u/qt1rbrt

Hi everyone!
I’m about to buy a second-hand Van Rysel Sword in size S. I’m 173 cm tall, so I’m right between sizes S and M:

Decathlon’s recommended sizes:
S: 165–173 cm
M: 173–180 cm

My inseam is 78 cm, so I have relatively short legs and a slightly longer-than-average torso.
My intended use is commuting, longer but relaxed road rides, and occasional easy rides on gravel paths. I’m not looking for performance or an aggressive riding position.

Would you recommend sizing down to S or going up to M?

Decathlon recommends choosing the smaller size when you’re between two sizes, but I’m wondering whether that advice is mainly intended for people looking for a sportier riding position.
I’d really appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance!

Quentin

On the other hand, I know the appeal of HSS is exactly for players like me who solo a lot — the humbucker in the bridge gives more output, more sustain, and handles gain/drive way better than a single coil for lead work. I don't want my solos to sound thin or need a ton of extra pedal compensation just to get there.

So for those who've owned or gigged both:

**•**	Did switching to HSS actually kill the "in-between" tone for you, or is it not as big a loss as I think?  
**•**	For blues/reggae players specifically — does the bridge humbucker feel out of place tonally, or does it blend fine?  
**•**	Is coil-splitting on the humbucker a real solution, or does it sound noticeably weaker/thinner than a true single coil?  
**•**	Would you rather keep SSS and just push the amp/pedals harder for solos, instead of relying on a humbucker for gain?

Really trying to figure out if HSS is a smart evolution of the Strat platform for my style, or if I'd be giving up the exact thing that makes a Strat a Strat. Appreciate any real experience over spec-sheet theory!

I’m 35, and recently I had a pretty humiliating accident while staying at someone else’s place. I had a really bad stomach bug during the night and ended up losing control of my bowels. It was completely involuntary, but I’ve been struggling with a lot of shame about it ever since.
The person I was staying with was actually very kind and understanding, and so was my girlfriend when I told her afterwards. Rationally, I know that it was just a very unfortunate thing that happened while I was sick. But emotionally, I’m having a really hard time letting it go.
I’m also an artist, and that makes the whole thing feel worse in my head. I’m quite visible online and I’ll probably keep crossing paths with this person on social media for years, so I keep imagining that they’ll always remember me as “the guy who had that accident.”
Has anything similar ever happened to you as an adult, especially in your 30s or later? Maybe while staying at someone else’s place, with a friend, partner, colleague, etc.?
And if you’ve experienced something like this, how did you eventually move past the embarrassment? What would you do in my position?
I’d really appreciate hearing some real-life experiences, because right now I feel like I’m the only 35-year-old this has ever happened to.

TL;DR: I’m a 35-year-old artist who had an involuntary bowel accident while staying at someone else’s place because of a stomach bug. Everyone involved was kind about it, but I’m terrified the person will remember me for it forever and I’m struggling to move past the shame

I recently returned a used American Professional II Telecaster because it had a faulty truss rod. I decided to spend a bit more and buy the exact same model brand new (same finish, same specs).
The new one is perfect so far, but one thing surprised me: it feels noticeably heavier than the previous one. I know wood density varies from guitar to guitar, but I wasn’t expecting to notice it this much.
For those of you who have owned multiple Telecasters (or multiple examples of the same model), have you found any advantages to a slightly heavier guitar? Better balance, stability, tone, sustain, or is it mostly just a matter of personal preference?
I’m happy to have a guitar without any structural issues, but I’m curious to hear your experiences with weight differences between otherwise identical instruments.

Very bad news for me…
I just took the used American Professional II Telecaster I recently bought (advertised as being “almost like new”) to my luthier, and he gave me the bad news: the truss rod is defective.
The seller bought the guitar brand new from a music store and only played it for around ten hours. He never adjusted or even touched the truss rod. After hearing about the issue, he contacted the store, and they believe it was most likely a factory defect that simply went unnoticed.
My luthier offered to repair it for around €200. Even if the seller agrees to cover the repair, I’m really struggling with the idea of having to repair a €1,500 guitar that I absolutely love and was planning to keep for the rest of my life.
Has anyone here had this repair done? Does replacing or repairing the truss rod change anything about the guitar in terms of tone, stability, or overall feel?
I also can’t shake the feeling that, no matter how well the repair is done, I’ll always know that it isn’t completely original anymore, and that somehow bothers me.
The seller has agreed to take the guitar back if I want, but here’s my dilemma: I only want this exact model in this exact color (American Professional II Telecaster in Mystic Surf Green). They’re incredibly hard to find used, and Fender no longer makes this color new.
What would you do if you were in my position?

Hi everyone, today I’m looking for a Telecaster with the least “harsh” or “piercing” tone possible. Basically, I don’t really need the classic Tele twang at all. What I love most is the neck pickup and the middle position, but I’d like them to sound balanced, warm, and not overly glassy or crystalline.

Do you think the American Pro II fits what I’m looking for more or less than the Standard models from the 90s/2000s?

On paper, I would say yes, because I believe the magnets under the higher strings are Alnico 2 on the Pro II, whereas the older Standards used Alnico 5. But I’ve also read on different forums that the Am Pro II can actually sound very bright and piercing in the highs.

As for playability, I honestly don’t have a preference. I really like the slim neck on the Standard just as much as the Deep C on the Pro II.

So yeah, I’d really appreciate your feedback and experiences, especially from people who’ve owned or compared both!

Hey everyone,

I’ve been riding my 2010 R1200RT for about 3,000 km now (bought it at 80,000 km) and I absolutely love it — best bike I’ve ever owned. But I’ve had a nagging doubt since day one, probably because I knew going in that these run a dry clutch and that clutch replacements aren’t unheard of at this mileage.

Here’s the thing: every time I ride, especially in first gear, I get a faint but noticeable smell — best described as warm plastic or hot materials. I’m being as smooth as possible with the clutch, not revving high, minimizing slip time — and I’ve never experienced this on any of my previous bikes.

My guess is it might just be the nature of the beast: dry clutch, a boxer twin that runs warm (air/oil cooled), and some honest mileage on the clock. But I’m not sure if I’m rationalizing.

The bike was serviced one week before I bought it (at 80,000 km), runs perfectly — no stalling, no weird behavior, pulls cleanly through all gears.

So — is this smell just a quirk of the platform I need to get used to? Or would you recommend getting the clutch inspected given the mileage? Appreciate any input from fellow RT or GS owners who’ve been there.

Cheers 🤙