Anybody got $500 to spend?

I certainly don't.

After buying the Maz 8, I think it's safe to say I won't be buying anything in the near future - I've got a fix that'll last me awhile.

Good news though - My wife has almost decided on the colour for our second daughter's room.  She's down to something very similar to Daphne Blue and something very similar to Sea Foam Green.

My first daughter's room was Sonic Blue, and I have a Sonic Blue Stratocaster.  What kind of father would I be if I didn't do the same for my second born?

Fender Jim Adkins Telecaster - $500

I had no idea who Jim Adkins was until 3 minutes ago, when I bothered Googling him.  Apparently he's the guitarist for Jimmy Eat World.  Who knew? (The answer is "all the cool kids" obviously).


This is a pretty cool guitar, with some unique features, at a very reasonable price.  A semi-hollow, set neck single cut with Duncan P90s and a Les Paul wiring scheme?  The only thing Telecaster is the body shape and scale length.  Otherwise, this reminds me of the Gibson Faded Double Cut that I owned a few years ago. If I hadn't just made a purchase, I might be all over this one.

Blackstar HT Studio 20 - $500

Blues Juniors not your thing?  For the same money, this might be your ticket to high gain heaven.  I don't have much experience with these beyond taking them for a spin at a local shop.  It sounded fine to me, and they sound great in all the demos I've seen online, so there's that.


If this thing had popped up a week ago, I may have been tempted to pull the trigger on this.  Despite being mass produced in the far east, I dig the pseudo-boutique look of these amps.

Squier Bullet H2 - $500   

I was offered this, plus cash, in a trade for the Les Paul Studio that I don't seem to be able to part with. I hesitated, because a vintage budget Fender, made in Japan or not, is still a budget Fender.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to flip this for more than $300, and the guy making the offer wasn't willing to put up enough money to cover the difference for me.


I don't think this seller is going to have any more luck this time around.  The utility of these guitars is pretty limited, and despite the "poor man's vintage Fender" appeal, the truth is there are far more interesting off brand guitars from this era that can be had for less money.

Hamer SXF Series - $250

I'm not sure that this is a great price for this instrument, but I'm not sure it's a bad one either.  I knew someone who had something similar to this 20 years ago or so - paid $350 from a pawn shop.  I've always had a thing for Hamers, especially this shape.


The white reminds me of the Dave Navarro PRS, and if this was set-neck (not sure from the pics), it might just be a good deal at $250... Wait, does this remind anyone of the PRS Mira? (The Hamer came first FWIW). 

Boss Katana 50 - $250

My brain is telling me this is just a Roland Cube amp (the modeling kind) with a few new lines of code (digital after all) and a brand switch.  The reviews online and the look speak to the heart though, where there are reports of some pretty great tones to be had for very little money.  Rumor is these are super light as well, making them super portable despite the 1x12 50 watt format.


And yes, I did notice that the Hamer and the Boss are not $500, but they are together, which goes to show you how much bang you can get for your buck these days.

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