Factory Mods
These are factory instruments that I either significantly modified, restored or refurbished.
These are factory instruments that I either significantly modified, restored or refurbished.
This is the big brother to the Silvertone 1448, vintage 1964-67. Construction is basically the same, but with a full-scale neck, two pickups, and a much better amp. For a lot of details, see the 1448 page. This guitar is in excellent condition for being almost sixty years old, and apart from cleaning and re-stringing, it needed nothing.
More: Silvertone 1457 Guitar & Amp ...
This is a real Danelectro Silvertone 1452 from the 1960s. When I got it, it was a sad box of parts. Some hillbilly had stripped it, by rubbing it on the sidewalk, I think. The fretboard had delaminated, and the old repair had simply made the problem permanent. I repaired the neck and fixed all the other issues, replaced the lipstick tubes, which had split, and clear-coated the whole thing in modern poly. I was not able to fully repair the neck, there's just not enough wood left, so I don't keep it under tension. The pickguard is stained dark for contrast. I cleaned tarnish off the old metal bits with oven cleaner, and replaced all the corroded fasteners with shiny new stainless ones.
More: Silvertone 1457 "Rescue" Guitar ...
This is my reference for guitar setups - a Japanese "E-series" Squier Stratocaster from the early '80s. This was an era when Fender-America was not doing their best work, while the Japanese models were superb.
More: Squier '62 Stratocaster ...
My projects are generally inspired by classic designs, but with a twist. I like to build things like basses on guitar bodies, non-standard scale lengths, and occasionally originals, and experiment with materials, finishes, and electronics. One of my great interests is driving the cost out of luthiery by sourcing parts and materials from the hardware store. I prefer to build more guitars than simply more-expensive guitars.
More: Projects ...
Solid poplar body, lightly stained and finished in polyurethane. Korean Squire neck, active electronics. Is it a reverse, or a non-reverse? Since this is a reverse of the original Thunderbird body ( more-or-less ) I say it is a reverse. If this is a non-reverse, then the original would have to be the reverse. Reverse of what? Makes no sense.
More: Reverse Fenderbird ...