EdwardMarlowe

I've always been impressed with GFS pickups - https://www.guitarfetish.com - great range of different types, and a lot of fun, offbeat looking stuff that would really make a guitar look 'different' than anything you could have bought stock, if that also appeals. If I were to build another guitar in future, I'd be tempted to start with some of their 'kwik plug' pickups, as it would really make life simple if I wanted to chop / change / try something else later on. https://www.axesrus.co.uk have come a long way from their early days of being something of an electric guitar broker's yard. They used to stock GFS; they now I see have their own brand of pickups, also available in pre-wired plates. Made in the UK. I've bookmarked their 'late sixties' prewired plate for when I turn up the right Strat body and neck for my Black Beauty project. Bought a few bits from them back in the day, always decent stuff.

When I first got interested in the idea of learning guitar - about three years before I actually got one(!), I bought the American "Guitar for the Practising Musician" here and there, mostly for things like a Ramones interview. Guitarist was the first UK mag I bought, in July(I think) 1992 - had Tony Iommi on the cover. I bought it for a few years every month, and The Guitar Magazine only occasionally, as the latter was a bit.... eh, I dunno, in those days a bit "ITV" by comparison. That said, it often had very cool stuff in it: I discovered Link Wray through TGM. Guitarist over time became a bit boomer / old fart / lifestyle for me: I got bored of the same parade of Establishment Guitar Heroes like Brian May being on the cover all the time; the reviews became dominated with high-end stuff I couldn't afford, many months any guitar reviewed under two grand was almost inevitably not available left-handed (especially if it was one I actually really liked), and I was never into the teaching bits in it. When they put a CD on the cover and took the price over a fiver, that was the end of it for me. I've still bought it once in a blue moon, but it's rarely one that attracts me now. Total Guitar was just never my bag. TGM over time evolved into Guitar Magazine as we've known it, and the quality really soared. I just a couple of days ago received in the mail a hard copy of their last two issues (I have another somewhere in the house I kept because my letter about Les Paul was printed in it; they made it Star Letter and I was sent a very nice gig bag as a prize; I asked for the bass version and it's now in my office with my Brandoni P bass in it). I'll be sure to savour them now... Hobby magazines do seem to have really suffered at the hands of the web. On the one hand I can see why, but I still mourn the passing of the physical. For kids who have grown up with digital, intangible stuff as a norm I doubt they will care. I suppose I could get used to the digital as long as I had control over it. I did try a couple of digital issues of Guitar, but you can only access them through a proprietary app. I've even seen other hobby mags where you can only access them on a website for as long as you subscribe to that website. I hate that model - I want to buy a copy of a thing once and then own it. Of course, Mrs Marlowe won't mind the digital shift and I do acknowledge that it might not be all bad going forward. I'm a diagnosed clinical depressive with anxiety issues; it's mostly under control these days, but it has in the past manifested in hoarding behaviour, the impact of which we're still dealing with as we clear out the flat. It's probably a good thing if my opportunities to amass more stuff in general are limited. There were two guitar mags around for a bit around twenty years ago that I really miss. One was called Guitar Buyer, and was founded on the principle that it was All Gear. No tutorials, just reviews, as well as the occasional interview with an artist or their tech, which was specifically about their stuff rather than anything more general. Then there was briefly What Guitar?, which would do fab review-types you never saw anywhere else. EVery month they had at least one thing they picked, like Teles or fuzz pedals or whatever - and did a shoot-out with ten of them across a price range. Fantastic way of getting an idea what was out there, the key differences, and what was worth looking into. Again, focused entirely on the gear. Neither of them lasted, I guess there's only so much new stuff a niche market over here wants to read about. I would still love to see a new guitar magazine that was more my bag than TG / Guitarist. Perhaps the answer is to do as The Chap: as they entered the era of magazines costing the price of a novel, they shifted to more of an 'event publication' and now go out quarterly instead of bi-monthly. It's something that I think works very well, makes it a novelty, and shifts away from that thing where at the end of two years at six quid a throw you've got a huge pile of mags you can't really keep, can't sell, and represent a fair whack of saving for one of the guitars you read about... I have a feeling Guitarist could go that way eventually, especially as its cover-price climbs ever higher. I see they don't even have a CD on the cover any longer (inevitably, it'll be on a website now I'm sure). Guitar, FWIW, have transitioned now entirely to their website, so the content is still there, albeit not really the same. I mean, you can take a tablet to the toilet, but it lacks that tactile thing, and for those of us who work on a screen all day....

