wanting a different sound than my solid body...help

[burndog]

It's a nice buy.
I'm rather keen on hollowbodies with single coils (I have a couple) BUT I have an Epi Shearaton that's quite similar to the one you've bought & it has hummers.
There's a BIG difference in tone between hummers & singles so you'll notice a diff between your strat style & the 335 style.
It doesn't look teisco to me - not weird enough & most T's have single coils. The whammy bar is very 70's MIJ though. many, many teiscos are going for very BIG money of late - they look crazy good & sound different good too.
Hey, don't be afraid of MIJ's - the market is full of them at present and at VERY high prices compared to just four years ago BUT the ones that are up are generally the ones that survived because they weren't bad & they are still good for the money now.
Do spend the money to get it set up & get some strings you're comfy with.
Oh, be careful! The spring in the whammy will drop out if you pull out too hard.
You might consider buying a cheap but good pedal to vary your sound a little - a nice OD or something.
Good luck!

thanks rayc. I am certainly no expert for sure. I wish I knew what make it was. I'm pretty sure it was a low end cheapy in it's day. I've searched vintage guitar sites looking for the odd headstock it has, but no luck.

The ebay seller had dozens of vintage stuff listed, so I am guessing they don't have the original pickups. I can see if it was a guy selling his own equipment, but not these guys. I'm looking forward to evaluating it and would like to keep it as original as possible, but I am not concerned with swapping pieces that will make it more enjoyable to play, but I will keep anything I swap just in case. I am certainly not a collector, I just like guitars.

As far as price going up...Wow, I'd say you are spot on there. One can read a post from just a few years ago, and they may recommend a certain instrument saying they regularly go for maybe $400 for example, and if you check now, you will only find buy it nows for $1199. I guess there are lots of people with way more money than I , but unless I was like Jay Leno with cars, I can't see spending that kind of money for an old entry level guitar, even if it is funky looking. Having said that if I did have Jay Lenos money I would have a ton of those funky looking things. I just wish I could have been smart enough when I was young to buy up all of the second hand silvertones and ravens that could be had for next to nothing.

Sorry to be so wordy...when you say to be sure to get a good set up done do you mean truss rod, intonation pickup height and bridge height. I think I can do those. Fret levelling is beyond my ability, as I have never attempted it...not even really sure how it is done. With some of my old acoustics that I have bought ( most of them cheapies ) I usually clean the fretboard with steel wool and try to polish the frets the best I can with the steel wool, and then give a liberal scrubbing with lemon oil. I'm hoping that is the right thing to do.

As far as the rest I usually take everything I can apart and clean and lubricate what requires it with a light oil. Again I am hoping this is correct.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, if I am missing anything, or doing anything wrong.

 

[burndog]

It's a nice....comfy with.

Oh, be careful! The spring in the whammy will drop out if you pull out too hard.
You might consider buying a cheap but good pedal to vary your sound a little - a nice OD or something.
Good luck!

sorry rayc and stevieb, I read both of your posts and forgot who said what...

rayc, what is an OD...would that be overdrive???

also you mention about the spring dropping out on the whammy bar... do you know if that style of whammy bar, assuming it is working properly would be useful, or is it just going to cause tuning problems even with new tuners?

 

[stevieb]

It had to be rayc who mentioned that about the whammy bar spring, but I can tell you, he is right. Lost mine within a few months of getting the guitar, removed the bar, and have not seen either for more than 40 years!

 

[burndog]

Having owned a '68 Telestar hollowbody since... '68, I have researched those and similar guitars almost to a fair-thee-well.

Judging from the tuners and imitation Bigsby bridge setup (you can't really call it a "Bigsby copy," way too many liberties have been taken) I'd say yours could well be from the late 60's to early 70's. If it is, very likely the pickups have been changed- almost all of those, esp. the cheaper ones (as indicated by the single vol. and tone controls, as you observed) had single coils with over-sized plates around them- the plates were usually stamped steel or plastic pick guard material, and make it fairly easy to convert BACK to the original single coils. You made a good deal, probably because the pups are not original. I'd message the seller and ask if he has the original pickups and mounting plates- if he does and will either give them to you or sell them to you for under $30-40, I'd grab 'em, even if you want to stay with the humbuckers. Put back to original, the guitar could double in value.

I'd expect to need to change the tuners- those will likely have a lot of play in them. You get the guitar tuned, or close, and find there is about 10-15 degrees of rotation of the tuner head that does not move the peg any. Try to find some that have only one screw hole and will use the original tuner screw holes, and keep the originals.

If the seller does not have the original pups and plates, you can forget about ever restoring it to original- it won't be worth the cost of buying the original parts. That frees you up to mod the heck out of the poor old girl, but at least she will sing like a young'un.

sing like a young'un...very good stephieb

tuners, I will likely change them, as I would be surprised if they were decent...but I will wait and see...I hope I don't have to.

original pups...I kind of commented on that to rayc (I'm confused...been reading too many posts rather than replying one at a time I'm pretty sure these guys never replaced them...some of their guitars on auction were still covered in dust when they photographed them.

as far as the make I appreciate the comments. Do you have any advice as to where I could search. I have so far come across a few really good sites with info on vintage guitars, but have had no luck in seeing a headstock anything like. I am just curious as to the make...perhaps she is meant to be "mystery girl". Searching is sure fun, there sure are some awesome looking guitars out there from the50s, 60s and 70s

Thanks again for the info and insight

 

[burndog]

It had to be rayc who mentioned that about the whammy bar spring, but I can tell you, he is right. Lost mine within a few months of getting the guitar, removed the bar, and have not seen either for more than 40 years!

WHoa...I really am going to start reading one post at a time...I keep replying to the wrong person.

And Ouch about losing the spring and bar...so you still have the guitar, because if you do, I bet you find both as soon as you sell it

 

[burndog]

Greetings fellow K-9 dude

Not sure if this has been brought up but (along with... or instead of... different pickups) what about a different speaker for your cube? Not as HUGE of a difference but may help.

I've got a couple different ones for my cab. I don't swap em that regularly but it's nice to have options.

Also...I was working on a clean guitar track last nite, didn't much like the tone from just my amp so I ran my effects pedal (Vox ToneLab SE) inline and set that up as clean. Different tone.

Even tho it still sucked it was different.
I coulda taken more time to find THE tone but it was starting to interfere with my kazoo symphony time.

hey Dogbreath...back at ya!

I'm not sure I would want to invest in a speaker for the cube 20...I think I will wait until I can afford something much better. So far, since I have nothing to compare it to except the little Kustom I used to have, I haven't been spoiled by hearing a quality amp, and don't want to until I can afford it. For now I am quite happy with the amp, because I know no better.

kazzoo symphony time... ya never know someday a musical genius may actually do it and wow everyone!

 

[Dogbreath]

kazzoo symphony time... ya never know someday a musical genius may actually do it and wow everyone!

"musical genius" huh?
hmmm...
(searches ebay for bulk buys of kazoos)






Peace DogDude

 

[burndog]

oh great, someone will buy up all the kazzoos, and when they are in demand, they will make a bundle...kind of like old MIJ cheapy guitars

 

[rayc]

You can actually buuy replacement springs now - on ebay mainly - not expensive but necessary to hold things in place in terms of the strings over the bridge at the right angle etc.
The whammy - it's OK but it isn't really made for shredding metal runs with divebomb effects - it'll go out of tune quickly with anything to extreme. I've not hand any probs with moderate use.
I reckon you'd probably find it was a single coil at some stage but wait & see if you like the sound now. I like the sound of my EPI semi with hummers - it's different from the single coils I have on everything else.
You can buy replacements/2nd hand pickups on ebay easily enough but may find that if you're going to the trouble some Lindy Frames are more in the right direction of the single sound plus power!
Set up - yeah, rid, intonation, height, BRIDGE POSITION (if it's a true floating bridge you'll probably need to set it at the cross marks on the F Holes - my luthier recommended hard up against the p/up for simplicity & easy - for him).
I've not worried much about fretboard & frets unless they were stuffed.
there were a whole lot of brands/labels/headstocks stuck on basic structures in factories in Japan like Matsumoko (they made GREAT guitars amongst the throw aways). Audition, Bruno, Woolworths all came from the same factory & same parts with variations on bits to suit the catalogue/mall/discount sellers.
Have a squiz at these beauies:
http://www.myrareguitars.com/1960guitars.html
These are probably the originals p/ups:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2x-Aria-Mats...014?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item5195b1b786
They are the ame sas in my Bruno & they a very, very cool. the bridge p/up cuts through a mix wonderfully.
As I said see if you like the sound of the hummers. Try a little Overdrive or a little EQ pedal to brighten things up.
ENJOY!

 

[stevieb]

...Set up...BRIDGE POSITION (if it's a true floating bridge you'll probably need to set it at the cross marks on the F Holes - my luthier recommended hard up against the p/up for simplicity & easy - for him)....

Begging your pardon, but I believe bridge position is a function of the scale length of the guitar- the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge should be the same as that from the nut to the 12th fret. Markers such as f-holes or pickups can be good starting points, but not the final reference.

