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No, not a thread on studded leathers and peaked caps. This is for those nice guitars, maybe even classics, that some numbskull has seen fit to customize or “hack” as the technical term goes. Here’s one:
An original, 60s Hofner Beatle bass that some hack converted from its original lefty to a righty, then back again, but the righty hole and control plating remains. On behalf of us lefties, will you normals please stop doing this? Are you having trouble finding RH instruments out there?
Here, for example, is my own (not RI) Mustang bass carcass. A previous has turned it righty and hacked the upper horn back. Better still, he whopped out a rout for (of all things) a MightyMite 6-string bass pup near the bridge. The rout is so deep that the screw holes dimple the rear of the (refinished, pearl white) paint job. Some people.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid162/pec407c3ec3dede4c71e60422406412d7/f4bbd986.jpg
Incidentally, an “optimistic” Fleeber is listing a Mustang bridge and saddles for 50 BIN. My whole cadaver cost £32, incl the neck, tuners and, yes, the bridge:
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What the hell happened to this poor sod? what did this guitar ever do to deserve this?
Nicely described too.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/customised-him-guitar_W0QQitemZ7360016240QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem -
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As I think I’ve mentioned before, that’s what Blackmore used to do at gigs. Sneak off for a “Satellite” just before the ritual smash-up. He didn’t use a branch-shredder. Maybe if he teams up with Slim Shady…
I’d organized a mult-band gig where the last band on “Keith Moon”ed the drum kit. It wasn’t their drum kit. Much chasing of drummer into, eventually, the toilets by the band that was loaning it out to all the performing bands.
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I once filled a crappy nylon string acoustic with concrete to create an inside out guitary sculpture (we were encouraged to experiment and I don’t need much encouragement anyway!)
I also trashed an old ‘Audition’ electric which had been given to me, long story but the guitar came off worst in the end 😀Tim.
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Just out of curiosity, who on this message board has ever smashed a guitar?
I did once, and to make matters sound worse it wasn’t even my own.
It was an act of revenge on someone I used to share a house with. We’d all been given our marching orders by the letting agency, but had to clean the house, make repairs where needed, clean the carpets, etc, and this guy did absolutely nothing to help. He just buggered off leaving some of his things out in the garage including his crappy acoustic guitar, presumably intending to collect later. Which was where I found it…
I’ve got some photos somewhere!
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[quote=”lee_UK”]Was it ever sacrificed on stage with lighter fuel? i just get the feeling it’s not been, loved.. 😆
if there was a RSPCG (Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Guitars, for anyone outside the UK) i’d report you..[/quote]‘Prevention’ surely unless you’re a closet guitar sadist 😆
ps. Woo! I’ve now ‘Got Rhythm’ kinda useful as a bassist!
EDITED: because I got ‘Rhythm’ wrong 😳
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Even though it’s been knocked about and abused, then humiliated with black tape and blackboard paint, and then butchered with some kind of carving device, and then had it’s knobs ripped off and replaced with fender ones, even though this guitar has been taken to hell (i was going to say ‘hell and back’ but i dont think it’s come back yet) i bet, despite all that, this SG still ROCKS.. with attitude. 😆
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This seems a good a time as any to post my beloved SG, as mentioned in another thread, my friend decided to carve a lizard type thingy into the body about 1cm deep which I then filled with polyfiller when I aquired the guitar. I do like the black to red paint effect I got but the filler is still very visible.
note also the interesting knob collection, elecctrical taped Pup covers and ‘scratched’ plate.
Tim.
p.s. Woohoo my PC is letting me post…I haven’t been ignoring you all really just technical tish at this end.
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Yes, that’s an annoying hack, glw. As you say, trem-Strats are absolutely everywhere so why not just buy one? It’s the same as my righty/lefty argument. A pic like that convinces me of the pointlessness of trying to “fill in” the extra pup rout on the Mustang. It’s so difficult to do well, might as well hunt for a used body on the Fleeb. I’ve been looking a long time for a lefty Mustang bass bod to show up, though.
If anyone sees one (I don’t care if it’s Jap RI, refinished etc, just so long as it’s not hacked) flag it up for me, please.
