Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Twinfan on May 20, 2008, 11:20:00 PM
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OK, it's time to share my latest piece of guitar related fun :)
A bloke at work sold me a used one of these a few months back:
(http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/2/3/1/268231.jpg)
It's a bog standard Chinese Squier Affinitiy Strat. It had no trem arm and a few bumps and bruises so I paid him his asking price of £35. Bargain! I had a few spare Seymour Duncans lying around so I'd been looking out for a cheap Strat to stick them in. The guitar is surprisingly nice to play, quite resonant and worthy of the pimping. Job done. Or so I thought...
I picked up a used Black Dog a few weeks back and it didn't work out for the guitar I bought it for, so it was lying around spare. I thought I'd pick up a single pickup Baretta or something similar to stick it in, then I saw one of these in Sounds Great Music for £2299 ( :o ):
(http://www.peachideas.com/acatalog/160.jpg)
Can you see where this is heading??? ;)
A quick check on the body routing of the Squier and it's routed for a 'bucker in the bridge. Hmmmm. A bit of planning, a little shopping trip to AxesRUs, and couple of hours work and I end up with the spend below:
* Chinese Squier Strat (used): £35
* Wilkinson vintage style Strat trem: £26.50
* Bare Knuckle Black Dog humbucker (used): £60
* Tortoiseshell H-S-S Strat scratchplate: £15
* Wilkinson E-Z Lok machineheads: £17
* Cream vol/tone/tone knobs and trem/switch tips: £6.30
* Schaller Straplocks: Free, from my spare parts drawer
* Seymour Duncan APS-1 single coil: Free, from my spare parts drawer
* Stock Squier middle single coil: Free, came with the guitar
£160.80. Not bad at all! I've got a line on a couple of different single coils that will replace the stock Squier, and I need to take the shine off the scratchplate, otherwise the guitar is all done for well under £200. It's my "anti-snob" axe that I'm hoping to use in my 80s rock band when it gets off the ground. It's an awesome sounding old-skool rocker!
I don't need a Custom Shop Fender when for a fraction of the price I can create the "Masterbuilt Twinfan-o-caster" :D
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/FatStrat.jpg)
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Superb!
Although I think you should take a blunt object to it too, to get that "well gigged" look. You could sell it on to some muppet willing to pay over 2 grand for a similar axe, and make a tidy profit :D
Roo
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Lovely jubbly!!!!
I'd love it :D
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The Black Dog sounds superb in it, really nice hot PAF rocker. I think I prefer VHIIs for higher gain stuff, but the 'Dog does pretty well!
I can't understand paying huge money for a Superstrat. Build your own, it's WAY more fun!
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the body is a beauty but strat headstocks i just can't get by, for me the are just repulsive :shock:
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the body is a beauty but strat headstocks i just can't get by, for me the are just repulsive :shock:
I sawed mine off
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Cool! Just need now to "moor" it to your car and get ride thru your corner 8)
Or pay to some guy give it the vintage looks
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I sawed mine off
Good stuff. Everytime someone takes a saw to a Strat, I feel all warm and fuzzy.
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the body is a beauty but strat headstocks i just can't get by, for me the are just repulsive :shock:
I sawed mine off
How did you tune?
Did you use a Steinberger system?
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Very nice! :D
70's Strat headstocks rawk! :twisted:
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OK, the snob in me has to ask - are you going to keep "Squire" on the headstock? I know, I know, that's the point that you're making... however, if you're going to be seen in public with it, wouldn't you want to write something else on there?
Mark.
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I'd be proud to be seen with a Squier.
At least then people will know it's the player, not the kit.
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it looks really good, i like the black and tortoise a lot
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Yep, the Squier is staying :)
I'd love someone to walk over at a gig and say:
"You're playing a Squier?????????" :lol:
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Looks good to me, and I'm glad the BD worked out well in a Strat!
Definitely keep that Squier logo, bollocks to guitar snobbery. If it was a "JV" Squier, people would be cooing over it anyway, they have their own snob appeal.
And Strat headstocks rule, big or small it's a fantastic shape. The only one they messed up was "The Strat" back in 1980. They tried to recreate the original '50s style but apparently they used worn-out tooling and it went a bit wrong:
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/the_strat_candy_apple_red_008.jpg)
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Are you not going to batter the body up? I'd put a little bit of paint remover and bury it in a hole or something for 2 weeks or so. Then again you'll smell like your back garden which, far from snobbery however, just isn't right I guess. Unless you can somehow get that smell away.
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paint remover VS squire
SQUIRE WINS!!!!
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paint remover VS squire
SQUIRE WINS!!!!
