Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
I'd love to see the Melody Maker, I miss mine (a '65, cherry red, pic from 1985 or so attached). I could probably make an entire thread from the project guitars hanging around here, too.
je
Lets See All Them Axes
- Thread starter Parnelly
- Start date
I'd love to see the Melody Maker, I miss mine (a '65, cherry red, pic from 1985 or so attached). I could probably make an entire thread from the project guitars hanging around here, too.
je
kevzep
Its all about the Music
I will have a look at that.................looks fine on my browser, Im using firefox, not sure if that makes any difference.....
Sorted it.....have a look now.......
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
Ahhh...more better now, thanks.
I always wanted an ASAT, a good friend was a distributor & used to bring them around for weekly jams. Nice.
je
terry dactel
New Member
Highwaystar
Active Member
Gretsch American Orchestra Model 35 from around 1933 - 1935. My Dad bought it new at that time.
Karl
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
LOOOOONG-time project, finally nearly sorted. 
My "TeleBastard", 22-fret Warmoth body/Jackson strat neck (maple & ebony, Floyd Rose nut removed & modded for standard Strat nut), Fender SCN in the lead, Duncan 5/2 in the rhythm, nice chunky brass bridge ("Guitar Man"?), temporary plain black pickguard. All parts that I had kicking around, assembled & modded & mostly ignored from 1995-2011.
Full story available if anybody's interested, here's some pics for now:
My "TeleBastard", 22-fret Warmoth body/Jackson strat neck (maple & ebony, Floyd Rose nut removed & modded for standard Strat nut), Fender SCN in the lead, Duncan 5/2 in the rhythm, nice chunky brass bridge ("Guitar Man"?), temporary plain black pickguard. All parts that I had kicking around, assembled & modded & mostly ignored from 1995-2011.
Full story available if anybody's interested, here's some pics for now:
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
33&athird
Turn on & Tune in
Holy cow...all of you have such awesome guitars:drool::ntwrthy:
I'll have to get a more recent picture of my axes, a '08 american standard strat is my "darling" axe. Saved up, did some hardcore yardwork, and bought it on my birthday...still can't play a song on it:stupid:. That's going to change. This year I buckle down and practice.
My other(s) are a hard to play, nearly trashed Yamaha fg acoustic, a crap "Harmony stella" acoustic in I think 3/4 "student" scale, the front plate is peeling off the frame:worried:, and a recent Silvertone Rockit 21, my first guitar, it will eventually get modded, so far it has stickers and a brass plate from a 40's portable record player:yes:
As for "dream guitars", these are the ones I really, really want to inherit when the time comes (pictures are the guitars themselves);
The "famous" Silvertone 1448 amp-in-case w/Lipstick tube pickup...haven't got a chance to play this one, though one day I will have to try, in somewhat rough shape, it and the next have lived on a farm all their lives, they were my grandfathers, who died in '68 as far as I know (it's not brought up much, obviously)
Here is the big one;
'66 or '67 Hagstrom Impala, coolest of the cool in guitars(opinion, of course), made in Sweden (brand was "renewed" recently, but moved to china), the picture does not show it, but the finish is one of the best i've seen, it goes from a nice solid red to perfect woodgrain in the middle. That is me in the pictures, from several years back
It does work, and has a bizarre pickup system. I attempted to play it, but the strings were also original 60's ones, so it was like trying to hammer-on a boat anchor line. Sounded pretty good despite my attempts at mucking it up
Yeah, one day I hope...oh man do I:yes:
I'll have to get a more recent picture of my axes, a '08 american standard strat is my "darling" axe. Saved up, did some hardcore yardwork, and bought it on my birthday...still can't play a song on it:stupid:. That's going to change. This year I buckle down and practice.
My other(s) are a hard to play, nearly trashed Yamaha fg acoustic, a crap "Harmony stella" acoustic in I think 3/4 "student" scale, the front plate is peeling off the frame:worried:, and a recent Silvertone Rockit 21, my first guitar, it will eventually get modded, so far it has stickers and a brass plate from a 40's portable record player:yes:
As for "dream guitars", these are the ones I really, really want to inherit when the time comes (pictures are the guitars themselves);
The "famous" Silvertone 1448 amp-in-case w/Lipstick tube pickup...haven't got a chance to play this one, though one day I will have to try, in somewhat rough shape, it and the next have lived on a farm all their lives, they were my grandfathers, who died in '68 as far as I know (it's not brought up much, obviously)
Here is the big one;
'66 or '67 Hagstrom Impala, coolest of the cool in guitars(opinion, of course), made in Sweden (brand was "renewed" recently, but moved to china), the picture does not show it, but the finish is one of the best i've seen, it goes from a nice solid red to perfect woodgrain in the middle. That is me in the pictures, from several years back
It does work, and has a bizarre pickup system. I attempted to play it, but the strings were also original 60's ones, so it was like trying to hammer-on a boat anchor line. Sounded pretty good despite my attempts at mucking it up
Yeah, one day I hope...oh man do I:yes:
Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
Thanks, I'm quite pleasantly surprised with how elegant/understated it looks with the plain black pickguard. It previously had a polished brass 'guard that could be a bit overwhelming in bright stage lights.
Gimme a little more time with the SCN for a better review, but essentially I hated the thing in the original Fender (some kind of series/parallel switching system, I think), but in here it's got a Tele-signature sound with just enough extra body & smoothness for high gain/high volume use as well. This combo of neck/bridge/body gives LOADS of natural sustain, and this pickup seems to complement that nicely by having a bit of beef + being a low magnetic pull, so it can reside pretty close to the strings (if desired, I've currently got it balanced pretty well with the Duncan 5/2 in the rhythm).
Very happy with how the two p'ups play nicely together, both clean & dirty...that was a happy accident.
Today was the shakedown with the big-ass stage rig through a Marshall 4 x 12, Monday I should have some time for the custom tube preamps & smaller combos & some FX pedals.
je (why yes, my ears are ringing, why do you ask?
)
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
By the way, I just spoke on the phone with another AK member here yesterday, and he praised the Tele he bought from you so highly that it spurred me to bust this one out & finish it...so, thanks! :thmbsp:
je
!
Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
Update on the Kazoo...
Pot dates are all ~1966, body style says '68-'69. One of the pickups was a replacement Strat-style, didn't quite fit. I have had a 1970 Gibson SG-100 pickup kicking around for decades (but missing a magnet), Lindy Fralin's shop was nice enough to send on the correct magnet. It's deep (and black), so had to go in the lead position to fit. Wiring was hacked, so EVERYTHING came apart, got cleaned up a bit, & then got re-wired (new tone caps).
Maestro tremolo came off, now just using the stop tailpiece & medium gauge strings with a wound 'G'. Knobs are from a Melody Maker, but are all "Volume" knobs.
Still needs a truss rod cover and tuners (one peg has replaced parts, most are bent/loose), but I can't find the right 6-in-line spacing. Debating now whether to go with individual tuners (easier install, better quality, but not the right look & exposed holes) or chrome Mustang-style 6-in-line tuners (tougher to install due to off-center reaming, decent quality, with a more period-correct look that covers all holes). Advice welcome on this one...
Sounds pretty good, but it's really its own instrument...feels & sounds more like a Fender Mustang (sustain included), but has a little more body & grit to the pickups. More tweaking ahead.
je
Pot dates are all ~1966, body style says '68-'69. One of the pickups was a replacement Strat-style, didn't quite fit. I have had a 1970 Gibson SG-100 pickup kicking around for decades (but missing a magnet), Lindy Fralin's shop was nice enough to send on the correct magnet. It's deep (and black), so had to go in the lead position to fit. Wiring was hacked, so EVERYTHING came apart, got cleaned up a bit, & then got re-wired (new tone caps).
Maestro tremolo came off, now just using the stop tailpiece & medium gauge strings with a wound 'G'. Knobs are from a Melody Maker, but are all "Volume" knobs.
Still needs a truss rod cover and tuners (one peg has replaced parts, most are bent/loose), but I can't find the right 6-in-line spacing. Debating now whether to go with individual tuners (easier install, better quality, but not the right look & exposed holes) or chrome Mustang-style 6-in-line tuners (tougher to install due to off-center reaming, decent quality, with a more period-correct look that covers all holes). Advice welcome on this one...
