Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

S

SJ318

New member
Hi,
Some of you know my spine is F'cked up. 4 broken vertebrae, fusions, etc. I have been accumulating basswood teles (1), and basswood strats (soon to be 3). I re-wire, re-pup-them, fix the frets & fretboards to my liking, rework all the trem parts to my satisfaction (see my 1 million posts on that).
PROBLEM: My ideal weight for a guitar is 6 or less lbs., that's why the basswood. However, I have two great mahog. body guitars that are 7 lbs. 1 is SG '61 RI. It has no resale value (mods), same w/a L. Paul jr. I made. Also 7 lbs. I will be playing live soon. Got to lighten them. I am thinking of removing a lot of wood from the back of the sides w/no controls or pickgaurds-leaving the center "block" and the control side alone, like Les Pauls' original "Log" on one side. from stem to stern. 3/4 deep dowel removal so top still has "some strength".
The basswoods sound good w/my A5 S.Lover paf's. So through an amp, I am thinking that 1 lb. of each should still should good. STOP TAILPIECES still have MAXIMUM WOOD under them. Over 6 lbs. my nerves can't take it, I am very, very "muscle" strong, but scar tissue around nerves do not care about muscles. I stay fairly thin, but my legs and back give out anyway w/guitars or groceries for that matter. I don't think what I propose to do will hurt the tone. Talk to me, forum gurus, make sense, tone wise?
Steve Buffington PS. my 69 Black Beauty LP is 8 lbs. AFTER half the back was removed in the '70's. So no room there. It must have been 10-11 pounds to start with. A seriously dense instrument. must have used granite-maple!
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

The lightest electric I have is a Casino, that probably weighs about 4 lbs, a real featherweight.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

jon the art guy said:
maybe it's time to get what you can out of them monetarily and buy a Steinberger or some other post modern materials guitar.

I think the slinger strap looks best.
Don't be worried about fashion, be worried about playing. Get harnessed up.
Click to expand...
\

I agree, just go with some guitars that are light from the start. Playing is what's really important. Sorry to hear about your issues, btw. :(
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

IIRC, Steinbergers aren't all that light. Parker Fly Classic or Mojo would be my suggestion: mahogany body, well under 6 lbs, great trem.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

I was thinking of Parker guitars as well. The first time I ever picked one up, I almost threw it through the ceiling. It was like picking up air.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

Jackson Randy Rhoads! woot woot! they are very light and play like lightning.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

Yeah, Thanks guys,
My hero Harvey Mandel plays a Parker Fly. Those others are fine suggestions, but I don't care for the looks. The guitars I mentioned have almost NO re-sale value as I have made several mods to the SG, including half scooping the neck, screwing an extension rod on the upper horn for the neck to clip on to, moving the center of gravity up around the 16th fret so it won't neck drop WITHOUT adding weights to the bottom strap. It is a physics thing. Works well and looks kinda cool too, IMHO. Plus I don't want to play guitars my eye is non partial to. Ruins the whole aesthetic. And costs more money.
So, I am gonna go with what I said, and God forgive my guitar obsessed soul.
I appreciate you all chiming in w/no wise cracks. Not that I don't like wise cracks, as long as they are clever.
S Buff
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

jon the art guy said:
maybe it's time to get what you can out of them monetarily and buy a Steinberger or some other post modern materials guitar.

or..

http://slingerstraps.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Guitar-Strap-Black/dp/B000P5OUE2

www.gruvgear.com/duostrap

I think the slinger strap looks best.
Don't be worried about fashion, be worried about playing. Get harnessed up.
Click to expand...


That is exactly what i was thinking !

What about alternative materials ?

Like the now discontinued Switch Guitars, made from VibraCell.

http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-41/1147194- <----- most seem to like 'em.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=switch+vibracell+guitar&_frs=1
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

Perhaps its time to look at some custom Warmoth bodies/necks. There are chambered strats and teles, as well as thinlines to consider.

They also have some superlight wood like ash from time to time. This somewhat misaligned photo is an ash strat I made from scratch using Warmoth wood. The body was so light I had to use the more blocky 70's contours, plus equip it with grover tuners. The body was 2lbs 14oz fully painted. It is probably a clear pound lighter than any other strat I own - even those with lighter hardware.

Another option is propping the guitar up on a stand so it sits up supported in a position for you to comfortably play - I'm thinking something like the acoustic stands you see electric bands play. I think one of the scorpions used it in Wind of Change live, and James Hetfield has used one for Fade to Black more recently

Given your circumstances, it seems silly to be modding guitars simply to make them barely playable, but most likely to ruin the tone which you are used to in the process. Move Mohammed to the mountain, not the other way around.
 

