NGD - 1967 Fender Coronado II (pics heavy)

mastermorya · Post by **mastermorya** » Mon May 28, 2012 6:48 am

That's sick. The GC algorithm for pricing used gear is pretty stupid. Congratulations!

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Mon May 28, 2012 11:50 am

Beautiful guitar. Excellent score. Congrats taylornutt!

James · Post by **James** » Mon May 28, 2012 11:53 am

You can flip the pickup back around easy enough, though again be careful with the black base because it could well be brittle. If you handle it gently it should be fine. It won't make any difference being in it's current orientation, it's just a visual thing.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Mon May 28, 2012 2:25 pm

Thanks, James. I will treat it carefully. I wanted to try another shim to lower the action so I will have to take the neck off again anyway.

I also found out that the bodies for the Coronados were done in nitro, which of course explains the checking of the finish. Not sure about the necks, but it could be nitro as well.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Mon May 28, 2012 2:30 pm

mastermorya wrote:That's sick. The GC algorithm for pricing used gear is pretty stupid. Congratulations!

Obviously, my Coronado was in rough played condition, but that has never stopped Guitar Center from charging a small fortune for a guitar.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Mon May 28, 2012 3:27 pm

taylornutt wrote:Not sure about the necks, but it could be nitro as well.

it's obviously nitro.

taylornutt wrote:Does your bridge mount to the body? I noticed yours has foam or wood pieces under the bridge.

they're metal pieces and they sit directly on the body, held down by string tension. mine is the same.

it looks as if the finish on yours has been scratched to hell there anyway, if it's lasted this long i wouldn't worry about it. coronados didn't have fixed bridges, as there's nothing underneath to fix them to.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Mon May 28, 2012 3:34 pm

Thanks for the info, Stewart. I looked on the back of the headstock and the finish is checking as well. I love me some nitro guitars.

At one point someone moved the bridge back further on mine and which would have increased the scale length and messed with the intonation.

Most of the pics you see of these on the internet are so pristine and I never see any scratch marks left by the bridge bases.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Mon May 28, 2012 3:39 pm

i suppose it depends how clumsy the previous owner's been when restringing it. it can be a bit fiddly to get it back into the right position and stay there without slipping around. i think i marked mine with masking tape when i did the initial strip-down, but if i change the strings now i do it one at a time. if you're really concerned about it you could maybe get some thin felt, cut it to size and sit the bridge on top, like the stuff you put under the legs of furniture if you have a wooden floor. if you're shimming the neck anyway it probably won't be too noticeable that the bridge is a couple of mm higher.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Tue May 29, 2012 1:19 am

Before the web, people had to guess on some of these oddball models. I bet someone got it wrong and from then on nobody questioned it. Floating bridges are the norm on archtops, mainly for the trem. Figure out the best spot by measuring, listening, and looking for marks.

I have both types of platforms for my bridges. I may swap the tailpiece on the Wildwood with the the other because the action is so high.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Tue May 29, 2012 2:27 am

This guitar being my first archtop, I had no idea it was standard for the bridge to not to be attached.

I actually got out my tape measure and measured 25.5" from nut to bridge. Then I checked the intonation.

Once I get the neck angle right and flip the pickup back around, I will probably be taking strings off one at a time so the bridge should stay in the same place.

I am learning so much from this guitar and I am super appreciative for all the info and advice.

We definitely need to put together a guide or website about these guitars for future reference.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue May 29, 2012 5:09 pm

so awesome. that neck has got to be fucking choice.

i fell in love with a '67 at CME, and they wanted $1799 for it. crazzy

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Wed May 30, 2012 4:31 am

hotrodperlmutter wrote:so awesome. that neck has got to be fucking choice.

i fell in love with a '67 at CME, and they wanted $1799 for it. crazzy

45 year old nitro neck = amazing. The neck profile is very interesting. A little thinner than my Jaguar neck. Not as wide at the nut as the Jaguar neck but feels wider past the 12th fret. The binding and longer scale give it a different feel as well.

One of the best 25.5" scale necks I have ever played and the age and block/binding only adds to the appeal. Once I get the action lower it will be a killer guitar. I will demo it over my vacation next week along with my Vibro Champ.

The Coronado sounds really good on the #2 input for rhythm playing. The neck pickup with no tone = Woman tone and its amazing.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:37 am

I finished installing a new shim, adjusting the truss rod for the .11 gauge strings, intonated the bridge and turned the front pickup 180 degrees. The Coronado II is now playing really nice and the action is pretty low.

New pics:

kapepepper · Post by **kapepepper** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:11 pm

and now you just need the golden pick guard to finish it

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:41 pm

kapepepper wrote:and now you just need the golden pick guard to finish it

I actually like the look of it without the pickguard, so the only thing I am going to buy is a replacement trem arm.

The company that does the trem fix for the Johnny Marr Jags makes a replacement Coronado arm.

BoringPostcards · Post by **BoringPostcards** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:46 pm

G0od Score Taylor!!
Holy crap.

such a good price.
lucky motherfucker.