13864 replies to this topic

[chronolever]

I just got a new guitar last week. It's a Squire vintage modified Jazzmaster. It plays good, sounds good and fits my budget so I'm stoked to have it. It's one pretty guitar too, I wasn't expecting it to look so good.

[Jadbgjoka]

This thread is useless without pics!!!

[chronolever]

Yeah, sorry about that. I was posting from my 3DS at work. Here's a pic!

[LordMachino]

Looks slick! I always noodle on those Vintage Modifieds and Classic VIbe Squires in stores when I get a chance, smooth players for sure

I hardtailed my yellow RG550. I Wedged a block behind the trem block and kept sanding it until I got the fit I wanted, and then screwed two grouding lugs opposite of it and pinched nails in them to hold it in place from the other side. The bridge stays secured without the spring there, but I need to leave it there for the time being until I move the ground wire on to the the trem block.


On the topic of bridge blocking, someone on a blog came up with the brilliant idea of using a barrel bolt lock to make restringing easier:

[Big Jilm]

That slide bolt is effin' genius! There isn't really a need most of the time for something like the pinched nails, though. The 180 lbs. or so of string tension will hold the trem in pretty tight.

[LordMachino]

I was thinking that, but I've had a block fall out on me before, and I'm planning on getting rid of the springs entirely once the ground is moved to get rid of what little reverb it's still providing. As an added bonus, if I pull the block out I can use it as a dive-only trem.

[Big Jilm]

I stick the blocks in with a dab of silicone. It holds them but if you want to remove the block later it is relatively easy.

[John MFer]

Well, after band practice I'm still not thrilled with the tones from the LP. They're good, but I want it to blow me away! The playability continues to be fantastic and I'm having a lot of fun playing it, but the tones are still not quite right, but I don't necessarily know what I'm going for anyway.

The bridge pickup was a big improvement, but still a little ice-picky in the highs at times. I've read they put inferior bridges and tailpieces on this model, which is disappointing, and can contribute to harsh highs. I don't know what truth there is to that. Some people have invested another $200 in upgraded hardware and say the tone improved greatly. <sigh>

The neck pickup, as much as I love it in the black guitar, is all mud in this one. That's a head-scratcher. With no cover you'd expect it to be clearer and brighter. I have played with the overall pickup height and the pole piece height quite a bit. The lows are either anemic or overbearing, haven't found the sweet spot. I liked the 57 classic a lot better in this guitar and may return to that - but that would mean I shelled out more dollars for a set of pickups to use just one of them. The excessively bassy tones also dominate the middle position.

Maybe I should be posting this on the 1st world problems thread.

[Ranger-X]

I went to Music Go Round to get some knobs for the PRS and they have this old "Memphis" brand Melody Maker copy there. From what I can tell, they were sold in the late 70s and early 80s as budget instruments. Made in Japan as most budget guitars from back then were. Really not much info on them otherwise. It's beat to hell, but I think that's part of why I like it. It's pretty much just like this, but white, and with different pickups (it has more P90-shaped pickups in it):

http://www.blingchee...elody maker.htm

It's only 200 bucks. That sounds like a lot, and really it could probably use a refret, but it has this vintage vibe I can't resist. I might trade my Epi SG for it. Especially if the pickups sound as cool as they look.

Edit: Actually, it's slightly different than that one.

http://musicgoround....aspx?id=1213811

And it's actually an LP Special copy. That gold stuff around the pickups is where the paint has worn off the pickup covers...I think they're brass.

[Big Jilm]

Yeah, the MM looks cool. Those pickups are likely just one coil from a humbucker. Original MM pickups are their own kind of thing with an alnico bar stuffed inside a nylon bobbin. Really bright. If it is Music-go-round you might be able to wave $180 cash and walk out with it.

EDIT: after seeing the actual one you're looking at, those are cool too! Looks like someone has added the neck pickup and likely changed the bridge pickup as well. The original dogear cover on those was plastic. You never know what might be under those covers. Could be Epiphones from a couple years ago, could be vintage Gibson.

[Ranger-X]

Yeah, I can't find any other pictures of one of those guitars with P90s, so I figured they weren't original. If they could be vintage Gibson pickups, that's reason enough for me to buy it out of curiosity. If they're not, I'm sure I could sell it for just as much, or keep it as a new project.

[Big Jilm]

Hmmm...Maybe they DID do the neck pickup like that. All the ones I've seen have had plastic covers/single pickup.

[LordMachino]

Elegant guitar there, I say go for it! Can't loose for a vintage $200 MIJ to kick around.

After a couple months of constant eBay digging, I've won an auction for a maple Ibanez prestige neck with a wizard profile and all-access neck joint. It's off of an RG1550. The progress on my project guitar is coming along great, and the guy building the body should have the rough cuts done pretty soon

[Ranger-X]

Hmmm...Maybe they DID do the neck pickup like that. All the ones I've seen have had plastic covers/single pickup.

I would venture a guess that this white one is older, and that one is one of the 80s ones, made in Korea. For one, you can't tell from that small picture, but it has the Gibson-style open-book headstock, which means it's probably pre-lawsuit (pre-77-ish). Also, it has a wraparound bridge, which doesn't necessarily mean it's older, but I wonder if it was a Gibson exclusive at the time? None of that means that those pickups aren't original, though. The routes look pretty good, whoever did it took their time or had good tools.

Elegant guitar there, I say go for it! Can't loose for a vintage $200 MIJ to kick around.

After a couple months of constant eBay digging, I've won an auction for a maple Ibanez prestige neck with a wizard profile and all-access neck joint. It's off of an RG1550. The progress on my project guitar is coming along great, and the guy building the body should have the rough cuts done pretty soon

Congrats! Those are some of the best shredder necks.

[Cuda]

Currently trying to buy a 5150 212 combo off craigslist. Hope to hear back something tomorrow. If not, I may go with a 6505+ 112 combo listed tonight.