Looks like a really expensive guitar

Guitars that look like this usually sell for thousands of dollars. This one is way, way less than that.

Take the Eart Explorer-1. Never heard of it? Neither had I until just recently.

This guitar has stuff in it that sounds really fancy, such as:

• African safflower pear wood carbonized paired body
• Compound radius 9.5" to 14" fretboard
• Class 57 closed coil pickups
• Offset dot inlays
• 24 fret neck

...and so on. It also has a butternut top and the very luxurious looking purple treatment throughout.

Again, I have seen guitars like this that sell for thousands. This is the kind of stuff builders will usually bring to NAMM just to show off.

But this guitar doesn't cost thousands. It's not $750. It's not $500.

It's $290.

I had a chuckle when I saw that. Why? Because when you take away all the hype and that "hand crafted" nonsense (because it's just oh-so hard sweating away at a CNC machine), what you're left with is a $300 guitar.

In other words, this guitar is priced EXACTLY what it is worth.

Should you buy it? Yes! Skip the multi-thousand dollar garbage and get this instead! It looks really, really expensive and that's the whole point!

Would this be a good player? Actually, yes it would. It does have a nice design to it both for front and back, and will not exhibit any neck dive with the shape it uses.

This is something you can show off, say you spent thousands on it and everybody will believe you. You can even have fun with this when a friend asks to play it. "Be careful... this thing is really expensive", all the while knowing you paid less than $300 for it.

Much fun could be had with this cheap guitar.

Buy a new car or keep driving an old car?

I drive a car that's over 10 years old. There are certain things you have to know if you intend to do this.

Above is me in the process of changing the oil of my car; I think this is a good way of showing stuff you have to do when you drive something old...

...meaning that part of owning an older car means there will be times you have to get your hands dirty. I'll talk more about that in a moment.

3 facts about new cars

1. All new cars are designed to only last as long as a lease term before something wears out and/or breaks. That means 3 years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
2. Any infotainment tech the car has now will be partially if not completely obsolete in fewer than 3 years.
3. "Lot rot" is a real thing. New cars are sitting in dealership lots longer, and one of the worst things you can do to a car is not use it. Cars that sit develop rust, get flat spots on the tires, develop stiff suspensions, sometimes mold on the inside... it's just not good.

These things being true, should you buy a new car? No. If you want new, lease. Just make sure it's a car that hasn't been sitting on the lot for too long. You get all the latest tech, and by the time the car starts having things wear out and the infotainment goes obsolete, you get rid of the car and wash your hands of it.

Should you keep your old car?

Not going new and trying to decide whether to keep the old car? There are a few questions you need to ask to help you make this decision.

Is the car paid off?

If what you're driving isn't paid off, the bank owns your car and not you. The first step here is to get some financial relief. Find out exactly how much left you owe on your car loan, then start calling other banks and credit unions. One of them should be able to refinance your loan even if your credit is total garbage since what you're doing is bringing an asset to the table, that being the car itself.

When you do get some fiscal relief and can afford some repairs, tackle some of the biggies listed below.

Does the car have fixable problems?

An example of an unfixable problem is a leaking sunroof. All car sunroofs leak. Every single one of them. If the roof leaks, get rid of the car. Most auto glass shops won't touch a leaking roof because it will just start leaking again, so it's not even worth attempting to fix.

Another example of an unfixable problem is any frame damage. Once a car frame gets bent (such as from hitting a curb way too hard,) that can't be fixed.

And yet another example of an unfixable problem is door damage. If a door on the car gets slammed into something (such as those posts next to gas pumps at the gas station) and something is bent so it never shuts right after that, that's unfixable. Even if you replace the door, it will never latch correctly. Again, unfixable.

Things that can be fixed

This is a list of the fixable stuff you can do. If you can get most or all of it done, you should get another 50,000 miles out of your car.

Oil change

An oil change for conventional oil is about a $40-$50 service, and full synthetic is $60-$70.

I run full synthetic in my car using Castrol GTX Ultraclean. If I had any shop do the service for oil + filter, I'd be paying 70 bucks. When I do it myself, 30 bucks. And that's with sales tax included.

Oil changes are necessary and they must be done. It's cheap if you do the oil change yourself. But if you don't, you're going to be shelling out $40 to $70 twice a year for the service.

Tires

There are a lot of people driving on bad tires out there. Don't be one of these idiots.

When you replace your tires - and I cannot stress this enough - REPLACE ALL FOUR. And be certain to have the tires rotated every 6,000 miles. Most tire shops will include the rotation service free of charge.

The cost of this will be anywhere from $350 to $1,500. Big SUVs pay the biggest price. If you remember to do your rotations, you should be able to get at least 40,000 miles out of the tires. The initial cost of the tires is big, but you don't have to pay it again for a while.

Brakes

People ignore bad brakes even more than bad tires, and the #1 reason for this is cost. Brake service for many cars just isn't cheap.

However, if there is anything you should put big money into on an older car, it's brakes. You must be able to stop your car reliably.

