Suggestions for guitar parts - where and what

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KaBudokan

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I am thinking of "reconditioning" a guitar I have laying around. I've had the thing for a while, but I need to get it back in shape and want to improve the sound on it.

It's a Samick tele style, designed by Valley Arts Custom shop. It's actually a really nice guitar - swamp ash body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, gold hardware. The main problems stem from me making hasty modifications back in my "younger" ;) days, and from that younger guy neglecting maintenance. I've though of selling it, but I know I won't get crap $$$ for it, and besides, it's been through a lot with me, and like I said, it is actually a really cool guitar.

I have 2 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails installed on it, which have a good distorted sound, but kind of suck for clean tones. I semi-recently got a Fender Big Apple Strat (got a great deal on THAT... mmmmmm) which gets a really nice variety of tones, including some great humbucker lead sounds, so I am not worried about losing that sound. I would like to get a traditional kind of tele sound out of it. Any recommendations on decent tele replacement pickups? Also, is the "chrome" Tele pickup a different size than a strat pickup? Looks like it, but I am not sure. This guitar has standard strat size routs, so I am not sure if true "Tele replacement pickups" would fit.

Make sense?

(EDIT: Oh yeah... I want GOOD pickups, and don't mind paying for them, but anything "ridiculous" - $200 each or whatever isn't gonna work. Thanks. :) )

The other thing I am in need of is a bridge. I definitely at least need new saddles, as my lack of care on this guitar has left these rusted and virtually unadjustable. Suggestions for a place to order a bridge? Anyone have experience with the "String Saver" graphite saddles? Are those a good option?

Thanks much for any help!!!
 
Here's my two cents:

1. Seymour Duncan's are great pickups.
2. Get a pair of alnico Tele vintage re-issue pickups.
3. Instant great sound :)

As it's not a 'vintage-do-not-modify-on-pain-of-death' situation, here's what I would do:

Seymour's alnico vintage replacement for the bridge.
Find an original Gibson P-90 from a 50's Les Paul Custom (the one with the rectangular polepieces) - or (I don't know if they make them) a Duncan or Lindy Fralin replacement for that pickup.

You would need to modify the cavity to fit it.
Drop it further away from the strings to balance the volume with the bridge pickup. This would make it sound very clean, and raise the bridge pickup to very close to the strings, which would make that very crispy/glassy.

Instant psychodeltabilly sound.

Yummmm!!!

foo
 
I second both these posts!!!

The guiding rule is going to be that you get what you pay for and you will pay for what you get (sigh). Stew-Mac delivers top quality stuff at a top shelf price. That's life. Don't waste time and money with bargain basement parts; you'll just get angry about it before you're done.


Check out Luthiers' Mercantile International.

http://www.lmii.com/electric.htm
 
hmmmm p-90s on a tele...... What a GREAT idea Foo. I would definetly put the p-90 in the neck position so the "tele twang" wouldn't be lost. P-90s on a tele.......i might have to try that-----tele twang + P-90 + bigsby + tweed deluxe = WAAAAAYYYY CCCCOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!!! What was that word you used? Physco-delta-billy. I like it.......
 
Well, I think that suggestion about the P90 might be worth checking out. Like you said, this guitar is not going to be ruined by changing anything. Interesting definitely seems like a good route to take with this one.

I think I'm going to go ahead and get the string saver saddles. Not bother with a whole new bridge. Following the strategy of "functional, not pretty" for this one. lol

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll letcha know if I make any progress.
 
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