Howdy all:
While I may be new to electric guitars (and only 4 months with guitars in general) I am not new to stringed instruments.

In about a week or so I will be picking up a Basket Case late 70's early 80's that I am getting for a song. It needs tuners, strings, and a bridge/tremelo system. For tuners I figured Gotohs as I really like them on all my other instruments for their ease of turning and good looks. But for a bridge/tremelo system-the guitar had a Kramer system on it (sold long ago off the unit) which required the body to be routed bigger and deeper. QUESTION-Can I fill the body and put a top mount system on? Would it be better to go with a simular (to the Kramer that had been on it). Pros and cons of various different bridges/tremelo systems.

What I intend on doing with the guitar-playing rock, folk rock, some metal.

Oh and yeah, Can you paint an electric guitar and if so what kind of spray paint is used. If I have to fill in the body, I am gonna want to spray it to make it appear nice, but do not know if lacquar, enamal or some other type is required.

Thanks

Best person to answer your refinishing and body changes is Ceri. Look for his posts on here. He's done wonders with a Strat. As for tremolo's, well they all have different purposes. If you plan on shredding with a ton of dive bombs, you're better off using what you have plus locking tuners/nut. If you are playing more rock and blues, then you'll only need a modern or vintage tremolo (two or six piont). Hardtail is also an option if you don't use the tremolo. I have mine blocked so I don't use it.

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Shucks, my ears are burning! Thank you kindly, though there's plenty of others into finishing on the Forum too. But since we're here...

Hi bigbike4: does your username mean you're heavily into bikes? If so, you can refin your Strat using exactly the same methods and materials as for motorcycles. So go mad; do a wild custom paint job, why not? Or have one done for you down your local custom shop.

On the other hand, if that leaves you none the wiser, ask again and we'll go through it in as much detail as you like.

Good luck - C

Yeah, I am bigtime into motorcycles and own my own repair shop. Motorcycles are my OTHER means of relaxing-besides playing music!

So I can strip her down, fill in the body cavity that had been previously routed larger, put in a "standard" bridge tremelo system (guitar currently has NONE) and then spray with lacquar?

I presume that there is no historical signifigance to a 1978-1981 model Strat, that I would be "defacing" or "devaluing" by refinishing it? I kind of figure that by putting in a standard bridge/tremelo system, it saves me from having to carefully measure and try to buy the exact model brand (if even still available) that the previous owner removed and sold years ago.

Jan

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So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!

Hi again, Jan: yep, sounds like a plan. I'd fill that cavity with a piece of wood accurately carved for the purpose. If possible, the same wood as the body is made of - probably alder or ash? Glue it in with Original TiteBond carpenter's glue and scrape and sand absolutely level afterwards.

If you know about finishing bikes then there's little more needs saying on that one. 'Cept if the body is ash then you will likely need to use grain filler to fill up the pores in the wood first. And then sealing it with a couple of thin coats of vinyl sealer will prevent the lacquer from sinking into the timber and so save you time and material. Nearly all mainstream guitar manufacturers do that.

I just mention it in case you are unfamiliar with lacquering timber. No disrespect intended if you knew all that already.

Far as hurting the value of the guitar or not is concerned: I think I'll leave that to others to comment on.

Good luck - C

Guess there is no way to tell without stripping the wood as to which (alder or Ash) the body was made out of. I happen to have a mountain ash growing right next to my house-hmmmmmmm I could just "nick out" a small piece about 2X larger than what I need, let it dry for say about 6 months and then try using it. or perhaps I should just go down to the local lumber yard and BUY a piece of wood to put in there. (Hey now THERES an idea that might actually work for me for once).

Then I am free to paint what ever unique tone I want on the wood after proper sealing the wood. I actuallykind of like the blue that the unit is now. and it would certainly save time and money if I could just get something close. Can't imagine Fender sells some of its paint? Maybe something in a metal flake-kind of reminisant of the late 70's time frame.

Can't wait to actually have the guitar home with me, instead of driving up to pick it up in about a week or so. But alas it does give me time to think about the parts and what I need to do. I have wanted an electric guitar for years, always thought about learning on one-vs. the acoustic one I now have. and now I will have one and with a little elbow grease and money it should be a nice instrument.

_________________
So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!

Just my own opinions as always...please use them as such.

