Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

[BigAlTheBird]

So check this out. It's an early 60's Liberty Custom MT-280 (not like that means anything to anybody!). Basically an old semi-hollowbody. The wood is in good shape, everything else is abysmal. What I plan to do is to buy this as my new project guitar. I want to basically change everything out. Pups, electronics, bridge, bigsby, tuners, nut, etc. I'll be doing this over time. I just want opinions on if $150 is too much to pay for the wood, and if anyone knows the quality of the guitar itself. Considering it's almost 50 years old, it looks to be in really good shape. What do you guys think?
Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...30028170188&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

I like this guitar. I really do. I don't know if it's a quality guitar or not, but it looks really cool.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

I like this guitar. I really do. I don't know if it's a quality guitar or not, but it looks really cool.

I feel exactly the same, except that I REALLY like it, not just really like it

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

AWESOME! Done deal. My girlfriend said shge fell in love, and this is the only guitar she's ever wanted me to buy.

Done deal! Thanks guys.

 

[dgk2448]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

Nice, its a very sweet lookin guitar, got that sweet vibe to it.:banana:

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

I feel exactly the same, except that I REALLY like it, not just really like it

Okay Chris, I didn't want to go overboard but....I REALLY like it as well. :smokin:

One of these seems to pop up every once in awhile on ebay. C'mon bigal, get you some!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

About every third guitar I make on Kisakae has a similar green-burst to that. Even if that guitar sucks when you get it, I'd put some bucks into it and get it going.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

JB, I'm not worried about the guitar sucking when I get it. It doesn't even have knobs! It doesn't have the spring on the bigsby! LOOK AT THAT BRIDGE! ****in' wood!

But when I'm done with this, it'll be a darn showpiece (assuming I win it of course ). Chrome, white and green. It's gonna be nuts.

The only concern I had was whether the neck was nice and smooth or rough and sticky. I e-mailed the guy, with like 1500 perfect feedback, and he told me it was a very nice neck. I told him that the guitar already has one bid, so it's not worth much to him to lie. It's just gonna waste my time. He assured me that the neck is really good, so I'm happy!

I hope I win!!!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

My dad's ES-175 has a wood bridge like that. If you wanna try a cool mod, swap it with a tune-o-matic. It's almost like changing pickups.... and you can adjust the intonation

Good luck on the auction. If it were mine, I'd sell the tailpiece, recoup a bunch of the initial investment, and put on of those old Gibson tails on it. They retain the same 50's look, but don't ruin any hope of tuning stability.

 

[Kivitel]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

Looks like it needs some fretwork. But no, 150 seems reasonable if you're willing to spend the time looking for old trem parts.

So here's what you need to do:
re-finish and re-fret neck. or at least dress them.
sand down back of neck with 800 grit or more, maybe spray some satin nitro there
Replace bridge. Stew mac makes a tunomatic on a wood base.
New pups
Knobs
wiring
Could be an awesome instrument


Also, if your girlfriend actually likes a guitar that's normally a good indication you should get it.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

The guy said the frets are in good shape, he said they were refinished a while ago. But that's purely subjective, and you're right that I may have to change them.

As with every guitar I buy, I will change all the electronics and pups, the nut, the tuners, and put new knobs on. White ones. The tremolo (right term?) WILL be a Bigsby, and the bridge is TBD. I was thinking Tune-o-Matic. I've never seen wood under the bridge! I'll take it to the local guitar shop and ask the guy.

I really don't want to refinish the neck. If it's not comf, I will, but that's a lot of money and I really want the same Green finish. I mean, if I have to do it I will. We'll see!

Thanks guys! I thought $150 for wood that pretty was a good deal. Just looks nice to me! I really really hope I win. And my girlfriend is stoked, which is always a great thing.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

My dad's ES-175 has a wood bridge like that. If you wanna try a cool mod, swap it with a tune-o-matic. It's almost like changing pickups.... and you can adjust the intonation

Good luck on the auction. If it were mine, I'd sell the tailpiece, recoup a bunch of the initial investment, and put on of those old Gibson tails on it. They retain the same 50's look, but don't ruin any hope of tuning stability.

JB, what tailpiece are you talking about selling? The Bigbsy style thing? How much do you think that would fetch? It's not in great shape.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

JB, what tailpiece are you talking about selling? The Bigbsy style thing? How much do you think that would fetch? It's not in great shape.

You'd be surprised. I took an Epiphone knock-off Bigsby to Music Go Round, and they gave me like $30 for it, and sold it in under a week for $60.

Give that wood bridge a shot before you replace it, and definitely keep track of it. Those things can be worth a buck or two to the right person (somebody looking to complete a vintage project).

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

I never ever throw old pieces out, no matter how worthless they are to me. I even have the old crappy epiphone pots and all from my LP. Believe me dude, I'm so broke that I completely understand the value of a buck. I hate wasting money.

On that note, I'm looking into those archtop bridges from stewmac. Cheap, and I think this could look really nice. Thoughts? Rosewood of course, since nothing else on the guitar is ebony/black.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

So what do these pups look like to you guys? They look the size of P90s, but the pole positions are wrong. These look smaller than buckers, but are obviously not singles.

What are they!?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

They look like mini-humbuckers. I would replace the bridge with a roller unit.

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

That is a COOL looking guitar. Buy it!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

Somebody recently posted an old guitar with pickups that looked like those, and said they are in fact singles under 'bucker-looking covers.

I'm just repeating what was said, so there's no authority there.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

I'm thinking of a roller unit, to assist the Bigbsy. Not sure about the looks though.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Opinions on this guitar I'm thinking of buying please

Somebody recently posted an old guitar with pickups that looked like those, and said they are in fact singles under 'bucker-looking covers.

I'm just repeating what was said, so there's no authority there.

The seller said they're buckers. I wonder if P90s would fit?