Yeah, I guess that's why they call it Nitromors. Poly finishes are almost totally impervious.
Some of them are like thick coats of plastic. I took the bridge off my American Tele and some finish chips came off around the screw holes. I swear it was well over 1mm thick! :(
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That looks sweet :D
I do think it could look even hawter a little bashed up :shock:
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I was considering relic-ing it, but they can look really false so I've decided against it.
However...
It won't be living in a case or gigbag - ever. I'm considering driving around with it in the boot of my car for a bit. I don't drive slowly. It will be left leaning against stuff so it might get knocked over. I think I'll spray catnip on it and let my cats loose. Etc ;)
The only thing I will do is get a brillo pad on the scratchplate tonight to take the shine off it. Then I'm going to let it age and relic by being careless with it!
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Setting fire to that kind of finish works well, but probably not the kind of flamed finish you are into?
That does look pretty nice, love the fact that the parts cost more than the body :P
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I'm considering driving around with it in the boot of my car for a bit. I don't drive slowly. It will be left leaning against stuff so it might get knocked over. I think I'll spray catnip on it and let my cats loose. Etc ;)
The only problem then is that you might end up with chips or dents in the neck which hamper playability.
I know that's what can happen with real old guitars, but I think relicing is best confined to the body and headstock, with maybe just a matt finish and/or a bit of dirt on the neck.
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just put a towel around the neck with some elastic bands first, then bash away!!
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You should post pictures as it develops these "accidents" :)
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Will do!
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Are you going to keep the single coils in there?
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
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I would also let it naturally relic if there is such a thing. Over on the TDPRI someone has posted a thread to the most awful relic job I have ever seen. Someone has literally attacked a guitar with a hammer and then set fire to parts of the body. It looks totally unnatural and hideous, especially given that the chrome hardware looks shiny new too. The best way of "relicing" a guitar is to play it, gig with it, keep it out of its case, let your kids play it, or lend it out to someone with kids. Hang it up in a light sunny room, so bits fade, dont wipe the thing down after sweating on it, lean it against your amp without a stand during soundchecks and performances. Pretty soon it'll look nice and (naturally) aged.
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it doesn't exist until we have clips of that black dog :P
(good work btw)
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It's quite hard to naturally relic a guitar with a superhard plastic finish. When they were lacquered it wasn't too hard as the finish was a lot softer.
I see you're a Skipton lad. My uncle used to have one of the pubs in the centre of town. I thik it was called the White Horse, although I could well be talking out my arse on that one. I seem to remember that it was BIG and white and had a resturant upstairs. Nearly moved to Skipton when I was a teenager.
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Nice project Dave.
Turned out very nice.
Fernando - it looks a bit like Jim's 8-Ball strat eh?
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Looks good :) I'm generally not a fan of tort pickguards but it looks quite nice there. I've been thinking about getting a new strat (was going to go the Warmoth route for a higher quality one) but now you've got me thinking about getting a Squier strat and upgrading a few things on it (allready have a spare wilkinson bridge and some pickups lying around)..
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
Sorry, I meant "Stock" single coils :P
No BKP's? Or is it the offspring of buying far to many guitars/ parts and finding something to do with them? :lol:
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
Sorry, I meant "Stock" single coils :P
No BKP's? Or is it the offspring of buying far to many guitars/ parts and finding something to do with them? :lol:
The humbucker is a Black Dog.
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What a great guitar for 160! nice one!
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That will be guitar of the century once it's nicely bashed up a bit. I'd also clean the writing off the headstock and make it plain so it looks more like a Warmoth build or something but each to their own. :D
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Looks great :D Pimped Squiers FTW!!!
Heres mine with Holydiver bridge:
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Nice work TomW!
Angus - the bridge is a Black Dog I had spare. The idea was to keep this guitar as cheap as possible, so no BKP singles. Unless I score them REALLY cheap. Which won't happen.
The SD in the neck is actually quite nice (and bluesy smooth), but I'm picking up two Japanese '57 reissue units on Saturday so both of those may go in for a bit more 'spank'.
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Nice work TomW!
Angus - the bridge is a Black Dog I had spare. The idea was to keep this guitar as cheap as possible, so no BKP singles. Unless I score them REALLY cheap. Which won't happen.
The SD in the neck is actually quite nice (and bluesy smooth), but I'm picking up two Japanese '57 reissue units on Saturday so both of those may go in for a bit more 'spank'.
I got a Triology neck off Tom for £37 :)
I'm getting it changed to a *middle, however, I might change my mind and give it to you? Since your Squire middle is cr@ppy.