I was "The Extra Terrestrial".... What can I say, I was twelve...

Sad to hear Guitar Magazine has closed its doors. Only Total Guitar and Guitarist left now. TG is a non starter for me; my all time favourite was 'Guitar Buyer' from about 30 years ago, all gear reviews and nothing else. Guitarist I bought years ago, but it all went too old fart and too expensive for me around the time they stuck a cd on the cover. Is this the end of the magazine as source of hobby info? Have to admit that much as I like having web info, it's really not the same...

TRANSMUTE!

OP was "Posted September 18, 2019" so I'm guessing the project was completed long ago!

For my money, the Tokais are at least as good as the Epiphone equivalent, with their higher end stuff as good as the equivalent Gibson, but more affordable. Depending on what you want, they're sometimes a "better" spec than the production line Gibsons. Some years ago, I was considering a white LP Custom type. At that point in time, the Japanese Tokai was 2/3 the price of the Gibson, plus it had the "correct" (per original Custom spec) *mahogany* top that Gibby didn't do (a few minor cosmetics aside in those days the only significant difference between the Custom and the Std were the pickups - and for a time even those were the same). To be entirely fair I've not compared the *latest* Epiphones (new headstock) against the Tokais, but at least before that the Tokais were actually visually much closer to the Gibson than the Epiphones, if that matters to you. FWIW, Tokais seem to hold their resale value pretty well in my experience, if that is part of your decision making process. They do seem to be much rarer now than they were at a time in the UK - I hear this is to do with the drop in value of the pound making them a lot more expensive than they used to be at UK prices. When I last looked at them (pre-plague) the Korean made Tokais were, to my judgment at least, a notch above the Epiphone brand, while the Japanese ones were at least as good as Gibson (subject to any personal preferences in specs). Even the export headstock (if you buy one made for the Japanese market, it's identical to the Gibson) was much closer to the Gibson than an Epiphone; I've mistaken Tokais for Gibbys at first glance, which - at least before the switch to the "almost correct" headstock couldn't be said for Epiphones. If that matters to you, of course: it may not. At the price of a Japanese Tokai now I might rather look at something from Gordon Smith, though again what Tokai offer is, I think, visually closer the Gibson if that is what you're after - YMMV.

Not cheap, but still a significant differenced in price. You could buy this and a Player series Tele for the price of the US Acoustasonic. I think the Guitar Geek guy is right in that if they made a Squier version they'd have to compromise too much. Either that, or they'd end up with a Squier at the sort of price that most of the market would refuse to pay for a Squier. I think they could go a little cheaper, though, enough to make a difference if they dropped the Noiseless and gave it only the piezo and the acoustic modelling, though obviously that takes it in another direction than the original design concept.

Interesting development on this one in the Player Series. (can't believe it's nearly three years since the originals came out, bladdy ell.... Course, it's longer than that since I was last in a guitar shop, between various life issues and the plague...) The Player version looks more interesting to me, though thus far no left handers (the Tele version alone in the US range is available left handed, the Tele model is the sole model so far in the MIM Player series, but no left handers, at least not yet). BIG win here is the switchable battery. Main limitation remains the Tele-type pup. I would be curious to see one without it.

Yeah, it does seem to be the one big hole in their range.... I suspect they might do that in their custom shop version, but it's a stiff upcharge for "only" the colour. Still, props to them for doing left handers in their price range with a maple board.... for whatever reason, that seems to have been a rare option indeed in recent years. Really like their headstocks, though - especially the newer, smaller one for their T-types. There's something really nice about the mix of them being very obvious in what they are influenced by, and yet at the same time proudly their own thing. To boot, it's a much nicer alternative headstock shape than anyone else has ever come up with to avoid copying Fender's, and I very much include the likes of Suhr there.

What effect does it have? What finish / wood are you using it on?

