Vintage Brass Strat Hardware - Where?

HarrySeven

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Seziertisch

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

HarrySeven

Seziertisch said:

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

Cheers!

I’m really looking for old parts though...

Seziertisch

HarrySeven said:

Seziertisch said:

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

Cheers!

I’m really looking for old parts though...

I think they do aged/relic stuff as well

CasperCaster

There are a few places making new hardware from brass, though seemingly more Tele parts are available than Strat parts. I'm thinking specifically of:
ABM
mk-guitar.com
armadilloguitar.com
killerguitarcomponents.com

Other than that you occasionally see stuff on eBay/Reverb like old Schecter brass knobs, the occasional Fender BrassMaster trem system, or Mighty Mite trem backplate or pickguard, but I'm not aware of any specific source - just patience really. Perhaps one of the repairers/techs on the forum has a drawer full of these parts stashed somewhere?

Sassafras

I'm surprised you can't find a few old brass parts in at least one of your many warehouses.

Kittyfrisk

Sassafras said:

I'm surprised you can't find a few old brass tarts in at least one of your many warehouses.

FTFY 

simonhpieman

I bought a Maya Strat the other day that I THINK has a brass nut. It's discoloured a hell of a lot so it's sort of hard to tell. If I can get it off I'd happily swap it for a bone one?

impmann

Hard to get - I've struggled in the past, and ended up paying over the odds for stuff that I've needed to bring in from the US.

I genuinely think a lot of it went in the bin about 15-20 years ago. 

DrBob

HarrySeven said:

Seziertisch said:

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

Cheers!

I’m really looking for old parts though...

Given all those old Pre-CBS Strats that you used to see loaded with brass hardware, Super Distortions, Floyds etc that have all miraculously returned to “original” unmodded 50s spec you would think that there were boxes of this stuff kicking about 

guitars4you

DrBob said:

HarrySeven said:

Seziertisch said:

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

Cheers!

I’m really looking for old parts though...

Given all those old Pre-CBS Strats that you used to see loaded with brass hardware, Super Distortions, Floyds etc that have all miraculously returned to “original” unmodded 50s spec you would think that there were boxes of this stuff kicking about 

I have talked about this for many years now

Brass top nuts - 3 way to 5 way - Dimarzio SDS in the bridge were common mods in the late 70's for pre-CBS Strats - You find me any such guitar for sale now in this format - Somehow they have 'morphed to original' - Yes and many had the brass saddles but that is an easy mod to put back to original with the right parts

impmann

guitars4you said:

DrBob said:

HarrySeven said:

Seziertisch said:

ABM Mueller offer brass Strat stuff. Available through Thomann as well as direct 

Cheers!

I’m really looking for old parts though...

Given all those old Pre-CBS Strats that you used to see loaded with brass hardware, Super Distortions, Floyds etc that have all miraculously returned to “original” unmodded 50s spec you would think that there were boxes of this stuff kicking about 

I have talked about this for many years now

Brass top nuts - 3 way to 5 way - Dimarzio SDS in the bridge were common mods in the late 70's for pre-CBS Strats - You find me any such guitar for sale now in this format - Somehow they have 'morphed to original' - Yes and many had the brass saddles but that is an easy mod to put back to original with the right parts

A very famous guitar expert (who shall remain un-named so I don't embarrass him) said to me that there are more "all original" Custom Colour pre-CBS Strats, Teles, Jazzmasters and Jaguars than ever left the factory. I don't have data to prove or disprove that, but there's sure as shit more available now than I ever remember

Sassafras

Kittyfrisk said:

Sassafras said:

I'm surprised you can't find a few old brass tarts in at least one of your many whorehouses. .

FTFY 

FTFY too.

guitars4you

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

impmann

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

Double Eagle - superb stuff. I had a neck by them that was truly exceptional and I wish I never sold it.

HarrySeven

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

Double Eagle! I’d forgotten them!

guitars4you

impmann said:

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

Double Eagle - superb stuff. I had a neck by them that was truly exceptional and I wish I never sold it.

I think Double Eagle was part of Stentor's distribution - Can't recall if Far Eastern or USA parts, maybe both

impmann

guitars4you said:

impmann said:

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

Double Eagle - superb stuff. I had a neck by them that was truly exceptional and I wish I never sold it.

I think Double Eagle was part of Stentor's distribution - Can't recall if Far Eastern or USA parts, maybe both

Far Eastern.

Philly_Q

guitars4you said:

impmann said:

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

As many of you will recall, back in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, adding brass hardware to your Strat for ‘sustain’ purposes was somewhat de rigueur. Mighty Mite, Schecter, etc were both originally purveyors of brass bits and bobs with which to jazz up your guitar.

For some time now, I’ve been looking for a range of old brass parts to slap on a build, but have drawn a bit of a blank.

Any suggestions re. sources? At one time, you couldn’t give the stuff away...

Guitar Man was another brand and Double Eagle

Double Eagle - superb stuff. I had a neck by them that was truly exceptional and I wish I never sold it.

I think Double Eagle was part of Stentor's distribution - Can't recall if Far Eastern or USA parts, maybe both

I remember Roka's in Denmark Street having loads of Double Eagle stuff back in the eighties, and they had Stentor as well.  It seemed like a brand you always found in music shops, but not so much in mail-order parts catalogues (I was going to write online, but there was no online...).

CasperCaster

I remember the Double Eagle pickups - Japanese copies of Dimarzio's if I remember correctly? I don't remember other Double Eagle parts, but a shop local to me had Mighty Mite parts which were quite crudely packed - sort of shrink wrapped over cardboard rather than boxed. And they were hung on one of those rotating stands. 

And as for there being more vintage guitars now than originally left the factory, the saying goes:
Of the original one thousand seven hundred and twelve original vintage 1958-1960 Gibson Les Paul's, only around five thousand still survive! 

rossi

I’m really looking for old parts though...

Just remove any laquer and piss on it ,leave to ferment and voila .