Work in progress !
You've done the cutting in but when are you going to get the roller out ;)[/QUOTE]
Can anyone recommend someone who refinishes guitars? I've got another project in the offing and, having just completed my last project, I'm not that impressed with the way it was finished by my Tech. I'm not looking for a super-duper job that costs a bomb, just a pretty good nitro job for a reasonable price N pearls or candy finishes, just a regular flat colour. Not in a rush either, just need some quotes and an idea of prices. Cheers.
The afore mentioned project Jazzcaster:
You mean you are getting rid of the Vice Ray decal Spence?!
Love his stuff.
I have heard the sum of £300 bandied about for a full guitar respray although it sounds a lot to me.
Prep and rattle can it in nitro yourself?
Cheers,
Neil.
No Neil, the guy I go to for refinishes did it. I asked for a 'light relic' job and he went further than I wanted. I provided photographic examples and this is nothing like them. We discussed this and I eventually only paid for the material costs and prep work (£35). £300 is more than I paid for the upcoming project in total so I may end up going down the 'Wudtone' road. If that works out, I may strip this again and redo it that way.
I've bought some Nitro rattle cans from here - http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/
Though with those dings you're not going to get a smooth finish without a fair bit of prep.
There's a place on ebay that does relic'd refins and sells bodies already reliced. I can't remember the name of the top of my head but it got a number in it Guitar 46 or something (not a lot of help sorry!)
To be honest, I'm not looking for a perfect finish. The dinks and dents are not really an issue. What I don't like about it is the excessive wear above the pick guard (and underneath it) and the arm chamfer as well as the cracking and checking in the nitro. All I wanted was a little sympathetic wear around the edges and maybe a couple of dinks.
Interesting you should mention Manchester Guitar Tech, i'm sure he is a member of this forum!
Originally Posted by Spencer Lee
Blimey he went a bit mad with the relic-ing didn't he?
Manchester guitar tech and Wudtone are both on a guitar forum I post on and both well thought of.
I've seen some lovely finishes done with the Wudtone stuff.
Cheers,
Neil.
I'd like to ask a quick question about your experiences with guitar amps. Has anyone tried a Blackstar Artisan 15? There's something about them and I'd love to try one sometime soon, with the intention of upgrading what I have....anyone?
My guitar collection is now up to two , not shabby as I still can't play but I'm
Keeping on. Saw this on eBay and for the price I thought I'd chance it. In Great condition and playing nicely.
Here are some of mine (and one of my tubas that's sneaked into the frame). I refuse to give airtime to my '82 Les Paul.
The u-bass uke is a lined fretless that's now had a very nice five string conversion.
I'm currently without a double bass, but trying to rectify that. If anyone knows of a decent 3/4 5-string then please let me know!
Last edited by sunaxi; 4th May 2015 at 00:03. Reason: Trying to get image link to work!
For anyone interested, here's the U-Bass after the conversion. It's a little bit tight between the strings but a set of Thunder Reds has helped.
Why?
I'd like to see it.
Cheers,
Neil.
I've acquired another 6-string since my last post.. Here it is on the left, a PRS SE Fredrik Akesson signature model.
It's a difficult guitar to photograph as it just appears black. It is actually a dark brown with the quilted maple top showing through.
It represents a few firsts for me; my first PRS, first single cut and my first guitar with a sub 25.5 inch scale length. I can't put it down, it plays like a dream.
The 24.5 inch scale length has taken a little time to get used to (my extended scale 7-string now feels massive). Some of the signature features are a very thick mahogany body, (making it quite heavy), wide and fat neck with jumbo frets, a Tone Pros wraparound fixed bridge and tweaked pickups - they are quite hot, but clean up nicely. The sustain is amazing!
I'm off for a play...
Sigh, you'll only encourage it! So here's my Gibson Les Paul Deluxe in cherry sunburst. It's not that it's a bad guitar, it's just not a very good one. It's heavy, uncomfortable and some days it'll just go out of tune if you look at it funny. The frets are a bit too wide and flat for my liking and the pickups aren't great.
I bought it for £400 in the late eighties and really should sell it on, but I'd feel guilty inflicting it on anyone else. In my defence, I was young and didn't know any better.
