New free guitar day...

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:17 pm

Was given this today by a guy I work with, says he's had it since about 1989/90 anyone know where these were made?

Set neck, nice finish actually feels like an ok guitar haven't plugged it in as the output jack is gubbed.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:44 pm

What make? Made me think not a Columbus make a load of people I grew up with had and at the same time he bought it

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:00 pm

I remember Stagg using that bronze logo plate thing in about 2004. Maybe they'd been doing it since the 80s, but I reckon your mate's mixed something up.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:22 pm

Aye it's a Stagg.

They were originally a Japanese guitar company from the late 70's/early 80's but like Paul says, that bronze screw on logo is from the reincarnation of Stagg, most probably Chinese.
Could be wrong though, companies like Cimar used screw on logos.

The later version are okay budget guitars, a bit like Westfield. Decent chassis but might need some hardware/electronic upgrades.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:31 pm

Didn't stagg used to come with Wilkinson parts and pickups? I remember them being decent if undesirable guitars.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:26 am

Bacchus wrote:I remember Stagg using that bronze logo plate thing in about 2004. Maybe they'd been doing it since the 80s, but I reckon your mate's mixed something up.

I did think it was later myself but I never paid stagg much attention so wasn't sure, he said he had it before his daughter was born though n she's 27 so mid 90s

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:29 am

They could well have been doing that plate thing since the 90s I suppose. I only really started hanging around the one guitar shop in Derry in about 2002 and my exposure to guitars was whatever they stocked.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:54 am

Posted it over at the my les paul forum they seem to think it's about epiphone level in terms of quality - I still haven't fixed the wiring so can't comment on the sound but it plays better than my sister in-laws epiphone (but I really don't like the neck on her guitar).

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Apr 22, 2019 5:43 pm

Got it cleaned, restrung, oiled the fretboard, and rewired, the pickups are microphonic as fuck... Going to tune it F#F#F#F#E B and play some Sonic Youth... cause it's a Kool thing. I actually like the totally tarnished gold hardware.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:47 am

Nice. Looks very new wave to me

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Tue Apr 23, 2019 6:30 pm

dezb1 wrote:Got it cleaned, restrung, oiled the fretboard, and rewired, the pickups are microphonic as fuck...

Wax...

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Apr 23, 2019 6:53 pm

Yeah, you can wax pot pickups with paraffin on the stove. EVH did it to a '50s Gibson PAF effectively and he doesn't even know how to wire a selector switch.

[youtube][/youtube]

It's funny now that all those wholesale import pickups and stuff are everywhere for $10-$40, I often wonder about the cost effectiveness of even something cheap and hardware-store-y like wax potting the pickups (or refinishing a Strat/Tele body) in an old import guitar versus buying ridiculously cheap ones that'll sound as good as a nicer Epiphone. I got a pair of cheapo cream buckers from China on eBay (because DiMarzio have trademarked double cream open-coils and getting that look is expensive) and they didn't disappoint in any way.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:38 am

Cost price of making pickups is figuratively pennies, for last couple of decades companies and individuals made tons of money selling handwired mojo. Though for sure a certain skill goes into finding sweet combination of all the components, but really you just wind your pickups to 6.5-7.0 kOhms, use alnico magnets and for the most part you cover 80-90% of the requested mojo vibes. Chinese pickups nowadays are made like that and cost a couple of bucks.