What a long, strange trip

[marnold]

I've heard people say that as soon as they pick up a guitar, they can tell whether it has "mojo" or not and whether they want it or not. Such was not the case with my Floyd. My initial review (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=3995) was very positive, especially for $149, but I also mentioned returning it which I probably would have done if there were any left to return it for.

The fit and finish issues I mention in that review got under my skin for a while. I've toyed with selling it or replacing the body for that purpose. I also had issues with the Floyd trem itself. This was mainly due to the fact that this is my first Floyd-equipped guitar and I was determined to set it up myself. Now I know what to do, but initially it was very frustrating. I tried different string gauges, both Eb and standard tuning, four springs and three, floating and blocked. For a while it was like it was taunting me.

Then there were the pickups. I bought it knowing that a pickup swap would happen. When I got my Area 61s I remember being initially underwhelmed. They didn't sound that different--only noiseless. That's when I discovered how much pickup height matters. Dropping them a bit made a world of difference. The Screamin' Demon was a nice addition too and blends better with the single coils. The neck-on switch added a ton of tonal flexibility. That was probably my favorite addition.

Yet after all of that, as recent as a month or so ago I was still thinking of getting rid of it. Those Jackson DK2Ms just seemed so sexy. I decided against it because I knew I wouldn't get much for my guitar and I'd take a massive hit on the pickups I had just put in. Plus, having played a DK2M, it was nice but not nice enough to make me want to switch. Plus I remembered how much I hate where Jackson/Charvels have the volume knob.

The funniest part is that what finally made me "bond" with this guitar is an accident. I was sitting in a chair that my wife had reupholstered. I moved a bit and heard an odd rubbing noise. I discovered that something pointy in the chair arm had put a nice scratch on the top of the guitar by the arm comfort cut.

At first I was ticked. I like to take great care of my stuff. But very shortly thereafter, it was like the guitar finally became my own. It's like that scratch was my name etched on it. Yeah, it's a bit of a mutt, but it's my mutt. The pickups give me tones I really like. The trem is a Floyd trem with all the wanking goodness that comes along with it. It's a guitar that is unique. Everything from the pickups to that scratch mark it as my own.

As I've gone through this project learning the In My Dreams solo, I find myself using this guitar almost exclusively, not because I hate my Fender but I can't put this one down. When I looked at that Jackson RR, it was my Fender that was going to go, not the Floyd. Pretty remarkable transformation.

I guess the whole point of this long-winded diatribe is give a guitar some time. Mod the heck out of it if you have to. I've enjoyed gutting the wiring on this. I learned a ton about soldering, setups, pickup choices, etc., things I probably wouldn't have learned otherwise. I know my GASsiness would be reduced dramatically if I'd just play and enjoy what I have instead of always looking to something else.

[markb]

Interesting writeup. I think this kind of thing can go either way. My previous strat (a MIM standard) was like this for me. I tried pickup changes and wiring mods but, in the end, it was just never right but I gave it a few years before dumping it. My current strat was spot on even with the world's worst setup when I bought it and just got better with a bit of tlc. Glad you and the Floyd have come to an understanding now.

[Spudman]

Funny you bring this up. Just last night I finally changed strings and treated the fretboard on a guitar that I've had for a while. I actually played it at some gigs but I was always so-so about the guitar. After last night I totally am bonded with it now. It plays great and I'm able to get a variety of good sounds out of it. I guess some things just take time.

[thearabianmage]

This is a Kodak moment. :D

It's always nice when you bond with a guitar. I guess this is the 'reminiscing' thread - just this morning, I picked up my lovely shallow-bodied nylon string for the first time in months - after at least 3 hours a day with it for nearly 2 years - and completely remembered why I love it so much, and have done since the very first moment I got her (bargain off of E-Bay, nonetheless!). Everything is right. No need for amps (even though it is an electro-acoustic), just the guitar. And what a sound! Even with its shallow body, you can feel the bass notes resonating in your gut.

Sometimes, as with Marnold or Spudman, you have to 'find' that reason to like your guitar - others, it seems you just have to remember it.

[Plank_Spanker]

I'm almost the opposite of you, marnold. If a guitar doesn't set my hair on fire within the first few minutes, I walk away. I've never bought a guitar with the intention of modding it right off, but I have modded a few as my tastes and needs changed. I'm just weird that way......................:D

[marnold]

I'm almost the opposite of you, marnold. If a guitar doesn't set my hair on fire within the first few minutes, I walk away. I've never bought a guitar with the intention of modding it right off, but I have modded a few as my tastes and needs changed. I'm just weird that way......................:D
There are certainly multiple schools of thought on this. There is wisdom in your method too as long as your tastes are relatively consistent--i.e. what you love today is not something you loathe tomorrow.

The point of writing this up was that sometimes a little fighting and some TLC can produce awesome results. I've tried all kinds of different Fenders since I got it and not a single one from an MIM to an SRV or Clapton Strat have made me want to give my Floyd up. Even the Jackson didn't do that.

Part of the problem was me--always looking for something that doesn't really exist. The other part was never having an HSS guitar with a real Floyd Rose trem in it. I had to learn about adjusting pickup heights. The more metal-oriented humbuckers I've used before aren't anywhere near as sensitive to height. The Floyd itself is just an entirely different beast. If I weren't a child of the 80s I probably would have gotten exasperated with it. Now I understand it and I can set it up easily, but that took time and effort, trial and error.

It's funny that that scratch did it. It was like in that instant it truly became mine. Like a switch was flipped or something.

The saving grace for this guitar has always been its neck. In a perfect world I might like it just the tiniest bit thinner, but that's splitting hairs. I like the satin finish, the playability, and the all-access neck joint (AANJ) makes it easy to reach the top frets. It's got a 12" radius so it's a nice blend of both classic and shredder.

I'm debating about adding a bigger block to the Floyd to see what effect that might have. Any extra sustain would be a good thing with a floating trem. We'll see; it's not a pressing thing.

[kiteman]

I got a new guitar (DC127) and at first it was like a honeymoon then I started to dislike the guitar. I keep picking my Bolt up to play and that one is a jammer.

I started thinking, man, my $700 guitar is much better than my new $1200 guitar so something's not right. That's when I started to really look my guitar over.

Then I feel stupid, never did I noticed the pups but they were skewered. The poles were staggered with one down in the hole off the threads and the pups were crookedly adjusted. It was my first time with Holdsworth pups and after the raves over it I didn't think it was so hot.

I went to work on it, got the pups leveled and the poles lined up except for that one pole. I'll have to get it during a string change but right now the pups are actually fantastic. Great tones.

Ok, that was yesterday and this morning I jammed and I was lost in the tone. Like you said, a strange trip like my guitar had possessed me in it's spell.

I got in the zone, that darn elusive spot and I was making up a song. It was partially done (burned in :)) and I just improvise the solo and hope to find a groove that I can keep in the song. Everytime I hit a solo on that song, it's always different. This morning I did a good solo and completed the song.

First time I finished that song and don't remember how. Happens to me.

Went outside to smoke a cig and think, what did I do? Am I going to do it again? That guitar, what the hell?

It's not very often that my breath is taken away. :)

[scgmhawk]

That was a great post, Matt. I have the same floyd you have (unmodded) and I like it. Probably not the best sounding guitar in the world (especially with the original pick ups) but fun to play! I've definitely needed to play with the PUP height (I really lowered them to get a sound I liked). And, I agree that the neck is probably better than on most inexpensive axes. Glad you like it again!

[Brian Krashpad]

I've always cautioned against making snap judgments one way or t'other on axes. Sometimes it takes time for me to bond with a guitar. That's especially true for me right now, as I have too many guitars and very few gigs/practices, and even less time to just play around the house in my "spare time." (With 2 kids, both of whom who are in church youth, one who is in 2 high school extra-curricular clubs, and one who is in Boy Scouts and about to start up flag football again, not to mention hours of homework every night with the younger one who's dyslexic/dysgraphic, I flat don't have any "free time.")

I have several guitars that I've purchased in the last year or so that I simply hadn't had enough time with to make any hard and fast decisions about.

And don't even get me started on modding. I swear some people will change things just to change them.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[marnold]

One thing I have noticed this winter is that floating Floyd guitars are even more susceptible to changes in temperature/humidity than hardtails are. I guess that stands to reason, given the delicate balancing act.

As an aside, I was reading something about Vernon Reid the other day. I saw a picture of him and behind him on the wall was a DST-1, the three-single-coil version of my guitar.

[bigoldron]

And don't even get me started on modding. I swear some people will change things just to change them.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.


Hey! I resemble that remark! :D