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Here’s another piece of butchery…
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7356704664&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
It’s not apparent at first sight, but what has happened is that someone has taken a non-trem Strat and routed it for a tremolo (possibly one of those horrible Kahler things). Why spoil a perfectly good hardtail Strat? Hardtail Strats are hard enough to come by without some plonker converting them to a tremolo instrument. This angers me in the same way that Bass dislikes people converting left-handed guitars to right-hand play. (see above, somewhere).
It seems that the guitar was converted back to hardtail again, but there are still signs of the damage. It’s a pity about the shoddy scratchplate cutting in the bridge area too. However, it could be a nice guitar with some TLC.
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British blues legend John Mayall has been known to butcher, I mean customise, his guitars, such as the famous holey Strat (below right).
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Better still, those Gibson EBO HBs do come up on the FleebUS fairly often and don’t cost a bomb. Stick one of those in and it’ll be “Cream Live” in the bedroom. Just beware of some Dimarzio Model Ones and even the Epi HB masquerading as the genuine. Otherwise, a Gibby pup for under £50 is not a difficult find.
I agree, the Epi EBO looks a lot classier than the Encore 30″ and not a lot more money either.
EDIT: There is a Fender Musicmaster bass on FleebUK attracting no bids at £200. I’m not too surprised though. Similar to the Mustang, but not as popular because
a) It uses a 2-saddle bridge
b) A single, Telecaster p’up is used (weird, lightweight bass tone).If you look at the Musicmaster closely enough, you can count the six polepieces:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1977-FENDER-MUSICMASTER-BASS_W0QQitemZ7355324811QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
There is another one that, apparently, Big Country’s roadies nailed to an amp 😯
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Fender-MUSICMASTER-Bass-ex-Big-Country_W0QQitemZ7356731619QQcategoryZ33039QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Note that this one has had an aftermarket 4-saddle fitted.Girlies do like the Musicmaster/Mustang. The small body shape etc makes it very comfortable. I’d consider either fitting a field-type Telepup (eg EMG) or getting the Dremel out and fitting a ’51P type or, indeed, anything that takes the fancy. There’s not much ‘value’ to ruin but these are US Fenders, every bit as well made as their bigger sisters.
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Oh yeah, here’s one of his that’s been circulating for months at his price. Frankly, I wouldn’t even stump up the p+p money for this ‘modified’ Gibson Ripper bass:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GIBSON-RIPPER-BASS-1976-left-over_W0QQitemZ7355004618QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem -
🙄 Lee, for the nth time, there is a difference between the Fender Mustang and the Sunn (by FMIC) Mustang. Ignoring the Sunn Strat-copy for a moment, the Mustang (both guitar and bass) are great for kids except they are darned expensive. A good, original US Mustang clears $1000 easily (especially with the Shelby “competition” stripes) but the 24″ scale guitar and 30″ scale bass make good student models (their original intention).
The Japanese reissues are good instruments for around $550, but I don’t see them very often in Blighty for anything like the comparable £ rate. For that age range, I’d look at the 30″ scale basses. Apart from the Mustang bass, there are the Epiphone EB basses, made in Korea. The EB0 sounds nothing like the Gibson, but it’s a start (and sounds better with flats, IMO – roundwounds burn the poor kid’s pads). The cheapest option is the Encore 30″ Precision stylee. These are perfectly OK starter basses and just as easy to set up decently as yer average P.
With under-10s, I have no shame whatsoever in buying something cheap but serviceable. Apart from the Sunn Mustang £45 guitar, my sprog has decided to take up trumpet. Did I buy a Bach Stradivarius, or even a Yamaha? No chance – a Chinese made Stagg for £59. We’ll see if he keeps it going for more than six months.
Anyhoo, back to the thread. Anyone seen a hack job while looking for a nice axe? I remember that “Mitten in Deutschland” seller has a few horrors; including a semi-Steinbuggered Gibson.
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Ive got my 9yr old daughter interested in Bass guitar, ive tried her on a yamaha bg model (on loan from my old bass player) but the neck seems a bit too fat for her hands, any suggestions for a small short scale CHEAP bass? do mustang do a chinese reissue thats cheaper than Special fried rice, prawn balls and curry sauce?
any advice?
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