unleashthejay
New member
anyone?
Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
- Thread starter unleashthejay
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pinto79
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I put a FastTrack2 and a couple of US Strat Singles into a $130 Squier that has a great neck. I replaced the pots too and now it screams.
I really like buying cheap guitars and modding them, it a great way to get a wicked axe on the cheap...
I put a FastTrack2 and a couple of US Strat Singles into a $130 Squier that has a great neck. I replaced the pots too and now it screams.
I really like buying cheap guitars and modding them, it a great way to get a wicked axe on the cheap...
S
stonabus
Guest
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
i did, its hard to say if i should have just bought a better guitar in the first place.
it did sound great afterwards, though.
i did, its hard to say if i should have just bought a better guitar in the first place.
it did sound great afterwards, though.
SonofaMitch
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I agree, although i have sunk a TON of money into expencive instruments, I have a Dillion LP Copy, completly redone(Gibson pots/speed knobs/Jackplate, switchcraft jack&3-way switch,SD Phat Cat/80'sDimarzio"black back", and a Tusq Nut, and I must say, it plays and sounds like a $2k+ Instrument now
~Mitch~
I agree, although i have sunk a TON of money into expencive instruments, I have a Dillion LP Copy, completly redone(Gibson pots/speed knobs/Jackplate, switchcraft jack&3-way switch,SD Phat Cat/80'sDimarzio"black back", and a Tusq Nut, and I must say, it plays and sounds like a $2k+ Instrument now
~Mitch~
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
LesStrat coms to mind...
My idea for a long time, then I decided to just save up for a better guitar and upgrade what I don't like about it.
LesStrat coms to mind...
My idea for a long time, then I decided to just save up for a better guitar and upgrade what I don't like about it.
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
A few years ago I bought an el-degas '335 copy from somewhere around the '70s. It was structurally perfect, solid, resonant. Had it for 300$ cdn. including a very nice hardshell case.
I completely redid the electronics and put a '59 set in there. Sounds and plays killer. Wouldn't think of selling that thing. Blows all the other '335 I've played out of the water, except for my friend's '70s Gibson '345...
A few years ago I bought an el-degas '335 copy from somewhere around the '70s. It was structurally perfect, solid, resonant. Had it for 300$ cdn. including a very nice hardshell case.
I completely redid the electronics and put a '59 set in there. Sounds and plays killer. Wouldn't think of selling that thing. Blows all the other '335 I've played out of the water, except for my friend's '70s Gibson '345...
StratTom
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I replaced the single coil bridge pickup in my Cort to a hot rails and it sounds awesome! However anymore the neck just isn't cutting it for me now. I thought about changing the neck on it, but I'd rather just save for a new guitar.
I replaced the single coil bridge pickup in my Cort to a hot rails and it sounds awesome! However anymore the neck just isn't cutting it for me now. I thought about changing the neck on it, but I'd rather just save for a new guitar.
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I've tricked out a few and turned them into something good (and one even into really good) but I've never made one great. Replacing hardware and electronics and giving a cheap guitar a proper set up will increase playability and improve tone, but the tone will always be at the mercy of the cheap wood.
My first guitar is a great example. I've put enough money into it to almost build a custom project to replace it. The playability is amazing, hardware is all top-notch, and there's not a single part of the electronics that is original, but none of that money changed the fact that the slab of wood is a sonic nightmare of poor resonance and utter lack of sustain. It sure plays like butter, though.
I've tricked out a few and turned them into something good (and one even into really good) but I've never made one great. Replacing hardware and electronics and giving a cheap guitar a proper set up will increase playability and improve tone, but the tone will always be at the mercy of the cheap wood.
My first guitar is a great example. I've put enough money into it to almost build a custom project to replace it. The playability is amazing, hardware is all top-notch, and there's not a single part of the electronics that is original, but none of that money changed the fact that the slab of wood is a sonic nightmare of poor resonance and utter lack of sustain. It sure plays like butter, though.
H
H8Red442
Guest
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I tricked out a bunch of import BC Riches,a neckthru Mockingbird and Warlock and a NJ series Jr V one off in trans black, a few years ago. Locking tuners, tone pros bridges and tail pieces, EMG and Duncan pickup upgrade, changed out the POTs. They sounded good but played like sh!t. I ended up ditching them after not even a year. Needless to say they looked better than they played. I was actually going to do it with a trans black NJ neckthru wave this year but my g/f told me to just go for the USA. That should be here short term. USA BC Rich Wave Supreme. cant wait... sorry got off track.
