Hey you crazy cats!
Meet Edward Gibbon: my objectively unremarkable 2003 LP Standard. Purchased in 2004 from Peter Cook's Guitar World in Hanwell (RIP) from the proceeds of the first seriously big pay cheque I got in my life, it was my first 'proper' guitar and the first I'd ever purchased brand new (indeed there's only been one more subsequently). Although it's no fancy R7 reissue and in recent years it's been neglected in favour of its ritzier jazzmaster cousins in particular, it's a big part of my guitar history and is one I'd never, ever sell (although I may have drunkenly tried to prostitute it to coax the odd trade along...)
Anyroadup. It's been 13 years without a serious clean and although you can't see it in the picture, it's pretty manky with over a decade's accumulated grime. Mainly bits of me, I expect. Anyway been inspired to tart it up a bit, clean the crap off and give it a good lemon oiling and a polish.
Two questions for the forum hive mind:
(1) do I polish the v tarnished chrome work, or leave it with the pretty funky patina of age?
(2) here's the big one: to top-wrap, or not to top-wrap? Never done it myself but have recently acquired a Firebird where it's been doen and for a thing with a neck like a Giant Sequoia the thing is surprisingly playable. Does it make a really big difference? And, if so, any tips/pointers? I suspect lowering the tailpiece is advisable, but all constructive criticism gratefully received.
Oh yeah. Picture.
Inactivist Lefty Lawyer
Comments
I say leave it tarnished.
In truth the lefties I got for my southpaw daughter. We were on a waiting list for about 12 months for the sunburst from a guy in belgium who runs a lefty guitar shop and who had tapped into a VERY limited run Fender Japan did about 18 months ago - fun trip to go collect - and about 48 hours before we were due to hop on the Eurostar to Brussels the Burgundy Mist one came up for a song on a Fb forum. You wait three years for a lefty JM, then two come along at once
Any red hot tips on set up? Am I right to think that lowering the tailpiece is the thing?
If you do Top wrap, take the tailpiece right down to the body.
Rob
Anyway, this thread is aligned with my interests: I recently acquired a Special which was already top-wrapped. When I came to change the strings for the first time, I noticed they had the old ball-ends around the strings to stop the wrap part of the string sticking too far out from the rear of the tailpiece - so I'm thinking of going the other way.
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
Most modern tort is a pale imitation of the original and rather special tort Fender made before they realised the method they were using would eventually self destruct.
I considered swapping my tort plate on my 64 Precision for quite a while as it's shrinking and I don't want it to crack. Spitfire really was the only option. In the end I decided it's not going anywhere so put my brave big boy pants on and drilled new holes to ease the tension. Ho hum.
My tort:
Nice bit of Spitfire:
Modern tort: