the money.

I later bought one of the 2004 japanese re-issues (with a trem – unfortunately). It’s not actually quite the same colour as the original Antiguas, but it’s a great guitar all the same

All is good yeah fellas 🙂

[quote=”sparkykink”]Oh dear, I seem to have struck a nerve with 1bassleft , who I assume must be a 24 hr guardian saddo for his buddy.
Speaking of assumptions or rather mis-assumptions, I merely said that this particular guitar has been unplayed since 1985, unlike my others.

Anyhow, back to the real world,
Cheery bye.[/quote]

Unplayed since ’85?? wonder why. Best stick that one back under the bed with your copies of ‘Thai Lady Boy Monthly’ . 😆

no, I’m a perfectly happy saddo (if that isn’t an oxymoron). Just as a general intro to forum netiquette, there’s a less-than-perfect way to start:

post 1 – Give me a free valuation.
post 2 – Got free valuation, you guys ought to get a life
post 3 – If I seem brusque, that is because you are saddoes

Must be a hit with the ladies, Sparky. If you were NE England, I’d credit you as the originator of the “you divn’t sweat much for a fat lass” chat-up line 😛 .

Anyhoo, I noticed an original Antigua Precision on the Fleeb tonight:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7338744318&indexURL=1#ebayphotohosting
but I’ve got a feeling this won’t get the BIN, maybe not even the starting bid. Of course, basses don’t fetch Strat money so it’s only a guide. Still, may be worth following.

BTW, the mention of the Sunn Mustang made me think of a new topic. “Optimistic eBayers”. I have a corker. Must put it up.

Lee, you refer to that £46 Sunn Mustang? I can’t be bothered with re-posting the phot, but I’ll tell you I’m perfectly happy for its purpose. My 7y.o. strums it and hasn’t yet wrecked it. Took it along to chez guitarist tonight. He’s not very “fender” and his Tokai’s better for sure. Nothing disgraceful about the starter-plank, though.

Got Miss Lee Jr that Stradivarius yet? 😛

i play better on a black strat…don’t ask.

stevie

ok…here’s some spam 4 ya http://www.epedalboards.com

I LOVE the Antigua finish. I have one of last year’s re-issue Antigua Strats, although the finish this time is much more greeny than the original Antigua.

I don’t know why some people dislike it so. Personally I can’t stand Sunburst finishes (boring) or black Strats with white scratchplates (yawn) so it’s all down to personal taste!

Sorry if i caused offence, but we all take a bit of stick on here for our rogue buys….. dont we Bass? cough cough.. 😆 go on, please post up a picture of it again… pleeeeeeeze??

Hello Sparky, nice of you to pop back in. Sorry if some people don’t like the finish but, hey, you’ve just had a free valuation done for you before you stick it on Fleeb. Lee is a little busy buying and trying some new instruments he’s bought (string-covered things, like you used to play until 1985) to “get a life”.

Do check in for a survey when you’re house-selling. Apols in advance if noticing the loose roof causes offence 🙄

Yeah, I know what you mean Lee. The wood lover in me thinks there is some pretty awful lumber under that creamy burst finish. Reminds me of the “antique” furniture finish I saw as a youth. The notion of reissueing this finish strikes me as demented; let’s let the charm of the past stay in the past. SB

It’s just personal taste SB, just to give everyone a reminder of what we are talking about:
http://www.pittsburghguitars.com/collantigua.html

they just look like those toy guitars i used to see as a kid, maybe we should start a thread for the worst colours/finishes on a guitar?

“Take out the belt sander”! Lee please. Let me guess, you’ve probably also ripped up your olive green shag carpet, thrown out your orange velour chairs and replaced your harvest gold appliances. Surely you know a time capsule when you see one. BTW, I’ll take a burst over an antigua any day, but they do represent an era don’t they? SB

US is cheaper when buying guitars, thats a fact, if it wasnt for the import duty and vat and shipping and handling charges then all the guitar shops would go out of buisness overnight, you can generaly (very broadly) convert $$’s to ££’s 1 for 1.
So if SB sticks a $1,500 price tag on that instrument then over here it would be £1,500. of course there are lots of variations, but from my browsing over the years for used instruments thats the general comparison ive come up with, i think with the antigua finish you are looking at a small market, im not putting your instrument down but i personaly think its the worst finish of the lot, but there must be a demand otherwise there would’nt be a reissue, and i think the reissue is Japanese too, so it would be a great player, but the first thing i would do is get the old electric belt sander out.

Hi sparkykink,

I can tell you what the 2005 VG Price Guide says your guitar is worth. They say $1,300-$1,500 US. Of course, this price is based on retail sales in the US so I don’t know how well this price generalizes to the UK market but it should give you some idea as to value. SB