I just bought a guitar is it rubbish?

They do plain colour ones I think, they’re pretty nice. Fairly wide and quite thick. Also I wear my guitar pretty high/nerdy so it’s doubled up almost the full length. The Gibbo ones are pretty dear but I’m an old tart.

No hum from the scratch plate, I was ready to run a ground wire if it did though

Found a pic of my LP with its brown strap

I don't think I'd dare try and pull the checker off, but would love to see it

I actually prefer the thin and plain black nylon ones, and even use that with my electric bass (although that one might actually be a Fender-branded one that I turned inside out. It's not here where I can check).

I could never commit to something with a very prominent brand or pattern, and probably initially went for the plain black ones to fit my "very serious" metal band back in the day.

I still play mostly fairly intense music though, and any of the cloth ones, or the broader ones, just makes me extra sweaty and uncomfortable. It's all about that style though.

So after buying the newest madness, I did the usual and went back one guitar to the last purchase which has hardly been used. A Gretsch Electomatic G5420T in orange stain.

Just doing some set up stuff on through the day, finally getting the factory strings off. The finish and build are brilliant.

Corners look to have been cut in the fretboard wood (Indian Laurel) and the electronics. The pots are absolute nonsense and only have about a third of a usable turn. Will have to get a new harness at some point. Epiphone at similar or lower price points nowadays seem to get absolutely banging electronics but frequently do apparently no fretwork.

Any recommendations welcome, I'm guessing the same stuff you'd throw in any other humbucker guitar will do the trick.

I'll probably end up going the TV Jones route eventually to swap out the stock blacktops.

It looks like people are doing 500K across the board in their aftermarket harnesses. Given that these seem to cost about £100 plus I'll have to pay someone to do it, I reckon I'll keep the pickups and just do that. They are 'Blacktop' Filtertrons which are just in the Electomatic line.

Yeah laurel can be very variable. I had a Squier bass I sold primarily because I just didn't like the fretboard - it was very grey almost. I feel Epi laurel can be a bit dull too until treated.

I've given the Gretsch three treatments today, a clean with Dunlop 65, a soak with it and then some of that Monty's Instrument Food (which is really just scented beeswax I later discovered). It's a light coloured board with really nice grain, it just had that 'new modern guitar' thing where it's lighter than it could be because it needs conditioning. It looks nice now.

First time restringing a Bigsby the traditional way, previously had the string fender thing on my last Bigsby. It's a pain but I reckon I have the knack now. The additional length gives you a lot less play for winding at the post.

EDIT: The board looks not unlike your left example there now. I'm not a rosewood snob I just don't like it looking dead. I actually really like a lighter pau ferro board I have.

Yeah, I looked it up prior and all fine. The main issue was having less string to manipulate at the other end because of the increased length backwards.

It's not the relic wax I got, it's the 'instrument food'. It's white beeswax basically. Probably got hoodwinked a bit on the price there. In any case, it does give a nice sheen.

Going to have a go at checking the relief and definitely at adjusting the pickup heights tomorrow. I've only done one truss adjustment before which was for the very lower end of Squier, I'm a bit nervous but think I've done enough homework. Truss, nut and frets, and electrics have traditionally been my 'take it to a tech' limit, but I've been let down by techs a few times in the last year or two and am trying to be more self-sufficient.

At some point later in the year I'll look at the upgrades which may include a roller bridge, but I have a very problematic Tele to do first.

i.postimg.cc/5tJJZNfF/PSX-20230129-224413.jpg

Done with this one...for now.

Relief done (slackened slightly), action lowered a smidge, fretboard cleaned, oil soak and wax, pickups adjusted (neck raised about as far as I dared), intonation done.

Much more pleasing. The bridge pickup is amazing on this. Like a thicker and chimier Telecaster bridge almost clean. Dirty it's really got a bit of attitude. The neck pickup I'm a bit less pleased with. It's nice and woody but in the highs, very neutral to the point of being a bit dark and even raising it I can't get it to balance with the bridge for volume. It mixes well with the bridge pickup though. I may look at the pole pieces next.

In the future this definitely gets at least refreshed pots and caps and possibly new pickups - although I dig this blacktop look so I'm hoping I can make it work.

elstoof , you asked about the controls earlier. So the lower control is a master tone, much like a Tele. Then the knobs above are mixing/blending volumes for the two pickups. Then the knob on the lower bout is a master volume.

With the master volume, unlike a Gibson scheme, you don't get that volume dropoff in the middle position if you lower either pickup in the mix.

I notice at the start of the thread user clemfandango got an Electromatic, interested to hear your experiences if you're out there.

I'll have a go at the Firebird next.

Seriously cool, csnt decide if I’d want to knock out stone roses or a stray cat strut if I picked one up

That’s a beauty, I think they do a version with gold and silver hardware which is really nice too. I’ve got the g5422t as per the first page. It’s my most used guitar and sits in the living room. For the money I don’t think you can get a much better guitar

Just got some hot ceramic double white humbuckers for a Buckethead style build I’m planning, similar to the 500T 496R in his signature. can’t wait to hear these chug

On the bench today. And by 'the bench' I mean on top of the case on the bed with a tool case shoved under the neck. Luckily for a Firebird, the case IS a desk, basically.

This was from the Epi 'Inspired By Gibson' series, which is the newer run with the more Gibson-like headstocks and stuff. I have a 335 from that series too which is great. All of them use Indian laurel for the fretboards and this does need treating. I'd previously done this one with that Monty's wax but I think I'll save it for tables now - I mustn't have buffed it enough and there was residue bothering me. It's had a good couple of coats of lemon oil and a good scrub and looks much better now.

I read a few instances of people noting that techs use leather strips to polish frets - I actually had a go with a strap I don't love and I think it did make a bit of a difference.

I've always found this really a bit too low and buzzy. Well it turns out it was the relief - it needed slackening quite a bit. Once that was done I pulled the action down just a hair but it was amazing - it must have been really throttled before as it has so much more acoustic energy now. I'm glad I overcame this fear of the truss, I'm a bit addicted to it now.

Like a new guitar now. If you ever fancied one and can spare the cash and space (the case is a juggernaut and is heavy to boot) I can recommend them. You look a bit of a **** with it on of course. And you have to watch you don't smash the headstock to bits if you are standing and turn rapidly.

It's like a really fat Tele on the bridge pickup, minus that inherent Tele ice pick sound. Twang and attitude, but quite a nice chime when the volume is rolled off.

The neck pickup is on the other hand like a bigger fatter Strat. It's like having a hot-rodded version of each but with a Gibson scale and the body of a Chevy Bel Air.

Yeah, per the other thread, one day there's going to be a 65 Firebird V when I have enough cash to get it. 😁

@drakesmoke might be my favourite yet. Or so far...

Can’t beat a smooth fret. I’ve usually used a combination of wet and dry, fret erasers and dremel polishing wheels when dressing frets, I’ll give the micro mesh a go next time as I don’t think the erasers are all that effective tbh

There’s no excuse for not finishing frets properly, such a key part of the guitar feel. I guess they reckon if customers at the lower end don’t know then they don’t know.