NGD: Fender Showmaster

[CTN]

picked this up a few days ago. Found a guy on CL who was selling it for a reasonable price, and seeing as how this was one of the guitars that I lusted after when I was a lad, kinda made sense to grab one.

It's a Fender Showmaster. MIK, 2005.

Basswood carved top body with a Quilted maple veneer top.
Set maple neck, rosewood fretboard (15.75" radius), 24 jumbo frets.
Pickup complement is a PG+ and a '59N.
Schaller tuners (upgraded by the guy who owned it)

When I got it, it was set up to the preferred specs of the guy I bought it from. Wasn't my cup of tea at all. I cleaned the hell out of it and set it up to my specs, and feels much better now. I did not dig the A5's in the PG+ and '59 though. It was too thin and lacked midrange articulation, it both cases. I swapped in an A8/A2 into the bridge/neck, for now. I need to get some more magnets in, but I think an A6 or RCA5 in the bridge along with an A3 or A4 in the neck is gonna end up being the ticket. It sounds great so far and plays entirely too easily. Pretty surprised actually.

Sadly, the black nickel plating on the bridge, knobs and pickup rings is majorly tarnished and/or worn. I don't much dig the black nickel finish on this guitar, so I think I'm gonna have to get some nice cream rings, brushed nickel humbucker covers and some reddish brown knobs. I'm thinking maybe wood knobs. And some nice new saddles for the bridge.

Anyway, onto the guitar porn.

 

[J E C]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

That looks pretty SWEET! Is it 25.5" scale?

 

[CTN]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

thanks, and yes it is 25.5"

 

[kramersteen]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

radicalz

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

mmm

me so jellie

 

[kramersteen]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Wait a minute. Is this Korean? Holy mother of pearl why? :smack:

 

[CTN]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

cuz there's no horrible mother of pearl anywhere on it.

also contrary to popular belief, korean manufactured stuff can actually be very good quality. That was what I'd read/heard about these models and I'm glad to say that the hype/rumours were well substantiated. It feels super solid, has tons of sustain and a very musical projection.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Just joking bro. I like it.

Why not wood humbucker rings to go with the knobs? The chrome ones do look a bit cool i must say.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Beautiful!

The Showmaster has always made me wish Fender would start offering a rear loaded version of the standard Strat body.

 

[GAS-a-holic]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Nice score!

I used to have one of these - still regret selling it. You know the drill lol.

 

[synzzzer]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

I have a frienemy (can't believe I actually used that word, but there's no other description.) that has that guitar. He had it set up terribly. After I fret dressed it, and set it up, it rocked just awesomely. However, his came with dual 59's. I like the idea of a 59/Pearly Gates. I think that would be a much better combo. His looks exactly, and I mean exactly like yours. I'm glad you are having fun with it.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Looks great as is!!

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Beautiful.

 

[CTN]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Just joking bro. I like it.

Why not wood humbucker rings to go with the knobs? The chrome ones do look a bit cool i must say.

I thought about it - if I did go with wood, it'd have to be maple, maybe with just a couple of coats of danish oil to give it an off-white/creamy colour, but it's far too irrational to dish out 40+ bucks for a couple of humbucker rings.

Beautiful!

The Showmaster has always made me wish Fender would start offering a rear loaded version of the standard Strat body.

I hear ya, and a carved top version also.

Nice score!

I used to have one of these - still regret selling it. You know the drill lol.

haha yep, the show must go on sometimes.

I have a frienemy (can't believe I actually used that word, but there's no other description.) that has that guitar. He had it set up terribly. After I fret dressed it, and set it up, it rocked just awesomely. However, his came with dual 59's. I like the idea of a 59/Pearly Gates. I think that would be a much better combo. His looks exactly, and I mean exactly like yours. I'm glad you are having fun with it.

Interesting. I've heard of many different pickup combinations for the showmaster series over its production lifespan. Mine's set up like butter though

Looks great as is!!

Beautiful.

Thanks fellas, it'll look better when I'm through with all the mods. They're mostly cosmetic, but there's a bunch of functional upgrades too. Instead of getting new saddles for the existing bridge, I decided instead to just get a new Wilkinson bridge. Brand new knife edges and a push-in arm score major points for me and the current bridge doesn't have those two things. Also putting a Graphtech nut and string retainers, new pots, caps, wiring, and then the cosmetic upgrades that i mentioned before, the cream humbucker rings, brushed nickel covers (will likely be "brushing" them myself), black polepieces, and bubinga knobs.

 

[Demanic]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Nice.

 

[greekdude]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Nice indeed!

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Gorgeous! That flame really pops.

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

WIN!

 

[jimijames]

NGD: Fender Showmaster

Wow, even though I didn't really lust after one of these that's a gorgeous guitar.

I think brushed/unplated humbucker covers would look classy as hell on that thing. For a guitar like that though I would stick with black rings just IMO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: NGD: Fender Showmaster

Nice Score.. Congrats... Several years back I was GASing for one too.