The good and bad of preordering a guitar
It's Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday is tomorrow. If you plan on buying a guitar, you may be entertaining the idea of preordering it. If so, here's some information that will be useful to you.
The guitar I'm going to talk about is the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster in black. This guitar is for all intents and purposes the closest thing you can get to an Eric Clapton Blackie Strat for the lowest possible price without it being a Fender.
At the time I write this you basically have two options to get the Squier Blackie Strat. Either preorder it from a guitar store or get it online.
The price? It's the same from either place. However, many would buy from Guitar Center even though Amazon would get it to you faster, and there are a few good reasons for this. If trading a guitar out, and/or using existing store credit you may have, and/or having the ability to ship the guitar to the store so you can check for damage there before taking it home is important to you, GC is the better choice... but you must preorder the Squier Blackie if you go there. That's the tradeoff.
Or is it?
Can preordering a guitar actually save you money?
In certain instances, yes it can.
It is possible, however unlikely, that there might be a rush on the Squier Blackie Strat. If for whatever strange reason this particular guitar becomes really desirable, scalpers a.k.a. flippers will snap up every Squier Blackie they can get their dirty hands on. Shortly after that they will quickly post them to eBay and mark the price up anywhere from 40% to 60% for a quick cash grab.
To completely avoid this crap, you preorder.
Yes, it is true you pay full retail price by doing this. But at least you don't pay over retail, and that is where you save money.
Again, it's unlikely the Squier Blackie will become this super desirable thing. But then again, it might. While true it's not a signature model or a limited run or anything like that, it's got almost everything that makes a Blackie a Blackie. And the only reason I say almost is because the fretboard radius is 9.5" instead of vintage 7.25", and it's obviously not nitro finished. Other than those two things, it's totally a Blackie guitar.
Now as far as where you lose money by preordering, you never get a discount. Not even on Black Friday. The price is what it is, and it will be full retail cost. If you're a big time bargain hunter type of guitar buyer, you don't preorder.
The advantage with the new Squier Blackie is that the full retail cost is actually $50 lower from the previous generation of Classic Vibe Strats. This means even at full retail price, it still costs less. It's a good buy all around - as long as you don't pay over retail for one.
1989 Squier II Stratocaster rides again
After years of not being played, I finally found the new parts I needed to get this guitar back together.
And now the story of my first guitar, my '89 Squier Stratocaster II and how I got this thing back working again.
Yes, it's my first guitar, but it's been modified somewhat heavily. The electronics have been redone (but the pickups are original), it has been refretted, 5-way switch replaced, and the awful original tuners with plastic tuner buttons replaced with proper metal Fender slotted tuners with metal oval buttons.
The #1 problem with these guitars (other than the tuners) is the tremolo system bridge block. It's made of a zinc alloy and literally crumbles apart after about 15 to 20 years. Can you replace this block with a Fender block? No. Too big, too long. You must use the infamous short/skinny Squier block.
There are only two ways to get this block. Buy an entire new Squier guitar that has it, or buy a complete tremolo system.
For years I searched for how to buy just the block and always ended up empty-handed. But then I had a thought. What if instead of searching for the block, I searched for the whole tremolo system?
I did some searching. Amazon had nothing. eBay had nothing. I then searched China sites since this block is still used in new Squier Strats and ta-da, found it...
...but I didn't know if it would fit. It was under 10 bucks with shipping, and the photos of the product showed the block. This was the closest I ever got to getting one of these blocks new. It was worth the risk. I bought it.
The box arrives, and yes, it is a complete trem system. Bridge, screws, claw, springs, saddles (with key to adjust height, nice touch), the works. But most importantly, YES IT CAME WITH THE BRIDGE BLOCK.
I grabbed my '89 Squier and did a test fit...
THE HOLES MATCH UP. I know the photo above makes it look like they don't, but the treble side slid over slightly since there are no screws in it just yet. But yes, the holes on the bridge match the holes on the body.
But did the block fit in the cavity on the rear without sticking out of the back of the guitar?
YES.
Oh, I was so excited. Still am.
Before even getting to installing the thing, I ran to my computer and placed another order for a second trem system. I wanted a backup. This bridge block has been eluding me for years and given the entire system is 10 bucks with shipping, oh yeah, I'm buying another.
Now it was time to get those screws in the body.
I lubricated all the screws with some bar soap, then installed the two end screws for hole 1 and hole 6. No problem. They went right in. I then went ahead and put in screws 2, 3, 4 and 5 about 75% of the way. Doing this allows me to set the bridge float the way I want, and once set, I can then tighten down the other screws.
