Guitar stuff (including an on-the-cheap setup for remote lessons)

So I started taking guitar lessons a few weeks ago. I played in junior high and high school, not well, but I enjoyed it. I picked up an immaculate then-$349 (new) Bright Blue Jackson JS32 on eBay for $150 (a steal!) during the pandemic with the earnest intent of getting back into it, but it’s been collecting dust ever since (September 2021... 😮‍💨). Also picked up a Roland Micro Cube for $89 (which at the time was a great score).

Ibanez S521 in Sunburst Red, stock photo

But none of those were as good as the deals I found this week. A $399 (new) Ibanez S521 for $180, on Facebook Marketplace. That listing was pretty matter-of-fact, but another listing (different guitar) revealed the seller was “on the streets,” and when I met him it was at a Motel 6 in Palmdale. Still, the guitar is exactly as advertised, also in near-perfect condition, and exactly what I needed for lessons (a fixed bridge, first and foremost‡;). It’s going to live at the office for those times when I can’t get away from work fast enough to make a (virtual) lesson. It’s also a definite stress relief and centering device, in between Massive Professional Tasks™. Just ask Clifford Main. Or Ron LaFlamme. (No, but seriously, there are some neuroplasticity / cognitive benefits to playing guitar.)

I found a well-loved Pignose amplifier on Craigslist for $45 (sold!), and stacked a few gadgets from Amazon with some sweet deals, to setup an ideal lesson setup (we’ve had some issues using my home setup, with speakers, a Rode mic, and the Micro Cube; it worked fine once or twice but now it’s a nightmare of echoes).

• AKG AKB K92 Closed-Back Headphones ($37.52 for “used – like new,”  $75 new) [score]
• PreSonus AudioBox GO ($54.84 for “Used - Very Good,” $70 new) [score], this will let me hook up the guitar, the ATR2100x microphone, and the AKG headphones, to my computer via USB, and then I can select the PreSonus as my microphone and speakers for Google Meet guitar lessons. This should also work with my iPad or iPhone, if needed.
• Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone ($49), best bang for the buck I found, with an XLR connection, cables, and desktop stand in the box.
• 10' guitar cable ($13), I wanted a coating on the barrels for the Ibanez, because of where the jack is - too easy to scratch the guitar’s finish with metal barrels)
• Amazon Basics Guitar Stand ($12), nothing special, will get the job done; I use König & Meyer stands at home but think this might be a bit more secure at the office?
• Gator Cases Wayfinder gig bag ($20)
• WINGO Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars with 5 Picks ($7.50)
• Ernie Ball Polypro Guitar Strap ($8), same strap I have on the Jackson, no frills, gets the job done, seems secure.

(I also picked up some Zipper Pulls ($5) to fix the zippers on my 36 (?) year old gig bag for my same-age Fender Stratocaster Squier II, that I’m going to re-string and start playing again.)

Separately, I picked up a few days ago:

• MusicNomad 6 pc. Guitar String Change Tool Kit ($30)
• D'Addario Accessories Instrument Care Kit (PW-ECK-01) ($73, includes a non-slip protective body mat and a headstand)
• SEIKO STH200 metronome and tuner ($50)
• A cheap Floating Tremolo Bridge Shim ($7)

My Fender is beyond dirty and the strings are toast. Not sure if the Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings I have from May 2021 (never opened) are any good? I have a couple of packs of 9s (Super Slinky) I picked up recently to restore the Jackson to its as-shipped setup, once it’s due for a strings change. The Fender is wearing a strap from Fazio’s Frets and Friends that’s probably as old as the guitar is. (I just looked it up and they’re selling used for around $300! Huh. Mine has a chip in the paint so I doubt it would fetch anything close to that, but still, wow...)

‡ I thought I wanted the Floyd Rose (licensed) when I was hunting for the Jackson, because that was the be-all-end-all when I was a teenager lusting after a Charvel 550XL, but for learning the basics, playing around with alternate tunings, etc., the locking temolo and floating bridge just get in the way.