Sounds pretty good, but it's really its own instrument...feels & sounds more like a Fender Mustang (sustain included), but has a little more body & grit to the pickups. More tweaking ahead.
je
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
Better pics of the AV330, haven't delved into it so it's still in as-received condition.
je
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Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
Fred Sanford
Addicted Member
vanquishfist
Loudness Off
vanquishfist
Loudness Off
Sorry for the wait, but here's the Melody Maker/SG in it's primered state. I just got the last of the parts for it and set them up for the picture(nothing wired yet).
Dragonfire four lead pickups and I have four push/pull pots to work with. Any input on wiring ideas? I at least want the coils splittable, but I'm not sure what to do with the other two switches?:scratch2:
I actually only ordered two push/pulls and two standard pots from an ebay seller and he sent me four push/pulls.
I had to modify the pickguard since it's not actually made for this guitar. That's why I had to put the bridge back farther for proper intonation.
I'm thinking candy apple purple for the finish...
Dragonfire four lead pickups and I have four push/pull pots to work with. Any input on wiring ideas? I at least want the coils splittable, but I'm not sure what to do with the other two switches?:scratch2:
I actually only ordered two push/pulls and two standard pots from an ebay seller and he sent me four push/pulls.
I had to modify the pickguard since it's not actually made for this guitar. That's why I had to put the bridge back farther for proper intonation.
I'm thinking candy apple purple for the finish...
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33&athird
Turn on & Tune in
Here's my "players", the first up is a junker silvertone, starter guitar at best and of somewhat dubious quality, but hey, it's fun. I'm thinking of getting a couple new pickups, since the stock ones, um, stink. The neck is pretty good, has a weird feel to it...somewhat waxy. Currently has some Ernie ball strings which have lasted a good long time, although without much actual use:sigh:
I'd say that was a beater, if I want to mess around with tuning, that's the one - it's currently in C tuning. if I want to mess around/stick something up, that's the one. Been considering doing a little paint work for a bit more unique flair, flat black is a bit "meh"
Here is my special guitar, a '08 american standard, worked real hard to get it, completely babied, perhaps too much...rarely played, but i'm starting to pick it up more and learn, the neck on this is almost like butter, it feels so right to me...just super quality. It's wiped down after every play, that scuff/line is a reflection. Sounds pretty nice, but I think it really needs to be paired with a better amp (and a better player:stupid
, my little vox Da5 is alright, but I think it limits the strat. This needs new strings, the fender ones were alright, looking to try out something new, may look for suggestions around this forum before to long.
And the back, I love the woodgrain and clear coat:yes:
@fred sanford; Another bunch of neat guitars!, all good lookers. That blue mustang-ish one has character, a maestro trem usually look pretty interesting, haven't used one, though (i'm bad enough with the fender trem)...is that the original neck?, looks like there is a little body overhang at the joint. Oh, and compared to my pure-crap stella by harmony, those tuners are straight as an arrow
I'd say that was a beater, if I want to mess around with tuning, that's the one - it's currently in C tuning. if I want to mess around/stick something up, that's the one. Been considering doing a little paint work for a bit more unique flair, flat black is a bit "meh"
Here is my special guitar, a '08 american standard, worked real hard to get it, completely babied, perhaps too much...rarely played, but i'm starting to pick it up more and learn, the neck on this is almost like butter, it feels so right to me...just super quality. It's wiped down after every play, that scuff/line is a reflection. Sounds pretty nice, but I think it really needs to be paired with a better amp (and a better player:stupid
, my little vox Da5 is alright, but I think it limits the strat. This needs new strings, the fender ones were alright, looking to try out something new, may look for suggestions around this forum before to long.
And the back, I love the woodgrain and clear coat:yes:
@fred sanford; Another bunch of neat guitars!, all good lookers. That blue mustang-ish one has character, a maestro trem usually look pretty interesting, haven't used one, though (i'm bad enough with the fender trem)...is that the original neck?, looks like there is a little body overhang at the joint. Oh, and compared to my pure-crap stella by harmony, those tuners are straight as an arrow
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