Last edited by sunaxi; 4th May 2015 at 14:07.
^^^
I agree that was pretty much the low point for Gibson LP's but I'd imagine I was Scott Gorham from Thin Lizzy with that DeLuxe.
I'd do you a trade involving an Omega Seamaster Chronostop.
PM me if interested.
Cheers,
Neil.
Should I admit that for a few years I played it in a wartime dance/big band?I agree that was pretty much the low point for Gibson LP's but I'd imagine I was Scott Gorham from Thin Lizzy with that DeLuxe.
Omegas aren't really my thing, but thank you for the very generous offer.
Pearl. 1976 I was told when I bought it. The saying is apparently "as rare as hens teeth".
Epiphone SG with Bigsby Tremelo
Last edited by Dean; 4th May 2015 at 18:28.
I think that most guitars if made of decent and solid wood can be worked on to make them pretty good. Most of the tuning issues on these instruments is probably (almost certainly) to do with the nut and if you replace it and cut/file it at the correct angle and depth, then it'll probably hold it's tuning just fine. Pickups need to be replaced, as does much of the wiring. Set it up right after that. Easy fix for a tweaker and you get get a 3/4 decent instrument out of it if you put in the time.
Thanks for the advice; these are all things that I've learnt over the years. Don't get me started on the issues with my main EE♭ tuba, turns out it's a bit of a cut-and-shut.
Back in the day I did have the Les Paul worked upon, quite extensively and set up how I like. It's better than it was, but in my opinion it will never be anything other than a mediocre guitar and nothing is going to stop it from being heavy and uncomfortable. As Neil.C mentioned, it's not from one of Gibson's golden periods.
The remaining tuning issues don't appear to be tuner/nut/bridge related and are more to do with it being a big old lump of not entirely stable mahogany. I may just have got a bad one, I don't know; I've never seen another Deluxe in the flesh.
I'm almost exclusively a fretless player now and so have little inclination to do anything more with it. It gets the odd outing and that's more than it deserves!
Gibson Les Paul Standard, 2005 Faded series.
Ernie Ball Musicman Axis.
I was looking for one of these for a while and lucked into this almost mint example a while back but have not had the opportunity to take some pics.....until now:
Hmmm, mahogany double cut, carved top semi hollow body; bound but no f-holes. Replacement Gotoh roller bridge and tail piece. Replacement Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates bridge and neck with coil splits on the tone controls (push/pull).
Pearloid block markers with abalone inserts on a bound, set neck, 22 frets, 24.75" scale.
The feel of this guitar is actually stunning, particularly at it's price point and even more so that towards the end of it's 2 year production run, they were selling them for less than $200. That name on the headstock....
Yup, the Squier Masterbuilt Esprit!
That's an unusual addition Spence.
HNGD.
Cheers,
Neil.
Last weekend I was sorting out some of my electric guitars (primarily moving them away from the loft, where they are exposed to too many temperature changes) and had the opportunity to take some snaps of my favourites.
As you can see, I do have a thing for PRS guitars, which I have played since the early 90s. I still have my first PRS, which is the 1989 Custom 24 in tobacco sunburst in the third set. There's something about the early PRSs. Back in the early 1990s I visited the original Annapolis factory, where they gave me a nice tour, and I will never forget the passion and attention to detail that was put into those early models. There's no guitar that plays like a late 1980s PRS Custom 24s to me. Of course, it's all a personal thing!
My first guitars (mainly Gibson, Washburn, Fender, etc) and a few others are not in London but I'll take photos of those if I get the opportunity. And maybe I'll get around to posting up some acoustics too.
Ok, let's see what we have here...
1973 Fender Stratocaster
1990 PRS Custom 24
1989 PRS Custom 24 (with sweet switch)
Early 1990s PRS prototype made especially for Gary Moore. I bought it from his former manager (who later actually also worked for PRS in the US). This model then went on to provide the basis for the McCarthy models.
Fender Stratocaster 1950s relic shop version
1973 Gibson SG
1980s Gibson Les Paul
1987 PRS Custom 24 with sweet switch (this used to be a studio guitar for Mark Schenker, and has seen very little use in its life - it's currently my favourite and all I'm playing these days)
A custom-made Kenn Gordon double cut guitar. He's a great UK-based luthier that makes stunning instruments.
