Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Hey Y'all, I started a topic a few weeks ago with a teaser just before my computer went down...anyways, here's the very bad thing I did...In 1972 when I was 17, I bought a used 1968 Les Paul goldtop with P-90s. After about 5 years the top was riddled with little dents because of the way I would toss it down with the heavy chrome adjusting buckle on my strap hitting it. I figured "how hard can it be to refinish just the gold top"? Well......I took all the electronics off the guitar and slathered the top with Poly Strippa Imagine my surprise/shock/horror after hour when I discovered that I had melted the binding into the wood like it was swiss cheese. Trying to correct the problem only made things worse Seems to me a belt sander was involved to the point of changing the shape of the body. At this point sanity took hold, and I had pros do what they could to undo the damage. What I ended up with is like a Neil Young Les Paul...black (to cover the filler on the sides that was needed to make the shape right again) with humbuckers, and a Bigsby...Still a nice axe (it's on my sound samples..."Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere", "Heroes", "Stray Cat Strut", and the slide part on "All Along The Watchtower") but man, whatta maroon!!!!!

Hey Dajax,

I never did like the lites blindin me off the reflection of those dang pickups and finish anyway..SHE must not realize anythings happenin to her cause SHE's sure puttin out the tone.. Shes special now
John

The KIDD wrote:Hey Dajax,

I never did like the lites blindin me off the reflection of those dang pickups and finish anyway..SHE must not realize anythings happenin to her cause SHE's sure puttin out the tone.. Shes special now
John

Thanks John, but I feel kind of "special" for having done what I did If only they made straps with plastic buckles back then!

I'm not tryin' to be smart or anything - but how in the hell do you keep it in tune with a Bigsby?

I've always despised those cuz they go out so often. Biggest prob I ever had with all those whammy-ridden Gibsons back in the day, esp the SG. It's a shame, too, cuz I always loved the shape & overall look of the SG, but could never keep one in tune, even without the dreaded Bigsby.

Big ol' clunky whammies, too, aren't they? Yuck!

I suppose it's okay if that's what you like, but I could never understand it, myself.

philbymon wrote:I'm not tryin' to be smart or anything - but how in the hell do you keep it in tune with a Bigsby?

I've always despised those cuz they go out so often. Biggest prob I ever had with all those whammy-ridden Gibsons back in the day, esp the SG. It's a shame, too, cuz I always loved the shape & overall look of the SG, but could never keep one in tune, even without the dreaded Bigsby.

Big ol' clunky whammies, too, aren't they? Yuck!

I suppose it's okay if that's what you like, but I could never understand it, myself.

No problem P... I don't take it as being a wiseguy. I absolutely LOVE Bigsbys. My first guitar was an Espana 335 copy that had a bigsby copy on it, my second guitar was an SG with a real Bigsby. These were the 2 guitars I learned on, so the Bigsby is like second nature to me. It feels weird when I pick up my non-Bigsby guitars. I'd say the 2 factors in keeping them in tune is 1: The guitar...you have to have a good nut that is properly cut for the string gauges you use, and you have to keep it lubed. Some guys swear by graphite powder, but I just use regular household 3 in 1 oil. I also make sure the bridge ruts are smoothly cut with no sharp edges, and keep that lubed too. 2: Technique...Bigsbys aren't dive bombers, just a mild vibrato on chords with the right reverb, and echo, and things start sounding huge fast! Even if you do go a bit wild with them during a solo on stage, if you have the bridge and nut set up like I described, I don't find things go so heinous that the rest of the song is a right off. A 5 second tweak with a tuning pedal between songs and you're good to go again.

I bought a 58 SG for $100 when I was 19....sold it for $200 and thought I got over! I also had a Gibson Hummingbird (I was told it was a 54) and instead of replacing the wore out old cardboard case, I kept it, it flew open walking down the street it fell out and broke the neck in half. then I just threw it away!...that make you feel any better Dejax?

Saw an old guitar in a shop once. Thought it was about the ugliest thing I ever saw - rusty strings, rusty tuners, dirty & dusty - then I looked at the headstock & found it was a Rickenbacker!

Its matte black finish just calls out for gold tone metal all over it. I bought it. It needs new frets, but it feels so good in my hand!

A few years later, when I was working in a machine shop, I took all the metal off. I made classy brass knobs for it. I nade a new bridge, too. I soaked the bridge plate in acid to take off the finish, & was preparing to plate it in gold. The acid pitted it up pretty badly. Then I had to quit that job or kill someone. Now it just sits in my closet gathering dust until I can afford to replace the tuners & plate it.

Funniest thing is, I never even could find out what model the thing is. It's not listed anywhere, not even with Rickenbacker. I think it might have been a kit or something. The serial # indicates it was made in the mid-70's, most likely in '74.

I want it back to playable condition. It never was in playable condition in my hands. The tuners were bent & stripped, & like I said it needs frets. But I know I can make it beautiful, & I will one day.

I bet you will too! I love "projects" though I'm not brave enough to work on my axe.