TBH, the biggest thing the big money makers can offer me as things are now is typically a much better range of left handers. That has improved a lot in recent years - Fender have gotten much better in their Mexico range, in particular. Still a bit limited (none of the reissue Tele / Strat models are available left handed in MIM), but it is now possible to get a MIM P Bass, and even a reasonable range of both colours and *maple* boards left handed. Vintage are tempting me for a Tele, as I really like their V52 model with the new shape headstock; what holds me back much more with the Strat option is that they only have the left handers in a burst, though at a cheap enough used price I might be tempted to swap out the body, or have a respray... Big thing I need to do is try their necks. Much as I love my old US Std Strat (a 1994), that 43mm nut and flatter neck profile is noticeably less comfortable for me to play on than the 42mm nut MIM necks. (Money no object, I'd be very tempted to buy a Fender Clapton type neck for it.) Need to have a go on some Vintages to see how their necks feel. Have learned over the years - much to my surprise - that sometimes something that has a reputation for being a thicker neck works better for me.

I've seen people doing it since the 90s at least. Best tone was a guy in St Paul's tube station in the run up to Christmas about twenty years ago or more, who had an old (pre-1980) battery-powered Vox amp of some sort. Course, some of the official busking spots on the tube I think even have power sockets now.

That's interesting, know any more?

So, those Squier Affinity Strats with maple boards..... I've seen some with and some without a skunk stripe. Anyone know the alchemy of what to look out for to find one without? Context: I'm' looking over the next couple of years as I trip over the bits to put together a Jimi Black Beauty tribute. In all truth, partly because of the novelty of not being limited by trying to find lefty options. I recently discovered some of the 21 fret Affinity Strat necks have no skunk stripe just like a 68, but it seems to be hit and miss. I know I could buy a custom neck that would be perfect for a 68, but the stripeless affinity is a good 80% of the way there, and the intention is to do this as cheaply as possible (part of the fun). The other main compromises I'm happy to make, fwiw, are I'll be sticking with a five-way switch (Jimi used to remove the springs from his three-way switches so he could get the in-between sounds), and while I'd prefer the body to be SSS routed, I'm not entirely wedded to that as a 'must' if the right option comes along...

I've never fully lost the GAS, though Mrs Edward's Raised Eyebrow is a powerful motivator for not giving in to it. Interestingly, though, I've found my GAS these days is aimed at much more realistic stuff - cheaper gear. The latest attack is an urge for a Gretsch 2622, in gunmetal, to have it pin-striped and put dice knobs on it... Sure, if we won ten million on the lotto and I could go crazy I'd buy all the top of the line stuff, but it seems as I've gotten older I'm much more secure in choosing VFM budget options rather than feeling I always have to go for "the best" (although "the best" isn't necessarily also the most expensive). Liking F-types and oddball rockabilly / garage stuff helps there, I suspect.

Not sure this applies everywhere, but here in London I've noticed a lot of my old favourite guitar shops gradually disappear. The Guitar Centre (ne BassCentre) moved from Wapping to Shoreditch to online only - gutted, Shoreditch was local, and they did good repair work for me. Leytonstone's Holiday Music - with the best stock of Lefties in Europe, important for me - moved to an industrial estate in Essex (crap for non-car owners), then, afaik, went online only - and now (I assume from lack of website) are out of business entirely. Denmark Street used to be nice for a look (though never lived up to its claim to be the best in London; prices were not always outrageous, but they rarely had lefties in stock and really seemed to specialise more in budget options than what you'd expect from what was supposed to be the height of the guitar shop world per its own publicity....). This has left me thinking - both London *and* elsewhere - would be nice to have a thread where people can flag up shops / repair places/ whatever local to them who do good stuff and are well priced. I'll kick this off with reference to Matchetts in Belfast. Most of the guitar shops I used to hang out in back in the 90s in Belfast are long gone now, but Matchetts are still going strong. Helpful staff (some of them have been there forever as well, which is a good sign its nice place to work) https://matchettsmusic.com/ Good stock of stuff, were always fairly priced in my experience. I dropped in last a couple of years ago; all seemed to be much still the same. Spent a grand or two there during the nineties, including my beloved 1994 US Std (still not my favourite neck profile, and I wish I'd gone for the metallic red over the burst, and maple over the rosewood, but I still love that old guitar and will never sell it). Highly recommended if that's your patch.

