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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Why Do This To A Guitar?!

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 18 2008, 10:21 PM

I just bought a second hand guitar, a 1972 Stratocaster.
As always when I get a new guitar I take it down into pieces to make adjustments, but also for cleaning of course smile.gif

And this is what I see when removing the pickguard huh.gif - Basically all the wood has been carved out (and it's definitely not made by a professional)!! Amazingly, this doesn't affect the tone much. I miss a little treble, but that's all. Other than that it sounds great biggrin.gif Just don't know what the guy was thinking when he did this! laugh.gif




Posted by: USAMAN May 18 2008, 10:26 PM

holy crap....that is all

Posted by: chast May 18 2008, 10:26 PM

That really doesn't look good blink.gif
When do we hear your new guitar Marcus ? biggrin.gif cool.gif

Posted by: Bondy May 18 2008, 10:28 PM

Ohh my god thats amazing i cant believe someone butchered it like that

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 18 2008, 10:31 PM

QUOTE (USAMAN @ May 18 2008, 11:26 PM) *
holy crap....that is all

Hehe... yeah, It looks pretty ugly! laugh.gif
But when the pickguard is on, it looks alright though! smile.gif

QUOTE (Bondy @ May 18 2008, 11:28 PM) *
Ohh my god thats amazing i cant believe someone butchered it like that

There should be a law against guitar-cruelty!!

Posted by: fkalich May 18 2008, 10:32 PM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 18 2008, 04:21 PM) *
I just bought a second hand guitar, a 1972 Stratocaster.
As always when I get a new guitar I take it down into pieces to make adjustments, but also for cleaning of course smile.gif

And this is what I see when removing the pickguard huh.gif - Basically all the wood has been carved out (and it's definitely not made by a professional)!! Amazingly, this doesn't affect the tone much. I miss a little treble, but that's all. Other than that it sounds great biggrin.gif Just don't know what the guy was thinking when he did this! laugh.gif



I would have liked to see your face when you saw that. and the Swedish words for ours, such as "oh crap", and the f word, you probably used our f word a bit, that is universal.

At times like this, the thought that in centuries to come all things will pass, all will be dust are comforting. part of your guitar just jumped the gun on this.

in answer to your question....there are generally a small finite number of ways to be sensible. but the number of what to be friggin out of your gourd approach infinity.

i can't feel sorry for you right now, damaging my bumper significantly on my toyota truck backing into my own boat trailer. a second way to be totally stupid, something the guy who did that to your guitar would probably also be good at.

Posted by: skennington May 18 2008, 10:33 PM

Thats Insane! blink.gif But on the brite side, Marcus you could prolly make a broomstick with twine sound good! smile.gif

Posted by: Toni Suominen May 18 2008, 10:35 PM

Wow, that's like super weird, maybe he just wanted some extra-space for the wires? laugh.gif but that still doesn't make sense since the wires fit in there great without making the body hollow biggrin.gif

But it's ok since it sounds good anyway, btw Marcus, what pickups does that strat have?

Congrats on the new guitar! smile.gif

Posted by: fkalich May 18 2008, 10:39 PM

QUOTE (Toni Suominen @ May 18 2008, 04:35 PM) *
Wow, that's like super weird, maybe he just wanted some extra-space for the wires? laugh.gif but that still doesn't make sense since the wires fit in there great without making the body hollow biggrin.gif

But it's ok since it sounds good anyway, btw Marcus, what pickups does that strat have?

Congrats on the new guitar! smile.gif


a lot of times if you just use the explanation "guy was an idiot", that is good enough, too many ways to be an idiot to analyze them all.

but if I were to guess, I would say either:

1) termites
2) he had a bad back, and it was done long ago, possibly by someone who was not aware that the guitar had value. strats have always had value, so I go with the guy was an idiot explanation.


edit: 3) angry girlfriend, letting him know what she did after she had left town.

no way to sugar coat this. But you might like it better if you finish it a bit, smooth all the rough crap, and consider it art.
maybe paint it. do something weird to make you like it more.

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 18 2008, 10:43 PM

QUOTE (fkalich @ May 18 2008, 11:32 PM) *
I would have liked to see your face when you saw that. and the Swedish words for ours, such as "oh crap", and the f word, you probably used our f word a bit, that is universal.

