As a person who has 20-some odd guitars (I don’t have a recent count) of various price points and various tunings that I love one and all: I heartily endorse this solution.
But really, I also heartily endorse learning to do stuff like intonation on your guitars well. A good guitar setup is hard to beat, but setting intonation is easy enough to not require that.
Hehe, jeebus. I think I started reading this in the old software and never saw it. Mine’s probably at least that old. Don’t remember when I got it, and a search of the email address I use for ordering stuff doesn’t bring up anything. The best I can find from a Google search is that it was introduced to audiofanzine.com’s db in 2004. Either way, a trustworthy, flexible solution for a teeny bedroom/headphone amp.
I’ll take your word for that, Cap’! But having one Tele in Open G that is kind of messed up, plus one that plays in std tuning, especially having put some fatter strings on her sems like about the best!
It’s not like I’m Duane or Bonnie Raitt or Keef or Ronnie, but I don’t wana keep fooling with the Squier Sonic when I can afford the next step up Squier and just keep this one for open G.
The way I play slide, nobody’d know if it was in tune or not.
My understanding is you can do pretty well with a set of compensated saddles:
Or just swap out the whole bridge to six saddles. Official Fender part, $29, but you can find it on Amazon for $21. Easy install, like 6 screws, but you’d have to muck with the string heights and do an intonation.
Now I am not one to worry a lot about the cosmetics of my guitars, but I felt that the bright white pickguard of the Marr Jaguar was maybe just a little too much. So now: tortoiseshell.
My next project in that category is to replace the one mismatched pickup cover on the purple Legacy. When I swapped out that pickup for a slightly hotter Duncan, I thought it would be cool to use the provided cover with their logo. But their parchment cover is too parchment, and the cream cover is a little too yellow. So I went with the white and now realize my best move is to just put the stock cover back on.
It’s one of those things; I come across that cover at the oddest times, but can never put my hands on it while I’m changing strings. One day…
I will say this: I’m very pleased and impressed with the Jaguar. I don’t believe that I’ve ever played a 24" scale guitar before and was a little concerned that it would feel cramped. But it doesn’t, it just feels tight and direct. And having recently played a ‘stock’ Jaguar, I really like the tonal changes Johnny made. The series humbucking position adds a lot of punch that would otherwise not be a Jaguar strength, and the additional strangle switch for that mode keeps it from getting dark, at least when I don’t want dark.
My dislike: it does not, in fact, make me play like Johnny Marr.
Agreed, that white bridge cover clashes pretty bad.
I’ve never had to replace a “strat” single coil plastic cover. I’ve done metal covers where you just solder on the cover. What do you use with plastic, hot glue?
Naw. It’s just tighter like you said and growlier. And if you play Gibson scale ever, it’s the same difference than say LP->Strat: 3/4". Which isn’t a lot and I hardly notice it moving from my SG to a Tele.
How’s that weirdo trem/rocking bridge treating you? I understand it’s a deal breaker for some players, but I’ve never had to wrestle one.
The plastic Strat pickup covers are just held on by being sandwiched between the spring and the body of the pickup itself. They slide right off. The Seth Lover PAF with the metal cover does need to be soldered or desoldered every time I change my mind about it.
As far as the bridge goes, one of the the changes made on the Marr Jaguar is that it uses the Mustang bridge that has round saddles with a single slot (like fat versions of a Tele saddle) instead of the goofy threaded saddles from a traditional Jaguar bridge.
As I have learned, most of the problems come from the old style saddles and trying to use too light of a string gauge. The strings pop out because of a lack of tension coupled with the shallow saddle grooves. The better Mustang saddles and .11s are a good match.
The Marr-guar also has the neck pocket routed with a 1.2 degree tilt back so that the bridge can ride higher (like the jazz archtops the style was meant to imitate) and thus create a better break angle to the tail piece.
The rocking thing is actually brilliant IF you remember to start with it in the center as you tune up from restringing. I can wang the hell out of this thing (not my normal style, but why not test to destruction) and it stays in tune just fine. The strings never slide over the saddles, the whole thing goes back and forth. Leo’s improved dual-fulcrum bridge in my Legacy is good, but not that good.
Fair point. Doing some sleuthing around, it seems there are advocates and people who don’t prefer the three-barrel. Like I found out when swapping the TOM bridge for the rosewood bridge on the archtop, there are tonal differences that may be plusses or minuses.
In short, I just don’t know, but I’m not ready the pull the trigger on a second Squier tele just yet, so I’ma put a pin in that.
Obviously more control with the six-string saddle, but as noted above, that can be swapped in, and I’d feel that’s something I can do myself with little trouble.
And if better quality tuning machines are part of the deal…I can deal with fiddling with the intonation, to the extent the bridge/saddle allows and probably be fine with it.
This one I feel takes some explaining! I’m assuming the PAF is in the neck position (no real reason why I assume that…just a hunch), and I know who Seth Lover is. I’m truly curious what your potential beef is with the Seth Lover PAF!
Finally, the keyboard up against the wall behind your trio of guitars…I gotta know…keytar? Please say yes! Never owned one, but those are…statement pieces/instruments for the ages!
The tuners on the Classic Vibes seem fine. I wouldn’t stress. I’d say try the 3-barrel and see if you’re okay with the intoning, but you were grumphing about buying a set of strings, so trying to save you some trouble.
No, I appreciate that. I don’t begrudge plunking down for a new set of strings! I’m just a grumpy old man.
I don’t actually consider myself a guitarist…not really, anyway…just a regular musician who is exploring the instrument, trying to do it “right” this time around, as far truly learning the fingerboard and finding a set of organic tones that can carry me through.
IME one constant among musicians of any stripe is finding little things to nitpick about! Especially about gear!
Just consider you all lucky I haven’t launched into a screed about annoying things other instrumentalists or vocalists do that tick me off! I’m showing considerable restraint in this thread!
No, you guys are great and I’m grateful for the wealth of information here in this thread.
Nah. Nothing as complicated as that. I was just trying to decide if I like the sound better with the cover on or off. Finally decided I really couldn’t tell the difference so I put it back.
Sad to disappoint, but as @squeegee points out, the neck of such an instrument would be punched through the floor here. It’s an Arturia Keylab midi controller. I want a Mellotron, and this is as close as I’m likely to get.
I have one of those Classic Vibes (see my post not too far up) and it stays in tune amazingly well with stock tuners. And intonation is fine on it with the 3-barrel bridge.
These days, I’m not playing much guitar as I’m pretty much seeing myself as a bass player now. I’ve mentioned I knew a couple guys playing and they needed a bass player. So I’ve dedicated myself to it and I’m loving it! I’m just home from our weekly 2-hour session and I’m starting to feel like I can actually provide a solid foundation for them on most songs. We’ve been playing for about 5 months and the songs are getting more complicated, but I still have a lot to improve on. Biggest problem at this point is we play in an uninsulated garage and it’s COLD! My detached garage is insulated and has a wall heater so we are switching soon. I played with fingerless gloves today and my hands still got cold.
