I am really motivated to teach myself how to do basic guitar setups and basic fretwork, ranging from leveling to crowning and polishing frets. I am legally blind and can not see well enough to have usable vision for this, but am highly motivated to give this a shot. While there are some visual aspects to doing this work, I believe that sense of touch and a combination with tools that read measurements outloud will give me a solid shot at this. WIth all that said, I don't want to test this work on my USA guitars. I am thinking it would be good to get something used that has some fret wear or an over seas guitar that is known for poor fret work and poorly set intonation out of the box. DOes anyone have any suggestions? Down the road would be changing out tuners, possibly a nut. Soldering is totally out of the question though, which sucks. However, I could use something like the Duncan liberator?
Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on...
- Thread starter BluesGuyJ
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Mr. B
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
I am always looking for guitars that are neglected and badly set up on E-bay. I place low bids on hundreds until I win one very cheaply, and then invest the work to make it playable and give them away to students who can't afford a guitar. You have to be patient. It costs so much for people to ship them that you rarely get a useable one for under 60-70 dollars.
I am always looking for guitars that are neglected and badly set up on E-bay. I place low bids on hundreds until I win one very cheaply, and then invest the work to make it playable and give them away to students who can't afford a guitar. You have to be patient. It costs so much for people to ship them that you rarely get a useable one for under 60-70 dollars.
allbutromeo
Well-known member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Usually not to hard to find squire affinity series or Epiphone les paul specials for really cheap
Usually not to hard to find squire affinity series or Epiphone les paul specials for really cheap
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
I have an old MIM strat that I chipped the poly finish off of.painted it hideous good. Has a maple neck that is fret worn. You can have it if you'll pay the shipping. I can bugger up the set up before I ship it! It's in storage. May or may not have a pick guard in it.
I have an old MIM strat that I chipped the poly finish off of.painted it hideous good. Has a maple neck that is fret worn. You can have it if you'll pay the shipping. I can bugger up the set up before I ship it! It's in storage. May or may not have a pick guard in it.
kramersteen
PowerMetalRaph
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Stop saying a whole heap of buzz words you have no idea about.
Stop saying a whole heap of buzz words you have no idea about.
Brandenburg
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
i say hit the local pawnshops..always alot of cheap stuff that can be fixed up
i say hit the local pawnshops..always alot of cheap stuff that can be fixed up
Will S-T
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
My advice is don't try and polish a turd, it will always be a turd.
Some of the 80's Jap offerings are good value, I wouldn't do any of the current
Chinese $50 crap out there! No return.
Try something your effort will gain a return, sky's the limit and you can do it.
"la mona vestida en seda, mona se queda"
My advice is don't try and polish a turd, it will always be a turd.
Some of the 80's Jap offerings are good value, I wouldn't do any of the current
Chinese $50 crap out there! No return.
Try something your effort will gain a return, sky's the limit and you can do it.
"la mona vestida en seda, mona se queda"
Last edited:
Brandenburg
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
if he learns how to do thinbgs from it.. thats all that counts as it will save him money in the long term. he is not trying to fix something up and sell it
if he learns how to do thinbgs from it.. thats all that counts as it will save him money in the long term. he is not trying to fix something up and sell it
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Will - it isn't about polishing the turd. It's that he's going to take a diamond in the rough, and likely turn it into a bunch of crap and glass shards out of the gate. He needs something he is willing to lose.
Might shred the fretboard pulling frets
Might grind one way to low
etc….
Will - it isn't about polishing the turd. It's that he's going to take a diamond in the rough, and likely turn it into a bunch of crap and glass shards out of the gate. He needs something he is willing to lose.
Might shred the fretboard pulling frets
Might grind one way to low
etc….
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Which is why I"m giving him a strat that has no practical value to most anyone.
If he wants it.
Which is why I"m giving him a strat that has no practical value to most anyone.
If he wants it.Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Scot, I sent you a PM, that's really super kind of you.
Yeah, I am not looking to turn something into amazing, this is probably not going to go all that well the first time, or the first few times. I found an app for IOS that is a tuner that reads outloud perfectly pitch and how many degrees it is flate or sharp, so now I can get Irig, plug my electrics directly in and can intonate my guitars myself. From what I've been reading, that's not rocket science. I can tell which frets need polishing and easily identify fret ends that need filing and some crowning. They key with this will be to go very, very slow. If I got myself thorugh under grad and graduate school and through the Boston marathon twice being legally blind, I can take the time to learn how to do basic repair work on a guitar and develop methods that work for me. There will also be some points where I'll ask my girlfriend to read some measurements that are definitely required.
Scot, I sent you a PM, that's really super kind of you.
Yeah, I am not looking to turn something into amazing, this is probably not going to go all that well the first time, or the first few times. I found an app for IOS that is a tuner that reads outloud perfectly pitch and how many degrees it is flate or sharp, so now I can get Irig, plug my electrics directly in and can intonate my guitars myself. From what I've been reading, that's not rocket science. I can tell which frets need polishing and easily identify fret ends that need filing and some crowning. They key with this will be to go very, very slow. If I got myself thorugh under grad and graduate school and through the Boston marathon twice being legally blind, I can take the time to learn how to do basic repair work on a guitar and develop methods that work for me. There will also be some points where I'll ask my girlfriend to read some measurements that are definitely required.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
He said "cheap"...
Good one,tho!
He said "cheap"...
Good one,tho!
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Well, you can't beat the Scott deal, but for honorable mention: older USA made Peavey's can be found for a song. The cool thing about them is, when you're done, you have a nice MIA axe. Also, honorable mention to Johnson Strats. I've got two. The pink one was found at a flea-market for $25. They're surprisingly nice guitars for the money.
Well, you can't beat the Scott deal, but for honorable mention: older USA made Peavey's can be found for a song. The cool thing about them is, when you're done, you have a nice MIA axe. Also, honorable mention to Johnson Strats. I've got two. The pink one was found at a flea-market for $25. They're surprisingly nice guitars for the money.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: Looking to get an intentionally cheap and poorly setup guitar to practice work on
Dig teh Pink one,Artie!
I saw a Mint Green(ala pickguard) Johnson Strat that was stunning!
Dig teh Pink one,Artie!
I saw a Mint Green(ala pickguard) Johnson Strat that was stunning!
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