Who's the cricket player who etc in welcome to Indian Guitar Tabs fill out crap ? Seriously ? C'mon now, let's get international. New guitar, same as last time, black on black Fender HSS American Special.
Hey guys, thanks. mymusicmyguitar, pardon, brother, was referring to reactivating account questions, the cricket thing. American living in Bangalore. Speaking of which, lemme get to this and help, potentially at least, whoever may want a Strat. Rule #1 Don't buy one in India. Rule #2 Don't buy one in India. Purchase a 2 way ticket on Budget airline (Jet Star) to either Bangkok or Singapore, go to Music concept if in Bangkok, 3'rd floor of Central Plaza. Conversely, Peninsula Shopping Plaza in S'pore, hotel side of street, SV guitars, bottom floor. Done business with both several times, they're reliable. Fair prices, no Japanese or Korean bs replicas. Digression, be aware, funny thing happens with the body wood when shipping by air, as Fender acknowledges, being the wood expands and contracts, thus you get seams showing through the finish. Purely cosmetic, obviously doesn't alter tone. Doesn't really change the looks, but you'll notice on close inspection. Nothing major but worth mentioning. As said, bought the exact same model last trip. American Standard HSS, Central Plaza, beautiful guitar, but I don't play it anymore because the Specials are just better, and cheaper. Got a Bare Knuckles EVH humbucker, haven't bothered installing it because the ridiculously named stock Atomic humbucker is good, surprisingly good. Am pretty sure this is boring the sht outta ya, will upload closeup pics after a bit, long day. Thanks again.
That's some story! how are the prices there?( about Singapore) :huge Tele fan here: and you don't have to pay duty etc etc?
etc ss192, prices aren't much more than you'd pay in the states. Maybe 100 bucks more for the shipping and importing fees the dealers shoulder, though will say again personal experience is primarily with the 2 shops mentioned. There are other shops in both places who charge quite a bit more (and you know who you are, ya greedy bstrds). Repeating, don't buy a Stratocaster in India, you'll overpay, not to mention the model is probably a factory reject. Get your Visa in order, isn't too much of a pain the arse, book a 2 way trip to either B'kok or S'pore. Neither Music Concept (B'kok) nor SV Guitars in S'pore will try to screw you. Plus ya get to travel a little, always a good thing. Final word of caution if you decide to go to B'kok, watch out for the taxi drivers. They *will* try to screw ya, doesn't matter how ya speak, what ya look like, how you're dressed. So be ready for those @ssholes, and don't hesitate to verbally blast them if they try to overcharge. Which they will do. It's in their blood. Extra pictures attached, sorry for the delay, God bless, see ya.
Thats some really interesting information. How bout giving us a breakup of the actual cost after all that. M just being lazy to google. So if you let us know it would be great!!!!
reply Pardon delayed response. In SGD, right around 1,380. Thai baht converted, right. Write SV before you visit, if you visit. Can't recommend that shop highly enough, and also Music Concept if you head over to B'kok. Staff is good in both places, helpful and informed. Tell 'em exactly what you want and they'll get it for you, if they don't already have it in stock. Very pleased with this guitar. Previous purchase, same model, good, but the neck angle adjustments required time, effort and shims. Modifying that one presently, just for the heck of it, will post a jpeg after it's done, explain modifications. The latest, to repeat, straight from factory, no one messed with it. Hands down best guitar I've owned, played, solid from top to bottom. Thank you again Music Concept. And fck the taxi drivers in your town. Hey, see where some guy on the forum crapped on black strats ? Didn't read his post, the title said enough. To each his own. Intended to get the Tobacco burst model, looked at them both side by side, chose the black. Eye of the beholder I guess.
2 more things If you're into decent headphones and end up in S'pore while guitar shopping, go to Stereo your one stop headphones and earphones store in Singapore Picked up some Grado cans there along with an iBasso D-zero headphone amp. Good purchases. Best buy, my opinion, Grado sr60, which run around 80 USD. Also grabbed the 325s. They're great but back in the box, am content with the 60s (modified those as well). Cheap build materials, phenomenal sound. They beat the crap out of higher priced brands permitted by India's screwy import laws, again my opinion. KRK Rokit 5 studio monitors, 500 USD, right around the corner from SV Guitars at Peninsula Plaza. Cheap, not really, but they kick @ss, and are well built. Hook those up with a 3 piece sub-tweeter thing like Creative T-3s, you'll have no complaints about your sound, whether music, movies, what have ya. God bless you guys, see ya.
If I'm getting this right, About Rs.20.4k for a return trip from Mumbai to S'pore, the cheapest I could find online. After that the added price of the guitar. Then when you bring it back into India you don't get charged custom duties clearance at the airport at all?
This is indeed great info, Strats in india are definitely overpriced, However, I would love to own one, an American Strat Preferably. Could you tell more about the American Special?
HAHAHAHAHA..........I wish I could, I am good only at making speaker cabinets for now mate Building a guitar is Trickier than building pedals etc!!!!!!!