Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: 38thBeatle on September 13, 2009, 01:22:15 AM
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My Strat has been to the guitar Doctor, a.k.a. Jonathan at Feline Guitars where she has undergone a re-fret, a set of replacement saddles, a new nut and a general set up. Thanks to Jonathan and Ben she has a new lease of life and I've just got back from a great gig where she has played perfectly. Fantastic workmanship- great stuff Jonathan- thanks very much indeed.I had a great time having a chat and playing through a rather special amp too.
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You know the rules... pics or it doesn't etc. :wink:
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Yeah, pics... :D
Which strat? Was it just fret replacement or did you change fret wire?
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Isn't it your #1 Strat in your pic, Mr. 38th?
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I may be wrong, but I'm thinking it's the '70s hardtail, not the blue one.
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I'm thinking the same Philly - but let's wait for the man to speak :D
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my my, don't leave us in the cold now, let us know!
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It isn't the blue one in my avatar. As much as I like it, it is not no1. That accolade belongs to the 1970's hardtail Strat that I have been using for many many years.She was showing her age. I'd thought about replacing the saddles but was concerned about fret wear and so I thought I'd ask Jonathan for his opinion and go with whatever he suggested. He suggested a re fret and so that is what happened.Dunlop 6105 and the board being rubbed down plus some Graph tech saddles. I had a gig last night and it was fantastic to have her back with tuning stable-oh and a set of Feline strings too. Pics? Well I guess I can do that when I get a moment but by the time I do you'd have all forgotten all about it.
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After some discussion we went with DUNLOP 6150 (not 6105) as it is the same height as classic Fender wire but is 25% wider (fret tops measure 0.042" tall by 0.102" wide for techy types) - a nice touch on an old strat - gives a comfy feel between Fender and Gibson without taking away from that Vintage guitar vibe .
We did a careful leveling of the wood before reinstalling frets - as the wear and tear in the old frets and much playing had left the fingerboard a bit pitted from finger/fingernail contact. Had to be careful as it is one of the thin laminate boards - typical of CBS era Fender.
We were aiming to improve the playability , lose the rattles and choking without changing the vibe and feel of the guitar (although the feel may be better than it was) as Steve had played this guitar for many years and certainly wanted to keep the connection that had made this guitar his number one axe for all these years.
We had some great fun running it through the new HTH amps 10w SE "super-Marshall"
Am liking that amp more and more by he day - the ability to go from a punchy JTM45/plexi to a hot rodded 80s sound is just great and certainly suits me down to the ground.
Will do a video clip soon I promise!
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Sorry I seem to have my "number dyslexia thing going there that affects me on a Sunday. That amp-well what can I say except...great! I could have spent all day playing through that. I was hoping Jonathan could expand upon my rather shallow comments.
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Sounds good (fret-job and amp) :D
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Nice one!
I'd just like to say that I tip my hat to you Steve. If you don't mind me saying, you've not got the flashest gear out there but you get the best out of what you have. You're out gigging very regularly and just get on with it. No fuss, no drama, no must-have-this etc. Unlike me :oops:
Enjoy the 'new' Strat, and I hope I can turn over a new leaf and not be so anal about my gear!
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Nice one!
I'd just like to say that I tip my hat to you Steve. If you don't mind me saying, you've not got the flashest gear out there but you get the best out of what you have.
You're out gigging very regularly and just get on with it. No fuss, no drama, no must-have-this etc. Unlike me :oops:
Enjoy the 'new' Strat, and I hope I can turn over a new leaf and not be so anal about my gear!
Yes - Steve was able to survive being in my workshop around loads of custom built axes and work in progress and not walk out with more than he had bargained for ....... able to resist temptation (unless my HTH amp had been for sale!)
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Enjoy the 'new' Strat, and I hope I can turn over a new leaf and not be so anal about my gear!
Me too. I fear that I am in danger of slipping into the 'all the gear but no idea category'.
I soooo want a strat in my arsenal again, this thread hasn't helped that. I've even considered learning about how guitars are made and experimenting with a chunk of wood. Not sure I've got the patience or time to do it though (or the tools).
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Thanks for the comments Dave but you have me blushing.
I had the chance to play a couple of Jonathan's guitars-the craftsmanship is superb, the feel spot on and the tone sublime. I was telling Mrs 38th and said "You know Mrs 38th, I'd love to get myself a custom guitar one of these days" and she was quite encouraging. I am giving it some serious thought.
Meanwhile, I was gigging Saturday night and was having a good time and in my head I was giving thanks to Jonathan and Ben for their craftsmanship. I am pleased that I had the good sense to seek Jonathan's advice and to act upon it. It was also great to have a chat.
As for HTH's amp-well that was marvellous and I was smiling to myself at the fun I had playing through it. I was having a sausage finger day but even so, the amp flattered my playing. Jonathan and I were thinking that it is the sort of amp that needs no effects in front of it except perhaps for a nice warm buttery tremolo.
Anyways for the "pics or it didn't happen" brigade I have(hopefully) uploaded some.
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Do you notice any change in tone or playability due to the Graph Tech saddles?
On my Robert Cray Strat they seemed to make string bending easier, perhaps because the strings aren't "stuck" on the saddles.
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Sweeet, any chance of a full frontal?
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Looks good, and I bet it plays sweet too. +1 on more pix request
The dunlop fret numbers aren't the most intuitive are they?
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How do you like the 6150 frets? I've got them on a neck on its way to me.
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full frontal :)
nice work as always jonathan
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Full frontal? Good grief, I assume you mean the guitar. Hmm well it is getting dark when I get home from work but I will see what I can do (I think flash is over rated and sucks tone).
