How Bad Could This Be?

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scalloped-Fingerboard-Yngwie-Malmsteen-yellow-cream-ST-electric-guitar-guitarra/162091369236?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D36860%26meid%3Db4c6c8acd2fe4b27b009e670d399e7ff%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252407348623

 

The scalloping looks professional.

It appears to have Noiseless pickups, which are pretty good if real.

If not, a loaded pickguard is easy to get.

Easy to get replacement locking tuners.

Easy to drop in a SuperVee Bladerunner.

Unless the body is plywood, it's kind of difficult to screw up a guitar body, right?

It seems like one could use this guitar to build a kick-ass hot-rod guitar for an additional $400 or so, and have a top-notch guitar for under $600.

What am I missing? holes not lining up right? Horrible nut? cheap fret material?

[Biz Prof]

11 hours ago, velorush said:

Closed today, WalMart.  All of them.  How would you be affected?

The fact of the matter, from a cold, logical, economic perspective, is that China has a comparative advantage over most of the developed world in low labor costs (now, I'll leave the debate of the ethics of that to others - cold and logical, remember?).  By taking advantage of the comparative advantage through trade, all participants raise their standard of living over what would be possible without trade (see the work of David Ricardo). 

With trade based on comparative advantage:

• less expensive goods allow more people in the higher-wage country to purchase more and different products - see WalMart
• increased demand for labor in the lower-wage country actually increases wage rates (note the rise of the Chinese middle class over the past ten years)
• however, in a vacuum, demand for displaced labor in the higher-wage country falls, reducing aggregate wages
• also, however, higher levels of disposable income in the higher-wage country (remember, lots of stuff becomes cheaper?) stimulates demand in other areas of the economy, increasing wage rates in those labor markets - fast food, anyone?

Is this good? Bad? Depends on who you're talking to. If you're like my dad, 'retired' early (well, 20 years ago) from managing manufacturing concerns, it's really bad. If you're talking to a poor family trying to make ends meet, it's actually really good... until they go looking for a high-paying manufacturing job the likes of which many of us grew up beneficiaries. On the other hand, if you're working the docks on the West Coast, business is booming. It's an economic shift. These have happened in the past and will continue to happen in the future - and always, "good" and "bad" have only to do with where the holder of the opinion lies in the shift.

To (hopefully) end this unrequested manifesto: as certain political candidates (and there are many more than just the one) raise the populist mantra, "stick it to China," I wonder how many of the crowd yelling, "oh hell yeah!" are ready to pay $1,000 for the television that last year cost $250, $225 for the $50 bicycle (note: this is not at all meant to be a political statement, just carrying the philosophy to its logical conclusion).  The law of unintended consequences has not been repealed.

 

Sorry to interrupt.  Nathan, wonderful snag for your scalloped-fret experimentation.  I like the Kahler, too.  Would be very interested to hear how you like fretting on air. I am so clumsy with my fretting hand I am certain it for me spell would spell disaster (pulled sharp) with every note.

Holy guns and butter, Batman, you stole my lecture! 

 

[cmatthes]

13 hours ago, Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:

 

Here's what I got to scratch the scalloped fretboard itch:

https://reverb.com/item/2213309-amazing-scalloped-neck-guitar-made-by-a-professional-luthier-rare-1990-s-top-notch-electronic

Thanks for all the advice and input.

 

Pretty sure that's a mid '80s Aria Pro II neck that's been stripped, scalloped and bolted onto a Frankenstrat.  That's the (mildly) good news!

The not so good news is that that was clearly NOT "Made by a professional luthier".  Maybe some repair dood had his way with it, but that's a very distinctive headstock, even if amateurly sanded partially denuded - especially with the bullet truss rod adjust AND the Kahler clamp holes.  My suspicion is that the neck may have also had a fret or two lopped off (I'm far too lazy to count right now), and the formerly squared off fretboard end rounded off to fit an off the shelf Strat replacement guard, but the soft focus on those pics makes that inconclusive.  The holes left from the changed tuners and string tree screws are further evidence of this.

[cmatthes]

Oh...I wouldn't set foot in a WalMart EVER.

[gorch]

Damn, don't talk and check it out!

[tomteriffic]

On 6/6/2016 at 4:46 PM, velorush said:

"She turned me into a newt!"

"I got better... "

"Very small rocks"

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

15 hours ago, cmatthes said:

Pretty sure that's a mid '80s Aria Pro II neck that's been stripped, scalloped and bolted onto a Frankenstrat.  That's the (mildly) good news!

The not so good news is that that was clearly NOT "Made by a professional luthier".  Maybe some repair dood had his way with it, but that's a very distinctive headstock, even if amateurly sanded partially denuded - especially with the bullet truss rod adjust AND the Kahler clamp holes.  My suspicion is that the neck may have also had a fret or two lopped off (I'm far too lazy to count right now), and the formerly squared off fretboard end rounded off to fit an off the shelf Strat replacement guard, but the soft focus on those pics makes that inconclusive.  The holes left from the changed tuners and string tree screws are further evidence of this.

I knew it wasn't a professional luthier. I'm not worried about that.

I didn't recognize the headstock. Funny about two frets being lopped off...didn't notice that, but I think you're right.

This is not intended to be anything close my #1 guitar. I just want something to play around with for cheap that I can decide if I want to get a quality scalloped fretboard guitar or not. I went with this one because I figure I can part it out for close to what I paid for it if it just really reeks as a guitar. And sometimes you get lucky and ugly abominations like this actually sound and play good. That's not the way to bet, but sometimes.

[JohnnyB]

On June 5, 2016 at 7:55 PM, jaberwock said:

 My friend bought back a Tele copy back from China ( complete with Fender decals ), it was a higher spec model, and cost 200 US, came with Wilkinson PU's, and reasonable quality hardware, the body was on the heavy side, but the neck was straight, and the guitar was put together quite well; normally I won't work on these guitars, but it was for his son's birthday, and he had his heart set on a red Tele, so I changed the bridge ( Wlikinson ), nut, fret job, cleaned up the neck joint, and shielded the electronics; it played well, and sounded decent.

Overall for what it cost him I would say a Yamaha Pacifica, was a better buy.

You can get a new in-the-box with warranty red Yamaha Pacifica for $199.99 from Musicians Friend or probably anywhere else that carries them. And currently if one weren't too picky, he could pick a restock in Lake Placid Blue for $159. Given those prices and Yamaha's quality control, there's no reason to get a Chinese knockoff at all.

I just noticed you can get one from GearTree.com for $149.99 w/free shipping and they're not afraid to show the headstock:

 

[aknapp]

On 6/7/2016 at 3:24 PM, Dasein said:

Sure I know about "planned obsolescence" but can't we demand quality design and manufacturing?

For every one person who demands quality design and manufacturing, there are a thousand other people who demand the lowest price possible to "keep up with the Jones'".  The people running the manufacturing companies then say, "Hmmm, where's the profit?"

Plus, there is more profit potential in products with planned obsolescence (consumer will buy another in 5 years when the current one takes a dump) so why spend money on a quality product.

I could go on and on, but my I need to take a Valium to calm down now!  

Just my $.02 - YMMV

[Dasein]

7 hours ago, aknapp said:

For every one person who demands quality design and manufacturing, there are a thousand other people who demand the lowest price possible to "keep up with the Jones'".  The people running the manufacturing companies then say, "Hmmm, where's the profit?"

Plus, there is more profit potential in products with planned obsolescence (consumer will buy another in 5 years when the current one takes a dump) so why spend money on a quality product.

I could go on and on, but my I need to take a Valium to calm down now!  

Just my $.02 - YMMV

I just want a good toaster and a good iron.... and giving it wifi and a charging port doesn't make it good - it makes it a shitty toaster with wifi and a charging port.

[Toadroller]

Planned obsolescence and technological obsolescence.  In the realm of technology, five years is an epoch. 

• I saw my first iPad summer of 2010, and the business was trying to figure out what to do with it.
• Blackberry, anyone?
• I got a nice 27" curved LED monitor for my home workstation this Christmas.  $300.  By this time next year, I expect to get a 50" 4k monitor in the $500 price range; 4x the size, 4x the resolution.  Price hasn't doubled.

When I was a kid, I had to eat my vegetables because according to my mother, an expert in international affairs, children there were going hungry.  Now, per Velo's point, their standard of living is increasing.  And they're buying Buicks of all things.  Probably because the brand connotes quality.  Ironic, eh?

[crunchee]

One person's 'obsolete technology' is another person's 'vintage collectible'.  

[velorush]

This just in: Alibaba’s Jack Ma says fakes are better than originals - FT.com. Try this one.

Discuss

 

Sorry about that.  I've updated the link.  That earlier one was dragged off of Drudge this AM using my Droid.  This new link is to a page where Bloomberg picked up the article.  It should work.

[cynic]

Your link doesn't work for me.

When I go to ft.com and try to open the article, the site says I need to subscribe to read it.

[sixesandsevens]

On 6/7/2016 at 10:46 PM, cmatthes said:

Oh...I wouldn't set foot in a WalMart EVER.

I pray that your life stays blessed enough that you never have to, but I think for a lot of folks it's a much tougher choice.

[cynic]

2 hours ago, sixesandsevens said:

I pray that your life stays blessed enough that you never have to, but I think for a lot of folks it's a much tougher choice.

When I lived in San Diego I had 8 full-size grocery stores within 5 miles.  Living now in Southern MS, Wal-Mart and one other are the closest by about 5 miles (and they're 20 & 23 miles away) for buying the food stuffs, and Wal-Mart has a better selection than the dedicated grocery store.