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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 98
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 98 |
One thing to understand about buying a guitar from an internet source: obviously you cannot hold and play the instrument. Rondo has fantastic bargains, but on occasion I have had to do some serious work on their guitars. I had a nut shatter into pieces on a Tele clone during the tuning process and had to replace it. This required digging out the pieces of the old nut, cleaning out the nut channel, and replacing the nut. I used a graftech black nut for this. If you aren't up to this stuff, it might be better to go locally and buy an instrument there. Another Rondo violin bass had the tail piece installed about a 1/4" off center! Wacky. I had to remove the tailpiece and drill a hole in the right spot, then re-install the tailpiece and re-adjust the floating bridge and brass saddles.
Point here is: I doubt that Rondo does any examination of the product before they ship it out. It may arrive in fine condition, or it may require work. I'm willing to do the work, as I do this stuff all the time, and the bargains are so good, but if you don't have the skill or patience or tools, you might be wary. Guitarfetish items are very nice and way cool, but their tuning machines are not very good in my opinion. I count on changing them out as a matter of course. The overall quality and price make this a very viable option for me, but not for everyone.
In any event, count on some set-up time with neck adjustment and intonation settings as well as the action, and pehaps a change-out of strings. This stuff can and should be done by a local retailer, but you're on your own if you buy from an internet source.
Fire, the wheel, and the I IV V -- foundations of civilization.
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Off-Topic
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 598
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 598 |
I like that Strat mentioned above but it might be a tad bit limiting in the sound department, in my humble view. There are so many good guitars for cheap nowadays that the best bet would to simply go out and start playing the ones in your price range. Got to hear it before you buy it.  As far as an amp goes, you can pick up a" Kustom 16R" for about $175 American. As my Marshall blew up for good a couple months ago, this is the amp I'm using now. I'm astonished at how good it sounds for its size ( stands about 15" high and is about 18" wide) and price. Sounds amazing at low volumes. Click on my signature and hear how it sounds if you like. Good luck, man.
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Off-Topic
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 235
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 235 |
LOL. It seems a bit a question like what fish should I eat. As many as different tastes, so many different advices. Amps, simulators, hardware, software, or the in-ear pocket devices. It is all in the end a choice only you can make, your ears to be the judge of it's sound, your eyes for it's looks, your brain for all features offered, your neighbours for their complains if you don't- or their worshipping if you do it all well, and your mouth to examine how all those flavours blend, mix and taste to make a feastmeal for your senses. So I zip my mouth with only this: Go to a shop and try out as many as you can, compare them like you are buying a dangerous Japanese Ball-fish-dish, and make sure you don't get sick after you are eating it, since you will be eating it every day after. 
I'll be back...
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Off-Topic
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
No Marshall I've ever seen ever blew up for good.
Old Marshalls are like old Chevy smallblocks, they get rebuilt.
Especially if'n they got 4-bolt mains...
--Mac
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Off-Topic
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 24
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 24 |
A bit late, but here goes;
I spent most of the winter researching, pretty much for what you want. I settled on a Hagstrom Super Swede Vintage Style guitar, and a Peavy Vypyr 30W. I live in Canada, and I couldn't find a Hagstrom dealer here, so I got one from Strings and Things on the internet. The demand for the amp was such that I would have to wait for a 30W here in Calgary, so I bought the 75W. I don't play it without going through the computer, and it sounds great with the subwoofer and all. It just needs a cable from line out to line in on the PC, which I got at Radio Shack, or whatever they call themselves. The 30w and 75 are very similar with 24 simulated amp models, stompbox effects and post amp (loop) effects, global echo and reverb. You can save a bunch of your own presets also. There were problems early on with the processor in the amp, but they've fixed it. I haven't had a hitch with mine in the 3 months I've had it.
If you're into Jazz and/or blues, Hagstrom have an excellent line of 335 emulators. Hags have always been known for the neck, fastest in the business.
Colin James has a Swede and a 335 copy.
HTH,
Dennis1945
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
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Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
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Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
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