On the back, I used the new claw springs but kept the original 1989 claw and claw screws.
After doing that I adjusted the saddles, set intonation and did the other basic guitar setup stuff...
...and it all worked. I finally have my '89 Squier Strat back in action again with a proper trem system that is correct for the guitar. And no new mods were needed to do it.
Will the bridge block last?
For about 15 to 20 years it will, and then crumble apart just like the first one did. This is why I bought a second one.
Will the second block crumble apart just like the first even if it goes unused? No. That one won't have any stress put on it from claw springs pulling on it, so it won't weaken.
The second block is a "just in case I need it" thing. It's probably true I'll never use it, but I feel better having it around if for whatever reason the replacement block starts to crumble early.
I don't plan on actually using the trem system, which will make the block last longer.
In the end, I finally found the bridge block I needed and the guitar is working again.
I like this so much that there may be another Strat in my future...
Casio F-91W cheat sheet
If you're going to rock an F-91W, this is a quick guide on how to set the time, set the date and a few other tips and tricks.
Recently, I bought another watch, an F-91W in a monochrome gray color scheme, the F-91WM-1B. The standard model has the black with blue border, but I liked the gray one because the only colors seen are black, white and grays.
I figured I might as well write up a guide on this, because as simple as the watch is, amazingly some get confused by it. After reading this, you won't be confused anymore and will be able to operate the F-91W with ease.
This guide applies to all F-91W models regardless of color, and will also work on the F-84W, F105W and W59. It will also work on a few other models that I will list in a moment.
Knowing the buttons
The F-91W has 3 buttons. Two on the left, one on the right.
The BOTTOM LEFT is button C.
The TOP LEFT is button L.
The BOTTOM RIGHT is button A.
Why these letters? Because that's what Casio themselves uses in the manual for this watch that nobody ever reads.
Knowing the screens
The F-91W only has 3 screens. Main timekeeping, alarm and stopwatch.
In main timekeeping, you see the clock and date. In alarm, AL is at the top. In stopwatch, ST is at the top.
Switching from 12-hour to 24-hour a.k.a. military time
From the main timekeeping screen, press A once. At the top left of the display a small 24H will appear. When it does, you are in 24-hour mode. Press A again to return to 12-hour time.
Note: In 12-hour time, the F-91W will display a small PM at top left for afternoon hours. If you are in 12-hour time and do not see PM at the top left, the clock is displaying morning hours.
Setting the time
From the main timekeeping screen, press C C C. When you do this, the seconds should be blinking. If the seconds are not blinking, press C until you get back to the main timekeeping screen, then press C C C again so the seconds start blinking.
Whatever is blinking is what you are setting
Anything that is blinking while doing this is the thing you are setting at that moment. Right now we're setting the seconds.
Note that if the F-91W has something blinking and you do not press any buttons for about 30 to 45 seconds, the watch will automatically cancel out of that setting and return you to the main timekeeping screen.
Setting the seconds
While the seconds are blinking, pressing A will reset the seconds to zero.
If the seconds are between 0 through 29, only the seconds are reset to zero when you press A.
If the seconds are between 30 to 59, the seconds are reset to zero and the minute advances by one when you press A.
Setting the hour
After the seconds are set, press L once. The hour starts blinking.
Use A to set the hour. If you press A once, the hour advances by one. If you press and hold A, the hour will scroll quickly until you let go of A.
Note: If you are displaying 12-hour time, you will see a PM at top left for afternoon hours. If the PM is not present in 12-hour time, morning hours are being displayed. If 24-hour time is being displayed, a small 24H at the top left of the display will be present no matter what hour is showing.
Setting the minutes
After the hour is set, press L once. The minutes start blinking.
Use A to set the minutes. Press once to advance one minute, or press and hold to scroll quickly to the minute you want to set to.
Setting the date
The F-91W does have a date feature.
Why set the date?
The reason to set the date is so that the day is correct. For example, June has 30 days and July has 31. If you have the date set incorrectly, at some point the watch will show the incorrect day of the month at the top right of the display.
The F-91W does not accommodate for leap years. A leap year happens every 4 years where instead of February having only 28 days there is 29. During a leap year, you will have to reset the date on March 1 so it is correct again. This is not a big deal since you only have to do this once every 4 years.
(Tip: If you need a watch where you don't have to worry about leap years, upgrade to a Casio AE1200 or WS1600H.)
Setting the month
After the minutes are set, press L once. The screen changes where the clock disappears and only the month shows, which will be blinking.
