Hot rodding a guitar?

[Kbonger]

Well, I had in mind to get one of those red sweet water squire specials for around $320 and playing around with it over the next year and replace everything on it. Instead, I got a USA Strat that has it all, roller nut, locking tuners, hum bucker with turbo button, etc, as well as good looks. Pics and questions about what I got to follow.

[rmp]

on the surface I think you made the right call.

would be a fun project tho if you can go as low budget as you can to score the guitar (used perhaps)

the money is never recoverable if you ever decide to sell.

in the used market, it's still a squire and will not hold any resale value

[davidd]

Originally Posted by Kbonger

Well, I had in mind to get one of those red sweet water squire specials for around $320 and playing around with it over the next year and replace everything on it. Instead, I got a USA Strat that has it all, roller nut, locking tuners, hum bucker with turbo button, etc, as well as good looks. Pics and questions about what I got to follow.

Modding a guitar is about the process, not the investment. Rarely will any modded guitar be justified in any resale but it might just be exactly what you are looking for.

[H165]

Modding guitars (and other stuff) is just plain fun. I try for a certan outcome. It's interesting to see how close I get.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by davidd

Modding a guitar is about the process, not the investment. Rarely will any modded guitar be justified in any resale but it might just be exactly what you are looking for.

Exactly. Modding a guitar is about making the guitar your own. I usually save the factory parts in case I’m planning to sell. I find it funny when people try to sell their cheap guitars with nice pickups and think the pickups give the guitar any significant value.

[Steve DeRosa]

- and vice versa...

[YamahaGuy]

I've got more into my Yamaha Pacifica 012 than a Pacifica 611H would cost. I still want the 611, but my 012 has some great upgrades. Seymour Duncan single-sized humbucker in the neck, DiMarzio middle pickup, mid scooped humbucker in the bridge. Upgraded tuners. New pickguard. Titanium nut. Tusq saddles. Nickel jackplate. Rock solid tuning.

Congratulations on the USA Strat!!!

[rampix]

i really enjoy hot rodding an electric guitar, but a new $300 guitar isn't what i would start with. i prefer resurrecting a much cheaper, beat up candidate. My current modded strat was bought for $48 on eBay. it was filthy, missing one knob and another one was broken and had 2 bent tuners...it was a mess and sounded awful.

i drop filled numerous dings and gouges, replaced the internals (pots, caps, jack, 5-way switch, wiring) with US parts, changed the pick guard, knobs and pickup covers, and installed used Fender tuners. i found most of the parts on eBay, some used and some new.

My total investment was under $150. i sold all my nicer electrics and play this bad boy almost every day. Now I'm looking for a similar cost and condition tele.



Enjoy your new Fender!

[LFL Steve]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

- and vice versa...

They should've made a "pickup."

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by LFL Steve

They should've made a "pickup."

Actually, it is a pickup - there's a Super Beatle head, two-manual Vox Super Continental organ, and PA column in the shorty tailbed:

[Kbonger]

First, it has a nice case.



Locking tuners and no string trees. The tuners are lower heights. Roller nut, too. For whammy bar dive bombs.

[LFL Steve]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Actually, it is a pickup - there's a Super Beatle head, two-manual Vox Super Continental organ, and PA column in the shorty tailbed:

Ha -- Perfect!

[Kbonger]

Good looking guitar! It has a button in the volume knob that kicks it up a couple of notches and then, BAM a turbo button.

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Actually, it is a pickup - there's a Super Beatle head, two-manual Vox Super Continental organ, and PA column in the shorty tailbed:

It would be cool if you could bring out different harmonics in the exhaust sound by adjusting the drawbars.

[rampix]

Lookin good Kbonger. And lots of options with that setup.