AdamBrad
New member
Picked up a dirt cheap Squier Stagemaster 7 on eBay just to see how I feel about seven strings. I've always wanted to try one, but I have pretty small hands/short fingers which is especially an issue with ERGs!
I didn't really want an Ibanez/thin neck since I've had several, but am debating moving away from them due to hand cramp.
This came up on eBay for cheap, I made a low offer and it was accepted. I was half hoping it would be rejected if you know what I mean. Anyway:
The Good:
1. Spec is almost perfect for me: Hardtail, bolt-on thin C, 12.5" radius neck, alder body. Reverse headstock, contoured heel, and wood-mount pickups are also nice touches.
2. Price: I got this for £75 incl. shipping (~$113). On UK eBay the shipping is usually £20-25, so I like to think I only paid £50-60 for the guitar.
The Bad.
1. Condition: I knew it was cheap for a reason, but the bridge was in terrible condition. Unfortunately the bridge has unusual measurements and a row of straight string holes (instead of staggered ones) meaning I had to refurb the baseplate and get new saddles rather than replace the whole assembly. Frets and fretboard were pretty easy to clean, but there's a lot of wear. It'll need a fret-dress at some point. Also, there's two quite prominent scratches that didn't show in the eBay photos due to lighting. I might refin it anyway.
Look at this! :
2. Electronics are garbage. If I like the guitar enough I was planning on upgrading anyway. Only issue is the pickup routes are very tight, and it will only accept pickups with rounded legs like Dimarzios or Bare Knuckles, not square leg stuff like SD or cheaper brands. It's also much harder to score second hand 7 string pups.
But anyway, everyone only wants pics!
I didn't really want an Ibanez/thin neck since I've had several, but am debating moving away from them due to hand cramp.
This came up on eBay for cheap, I made a low offer and it was accepted. I was half hoping it would be rejected if you know what I mean. Anyway:
The Good:
1. Spec is almost perfect for me: Hardtail, bolt-on thin C, 12.5" radius neck, alder body. Reverse headstock, contoured heel, and wood-mount pickups are also nice touches.
2. Price: I got this for £75 incl. shipping (~$113). On UK eBay the shipping is usually £20-25, so I like to think I only paid £50-60 for the guitar.
The Bad.
1. Condition: I knew it was cheap for a reason, but the bridge was in terrible condition. Unfortunately the bridge has unusual measurements and a row of straight string holes (instead of staggered ones) meaning I had to refurb the baseplate and get new saddles rather than replace the whole assembly. Frets and fretboard were pretty easy to clean, but there's a lot of wear. It'll need a fret-dress at some point. Also, there's two quite prominent scratches that didn't show in the eBay photos due to lighting. I might refin it anyway.
Look at this! :
2. Electronics are garbage. If I like the guitar enough I was planning on upgrading anyway. Only issue is the pickup routes are very tight, and it will only accept pickups with rounded legs like Dimarzios or Bare Knuckles, not square leg stuff like SD or cheaper brands. It's also much harder to score second hand 7 string pups.
But anyway, everyone only wants pics!