1999 PRS Custom 24 Artist package
A custom-made Ruokangas VSOP. Ruokangas is an old-school Finnish luthier who in my view makes some of the best guitars in the world.
Peavey Wolfgang. Good for tapping! :)
1989 PRS Custom 24 (my first PRS).
New one for me today Fender Jaguar Classic Player!
Fancied a short scale Jag for a little while now and spotting an immaculate one on the sales corner of a guitar forum I frequent the Mrs and I (she was buying it for my birthday in Oct) drove over to Streatham Common to have a look.
Met all my expectations ( a lot of switches!) so did the deal and bought it home.
The Candy apple red colour looks pretty saucy and the chrome parts really hot rod it up.
All in all very pleased.
A few quick pics...
Cheers,
Neil.
New one for me today Fender Jaguar Classic Player!
Fancied a short scale Jag for a little while now and spotting an immaculate one on the sales corner of a guitar forum I frequent the Mrs and I (she was buying it for my birthday in Oct) drove over to Streatham Common to have a look.
Met all my expectations ( a lot of switches!) so did the deal and bought it home.
The Candy apple red colour looks pretty saucy and the chrome parts really hot rod it up.
All in all very pleased.
A few quick pics...
WOWSER!!
That's a peach Neil
Enjoy it and Happy birthday mate
John
Thanks John.
Cheers,
Neil.
A real beauty, Neil, I want one now ;-)
Happy B'day mate.
Cheers
Foggy
So I traded this for another of my Yamahas. These, IMHO offer the best of the Yamaha SG range, ebony fingerboard, through neck, brass sustain plate, Spinex pickups. They're basically the SG2000 with a few of the benefits of the SG3000. And Spinex pickups, which have an amazing mid-range.
Rare as hen's teeth, only made for one year in a very small number and this one is mint. And black!
Needed a bit more volume unplugged, I feel I'm approaching the other halfs tolerance level, but I think I need a PRS SE
Cheers Ian, all the best mate.
Cheers,
Neil.
Another couple of mine, a Fender Road Worn 50's Strat and a Gibson Les Paul CC #16 "Red Eye".
What a lovely pair!
Loving the #16, a real Southern rocker.
Cheers,
Neil.
I've been following the release of the CC models via YouTube, they have fantastic tone.Another couple of mine, a Fender Road Worn 50's Strat and a Gibson Les Paul CC #16 "Red Eye".
congratulations. I'd like to say one day, but I doubt it.
- - - Updated - - -
I've been following the release of the CC models via YouTube, they have fantastic tone.Another couple of mine, a Fender Road Worn 50's Strat and a Gibson Les Paul CC #16 "Red Eye".
congratulations. I'd like to say one day, but I doubt it.
A few changes since some of my last posts in this thread. My G&L Asat is gone, as is my CIJ Fender Tele' 72 Custom reissue. All the Les Pauls have gone (the 97 Standard and the pair of 2003s - the Gold Top and the Desertburst). I've also had a 2TS MIA Standard Strat come and go and a CIJ Fender 62 RI Precision Bass.
The current electric-family photo looks like this.
L-R: '83 Gordon-Smith GS-1; '13 Fender Custom Shop '72 Telecaster Custom Closet Classic; '13 Patrick Eggle New Wave; '15 PRS S2 Standard 22; '07 Fender USA Standard Telecaster; '05 Epiphone (Peerless made) Dot (front).
1983 Gordon-Smith GS-1
Rarely played, can't bring myself to sell it. It isn't worth much but it owes me absolutely nothing and you just can't get a mass-produced guitar made with this quality of wood anymore.
2013 Fender Custom Shop 1972 Telecaster Custom Closet Classic
Relics don't do it for me and I would never go out of my way to buy one. I wanted a 72 Reissue for years and in 2007 I bought a Japanese one from a grey importer. It was lovely but then I walked into GuitarGuitar in Birmingham 6 years later and spotted this one. It was SIGNIFICANTLY better, subtly modified by the factory (it has a 'belly-cut' on the back for example) and plays and sounds exactly as I want a Telecaster to. The whole package with the reissue G&G case, case candy and the Cruz Tools toolkit is just lovely. The relic job is supposed to reflect a guitar that was built and put into storage and just looks like it's been made a bit swirly with some wire wool. Prices have started climbing already too, which is nice.
