Originally Posted By: jdew
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker


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Oh yeah... I've got a pretty red Strat copy that hangs on the wall. It's horrible to play (action is high, intonation is horrible, and cheap pickups) and it was given to me by a customer.... It looks good, and that's about all I can say about it.



Adjusting the action, setting the intonation and even replacing pickups on a Strat are actually fairly easy, at least straightforward and not very complex. I learned to do those sort of things (not because I like to but because I couldn't afford to pay someone else to do it). Basically, if I can do it anyone can.

Who knows, that Strat copy might be more than just good looking....



As a guitarist, yes, I'm aware of all that. In fact, I did work on this guitar including removing the old strings, adjusting the action and putting a new set of strings on it. None of that brought the action into a reasonably playable state. I realize that a high action by itself can be the source of intonation issues. I did not however, remove the bolted on neck and shim it so the angle of neck to body and string alignment was changed. Perhaps, one day when I have the time to mess with it, I will remove the strings and unbolt the neck and shim it to see if that will affect the play-ability of the guitar. It's worth giving it a try to see if it will make a difference.

I looked these guitars up on the internet and most comments are that they are very cheaply made in Indonesia and are not worth the cost to put a single good pickup on it. Folks are saying $20 to $50 on average. I was aware of that and as such, I don't plan on spending any money on it. Putting a shim in the neck doesn't cost a dime so I might try that.

For now, it's a great looking wall hanger that gets dusted every so often.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.