I miss an old guitar.

[Matt_B]

When others talk about selling or trading a guitar, especially to fund the purchase of another one, I always say "You'll never regret keeping a guitar but you very well might regret selling it". I learned this lesson the hard way over the 27 yrs. I've been playing. I've owned probably about 50 guitars in my lifetime and only miss a few. I'm sure many of us have been there before so I'm hoping those of you that have can help me work through this.

One of the guitars I really miss is my late 80s desert camo Jackson. I've been keeping an eye out on eBay for years hoping it might pop up but it has yet to. At this point, I have given up hope so I'm starting to figure out how I can recreate it without spending $4K on a new version of it from either the Charvel or Jackson custom shop. I just can't stomach spending that much for a guitar not matter how much I miss it.

In my quest to recreate this guitar, I've been scouring all the dealers with websites and eBay looking for a guitar that I could use as the basis for the project. Here are some of the things I've been pondering in regards to this project.:

- A maple fingerboard is a must. I've made lots of mock-ups in different configurations but the basic finish (desert camo) does not look "right" to me with anything but a maple fingerboard.
- The original guitar had a black non-recessed OFR. Nowadays, I really don't care if a guitar has a locking trem or not so as long as the guitar doesn't have a Kahler cam trem I can probably make it work. Ideally, I would want a Strat style hard tail but I can probably live wiht an OFR.
- I really would prefer a reverse point headstock (just like the original) but I could live with a regular pointy. I like the Strat headstock to but I'm not a fan of having the truss rod nut at the heel.
- I really prefer bolt-on necks so that rules out Soloists.
- I don't like EMGs so that rules out any guitars that are routed for a battery compartment.
- This guitar must have 2 humbuckers, a 3 way toggle and preferably just a volume control. If it has a tone control, that might be OK.
- I'd prefer an alder or basswood body but mahogany might be ok.

All that said, I've looked at the natural SD Strats at The Music Zoo and found a few that would work -if- I want a Strat headstock.

I've also considered the Production Models but again I'm not sure if I want a Strat headstock nor am I sure if they're basic quality will satisfy me. Regarding their quality, I have no issue replacing the Korean Floyd with a "real" OFR and as far as the fretwork on them goes, that's easily remedied.

My desire for this old guitar has gotten to the point where I'm starting to consider having my Charvel bengal refinished. I love the Bengal but I might love the desert camo more.

As I said earlier, I've been looking for this old guitar for years and I'm at the point where either I need to forget about it completely (easier said than done) or recreate it soon so I can get on with my life.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Grandturk]

Does it need to be a Strat body? How about a Jackson Dinky? You could probably snap up a used DK1 for under a G-note and have it refinished... of course, then its got the recessed Floyd.... and the battery compartment... if that's really a big deal.

ProMods are good canvasses for refinishes, and I feel the quality is quite good - certainly worth the $1000 price tag.

[Matt_B]

Strat or Dinky would be fine but I've never seen a non-custom shop Dinky with a maple board. While I prefer a recessed OFR, I can live with a non-recessed one, as long as it's flat on the body. As far as the battery compartment goes, that's not a HUGE deal as long as it could be filled it. I don't like having unnecessary holes in my guitars.

I am attracted to the Charvel Pro Mods but I'm really trying to avoid them because of their truss rod nut arrangement (just a pet peeve of mine).

[Grandturk]

Ah - missed the maple board - yeah that would pretty much rule out most Dinkies. Troll ebay for a Ontario Jackson bolt on - most of them are rosewood/ebony, but maples pop up occassionally.

I'd go ProMod. You'd have to have the neck pocket routed out to put the Floyd on the body - and hey, while you're at it - route out the body and fingerboard a bit so you can stick a screw driver into the truss rod nut.

[MetalHeadMat]

strat or dinky would be fine but i've never seen a non-custom shop dinky with a maple board. While i prefer a recessed ofr, i can live with a non-recessed one, as long as it's flat on the body. As far as the battery compartment goes, that's not a huge deal as long as it could be filled it. I don't like having unnecessary holes in my guitars.

i am attracted to the charvel pro mods but i'm really trying to avoid them because of their truss rod nut arrangement (just a pet peeve of mine).

dk2m?

[Matt_B]

dk2m?

Thank you for suggesting that but I want a US made guitar.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Warmoth? :dunno:

You can put together anything you like. Buy an unfinished body whatever wood you want and have it sprayed Desert Camo.

Honestly, my Warmoths more than rival Charvel/Jackson quality, and they're cheap as dirt relatively speaking. The only issue is resale... And you're not going to be dumb enough to do that twice, are you?

[MetalHeadMat]

Thank you for suggesting that but I want a US made guitar.

Ah, sorry.


Got any pics of the original?

[TreeFitty]

I was also going to suggest Warmoth as a possibility. You can get exactly what you want, short of neck-through, without having to re-do anything.

[Matt_B]

Warmoth? :dunno:

You can put together anything you like. Buy an unfinished body whatever wood you want and have it sprayed Desert Camo.

Thank you for the suggestion but I don't want to go that route because it's not a "real" Charvel or Jackson. Psychologically that matters to me. If I did go with parts I would rather go with Musikraft because they can built the body and neck to SD specs. Also:
- They only offer necks with a 2 3/16" heel.
- Their Jackson style headstock is not exactly the same.
- Their Strat necks are not available with a headstock mounted truss rod nut.

Honestly, my Warmoths more than rival Charvel/Jackson quality, and they're cheap as dirt relatively speaking. The only issue is resale... And you're not going to be dumb enough to do that twice, are you?

I know Warmoth is good quality but it's not right for this guitar and yes, I'm not worried about resale value.

[Matt_B]

Got any pics of the original?

This is the only pic I have and I only have it because someone posted a link to a gallery of pics that were taken at the factory.

[Matt_B]

I was also going to suggest Warmoth as a possibility. You can get exactly what you want

I wish that were the case but see my previous post in this thread about Warmoth.

[RJF]

If you REALLY want your old guitar back, go ahead and build another one. Once the new replacement is all done, rest assured your old guitar will at that point pop up on Ebay.

[Matt_B]

If you REALLY want your old guitar back, go ahead and build another one. Once the new replacement is all done, rest assured your old guitar will at that point pop up on Ebay.

Heh, believe me. I have thought of that but I've also thought that if I ever did find it, it would be well worn.

[MetalMedal II]

Your best bet outside of building a new one from scratch is to get a body refinished. A 2-hum or 1-hum Floyded US j/c body are out there. The catch is getting the maple neck. Again, not completely obscure, but harder to find.

You'll likely have to buy an entire guitar for the neck, then swap bodies. Or, if you're lucky, the body that comes w the neck you like has the right configuration to be painted. If you're patient, they should pop up on the bay or on this forum.