About The Guitar Rack
To understand The Guitar Rack (TGR) requires a little background on its creator. Hi - my name is Eric T. (most prefer not to mess with my hard to pronounce last name)! I am a father, husband, and an established Mechanical Engineer by education and trade.
While my ‘day job’ consists of fascinating technical problem solving, my long time passion is for the guitar. Since my parents gifted me a humble Wal Mart ‘starter kit’ at age 14, I have been obsessed with the instrument. The powerful rhythms, the singing leads - I knew I wanted to do that. Through various phases of my life to date, I have always continued to make time for the instrument. While learning to play the guitar (always learning), my training as an Engineer brought an appreciation for the natural beauty of the instrument as a ‘system’. What a complex system it is - woods, hardware, electronics, construction methods, finishes, all culminating in a unique tool that inspires the creation of music. It’s a beautiful cycle that I’m thrilled to partake in.
Ultimately, The Guitar Rack is a marriage of the approaches and skills I’ve developed as an Engineer with my passion for the magical instrument that is guitar. For over 20 years now, I have experimented with all kinds of guitars and associated gear. I have experienced some breathtaking instruments, and have learned A LOT along the way. The interactions with the guitar community (Forums, Facebook, Reverb, Local, etc.) have shown that my approach is unique, and I am here to share that passion, excitement, and knowledge with YOU! More below…
The Used Guitar Market
We all learned about the ‘Scientific Method’ in grade school - observe, hypothesize (“what do I think is going on…”), experiment, draw conclusions, and repeat. Amongst everything one learns in Engineering, the general process still remains heavily rooted in this same ‘trial and error’. This is how I have approached my journey with the guitar (recall - a very complex system) - try, experiment, learn, and repeat. Herein ties the used guitar market.
As many musicians, I tend to stick to the used market for instruments. Unfortunately, purchasing a used guitar sight unseen can come with its own set of challenges (or even treacherous pitfalls). The reality is, many musicians simple do not have the interest (or time) to learn all of the ‘in and outs’ of a guitar’s construction and functionality - they need the tool to work well enough, and when the tool is not longer needed, it must be moved to fund another. That’s OK - we all have different strengths and focus, but what does this mean for used instrument buyers? Well - here are some of my most common experiences I’ve had in receiving used guitars:
This bridge is completely out of whack - no wonder this doesn’t feel right
This neck looks like a skateboard ramp - no wonder the action is off
These frets are heavily corroded/rusting - no wonder it doesn’t play smooth
The list goes on and on. You name it, I’ve seen it. In nearly every case, this is not fraud, or someone trying to pull ‘a fast one’ - it’s just an honest person who either missed it, or doesn’t have the full appreciation for that level of detail. The two parties agree on a best resolution, and move on with an ultimately positive transaction.
So get to it already, Eric! Why does this all matter? Glad you asked, read on…
My Process
For my journey in experimenting and experiencing the full potential of various instruments, I’m left with one choice - when I purchase a used guitar, I go through an exhaustive process of accepting it into my personal collection. To put it simply, whatever the guitar needs to make sure it performs as a proper instrument, it gets during its time spent with me. For some guitars, this can be as simple as a preferential truss rod/bridge adjustment. But for others, this can mean a whole set of refurbishment, or even repairs to get it back to its full potential. Why do I do this? Because trying to judge an instrument in a non-optimal state fails the experiment, and I miss the opportunity to learn from it. This is my passion, and I enjoy every moment making these guitars ‘right’. Feeling the difference from how I receive the guitars to how they end up is ALWAYS worth it.
Through years of hard work, patience, and way too many ‘late nights’, I have been fortunate to try hundreds of guitars, from quality imports to the highest tier boutique builds. The simple bench you see on the right, together with my experience, has ‘brought back to life’ many a guitar. I must also give credit to Mr. Coffee (note how stained my white mug is), and my Golden TMNT Leonardo, always watching over to ensure I don’t do something silly. Some have called me a ‘used guitar sanctuary’, and I don’t disagree. I care of these instruments, to either keep send them back into the wild in full health!
The Content
Alright, so let’s get to it - what do you get out of this? I want to start sharing my experiences and learning from all of these instruments with YOU! Maybe you’re hunting for that perfect guitar/gear from a source you can trust? Maybe I help you find a guitar/amp combination that nails that tone you’ve been looking for? Maybe you’re just as addicted to this stuff and want to simply tag along? Whatever it is, I hope I can share at least a small fraction of my passion in guitar with YOU.
TGR is on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. You can follow the links at the top and bottom of this page to join the growing community. I would sincerely appreciate your subscription.
On this page, you will see content shared in a ‘Blog’ type format as I go through different guitars, amps, gear, topics - we’ll grow it together based on what you want to see! For those really wanting to dive in with gear, I’m also keeping a running ‘Archive’ for my gears and gear, both past and present!
As you may guess, feeding the process requires things to change - space is limited, and I unfortunately only have one pair of hands to play. Gear is always moving to allow the next ‘guitar experiment’ to occur. For you, this means two things. If you want to purchase a guitar in what I believe to be one of the best ‘online used guitar experiences’ around, I always have guitars/gear for sale, and I’d love to work with you. Further, if you’re interested in selling or trading something you have, I may very well be interested. You can look here for additional information:
Lastly - guitar is a tight knit community, and I value all the time I have and will continue to spend with you guys. If you want to get in touch with me otherwise, please go to my contact page:
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy!