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Post subject: Somebody talk some sense into me... (Assembly begins pg. 28)
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:43 am
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Well, I'm facing a dilemma as far as guitars go right now. As you probably already know, my main axe is a Squier Affinity Strat with Texas Specials. Try as I might I can't find a guitar with a neck I like better. But the wear is taking it's toll and it'll be due for a refret within the year and I don't have a suitable backup to play while it's in the shop. I've always wanted to change the bridge/block out to something better than the crappy one in there but the thinner body prevents me from using Fender parts and people just don't make replacement parts/upgrades for Squier Affinity's. So in short, I'm a little frustrated. I need another Strat.

I have several options for what to do about it.

1. Upgrade pickups and replace tiny vintage frets in my MIM Standard. With new pickups costing me roughly $150 to buy and install and $300 for a refret I'm looking at $450 to get this guitar up to par.

2. Buy my friend's 2003 Highway One Strat for $300. I thought this would be my salvation because if it were a 2006 or later it would have the huge monster frets and I'd able to get a better guitar which didn't need a refret for $300. I like that it has a 22nd fret too. She doesn't like the way Strats sound, she has a nice PRS and so she's not particularly fond of this guitar. It's a little beat up, but it has nicer hardware than my MIM or Squier. It sounds decent, so I could tolerate the pickups for a while. The only thing is that it has medium jumbo frets (same as Squier) which have some wear (same as Squier) so it would need a refret too. When all's said and done it would be about $600 for the guitar and refret, and we're not even into aftermarket pickups yet. However, it's a beautiful guitar (transparent red, rosewood) and it's a step up from what I've got. But for $600, I'm only a tiny step away from getting a new lower end American Fender.

3. I need a semi-hollowbody or hollowbody for jazz. That way I could string it up with .13s and not get weird looks from jazz players when I show up to a gig with a purple Squier Strat. :lol: Whether it be a Cort, Epiphone, Ibanez or something completely different, I'm looking at about $350.

Or, I could not spend any money at all and continue saving for my dream guitars. A 1960s Fender Coronado and/or Custom Shop Strat.

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Last edited by texasguitarslinger on Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:06 am, edited 9 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:04 am
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How's your MIM and what year is your Squier? Could you get by on swapping the pups from the Squier to the MIM or the MIM neck to the Squier while you save for something a little higher end? You seem to have been doing great on vintage frets so far, holding out a little might not hurt.

An American Special might be a good choice down the line it has jumbo frets and Texas Specials out the box in the $700-$800 range depending on pup config and color choice.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:02 am
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:lol: tempted :lol: , your ideas sound great! thought is, your decision would be a much better one than a bass guitar player's :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:11 am
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My Squier's a 2000. 12" Radius Neck, a little thicker and narrower than a regular MIM modern "C" profile. The frets started as medium jumbos and are now entering the vintage realm since they've been worn and leveled several times. I'm not in a jam as far as the frets go right this very second, but six months from now I will be. If you think about it it's had about 8 years of moderate wear and three years of heavy wear, so they've actually stood up to it fairly well.

The MIM is a pre-upgrade 2004 model. Vintage frets. They haven't been worn near as much as the Squier's but they're starting to get a little wear and they were too small to begin with. Neck is modern "C" profile like the Highway One, but the back is slightly flatter.

I like to bend like crazy, so I like the bigger frets. I also like to play with my thumb up over the top of the board, but since I'm not SRV I like necks which are narrower and but more rounded in the back than a normal "C" neck. Like a scaled down '62 neck.

I've played American Specials and I think that they're really nice. They have just about everything I want. I'm a sucker for thin nitro finishes (or the super thin transparent poly on early highway ones) and I kind of like the idea of a natural relic. But I'm not a tone freak as far as finishes and fingerboard woods go, I think that your fingers, amp and pickups have more to do with tone than those things do. So even though I like the way old guitars look when they've been played like crazy, it's not everything.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:21 am
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Damn, that sucks. I think it was 2004 that Squiers were brought to spec with proper Fenders, so they may not be cross-compatable. And it sounds like either way you are gonna need a new fret job.

Well, as far as options, if you aren't attached to logos or decals, you could get a new neck for your MIM entirely with jumbo frets for about $100. Then just put in the pups from the Squier. That could hold you over for a bit.

And as for option 3, the Epiphone Dot is pretty great and about $300. It;s the Epi version of the 335.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:26 am
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very heavy, I see what you mean about "like to bend like crazy, so I like the bigger frets. I also like to play with my thumb up over the top of the board, but since I'm not SRV I like necks which are narrower and but more rounded in the back than a normal "C" neck. Like a scaled down '62 neck." The guitar player for SuperBig my Bro Pat let me play his, the maple neck is noticeably narrower, my being used to a P-bass neck awkward to play, but, sounds looks and feels amazing.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:33 am
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if you can get fretts then you can do it yourself, its not a big job... did mine in about 6 hours... and besides its a lot more rewarding playing on a guitar with a lot of blood sweat and tears in it... here is a link to some pics of my bullet strat... at the moment the only thing standard on it is the wood and the pick guard...

the frets i put in are american standard jumbos...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9 ... 1323528950

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:13 am
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Here's my take on your situation... you are a budding professional musician and it's time you start investing in your career. I'm not trying to down play the guitars you mention but you have to start thinking about your guitar as your tool. Save every cent you can, seek out people who believe in you and beg for money, sell anything you can... whatever it takes to get the right tool for the job. Ride out the Affinity for as long as you can and in the mean time save up for a high grade guitar. Remember it's about your career... it's not a guitar, it's an investment.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:40 am
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I would vote for the save up the cash for the better guitar approach too.


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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:50 am
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Hmmm......

(1) MIM should become backup guitar.. refretting is not worth the expense, you can buy a new neck with a number of neck size and fret options from http://www.bhefner.com for well under $200.
As for the pups, on my MIM players Deluxe I swapped the pups for SCN's, deleted the Push/push switch and changed the vintage tuners to Sperzel locking. Done !! Cost = $280.00
Bought this MIM 2nd-hand for $350.00. This is now a guitar that I will put up against many more expensive rigs.
But you should be able to find a really nice MIM for under $400.00 and just swap pickups.

(2) The affinity, forget about it, you could buy a Bullet for about $100.00 and swap the necks.
"BUT"..... IT IS STILL an Affinity Squier, a very basic entry line strat. To bring one of these up to the level of a high end MIM or even to an MIA is just not worth the expense. Unless you want to use that guitar as a project in completely refinishing both the neck and the body, which will include rerouting, redrilling, sanding, leveling frets, rounding out neck profile and on and on.
I will admit I just finished painting the body on a stratopartster I'm rebuilding. Neck from a Bullet ( redrilled for Grover locking tuners) completely sanded down, yet to be recontoured, frets reshaped and dressed and refinished in polycrylic. Painting the body was about 1 week, curing is going to take about 4 to 8 weeks ( 6 coats of black, 5 coats of clear acrylic)
tortoise pickguard, 3 vintage single pups (from my MIM) 1 Vol. and 2 TBX tone pots. 5 way switch set up for NM, NB, MB, N, B. Vintage Trem.
As you can see from the above description it is quite extensive of a rebuild, as a residential builder/remodeler, I have all the necessary tools and knowledge to do this. Cost is parts and time.
From your post you have to farm out all the work. If the guitar is a pro quality MIA or MIM then OK spend a little to redo the neck, but it still makes more sense to just replace the neck in your situation.

(2) The 03 Highway One, there again you are going to spend $300.00 then another $200.00 for pups, with somewhere around $600.00 but may be more like $700.00 to $800.00 by the time you are done. There is always something else to change.
For around the $600.00 to $800.00 range, you can find a really nice MIA Deluxe second hand. you will have to shop around but it can be done, Iv'e seen them.
In addition you mention this guitar is beat up. " No " in this economy a beat up guitar should be bargain priced or pass on it. Friend or not it is your money and you are going to have to be ruthless about the price points.
In addition the Highway One is still a bottom line guitar.

(3) Jazz guitars are going to be difficult to find a great one for less than about $1000.00
The lower lines you mentioned are laminate tops, sides and backs (plywood) and entry level components.
If you are going to buy a truly versatile Jazz guitar, you really need to do some homework on what truly is a great guitar. They can be found for a great price but here again you are talking about a pro quality instrument. The nuances of Jazz demand a sensitive instrument.
You will not be pleased with a low-end version. Don't do it !!

(4) Coronado or Custom Shop Strat. That to me is like Apples and Oranges, the Coronado... it is quaint but....enough said.
As for the CS Strat, I bought my 2001 56 NOS CS time machine second hand for $1800. ( they are discontinued). It was a Fender reps and was in immaculate condition, having never been gigged or rarely out of it's case except as a demo showpiece.
second hand CS's can be found for a reasonable price. Here you have a Pro quality instrument in need of only being plugged in and played.

If you are going to spend money and the goal is to have a pro quality strat then one guitar may be the best choice for the moment
Your choice has to reflect your immediate need. I would go for the CS before spending money on other upgrades, then I would dial it down to a MIA Deluxe and so forth.
Your budget is going to dictate your choice.

Good Luck

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:13 am
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I would suggest you save cash for "the" guitar that you want (+1 on VoodoBlues advice).
I understand that you like that neck but $300 for re-fret is a bit much for a squier neck.

It did not seem that you are in the bind yet so keep the squier the way it is and retire it when done and don't sell it (this way you can save it for that one day when you are famous and say "this guitar started all this") :D.

In the mean time try to save, if you put a target on one guitar and keep the focus with a little bit of luck you should save for it. Put just $100 per month in the savings account and don't look at it.

I am not sure how you are with your community/church, organize fund raising events people love weekend day time entertainment if the weather cooperates. Invite all peeps that you can think of and get a gig going. Donate a portion of money to good cause and keep some for your self to get the events going. You would not believe how people are willing to donate if you strike the right note with them, if you know what I mean :wink:.


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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:29 am
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I like MIA Fenders just for the neck alone and being that`s in the beginning of your topic I would save for that Custom shop guitar. You can`t go wrong and the necks are much better than any MIM Fender.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:51 am
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You'll be chasing that money forever if you buy something NOW and still want something LATER. I say save the cash for next step up. Keep the current guitars until you have what you want and then either upgrade/fix those or sell them to recoup any money you can.

Easier said than done especially for a guitar you've been building your chops on. But at some point you have to move on...

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:12 pm
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One addendum i should have posted earlier.

Buying inexpensive guitars aimed at entry level into the MIM, MIA or Squier series will always be difficult to recoup some money if you decide to sell at a later time.
The guitars you mentioned are so numerous that even if you upgrade the components, potential buyers will not make up the difference, so that if you buy an MIM for $400.00 and sink $200.00 to $300.00 in upgrades, you will still only be able to sell it for around $300.00 later on, because then it is 3rd or 4th hand guitar.

My point... It is far better to wait save and buy the best you can afford rather than throw money away on a guitar that is still a minor step up.
I would rather have One or Two excellent guitars, than 3 or 4 mediocre ones. That is also why I usually buy and keep my guitars for 8 years on average, more to the point indefinitely.

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Post subject: Re: Somebody talk some sense into me...
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:52 pm
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Voodoo Blues wrote:
Here's my take on your situation... you are a budding professional musician and it's time you start investing in your career. I'm not trying to down play the guitars you mention but you have to start thinking about your guitar as your tool. Save every cent you can, seek out people who believe in you and beg for money, sell anything you can... whatever it takes to get the right tool for the job. Ride out the Affinity for as long as you can and in the mean time save up for a high grade guitar. Remember it's about your career... it's not a guitar, it's an investment.


My sentiments exactly...well put, Voodoo Blues!

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