Use A to set the month.
If you forget which number is which month, use the list below.
1 = January
2 = February
3 = March
4 = April
5 = May
6 = June
7 = July
8 = August
9 = September
10 = October
11 = November
12 = December
Setting the day
After the month is set, press L once. The day at top right of the display will be blinking. Use A to set the day.
Setting the weekday
After the day is set, press L once. The weekday at top middle of the display will be blinking.
Use A to set the weekday.
The weekday is displayed using two letters on the F-91W display. This is what each means:
SU = Sunday
MO = Monday
TU = Tuesday
WE = Wednesday
TH = Thursday
FR = Friday
SA = Saturday
Exiting the settings
Press C once.
Setting the alarm
Press C from the main timekeeping screen, and AL will appear at the top middle of the display to indicate you are on the alarm screen.
Turning the alarm on or off, and turning hourly signal on or off
From the alarm screen, press A. Depending on how the alarm/signal is set, one of four will be displayed:
Nothing at top left: Alarm is OFF, hourly signal is OFF.
Audio wave icon at top left: Alarm is ON, hourly signal is OFF.
Bell icon at top left: Alarm is OFF, hourly signal is ON.
Audio wave icon and bell icon at top left: Alarm is ON, hourly signal is ON.
You can go through each one of these by repeatedly pressing A.
Note: When the alarm is ON, the watch will sound a beep for 20 seconds at alarm time you have set. When the hourly signal is ON, this is not an alarm. The hourly signal is a double beep you will hear at the top of every hour.
Testing the alarm tone
From the alarm screen, press and hold A. In about 2 seconds, you will hear the alarm tone test. Let go of A to stop the test.
Setting the alarm time
From the alarm screen, press L.
The alarm hour will blink. Press A to adjust the alarm hour.
Press L again. The alarm minutes will blink. Press A to adjust the minutes.
Press L again to stop all blinking. The alarm time is now set.
Note: In 12-hour time, afternoon hours are indicated by a PM at the top left of the display. If no PM is present, a morning hour is set.
Using the stopwatch
Press C repeatedly until ST appears at the top middle of the display.
Press A to start the stopwatch. Press A again to stop the stopwatch.
Press L to reset the stopwatch to 00:00.00
Using the lap feature
This feature is to measure lap times and/or use for recording first and second runner finishes.
Press A to start the stopwatch. Press L. LAP will appear on the display. The stopwatch freezes the recorded time but is still running in the background. Press L again to go back to the stopwatch. From this point you can press A to stop and then L to reset to zero.
Measuring first and second runner finishes is as follows: Press A to start the stopwatch. When you want to record the first runner's time, press L. When you want to record the second runner's time, press A. After that, what is on the display is the first runner's time. Press L to see the second runner's time. Then press L again to reset to zero.
F-91W Tips and tricks
These are a few things I do to extend the use of the F-91W.
Seeing the full date quickly
From the main timekeeping screen, press in this order: C C C L L L. You can remember this easily as "down down down, up up up" buttons on the left side of the watch.
Doing this will show a blinking month and the day at top right.
When done reading the date, press C once to exit.
Technically, what you're doing here is going to the month setting, but it's a fast way just to see the full date when you need to.
Using the alarm as a timer
The F-91W does not have a countdown timer but does have an alarm. While you can't see the countdown using an alarm in this way, you can hear the beep, and sometimes that's all you need.
If you always start your "timer" at the top of an hour, quarter-hour or half-hour mark, this makes things easier.
Example 1: If at 2:30pm I want to set an alarm to sound 90 minutes later, that's 1 hour and 30 minutes. One hour after 2:30pm is 3:30pm, and 30 minutes after that is 4:00pm.
Example 2: If at 2:30pm I want to set an alarm to sound 45 minutes later, that's 1 half-hour and 1 quarter-hour. 2:30pm + 30 minutes is 3:00pm, and 15 minutes from 3:00pm is 3:15pm.
"Isn't the stopwatch technically a timer?"
No. The stopwatch counts up and not down. You can use the stopwatch as a "count-up" timer, but there is no way for the F-91W to beep when the stopwatch reaches a certain elapsed time. When you use the alarm as a timer of sorts, you get the beep.
A microfiber towel cleans the watch face easily even when dry
The watch face on the F-91W is either acrylic or a material similar to it. To clean the watch face without scratching, just use a microfiber towel. It actually works better than a paper towel.
Never use tissue paper to clean the watch face, as that is abrasive.
