Pretty cool story RichCI,

I don't know what that pick up is in your guitar, but the one in the guitar I used to have was made with a Cobalt magnet. I think I remember looking at one like that one several years ago, but it was totally different. The old guitar had a wide, flat neck with tall aggressive frets, I think this one was thicker, and more rounded. The bridge on my old one was nothing like you have there. in fact, the Stop tailpiece and the bridge were the same unit. You had to thread the strings into the tailpiece from the pickup side, out the back and pull it over the top. On the top of the tailpiece were raised ribs that served as the nut and were already "intonated." I always thought it was an entry level guitar from Gibson at the time. Then again I was only a teenager, what did I know? LOL

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

The pickup is a Gibson P90, stock. I have no idea what the particulars are of it (magnet and such) but it sound very good. Lots of bite like a single coil but more growl than a Strat or Tele could ever muster.

The neck on this is pretty flat and has a little meat to it, but not as much as my Les Paul or Tele.

Yes, your original would have come with a one piece bridge rather than the bridge/stop tailpiece like my more modern version has. Here's a pic of an original:



At the time, it really was a beginner level guitar! Same as the Les Paul Junior like the one below. But, rock stars made them famous and now they command big bucks on the vintage market. Who knew?

Yep RichCI,

That's exactly the bridge/tailpiece setup that I had on mine. I hear you on how the stars made them famous too. The LP Jr. in the pic looks like the one Leslie West used when he was with Mountain, and look what Pat Travers did with the Melody Maker.

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

Star power can make or break a brand, look at Dean guitars. You couldn't force most people to play one at gunpoint until Dimebag used em.

Actually, I played a Dean ML in the early 80's, a friend of mine owned one. I loved the neck on it and wanted one, but they were already out of production by the time I got to try it.
After Dimebag endorsed them, I really did'nt have any interest in them anymore.

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

Hey Richie,

If you're still around the forum. Please go take a look at my thread.
The 57' RI I told you about that got5 stolen, has been returned, and the Gotoh Tuners are still kicking $@! keeping this guitar in tune.

-Harley

_________________
I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

"I bought the guitar at a clearance sale and it's great in every respect except the tuners and the cheap trem bar that snapped (and I'm not a heavy trem user). "

Something about this doesn't smack of USA made hardware. I've been repairing guitars for 35 years, vintage 50's to current, and this sounds completely off the rails to me. This clearance sale: Did you attend voluntarily or did they send for you? Sounds like someone saw you coming!

I just can't believe it

Pete,

When I bought my 1980 Strat, the trem bar in that was snapped off in the block. I had to tap that one out and replace it when I got the guitar. I've never personally snapped one off myself, and with the way I handle the trem, you'd think that I'd break three a day.

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

I didn't know you were a Luthier. I am not a big fun of whamies but I like how sounds. Tunning is always a problem. I would love to see an automatic tunning system (as the Robot Les Paul has ) on a strat with a little innovation: -Tunning While it's Played- Could be oppointed as the TWP System !!!!
I would like to post two questions to you:
1) What do you think about the S-1tm switching system?
2) What do you think about G&L guitars ?

Thank you very much

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Stratmeup

I'm not a Luthier, but I do know how to make the Tremolo on a Stratocaster work without too much of a tuning problem. That comes from many years of trying everything under the sun.
The Tremolo bridge on any guitar needs to be properly balanced and adjusted for string tension, for the gauge of guitar strings. As for tuning issues related to this, they will always be there, but knowing how to deal with it helps a lot. Even if you use a Floyd Rose locking tremolo, you'll still have to retune eventually. There's just no way around that. The advantage to having the locking tuners and an LSR roller nut in a Strat is that you don't have to unlock your nut to retune your guitar, lock it, then retune again. All you have to remember with this system is that you should always tune your string from flat to pitch, and this system works.
I never tried the S-1 Switch so I can't comment on that.
G&L guitars are wonderful instruments, my personal favorites are the early G&L's from the 80's and early 90's. I was'nt too impressed with the newer ones I've seen

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

"When I bought my 1980 Strat, the trem bar in that was snapped off in the block. I had to tap that one out and replace it when I got the guitar."

Well Harley, you know what happened there. Some 14 year old wannabe was in a purple haze, and decided he was the first act on the last morning of Woodstck. As a former repairman for guitars, I suffer abuse very poorly.

Pete,

I can empathize with you completely about abuse, especially when it comes to a fine instrument. At least when I bought this guitar, the original bar with the gold plated brass tip was still with it. I don't really know how that mishap came about, but I do know that this guitar has never had a better home than it does with me. The X-1, or SuperStrat as people call them, are some of the finest quality Fender guitars I've ever seen.

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!

OK, if you bring that guitar ( '57 RI) into my place and want replacement tuners, I'll get you to pick between Gotohs or Kluson RI's.

And you'll like either one of them! Then you'll get the typical Pete speech about stopping the whining about vintage style tuners, and learn to work with them properly. Then you'll pay me for everything, and finally you'll be happy!

Then I'll put the money in a jar in my wife's closet, and probably go out eventually when the jar is full and do something stupid like buy a 50's or early 60's Stratocaster with tuners that are way worse off than yours! Then I'LL be happy. Done it before several times actually and it feels great!

Hello Pete,

I believe you may have me mixed up with the young man who started this thread.

I already have the Gotoh Vintage Retro Fit Locking Tuners on my 57' RI guitar which I had installed on it when I bought it used and beat up back in 93'. I just recommended them to him for his guitar, since they work so well for me. Since he posted this, my 57' RI which was stolen, had been returned to me, and I posted on here again for him to see what I had done to mine.

Pics of my Fender guitars are posted here:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... c&start=60

-Harley

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I only have two brain cells left, and I'm saving them....for this weekend!