|
|
Guitar Discussions -> still thinking of modding an import?
There are 8 messages in this thread.
You are currently looking at messages 1 to 8.
|
still thinking of modding an import? - tai fu - 12:23 21-11-05
|
|
Yes, we all have that idea.. Lets buy a say MIM strat and replace the
pickups, bridge, tuner, etc. Lets consider this: A MIM strat seems to have
different string spacing from a vintage (American) strat, therefore in order
to replace the bridge you would have to plug and redrill the holes, not
saying its hard to do, but if you did it wrong your axe will never be in
tune. Then again, a good 6 hole bridge costs around 50 dollars, and if you
want new pickups, add about 250-400 if you want all 3 sets. A good locking
tuner will set you back another 100 dollars. All this and it still says Made
in Mexico, and the body is still poplar or some multi peice alder (possibly
up to 4!). For that price you can buy the American Standard (or possibly
deluxe) and you get a hard case, says "made in USA", descent to good
pickups, locking tuner (if deluxe), 2-3 peice body, Ash or Alder, good trem,
and best of all, good resale value.
MIM strat is only good if you leave it untouched, If you'd like custom shop
kind of guitar however then get warmoth part and the pickups you want, but
expect to pay alot for it and it will still have poor resale value.
Yes I was thinking of getting the Highway 1 and possibly modding them with
better pups and repaint them somehow, but I figured, by the time I am done I
would have been able to buy a custom shop. So I decided might as well go
with the Deluxe, then for most people you wouldnt need to mod them, they're
real good out of the box already (well except maybe shield the cavities, and
that doesnt cost much to do)
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? - RickH - 14:57 21-11-05
|
|
tai fu wrote:
> Yes, we all have that idea.. Lets buy a say MIM strat and replace the
> pickups, bridge, tuner, etc. Lets consider this: A MIM strat seems to have
> different string spacing from a vintage (American) strat, therefore in order
> to replace the bridge you would have to plug and redrill the holes, not
> saying its hard to do, but if you did it wrong your axe will never be in
> tune. Then again, a good 6 hole bridge costs around 50 dollars, and if you
> want new pickups, add about 250-400 if you want all 3 sets. A good locking
> tuner will set you back another 100 dollars. All this and it still says Made
> in Mexico, and the body is still poplar or some multi peice alder (possibly
> up to 4!). For that price you can buy the American Standard (or possibly
> deluxe) and you get a hard case, says "made in USA", descent to good
> pickups, locking tuner (if deluxe), 2-3 peice body, Ash or Alder, good trem,
> and best of all, good resale value.
>
> MIM strat is only good if you leave it untouched, If you'd like custom shop
> kind of guitar however then get warmoth part and the pickups you want, but
> expect to pay alot for it and it will still have poor resale value.
>
> Yes I was thinking of getting the Highway 1 and possibly modding them with
> better pups and repaint them somehow, but I figured, by the time I am done I
> would have been able to buy a custom shop. So I decided might as well go
> with the Deluxe, then for most people you wouldnt need to mod them, they're
> real good out of the box already (well except maybe shield the cavities, and
> that doesnt cost much to do)
Yes, I'd like to get a 70's hollow thinline Telecaster (Squire or other
cheapo) and put on a Gibson 24 3/4 inch scale neck, with 14 inch radius
and 13 degree bent headstock, and replace the neck pup with a Classic
57 humbucker. Neck would cost more than the guitar plus your time,
these days I can easily spare the change but not the time. IOW set up
for jazz.
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? - Ross A. Biddle - 15:33 21-11-05
|
|
Well - the Deluxe and Resissue MIM stuff uses the same spacing and has
nicer bodies. For instance - my 98 MIM Deluxe Super Strat has a 2
piece Ash body with a beautiful trans red finish. I swapped the
pickups out and re-did the electronics and have a great guitar. If I
ever feel the need I can swap the MIM trem for an Am trem - but I may
just swap the block and save the $$.
BTW - picked it up on ebay for 389. So add in less than 200 in
"modifications" and I have a SWEET guitar for much less than an
American.
Stick to the higher end Mexican stuff and you can't go wrong IMO.
|
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? -
|
|
tai fu wrote:
> Yes, we all have that idea..
Guess everybody has their own takes.
I'll share mine.
I go for inexpensive decent platforms. I pick them for sound. Basic
playability, though lately I have no objection to doing a fret level
re-crown if the sound is there.
I trick them to be exactly what I want.
These are two, a mexi-strat in poplar, and a Squire standard in
agathis:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/bluemood/reliable.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/bluemood/bluething.jpg
One catches gibbie paf mids, the other gretsch filtertron.
Both rigged for access to all singles.
Shielded, star-grounded.
I make the guards myself, less than 5 bucks a pop, including graphics.
