VA5 pickup -VS- a VA23 pickup, Again

[coaltrain]

I posted a while back asking the difference about these two pickups in a a TAG classic. I also got a chance to do a side by side test with my Alder / rosewood FB classic with a VA12/12/23 combination and a swamp ash / maple FB with VA5s. Well....I just can't get that swamp ash classic out of my mind so I went down to Willies in St. Paul the other day to take a second look at it, all the while trying to figure out how to buy it and sneak it in the house. I didn't buy it, yet, but I did figure something out.

Tom asked me what I thought about the boost switch on the guitar, and at the time I didn't think it worked, I thought it make the guitar sound thinner. Well I just found out that I was playing it with the boost on and I was turning it off when I thought that I was turning it on, what a dummy I am.

So now that I figured out that the boost is on when the switch is down (I thought it was like a light switch, you know, up is on), I think that it is one of the best sounding single coil guitars made. The middle pickup on that guitar brings me to my knees. I went home and I was looking for anything I could sell to buy this guitar.

I think that the 12/12/23 is a very good choice for that big thick strat type, but if you want a great vintage sound with the ability to go over the edge when you want to the VA5s are a very good choice.

BTW, here are the two actual guitar I tried out, the gold one is mine and the sunburst is the one at Willies....still. And no, I am not Pete Anderson

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/70NovaSS/guitars/01222003_10-02-18.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/70NovaSS/guitars/TomAnderson2.jpg

[GASMAN]

I've played that one at Willies too. VERY SWEET GUITAR. I told my wife that I should just buy that Classic and that blond Hollow T (that's also hanging at Willies) , sell everything else---and just be happy.

I'm not sure she was all that keen on the idea---Ha.

Go buy that guitar! It's a wonderful instrument.

[coaltrain]

I like your thinking GASMAN, I am in the process of doing the same. I have the Maui Blue Stratocaster consigned at Willies to pay off the balance on the Gold classic. I have one guitar left to sell, but I am not sure I want to sell it. I have a very nice all original 75 sunburst strat that I was going to try and sell to pay for that sunburst TAG at Willies, but I have not totally talked myself into it yet. The prices on the 70s strats have climbed a little bit (too much if you ask me, but what the hey) and I am afraid that if I sell the Strat I will lose out on it, but on the other hand I would sure like that TAG classic. The reason I am holding off is because I figure I can have a new TAG make just like the Willies guitar but I can pick up another 75 strat like I have (not that I would want to have a Fender over a TAG). Besides, maybe the world will go crazy and some day I could sell my strat and almost buy two TAGs (maybe if the TAGS are used). But I tell you, there seems to be something magic about that sunburts classic, it is like Tom build some tallent into it because it seems like I play better when I play that guitar.:D . Is that an option that Tom has in the catalog that I have not seen, a "Personal Select" top with extra "talent" ;) .

Anyhow. The only trouble I see with the "Sell all and buy TAGs" is that I can't seem to stop buying TAGs. Everyone I pick up I like. Maybe I Tom really should have stopped the business so I don't keep wanting new TAGs......:rolleyes: ......JK.

Jeff