OP, you should nab those pups- I agree 100% they are probably original. Both my Telestar and Recco have those pups on them. If they stay anywhere near .99, they are a steal. Finding the mounting plates will probably be much more of a challenge- if you decide to go back to the original pups, PM me and I will get tracings and pics of the plastic one on the Recco to you via snail mail. These are tortise-shell, but no one will able to tell you that your guitar had pup plates made of tortise, black, white, or any other pickguard material- unless they (or you) take a very close look at the finish of the top, where the original plates were. There may be fading of the finish where the original plates were, or indentions in the wood where the plates pressed into the wood, if they were metal. Of course, all this "re-retrofit" stuff is predicated on the hope that the person who installed the 'buckers did not open the holes any more than necessary...

 

[burndog]

You can actually buuy replacement springs now - on ebay mainly - not expensive but necessary to hold things in place in terms of the strings over the bridge at the right angle etc.
The whammy - it's OK but it isn't really made for shredding metal runs with divebomb effects - it'll go out of tune quickly with anything to extreme. I've not hand any probs with moderate use.

I'm no shredder that's for sure, however the whammy bar adds another tool for expression. I'm hoping to keep it. I will keep in mind the ebay thing for the spring.

I reckon you'd probably find it was a single coil at some stage but wait & see if you like the sound now. I like the sound of my EPI semi with hummers - it's different from the single coils I have on everything else.
You can buy replacements/2nd hand pickups on ebay easily enough but may find that if you're going to the trouble some Lindy Frames are more in the right direction of the single sound plus power!
Set up - yeah, rid, intonation, height, BRIDGE POSITION (if it's a true floating bridge you'll probably need to set it at the cross marks on the F Holes - my luthier recommended hard up against the p/up for simplicity & easy - for him).
I've not worried much about fretboard & frets unless they were stuffed.

Sorry , but I'm not sure what you mean by "stuffed"

there were a whole lot of brands/labels/headstocks stuck on basic structures in factories in Japan like Matsumoko (they made GREAT guitars amongst the throw aways). Audition, Bruno, Woolworths all came from the same factory & same parts with variations on bits to suit the catalogue/mall/discount sellers.
Have a squiz at these beauies:
http://www.myrareguitars.com/1960guitars.html
These are probably the originals p/ups:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2x-Aria-Mats...014?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item5195b1b786
They are the ame sas in my Bruno & they a very, very cool. the bridge p/up cuts through a mix wonderfully.
As I said see if you like the sound of the hummers. Try a little Overdrive or a little EQ pedal to brighten things up.
ENJOY!

I have seen the myrareguitars site...a bunch of awesome stuff their...I just wish these things weren't so expensive, I would love to have a bunch of them...obviously there are many others who feel the same way, hence the prices.

The link to the bruno branded pickups are very similar to what I have on a giveaway project guitar I got just a short time ago except mine are chrome and white, and I just love the sound I get from them. It is totally different from my S-500. I thought it maybe had something to do with the large hollow space under the pickguard plate which is chrome. My only problem is that the tone control does just about nothing and the bride pickup is very weak and quiet in comparison to the neck pickup. I may start a whole new post on this one to see how to check and possibly improve it. For now I just leave it set with both pickups on and tone all the way up, and I love the sound, but it is not verstatile at all with so little variance.

I sure appreciate your input rayc...thanks

 

[burndog]

Begging your pardon, but I believe bridge position is a function of the scale length of the guitar- the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge should be the same as that from the nut to the 12th fret. Markers such as f-holes or pickups can be good starting points, but not the final reference.

OP, you should nab those pups- I agree 100% they are probably original. Both my Telestar and Recco have those pups on them. If they stay anywhere near .99, they are a steal. Finding the mounting plates will probably be much more of a challenge- if you decide to go back to the original pups, PM me and I will get tracings and pics of the plastic one on the Recco to you via snail mail. These are tortise-shell, but no one will able to tell you that your guitar had pup plates made of tortise, black, white, or any other pickguard material- unless they (or you) take a very close look at the finish of the top, where the original plates were. There may be fading of the finish where the original plates were, or indentions in the wood where the plates pressed into the wood, if they were metal. Of course, all this "re-retrofit" stuff is predicated on the hope that the person who installed the 'buckers did not open the holes any more than necessary...

got em bookmarked...any idea as to what a reasonable price would be to pay for these...I'm guessing that will not go for 99cents. I know that is a subjective question, but I would not even know what to search for in past listings. Not that I would automatically add them (if I could) if I won the auction, but it would be nice to have the choice if I could if they don't go for too much. I just have no idea as to what they are worth in todays market...you know what I mean.

