The Electra Forums

For some reason I play much better with my slightly beat up or worn guitars. If it's been used, worn, recovered, whatever, it seems to inspire me making me feel better playing it and therefore I actually do play better.

Is anyone else this way?

Is this the mysterious result of "Mojo"?

Because I have some pristine examples, Electra's and others, but love playing my worn guitars MORE. Put a near mint X310 in my hands, I like it a lot. Put the 30 years of wear X240 in my hands and I LOVE it and become inspired. Though they're basically the same style, feel, and sound.

This intrigues me. Pro's will often play the worn, or vintage gear. Is this why? What do you think?

(It even happened to a Westone Dana I'm refinishing. I didn't like it before I stripped and gutted it, but now that it's stripped and with only one pickup I can't put it down)

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

I prefer beat up guitars. As long as they're stable and functional, I don't care much about them looking clean or new. The ones in perfect condition command higher prices, and I'm always looking for a bargain. It's more about the tone and uniqueness.

I find the same to be true for me Chad.......seems the more mojo my basses have, the more they seem to get played. My 2 go to basses are an '81 Ibanez RS924WN roadster bass and my new acquisition, a 1982 Electra X640N. Both have seen their fair share of use cosmetically, but structurally and sound wise, both are awesome players!

I have a couple of higher end ones that don't get played so much because they're in fantastic condition, and I'm afraid my clumsy self might scratch or ding one. The newest bass I own is a one of a kind fretless that I built in the mid 1990's based on a Carvin 4 string through body neck. Everything else is from the 70's and 80's.......guess I'm just an old fart!

I only keep the ones that speak to me.............

Beat up guitars are beat up because they get played. They get played because they play well.

One of my favorite guitars (from you guys that came to Electrafest this year know about) is that beat to hell, ran over, and glued back together Leslie West model I have. I got it as a project in pieces, and got it because I wanted one and at the time I hadn't seen many for sale (and if I did they were not much better than this one). I put it back together with parts I had laying around. Pickups are "pulls" from a PRS SE model. That guitar is FANTASTIC. It sounds and plays GREAT. Anyone that plays it comments on how good it plays and sounds. I think it is GRATEFUL for being resurrected.

I am a sick puppy though, I think I enjoy fixing them up as much as playing them sometimes. There is something about that satisfaction you get when you start with a pile and end up with a really cool instrument. Kind of like restoring old cars but I can't afford that!

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Thorny

I hear that!!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Yep I am with you on that. I like fixing things. I am currently restoring a 1920's upright bass. I only have two years invested in it.

Took me just under 2 years to resurrect my APII Urchin - a somewhat easier task than your project, I have to say, so I'm willing you on!!

Used gear is quite often very nice to play on providing it hsn't been abused too badly, I quite agree, though I bought my VA 900 new in Melbourne in 1989 and played it without backup for 25 years as a semi pro. Is that the exception that proves the rule? I did a lot of hunting around and trying various guitars before putting down cash and a 58 Tele on it, and it played beautifully right from the time the price tag was hanging from it's neck!! Still does, though it has now been retired and lives with 2 other VA900s, a VA900B and a VA912 in the Australian outback.

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Would you have pictures of that beauty Corsair? I'd love to see another one.

I have 2 myself, a 1980 which was converted to a lined fretless and a 1981 fretted. The fretless was modded by an excellent luthier, judging by the quality and detail and has a sandwich body.

The 81 is original except the electronics pc's are missing, I've already reproduced the low battery circuit and am working on the active circuit. I picked both of mine up dirt cheap, they both had a head stock strike causing them to crack from the base of the nut back. Easy repairs on that, the electronics.......not so easy. Been 40 years since I did that stuff.

I'll try to post a couple of pics of mine over the weekend.

Have a look here... I'm sorry, I deleted most of the photos from Photobucket but I'll hunt them down for you if you really want to see it.... on page 2 there's a shot of it with some fat [Foul Language Used] playing it...

http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewto ... 3&start=10

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."