At times like this, the thought that in centuries to come all things will pass, all will be dust are comforting. part of your guitar just jumped the gun on this.

in answer to your question....there are generally a small finite number of ways to be sensible. but the number of what to be friggin out of your gourd approach infinity.

i can't feel sorry for you right now, damaging my bumper significantly on my toyota truck backing into my own boat trailer. a second way to be totally stupid, something the guy who did that to your guitar would probably also be good at.

Hehe... yep, lots of bad words came in handy when I first saw this! laugh.gif
Sorry to hear about your truck, and boat sad.gif

Posted by: fkalich May 18 2008, 10:44 PM



Ok, I AM THE MC IDEA MAN.


Transparent cover, and a bunch of LED's inside, maybe flashing.

There you go, I solved it for you. Seriously, that is what I would do, finish it off a bit to make it nicer, and show it, not hide it, with flashing lights. Great idea. If I don't say so myself.

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 18 2008, 10:50 PM

QUOTE (Toni Suominen @ May 18 2008, 11:35 PM) *
Wow, that's like super weird, maybe he just wanted some extra-space for the wires? laugh.gif but that still doesn't make sense since the wires fit in there great without making the body hollow biggrin.gif

But it's ok since it sounds good anyway, btw Marcus, what pickups does that strat have?

Congrats on the new guitar! smile.gif

I've hear about things like this before, but I never actually seen it! I think it's about making more resonance, like in an acoustic guitar (or something like that).

I have no clue about the pickups, there's no mark on them unsure.gif probably some no-name cheap stuff...

QUOTE (fkalich @ May 18 2008, 11:39 PM) *
but if I were to guess, I would say either:

1) termites
2) he had a bad back, and it was done long ago, possibly by someone who was not aware that the guitar had value. strats have always had value, so I go with the guy was an idiot explanation.

edit: 3) angry girlfriend, letting him know what she did after she had left town.

laugh.gif termites?! hm... could be laugh.gif laugh.gif

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl May 18 2008, 10:55 PM

blink.gif Oh my!

Could this be the reason for the more "hollow" vintage sound? If so there is an interesting lesson to be learned!

Thanks for sharing the picture - also it's interesting that the first thing you do after having bought a guitar is to dissect it, that is the last thing that I would dare to do! However I am probably the kind of guy who would make those kinds of amateur fixes... unsure.gif

Either way I hope to get to try the axe some time! biggrin.gif

Posted by: Strungout180 May 18 2008, 11:07 PM

It almost makes me want to cry seeing that done to a vintage Strat, and a sunburst vintage at that sad.gif

Posted by: audiopaal May 18 2008, 11:15 PM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 18 2008, 11:31 PM) *
There should be a law against guitar-cruelty!!


I agree!

But why do such a thing? Think he'd make a chambered strat or what? rolleyes.gif

Posted by: Nick325 May 18 2008, 11:16 PM

wow ive seen all the wood around the pickup area gone but never this much ohmy.gif hope it wont affect it that much. are you gunna customize it? (scallop neck, new pickups, etc)

Posted by: fkalich May 18 2008, 11:16 PM

QUOTE (Strungout180 @ May 18 2008, 05:07 PM) *
It almost makes me want to cry seeing that done to a vintage Strat, and a sunburst vintage at that sad.gif



i am going with the angry girlfriend theory now, either that or this guitar makes a good poster child for why you should not take drugs.

Posted by: MickeM May 18 2008, 11:26 PM

Nasty!

Seriously, I think someone was trying for a semi-hollowbody... Freaky!!!

Posted by: seagull May 18 2008, 11:58 PM

Yeah, I'm guessing he had the idea that it would give it more resonance. No other explanations sound reasonable, because if he just wanted to make space for some humbuckers for instance, he probably wouldn't carve out the lower "horn" of the body.

Nice guitar though! Great year for fenders.

Posted by: Hisham Al-Sanea May 19 2008, 09:41 AM

how much you payed for that Marcus ?. i think you bought only the neck from stratocaster1972
if you have a chance to turn it back would be better

Posted by: MickeM May 19 2008, 10:15 AM

I think I have a solution to get the hollow-sound. There's enough room in there for a reverb tank!! wink.gif

I think that picture is already a classic. Sorry it's yours...