 

[muttley600]

On most traditional archtops the nicks on the f holes are a guide to the actual string length. Its a hang over from the days of violin makers and still hold true. You'll probably need to adjust to get the intonation right and normally that means moving the bridge/saddles back 2 or 3mm from that position on the bass strings. Similar to the compensation on an acoustic saddle. YMMV.

 

[rayc]

StevieB,
I know about set up & bridge placement - I commented on the cross in the F holes as the guide. It was my LUTHIER who suggested up against the beridge. HE found it easier to set up from there so there must either be a prob with cale/length or hism.
Burndog,
BUY the pick ups! Serioulsy. I paid UKPOUND 20 for a pair. You an then - at some later stage exeriment with the guitar with the quiet bridge PU if you wish -. They are GREAT!
STUFFED - no good!
Re the whammy spring. You could tack weld or glue the bottom of the springin place I suppose.
The tone control not doing anything on the other guitar suggests the tone control may be "stuffed". Consider cleaning or replacing it though if you like the tone at present that's good too.

 

[burndog]

yup, already bookmarked, I haven't decided how much they are worth to me yet, but I am hoping they will stay low.

As far as my quiet pickup goes, for now I am just going to live with it, as I really do like that little guitar and its sound. I only have about $6 invested in it (along with a weekends worth of my labour which I enjoyed), so that likely makes it sound even better to my ears.

 

[stevieb]

I saw a pair on completed auctions that brought (as I recall) $39.00! That's stupid, but that's what it was.

I'd say if you can score 'em for $20, you are doing good. $30 wouldn't be too much. And again, ask the seller if he has the mounting plates/surrounds that they were mounted on, and to please include them if you are the high bidder.

 

[burndog]

I saw a pair on completed auctions that brought (as I recall) $39.00! That's stupid, but that's what it was.

I'd say if you can score 'em for $20, you are doing good. $30 wouldn't be too much. And again, ask the seller if he has the mounting plates/surrounds that they were mounted on, and to please include them if you are the high bidder.

Will do stevieb...thanks again, much appreciated.

 

[burndog]

On most traditional archtops the nicks on the f holes are a guide to the actual string length. Its a hang over from the days of violin makers and still hold true. You'll probably need to adjust to get the intonation right and normally that means moving the bridge/saddles back 2 or 3mm from that position on the bass strings. Similar to the compensation on an acoustic saddle. YMMV.

thanks mutley600...I didn't realize that guitars use this as well. As for violins, I found that out last christmas when I got my first violin...not an easy instrument at all I say...those things really need painted frets or something

I assume that the bridge is fixed (as opposed to floating) One thing that I did notice is that a couple of the saddles appear to be turned all the way to the back. The saddles look rounded???, so I assume that they can not be simply reversed if still not perfectly intonated at maximum adjustment. I understand that a different setup and set of strings will require the intonation to be readjusted, and am not concerned yet...just curious.

 

[burndog]

well my noname hollowbody finally arrived. I have taken it all apart and gave everything a very good cleaning ( itwas horribly dusty.) Put on a set of of 11-48s and am very impressed with the sound. I'm guessing the pups are original as the I removed one and there is a 'dog eared' hole that it is mounted over ( not sure if that is the right term but it is not completely rectangular ) also the pickguard is cut perfectly to the pickups, so I'm thinking that they are original. I disassembled and gave the bridge and tuners a good cleaning. The tuners seem to work quite well now. Unfortunately when I rec'd the guitar both the tone control and volume control pots turned along with the knob. I could not get a wrench under the knobs. The volume knob was removeable, but the tone knob was glued to the poteniometer shaft. I ended up having to use pliers and the bakelight plastic tone knob shattered. It took a bit, but I ended up getting the knob off but along with it came one side of the split shaft, so I will need one new pot for sure. It still works, but looks bad and is a pain to adjust.

All in all I am extremely pleased with it. It definitely has a much different sound than the S-500. I am surprised at how it can be very bright and ringing, but still keep a very nice rich sounding bass. To be honest I prefer it to the s-500, with the exception of the s-500 having tons of sustain, whereas the hollowbody has next to none (although I expected it would have little...I know that solidbodies and semihollows have much more sustain than hollowbodies) Playing through the acoustic setting on the dirty channel (with lots of gain) or the clean channel with a bit of reverb really makes my little cube 20 sound like it was worth a ton more.

I am however having problems with buzzing as in noise. I will start a new post for that.