Currently GASing bad at the Vintage V6 Reissue line. If they did the maple boarded lefty option in their Candy Apple Blue colour, it could well leapfrog the Tidepool Player Strat on my wants list. Easier to justify the spend on, too. For now, it only being available sunburst is holding me back... Though I will have to ty one if ever I can get to a guitar shop that stocks lefties again. (I've never forgiven Holiday music for moving to Essex and then going online only!)

It does seem that the players I see using them more do tend to be in the hardcore metal arena more often than not. It certainly allows for those really deep tunings a lot of those guys prefer. I suspect that the lower notes available for detuning also work better with string tension -= only so low you can go with a standard low E before it flaps and doesn't resonate... Me, I'd prefer to go the six string baritone route, but I'm sure that has its own differences in feel too. Though an extra string would take some getting used to, I can see that some players (particularly shredders who often prefer a noticeably wider neck anyhow) might prefer the more standard scale length over the slightly longer one of a baritone.

An acquired taste, like any guitar, really. For my money, I'd vastly prefer the Setzer one in a solid colour - I've actually grown to rather dislike figured wood over the years. I suspect, being a left handed player and therefore more often than not being limited to a sunburst option as the lefty default, I've just gotten tired of them...

Fender have dome some pretty cool Custom Shop Teles in the style of Gretsch guitars... Fender owning Gretsch of course makes that easier: http://i.imgur.com/ip31mN1.jpg What I love about these is that they all have a real look of the guitar on which they are based. Barring the last one (disclaimer: I loathe Bono though I always liked his Gretsch. That stupid slogan pickguard would have to go, though...), which I believe was the Pretentious One's own order originally, they look like something specced by a guy who loves Teles, loved the look of the Gretches but couldn't get on with playing one, so.... Bit like my idea above which (the thru-neck aside) is basically a Fenderised LP Junior....

Not sure if I'm the last to see this, but.... I've always looked at Vintage guitars via the JHS website. Googling for some information on them over the weekend, I discovered this: https://vintageguitarsrus.com/ There's a nice history of the brand on there, with a lot of stuff I hadn't realised. In particular, while I was long aware of Encore as a budget brand, I had no idea the original Vintage guitars evolved out of the Encore brand itself. It's nice to see them coming up. Would be fascinating to hear more about their pro-shop; I wonder if that could ultimately provide a bit more of a known-quantity of what the Shi Jie operation are doing? (I know the method isn't exactly the same, but still.... fantasies about ordering a Vintage V6 left hander with a baked or tinted maple neck and a Candy Apple Blue body....). A exciting brand to see develop and get all the buzz about on here, even if as of yet 99% of the model i see and love the look of aren't available left-handed.... Any other cool websites - manufacturers, shops, or anything really for guitar that offer cool information or nice little features beyond 'buy our stuff' ?

Thanks, I'll look into that.

Definitely looks like a nice solution. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with it in the wild.

Where do you guys go to get work done - especially in London? (All my old guitar shop haunts seem to have closed down). I'm still looking into building a 'Black Beauty' project on a budget. Not excessive spending, but I'd like a pretty close look. Considered a Squier Affinity as a base before deciding to go the 'parts' route, but basically I's be looking to keep the whole project well under £500. I have found a nice looking, budget neck supplier (UK based, Chinese manufacture) on eBay that's got the big headstock and - crucially for a 68 - no skunk stripe. The killer is 22 frets.... If I do this, I'm prepared to make some compromises (such as a head-stock end accessible truss rod) - there's no point spending £600 or so on the whole thing, as then I might as well just go buy a CIJ 68RI.... That said, 22 frets bugs me on this. Does anyone know if it would be viable for a repair place to sand off the extension, and pop out and fill the 22nd fret for me? What kind of money would that get into? For a guitar that's intended to be a cheap project and a bit of fun, I'd prefer not to spend the £200-£300 odds most places that will build a 68 neck charge.... Otherwise.... anyone got any views on which is the more glaring no-no for a Hendrix vibed black Strat - a skunk stripe or a 22ns Fret?? AS an aside, it weirds me out that Squier do a 70s-type Strat and various other bits in their Classic Vibe section ,yet they don't seem to have thought to do a late 60s style Strat? (ironically, given they've gone four-bolt with their 70s model, it wouldn't have ben a huge extra effort to do a 66-69ish model.... ).