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What would you do?
route it 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
return it 67%  67%  [ 4 ]
live with it and do bends with fingers 33%  33%  [ 2 ]
Total votes : 6
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Post subject: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 5:07 pm
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I got the DM Strat in today:

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I was concerned about the damaged box, but this side was on the opposite side from the actual guitar.

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It was in a box as if it were brand new.

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There was not a mark on it, as if no one had ever touched it.

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Turns out, the lack of recess on the bridge makes it so you cannot pull up on the bar. You can just a little bit, but no more than you could with a vintage style six-point bridge.

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It sounds great, but:

The cap in it is only .01 uF, which is almost 5x smaller than the typical value put in there.
Even with the tone rolled all the way back, it is still pretty bright.
This is not a deal-breaker, since I could modify that myself, just an observation.

I contacted my local luthier about recessing the bridge & he said he could route it and put some foam in there (for $60), but I'd need to find the foam.

The pickups are hot, but they're not as hot as the Rockfield pickups in my BC Rich.
I already have a 24 fret BC Rich with a Floyd Bridge, and it's recessed.

My other Mexican Strat just has a standard six-point bridge, which I don't like, but the Lace Sensors in there are almost as good as the Seymour Duncans in the DM Strat.

I'm kind of perplexed at the moment, as to what my next move will be.

I like being able to make the BC Rich squeal by pulling back on the bar, but that's not an option with the DM Strat, at least not w/o routing it.


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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:15 pm
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I vote for keeping it. But whatever you, do not do anything irreversible like taking a router to it. That would be a value killer (and a coolness killer) for me, personally.

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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:33 pm
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Right now I'm leaning towards taking it back, but it is really a lovely instrument.


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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:08 pm
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Why don't you just loosen the trem claw screws a little, raising the rear of the bridge? Even if you were to route the block cavity, the bridge will still hit the body on top under the bridge plate.

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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 1:09 am
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Do not rout it out under any circumstances. It will devalue the guitar.

I know nothing about that trem but it would seem it isn't appropriate if you want to pull back.

While it is obviously a nice guitar, and you like the way it plays, it seems you aren't so keen on the features which make this guitar unique. I am sure there will be other Strats which will better suit without having someone butcher the body.

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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 1:11 am
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The key question is, will you be totally happy with this guitar if you do the major operation and rout the guitar.
The cap is a minor issue - do you even need to change it, if "it sounds great" with the current wiring? (= Judge the caps by sound, not by value...)

BTW, I believe that FR-against-the-body is what Frankenstrat had in the early days; supposedly adds sustain.
And BTW2: Forcing the FR arm up without routing will certainly damage the finish, possibly damage the trem.


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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 1:43 am
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jmattis wrote:
The key question is, will you be totally happy with this guitar if you do the major operation and rout the guitar.
The cap is a minor issue - do you even need to change it, if "it sounds great" with the current wiring? (= Judge the caps by sound, not by value...)

.



+1


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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:35 am
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Quote:
The key question is, will you be totally happy with this guitar

That is THE question.
If you like everything else about the axe, route it...to hell with the "value"...my guitars aren't worth anything but the price of a used guitar TO ANYONE ELSE. To ME they are priceless, because they are not for sale.

If you enjoy using the tremolo, make it work by any means needed. If the pro's and con's don't match up in your head BEFORE you route it...please just take it back and let someone else enjoy it.

I voted "Live with it, and bend strings", only because that is what I would do, because I don't use tremolo.


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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:09 am
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White Dog wrote:
I voted "Live with it, and bend strings", only because that is what I would do, because I don't use tremolo.

Yep. I don't use them either. I blocked the tremolo on my Stratocaster (significantly increased tuning stability and sustain), so it's hard for me to give advice on what to do with such a device.

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Post subject: Re: Dave Murray Stratocaster - Dealbreaker?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:14 am
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shimmilou wrote:

Why don't you just loosen the trem claw screws a little, raising the rear of the bridge?



I did accomplish that, by removing one of the springs. I can then pull it up a whole step.


shimmilou wrote:

Even if you were to route the block cavity, the bridge will still hit the body on top under the bridge plate.



That's what I was afraid of, which makes me wary of modifying it. If I route it and it still doesn't suit me, I can't return it.


jmattis wrote:

The key question is, will you be totally happy with this guitar



Most likely not.


jmattis wrote:

Judge the caps by sound, not by value.



I was. I noticed how bright it is, even with the tone rolled back. Then I got to looking at the owner's manual, and it clearly shows a .01 uF cap.

jmattis wrote:

Forcing the FR arm up without routing will certainly damage the finish,



I was noticing that this morning. If I let it float kind of high, a heavy pull up will result in the metal under the string locking nuts touching the body.
Once I lowered the action, that's no longer a problem, but it also limits the range of which I can pull up.


White Dog wrote:

please just take it back and let someone else enjoy it.



That is where I'm headed, in about 2-1/2 hours. It's a 3 hour round trip, so I'll have some time to finalize my decision on the drive.
I've got a friend coming along to talk me out of keeping it.



Thanks for all your input everyone.


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