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You mean you're getting it changed to a middle? :P
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You mean you're getting it changed to a middle? :P
LOL - yes, thanks for the correction Tom.
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Fernando - it looks a bit like Jim's 8-Ball strat eh?
Yeah! :D
Twinfan, let us know when you get it decently finished! 8)
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All this talk of bad relicing on Poly finishes reminds me. I saw the single worst ever fake Rory Glaalgher Strat t'other day. If I'm feeling especially brave, I'll snap a picture of it.
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I sawed mine off
Good stuff. Everytime someone takes a saw to a Strat, I feel all warm and fuzzy.
Ah men brother, you and me see eye to eye :twisted:
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Fernando - it looks a bit like Jim's 8-Ball strat eh?
Yeah! :D
Twinfan, let us know when you get it decently finished! 8)
Will do! Slight change on the pickup front, it's going to have two Schaller S6 Vintage's in neck/middle on Sat which are a similar spec to Irish Tour/Slow Hands :)
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
Sorry, I meant "Stock" single coils :P
No BKP's? Or is it the offspring of buying far to many guitars/ parts and finding something to do with them? :lol:
The humbucker is a Black Dog.
Yeah.... and it's not a single coil :P
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
Sorry, I meant "Stock" single coils :P
No BKP's? Or is it the offspring of buying far to many guitars/ parts and finding something to do with them? :lol:
The humbucker is a Black Dog.
Yeah.... and it's not a single coil :P
I thought you meant no BKPs at all. Sorry!
(back to revising...)
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Thats some nice work, dave! I like. I like a lot.
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Cheers!
I think I'm going to try and give it a cigarette burn on the headstock tonight a la Clapton et al. I've already dulled the scratchplate and body finish by scouring the whole thing with a maky old brillo pad(!) - worked like a charm!
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Cheers!
I think I'm going to try and give it a cigarette burn on the headstock tonight a la Clapton et al. I've already dulled the scratchplate and body finish by scouring the whole thing with a maky old brillo pad(!) - worked like a charm!
:twisted:
Like it!
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I think I'm going to try and give it a cigarette burn on the headstock tonight a la Clapton !
NOOOO-O-O-O_oooo!!
Sorry, what's cool about emphysema again? :evil:
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Sorry, what's cool about emphysema again? :evil:
I believe guitars doesn't have lungs to have cancer (http://216.211.140.132/Smileys/Lots_O_Smileys/dontknow.gif)
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Yes, correct.
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Chill Martin dude :)
I haven't smoked them - just lit them and let them burn. Got the idea when I foud half a pack lying around on our work car park. It's all part of the DIY relic-ing...
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But it would make you look like a smoker...ok I suppose if you're dumbing down. :lol:
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Or the previous owner was a smoker. I only bought it recently remember. I couldn't have got enough gigs on it at my age to make it so well used ;)
:lol:
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You're not that youthful are you Dave?
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Yep, it's my only H-S-S Strat. The middle pickup will be swapped at the weekend for a Japanese '57 reissue alnico in place of the stock ceramic Squier which isn't very inspiring..........
Sorry, I meant "Stock" single coils :P
No BKP's? Or is it the offspring of buying far to many guitars/ parts and finding something to do with them? :lol:
The humbucker is a Black Dog.
Yeah.... and it's not a single coil :P
I thought you meant no BKPs at all. Sorry!
(back to revising...)
:P
Have fun studying :lol: :)
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You're not that youthful are you Dave?
I'm a very young, and slightly Dave Grohl looking, 33 :D
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What big teeth and very american looking..or do you mean in the video with Jack black dressed in a skirt *L*
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Err, both???? :lol:
More like the Learn To Fly vid actually ;)
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Erm hate to point out he dresses as a schoolgirl in that one *L*
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And a camp air steward..... :o
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How are those Wilkinson EZ Lok tuners?I have a project Squire Strat that really needs a tuners upgrade :)
what's the max gauge those can take? (I'm using a .054 in drop C)
thx
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the body is a beauty but strat headstocks i just can't get by, for me the are just repulsive :shock:
I sawed mine off
How did you tune?
Did you use a Steinberger system?
no I just didnt put strings on it, hung it on a wall, and dribbled in awe! lol
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How are those Wilkinson EZ Lok tuners?I have a project Squire Strat that really needs a tuners upgrade :)
what's the max gauge those can take? (I'm using a .054 in drop C)
thx
I've not actually fitted them yet, I'm waiting for the next string change :oops:
The holes look fairly small so I'd be surprised if you can get a .054 in there on the bass C.....
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Yeah man that looks awsome!
i have an old squire and now i know what to do with it
:idea: