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@tenlittleindians

2 ай бұрын

I had a light bulb moment watching you do this fret job. How about buying one of those wooden radiused fret blocks from China and sawing off a sliver about the size of your new tool from Germany and put a groove in it like your German tool. The genius part comes next! Take your newly made sanding wedge and attach it to either a palm sander bottom or to oscillator tool. That should really speed up the fret job and also cut down on hand fatigue.

@Jeremya74

7 күн бұрын

How difficult are the frets to take out if they are glued in?...asking because you said you didnt like to glue in frets...thanks

Its not garbage, its just a casualty of modern efficiency and productivity. I once knew a lady who started working there in the early 60s, when Leo was still in charge, and Forrest White was the plant manager. She said that quality was the priority in those days, and everybody loved both of those guys. She said that when CBS came in, they had these guys they called "efficiency experts" out on the floor who walked up and down the line with clipboards and stopwatches, monitoring how many seconds it took for each operation. Anybody who couldn't complete a task in the alotted time was out the door. They didnt allow anybody to make sure things were right or correct small problems. This lady also said that morale was very low in those years, and it was also the time when people were sneaking off to get stoned and drink during lunch and breaks. It was your typical corporate top down style of management and quality suffered tremendously. She said most of the stuff that came out of there in those days that didnt have quality problems was put together by the really experienced old timers who knew what they were doing and didn't drink or smoke weed during working hours. That was the cause of the inconsistent quality. That, and a general attitude of "don't give a shit". ........and everybody wonders why the Japanese kicked our butts so hard in the 80s.

@thebubster0312

2 ай бұрын

Sounds like Boeing today.

@mikeh892

2 ай бұрын

​@@thebubster0312 Aye. And every other group which has become too big for its own good.

@MrSongwriter2

2 ай бұрын

​@@mikeh892Peavy were terrible in that undercover boss episode a real eye opener

@mikeh892

2 ай бұрын

@@MrSongwriter2 Hubris is a hell of a drug.

@averysbragbook

2 ай бұрын

Who knew that smoking weed during lunch break didn't make you a better guitar builder. I thought I'd heard that it's the wonder drug for everything. (Locate the sarcasm yourself) 😢

I gave a stratocaster just like that one to my daughters boyfriend several years ago. Of course they are no longer together but he went on to be a really good guitar player. He plays at his church. I’ve given alot of guitars to alot of people and alot of them went on to be good players. This kid went on to be one of the best players i know. I love to see that ya know. The more people that play the better in my opinion.

@joeydurant6267

2 ай бұрын

I need a guitar and won't even try to date your daughter man.

@OnlineLawyerUK

2 ай бұрын

Love this comment. I was expecting a "should have got that back" comment but loved been wrong!

@thejakefromstatefarm6768

2 ай бұрын

@@OnlineLawyerUK thank you. I never regretted giving it to him. I knew they wouldn’t stay together from the get go. They were kids. But if i can do anything to help someone play guitar im willing to do it. When i was young i wish someone would have helped me. I cut grass and saved money to buy my first good guitar. It was a strat. Im a les paul guy for the most part but strats are just great player guitars so i swear by them.

@identifiesas65.wheresmyche95

2 ай бұрын

I read a comment on another video about a guy that got a guitar from "a girlfriends father". I remember it because i contemplated a reply asking how he knew the guys daughter was a girlfriend. 😂

@identifiesas65.wheresmyche95

2 ай бұрын

Also it was a fender strat

I like the look of the 70s Strats, especially with the natural wood bodies and black plastics.

@strat0871

2 ай бұрын

Love these too.

@ColeWheeler4Lyfe

2 ай бұрын

It’s just classy and cool. +Rosewood takes it over the top for me.

@scotthutchens1556

2 ай бұрын

@PadraigFloyd I’m the opposite. When those black pickguards came out, I didn’t like them at all combined with many of Fender’s finishes although I think the natural finish with the black guard is very attractive and would opt for it over the white. The only other black guard and finish combination I liked was the 3 color sunburst. I bought an Olympic white with white pickguard in 1973.

2 ай бұрын

@@scotthutchens1556 Yes, it's the black with natural bodis I particularly like.

@scotthutchens1556

2 ай бұрын

@ Yep! Having said that, I built pickguards out of boredom. 😆 Built a bright red one with bright chrome colored plastic hardware plus a blue one with black plastic hardware-put them on black bodies. 😀😉

No your not wasting your time Brad! Keep at it! Best channel on KZread!

If I did a fret job on my guitar and it turned out like that, I would be giddy with joy! Freakin beautiful !!

Bicentennial guitars hold a special place in my heart. Can't believe they're almost 50 years old!

@johndaugherty4127

Ай бұрын

Had a Bicentennial Firebird that I traded for, get this, an Antigua strat. Ouch. That Firebird was the best sounding guitar I ever heard. Just neck heavy. 7:36

🎸 Epic Work, Brad! 🎸 Caught your latest guitar restoration and we're absolutely floored! It was incredible seeing our FRTLZR Fretshaper, Polishing Kit, and Fretbanger in action. Your skill and our tools are a great match! Big thanks again. Your knack for bringing guitars back to life is inspiring. Can't wait to see what you tackle next!

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for your sponsorship and amazing tools! I will get decades of use out of these for sure!

@rustyrig2764

2 ай бұрын

Just purchased Fret polishing bundle, based off of this video...If Brad says it's good, I'm in! Can't wait to try it out!

Thought Fender was still Sliding Frets in until the 80’s ? Last 70s I worked on, had to Tap them out Sideways after heating. Re fined the fretboard as well.

@pmsphoto

26 күн бұрын

Yeah, the 'tear out' removing the frets was precisely for this reason. The tangs on the original frets sit below 'solid' wood and not where the tang was banged in from the top. You need to notch the fret and tap it out sideways with a centre punch or similar. There should be virtually no tear out and no need for copious amounts of superglue and clean up after. Fender used a machine which pushed in all the frets from the side in the name of efficiency. I have a battered 1974 Strat which was refretted. 😀

@pmsphoto

26 күн бұрын

Thick poly finish doesn't help either...!

Great stuff Brad! Long form indulgent content forever please!

At 45:00, it's not a bad idea to sand the higher frets a bit more and create some fall away above the 15th fret. Less chance of string buzz with low action.

@PontiacS.

Күн бұрын

I did that with a Cheap Chinese SG copy. Worked a Charm.

Three bolt neck joints work fine if the neck pocket is tight. The problem with 70’s Strats is there usually is quite a gap between the neck and body.

@stiffrichard2816

2 ай бұрын

Everybody was high in the 70's including the Fender luthiers. I also heard they drank like fish. That would explain all the sloppy neck pockets.

@JoeGagan

2 ай бұрын

​@@stiffrichard2816a bandmate of my brother knew a guy who worked at the Fullerton factory around this time. the word he heard was that most the workers were on meth.

@daw162

2 ай бұрын

The gap is fine. If the contact at the bottom is poor and the screw holes are slack, then there's a problem

@stiffrichard2816

2 ай бұрын

@@daw162 Here's my trick. I mix a cup of saw dust and wood glue, shove it up into the 4 holes (or 2 on a 3-bolt) and run the screws (lightly coated with WD40) up through the heel and clean off the excess paste that they push out with a wet rag or PT, let the glue dry a bit and do that a few times until there's no excess coming up. Then when it's mostly dry but still soft I put the neck on and string it up quickly, tweak it, always with more space between the high E and fret edge than the low E, and leave it overnight. The screws are stable, that neck joint will not shift. You don't even need shims on the sides but good to have anyway.

definately worth it! loved your step by step of fixes...but the best part was hearing you play her!

Several decades ago, my 3M rep suggested soaking wet/dry sandpaper at least 15 minutes, up to overnight in a small bucket of water with several drops of dish soap. It keeps the paper from clogging and sharp edges from digging in. Granted, this was for much bigger jobs, but hey, whatever works!

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Interesting.

@zvotaisvfi8678

2 ай бұрын

spray your sandpaper with a couple coats of clear spraypaint it will last insanely longer

@STAY-GOLD-VINYL

2 ай бұрын

@@zvotaisvfi8678both sides of the sand paper?? Sounds odd

@elliottorion4235

2 ай бұрын

Same concept with a water stone for sharpening. Makes sense.

I had a 76 strat and I loved it , people say that 70s strats are trash , but that wasnt my experience with it

The 3-bolt and neck-tilt feature in '72 was mainly so you could easily pitch the neck for a floating trem or flush/flat. The big third bolt added a lot of sustain but also made the joint less stable if the pocket wasn't cut perfectly, and a lot of them were not.

@PaulaXism

2 ай бұрын

My 73 lake placid blue was a dog.. fat neck and wouldn't stay in tune... Swapped it for a beaten up Rickenbacker 340

Full admiration for the practical no nonsense method and work ethic involved in this episode brad, loved every second! my 79 strat has a pathetic rosewood veneer on maple neck, you can imagine ! i would just get a spare neck rather than attempt ANY improvement ,and just keep it for originality, great work brad 😊👍👍👍

I love the looks of the jumbo headstocks . Great job B-RAD . I passed up a late 70's hardtail about 10 years ago and regret still . I was a tri- burst with a rosewood neck .

To raise the diverts on the fretboard use a damp rag and then run over it with a hot iron end, it will raise the divert.

I bought one of those same German Schallar five ways switches years ago for an HSH guitar and I ran into the same problem you did, here it is 15 years later and I still have the switch in my parts box lol

Thank you, Brad. This is exactly the kind of video I've been needing. I've got a few Strats and one is a pawn shop Squire SE that I call my test mule. I learn to tweak and mode on it so I don't risk screwing up my others, and I've been wanting try a refret. This will help a bunch!

The Spirit of 76' lives on! Nice job Brad!

So good you can literally feel these frets through the video!

I LOVE these restoration videos! Thanks Brad!

Really enjoyed the detailed restore and explanations - especially the safety warnings for working on things that require a balance of force and patience!

Inspired naming for that fretlevel - Fretbanger! This video makes me understand why a fret replacement job is expensive. This is very labour intensive.

Hey I dig your videos... The comment at not quite 16 minutes in about using chisels safely brought back memories... I am a physical therapist and "slipped" with a chisel 6 years ago doing light carpentry, giving myself a low budget carpal tunnel release - woulda been free except I had to get stitches and do my own therapy. I missed my median nerve by less than a mm, and thankfully did only very minor damage to my ulnar nerve, so rather than risking bleeding out, I nearly ended my career as a PT because I specialize in manual therapy. I did, however, take up guitar to help restrengthen my hand, so now not only is my career on the line, but also my main hobby of playing guitar... Suffice it to say I don't look at sharp tools the same way now, and I think your advice is well stated. Take care and keep up the cool equipment nerd videos!

I've been looking for a fender from the year I was born....I have not been able to find a 1976.....thanks for uploading this and bringing a 48 year old guitar back to life.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

I’ll sell you this one if you want

@jritechnology

2 ай бұрын

@@TheGuitologist Brad, I'd love to buy it....but as I sit here looking at all the projects, including ANOTHER partscaster (this will be #3) with a Floyd Rose...I'm just not sure it's in the budget now. If I could get rid of some of this crap (I have pedals galore up on reverb) I might have the money you're going to ask for that.

Nice to see you work on a guitar Brad. You don’t use elaborate tools making the process easier for most to tackle the project with some confidence. Thank you!

Hey buddy. You have a great chance to completely flatten and re-radius that neck, but that means a new finish. I did a Warmoth strat neck with gloss lacquer all over and it came out so nice. It's a lot of work, but it's beautiful.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

I did briefly consider that, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to stop the sanding at the back of the headstock, for one thing, and didn't want one more thing to explain when it came time to sell this one. Don't know yet if I'll keep it.

That's hallarious. I just made a comment asking if you had used those brass saddles yet, as I've had tremendous results with them, no sooner did I continue the video and they were laying there in a bag. Right on! Nice work!

my birthday, the year I graduated from High school... Love that ! I got a seventy-six new that year. Wish I had kept it!