Brake replacements for all four wheels usually start at $1,000, but can ramp up in price to $2,000 or even beyond that.

The only way you can save cost on brake replacements is to replace them yourself. There are plenty of YouTube videos on this, and yes you can do it. If for example you have a big SUV like a Chevrolet Tahoe, you're going to pay big for brakes at a shop. But if you do it yourself, you can slash the price to well under $400.

You need good brakes, but if you don't have a lot to spend, start watching YouTube videos on how to change the brakes on your car, then go do it...

...but remember that changing brakes yourself is usually an all-day job, especially if you've never done it before. Much cussing and swearing will most likely be involved, but it's worth it.

Also remember that even if you factor in the cost of the tools and stands and whatnot that you need, you're still saving huge over having a shop do it.

Wheel alignment

This is something that is included when you get new tires. However, if the car feels wobbly/shaky at highway speeds and the tires are still new-ish, get the wheel alignment service done.

The cost of this is relatively inexpensive. Don't try this yourself. Have a shop do it.

Struts and shocks

This is not a cheap service, but if the tires are new, the wheel alignment is good but the car takes bumps horribly and/or bounces around too much, it's time for new struts and shocks.

It's usually true that most cars don't need this done until the 75,000 to 100,000+ mile mark.

Like with tires, it's best to do all four sides all at once.

Cost of this depends on car. Small commuter cars can usually get new struts and shocks for under $1,000. Larger SUVs cost more. The cars that cost the most is anything to do with air suspension or has computer-controlled crap in it.

You save huge money changing struts and shocks yourself, but I don't recommend it just due to how annoying it is to get the old stuff out and the new stuff in. You're better off having a garage do this service.

Transmission service

This usually refers to a fluid service for an automatic transmission where the pan gasket, filter and fluid are replaced.

Some say that if the transmission has no problems shifting (you would know if it did,) don't mess with it because that can do more harm than good.

If the transmission in your car feels like it's not shifting right on its own, have the service done. If not, leave it alone.

The cost of this is between $150 to $500 for most cars. Don't do this one yourself. Have a garage do it.

Serpentine belt

This is a relatively cheap service at most garages at usually well under $200 except for luxury cars. On most cars this is "that one belt" that's the most important. If the car squeals from a cold start and/or just starts squealing a lot whenever you accelerate, get this belt changed.

Battery

This is one of those things that's actually really easy to replace yourself for under 50 bucks - however - the main issue with modern cars is that the computer needs a "reset" after a battery disconnect. If the reset isn't performed after the new battery is installed, the car either won't run correctly or won't even start. Very annoying.

In my experience, the best way to change a battery is to have AAA do it. If you have an AAA membership, call them up and say you need a battery replacement. They'll send a guy with a battery and replace it on-site. Keep the receipt, because AAA guarantees the battery for 3 years.

If you don't have AAA, have a garage put in a new battery. Cost from AAA or the garage will be between $125 and $250, depending on car.

Alternator

This is an electrical thing that keeps the battery charged once the car is started.

Signs of a failing alternator is your battery gauge lighting up in your dashboard, flickering headlights, interior lights getting real dim, power windows running real slow (although that could be something else which I'll cover in a moment,) power door locks not working right, and so on. If you notice electrical crap not working correctly and you know the battery is good, getting a new alternator fixes that.

In my experience, alternators don't start failing until after 100,000 miles on most cars, although they can fail earlier.

When replacing an alternator, you might be tempted to be a reconditioned one. Don't do that. Always get new. It is worth the extra 50 to 75 bucks going with a new one.

Yes, you can replace this part yourself if - and this is a big if - the position of the alternator in your car is somewhere that's accessible. Some cars are designed where the alternator is in a spot you can't get to without taking apart five other things just to get to it. If that's how your car is, don't attempt to replace it yourself and just have a shop do it.

The shop cost of this is usually $350 to $600 depending on car.

Power window track lubrication

This is the last one I'll list, and fortunately it's super easy, super cheap, and yes this will potentially save you from having to replace a power window motor.

First, get some WD-40 Specialist Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant Spray.

Second, roll down all the electric windows on your car.

Third, spray the tracks that the glass would rest in when the window is up. I'm not talking about the top of the window frame but the sides. Whenever you use the window, the glass moves along those tracks and that's the thing you're lubricating here.

Fourth, roll up and down the windows 10 times to work in the lubrication.

Do this twice a year. This will save you from having to replace a electric window motor/assembly/regulator/whatever over time.

I unfortunately speak from experience on this one. On a vehicle I used to own, I had the driver's side window electric stuff replaced 3 times (costing me $200 to $350 each time) before learning that lubricating the tracks would have prevented that electric crap from breaking in the first place.

Dirt cheap Jazz-Strat HSS... worth getting?

This sells for cheaper than a Squier Bullet Strat, and it might be exactly what you're looking for.

Take the Monoprice Offset OS20. The guitar brand on the headstock says Indio. I've no idea who that is...

