Beater Strat

[Jay 77]

Just felt like putting this one up. It's an old Squier I picked up for cheap because the body had a big ol' crack it in it. I bought it for the neck, which I really like (has the small headstock instead of the ugly CBS style, and a thick/round profile), that was supposed to go on my '91 Peavey Predator but lo and behold the Peavey's holes are spaced differently and the neck didn't fit.

Fast forward to yesterday, I glued and clamped the body, let it dry overnight, and assembled it this morning from parts I had in the house. It now has a full sized steel block, stainless saddles, and Mean 90's. It sounds pretty decent and after lots of tweaking (neck, saddles, pickup height, etc) it plays fairly well too.

Not a bad little beater for around the house. Thought I'd share!

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Beater Strat

Looks good for a beater.

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Beater Strat

Thanks. It's a little nastier up close but it does the trick!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Beater Strat

What do you guys beater guitars for? Never understood that. I want the best guitar I can buy ans I want to play it a lot. Why would I need a cheap guitar for gigs and home?

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Beater Strat

What do you guys beater guitars for? Never understood that. I want the best guitar I can buy ans I want to play it a lot. Why would I need a cheap guitar for gigs and home?

The term "beater" means an axe that you aren't worried about damaging. One more scratch won't hurt.

Just 'cause it didn't cost a bundle doesn't mean it isn't a good player.

P.S. Nice beater!!!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Beater Strat

I don't know, I buy all my gear to play so I never care about dings. My 2003 LP has lots of dings and scratches but I don't care. I bought it to be played.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Beater Strat

I don't know, I buy all my gear to play so I never care about dings. My 2003 LP has lots of dings and scratches but I don't care. I bought it to be played.

Then it is, by definition, a "beater."

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Beater Strat

It's just one I threw together for fun. I'll play it around the house from time to time but it's not for gigging. I have other gear for that.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Beater Strat

She looks like a good lil rocker.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Beater Strat

I don't know, I buy all my gear to play so I never care about dings. My 2003 LP has lots of dings and scratches but I don't care. I bought it to be played.

i understand your point and agree completely. I buy gear to use it, not have it as a trophy that nobody can touch.

forgot to add:

nice pickguard!!

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Beater Strat

I guess that depends on what your definition of the word "play" is.

Rock on!

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Beater Strat

I don't know, I buy all my gear to play so I never care about dings. My 2003 LP has lots of dings and scratches but I don't care. I bought it to be played.

I put together my Beater for playing around with pickups. I didn't want to take apart my good guitars to do so. You'd be amazed by the Fridge Magnet pup, Dick. It's pure Craptone.

 

[tonello]

Re: Beater Strat

Yeah I've got a beater Strat that I'm working one right now. It's got 2 P90s in the neck and middle (Warmoth wouldn't do them in the bridge, and still keep the volume knob), and I can't wait to get the last couple things from all parts and put it together.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Beater Strat

I put together my Beater for playing around with pickups. I didn't want to take apart my good guitars to do so. You'd be amazed by the Fridge Magnet pup, Dick. It's pure Craptone.

That sort of makes sense but pickups sound vastly different in different guitars, so.........What is a magnet dick? You have one?

 

[phil_104]

Re: Beater Strat

Nice guitar! I dig that guard!

For me a beater guitar is useful in the sense that you can put use on it that goes above and beyond what a normal guitar would see. My 4 gibsons all get dings and scratches from playing, but I have my Hwy1 strat as a beater for situations where the others could be damaged beyond recognition. So if I fly, if I have to go play and weather conditions are crap outside (sideways rain), or if it's a sketchy place, I bring my Hwy1 because I just don't care as much about it as I do about my other guitars. For me, that's a beater. All guitars get used, but you just don't care about the beater. Not even a little bit.

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Beater Strat

That sort of makes sense but pickups sound vastly different in different guitars, so.........What is a magnet dick? You have one?

The body is made of a composite wood. it's a fairly flat resonance so it gives me more what the pup sounds like and I can take it from there as to whether it will work in what ever body.

You'd be amazed by the Fridge Magnet pup, Dick.

Fridge magnet pup = pickup
, Dick = you [richard.r.veeck@gmail.com]

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Beater Strat

MY problem with beaters, is that they all play like sh*t. Ive got a bunch of em.
Maybe one I got ..or two (thats pushing it) play any good.
Of course, not many people here are likely to tell the difference.
Still, some strike a fair enough balance between tone,playability, and design to be fun enuf to keep me interested .

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Beater Strat

For a long time, the guitar I played most often was a Yamaha superstrat that I got for $70 at a flea market. It had a huge chunk taken out of the body that had been filled with bondo by some hack, then colored over with black nail polish. I probably wouldn't play it on stage unless I really dressed it up with some band-aids and fake blood.

The thing plays great (otherwise I never would have bought it) and I leave it near the couch where I can play it quietly while watching TV. I don't worry about storing it in a case, or coming home someday to find that my dog mistook it for a chew toy. Just grab it and start picking. I get a lot more practice when I keep a beater close at hand.

But mine doesn't look nearly as sharp as Jay's beater.