@foofghtr

2 ай бұрын

Back when FENDER made one Stratocaster and one Telecaster. You got what they put out and that was by year and the end game. Every year at Christmas I made just enough money to not be able to afford a new Stratocaster, so Tele is was for me lol…

@scotthutchens1556

2 ай бұрын

@@foofghtrI had a 1973 Olympic white I bought new. Missed buying one in the late 60’s because when the guy brought it to my house my Dad noticed the neck was really warped. Have to thank my Dad for that. Went to see one in my area in about ‘71 of a friend of our band that was so beat up, especially the fingerboard/neck, finish, I didn’t want it. Then missed one that was like new that a kid was selling for a Gretsch?! Lol 😆 Because my Dad and the kids Dad would not budge on price which my Dad wanted at $25-$50 lower. Was a 1972 3 color sunburst. Was so disappointed. When I got my new one in 1973 I saved for a good two months or more making MW at about $1.60 an hour. 😆Boy did I ever appreciate it when I finally got the Strat. Like many people I was into Hendrix, Blackmore, and other Strat players from the 60’s/70’s that year except the Strat of was giving way to the Les Paul that everyone had to have at that time.

whenever I have a few high frets like that I take em down with a crown file that way I only have to hit the frets with a plane sander bare minimal

I enjoyed that deep dive on switches, interesting to see how things change for the better (or worse) over the years

The 3 bolt neck was actually championed by Leo himself. Post cbs he was still a consultant. Hence the reason the first run of G&L used it as well. I’ve got a ‘72 reissue with the three bolt, I see no issues with it.

@Patrick-857

2 ай бұрын

I don't think the three bolt was the problem, it was QC issues due to the new corporate owners pushing productivity over quality.

Love 70's fender's! A lot of tele's have 3 bolt necks too, but alot of both are Really Heavy,that don't bother me none! Thanks

if you have never seen it check out fenders old fretting machine, it pushes the frets in from the side which is why they chip out so bad. thats just normal on old fenders of that era.

I like to put marker on the frets before I crown them. That way you know when there is a thin stripe left your good

I can't wait to watch this one when I get home from work. My dad gave me his 1976 strat in 1995 when I was 11, and I played that thing all day for years. I haven't played it (or anything) much since 2006 because it's got intonation problems on account of the ultra-worn frets. I would love to refret it, but it has a maple fretboard with the poly finish.

@andyhayes7828

2 ай бұрын

It can be easily refretted. I love that maple with poly finish as it is durable and feels good. They can be refretted without losing any of the finish and no worry of spray over as well. You just have to be more articulate/ specific as you remove the frets.

@wjewell63

2 ай бұрын

Give it a shot man.. I'm pretty new at fret work but I've done some nice work so far.....👍

My father is the original owner of the same 1976 natural finish strat with a black pick guard. The only difference is that his has a rosewood fingerboard. This was the guitar that I learned on, and grew up playing. He still ownes this guitar, and it needs work as well, so this video should be useful, as it gives me a nice glimpse of what I'm in for when it comes to repairs. Your content is appreciated sir. Thanks, and keep up the good work.

I know the CBS guitars have such a bad reputation and many ways deservedly so, but I kind of have a sweet spot for them and their oversized headstocks. Too bad you cant get them for cheap anymore.

@jpalberthoward9

2 ай бұрын

I had a '73 in 1980. It was off white with maple board and white plastic. The basic Yngwie color scheme, but without the scallops. Being a dumb kid, I didn't appreciate it and eventually used it as a bargaining chip for trading up to a Les Paul. I wish I had paid more attention to just how good that thing was. I would have kept it.

@chrish931

2 ай бұрын

@@jpalberthoward9 Yeah I had 76 jaguar that i loved but traded, wish like hell I still had it when i see the prices they go for now.

@PorchBass

2 ай бұрын

It is a bit of a gamble though! Roll the dice

Water and a soldering iron might have made pulling frets a bit easier... Love the hoodie! 👍👏

I used t think they went to 3 neck screws to save a nickel too. I recently heard on another channel that the tilt adjust supposedly worked better with 3 screws. Thats why they changed it

Good to see the sponsors come in.

@jasondorsey7110

2 ай бұрын

He put temu parts on a fullerton-built fender lol

@PorchBass

2 ай бұрын

@@jasondorsey7110 when you put it like that it is lol!

Wow, that workbench threw up on itself! 🤢🤮🤣 (I’ve totally been there, only my “workbench” is the dining table where I “eat,” lol!) Thanks to the sponsors! Keep supporting these great channels.

@jefferywarburton2116

2 ай бұрын

Sometimes the washer dryer the ticket.

Fantastic video Brad, thanks a million.

mr guitologist, when it comes to amp work and other electronics you are a master and a great musician and would be interested in any future originals you may hopefully write and record. i've learned a lot of things from this channel over the years and look forward to each video that gets posted and will continue to watch and enjoy your videos for hopefully years to come. but when ever i see you do guitar work it scares me to death😵

The Centralab switches were the best.

The chipout around the fret ends is most certainly due to fret sprout when at some point the neck shrunk due to humidity changes, I have a maple neck P-base with the exact same spots with missing finish.

That was an enjoyable hour and a half, that guitar sounds lovely, and that was some nice playing, well done mate.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for listening. Glad you enjoyed it!

That is such a beauty. It’s exactly like the guitar my dad bought me when I graduated high school. I later had to sell it with a baby on the way. Ever since I wanted another one. I’ll find one someday. It played like a dream. You wouldn’t believe how I could play stretch licks - even with that big U shaped neck. Then you could grab it and twist the shit out of those strings like Jeff Beck - all with stock pups. Brothers it was a dream.

70s natural ash body strat?? You now have the guitar of my dreams! Freaking awesome, man!

I dig that fret rocker. Gonna grab me one of those. As always, good stuff, Brad. Thanks for these. I’ve Learned a lot from watching you.

Realizing the bench literally said thank you once you cleaned it off was priceless lol. I would hang on to that one... for its originality if nothing else. I myself havent seen very many hardtail Strats.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

You inspired me to make a short of that section.

@gearhead762

2 ай бұрын

@@TheGuitologist glad to be of service, thats pretty dang cool!

More than twenty years ago I bought a muli-pack of bone guitar nuts at MAE. It came with flat and and some with pre-radius style nuts . At checkout the kid running the drawer said have fun playing with your nuts. Thank you Brad for the tips and sound advice as well.

Wasting your time? Bro. Let me show you two big wastes of time. Some years ago I flew r/c airplanes a lot. I had just picked up a new P-51 mustang, and was out hotdogging around the skies. I was really impressed with it’s top speed, dang this thing could move! So I flew it up to about 800ft, and then pointed the nose straight down and cracked the throttle wide open... “Wwhhaaaaahhhhoooohhhhhmmmm”. Wow what a noise! Like a Tie-fighter from Star Wars... just like it! So I had to do that again. And again. And again. You probably wouldn’t be surprised to know that something eventually broke loose on one of the high speed dives, and it went down like a bomb. Fortunately I realized that the elevator was the part that broke, and I was able to pitch the plane on it’s side and used the rudder to slow down the impact. A little anyways. It really hit the ground like a bomb. Sounded like a small explosion, dug a hole in the ground, and exploded the plane into hundreds of fragments of balsa and mechanical parts. Everything was broken. Literally. But I payed about $280 for it, and in those days that was A LOT of money for me. I was a little upset. So I got out a garbage bag and picked up every single piece or scrap I could find, and brought it home. I laid out the pieces like a forensic investigator, and traced the failure to the link-rod attachment at the elevator. I should have expected that the pressures on this part at full speed in a dive would just pull it out of the balsa. Oops. Well, the next thing to do was rebuild it. So I put it back together like a jigsaw puzzle, and used about 50ml of cyanoacrilate to do it. I replaced anything that was too damaged to just be glued back together, and added a little extra bracing for the larger engine that I picked for it. Went from a Thunder Tiger 80 (really great engine!) to an OS 140 4 stroke. Massive power. Could take off straight up with no runway and go vertical until you couldn’t see it anymore after that. Woooyah! Alright! So that was a big waste of time for both of us. It’s like two birds and one stone or something... which is actually more efficient, therefore not a waste of time at all! Wow. That was weird. Ok so no, it’s not a waste of time because hobby is life. “Never let a silly thing like work get in the way of your hobbies” - Arthur “Lobby” Lobsinger. He was right.