GFS pickups, which are inexpensive yet high quality:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/pickups.html
I'm my own guitar tech, and they are set up perfectly for me by me.
I have absolutely ZERO desire for anything pricier from Fender.
To pop for more in the $ dept. would be to a custom maker.
If I were inclined to spend what some spend on factory runs from
Fender, I'd buy one from Gerard:
http://www.melanconguitars.com/index.shtml
A stellar reputation, and the money buys much more guitar for much less
than equivalency in product from Fender custom shop, and I've seen
enough of both to know that, be able to say that.
My next stratocreature, should there be one, most likely this:
http://www.rondomusic.net/sst62short.html
It has a 24" scale, which is a Jaguar scale, one of my very favorites.
I already have color schemes picked out, pickups to use.
And there is the bug that wants to fashion a body for that scale neck,
use the whammy, along the lines of one of the Cadillac things that Bo
Diddley came up with, as per his Gunslinger album.
Anyway tai fu, best of luck in arriving at Guitar Bliss.
I spent some years in Taichung (as a civilian) and very much enjoyed
the Great People there. Really, something else. Count yourself Blessed.
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? - Daniel Dreibelbis - 20:34 21-11-05
|
|
FWIW, last year I bought a Peavey Predator Plus - a Korean model -
for $150 CDN. I decided on it because after picking it up and playing it
for the first time, I decided I like the neck, the balance, and the
basic sound. Plus, I did some research and discovered a lot of people
loved this particular model as a modification mule.
I added new pickups (GFS and SD), new saddles (GraphTech), and did
some tweezing on the trem system to get it to stay in tune with wilder
trem use (glued a mending plate inside the trem cavity to prevent
pulling up).
Why? Why not? I figured that starting with a basically good guitar
and doing mostly my own mods to it would be fun, and give me something
that would give me a sound I was looking for. And I had fun doing it,
which is a good part of the reason. I also tried to get the parts at the
best bargain possible (the SD I got used, and did an eBay deal with GFS
for the two single-coil sized humbuckers).
--
Dan Dreibelbis, Guitar Nerd - Better Living Through Home Recording
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=121942
Current song - "Hello (Again)"
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? - tai fu - 21:32 21-11-05
|
|
I guess as far as strat goes, I would leave MIM alone. However not everyone
likes American strat necks and would prefer other necks, its all personal.
Some like MIM necks, some like MIJ and some likes American. To me they all
feel the same anyways. Well except warmoth's "Boatneck" which would seem a
little big for Asian hands. I wonder if anyone like sanded the back of a
guitar neck to suit their hands better?
|
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? -
|
|
tai fu wrote:
> I wonder if anyone like sanded the back of a
> guitar neck to suit their hands better?
The white guitar in above post has a neck taken down.
It started as a fat C neck.
Had just got back to playing after an over ten year layoff.
Old tendons threw me a loop surprise with tendonitis with a guitar neck
that wouldn't have been an issue decades ago.
A sanding disc on a drill.
Patience and attention, marking & checking at stages to get it just
right.
Various grades of paper.
0000 steel wool.
Formby's low gloss tung oil finish.
All materials off the shelf.
Result was/is one of the of the great playing necks, configured exactly
right for my needs at the time.
Can use, enjoy a fat c neck now that I've come up to speed.
|
|
|
|
Re: still thinking of modding an import? - Guncho - 11:18 22-11-05
|
|
Daniel Dreibelbis wrote:
> FWIW, last year I bought a Peavey Predator Plus - a Korean model -
> for $150 CDN. I decided on it because after picking it up and playing it
> for the first time, I decided I like the neck, the balance, and the
> basic sound. Plus, I did some research and discovered a lot of people
> loved this particular model as a modification mule.
>
> I added new pickups (GFS and SD), new saddles (GraphTech), and did
> some tweezing on the trem system to get it to stay in tune with wilder
> trem use (glued a mending plate inside the trem cavity to prevent
> pulling up).
>
> Why? Why not? I figured that starting with a basically good guitar
> and doing mostly my own mods to it would be fun, and give me something
> that would give me a sound I was looking for. And I had fun doing it,
> which is a good part of the reason. I also tried to get the parts at the
> best bargain possible (the SD I got used, and did an eBay deal with GFS
> for the two single-coil sized humbuckers).
>
> --
> Dan Dreibelbis, Guitar Nerd - Better Living Through Home Recording
> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=121942
> Current song - "Hello (Again)"
I think another reason I don't like the whole "Buy a cheap guitar thing
and fix it upthing ", is resale value. And yes I do buy guitars to
play them. I also know that someday I may want to sell the guitar and
buy something else.
On the resale market, a Peavey Predator is a Peavey Predator. It
doesn't matter what you do to it. You're not going to recoup your
upgrade dollars.
Chris
|
|
|
|
1 |
|