Just ordered - new neck for my Squier 51

[grabby]

OK, I *know* it's a Squier. I *know* it's a crappy basswood body. I *know* I just paid more for the unfinished neck from W than I paid for 3 of my 4 51s *combined!*

Still, I can't help myself. I love the feel/weight/sound of those cheap azz guitars. So here's the new neck I am putting on my black '51:

I'll post pics after I get it, finish it, and install it.

~dmg

 

[bagman67]

That's sure a purty neck.  How are you finishing it?

Also, I'm a huge fan of cheap guitars - my Charvel Model 1A and my Peavey Predator are awesome cheapo axes.

 

[grabby]

Thanks Bagman - I'm leaning towards Tru Oil. Wipe on, steel wool, repeat.

 

[Corey P.]

That's a real perty neck.  I'm actually leaning towards birdseye for a P-Bass neck if I ever manage to commit to assembling one; did anything happen to the original neck on the guitar you're swapping this onto or did you just decide you wanted to trick it out a bit?

 

[Cagey]

OK, I *know* it's a Squier. I *know* it's a crappy basswood body. I *know* I just paid more for the unfinished neck from W than I paid for 3 of my 4 51s *combined!*

Yeah, but the neck is the thing. That's what you play. Get a good neck, and you can forgive a multitude of other sins and make amends over time. So, good for you! I'm sure you'll be very pleased. Nobody makes necks like Warmoth.

 

[stubhead]

It's worthwhile to remember that when the Les Paul Jr. and Special were first sold, they were "cheap" guitars. The only reason Gibson bothered to sell anything like that is because some guy named Fender had sewn up the cheap guitar market selling strings-on-a-board. The Telecaster was the ultimate cheap guitar when it first came out, which is why you can pick up a 1953 Telecaster for only $40,000 or so. It's just logic....

 

[Cagey]

I'll never figure out the "vintage" market. Today you can buy the most comfortable, advanced and well-made guitars ever built for very reasonable prices. But, there are still guys who insist they need the junk hardware with bad body designs, pitiful necks and poor finishes or they simply can't play. It's like offering somebody a new E-class Mercedes for $800, and having them insist they need a '57 Chevy Bel-Air for $50K because it's "better". Better than what? A slow, painful death by lung cancer?

 

[grabby]

Thanks - yes, this is a pretty neck/  :icon_thumright:

As for why - I have one extra 51 body and I wanted to get them all to have necks. That, and I'm a W junkie... I have a 51 in black with a W neck (soon), a sunburst, a blonde, and one I stripped, relic'd, and painted sonic blue (and relic'd again). Those other 3 have 51 necks. That plus complete W guitars and I'm good to go.

 

[DangerousR6]

That'll pop really nice once you get some oil on it... :icon_thumright:

 

[Strat Avenger]

I'll never figure out the "vintage" market. Today you can buy the most comfortable, advanced and well-made guitars ever built for very reasonable prices. But, there are still guys who insist they need the junk hardware with bad body designs, pitiful necks and poor finishes or they simply can't play. It's like offering somebody a new E-class Mercedes for $800, and having them insist they need a '57 Chevy Bel-Air for $50K because it's "better". Better than what? A slow, painful death by lung cancer?

I'd rather have the '57 Chevy (but not for $50k). It's a way cooler-looking car. Of course it would have to be modified and customized.

But I agree 100% with your point on guitars. They started out as cheap, they are junk by modern guitar-manufacturing standards, and yet people pay ridiculous amounts of money for them.

My next build will be a "vintage" Tele. It will have the appearance and tone of a '52 Tele, but will be of better quality, and have a much better-playing compound radius neck, compensated bridge saddles, better tuners, and pickups that don't hum.

And it's gonna cost me under $1000.00.

 

[grabby]

OK - neck should arrive tomorrow. W00t!