Posted by: superize May 19 2008, 10:36 AM

Thats just nasty

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 19 2008, 10:39 AM

Well, I'm actually happy with this guitar. Sure, it's ugly on the inside but it sounds good and it's very comfortable to play on! biggrin.gif

If you guys want I could record an A - B test, where I play my white strat followed by this strat?
Of course I'd play the same licks and use the exact same settings on my amp. It would be interesting to see if we can hear any difference, and if so; is it better or worse? smile.gif

Posted by: superize May 19 2008, 10:40 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 11:39 AM) *
Well, I'm actually happy with this guitar. Sure, it's ugly on the inside but it sounds good and it's very comfortable to play on! biggrin.gif

If you guys want I could record an A - B test, where I play my white strat followed by this strat?
Of course I'd play the same licks and use the exact same settings on my amp. It would be interesting to see if we can hear any difference, and if so; is it better or worse? smile.gif


That would be cool biggrin.gif

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 19 2008, 10:49 AM

WOW thats weird stuff!! I never knew such things were done..
Well I guess if it sounds ok its cool wink.gif And more lightweight any way smile.gif

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 19 2008, 10:53 AM

QUOTE (superize @ May 19 2008, 11:40 AM) *
That would be cool biggrin.gif

ok, I'll try to do this tonight!

Maybe it would be more fun if I make it a blind test and just refer to them as "guitar #1" and "guitar #2", so you won't know which one I'm playing on? you have to guess... biggrin.gif

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl May 19 2008, 10:58 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 09:53 AM) *
ok, I'll try to do this tonight!

Maybe it would be more fun if I make it a blind test and just refer to them as "guitar #1" and "guitar #2", so you won't know which one I'm playing on? you have to guess... biggrin.gif


That's a really cool idea! biggrin.gif

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion May 19 2008, 11:00 AM

I don't know anybody who would want to do that to a guitar. Utter madness.

Posted by: Nighthawk May 19 2008, 11:19 AM

That's the most amateurish thing I've ever seen... laugh.gif But I am happy for you that it sounds good despite of that.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 19 2008, 11:39 AM

Yeah , do a blind test with a poll so we can vote which sounds better to us wink.gif

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 19 2008, 11:43 AM

QUOTE (Bogdan Radovic @ May 19 2008, 12:39 PM) *
Yeah , do a blind test with a poll so we can vote which sounds better to us wink.gif

A poll - great idea Bogdan! thanks! biggrin.gif

Posted by: blindwillie May 19 2008, 12:57 PM

What the... !
I think he was searching for something. The incredible tone maybe.

Posted by: rockztar May 19 2008, 01:50 PM

looks bad..... but if it sounds good it is good

Posted by: Trond Vold May 19 2008, 03:08 PM

ohmy.gif This reminds me of botched plastic surgery sad.gif

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion May 19 2008, 03:10 PM

QUOTE (Trond Vold @ May 19 2008, 03:08 PM) *
ohmy.gif This reminds me of botched plastic surgery sad.gif

You certainly wouldn't let them make your wedding cake either biggrin.gif

Posted by: Canis May 19 2008, 03:21 PM

They created a word perfect for this kind of things:

Blasphemy.

Glad you're happy with it anyway though^^

Posted by: Jeff May 19 2008, 04:11 PM

I'm guessing he had all kinds of different electronics/PU's in there over the years and got tired of it not fitting so he just carved it out. Now comes selling time. So he puts the originals back in, a new pick guard on and he's all set. Except that it gets bought by Marcus Lavendell who takes it apart and posts pictures on the Internet and now everyone knows he's an idiot.

I guess I should never have done that! blink.gif tongue.gif biggrin.gif

Are the PU's original?

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 19 2008, 06:39 PM

ok, here's two (sloppy) recordings! smile.gif
One of the mp3's is this guitar, and the other one my white strat (that I often use in my lessons here)

 Guitar_1.mp3 ( 539.21K ) : 392

 Guitar_2.mp3 ( 539.21K ) : 314


Which one of these two mp3's do you think sounds better, tone/sound-wise? "Guitar 1" or "Guitar 2"? smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic May 19 2008, 07:01 PM

I would say the guitar one has better sound, clearer and more presence in it.

Also wanna ask you how much did you pay for that strat. Looks like a great machine! smile.gif Maybe somebody wanted to make a hollowbody type sound, that is not excluded.

