New Toy

http://www.planettribes.com/stilgar/strat4.jpg

It needs a good setup - the action is way too high, but otherwise I like it.

Hot. I'd take her for a spin.

You sure?
She is fat.
What a heavy guitar!
My '72 does not weigh as much.

Now I need to age it - the finish is too 'new.'

https://media.zzounds.com/media/fit,400by400/quality,85/brand,zzounds/mr16_straight_2-1232960fde92471bdf3bb2775 f5d1388.jpg

Oh, and then I bought this.
w00t

I like the tiger stripes. Is it a USA model? Fender or Squier? That 6-screw trem tells me it's no modern USA Strat. Vintage '57 maybe?

The 'official' name is - Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Stratocaster SSS Electric Guitar

"The Squier Vintage Modified Stratocaster SSS has a gloss finished maple neck, three Duncan Designed single-coil pickups and a vintage six-saddle tremolo. Special features provide a "personalized" touch. A customized classic electric guitar! 9.5" neck radius allows for easy string bending and pickups with Alnico 5 magnets deliver bell-like tone."

I have heard good things about these Squiers. Cheap to boot. Personally, I prefer the 6-screw trem - the two-point trem goes out of tune if you even touch it.

Yeah - I whacked the whammy bar a few times just to see how bad it would get.
Surprise...it stayed in tune.
$350

The nut is the only soft spot - I don't know whether I'll try to file it or just replace it.

Replace it. Squiers have plastic nuts. The tone will improve and if you file it right it'll stay nicely in tune.

Are those the stock pickups? I see writing along the bottom edge.

Yeah - "Duncan Designed."

The Indians bought the right to reproduce SDs, I guess.

Indians? More like the Chinese. IIRC the Squiers are now made in Indonesia....so they source a lot of the metal stuff in from China.

I'm getting tired of Chinese/Indonesian made everything. I like my shit made in the USA for the most part. The Japanese make some mighty fine guitars, though.

That said, I only have maybe 6 USA made guitars...a couple of Strats, a Les Paul, my Parker, my Rick, and my Gibson acoustic.

This was MADE IN INDIA.
(all the stickers proudly proclaim)

It's Indian Cedar.

Dot, not feather.

(Doesn't smell like curry, thank God)

Damn. I guess they just build them wherever the labor's the cheapest. The last time I played an Indian-made guitar was when I was in Nepal in '93 - it was a really shitty Gibson copy that played horribly.

I taught some young Nepali kid to play "Wish You Were Here" - I have a picture somewhere.

My new toy http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2888563554_f23390c5aa.jpg
One of my more satisfying purchases straight out the box.

Whatcha got, assfrags?
What is that?

I got my guitar back from Andy Brauer.
http://www.planettribes.com/stilgar/STM.jpg
http://www.planettribes.com/stilgar/STM2.jpg

Holy shit these pickups rock.
Very creamy in sound.
The wiring harness allows for splitting and or phasing.

I just ordered a few microphones as well.
I am on a roll.

Hercules RMX USB DJ console/audio interface. Stupidly easy to use and tons of fun.

I want to record, hence the Fostex.
16 channels...under $400.
CD/RW
40GB HD

Inside of 5 minutes (reading the instructions, of course) I was recording and then overdubbing.
Oh w00t.