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Marcus Lavendell
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

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USAMAN
holy crap....that is all
chast
That really doesn't look good blink.gif
When do we hear your new guitar Marcus ? biggrin.gif cool.gif
Bondy
Ohh my god thats amazing i cant believe someone butchered it like that
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (USAMAN @ May 18 2008, 11:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ohh my god thats amazing i cant believe someone butchered it like that

There should be a law against guitar-cruelty!!
fkalich
QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 18 2008, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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

Click to view attachment


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.
skennington
Thats Insane! blink.gif But on the brite side, Marcus you could prolly make a broomstick with twine sound good! smile.gif
Toni Suominen
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
fkalich
QUOTE (Toni Suominen @ May 18 2008, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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.
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (fkalich @ May 18 2008, 11:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
fkalich


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.
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (Toni Suominen @ May 18 2008, 11:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
Kristofer Dahl
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
Strungout180
It almost makes me want to cry seeing that done to a vintage Strat, and a sunburst vintage at that sad.gif
audiopaal
QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 18 2008, 11:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
Nick325
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)
fkalich
QUOTE (Strungout180 @ May 18 2008, 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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.
MickeM
Nasty!

Seriously, I think someone was trying for a semi-hollowbody... Freaky!!!
seagull
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.
Hisham Al-Sanea
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
MickeM
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...
superize
Thats just nasty
Marcus Lavendell
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
superize
QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 11:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
Bogdan Radovic
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
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (superize @ May 19 2008, 11:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
Kristofer Dahl
QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 09:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
OrganisedConfusion
I don't know anybody who would want to do that to a guitar. Utter madness.
Nighthawk1
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.
Bogdan Radovic
Yeah , do a blind test with a poll so we can vote which sounds better to us wink.gif
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (Bogdan Radovic @ May 19 2008, 12:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
blindwillie
What the... !
I think he was searching for something. The incredible tone maybe.
rockztar
looks bad..... but if it sounds good it is good
Trond Vold
ohmy.gif This reminds me of botched plastic surgery sad.gif
OrganisedConfusion
QUOTE (Trond Vold @ May 19 2008, 03:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
ohmy.gif This reminds me of botched plastic surgery sad.gif

You certainly wouldn't let them make your wedding cake either biggrin.gif
Canis
They created a word perfect for this kind of things:

Blasphemy.

Glad you're happy with it anyway though^^
Jeff
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?
Marcus Lavendell
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)

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Which one of these two mp3's do you think sounds better, tone/sound-wise? "Guitar 1" or "Guitar 2"? smile.gif
Ivan Milenkovic
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.
Jad Diab
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
Henry Dietzel
Maybe that's where he hid his doobies..........

I like guitar 1
Hisham Al-Sanea
every one has some special sound the first more treble and clear sound
the second also nice with fat sound and more warm sound
Bogdan Radovic
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
JVM
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.
Marcus Lavendell
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
PlayAllDay
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
Kristofer Dahl
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

Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ May 20 2008, 08:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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 here smile.gif

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

I paid around 700 usd.
MickeM
QUOTE (Marcus Lavendell @ May 19 2008, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
Marcus Lavendell
QUOTE (Nick325 @ May 19 2008, 12:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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
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