Merging Duplicate Guitars

We recently had a bunch of merge duplicate requests for guitars that I don't think should be merged. I wanted to post here, so we could make sure we're all on the same page on what warrants its own item page on Equipboard. Here are some examples of the requests:

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Gibson Les Paul Signature T Goldtop

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: 1976 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Paul McCartney's Custom Painted Gibson Les Paul

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Gibson Les Paul Special SL Electric Guitar

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Gibson Les Paul DC Lite

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Gibson Les Paul Dale Earnhardt Jr. Guitar

Keep: Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar Delete: Vintage 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Electric Guitar

I think these are distinct products with more than just color/finish variations. Our thought is that anything that's a unique product, with the exception of color/finish variations within a product line, should be a distinct item page on Equipboard.

For example, all of the guitars on this page can have their own item page on Equipboard:

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars.aspx

The Midtown Standard comes in Pelham Blue, Ebony, and Vintage Sunburst – we don't need to create 3 item pages for those finish variations.

Thoughts? Questions?

the finish stuff is baffling to me... unless the fame of a particular finish makes it a distinct model (goldtop or black beauty or an FMT tele) I think its superfluous

one place colors effect tone is vintage fender... solid color Fenders of the mid-50s and 60s (and some 60s sunbursts and tobacco bursts with the really distinct 'spray rings') had a primer coat that went on before the Dupont Duco acrylic lacquer was applied. These guitars just resonate and feel different than the earlier guitars that were done in straight acrylic or nitrocelulose lacquer... its not a judgement, I've played some great mid 60s strats! Just sayin'

see the following: http://www.guitarhq.com/fenderc.html

The Midtown Standard comes in Pelham Blue, Ebony, and Vintage Sunburst – we don't need to create 3 item pages for those finish variations.

Thoughts? Questions?

Agreement.

http://equipboard.com/pros/adrian-utley/orange-2x12-custom-cabinet

Somthing like the above? Couldn't you put that as a normal Orange cab and say in the description that it was modified?

Also, that's an amplifier.

Gibson's website is a bad example to use there :) They spam their different finishes and attachments because they don't have a large amount of styles.

I think of it all like this. Does the item that's added, be it paint, a tremolo, an different preamp, or a gauge change the guitar itself? Would changing any of the said items mean that what was once a Gibson Les Paul is now something different?

I say no. Especially to the DALE EARNHARDT GUITAR! lol. What, does that have have a small engine and steering wheel being the control panel?

I like the idea of the submission having all the details and history of the item. When I first started adding items a s member, I put all the models of Bass Tom Araya uses. They are identical in appearance and scale and such. Only difference is electronics and materials used. So instead of Tom Araya having an ESP TA-400, ESP TA-600, ESP TA-1000 or whatever they were, it would be much cleaner to have it say "ESP Tom Araya Signature Series Guitars" and in the summary have what models he uses out of the series.

If you were wanting to know what the guitar a musician on TV used for a television appearance, would you want to see a brief explanation of what it was with the option to have any more detail on which model it was or would you rather have 5 different identical guitars attached to his page and have to spend time figuring out what the difference is between them?

I think of it all like this. Does the item that's added, be it paint, a tremolo, an different preamp, or a gauge change the guitar itself? Would changing any of the said items mean that what was once a Gibson Les Paul is now something different?

I say no. Especially to the DALE EARNHARDT GUITAR! lol. What, does that have have a small engine and steering wheel being the control panel?

usually I would agree, but I think I would automatically have to take away a star from the Dale Earnhardt LP just because the picture of that stock car will certainly detract from the tone.

I think of it all like this. Does the item that's added, be it paint, a tremolo, an different preamp, or a gauge change the guitar itself? Would changing any of the said items mean that what was once a Gibson Les Paul is now something different?

That's kind of overcomplicating. I say if it's not stock, it probably should be added.

Example: http://equipboard.com/pros/zach-blair/gibson-les-paul-classic-custom

OK, Zach Blair uses a Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom. That should be it. Everything is stock except for the bridge. Therefore, it should be added, and rightfully so:

http://equipboard.com/pros/zach-blair/evertune-g-model-bridge

But other than that, aesthetics that DON'T change the way the guitar sounds probably shouldn't be added.

Example: http://equipboard.com/pros/eric-clapton/gianni-versace-guitar-strap-1

nO, GAIS, THIS DOESN'T DO CRAP

As far as the different colors go, I think they should merge them. As far as Vintage is concerned... I think there is a huge difference in sound between a '59 Les Paul, a 80's Les Paul, and a new Les Paul. It's pretty objective too. No one would argue that an early 70's Tele Deluxe sounds like the reissue. They're not made in the same country, they use very different sounding pickups, even the resonance and weight is dramatically different even from early 70's to the late 70's in that particular guitar. There should be a vintage distinction even down to the year as far as I'm concerned.

