Or a Tele with a B-bender or G-bender. There are ones in the US that don’t add to much weight.

A friend of mine has a Brent Mason Tele and while it was a bit pricey he sold 2 or 3 of his others and now plays nothing else, apart from his acoustic.

Having ordered a black Squirt Mustang firvtge princely sum of £17 from GAK, I’ve been googling them.

They seem to get glowing reviews apart from bridge, tuners, and nut.

I’m wondering about doing a few mods (because why not!) Think it would look cool with a black bridge, black tuners and a black nut 😎
I might even look into a black scratch plate, though I could laser cut one myself at work.

^ oops that should read £117. Beer has been drunk

Jesus! At that price you can afford a lot of beer….

It’s the 80’s again! Hurray!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/JqyapaWaqqvMzmKr9

Seems that THIS what I want
https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitars/best-electric-guitars-under-500/squier-paranormal-offset-telecaster-in-butterscotch-blonde

@Superficial Very processed. VERY 80s. Very nice. Sure I heard that recently somewhere… 🙂

Anyone interested in an American Professional II Strat in Miami Blue with maple fingerboard? Mint condition. Has Schaller locking tuners on it plus the ones I removed.
Currently has the David Gilmore EMG pickup set in there but I’ll put the stock VMod -2 pickups back in.
Comes with a hard case and has all the documentation with it.
£1200.
Need to sell a guitar to pay for a Baritone.

I would… but I already have an AM pro 1 (fantastic Guitars) and I just got a gretsch, and I’m in a position of 2/3 out before 1 in

Aye, nowt wrong with it but I am using the Tele all the time at the moment and I really fell for a Chapman Bea Baritone yesterday.
Like you no more in until something goes.
I’ll stick the JTV for sale as well and see which goes first.

That Strat looks lovely. Really like the Miami Blue (As do you, I know). £1200 seems like a bargain in today’s used guitar climate, but alas I don’t need another Strat.

Strat owners – how close is the trem arm to your volume pot? On mine, if the arm is over the pot, I can barely get any down-wiggle. Is this normal? Guitar is a 90s MIM. 6 bolt Trem. I think I just maybe need a new trem arm with the 90° bend a bit further out?

I removed the volume pot, and wired the other two as volume and tone like a Nashville Tele. This means the tone control works on the bridge pickup and makes it a little less nasty when used on its own – which happens when I accidentaly hit the selector when strumming.

On mine, if the arm is over the pot, I can barely get any down-wiggle. Is this normal?

is the small spring completely squished or missing?
you can also drop a ball bearing on top or under it to get some more clearance.

Strat owners – how close is the trem arm to your volume pot?

The question I’d ask is how is the angle of the bridge plate relative to the top of the guitar?
Once your action is right unless you are going for full rockstar trem up bends the general advise is along the lines of baseplate parallel to guitar top when the springs are tensioned right.
This gives a bridge roughly aligned to the sting plane that is claimed to improve tone and sustain yet gives room for wiggle and moderate dive bombs and upbends.
Of course you can try the Carl Verheyen / Jeff Beck method for an even more ‘refined’ method.

Strat sold with no effort or haggling. He collects it tomorrow.
And this is on the way to me.

ML3 BEA Baritone

Ooh, that’s nice looking 👍 and a very decent price.

My Squier Mustang arrived, along with new scratch plate and Tusq nut.

Had a play stock, and it’s a bloody good guitar for just over a ton. Amazing even.

The humbuckers sound good, lovely neck feel and shape, fret ends all nicely finished, no high frets, even the intonation seems pretty good.
Action is a bit high…but I’ve sorted that with the new nut.

Fitted the new Tusq XL nut, it’s a but shorter, so lowered the action to just the right height.
Fitted the new black scratch plate, and a couple of my preferred knurled black vol and tone knobs.

Just waiting on a black bridge with compensated brass saddles, and some black locking tuners.

Apologies for crap pics

Before:

So far:

Looks great!

Mine had a few machining marks on the back of the neck near the headstock, but as with yours, the frets were fine.

Fretboard drank lots of lemon oil, but looks better now.

Which tuners have you gone for?
They seem to be the only real weak spot left now….

Yeah, I need to oil the fretboard, it feels very dry.
No marks on the back of the neck or headstock that can see. Couple of teeny dings on the edge of the headstock.

Bought some Wilkinson EZlock tuners. Got them on another guitar and like them… only £25 a set too.
If it was a pricier guitar I might have gone for Hipshots or Gotohs, but they’re nearly as much as the guitar cost!

Here’s a question…anyone got any tips on getting over plateaus in their playing? I feel like I’ve been wallowing about in the intermediate swamp for years and, since moving, I don’t even have a band to push me anymore.

I’ve thought about in-person lessons or online courses, both of which I’ve tried in the (in some cases distant) past. Had a free trial of True Fire over lockdown, the structure of which I enjoyed, as I like being able to sit down, open the computer and be told what to do for 30mins without having to wade through YouTube. Of course, with lessons this would presumably be similar, except there would be someone to push me/be disappointed when I don’t practice. Any thoughts? Similar experiences?

@ajantom very nice looking beast. What colour pickguard did it come with?

EDIT: D’Oh! Just realised its the white one in the top pic, I thought it was a reflection when I saw it on my phone.

I like the look and sound of the Mustang when I heard Chris Buck plugging one.

@andeh For me it has been having the THR 10 ready to go and sound good at a moments notice and the WAZA Air headphones for when even the little THR is too loud.
Always playing with a drum track or a metronome and then simply listening to YouTube lessons and working to understand a bit more theory.
And crucially I record myself a lot and anaylse as best I can as to what does or doesn’t work and then try to correct the problem.
Finding practical applications for theory has eluded me for ages.
Playing a lot in open G for a couple of weeks was good as you can’t do the same finger shapes you are used to, DADGAD is the same.
I’m not good, but I’m a heck of a lot better
Not playing after a few beers also helps to avoid bad habits.
Dont drink and djent guys!

Strat owners – how close is the trem arm to your volume pot?

Three quarters of an inch resting, and about half an inch with a full tone dive. American Performer.

Yeah, I need to oil the fretboard, it feels very dry.

I highly recommend Monty’s stuff for the neck. Either the relic wax if you want to darken it up or the instrument food

Monty's Montypresso – The Original Guitar Relic Wax

Monty's Instrument Food – The Original Guitar Nourishing Wax

@andeh, if Truefire was working for you why not spring for a subscription? I’ve considered it and will probably give it, or JTC Guitar a go in the near future.

Alternatively, the best thing for pushing my limits has always been writing and recording. Inevitably I will come up with an idea that is just out of reach of my technique and be forced to get it down to a high standard to capture a decent take.
The biggest driver with this though is ultimately having something to work towards which keeps you motivated.

I’m currently working on Eugene’s Trick Bag and it’s definitely improving my familiarity with the less stock arpeggios in that piece, i.e. all other than the Am and Dm which will hopefully result in me being more comfortable incorporating those shapes in my improv. But I may get bored before nailing the whole tune cause the last bit is insanely hard to maintain accuracy due to the large jumps. Having fun with it though.

Three quarters of an inch resting, and about half an inch with a full tone dive. American Performer.

That’s useful info – mine is way closer than that. Thanks.

The question I’d ask is how is the angle of the bridge plate relative to the top of the guitar?
Once your action is right unless you are going for full rockstar trem up bends the general advise is along the lines of baseplate parallel to guitar top when the springs are tensioned right.

It’s only recently I have tried to start using the trem – in the past I’ve always used it without the arm in, so I’ve always had it set up with the bridge pinned down against the body (I.e. not floating). Now I’ve set it so it’s almost floating but still rests back on the body (i.e. can bend down but not up). Obviously if I set it up floating it’ll make this particular issue worse.

is the small spring completely squished or missing?
you can also drop a ball bearing on top or under it to get some more clearance.

I’m guessing this is the answer. I never had a spring or BB. Bought used so I don’t know what it ‘should’ have. The arm has always been quite floppy so I use plumbers’ tape on it to keep it where I want it. Perhaps the answer is to throw to detritus into the hole and see what works!

Strat Trem Spring

https://fendercustomersupport.microsoftcrmportals.com/en-us/knowledgebase/article/KA-01901 is a pretty good guide to see if everything is setup ok

Oh my Lordy!!!!!

That is all.

Finally got my hands on one of the Epiphone ‘inspired by Gibson’ ES-335’s. These are rare as hens teeth in left handed. Reassuringly, the neck and feel aren’t quite as nice as my Gibson LP, but still really nice. Sounds great though.

I think I mostly need some structure. I do the classic sit down and play through the songs I know/mess about with effects/maybe do a scale or 2, which definitely isn’t helping. Maybe I’ll give True Fire another spin. I think I’d mostly just like to increase my general musical and fretboard knowledge.

I’ve never been good for sitting down and learning a solo note for note as, oddly, I don’t really like/know the kind of music that has complex solos. Learning a Fall track isn’t really a challenge. I’ve been trying some classical stuff and fingerstyle, but it feels more like training muscle memory than expanding my understanding. Music theory is haaaaaard 😞

Buy a looper pedal. Just order one now. The most basic one will be fine.

I’ve got a Boss RC-10R which I use quite a bit. Great when I’m in the right mood.

Great combo Benman. I love my BOSS amps and effects.

A fellow lefty

If you like guitars (of course you do), loud guitars and you’re in Derby, come see my band Agent Utah Saturday (25) at Horse&Groom off Kedleston rd.
It’s loud and it’s rock. Evh, Gibson, PRS, Chapman – all there for your Guitarists of Singletrack Geek Out 🙂

Say hi.

Finished murdering out my Squier Mustang…
Black tuners, scratchplate, control plate, nut, and bridge.
Just debating on silver knobs (like here) or black knobs. Think I prefer the contrast of silver.

Excellent!

Did the tuners require any drilling or are they just a straight replacement?
Do you have a link for them?
Much appreciated!

And does anyone have a decent beginners guide for refinishing bodies?
So many out there, a few recommendation would be priceless.

Once again, thanks in advance….

anyone got a rough guide for waxing / polishing a neck. My Squier Mustang bass is stock finish but I fancy a go at refnishing it. Fine sandpaper followed by wax as per links above or is it more complex, will I get all gummed up with the varnish or lacquer or whatever is on the neck from the factory.

Did the tuners require any drilling or are they just a straight replacement?
Do you have a link for them?

No drilling out the holes for the actual tuners, just a 1.5mm but needed to drill little holes for the screws on the back – the originals lock in pace with a small tab on the underside that goes into the wood. All looks very neat.

They’re Wilkinson EZ lock tuners. Got them and the bridge from Northwest Guitars.
https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/wjn03-ez-lok-tuners-for-right-handed-guitar-1-19-ratio/

Cheers!