Monday, March 24, 2008

Tread lightly on this heart of mine

I got my son a guitar a few years ago. A cheap First Act guitar. 1 pickup like a Superstrat, no top horn like a Tele, otherwise a body like a Strat. LP-like headstock. Not my favorite setup, but the neck work was nice for a guitar that cheap. Mainly, no frets sticking out and read to cut your hand while you play.

My son took a screwdriver to it, losing every pickguard screw, part of a tuner, the nut and disconnecting the pickguard (remember, everything mounts on the pickguard, like any Strat). The vibrato bridge is already kinda messed up, but playable. $30 in parts and strings from the local guitar pusher and I have something I could play. I couldn't amplify it, but I could play.

I have Super Slinkys on this thing. I play Not Even Slinkys normally, and I like 'em. I like the tone and I like the feel, there are things you can't do with 'em. Like 1/3 of what's on the Legendary Guitar of James Burton DVD. Be it known that James doesn't play Super Slinkys. He plays a set lighter than Super Slinkys. Super Duper Slinkys. I've usually avoided using less than .010s, because I didn't want to bend strings out of tune just because of my grip is to strong, but I now want another Tele so I can sling it up light.

(Of course, I also want a baritone, a B-bender, etc. etc.)

Right now, I'm eyeing a $35 pre-wired pickguard from Guitar Fetish so I can get everything back into working order, but I've not decided which one to get. SSS, HSS or HH? Probably a standard Strat deal. And does a black pickguard or white one look better on a black mongrel Tele/Strat?

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