For the back of the watch and the strap, lightly dampen the towel so those areas get cleaned well. But for the face, you can use the towel dry and it will work nicely.
Are there any Casio watches that will automatically set the time and date for me?
Yes. Any Waveceptor model will automatically set the time, which is especially useful for Daylight Savings Time changes.
Other Casio watches that these instructions will work for
The instructions here will also work for these models:
Did PRS win best black guitar of 2019?
They might have with this one.
I've said before that I don't like PRS guitars, but do like the Mira model. Out of everything PRS makes, Mira has a look to it with real character. Most importantly, it's not trying to copy another guitar and is its own design.
Before going further into this guitar, how does it play? It "plays like a PRS", which is not a bad thing. Mira has that slightly shorter 25.0" scale, their patented adjustable stoptail bridge, great tuners, great playability, and so on. If you know PRS, you already know how Mira plays and sounds. It will be good out-of-the-box.
It's the look that really sells this thing however. Even in basic black with a tortoise shell guard, Mira looks fantastic. Heck, even those dopey bird fret inlay markers look good when the finish is a solid color.
Simple guitar, simple switching, great design and very well thought out from stem to stern. This is a player's machine (except for the aforementioned dopey inlays). This is what a PRS is supposed to be.
On a final note, yes I know some of you like the bird inlays as that is a PRS thing. I don't. I just can't get used to them. But I totally admit this black Mira is the first I've seen from PRS in a while where the birds do not detract from the overall look and actually look right.
Black Friday guitars 2019
This is a bit of a tradition where every year I list off my picks for the guitar buys where you get the best bang for the buck.
For this year, I have 8 guitars, starting with the cheapest first and goes up from there - but the top price is $500 and does not go higher. Or at least it doesn't at the time I write this.
Let's begin.
This is as cheap as you can possibly go while still getting something decent. It's usually true that when you buy a guitar priced as low as this one, what screams "CHEAP" more than anything else are the tuners. Ibanez is one of the very few where the tuners actually work right at this price point. They're about on par with Squier Affinity guitars, which is not bad to begin with.
What do you get? Basic black, 22 frets, 2 humbuckers, 3-way selector, volume, tone, bridge with whammy bar. It works.
You get the most Strat for the least cash with this one. This guitar will probably be discontinued in 2020, so if you want one, get it now. It has everything Strat guys like. 2-point bridge, 22 frets, proper sunburst finish, parchment (meaning not stark white) color pick guard, knobs and switch tip, good tuners, good pickups. This is also a very mod-friendly Strat, much like the Mexican Standard (now discontinued) used to be.
This is another one that will probably be gone in 2020. Like the Strat, this Tele has all the stuff Tele players like. Upgraded string saddles, "barrel" switch tip, upgraded tuners, 22-fret neck, and again like the Strat, mod-friendly.
You get the most eye candy for the lowest price with this specific finish. Usually this guitar is over $400. This one is way less. The guitar is more than just looks. 3-piece neck, mahogany body, flame top, set neck, X-Jumbo fret wire (very nice for soloing), handles any style of music you can throw at it. Totally looks like a custom shop guitar without the custom shop price.
ESP LTD EC-256 Black w/Gold hardware
Same guitar as the Lemon Drop finish. No flame top on this one. Instead you get the full "black beauty" treatment, complete with gold hardware everywhere - including the tuners. Yes, it does cost more than the Lemon Drop version to get all that gold.
Squier '70s Telecaster Thinline
I used to own one of these personally. Pictures don't do it justice. Gorgeous guitar, and this interpretation of the Wide Range Humbuckers sounds pretty darned good. Obviously a semi-hollow body, so it's very light in weight. You would be hard pressed to find a better Thinline Telecaster for the money, at least where an HH pickup configuration is concerned.
Gretsch Electromatic Double Jet Broadway, Jade
CME has a bunch of these, and they want them gone. When you want something unique and cool while still being an easy player and having a stunning appearance, well, this is it.
How does it play? More or less like a Les Paul. 12" fingerboard radius, top loader, 24.6" scale, Filter'Tron pickups, and body chambered internally for lighter overall weight.
The last one here is another CME. They don't have a bunch of these. Just one. And it's worth getting. This is just a simple guitar with two single-coil pickups, 3-way selector, volume and tone. Nothing new there. But what makes it special is the finish. This is only offered through this specific listing. You can't order this from anywhere else. This is a great little bang-around Mustang. Ridiculously easy to play because of the short 24.0" scale.
Out of all guitars listed here, this is by far the easiest to get along with. Simple construction, simple electronics, great sound, short scale, easy player.