NGD - Casino Style Guitar

[TheBeachBoy]

Actually, bought it a while back, but finally got lots of updates done to it. It's a Grote brand hybrid of the Casino and ES335, so it has the P90 pickups and a center block. I changed out the knobs and put chrome pickup covers on it, plus strap locks. It was mostly set up by the seller but I lowered the action a bit. Intonation is pretty spot on and it stays in tune really well. I've done a bunch of recording at home and it's been a treat. I'm not much of a guitarist but it feels really nice for my limited ability. It only cost about $125 but plays better than you'd expect. Definitely doesn't compare with a $700+ instrument, but for a novice guitarist it's great.

 

[Lazmo]

NGD... is always a good day.

I've never heard of Grote... I had to google.

It looks good, enjoy.

 

[Kcmcc]

Before I bought the casino I grabbed recently, I was seriously considering the single pickup thinline true-hollow with a p90 that grote makes, the one you got looks dope too!

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Very cool. I ended up buying a Firefly copy of an ES-335. It has a gold top, looks gorgeous, and the guy was a guitar tinkerer. He put in American humbuckers, all new wiring, CTS push pull pots, a new switch and jack, and Schaller locking tuners. The guitar is $200 and he spent $300 in parts to see if it would work. I got it for $235.

 

[Sequimite]

JazzDrumGuy, I love to buy from pros and engineering types. My Tacoma Jumbo was on the road for 17 years and so when the finish started to peel it was factory refinished. electronics were upgraded and the set up is to die for... plays like an electric.

 

[TheBeachBoy]

Thanks! And those are some nice looking guitars you guys have too. That gold sparkle is super nice!

I hadn't heard of Grote before my search either, and even was considering different styles but I always went back to this design. It sounded pretty good in every video I saw and some of the little touches were nice, like the pickups weren't microphonic like many others in the price range. Not sure what the next one will be though. I'm thinking Tele next...

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Mine does not have microphonic pickups - that's the first thing I checked! I've heard of Grote but not familiar with them. I think they are all good foundations upon which to add better parts and have a decent affordable axe. There are quite a few mystery brands on Amazon sub $200 that are interesting......

I am a Fender guy with multiple Strats and Teles. The 2 Teles I have are Squiers. One was a basic sunburst that had upgraded custom pickups and sounded great, but the hardware sucked. For $100, it was worth buying. I ended up practicing wood relic techniques and made a brand new guitar look 70 years old, with the obligatory cigarette burn, wear on the fretboard, I tinted the neck, added dents, dings, scratches, etc. (using screws, hammer, keys, dragging it on the floor, etc.), added rear belt rash, aged and dulled the plastic and metal and otherwise fully "damaged" it. My buddy has it now but it's a perfect wall art piece, too. It looks like something you'd find in the basement of a Southern juke joint!

My other Tele is a butterscotch vintage series and the guy I got it from had upgraded to CTS pots, new jack, a 4 way switch, USA vintage Fender pickups, and all new wiring. The vintage tuners are stock. It plays like a dream and looks killer. The 4 way switch lets it go from twang, to mid, to thick blues/jazzy and the 4th position is both in series for a beefy lead tone almost like a humbucker. Very cool. Still looks new as much as I would like to dull the shine. I think I paid $300 for it (full price of a new one).......

I love the Tele but my desert island guitar is still the Strat..........

 

[TheBeachBoy]

Mine does not have microphonic pickups - that's the first thing I checked! I've heard of Grote but not familiar with them. I think they are all good foundations upon which to add better parts and have a decent affordable axe. There are quite a few mystery brands on Amazon sub $200 that are interesting......

I am a Fender guy with multiple Strats and Teles. The 2 Teles I have are Squiers. One was a basic sunburst that had upgraded custom pickups and sounded great, but the hardware sucked. For $100, it was worth buying. I ended up practicing wood relic techniques and made a brand new guitar look 70 years old, with the obligatory cigarette burn, wear on the fretboard, I tinted the neck, added dents, dings, scratches, etc. (using screws, hammer, keys, dragging it on the floor, etc.), added rear belt rash, aged and dulled the plastic and metal and otherwise fully "damaged" it. My buddy has it now but it's a perfect wall art piece, too. It looks like something you'd find in the basement of a Southern juke joint!

My other Tele is a butterscotch vintage series and the guy I got it from had upgraded to CTS pots, new jack, a 4 way switch, USA vintage Fender pickups, and all new wiring. The vintage tuners are stock. It plays like a dream and looks killer. The 4 way switch lets it go from twang, to mid, to thick blues/jazzy and the 4th position is both in series for a beefy lead tone almost like a humbucker. Very cool. Still looks new as much as I would like to dull the shine. I think I paid $300 for it (full price of a new one).......

I love the Tele but my desert island guitar is still the Strat..........

Those sound like really nice guitars, especially for the price. I definitely learned a lot about what to look for while researching this guitar. Of course, I still have a ton to learn too, but that's what makes it fun.

Our bass player built a P-Bass based off the original model, so it has the Tele style neck/headstock, and he aged the chrome to make it dulled. I can't remember what pups he put in it, but it's a pretty nice bass. I may get a P-bass down the road as well, since I have a Dean Stylist now that's great for certain sounds, but doesn't have the growl of the Fender.

 

[ElChoad]

I just scored this mint 2011 Heritage H-150 Goldtop with P-90s last week. It's a beauty.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Those sound like really nice guitars, especially for the price. I definitely learned a lot about what to look for while researching this guitar. Of course, I still have a ton to learn too, but that's what makes it fun.

Our bass player built a P-Bass based off the original model, so it has the Tele style neck/headstock, and he aged the chrome to make it dulled. I can't remember what pups he put in it, but it's a pretty nice bass. I may get a P-bass down the road as well, since I have a Dean Stylist now that's great for certain sounds, but doesn't have the growl of the Fender.

I have a Squier jazz bass which was my main bass until recently when I picked up a Squier '80's Korean jazz bass that blows away the other one. The quality of the pickups is no comparison to the modern Chinese ones. I also have a Dean fretless which is pretty cool. It has active pickups and it was a ridiculous steal off Craigslist. It's got a sub button for super low end although it's overkill. I love playing the upgraded flat strings I put on it. Figuring out the frets is very difficult but when I hit the right notes, it sounds so pretty.....