What would you do?

[Cruznolfart]

I've absolutely ZERO hands-on experience in restoring or rebuilding an old axe. But I've had this old thing for more than 40 years and it's been begging for a resurrection. I'm not interested in making it original, just a nice, flexible single-coil tool for jamming. None of the original parts are available.

 

It's a 22 fret (counting the zero fret) neck with a 1.5 inch chromed brass nut., 25" scale. There is obviously no back-routing. The old Framus tremolo system was mounted in that big front rout behind the bridge mounting holes. I don't care if it doesn't have a tremolo but it would be nice if it did.

 

So...what kind of pickguard, pups and switching system would you go with on this ol' thang. I'd like to end up with a SSH configuration. There's a lot or room under there. And what kind of bridges/tremolo systems would you consider? And would you change the nut out to something non-metallic?

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

And, bless your hearts, if you don't have any REAL experience in doing the things you suggest, please, for the love of Lester, don't suggest doing it. Thanks again.

 

 

 

[Californiaman]

Go for it.

You can do it.

It only takes one step.

It will be a wonderful experience.

And it begins with taking the first step.

[Hector Arcadius]

Then I will forever keep my silence...:-

[Cruznolfart]

Go for it.

You can do it.

It only takes one step.

It will be a wonderful experience.

And it begins with taking the first step.

 

Thanks, Todd, it should be fun for this winter. LOL! I think you could park a semi on that multi-lam neck and it'd stay straight.

[Cruznolfart]

Then I will forever keep my silence... :-

 

Well THAT'S a switch!

[RichCI]

And' date=' bless your hearts, if you don't have any REAL experience in doing the things you suggest, please, for the love of Lester, don't suggest doing it. [/i'] Thanks again.

 

I'd ask around on message boards then take it to someone who knows what they're doing and have them do something with it.

[Cruznolfart]

I'd ask around on message boards then take it to someone who knows what they're doing and have them do something with it.

 

ROFLMAO! I considered this...it's still not entirely out of the question. But I think I'd like to struggle through and see what kinda monster I end up with.

[jannusguy]

if you wind up re-thinking this adventure (no reason you would, but if you did) i'd send it to ksdaddy.

[RichCI]

I hear ya, man.

 

Okay, I can't stand working on guitars but, if I were to at least come up with a plan, this is what I'd do.

 

First, design your own pickguard around the routs. There are web sites that specialize in cutting custom pickguards or, if you want to do it yourself, you can buy blank material and do it yourself.

 

http://www.warmoth.com/Blank-Pickguard-Material-C210.aspx

http://wdmusic.com/pickguard_tracings.html

 

There are other companies, those are just the first couple that I found.

 

With that body shape, I'd go with something that looks sort of like a reverse Firebird and do it in either a white, parchment or even a redish tortoise shell color. But, go with whatever you think looks cool. Think about the size of the pickups you're going to put in there...

 

Looking at the size and locations of the pickup routes, you might be a little limited when it comes to a humbucker sized pup and may want to consider a P90 or even some sort of Strat sized pup that' actually a stacked or whatever humbucker like what Duncan or Dimarzio offer. Do some research and figure out what you want to put in there as that will ultimately determine how the holes are cut for the pickups in your pickguard. Same thing with the controls - one pot? two pots? three? four? Two-way switching like an LP? Five-way blade like a Strat? Switch on the upper bout or down with the pots?

 

As for the bridge, that round cut at the bottom of the trem cavity looks like that might be where the spring for some sort of Bigsby bridge might have gone. I know I've seen that headstock shape before; maybe you can do a little Googling and find out what was in the originally so you don't have to do too much fussing around to put something in there. If it were me (and it's not), I'd fill in the hole and put some sort of tune-o-matic or other kind of hard tail bridge on it just because I have little patience for trems. If you do that, it'd be easiest to design a pickguard to cover it up unless you plan on refinishing the guitar - and I like the finish.

 

I'd leave the zero fret alone. If it's functional, why bother changing it unless you just want to do it.

[Basshole]

Don't spend too much money, If you are spending more on parts then it is worth. It's not worth it.

[Californiaman]

I could see three P-90s in there wired like the Jimmy Page configuration. You know, in phase out of phase for the middle pup.

That would look way cool with black P-90s and a tortoise shell color.

If you really want to get creative, how about active electronics with a Q filter switch?

[65 Casino]

If there is a picture of the old axe, I can't see it. If not, I want to see it. Then and only then will I make suggestions.

 

My thoughts, not a suggestion - would be to stay vintage. How vintage? Would need to see a picture first. Get the picture?

[Murph]

Don't spend too much money' date=' If you are spending more on parts then it is worth. It's not worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Well, unless you like it.

 

I've got a 100+ year old 3 story haunted house that I've spent more on, than it's worth, and I'm not done yet.