Posted by: Zizi Top May 19 2008, 07:04 PM

i'd say guitar 1 is the new one .. but they both sound good, i'm just reffering on the fact that with guitar one i think their is less treble .. like if there was a hole in the guitar .... (i'm just saying that cause i saw the pic ! and oh my goddddd how did he do this !! )
I prefer guitar 2, but again they both sound good ( are you using the same pickups on both ?)

Are you using Pod line 6 ? if yes, can you share your tones plz ?

Thx

Posted by: Hammerin Hank May 19 2008, 07:47 PM

Maybe that's where he hid his doobies..........

I like guitar 1

Posted by: Hisham Al-Sanea May 19 2008, 10:16 PM

every one has some special sound the first more treble and clear sound
the second also nice with fat sound and more warm sound

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 19 2008, 10:38 PM

This is a tough choice , at first I liked the second better because of more fatter sound but after a few more listens I will go with the first one...Has a very interesting dimension in its sound smile.gif

Posted by: JVM May 19 2008, 10:51 PM

Sounds to me like the first one is the new one, but I'm not entirely sure smile.gif I like the second one better.

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 20 2008, 07:43 AM

ok, I guess it's time to reveal which one it is. Most of you were right biggrin.gif

"Guitar 1" is this hollowbody strat
"Guitar 2 " is my white strat

Very interesting to see that some of you liked Guitar 1 more than Guitar 2 smile.gif

Posted by: PlayAllDay May 20 2008, 07:53 AM

I say this just shows what a damn fine instrument the Fender Strat is - still plays like a dream even with its guts torn out. cool.gif

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl May 20 2008, 07:54 AM

I prefered number one - because to me it had less distortion so we could hear more of the guitar's wood tone (what's left of it, that is! biggrin.gif). Perhaps because of low output pickups?

Either way it sounds like you have made like a good purchase inspite of the unpleasant surprise! biggrin.gif


Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 20 2008, 08:16 AM

QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ May 20 2008, 08:54 AM) *
I prefered number one - because to me it had less distortion so we could hear more of the guitar's wood tone (what's left of it, that is! biggrin.gif). Perhaps because of low output pickups?

Either way it sounds like you have made like a good purchase inspite of the unpleasant surprise! biggrin.gif

Yes, the pickups has a big part of the tone of course. So to make this test fair I really should have used the same pickups on both the guitars, but that was a little too much work last night! smile.gif

QUOTE (Jeff @ May 19 2008, 05:11 PM) *
Are the PU's original?

No, I don't think so because they don't look that old (so they can't be from the 70's). I have no idea what brand they are either. The seller didn't know, and there's no mark on them unsure.gif


QUOTE (Zizi Top @ May 19 2008, 08:04 PM) *
Are you using Pod line 6 ? if yes, can you share your tones plz ?

Yes, I used a PODxt. The preset is the one we used in the Nocturnal Vision song. You can download it http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=14734 smile.gif

QUOTE (Hisham Al-Sanea @ May 19 2008, 10:41 AM) *
how much you payed for that Marcus ?

I paid around 700 usd.

Posted by: MickeM May 20 2008, 08:18 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 11:53 AM) *
ok, I'll try to do this tonight!

Maybe it would be more fun if I make it a blind test and just refer to them as "guitar #1" and "guitar #2", so you won't know which one I'm playing on? you have to guess... biggrin.gif

Yeah sure, make a poll of which sound better smile.gif
EDIT: Ooops, too late. laugh.gif

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 20 2008, 08:21 AM

QUOTE (Nick325 @ May 19 2008, 12:16 AM) *
are you gunna customize it? (scallop neck, new pickups, etc)

Hm... I actually like it as it is. So I don't think I'll change much, just some new springs in the back and a new pickguard (that's what I'm doing in that picture). I have a spare scalloped neck though, so I'll probably try and put that on too smile.gif

Posted by: kaznie_NL May 20 2008, 12:18 PM

Man that looks not good... Well as long as it doesn't effect the tone, it's no big problem I gues. It doesn't seem like the previous owner had any respect for the guitar wink.gif

Posted by: Juan M. Valero May 20 2008, 01:51 PM

mmm I can't understand anything sad.gif

Posted by: Scott Gentzen May 20 2008, 04:34 PM

Used a different pickguard and dug the body out for humbuckers?