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Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

Thanks.
AlexR-that ash is pretty light, surprised. I had a chambered Alder from Warmoth. Came in @ 2.5 lbs. With the gear, an H-S set up and std fender trem all loaded it came to 7 lbs. Had it painted by Joe Riggio in Tacoma, a famous lutherie from these parts, a nice REAL SNOW white, beautiful. I put together a Basswood Squire Deluxe w/floating trem yesterday and today, came to 6 lbs. So a good start. Jazz Bridge, double white bobbins, 3 ply white p.gaurd. White cover '69 CS in the neck. Good balance together, just gotta be careful w/treble knob. No middle pup.
Really interested in that PRS korina being that light! That also sounds do-able price wise. Almost cut, but restrained myself. I had to see if anyone else chimed in. I have no problem eith PRS's, they just look heavy, I figured mahog and maple = Les Paul. Happy yo be wrong. The wilshire snd B. May, even the Epi-all nice but not my fsve in the looks department. No offense and I surely appreciate the suggestions. I still think if I just took from the back on one side, the tone ould be good, neck through, good hardware, lots of neck and body vibrations to spare maybe.
Love a white ( not that cream "Arctic white") Strat. Maybe a chambered basswood Warmoth. Must come in at 2 lbs.most I eould bet. Too sleepy, must see the PRS. Hope the tailpiece is in good tune if a wraparound, we'll see.
Thanks very much,
Steve the guitar murderer, maybe.
You guys always come up w/good ideas. G'night.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

SJ318 said:
Thanks.
AlexR-that ash is pretty light, surprised. I had a chambered Alder from Warmoth. Came in @ 2.5 lbs. With the gear, an H-S set up and std fender trem all loaded it came to 7 lbs. Had it painted by Joe Riggio in Tacoma, a famous lutherie from these parts, a nice REAL SNOW white, beautiful. I put together a Basswood Squire Deluxe w/floating trem yesterday and today, came to 6 lbs. So a good start. Jazz Bridge, double white bobbins, 3 ply white p.gaurd. White cover '69 CS in the neck. Good balance together, just gotta be careful w/treble knob. No middle pup.
Really interested in that PRS korina being that light! That also sounds do-able price wise. Almost cut, but restrained myself. I had to see if anyone else chimed in. I have no problem eith PRS's, they just look heavy, I figured mahog and maple = Les Paul. Happy yo be wrong. The wilshire snd B. May, even the Epi-all nice but not my fsve in the looks department. No offense and I surely appreciate the suggestions. I still think if I just took from the back on one side, the tone ould be good, neck through, good hardware, lots of neck and body vibrations to spare maybe.
Love a white ( not that cream "Arctic white") Strat. Maybe a chambered basswood Warmoth. Must come in at 2 lbs.most I eould bet. Too sleepy, must see the PRS. Hope the tailpiece is in good tune if a wraparound, we'll see.
Thanks very much,
Steve the guitar murderer, maybe.
You guys always come up w/good ideas. G'night.
Click to expand...

You can also retro fit your pride and joy with uber light Titanium components.

Just search ebay for various goodies.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

Give up on the heavy guitars, you'll never get them down on weight. Take the good pickups out of them, put some cheap stock ones in, and hang them on the wall. Sorry.

If you want to drop more weight from the Strats/Teles - hit up GFS and get some Paulownia bodies. They're typically under 2 lbs, and they sound great.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

I'm going to buck the "buy a new guitar" trend here and point out that Peter Frampton had this exact thing done to his famous LP Custom. From what I've read the back of the guitar was completely gutted except for structural bits.

If you are intent on this, I'd hog out the bits you don't want with a Forstner bit and then clean it up with a router if you like.
If it were me, for esthetic reasons, I'd route out lips for recessed covers and make new "backs" to then glue into place and finish to taste.

It wouldn't be that terribly difficult, IMO, so long as you planned it out.
 
Re: Very Serious-Bad Back question-semi guitar gutting

I have owned a bunch of Steinbergers and Steinberger clones as well as a Parker Fly Deluxe (1997). Anyway the Parker weighed 4.5 pounds and was by far the lightest. As far as Steinbergers, I had a few GMs....they were not light. I had a GLB-T, surprisingly heavy for such a small guitar. I have had a few Hohner G2T's, in fact I still have one....great little light guitar just needs new pickups. I got rid of my Fly for one reason, the neck was way too thin for me and was causing hand pain. I still have the Hohner. I also have a parts Strat, Fender USA electronics, Fender MIM neck....and an unknown brand solid body which is very light. I am not a Strat guy, but this one is super light and plays and sounds great. I believe it weighs about 6.7 pounds if I remember correctly. Good luck, I have had back issues but not to your level!
 
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