Happy New Guitar Day - looks like a beaut and will be a treat to hear you play. Glad you had no issues with a refund as well, as Brian says GAS for another day!
Very nice Ivan, glad to see it doesn’t have one of those nightmare trems, happy NGD; you’ve set me off now there’s a couple I’ve been lusting after of late - can’t make my mind up which yet (fortunately I can’t afford both).
What a great feeling to get that new guitar! It’s like new shoes making you run faster
Happy NGD, Ivan. Looks wicked, look forward to hearing it.
What a shocker the first part of this was, glad you got it sorted.
Looking good Ivan.
Used Thomann 30 day no questions asked this year for the first time. They also provide an excellent returns process if need and free postage to boot !
@brianlarsen thanks Brian! An SFG SSS Strat would be dreamy but my wife is going to evict me if I buy any more guitars
@adi_mrok that was my first thought too, maybe I got a B-stock on accident and I’m still wondering how it slipped through QC in that condition. It did feel really nice to play though 
@mari @DavidP thanks guys! I’ll play it on OM6 but you’ll probably hear it earlier in my RC once I get around to posting my progress preparing for it.
@DarrellW thank you! Oh I’m wondering what they could be, drop us a hint will you. A PRS of some kind maybe? I remember from the old forum you seemed to be really fond of them.
@sah22 if only each new guitar would make me shred faster 
@TheMadman absolutely, I love how it’s common for online shops to have great return policies these days. Sorry I must have missed the story, what did you return?
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Hmmm OK,
Quite a difference in what they are and the cost but to me both very desirable!
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Oh wow.
Don’t think I ever read anything bad about HB. Stainless steel frets and a roasted neck at that price point is unbelievable value.
And that acoustic looks incredible too, the design reminds me of Lowden guitars a little bit and the rosette is so tastefully done.
No wonder you’ve been GASing over them they both look amazing.
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Sweet!
I have a MIJ Ibanez 540S that I bought in Tokyo in 1990 (I think). It’s a beaut (although it has a bad ding in the body due to an unfortunate incident while I was in college…). The MIJ guitars from Ibanez are quality instruments.
@DarrellW, you’re a schmuck 
The other day, whilst extolling the newly discovered wonders of modulating amp sounds (here) I lightly remarked:
“I’m wondering if I will ever need another guitar!”
Less than a week later, I have just put in a spontaneous order for the above-mentioned Harley Benton Fusion-III HSS Roasted DB – Thomann UK
Sigh… 
OK, rationalisation time:
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I was messing around with my good friend Chris’ spanking new MIM strat over Sunday lunch.
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It is my birthday tomorrow
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I ordered the B-stock for £50 less, so I’m really saving money
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There’s a 30-day no questions money back guarantee, and returns only cost £18. So I’m only really trying it out and can always send it back. (That’s probably going to happen, won’t it?)
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I’m really only researching whether my premise to the above-mentioned thread holds true, and whether I have discovered the cure for GAS
As I said: “Darrell, you’re a schmuck!”
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@brianlarsen I can only ROFL
@SS7 Very nice guitar and little disappointing on the first experience. Look forward to hearing it for real. What amp are you pairing it with? I think I have only had to return once in the UK but again my experience was good. I do find the major retailers are pretty good (in the UK at least) and returns are not an issue.
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serves you right for looking!
Seriously, for what they cost they’re an unbelievably good guitar, you won’t want to put it down!
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@brianlarsen what I can say is that I now have Justin’s joke stuck in my head permanently: we are all in the market for a new guitar - all the time! Excellent rationalizations you have too …
Enjoy that new guitar, looks great, I love the colour!
And yes Happy Birthday to you! I’m pretty sure that makes me only 6 weeks older than you, not a whole year. 
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Who is the bigger schmuck, the schmuck or the schmuck that follows the schmuck? 
Happy birthday for tomorrow @brianlarsen that’s a nice looking guitar, so happy NGD for when it arrives. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on how you think it plays through your multitalented amp and if it sounds any different to your other guitar.
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Will no doubt forget by tomorrow, so many happy returns in advance, Brian.
As you know I am no expert on electric guitars (well, no expert on anything musical), but wondering why an HSS strat rather than the traditional SSS, given you have Hagar that is HH?
Apologies, @SS7 for having hijacked your thread. I guess it seemed the appropriate place to tag on a bit of spontaneity at the time.
I shall limit myself to the 
button here and open an NGD thread when my new toy arrives.
Not good enough 
I think I recorded a special birthday song for you (even if there was a sting in its tail)
Well, that makes two of us
Not much research went into this one. It was less than 12 hours between seeing the guitar online and clicking ‘buy’. On the other hand, I guess lots of folk go into a shop and come out with something they’ve never heard of before.
I’m still very happy with my Hagstrom, but I never really bonded with the Ibanez Gio that Chris gave me way back (also 2 Humbuckers). I know you’re not supposed to, but I often lie on the couch and noodle watching TV. The body shape doesn’t really lend itself to that.
This one seems to be a fairly good all-rounder and I believe the Humbucker can be split into a single coil by pulling the tone knob.
I went and had a quick look at your guitar online, Ivan- Just wow!
Will you be demonstrating giving us a demo at the next OM?
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@brianlarsen no worries Brian, hijack away! Congratulations on your purchase! Really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it once it arrives.
@Rossco01 most of the time I can only play at nights once the kids are asleep so I either play through my Mustang Micro or pedalboard → Scarlett Solo → Ableton. I’d love to get a nice amp but right now there’s no point in owning one if I can’t actually use it
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A guitar to cuddle with on the sofa … makes sense to have a strat shape and weight
Wondering how you like the Ibanez one year in. I just bought the same guitar in black. My first electric after 2 years of acoustic. Pairing it with a Spark Amp.