I can't really add to much more on the refinishing issue that Ceri hasn't already mentioned...if you've done bikes, then except for the wood aspect and any grain filling that may be required, doing a guitar isn't all that terribly different. Personally I prefer working with lacquers myself...I know some folks out there get really great results with polys but I'm just not one of them. I'd stay away from enamels myself though just because you can't usually get the same kind of "12 inch deep gloss" that you can with a lacquer or poly (unless of course that's the kind of finish you're looking for).

I do however have a question...

You said it had been routed for a "Kramer" trem...did you by chance mean "Kahler"? As far as I know most Kramer guitars usually came with a Floyd Rose trem (of one sort or another). If you did in fact mean Kahler, this is again just my opinion but you may wish to consider another Kahler instead of filling it. I have an older Kramer that actually came with a Floyd Rose and I tore that sucker off and put a Kahler on. I know there's some debate about this but personally I -love- Kahler trems...Kahler's are, in my always and ever so humble opinion, the best, most stable trems out there (at least the real Kahler's...can't speak to the "licensed" units). FR's are nice but they're a MAJOR pain the wazzoo to set up and actual Fender trems aren't without their issues. Never saw the point of a Bigsby other than that vintage aesthetic appeal (meaning they look really cool on an old Gretsch, LOL!). Seriously, if the body is already routed for a Kahler (again, assuming that's what we're talking about), I'd really go with another one...but that's just me. If you really want a "hard tail" (I assume that's what you meant by "top mount"? Technically all trems are top mount...), I'd just get a hard tail body instead.

Okies...as I said, just my opinions,
Jim

Just my own opinions as always...please use them as such.

I can't really add to much more on the refinishing issue that Ceri hasn't already mentioned...if you've done bikes, then except for the wood aspect and any grain filling that may be required, doing a guitar isn't all that terribly different. Personally I prefer working with lacquers myself...I know some folks out there get really great results with polys but I'm just not one of them. I'd stay away from enamels myself though just because you can't usually get the same kind of "12 inch deep gloss" that you can with a lacquer or poly (unless of course that's the kind of finish you're looking for).

I do however have a question...

You said it had been routed for a "Kramer" trem...did you by chance mean "Kahler"? As far as I know most Kramer guitars usually came with a Floyd Rose trem (of one sort or another). If you did in fact mean Kahler, this is again just my opinion but you may wish to consider another Kahler instead of filling it. I have an older Kramer that actually came with a Floyd Rose and I tore that sucker off and put a Kahler on. I know there's some debate about this but personally I -love- Kahler trems...Kahler's are, in my always and ever so humble opinion, the best, most stable trems out there (at least the real Kahler's...can't speak to the "licensed" units). FR's are nice but they're a MAJOR pain the wazzoo to set up and actual Fender trems aren't without their issues. Never saw the point of a Bigsby other than that vintage aesthetic appeal (meaning they look really cool on an old Gretsch, LOL!). Seriously, if the body is already routed for a Kahler (again, assuming that's what we're talking about), I'd really go with another one...but that's just me. If you really want a "hard tail" (I assume that's what you meant by "top mount"? Technically all trems are top mount...), I'd just get a hard tail body instead.

Okies...as I said, just my opinions,
Jim

(BTW...welcome to the forum!)

YES KAHLER was what I meant! Typing late night here at work sometimes the brain goes to mush.

Not sure WHICH Kahler was on it, as it was sold years ago and the guitar has been sitting in storage (apparently) since then. I want to play rock and folk rock with the unit and I am so new to guitars and have never had an electric before, I am not sure WHICH bridge/trem system would be best for what I want to do.

If you have SUGGESTIONS as to which would work well for rock, folk rock I am all ears. I do not know the strong points to any of the trem systems out there.

I have even seen 78-81 Strats that seemed to have come as "hard tails" and do not know what the differences are between hard tails and tremelo other than one has the trem bar and the other does not. Does one "sound" more like an acoustic? The trem bar adds "dimension" to the strings being played-when I have seen folks like Amy Ray or Three 5 Human use theirs. Sorry not much into Clapton, or others that frequently rely on electrics-just not my speed. But Amy is usually using a Bigsby system on a Gibby LPCustom from the late 50's (repleat with "F" holes). But Three 5 Human IS using a Fender Strat and gets some excellent sound out of it in the string bends and sustain.

_________________
So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!