cruisinon2

I truly love this time of year, lol. As is always the case, the concept of the "sale" really means the following: "Now we're going to sell you this item for what it's actually worth"...but I digress. As far as I know, the list price has always been $1400, with the possible exception of the 89F, which I think may have been priced a little higher. Regardless, Sweetwater has been selling many of the JTVs, especially the 69's, for $900-$1000 for some time now. Thats what I paid for mine, just about this time last year. Some were scratch n dent models, others probably just older stock that they wanted to move. So at the end of the day, this promotion appears to be just a $150 rebate. $850 is no doubt a good price, just not quite the legendary savings its made out to be.

Well that is odd...can't say I've seen that happen on mine, and I have popped the bridge off the posts once or twice. Food for thought tho...

I doubt its an issue of the bridge position...at least it wasn't for me. It just an overly narrow neck, oddly so if you ask me. Lotsa guys have replaced the neck with any of the drop-in Strat spec necks out there, with good results. Only wrinkle is the positioning of the neck bolts, but thats easily dealt with by any luthier who's half awake. As for factory high action...that's pretty much all I've ever seen with any guitar right out of the box, regardless of make, model, or price-point...and I've been at this for 25 years. Anything you buy is gonna need SOMETHING adjusted...just the nature of the beast.

There really is no solution. Every Strat-style 2 point floating bridge in the universe is gonna do that. Either change strings one at a time, or find some means of keeping the bridge in its "neutral" position if you need to remove all the strings at once.

IMHO, due to the JTV's very narrow nut width (narrower than most other production guitars I've seen) you are likely to run into one of two problems with the stock JTV neck: 1) A nut that was cut in the attempt to maximize the string spacing on a very narrow neck, which pushes the E strings a little too close to the fret ends...hence the string slippage. or 2) String spacing more appropriate to the nut width, but resulting in spacing so close that open position chords are difficult at best, except for the smallest of hands. When originally researching the JTVs, I pretty much knew that I was gonna have one of the two problems (#2 in my case), and entered into the purchase knowing that the stock neck would not remain there very long. Fortunately there are several replacement options that won't cost a fortune, and that will result in a much more playable guitar.

Given piezo's sensitivity, it wouldn't surprise me if strings seem to "die" a little sooner than with mag pickups. I blow thru strings so fast that I don't really notice a pronounced difference, but it at least makes intuitive sense (to me anyway), that the tonal changes that happen as strings age would become apparent earlier when the pickup is in direct physical contact with the strings. Just my $0.02...

Can't argue with the grounding issue...design would work fine if we lived in a world where nothing got dirty. As for string removal, this plagues every 2 point floating bridge on earth. There is a $16 solution, however: http://www.shredneckstore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SN%2DTB%2D2 Yes, it costs 5x what its worth, given that it's just a strip of plastic with a little handle on one end, but it works. I've been using one for years

Interesting...but the name leaves a bit to be desired. A "personality card" sounds like something you fill out before they let youn intona speed-dating event...

Ditto...at first I wondered if I had suddenly forgotten how to play. Couldnt grab most open position chords without muting at least one string...it was maddening. No longer an issue with the new neck... Oh, and totally off topic, but for anyone who has never played on stainless frets...give it a try. Recently re-fretted another axe with stainless, and I'll never go back. It's like playing on glass...effortless bending and no more grind and polish work...at least not for a good looooooong time. I'll probably wear out before the frets will...lol.

If you're missing one or more fingers, maybe.... It has one of the narrowest nut widths around...seldom seen on anything else out there. Take a ruler over to GC and measure the nut width of any 10 guitars hanging on the wall. Most, if not all will be wider than the 69. As for replacements...if you're gonna spend $120ish on a mighty might neck, save another hundred bucks or so, and see what Warmoth has in stock. You won't be sorry.

Used anything is always a gamble, especially sight unseen. Could be the deal of the century or flushing money down the crapper...only one way to find out.

Its surprising how much of the guitar one hears acoustically, even when playing at moderate volumes. The 69s are quite resonant. Without the alt tuning going on, it goes unnoticed as both the acoustic and the processed pitches are the same...crank it through headphones and see if you're still hearing both of 'em. You might be surprised...I was at first.

That's because it doesn't make any sense. I've been looking at guitar string for 25+ years. They're round...round things don't have "sides".

Anxiously awaiting an explanation for this one myself...

Individual string volumes are changeable, either globally or on a per model basis, in HD Workbench. If your low E is not loud enough with all 6 string volumes set to 100% (which is the default), then you could try lowering the others to compensate, until everything evens out. Will likely be a trial and error thing...

If only one string is out, it is likely that either the piezo element itself has died, or its connection to one or more circuit boards may be the problem. Either way, it's probably not an easy fix unless you are really comfortable with a soldering iron and tiny little wires.

Welcome to the new normal. I have only set foot in a big box music retailer once or twice in the last decade or so. I threw in the towel years ago when, in need of a new MIDI foot controller for whatever rack unit I was running at the time, I ventured forth to Silly Huge Music to procure said item. The aggressively pierced and tattooed cretin behind the counter literally scoffed at me, and proceeded to tell me: "Uh...that doesn't exist, bro". After pointing out the item that was just behind the counter about 6 feet away, I walked out and didn't return for years. A sad state of affairs...

Best scam ever...particularly amusing when the register jockey at Giant Electronics Emporium tries to get you to buy a $19.95 insurance policy on an $89 item. It should be accompanied by the following speech: "The CEO and shareholders would just love it if you would agree to pay 20% more for this item than you should. To that end, I will now attempt to terrify you into believing that despite it being statistically unlikely, you are about to purchase a lemmon, and spending more money is your only defense against that remote possibility. Please do not allow your decision to be influenced by the fact that you are 99.97% more likely to drown in marshmellow fluff than to actually have an occasion to use this warranty. Thanks for allowing us to rob you today, while convincing you that it was all your idea."

Bump... Definitely interested. Any updates on availability?

Been using AKG 240S cans for many moons...last pair died after about 15 years of regular use. Neighborhood of $100-$120 depending on the source. Semi-open back, low impedance (55 ohms if i'm not mistaken), but I've used them with the 500X without issue. Pretty flat response, good for mixing too.

Never seen one in a store in my neck of the woods either, and I'm within a 10 mile radius of 3 "Big Box" music retailers. These guitars are niche items, like it or not. The masses mostly aren't interested, hence the indifference from the big retailers. If they can't sell 2000 of them between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, they don't care how good an item is.

I'd start with a new set of strings. I'm amazed that any of the strings still stay in tune after 10 months...and there's no telling how long they were on the guitar before you got it. I can get a couple of weeks out of a set of strings on guitars that I don't play often...but my two main every day axes...4 maybe 5 days and the strings are toast. Even if you don't play much the strings will begin to corrode and lose their ability to stay in tune just sitting there. Pick up any guitar thats been hanging in a store and hasn't had a new set in months...they're always disgusting to the touch, and tuning stability is long gone.

Permanently ruin it? I doubt it, unless you soak the neck in a vat of the stuff. However, conventional wisdom says no lemon oil on finished necks... most of the oil is just gonna sit on top of the laquer, unlike ebony or rosewood boards which are completely unfinished. On those the oil will easily penetrate the grain. There are oil-finish only necks...but they seem to be rather rare as they are more prone to warping. Warmoth, for example, will sell you a raw neck, but won't warranty it if you apply an oil-only finish.

Thats a new one...numerous complaints about the alt tunings...'ghost notes', 'warbling', lack of sustain, etc...but never seen anyone say that an alt tuning produced octave harmonies.