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  • #1

    CX291 upgrades

    So, going through some guitars which had been sitting around I decided that the CX291 finally needed some pickups that were useful. The stock ones were very noisy, that one time I tried them over 10 years ago. I think they are made very cheaply, but they looked ok.

    As I don't expect much from single coils, mainly I don't want any noise when using distortion and from electrical circuits, I ended up going for the Dave Gilmour pre-loaded EMG setup.

    This gave me great pickups, with the two EMG boost units built in, and a nice perloid pick guard upgrade.

    While it was apart I had the finish on the back of the neck removed and oil applied, and a notch cut into it so I could access the truss nut. Amazingly this one was already a 5mm hex nut, which is what I normally use.

    Now she is a most worthy guitar in my collection, and is my most Fender like one. It just has the Dinky body shape and the input jack is still on the side of course.

    Last edited by Genebaby; 06-28-2017, 11:42 PM. Reason: Photobucket!!!!

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  • #2
    That looks amazing. I really want an SSS Strat-style Jackson/Charvel.

    Hang on to that. I am under the impression that the Strathead CX291s were Japanese-market only. Others had the beak headstock.

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    • #3
      I just found the receipt in the case, I've been hanging onto it for 15 years next month. 2002 was a big guitar buying year for me, I got three in a few weeks at one point.

      The nice Stratheads of this series are available in Australia, for some reason we were lucky enough to get them. I only wanted the traditional SSS config but considering they pickups need upgrading you could get the HSS version and do the same thing.

      Not sure about the bridge, it's my only vintage trem bridge, is there a drop in upgrade? Probably not needed, I'll never use it as a trem, though I do have the arm and all the tools and paperwork.

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      • #4
        That looks really cool! Me likey a lot.
        I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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        • #5
          I read it and thought, there was a model with a strathead?? How did I miss that!

          Very cool and pretty jealous. I've looked at them several times but the headstock for the ones sent here is just awful. I wonder if there's a story behind them. Did they make them all strat heads, realize they couldn't send them to the US so they just cut some off? That's really what it seems like to me.
          I'm going to give you the keys to the Lamborghini

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          • #6


            My CX592, before the trem block broke. Love mine. I'm (slowly) restoring/modifying it, with plans to use it regularly at gigs.
            A Charvel CX592, Jackson JS20 and a Jackson DK2, amongst others....

            Comment

            • #7
              Very nicely done! I remember when those first came out and I had absolutely no interest whatsoever in traditional Strat style guitars at the time. It was neck thru and sharkfins or die for me back then LOL.

              EMG singles are very crisp and utterly quiet. I dig 'em.
              '95 Charvel San Dimas USA Model I Koa - BKP
              '91 Charvel 650 Custom - EMG 85/SLV/SLV+SPC
              '92 Jackson Soloist Pro MIJ
              '91 Charvel 475 Exotic Cherry Sunburst - Duncan PATB set
              '90 Charvel 475 XL
              '10 Charvel San Dimas MIJ Style 1 2H - JB/'59
              Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp/Stereo Simul-Class 2:90
              Mesa Boogie MkIII+ Simul-Class & MkIVb with Mark Series stack
              Marshall JVM410H

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by toejam View Post
                That looks really cool! Me likey a lot.
                Thanks Joe! I'm digging this little baby too now. She can finally sing!

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by TKEblue View Post
                  I read it and thought, there was a model with a strathead?? How did I miss that!

                  Very cool and pretty jealous. I've looked at them several times but the headstock for the ones sent here is just awful. I wonder if there's a story behind them. Did they make them all strat heads, realize they couldn't send them to the US so they just cut some off? That's really what it seems like to me.
                  For some reason we got these as sweet Stratheads in Australia, so I had to have this one as it was giving off the Strat vibe, and of course, my first Charvel Strathead!

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by hairy-dude View Post

                    My CX592, before the trem block broke. Love mine. I'm (slowly) restoring/modifying it, with plans to use it regularly at gigs.
                    Whoa, what did you do to break the trem block? What are your plans?

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Black Shadow View Post
                      Very nicely done! I remember when those first came out and I had absolutely no interest whatsoever in traditional Strat style guitars at the time. It was neck thru and sharkfins or die for me back then LOL.

                      EMG singles are very crisp and utterly quiet. I dig 'em.
                      I too was a neck-thru/set neck with sharkfins and binding die hard, until I got my SD1 in Koa, then the simplicity of a wood with a bold on neck took over and I've mostly only bought bolt-ons since then.

                      I trust EMG to be nice and quiet, which is a good thing with singles, yes.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Genebaby View Post
                        Whoa, what did you do to break the trem block? What are your plans?
                        The trem block on the CX592's are notoriously flimsy. I went to play it one day and found the block had shattered, and the trem plate was just hanging on by the strings. The trem was the cheapy thing with the fine tuners.

                        The restoration is almost finished - I've routed the body for a Original Floyd Rose, re-radiused the neck to 16" (was 14"), installed stainless steel frets, re-wired it with a Seymour Duncan Full Shred in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck, and removed the middle pickup and replaced it with a blank cover. Hardware is now black instead of chrome. Sanded the neck to get rid of a couple of little dings in the back, and refinished it with Tru-Oil. Next up is installing the new lock nut and then string it up and make sure all is good. Looking forward to getting this one back up and playing again!
                        A Charvel CX592, Jackson JS20 and a Jackson DK2, amongst others....

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Genebaby View Post
                          I too was a neck-thru/set neck with sharkfins and binding die hard, until I got my SD1 in Koa, then the simplicity of a wood with a bold on neck took over and I've mostly only bought bolt-ons since then.

                          I trust EMG to be nice and quiet, which is a good thing with singles, yes.
                          It's difficult to get good, authentic twang from a neck thru. Bolt-on is king for this. The thought in many minds in the mid/late '80s was that no one needed twang in metal (better to have perfect note consistency), but it's not true!

                          I've got a San Dimas Model I Koa also, and love the twang I get when doing fast descending runs in the lower register. I use it exclusively for any Dream Theater style music or covers that I do.
                          '95 Charvel San Dimas USA Model I Koa - BKP
                          '91 Charvel 650 Custom - EMG 85/SLV/SLV+SPC
                          '92 Jackson Soloist Pro MIJ
                          '91 Charvel 475 Exotic Cherry Sunburst - Duncan PATB set
                          '90 Charvel 475 XL
                          '10 Charvel San Dimas MIJ Style 1 2H - JB/'59
                          Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp/Stereo Simul-Class 2:90
                          Mesa Boogie MkIII+ Simul-Class & MkIVb with Mark Series stack
                          Marshall JVM410H

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                          • #14
                            nice one, Vic. Don't know how I missed this one. It looks great with the pearloid p/g
                            Hail yesterday

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by hairy-dude View Post
                              The trem block on the CX592's are notoriously flimsy. I went to play it one day and found the block had shattered, and the trem plate was just hanging on by the strings. The trem was the cheapy thing with the fine tuners.

                              The restoration is almost finished - I've routed the body for a Original Floyd Rose, re-radiused the neck to 16" (was 14"), installed stainless steel frets, re-wired it with a Seymour Duncan Full Shred in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck, and removed the middle pickup and replaced it with a blank cover. Hardware is now black instead of chrome. Sanded the neck to get rid of a couple of little dings in the back, and refinished it with Tru-Oil. Next up is installing the new lock nut and then string it up and make sure all is good. Looking forward to getting this one back up and playing again!
                              Wow, that's bad on the trem block, but amazing on the rebuild. You should document this with pictures.

                              Comment

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