2013 (ish) Patrick Eggle New Wave
This is an interesting and quite unusual guitar. It's made in the UK and is part of the new range of Eggles made by the current owners in Leicestershire. This is a kind of hybrid/prototype between New Wave 'Pro' and 'Stage' models. It's semi-hollow, all maple (top, back and neck), ebony fingerboard and instead of a tone control it has a treble roll off on the volume pot and a 3 way rotary switch which works as a coil tap to switch between either the inside or outside coils of the humbuckers.
2015 PRS S2 Standard 22
Colour is apparently McCarty Tobacco Burst and as far as I can make out, it's a Miracle with a trem. I wanted a Mira, I could quite find one I liked and spotted this second hand, so I bought it. The S2 stuff is kind of PRS's midrange - made in the USA but about half the price of their Core range. I think the pickups, trem, tuning machines are made in Korea but the guitar is built in Maryland with the Core range. It's got a 3 police neck (rather than one), the body has a flat rather than carved top and I'm guessing the pickup routing is a bit more 'agricultural' hence the use of a pick guard, but all in its a really nice guitar that cost me less than an SG, so I'm happy.
2007 Fender USA Standard Telecaster
Everybody should have a least one Tele and it should be one of these. Or a 52 RI. Or a 72 Custom. Or.....oh well you get the idea. I picked this up cheap and I really like it.
2005 (ish) Epiphone Dot
Bought this new from Thomann, who sent me a Chinese one. It was rubbish and they graciously accepted it back and looked in the warehouse for a Korean one (I asked nicely). This guitar is probably part of the last Korean production and was made in the Peerless factory (makers of their own mighty-fine semi-hollow guitars). I took the stock pickups out and fitted the Burstbucker Pro and the Rio Grande Texas HB pickups from the Desertburst LP STD when I fitted a pair of Pearly Gates. It's a really nice sounding and playing guitar and the panic doesn't set in like it did when I took a proper ES-335 out to a gig.
I've still got my Crafter Lite and Martin HD-28V and have no plans to move them on. I ought to recover my '93 Squier Silver Series Strat from my dad, but he's keeping it warm with a PRS McCarty and a Core Standard 22, a pair of LP STDs (one of which he bought last week when I was deliberating over buying it myself and turns out to be fitted with a set of 60s Grovers worth approaching $350 - the guitar was only £750), a pair of USA Strats, Martin HD-28V and HD-28VS (beautiful), a '78 'The Paul' and God know what else.
Last edited by johnnyguitar; 4th December 2015 at 11:18.
Very nice Johnny. Love the '72 Custom Tele.
I must admit I have the idea of a Fender Tele in my future.
Cheers,
Neil.
I've been very quiet on TZ forum the last few months, mainly because I'm happy with my watch collection and have no changes planned ............ plus work has been silly busy........ another excuse is about 6 weeks ago a mate said he was gonna buy his daughter a guitar for her 12th birthday. Remembered I had one tucked away in the cupboard under the stairs after an impulsive on-line purchase years ago which at the time was a useless attempt to re-learn chords and scales that I half-mastered as an 18 year old spotty youth on a Westbury, an SG copy, wine red with DiMarzzio pickups if I remember rightly? Angus Young and Gary Moore defintely had nothing to worry about..........
I impulsively ended up buying the Tokai on-line in 2006. After all of 5 mins on-line reseach. I bought it simply 'cos I thought it looked good. Anyway it's been in imprisoned in the aforementioned cupboard for the last 10 years.
So I finally had a reason to get the damn thing out of the cupboard and get the dust off it, and also get the rust out of my fingers. One evening 6 weeks ago resulted in sore fingers and lots of cursing whilst struggling to master 'Happy Birthday' for Liliana's big day, 6 weeks later and an hour's practise most evenings and the fingers are flowing again quite nicely on the fingerboard!
