| There is something about pawn shops. In fact, some | | | | to what type of guitar you are after. By that I mean |
| people recorded whole albums about them. As a | | | | you should a clear definition of what you want to |
| man, I think it's the smell. Seriously. Next time you | | | | buy. This will help you avoid the impulse buy, and |
| walk past a pawn shop, walk in and take a big huge | | | | focus your attention so you don't get distracted by |
| sniff. It's the smell of a potential bargain, a possible rip | | | | all the shiny things in the shop. Going back to my PRS |
| off. Pawn shop hunting is the modern day civilised | | | | example, I've been looking for a nice guitar with soap |
| hunting expedition.On a recent hunting trip I managed | | | | bar style pickups now to round out my collection. I |
| to trap a PRS SE Single Cut Soap bar Model. It's an | | | | wasn't necessarily after a PRS, but that came as a |
| SE, so it's a Korean model. I had a look online and it | | | | giant bonus. It was the only guitar that had the |
| lists for about 700 pounds, so it's still a bargain. | | | | features I was after, and as such was the only guitar |
| Basically, I was looking for a cheap guitar case at | | | | I picked up and tried. Don't by a guitar that you don't |
| the pawn brokers because I'm one case short these | | | | need, unless of course it is something exceptional. |
| days, and as I was leaving I saw it in the window. I | | | | 3. Play with the knobs and know how a guitar |
| came home, asked the better half if I can get guitar | | | | works |
| number seven and she said ok, because she knows | | | | The ones on the guitar you dirty fiends. Turn all the |
| how much I want a PRS, and [suck up mode] | | | | knobs, waggle the lead, and flick all the switches. |
| because she is the most lovely person in the word [ | | | | Make sure they all work, and if not, have a rough |
| suck up mode]. | | | | idea if you can fix it yourself or how much it may |
| I went back up to the pawn broker, and asked for | | | | cost you. You don't want to spend $100 on a guitar |
| a play. It was awful. Absolutely unplayable. He said he | | | | and then have to do $300 worth of work on it. The |
| had it in there for a while and that it had been | | | | PRS has a busted tone pot, and I can most likely fix |
| reduced because for some reason he can't sell it. All | | | | that myself, and at worse, I no someone who will fix |
| the problem was is that the bass side of the bridge | | | | it for a few beers. You also need to know a little |
| was WAAAYYY to low. I pulled out a ten cent coin, | | | | about the setup of guitars. The PRS again is a great |
| four turns of the bridge bolt, BINGO, perfect | | | | example. The strings were to low, and after looking |
| playability. | | | | down the neck I could tell the issue was just the |
| Yeah, the tone control will likely need replacing, but | | | | bridge height. Simple things like that can get you a |
| big whoop. It sounds beautiful, even with the dead | | | | bargain. This guitar had been ignored my who knows |
| strings on it. I even got him to throw in a case for | | | | how many people before me because they did not |
| $0. Bargain and a half. | | | | know how to correct that simple problem. A little |
| How much I hear you all ask. | | | | knowledge is your friend here. |
| $499 Australian Dollars. Go do the math! I can't wait | | | | 4. Try some different amps |
| to finish paying this off in the next few weeks and | | | | This is very important. The person running the pawn |
| going wild. It just seems to be that every guitar I | | | | shop will always plug you into a small Fender combo |
| want is falling right in front of me. I few months ago, | | | | and crank the reverb. I honestly think that those |
| I was really wanting an S-S-S Strat. Then I get a | | | | small combos were designed by Fender exclusively |
| phone call from someone I had not seen in two | | | | for the pawn shop industry because they make |
| years offering me her partner's guitar that he does | | | | every guitar sound great. So try the guitar with that |
| not play. It was an S-S-S Strat. $100 later and it was | | | | crappy 15W no name amp as well. It will give you a |
| mine. Now I get the PRS I've been wanting for | | | | much better idea on the true sound quality. |
| years. | | | | 5. Don't pay for the case |
| So here are my rules for pawn shop guitaring. | | | | From my experience, the person who pawns off |
| 1. Never impulse buy | | | | any decent guitar will have had it in a case, and the |
| You see something you like, don't just grab it and | | | | case will likely be out the back of the shop. Ask |
| run (unless you think you can get away without | | | | about the case, ask if it is included in the price, and if |
| getting caught). Play the guitar for a while. Put it | | | | not ask why not. 75% you'll get the case for free, |
| down and come back in the next few days. See if it | | | | 20% heavily discounted, and the remaining 5% |
| still feels the same and has the same appeal as that | | | | involves you walking out of the store. They want |
| initial reaction. The last thing that you want to do is | | | | the sale just a bad as you want to buy the guitar so |
| to buy a guitar that you loved at the time only to | | | | let them chase you. |
| take back to the same pawn shop a few weeks | | | | Well, I've got a few weeks until I get my new |
| later. | | | | pawn shop beauty. I'll make sure to let you know |
| 2. Have a goal | | | | how she settles in. Till next time... |
| This follows on from tip number one. Have a goal as | | | | |