 

But..... I like it......

[65 Casino]

I have one very similar Cruzn - and thinking about doing the same thing, resurrection. If I can figure out how to upload pictures, I will join your post. I think mine is an old Barth. That name sticks in my head for some reason. I have all the original parts but the cover for the bridge. It had a ceramic p/up etc. I would like to stick one or two hot P-90's in mine.

When I took the pickguard off, it is routed for what appears to be a humbucker or mini humbucker. Oh yea, the tuners are shot as well. They would have to be replace.

 

Keep this going, would love to see the progress. I have a search going on Ebay to get an idea or two for parts. That is what I would do/did do - first of all.

[FirstMeasure]

Judging by that deep well in the tremolo cavity, it looks like it had something like the kind of tremolo you find on a Jazzmaster.

 

You could put the guts of an HSS strat in it, wire the Five Position Blade Switch on the Upper Horn, where an LP would have it's Toggle. Put the pots down there where they'd naturally go. Maybe wire it with One Master Volume and One Master Tone, Push/Pull Decibel Booster, and a button that lets you use the Bridge Pick up in conjunction with the Blade Switch settings (A-la Deluxe Players Strat).

 

The pick guard could be tricky if you want something with a boarder, like a three ply Tortoise Shell (which would look nice, I think). That might be the only part you can't Do-Yourself unless you go with a nice wooden pick guard, like Flame Maple or Bubinga or some such thing. But I'm sure you can find a place that will make a Pick Guard based on a Template you draw up.

 

You may have to angle all the pick ups, but that would look cool.

[65 Casino]

Ummmm.... where did my avatar go? It disappeared right after I read Murph's haunted house reply...no kidding...Murph - can't you control your ghosts? It appears my post count and location disappeared as well. Just because I deleted my post earlier...hmmmm. Readers beware.

[Murph]

Ummmm.... where did my avatar go? It disappeared right after I read Murph's haunted house reply...no kidding...Murph - can't you control your ghosts? It appears my post count and location disappeared as well. Just because I deleted my post earlier...hmmmm. Readers beware.

 

 

Welcome to my World.....

[65 Casino]

Thanks for spanking them... avatar is back except in this thread, I think. Will post and see. LMAO.

 

Edit:

Nope, no avatar, this thread is haunted....

[Murph]

Sorry.

[KL]

What is it?

[Blackie]

I would fill all the old routing with rock hard putty and reroute the thing in a non-diagonal way. At the end of body work I

would paint the guitar with some good high gloss laquer and maybe some clear on top. You can get pick guard material and cut it

to whatever shape you want with a laminate trimmer or router. If you are going to paint the body you could also

change the shape of the guitar, maybe some sharper cutaways or whatever. Also it is a bolt on neck so you could make a whole new body

out of some nice wood and just use whatever hardware you like.

[Cruznolfart]

What is it?

 

 

A '69 Framus Golden Strato Deluxe

 

[Cruznolfart]

I would fill all the old routing with rock hard putty and reroute the thing in a non-diagonal way. At the end of body work I

would paint the guitar with some good high gloss laquer and maybe some clear on top. You can get pick guard material and cut it

to whatever shape you want with a laminate trimmer or router. If you are going to paint the body you could also

change the shape of the guitar' date=' maybe some sharper cutaways or whatever. Also it is a bolt on neck so you could make a whole new body

out of some nice wood and just use whatever hardware you like.[/quote']

 

Thanks, Blackie (and everybody else) but that's a 40+ year old body and finish. No way I'm gonna put anything over it or change its shape. Those cracks and chips are worth a fortune! I'm a damn fool for lettin' a friend have the components many years ago for his own project. This thing was in pretty bad shape by then. But it's just too *****in' to leave unplayed after all these years. I haven't played it since about '74 or so.

[Lowdown]

1. Pups - either these - http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfswdoovovra.html

or these - http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/p90pickups.html

and just pick a couple of single coils,or just go with 3 soaps.

 

2. You'll probably have to either get a pickguard custom made here for eg. - http://www.terrapinguitars.com/contact.html

or just buy a blank 3ply,whatever,and cut and shape it yourself(cheaper).

 

If you want to put in a brass nut...do it. But I wouldn't bother.

 

Change those gnarly old machine heads to this for eg. - http://www.gpdusa.com/Gotoh_Locking_Tuners-Gotoh_Vintage_Oval_6_in_Line_Locking_Tuners_NKL.html

 

Just wire it up with a Switchcraft jack and toggle switch(make sure you get some quality wire and 4 x pots and caps - 500k and .022 respectively. But that isn't a given.

 

This of course is all after you've done the fun part of re-finishing or whatever you decide to do...decisions,decisions[confused]

 

Forgot about the trem...why not drop in a Jag trem?