CharlieGuitar.com

It has been a while since I have posted anything. Life has been heavy lately and I stepped back to handle some very personal things.

Through all of it, one thing never left my side. The guitar.

For over 36 years, the guitar has given me a place to go when my mind needed quiet. When the noise of life got loud. When stress needed somewhere to land. Sometimes it was about expression. Sometimes survival. Sometimes it was just the healthiest way I knew how to process the world around me.

It has carried me through crises, through good seasons, and through moments where I did not yet have words for what I was feeling. I can honestly say that music has saved me more than once, not by fixing anything, but by giving me space to breathe and be human.

This is why I believe creative outlets are not hobbies. They are lifelines.

I am curious how has the guitar helped you? Is it escape, discipline, therapy, creativity, or something else entirely? Do you think instruments shape us as much as we shape our playing? I would love to hear your stories and opinions.

Hey everyone, I’m letting go of a few of my guitars before my family moves — every one of them sounds amazing and deserves a good home. I just dropped a short video showing what’s up for grabs including old MIJ Yamakis, I have some Harmonys, and more:
👉 https://youtu.be/j95jDJszJRA
If you or someone you know has been looking for a great acoustic or electric, now’s the time. Everything must go by November 5th, and I’m open to reasonable offers on Reverb.
Each guitar comes with a case and will be packed with care for safe shipping. Please share this post with any guitar lovers you know. Let’s get these beauties into good hands! 🙏🎶

ALL GUITARS MUST GO BY NOVEMBER 5th — REASONABLE OFFERS ACCEPTED! I’m clearing out my personal collection of incredible guitars, and every single one has to be gone by November 5th. These are well-loved, great-sounding inst...

I picked up a Grote Solar Stratocaster for just $89 on Amazon to see what this budget-friendly, Made-in-China guitar can really do. Straight out of the box, I kept the stock bridge humbucker and ran it through STL amp sims to put it to the test. In this demo, you’ll hear the guitar fully on the bridge pickup—no mods, no upgrades—just raw tones from one of the cheapest Strat-style guitars you can buy.

Can an $89 Grote guitar sound good? I picked up a Grote Solar Stratocaster for just $89 on Amazon to see what this budget-friendly, Made-in-China guitar can really do. Straight out of the box, ...

Hey everyone, brand new video over on the channel today. Straight out of the box take on a Grote electric strat guitar. Made in China. Paid eighty-nine bucks for it on Amazon.

I plugged it in, played it, and gave my honest first reactions — no BS, no hiding the warts (or the surprises).

👉 If you are looking for a guitar on a budget, watch here: https://youtu.be/mZ7u84YZe30?si=cMGlPLjlLLC48m9c

If you’ve ever wondered what a budget electric can actually do in 2025, this one’s worth a look.
Would you gig with it? Use it as a mod platform? Or is it just wall art? Let me know in the comments after you watch.

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$89 Grote Guitar Worth It? So I was scrolling Amazon and saw this $89 Grote Stratocaster copy just sitting there, begging to be tested. Yeah… $89. That’s less than a decent dinner out....

One more up for grabs with this 1970s Martin style guitar which is possibly a Yamaki Custom MIJ from my research. It is all rosewood back and sides and spruce top. It plays like a dream similar to a Martin D28. It is a good mystery though as it is completely unbranded short of the tell tale MIJ style tuners and bridge with the other build qualitites. Grab it here if you want to give it a good home: https://reverb.com/item/91765487-vintage-1970s-martin-style-acoustic-possibly-custom-yamaki-rosewood-spruce-mij-quality-w-hsc

Vintage 1970s Martin-Style Acoustic – Possibly Custom Yamaki – Rosewood/Spruce – MIJ Quality – w/ HSC | Reverb This one’s a bit of a mystery — and a good one.No label inside, but based on the craftsmanship, tonewoods, and hardware, I believe it’s from the 1970s and almost certainly Japanese-made — likely by Yamaki or a similar high-end workshop producing Martin-style acoustics at the time. There are ...

Here is a Harmony h0401P parlor acoustic from the 80s up for grabs. Great for finger picking, blues, and awesome to play:

Harmony H0401P 1980s Vintage Harmony H0401P Parlor Acoustic Guitar – Ready to Play | Reverb This is a vintage Harmony H0401P parlor acoustic guitar. It features a compact parlor-size body, and the warm, boxy tone these vintage Harmonys are known for — perfect for blues, folk, and fingerpicking.Condition & Playability:Cosmetic: Honest vintage wear with some nicks, scratches, and smal....

Continuing the purge. lol Here is a black Harmony H804 up for sale of mine also: https://reverb.com/item/91764820-vintage-harmony-h804-electric-guitar-black-ready-to-play

Vintage Harmony H804 Electric Guitar – Black – Ready to Play | Reverb Here’s a true vintage Harmony H804 in sleek black. It’s got that raw, gritty vibe and unmistakable vintage character that modern guitars just can’t replicate.Specs & Features:Body: Lightweight double-cutaway designFinish: Black, aged naturally with honest play wearPickups: Original single ...

Hey everyone, continuing to thin out my collection. Up for grabs today is a mint condition Harmony H804. Comes with the original Harmony gig bag, papers, and the guitar cable that is still sealed in the package. You can get it here or share it with anyone you think is interested. Would be great for a Harmony collector in the condition it is in or simply someone who wants a cool guitar in awesome condition: https://reverb.com/item/91761616-harmony-h804-electric-guitar-sunburst-mint-w-original-case-papers-cable

Harmony H804 Electric Guitar – Sunburst – Mint w/Original Case, Papers & Cable | Reverb Up for grabs is a mint condition Harmony H804 in the classic Sunburst finish — a beautiful slice of retro style and playability. This vintage guitar looks like it just stepped out of the box, and it’s ready to inspire whether you’re a collector, player, or both.Highlights:Condition: Mint – n...

Hey everyone, I am thining out the herd a bit and just listed this 1960s Melody JB-4 on Reverb if anyone wants to give it a good home. It is all mahogany and plays like a dream. I just need to cut back on some guitars a bit to fund a family project. Never seen another Melody JB-4 in the wild, so this one is a rare bird. If you would like to grab it, it is available here: https://reverb.com/item/91690243-vintage-melody-jb-4-1960s-mij-electric-guitar-w-case-clean-and-rare

Edit: Dropped the price today 8/9 to give a deal.

Hey everyone, it has been a while since I posted, so here is a photo from a recent experiment. I bought a cheap MIC Grote guitar for $89 and am planning to swap out for a loaded HH pickguard. The folks over at STL were also cool to give me their amp pack free because I bought a DAW a while back, and I have been testing it out. Honestly, the stock pickups even though they are cheap ceramics do not sound bad at all through STL. I have a theory that if a cheap $89 guitar can sound this good in a simple Garageband setup with STL that I may part ways with some of the electrics that I really do not play much and just sit around. I’ll get around to maybe sharing a simple video on this experiment over on YT once I play with this a little more. Hope everyone is doing awesome and happy playing!