The frets are not dissimilar to what was there. Jonathan thought that the guitar may have been re fretted. I don't recall that ( don't laugh, I wasn't always the calm rational articulate person I am now) though I bought the guitar off a friend who'd bought her about 6 to 8 months before-brand new I have always assumed but thinking about is, I can't say for sure.He'd changed the machine heads and it could have been that he changed them but unless someone here knows a good medium, I can't ask him. The guitar feels "tighter" in a good way. The strings are even and bends are more controllable ( Johnny Marr wouldn't approve of that ). I'm getting used to the more material at the bridge.Tuning is better ( and it was always good on tuning). I can't say there is a lot of difference in tone but maybe some of you guys with more sensitive ears would notice if I'd have done a before and after test. She is a sheer joy to play though. 1970's Strats get slagged off and indeed mine has original finish issues that I have come to love but she is a resonant great sounding plank. Thanks to Jonathan she will continue to be No 1 for the gigs I have in my diary and hopefully many beyond.
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Lovely looking piece of frets/fretboard :D
I've had the "Mrs 38th" conversation as well (not with her obviously :lol:), after a visit to Jonathan, and with much the same outcome. One of the reasons I haven't started investigating "custom" yet, is that I don't know what guitar it would be, it would have to be specially "me", not just a high quality guitar... and I'm not at all sure what that is...
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Lovely looking piece of frets/fretboard :D
I've had the "Mrs 38th" conversation as well (not with her obviously :lol:), after a visit to Jonathan, and with much the same outcome. One of the reasons I haven't started investigating "custom" yet, is that I don't know what guitar it would be, it would have to be specially "me", not just a high quality guitar... and I'm not at all sure what that is...
Choose one shape - buy a BKP and give Feline a deposit.... Simples!
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Sounds like your Strat had some good treatment Steve. They play and feel great after some work at Feline. Those custom guitars, once you have played one the must have one of those feelings will grow and grow and you will succumb to their temptress curves!
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Lovely looking piece of frets/fretboard :D
I've had the "Mrs 38th" conversation as well (not with her obviously :lol:), after a visit to Jonathan, and with much the same outcome. One of the reasons I haven't started investigating "custom" yet, is that I don't know what guitar it would be, it would have to be specially "me", not just a high quality guitar... and I'm not at all sure what that is...
Choose one shape - buy a BKP and give Feline a deposit.... Simples!
:lol:
I didn't see the attached pic at first, and I thought "yeah, but, it's not that easy..."
Then when I saw the pic - yes!! (I think the size of guitar and body might be more up gwem's street though :lol:)
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Here you go- a full frontal taken earlier today.
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that's nice,
not sure if it was intended, but it seems to give off a little stevie ray vaughan-esque vibe
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I love that strat, 38th :) Just needs black knobs (ooer)!
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A proper work horse - love it!
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I love that strat, 38th :) Just needs black knobs (ooer)!
Yea it needs black knobs!
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I don't know about the black knobs-she had the white ones when I got her. I have no strong views either way. I have just got in from a gig and she has performed well tonight. As you can see from the pic, she has been subjected to wear and she has the mojo of an old guitar.
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I think I might agree on the black knobs - if the pickup covers matched the knobs, I'd be fine, but with black pickup covers I'd be switching the knobs...
It's a very fine point though - she looks good as is :D
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Here you go- a full frontal taken earlier today.
Wow! really like her mate :) What a beauty!
I like the white knobs too... (gives the mid 70s quirky mojo)
edit: so the 70s hardtail has the slowhands, and the blue avatar has apaches?
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I was trying to work out what p'ups were where.
Steve, I would have though you would use a more regular strat tone than the fatter slowhands for your #1!
Your guitar looks great with the knobs, a bit of character
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Your guitar looks great with the knobs, a bit of character
I agree. If it ain't broke, don't fix it ;)
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Thank you chaps for the positive comments. In fact the 1970's Strat has the Apaches and Blue one has the Slowhands. Yeah I know, rosewood neck etc etc but she sounds terrific as Jonathan will no doubt confirm-even with me playing her. I have had this guitar since long before many of you guys were born and although I used to think she was a bit of an ugly duckling, I don't feel that way at all now. I am trying to remember when exactly I bought her :could have been 1978 ( those years are a bit of a blur). The guy I bought her from had her about 6 to 8 months I think and I've always assumed he bought her new but the machine heads were Schallers when I got her and I think I remember him saying he changed them. I don't actually know whether the knobs would be originals or even the pickup covers originally- the ones that came with her to me were black though like a dummy I changed them to EMGs before discovering BKP. I like the white knobs though as I can see the numbers on them on stage (I use the volume control to get different tones). Just out of curiosity I sometimes wonder about trying another set of BKPs but then I plug her in and forget all about that. Last night for example I played a small venue where we had to keep the volume down and therefore the sound was quite clean, i.e. nowhere to hide and I had a ball making sure that I got everything right. She sounded so so good.
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I love that strat, 38th :) Just needs black knobs (ooer)!
Yea it needs black knobs!
I would keep the white knobs, but change the black pickup covers for white ones!
Either way, it' a fantastically cool-looking guitar.
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Did you notice any tonal change with the new saddles? Hard to say I guess, with the refret?
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gwEm ( and Philly who asked before), now that I have played her at a couple of gigs I would say the tone is a little brighter but not at the expense of bottom end.As you say, there were other things going on.The pickup height was altered too. A point Philly also made about bending the strings-not different in itself but the whole thing feels more stable-not from a tuning point of view but just in terms of feel.