I agree 100%, before CNC machines there was a huge variation even within a given year of a given model! I have played a lot of old and new SGs and there was way more difference between a 67 and 68 SG then between that 68 and the 2010 I own (especially with mine having old T-Tops)... that's just 1 for instance. Sometimes color does effect tonality though as solid colored fender guitars switched from Dupont's Lucite cellulose lacquer to their Duco acrylic lacquer earlier than their blonde or burst colored counterparts, then eventually fender started clear coating all their guitars in fullerplast prior to applying the Duco.... this topic is a potential minefield guys. But if we admit that prior to the widespread use of CNC machines in the industry no 2 guitars of the same model were truly similar I think we can all agree that an entry for each year prior to, say, 1990 (I will do some research) could have a unique entry (because two 58 les pauls surely have more in come than a 57 and a 58) and maybe some colors ought to because of the changes in finishing materials and processes for certain colors instituted at fender in the 60s.... I mean, parts tolerances for ots and such used to be really loosey goosey until the 90s and pickups were either hand-wound or the bobbins were filled on machines with no tension control and no counters or auto-stop (guys at Gibson were tasked with TIMING the winds for humbucker bobbins until the t-top era)

here's yet another one....

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-mexican-standard-stratocaster-olympic-white

I am guilty of this, I grabbed this when I first joined because it best fit my tobacco burst frankentele:

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-standard-telecaster-tobacco

but we should straighten it all out already, EB is getting mazelike

be careful with amps though! they really vary from year to year in the vintage era, especially vox and marshall... I would spearhead a vintage amps project to both consolidate and expand all the pre-1980 amplifiers because I am not sure anyone else on EB right now is as knowledgeable as I am, I just don't know if I have the time

If the guitar in question - especially artist models (is Dale Earnhart an artist?) - has a different electronics wiring, or a different wood type, then it should most definitely be it's own product on Equipboard or anywhere else for that matter. For example, a rosewood fretboard vs an ebony fretboard. Different guitars. Another example, if the bridge is different. Tuners are different. Anything different about it, makes it a new product EXCEPT the paint color. Notice I did not say lacquer coating ... if the only difference is the paint color than no.

BTW, FWIW, most players I know prefer the nitrocellulose lacquer or a hand-rub Tung oil or comparable oil rub finish. Less lacquer or thinner lacquer = better tone.

Seeing those side by side.... I have to say he actually looked the most attractive in the early 90's. I guess he rolled the dice too long and ended up a Halloween mask.

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-telecaster - why don't we put some sort of ordinary, dull and boring Telecaster here? I mean, every artist that has only "Fender Telecaster" has a dull, boring looking model like this.

It sure doesn't have Seymour Duncan JB pickup attached to headstock, while 1/4 of the body is cut off, and bridge is replaced with Gibson ES-350's one, and inlays are freemasonic Hello Kitty's. It looks dull.

Here are my suggestions for Telecaster's future photo...

http://www.fmicassets.com/demandware/assets/electric-guitars/telecaster/overview/0113200700_m1240_0000.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Fender_Telecaster_American_Vintage_1952_transparent.png

http://media.fmicdirect.com/fender/images/products/guitars/0131212307_frt_wlg_001.jpg

If you still didn't die of boredom, I'd like to know your thoughts.

Thanks!

The image on there is incorrect to begin with, and if one were to do their research, one might find the proper model quite easily on the Fender website.

They're not just Fender Telecasters, they're Fender American Strats ad such, they have model names.

However, I agree some might be unidentifiable, so I agree with the first photo, that is the average for telecasters.

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-telecaster - Actually a Blacktop HH.

Actually, John Mayer's Telecaster appears to be 1952 Fender Telecaster, judging by the wear.

Alex Turner's submission is unclear ; it could be Squier Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster, no marking is visible.

I know this is necroing in universal forum rules but I feel the need to reply. Just as a suggestion that I'm utilising, anybody that finds a duplicate should put the word "(Duplicate)" after the item name. For example, here's the original:

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-standard-jazzmaster-hh-electric-guitar

Now here are the duplicates:

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-standard-jazzmaster-hh-duplicate

http://equipboard.com/items/fender-standard-jazzmaster-hh-electric-guitar-olympic-white-duplicate

Next, you go here and report the duplicate. This way, anybody who happens to find a duplicate knows that it is wrong and may find the original.

I know this is necroing in universal forum rules but I feel the need to reply. Just as a suggestion that I'm utilising, anybody that finds a duplicate should put the word "(Duplicate)" after the item name. Next, you go here and report the duplicate. This way, anybody who happens to find a duplicate knows that it is wrong and may find the original.

that smacks of effort

It's feels good when the process is done, though. At least people won't use duplicate submissions now.