New Guitar Day - Happy Ending Edition

[heem6]

After returning the Stagemaster, I started looking at others. I also looked at Showmasters, and found one for sale here in Phoenix on Craigslist. The seller said he had only played it maybe 5 times and it was like new.

We met and I scoped the guitar in the parking lot of a Subway Sandwich store. The neck seemed pretty straight so I bought it for $140 - which included a guitar stand with the spring loaded neck holder and an expensive, thick, wide leather strap with an Iron Skull and Crossbones attached to it.

Took it up to the shop today and the guitar tech verified what I thought the deal was - neck was straight, there were a few frets higher than others. For a little over a $100, he's going to do a level, crown and dress for me and replace the inexpensive volume and tone pots with CTS.

P.S. This is exactly the same guitar as the Stagemaster - one piece neck, brass bridge block, killer pickups, contoured neck heel, and reverse headstock.

[halo71]

Looks real nice! I love me some reverse head stocks!

[nickwellings]

How are you liking yours so far, Jim?

I have one of these (no skullbones though) and it soudns and plays ok. The neck is a bit odd (very normal Fender). Was the neck on your sad guitar day guitar anything like an HM? Also I began to think that the headstock is way too big somehow, comparing to other Fenders and guitars. So I was going to sell mine...! Green sparkle, neckthru.

[heem6]

Mine is in the shop right now getting that work done. It felt pretty darn good when I played it for a few days before taking it in, though. I got the action down fairly low, but I knew that to take it where I wanted it I'd need to have all the frets leveled.

Neither the earlier neck or the new one are terribly like an HM. That's one thing I wanted to check out. Since the Floyds have a radius of - I think 12" - I wanted to see how this neck that had a 12.5" radius matched up to the Floyd. Seemed to be pretty good. Also, these necks are 1 5/8" wide, which is in general better for my small hands. I plan to shave this neck down to a Kramer Baretta profile when I get it back.

What aspect of the neck are you referring to when you say it's a bit odd?

[nickwellings]

That was once thing I liked a lot Jim, the nut width/feel. However, it was just a bit too fat for my liking. Perfectly playable, but just a bit of a disconnect: I am programmed to think thin = better shredding...!!

And the floyd on mine, you can't remove the arm!! Can you take yours out?

[heem6]

So if you have the bolt on neck model, this would be the perfect time for you to learn how to shave down a neck! I can help advise you if you want.

My floyd is an original style screw in bar. I don't think it has an adjustment screw on the side or bottom, but it's still in the shop so I can't be sure. Can you post a picture of yours? I'd like to see it.