...and it doesn't matter, because the guitar is selling right now for so cheap that it makes no difference.

Is it worth getting? It might be simply for the fact it has a Jazzmaster body (yes, with the contour cut in the rear) with HSS Strat electronics and a traditional style Strat trem system.

Is blue the only color? No. There is also sunburst. Same price as the blue, but I think the blue looks better.

It is the combination of Jazzmaster body + Stratocaster trem and electronics that makes it worth taking a risk on this thing.

Does it play well? I have no idea. Is the sound good? I have no idea. It might be crap. It might be great. Or it might be great after putting in a different set of pickups, different tuners, changing the nut and performing a fret leveling. And even if you did all those things, you are still well under $250 spent.

One thing cannot be denied, this is the cheapest way to get a Jazzmaster body with Strat electronics + Strat trem in it. Nothing else can touch it for the price.

The easier way to play a cowboy G riff on guitar

When you concentrate on not playing barre chords on guitar, things get a lot easier.

I, like so many other guitar players, started off playing just power chords, as in 5th chords. Two notes. And the majority of those are played on the 5 and 6 strings or 5 and 4 strings.

As I got better at guitar and learned more stuff, I started playing more chords. The "big" chord on guitar is the barre chord, where you anchor the thumb on the back of the neck and use all your fingers. I started using that quite a bit.

Years passed, I learned even more guitar stuff, and came to know that a few famous guitarists never bother with the 6 string. Some hardly even bother with the 5 and mostly concentrate on the 1, 2, 3 and 4 strings.

This is something I wanted to experiment with, so I did. The end result is that I found that I can get the musical idea I want to get across without chords that use all six strings.

I really like the full 6-string chord sound, but if I can get a full sound using fewer strings, I will certainly do it. This video I made is an example of that.

There are two main benefits from playing this way. The first is that chords that use fewer strings are much easier to play. The second is that there are many times where playing the root note "on the bottom" isn't necessary.

I genuinely like playing this way as it suits the Telecaster well. But then again it would suit just about any guitar.

Easy way to keep a Garmin GPS running right

Something that nobody thinks about (usually not until it's too late) is the memory card in a Garmin GPS.

On my GPSes, I can't use the internal memory for storage because the maps simply won't fit, so I use memory cards.

What I've learned over the years is that as memory cards get older, they can and will start causing problems. As long as you use a card that's not old, the GPS will run fine.

Which memory card to use?

Almost every Garmin nuvi and zumo model made can support up to a 32GB microSD memory card. The reason you don't use more than 32GB is because of the file system used. Anything greater than 32GB won't be recognized in a nuvi.

Note that I said almost every nuvi. A short list of nuvi and zumo models don't support up to 32GB, and they are:

• nuvi 295W (8GB max)
• nuvi 850 (8GB max)
• nuvi 880 (8GB max)
• nuvi 855 (8GB max)
• nuvi 885 (8GB max)
• nuvi 5000 (8GB max)
• zumo 450 (4GB max)
• zumo 550 (4GB max)
• zumo 665 (8GB max)

Every other nuvi and zumo can support a 32GB memory card as of this writing in September 2020.

Brands I recommend for new 32GB cards are Samsung and Sandisk. This is one of those instances where brand actually does matter because those cheap knockoff cards really don't work that well.

If you have to use 4GB or 8GB, your best bet is NOS (new old stock) sealed package memory cards from Sandisk, Samsung, PNY, ADATA, Lexar or Kingston. And again, make sure whatever you buy is in a sealed package and has never been opened. You have to buy NOS for 4GB and 8GB because it's rare to find those made new anymore.

Warning signs that a memory card is failing

There is unfortunately nothing that really tells you how much useful life left your memory card has, but there are a few telltale warning signs.

If the GPS starts taking longer (and you will notice it) to draw maps, calculate routes and/or search POIs, that could mean the memory card is starting to near the end of its useful life.

If the GPS outright crashes on startup or during a route recalculation, the card should be replaced immediately.

If the gold colored contacts on the memory card are tarnished, crinkled and/or all scratched up, the card should be replaced immediately.

How long is a memory card supposed to last?

I've seen some last 10 years, but how long yours lasts depends on the conditions it has been subjected to.

The two things that make a card fail sooner than later are excessive heat and oxidation. There's not really much that can be done about this since the GPS is exposed to sunlight and the elements in the air whenever your car window is open.

One of the few things you can do is periodically clean the memory card contacts to extend the life of the card. This can be done with very light passes using a pencil eraser. You can also use DeoxIT D5 contact cleaner spray that's specifically designed for cleaning electronics contacts.

However - and this is important to note - keeping the contacts clean doesn't affect the memory itself. If the GPS continues to have trouble with map drawing, calculating routes or POI searches after a card cleaning, replace the card.

Generally speaking, you can get about 5 years out of a memory card in Garmin GPS with regular daily use. You may get more than 5 years, but if you don't, you now know the warning signs and what actions you can take.