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Topic: Reattaching Orphaned Stringmaster Necks |
Robert Jackson
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2018 5:59 pm |
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I have come in possession of a D8 Stringmaster. It is a 1953.
From what I can tell this used to be a Quad. It now consists of the middle two necks.
Has anyone ever gone to the trouble of getting the other two necks and restoring one to its former Quad glory?
Would it even be worth the trouble ... |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 1:57 am
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Please post some pics - it's always interesting to see these modified guitars.
Well, it wouldn't be cheap - 2 necks worth of hardware carries a hefty price tag right now (Stringmasters seem to be worth more in bits than as complete instruments and it might even be cheaper to buy a beaten up double neck to get the parts). In any case, you might end up with the wrong combination of control plates - almost certainly not a plate for the 4 selecter butons and maybe not 2 blank plates for the 3rd and 4th necks (assuning you have the more modern short or medium scale) so you might have to do some modifying there.
Secondly, you'd have to be very lucky to find the other two necks with the correct thicknesses - the thinnest neck would theoretically be the easiest to find as that is also used on the triples - the thickest neck would only have come from another quad. Don't forget, the Stringmaster was made in 3 scale lengths so you need the other 2 necks to match the 2 you have. I remember a project on here where someone added some wood to a neck to make it the right thickness or if you have the skills you could make the necks yourself or pay someone else to.
I'm assuming someone has added legs to your necks so you'll need to blank off the sockets of course.
If you were able to pull it off, you'd have a great instrument but would it be worth the trouble? Not financially, that's for sure - once it is finished and you count up the hours of work that have gone into it, you'll have a lovely instrument that is worth slightly less than the sum of all the individual parts - yes, you have reduced the value of all those bits by turning them into a playable instrument. You may end up spending more that if you sold yours and bought a complete quad.
Having said that, I am so glad I increased the quad count by 1 (see my avatar) but I got incredibly lucky finding all the bits I needed. I hope you get the same sort of luck if you decide to go ahead. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 8:11 am
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Jimmie Hudson might be a good resource if you wanted to have custom fabricated necks to re-quad your orphaned necks. He sells kits that have the hardware and unfinished necks and it sounds like he can make different scale lengths as needed.
It would be an interesting project but as mentioned, won't be cheap (four stringmaster pickups...depends who you get them from, SD Antiquity seem to be cheaper than Lollar) and won't have a huge resale value, but if you really want <strike>a backache</strike> I mean a quad Stringmaster, might be a viable option.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 9:48 am
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| Nic Neufeld wrote: |
Jimmie Hudson might be a good resource if you wanted to have custom fabricated necks to re-quad your orphaned necks. He sells kits that have the hardware and unfinished necks and it sounds like he can make different scale lengths as needed.
It would be an interesting project but as mentioned, won't be cheap (four stringmaster pickups...depends who you get them from, SD Antiquity seem to be cheaper than Lollar) and won't have a huge resale value |
And by the time you add on tuners and pans and fretboards, you'll almost certainly have spent more than you can pick up a complete original one for. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 10:36 am
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I don't know what the quads run these days, they are more rare, that's for sure. It looks like his price with hardware, but no electronics, is $500 per neck:
https://hudsonsteelguitars.com/products/stringmaster-8-string-kit-less-electronics-and-screws
With pickups and "incidental expenses", you're in the 1500 range.
One situation where that might make more sense...if you want something unique and custom. Like alternate/modern pickups on one neck, custom switching, etc. Better to do that kind of customization on new components (like a non-vintage newly fabricated neck)...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 10:49 am
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| Nic Neufeld wrote: |
| I don't know what the quads run these days, they are more rare, that's for sure. It looks like his price with hardware, but no electronics, is $500 per neck: |
You'd need to check if there is an extra charge for making the neck thicker or thinner. |
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Robert Jackson
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2018 4:08 pm Update
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Well, this was/is a project to combat boredom. I spoke to bill Sinclair. He has the outer neck to my SM. The actual one. LOL. Maybe I’ll just make a T8.
I’m in no rush. Love the sound as is D8 and who knows maybe a T8 or Q8 will pop when I have the cash around.
Right now, I’ll refinish the wood, since it looks like it’s really needed. Right now I’m co summed with trying to play the instrument. I’m actually making some headway.
I WAS a pretty good guitar player pre surgery. This is like I’m ten years old all over again sounds like killing cats sometimes. BUT I’m getting there. Getting used to these damn finger pics and muting.. |
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