NGD AIO TC1 - Natural

[CATMAN62]

Hello Franz!

Just reviewing some of my old posts & realized that I never replied to your question. So sorry… I believe the inlays are supposed to be wolf footprints. AIO has a “wolf” line that encompasses many different styles/“copies” of more famous types (LPs, Strats, Teles, Rickenbackers etc.) that are visually beautiful.

I remember being a bit nervous after my wife ordered this guitar for me - I saw some reviews that were positive overall but not 100% so, the guitar I received was basically perfect. No flaws, playability was spot-on with the setup specs I’d requested & it sounds great to my ears to this day. It’s a truly fun guitar to have!

Still have a very difficult time in front of others… even just practicing while recording myself. It’s just not happening… oh well! I’m having fun playing at least!

Hope all is well with you, Franz. Are you still playing regularly? Is learning enjoyable to you?

Tod

[CATMAN62]

Finally got a picture of the neck/body joint that really shows off the contour…

Have fun everyone!

Tod

[franzek]

Tod!! Wow, this is so nice of you! Thanks so much for thinking of me, even after such a long time. Wolf paws, I could have looked up that myself on their website (now I have). Glad to hear that you made the right decision with your AIO TC guitar and that you are enjoying playing it since. Also, I’ve been eyeing the other guitar that you have, the D’Angelico Mini DC, myself. It seems we both have similar tastes.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I shouldn’t have chimed in about recording. It was definitely off topic and perhaps a bit intrusive. I hope you didn’t mind. We all have different goals, and I should have respected that.

As for me, yeah, I’m still playing regularly. Especially since the course allows me to learn at my own pace. It sometimes feels like a miracle that I’m enjoying it so consistently. Next weekend a friend is coming over and he brings his guitar. I’m already really looking forward playing with him again, the second time.

[CATMAN62]

Hi Franz!

No worries on the advice about recording oneself… after all, one of the reasons we’re here in this Community is to get advice/perspective from others. I appreciate the value of recording, just have some kind of mental block about it - lol!
Besides that, most people here tend to wander a bit off topic now & then - I know I’m very guilty of that one!!!

Good to hear that you’re still enjoying making music & that you have an upcoming jam with your friend! What type of music do you like to play together? When you jam, do you play acoustic or electric? I seem to remember commenting on an AVOYP you did some time ago… were you playing an electric in that one? Jamming with a buddy sounds like so much fun!!! I would love to find a group of like-minded people to jam with… I hope you have a good weekend!

By the way, My D’Angelico Mini DC is one of their “Tour” models… it really has a great sound with it’s Supro “BoltBucker” pickups & although I’d been looking at their DCs for a while, what made me buy it was the price drop, When I first saw the DC Tour, it was priced at around $1200 or so. Then I got a “price drop notification” from Sweetwater & bought mine almost immediately - I thought it was a temporary reduction but it’s still out there at roughly $700 give or take a bit. The only potential drawback for some would be the single volume & tone controls - you don’t have 2 tones knobs & 2 volume knobs like many guitars do. For me, this was no issue. If it is, their other DC models have a more traditional layout - at a more significant price!!! I’m a bit embarrassed about the number of guitars I own - my skill level barely justifies 1 guitar lol - but all 4 of my D’Angelico instruments are fantastic! I often tout the brand because of this!

Play on my friend!!!

Tod

[franzek]

Hi Todd!

It’s unbelievable, but the jam with my friend was already a week ago. We really had a lot of fun playing together. We played acoustic because we thought it would be easier to play together without an amp. Plus, he had a new acoustic guitar, and I was curious to hear how it sounded. You’re right: when I did an AVOYP (almost a year ago - I should consider doing a new one), I played my trusty Epiphone Casino, which is still the guitar I play most of the time. It just suits me so well, with its playability, short-scale neck, and 10-gauge strings, not to mention the ability to play with headphones late at night. The P90 pickups sound really sweet and are pretty versatile. I do have an acoustic as well, and switching between the two provides a good additional learning experience.

So far, I’ve tried to keep the number of guitars “reasonable,” but lately, I couldn’t resist getting an Epiphone SG through the second-hand market. I decided not to keep it though. The body size was too small for me, and the pickups were a bit too muddy. Luckily, I found a new owner just a few days ago, so it’s gone now. Nevertheless, it was still a valuable learning experience. It gave me some experience with humbucker pickups, a slightly heavier weight, and neck heaviness, which, to my surprise, didn’t bother me at all. I took the opportunity to test light strings, adjust the truss rod, and even change the fretboard color to a slightly darker tone. All in all, great learning experiences.

At the moment, I’m seriously considering adding a third guitar again. I’m thinking about a 14" hollow body with a center block and humbucker pickups, just like the Mini DC Tour that you have. I even had a Mini DC Tour in my hands at a guitar shop. The only problem is that I’m now so used to the slim neck of my Casino that the neck of the Mini DC felt a bit bulky in my hands. Hmm, maybe it’s something I just need to get used to.
Or maybe I should rather trying to get a cheap used one again, that would have the advantage of being able to take it with me on travels. Well, I’m not in a hurry, and in the meantime, I’ll continue to practice to justify future purchases

Thanks for your thoughts Todd, it’s always great to share this journey with someone who understands the passion.

Franz

[CATMAN62]

Hallo Franz!

Happy for you that your jam session was fun! Not sure how you managed to let go of the SG… I get pretty attached to my six-stringed buddies! The only one I ever got rid of was an Epiphone Wildcat that fell and the neck broke. It was supposedly repairable but would have cost almost as much as I paid. That guitar was jinxed… pickups stopped working about 2 months after the warranty expired & Epiphone was unwilling to pay for the fix… the binding wasn’t binding too good on the lower bout… just NOT a “Wednesday Guitar” for sure!
Your Epi looks & sounds Sweet! I just saw your AVOYP again & that was pretty awesome for so early in your journey!
Good luck with finding your next instrument!!!

Tod

[franzek]

Hallo Tod!

Thanks for the kind words!
I’m sorry to hear about your experience with the Epiphone Wildcat. It sounds like you had quite some bad luck with that one. It’s always disappointing when gear doesn’t live up to expectations, especially when things start to fall apart right after the warranty ends. It sounds you made a good decision to move on.

Franz
(currently in France )