SF-4 on craigs list

bluesypicky

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Sure..... tube amps are nice. But if you wanna get some of those sweet "warm" tube amp sounds (especially with a 15"), you're gonna have to move some serious air.... I don't know what your living arrangements are, nor do I know the friendly status of your relationship with your neighbours, but if it's all good for volume (and ceiling height), you can always consider this:



And btw, I also agree with Sailin' (post 38) about more affordable and sweet sounding little transistor amps, particularly in the small power / low volume output range.
After all, what's the point buying a tube amp if it's to keep it low and use effects to get where you wanna be?.....
Just go shopping and kick some tires in your target price....beats all the good ole' talk! ;)
To sum it up: Don't worry about what's inside the amp, and let your ears do the purchase. wink wink!
 

fronobulax

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Just as a comment, the only people I know who still have and use their first guitar amp are the folks who are casual players who never take the electric out of the house or those obnoxious folks who have more money than sense and spent thousands of dollars for an amp they only use at home :)

I'd suggest you determine your budget (price) and then any physical constraints such as size and weight that matter. My nephew's bass amp spent some time as an end table in his mother's living room, for example, because there was no space for it elsewhere. My current "goto" amp was bought because it comes in at under 15 lbs.

After that just go to a local store and play what they have that meets your criteria and walk home with the one you like the best. If this electric thing doesn't work out for you then fine. If it does then you almost certainly will be getting another amp eventually and by then you will have a personal opinion about tubes, solid state and modeling.

Completely off the wall but if you invest a bit in a headphone amp then you don't even need another amp until you want someone else to hear you :)
 

CA-35

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Thanks all for the love and good wishes. I will not be hasty in my amp selection, I will, as many of you advised, listen and learn before making any decisions. Although with out ever playing an electric, let alone the Starfire 4 I just purchased, I don't know what to listen for. I don't even know what this guitar sounds like. It's a strange nuance for me because with an acoustic you pick it up and play it. Not the same with an electric; I found myself taking it in and out of it's case last night longing to hear it and couldn't. Which is worse, having a cigarette and no lighter or the lighter and no cigarette?

Hey Bluesy I will bring you a nice Cab or a 12 pack of your favorite Ale if you let me bring this guitar to you and hear you play it for an hour, heck I'll even buy you lunch. What's your day like tomorrow? You up for a short visit? You can kick me to the street after an hour I promise. What say you? PM if you wish.
 

CA-35

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Ok Mrs Bluesy gave us the thumbs up so Me and my new old Starfire 4 are taking a short road trip north (60-70 miles) to Bluesypicky land. Not only will it be an honor, it will give me an opportunity to see the famed scrunchy face in action. We might even crack open a cold one, after all it is the Nation's birthday!!!

So looking forward to a real player breaking the ice with this beautiful Starfire!!!!! Pics will follow Frono don't you worry.
 

bluesypicky

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Pics or it didn't happen.
It happened. And it was a real pleasure meeting Scott and the beautiful SF-4 that he literally stole a few days ago....
He wasn't kidding when he he said it was in perfect condition. I bet the most that thing has ever been played in its whole life was today!
Not the lightest surface scratch on it. Except for some sexy yellowing of the bindings, it is in the same shape it was when it left Westerly some 20 years ago. Amazing catch!

Here is the "thief" with the object of desire, and a smile that says it all:


And here it is being introduced to one of its older sisters:


It was really nice meeting you Scott. Enjoy it in good health my friend!
image hosting over 5mb

 

GAD

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Damn, dude! I bet you know what that thing sounds like now, huh!
 

txbumper57

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Awesome pics of the two Starfires together, Especially the two Cheshire Cat Grins on the owners, LOL! Looks like a great time to be had by all and the guitars look Gorgeous. Congrats again Scott on the buy of the year, I hope you are enjoying it. Now that old girl has some of the famous "Bluesy Mojo" on it so it just went up in value even more!:applouse:

TX
 

CA-35

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First things first.......A big thank you to Mrs. Bluesy for affording me over two hours with her husband, which I'm sure could have been better spent with her.

Now for the selfish part. What a great time I had, not only showing off my beautiful Starfire 4, but to see and hear Pascal play was indescribable. Suffice to say I am humbled that I have seen true greatness with a guitar. I even caught him digging it a bit and I saw a hint of the scrunchy face. To watch his fingers move so gracefully up and down the finger board was mind boggling. I should live so long to even dream of playing like he does. For those of you who have never been so blessed to see him play I highly advise that you check out one of his many You-Tube performances. True to my word I brought with me a 12 pack of Blue Moon Belgian White and we did make a few of those disappear. He was also kind enough to lend me a solid state amp so I could experiment at my leisure at home.

Pascal thank you again for your time, we shall do it again soon. Until then enjoy your trip to Canada and travel safe.
 

SteveT

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That is one beautiful looking guitar! Congrats. Stories like these are making me less of a Luddite and like the internet again.
 
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geoguy

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Congrats on your new-to-you guitar!

And here is an instructional video to help your progression toward bluesypicky's guitar-face proficiency. Pay especially close attention to the second technique that he outlines. :watermelon:

 

CA-35

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Geoguy that was farking hilarious......thank you for posting that. However, I think Bluesypicky wrote the book on facial expressions with his patented "scrunchy face" and that's the bar I am aiming for.
 

GAD

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Sure..... tube amps are nice. But if you wanna get some of those sweet "warm" tube amp sounds (especially with a 15"), you're gonna have to move some serious air.... I don't know what your living arrangements are, nor do I know the friendly status of your relationship with your neighbours, but if it's all good for volume (and ceiling height), you can always consider this:


I just needed to comment that people shouldn't believe everything they see on stage:

Immortal-fake-cabs-604x453.jpg



Black-Veil-Brides-fake-cabs.jpg
'


I always liked the way Rush deal with this:

4820.jpg


www.tmakworld.co+Machines.jpg
 

DThomasC

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There have been a few big Fender amps too.
CJGqykxWoAAD-9-.jpg


That one is just a big cabinet that held four regular Princeton Reverbs.

Then there's Neil Young. He's known to play pretty loud sometimes.

9.jpg
 
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