But it's OK.

I was doing a series of customizing jobs for someone who asked me what I found so special about a Strat as they definitely never thrilled him. (He's a "hair guitar" kind of guy.) So, I let him play my #1 (and due to the economy, my only) Strat. After about 30 seconds, he offered me twice of what it cost me in total, cash on the spot. Naturally, I dived on it!!

There's a twisted irony here though: In spite of the fact that he fell in love with the guitar, he told me he couldn't stand the way it sounded because it didn't get him his 'Eddie' sounds. Rather, although it did have a nice 'snarl' to it when he wanted it, overall it was too 'bluesy sounding' for his '80s type stylings. I didn't even bother replying to this. How can one?

He immediately goes on to ask me is if I would install 2 powerful, full sized humbuckers and a stacked humbucker more to his liking in the guitar, change the pickguard, the pots to 500K, etc. where instead of the labor charge, he'd give me the existing pickguard, all the electronics, pickups and all else that are in there now. (Note that he is buying all the new stuff.) With a phoney, contemplative pause, I agreed. Of course, I'd have to be a moron not to!

The bottom line: I now have a nice tortoise pickguard with 3 Duncan singles, CTS pots, a Super Switch for more efficient pickup combos and no Strat to put it all in.

On the up-side, even though the money from this Strat absolutely must go to freakin' bills and I haven't a clue when I'll have enough money to afford another one, a close friend of mine lent me one of his super high-end PRSs. He told me I can hang onto it indefinitely until I can comfortably bag another Strat; a true friend, indeed!!!

FWIW, this is the first time since 1968 that I've been without a Strat. In my world, this is truly a most strange feeling/circumstance.

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You dig?

hey martian,
a true friend indeed.
in a plus side this is your oppurtunity to shop for a new body, then a neck.
gfs offers some really inexpesive bridges and blocks.

besides, i really love prs's, but we both are strat guys.
good luck, bud, and hang in there

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

PRS's are nice. But they don't feel right to me.

Here's hoping things get right for you soon, so you can get a nice strat in your life. .

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Sacré bleu!

A day without a Strat is like a day without a Fender amp.



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Retroverbial wrote



Every day for me is a day without a fender amp!

Martian if you were a bit closer id gladly lend you my 07 mia deluxe, its not used at present.

Yeah, I don't have any Fender amps either, though I m tempted by the Mustang amps

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You've gone and done it now............... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

It does sound sad but...you do what you have to do!

Better times ahead.

-T

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

Yes. It wants me to keep a roof over my head too.

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You dig?

Thank you!

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You dig?

Cmon guys cant don't we have a few bit's knocking around. Let's get Martian a strat or the bit's to make himself one.

He don't need pickups and pot's. Thats just the jack socket, body, neck, trem and tuners.

Got a feeling he aint fussy about place of manufacture. He makes em play great wherever their from.

Think I have a 2point trem knocking around. I'll have to have a look.

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No no and no

I've got a set of Schaller Mini tuners in nice shape, and a spare jack socket that I could give.

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User AllThumbs has just informed me that he has a neck with a bubinga fretboard for sale.

We need a body.

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No no and no

so let me get this straight........
you sold your only guitar to a guy that had to have it for twice what you paid for it correct? now your crying the blues because you dont have a guitar and by your own hand at that?
take the cash divide it, spend half on a new guitar and the other on bills.
you will have a new guitar and paid some bills. its pretty simple really.
ok, go buy you a MIM strat and spend even more on bills.
either way you come out way ahead than you are now.
lessons learned: dont sell the last of anything or your only.
2nd, this is the reason why its nice to have more than 1 guitar.
you gladly cut off your own foot then complain cause you cant run in the race.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Martian, How can any of us send you anything if your location is Mars? Does UPSP or UPS ship there? Ok, So you want to do a project Strat? I have some parts kicking around and I would need to go look in my guitar room. What do ya need as of right now?

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com