Let's cut to the chase. It's a made in Korea mid-2000's Flying V, regarding the colour I would say it's a Gold Top? The overall quality is excellent. The action is low, the feel of the neck is superb and it sounds great! Admittedly I'm only playing it through a very recently borrowed Roland Cube. I have the amp set anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 gain and 1/2 on reverb.
Cheers!
Mark
p.s. Liliana was apparently impressed hearing 'Happy Birthday' bashed out on her Birthday present acoustic guitar so after a couple of music lessons at school in the new term she may get to have a go on the Tokai!
Last edited by CafeRacer; 4th December 2015 at 21:53. Reason: adding bit about reverb
I love Tokai's, currently have 3 in the collection - 335 (Korean) was my first guitar it can do anything its loaded with Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers, SG (Japanese) very classic loaded with Gibson 57's and a Japanese Les Paul that I bought for £200 that got a pickup upgrade to Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates.
I also had a gold 175 style but that turned out not to be my cup of tea.
I'm well overdue to post on this thread. And then, today, this arrived. I'm going to need to start weight training.
^^
You are Jimmy Page and I claim my £5!
That's a brave move, buying an EDS-1275.
Cheers,
Neil.
^^
You are Jimmy Page and I claim my £5!
That's a brave move, buying an EDS-1275.
It'll look good hanging on the wall!
Lidl
Thanks for this highly enjoyable thread.
My 13 y.o. son has taken up guitar playing.
Seems he gets the mathematics of it and his teacher is very encouraging.
Over here there is not just the electrice vs. acoustic but when the latter is sorted in favor of acoustic the one between classical and flamenco.
Luckily my son thinks just flamenco is a bit limiting so went classical.
After some months on one lent to him by the junta he liked the idea of his own.
A veryVERY reputable music teacher advised us to look out for the LIDL guitar action and that came this Monday. As luck has it, a Puente, Bank Holiday weekend so son was in the mountains for five days meaning I was at the doors before opening hours.
He had a STRONG preference for the black above the natural finish and even though I was only the fourth sticking my hand out I had the last but one of those.
It is a very shiny all black with white finish and seems well made.
It comes with backpack bag, tuning gadget, booklet/CD. Also bought a reserve set of strings.
All in all 80 €uros with as bonus a son SO over the moon with his dad that he had diner cooked when I got home.
Here's my current stable.....
A Gibson Collectors Choice #7 'Shanks' Les Paul and a very early Gibson Custom Shop 62 SG reissue:
A JV series Squier Strat:
A Fender Custom Shop '58 reissue Tele:
A PRS Private Stock SC245:
A PRS Private Stock 'Signature' McCarty:
A PRS Modern Eagle:
And two PRS Collection Series 'Signature' McCartys:
^^^
Blimey, that is a serious collection!
Cheers,
Neil.
Well I've been playing for over 30 years, since I was at Primary School, and it's been my only vice in all those years. A bit like watch collectors I've traded up over the years when money has allowed so I'm fortunate that I can have some top end stuff these days.
I also play in a band which helps to justify having them in some way!!!
Fully understood re the values and trading up.
Being in a band definitely justifies them. Tools of the trade. Even though they are gorgeous tools!
Cheers,
Neil.
No-one wants to play a ugly guitar, do they?
Exactly right.No-one wants to play a ugly guitar, do they?
Although some people say they look at them dispassionately as tools, (not sure I believe this) looks come first to me!
Cheers,
Neil.
Always been a fan of PRS since I started playing and own a custom 22 but adore the modern eagle on how they play/feel.Here's my current stable.....
A Gibson Collectors Choice #7 'Shanks' Les Paul and a very early Gibson Custom Shop 62 SG reissue:
A JV series Squier Strat:
A Fender Custom Shop '58 reissue Tele:
A PRS Private Stock SC245:
A PRS Private Stock 'Signature' McCarty:
A PRS Modern Eagle:
And two PRS Collection Series 'Signature' McCartys:
Signature McCartys are stunning with range of tones available. Defo not a fan of trem's I see ;)
Stunning collection.
Cheers!
I have had trems in the past, but I do a lot of string bending notes combined with unbent strings and that doesn't work so well on trem guitars. I also play very heavily which isn't good with trems either, and it doesn't half relic a guitar quickly....
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