Then, I found out that Kurt Cobain definitely used it to record Polly and Something In The Way and possibly 2 or 3 others. His was an old one he paid $29.00 for at a pawn shop. Then I read that BB King's first guitar was a Stella.
The thing feels kinda dinky and cheap, but it cost more than my piece of dung Gremlin, which feels solid as hell, but I discovered was a "jumbo" folk guitar. That explains why chords ring out warm, but single string picking is nearly impossible and difficult to hear. The Stella, on the other hand, has a great delta blues sound. Sharp and tinny, plays really easy. The deep end sounds a little menacing, similar to a surf or spy guitar. But this is an acoustic.
From what I can gather, these things either "stay in tune and sound great" and are "built to last a lifetime" or "sound so bad it's good and don't stay in tune for shit" or "so bad the factory probably wouldn't answer the phone if they knew you were calling about this guitar". These are direct quotes from reviewers online. I also found out that they either have horrible floating bridges or great floating bridges and are played mostly by school kids whose parents don't want to waste a lot of money on a beater guitar or by famous musicians who love the brilliant tone of superior guitars.
Can anyone clarify this for me before I wrap this package up? The guy's an old blues man. I'm sure he doesn't want a dinky kid's guitar. You'd think he'd already have an acoustic but he doesn't.
― Nude Spock, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
On-line reviews of guitars are generally worthless.
― Colin Meeder, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Dave225, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
I know one thing, it seems to stay in tune (but the strings are new, so how can you tell?). It has a really cool tinny sound, as opposed to a warm folk guitar sound. It's really LOUD. It's easy and fun to play, single string soloing sounds very good and detailed, not to mention loud again. It seems to be made in the USA, but it doesn't say where it was made anywhere. Apparantly, the asian models say something on the neck (I forgot what it was, but mine didn't have the phrase on the neck).
Thanks for the input, guys. I guess I'll keep it. I had so much fun playing it last night, I almost want one for myself.
Harmony Rockets and Harmony Meteors look pretty cool. I'm going to go play one (this guy's shop seems to specialize in Sears guitars) and if it's good, I'm going to get it. It's the coolest looking jazz guitar this side of a $2000 Gibson L5 or whatever.
― mark s, Tuesday, 18 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)