Posted by: Pi38 May 20 2008, 04:43 PM

Maybe he needed firewood. laugh.gif

Posted by: Toofister May 29 2008, 01:01 AM

Marcus , I think this was a steal of a deal , the tone in my opinion is not going to be disturbed because the pickguard doesn't resonate too a great deal past the electronics you are using, I think it would take a fine tuned professional ear to hear any difference. You have obviously realized this as well, the butchering so to say could be much worse and at least doesnt show. It's a gem of a guitar. I would take it off your hands anytime you want to let go of it. smile.gif I have old Gibsons with dings and Kramers I wish were in mint but a old strat that sounds and looks good is priceless.

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 30 2008, 07:49 AM

QUOTE (Toofister @ May 29 2008, 02:01 AM) *
Marcus , I think this was a steal of a deal , the tone in my opinion is not going to be disturbed because the pickguard doesn't resonate too a great deal past the electronics you are using, I think it would take a fine tuned professional ear to hear any difference. You have obviously realized this as well, the butchering so to say could be much worse and at least doesnt show. It's a gem of a guitar. I would take it off your hands anytime you want to let go of it. smile.gif I have old Gibsons with dings and Kramers I wish were in mint but a old strat that sounds and looks good is priceless.

Thanks Toofister, I agree with you! smile.gif and I promise to let you know if I want sell it sometime biggrin.gif

Posted by: mattacuk May 30 2008, 08:26 AM

I was really digging guitar 2 the most !! But Guitar 1 really did sound very good !!

Posted by: black and white May 30 2008, 08:46 AM

Smuggling...........maybe this was a storage compartment for illegal goods.

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 30 2008, 08:59 AM

QUOTE (black and white @ May 30 2008, 09:46 AM) *
Smuggling...........maybe this was a storage compartment for illegal goods.

Hm... Scary.... I never thought about that! unsure.gif

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl May 30 2008, 09:00 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 30 2008, 07:59 AM) *
Hm... Scary.... I never thought about that! unsure.gif


Yeah right...!

laugh.gif

Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 30 2008, 09:16 AM

QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ May 30 2008, 10:00 AM) *
Yeah right...!

laugh.gif

Haha... honestly, i didn't rolleyes.gif laugh.gif

If this is the case, does that mean I'm a criminal now?! huh.gif tongue.gif

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl May 30 2008, 09:24 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 30 2008, 08:16 AM) *
Haha... honestly, i didn't rolleyes.gif laugh.gif

If this is the case, does that mean I'm a criminal now?! huh.gif tongue.gif


That depends on how much heroin we find - however you'd probably distract us enough for you to escape, if you pull a lick or two on the guitar...! wink.gif

Posted by: Col Roberts May 30 2008, 09:27 AM

QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 30 2008, 06:16 PM) *
If this is the case, does that mean I'm a criminal now?! huh.gif tongue.gif


No, just a Fender offender .... laugh.gif


Posted by: Marcus Lavendell May 30 2008, 10:37 AM

QUOTE (Col Roberts @ May 30 2008, 10:27 AM) *
No, just a Fender offender .... laugh.gif

Hehe... tongue.gif tongue.gif

Posted by: mattacuk May 30 2008, 10:50 AM

I would'nt try to take that guitar on a plane, the sniffer dogs might hunt you down unsure.gif laugh.gif wink.gif

Posted by: BollyRotten May 30 2008, 11:37 AM

One Word - Savage!!

I would take it back, as you pay good money for fenders, Personally I play off G&Ls

cool.gif

Posted by: Gerald May 30 2008, 09:09 PM

Personally I think it adds a bit of character. No else is going to have a guitar quite like that one. smile.gif

Posted by: sidewas lightning Jun 1 2008, 09:34 PM

Who knows, someone who was either a nutball with a freaky temper or a guy with some weird notions about what to do with his strat. But if hes crazy why did he remove the pickguard before gutting it? I'm scared to look under mine's pickguard now though... thats scary ohmy.gif . Oh well, man, as long as it sounds good. And you could make a no name strat sound like a 3000 buck guitar. Do you know where you got it from? Have you talked to the guy that owned it last? You could ask him what the heck he was thinking. I'd be a little ticked if I spent my money on that too. Makes me sick, dude, makes me sick. blink.gif

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