I tricked out a bunch of import BC Riches,a neckthru Mockingbird and Warlock and a NJ series Jr V one off in trans black, a few years ago. Locking tuners, tone pros bridges and tail pieces, EMG and Duncan pickup upgrade, changed out the POTs. They sounded good but played like sh!t. I ended up ditching them after not even a year. Needless to say they looked better than they played. I was actually going to do it with a trans black NJ neckthru wave this year but my g/f told me to just go for the USA. That should be here short term. USA BC Rich Wave Supreme. cant wait... sorry got off track.
mindbender
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I have an 80's cheapo Squier H-S-S superstrat with plywood body. All I did to it really was rout out the space for the neck pickup and replaced it with a DM Air Norton. That guitar sounds amazing, especially the stock bridge pup. I wish I knew what it was (no markings on it) because I would like to find the Duncan (or DiMarzio) equivalent.
I have an 80's cheapo Squier H-S-S superstrat with plywood body. All I did to it really was rout out the space for the neck pickup and replaced it with a DM Air Norton. That guitar sounds amazing, especially the stock bridge pup. I wish I knew what it was (no markings on it) because I would like to find the Duncan (or DiMarzio) equivalent.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
Yep. They're fun projects and you can end up with a very cool guitar in the end. And if you don't? Who cares? It was cheap and you had fun doing it.
Yep. They're fun projects and you can end up with a very cool guitar in the end. And if you don't? Who cares? It was cheap and you had fun doing it.
The Golden Boy
Fleecy Sweaterologist
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I believe the first step to a "great" instrument is the wood. A "cheap" guitar is not going to be made of good wood. You can spend all the money and effort into replacing all the cheap components- jack, pots, caps, switches, pickups, hardware, tuners, nut, strings... and you're still left with a bunch of good parts on mystery/garbage wood. The phrases "polishing a turd" and "putting makeup on a pig" come to mind.
"Inexpensive" gutiars these days are decent, usable instruments. "Cheap" guitars from when I was a kid were guitar shaped pieces of trash.
IMO, if you're looking for a good guitar, get a good guitar. If you're looking for an inexpensive guitar- find a decent inexpensive guitar, replace the parts that need replacing. Dumping a lot of money into a cheap guitar to make it good doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
I believe the first step to a "great" instrument is the wood. A "cheap" guitar is not going to be made of good wood. You can spend all the money and effort into replacing all the cheap components- jack, pots, caps, switches, pickups, hardware, tuners, nut, strings... and you're still left with a bunch of good parts on mystery/garbage wood. The phrases "polishing a turd" and "putting makeup on a pig" come to mind.
"Inexpensive" gutiars these days are decent, usable instruments. "Cheap" guitars from when I was a kid were guitar shaped pieces of trash.
IMO, if you're looking for a good guitar, get a good guitar. If you're looking for an inexpensive guitar- find a decent inexpensive guitar, replace the parts that need replacing. Dumping a lot of money into a cheap guitar to make it good doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I agree, except that I think there can be a difference between a "good wood" and a "good sounding wood." I've heard expensive woods sound awful and I've heard masonite sound great, so the expense of the materials doesn't, in my mind, dictate the quality of the sound.
I agree, except that I think there can be a difference between a "good wood" and a "good sounding wood." I've heard expensive woods sound awful and I've heard masonite sound great, so the expense of the materials doesn't, in my mind, dictate the quality of the sound.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Have you ever tricked out a cheap guitar into something great?
I had to with my first electric. Got that thing after playing for a year (I learned on an acoustic) and for the next 5 or so years and it was the only electric I had. All I could do was fix it up when it needed it to keep it alive. In the end it had a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge, single volume and barely any fret life left. It wasn't a great guitar, but it was a) cheap and b) tricked out.
I had to with my first electric. Got that thing after playing for a year (I learned on an acoustic) and for the next 5 or so years and it was the only electric I had. All I could do was fix it up when it needed it to keep it alive. In the end it had a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge, single volume and barely any fret life left. It wasn't a great guitar, but it was a) cheap and b) tricked out.
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