@NORMIES_GET_OUT

2 ай бұрын

I crashed an R/C plane into a transformer and took out three city blocks of electricity because I couldn't find the metal rod that went between the two wing halves and used a wooden dowel instead. I learned that day that while I was quite proficient at flying R/C planes, I wasn't very good at building them. Fortunately at the time I worked for the electric company so I ran inside and put on my uniform and got in my work truck and went to collect the wreckage. People started coming out of their homes to see what had happened (yes I was a moron and was flying where I shouldn't), and an older guy came up to me and complemented me on being so quick to respond. I just told him I was around the corner and just happened to watch some idiot crash his R/C airplane into the transformer and that we'd have it fixed right away.

I have some tricks for stabilizing bolt-on neck joints, and pitching/rotating the tenon in the pocket to get killer action with a 7 1/4" radius with no choking. It's easier to do with 4-bolters than 3. When done right I could swing a bolt-on guitar around by the neck and it'll stay in tune.

@fkitch

2 ай бұрын

Please elaborate! I have a 100% original 74 in need of some ‘stabilisation’

Ah, '76... The year I graduated, Nice job. Thank you. (Nice playing!)

What a cool strat, and you turned it from a closet queen, to a guitar that's probably better in every way than how it left the factory 😊... I'm ordering one of those fret tools too, man those look great! Nice job brother!

I remember when I was a kid I found one of my dads chisels and started playing with it. I learned that day just how sharp they are. It takes nothing to cut yourself.

@Patrick-857

2 ай бұрын

My chisels aren't sharp at all.

I had two Strats and two Tele’s of mine re-radiused and re-fretted with big frets like that-Dunlop 6100’s. I like them a lot.

I had a 1972 Bullet Stratocaster with the same ash body, cracking finish, that I bought at pawn shop in Columbus, Ohio in the early 80's for 350 bucks or so. I also swapped out the three way switch for a five way, (and kept the three-way; still have it) and sold it when I lived in Philly in the early 90's for $500. I have told everybody who cares to listen that modern Stratocasters and many other brands are much better built than any of the old bullet crap. The only old Strat I own now is the Am Std 1995 LTD Edition w/Matching headstock, all original including the pups in Candy Apple Red with Rosewood Fingerboard and needs a fret replacement but otherwise sounds and plays fantastic!

The way I did Brad I just use the edge of the edge of the counter with the Sandpaper and just matched the bottom of the old curved nut and just made it into the new one till they matched and it works perfect.

Beautiful work Brad ! Sweet Strat 🎸

Long video, gives lots of time to read the comments. Thanks 👍🏻

Awesome looking and sounding.You did a great job.

I have a '73 with those same fret problems. I Razor bladed the finish off of my fingerboard. I almost said, "When you get the frets done, order some Raw Vintage springs ... you will really like 'em." Hah! Then I remember it's a hard tail! My first 9.5 " radius was experienced on one of the very early Claptons ... WHAT an improvement for me! Much agreed on that fret out thing with 7.25. Fender CANNOT get that right these days.

Guitar turned out great, lovely playing

I bought a 78 Strat way back in the 80s, and it was an absolute pig. I got the neck shaved and re-radiused, put EMGs in it, put a Floyd on it, replaced the tuners, and I even changed the 3 bolt neck plate to a 4 bolt. It weighs 11 lbs, and it was my main guitar for years before I got tired of the weight

@eddiejr540

2 ай бұрын

You…are a true man👍

@auntjenifer7774

2 ай бұрын

That's crazy ! I have a 70's strat too, weighs at least 11 pounds ! It was a moose 🫎 but after breaking the original neck and replaced it with a squier jazz master neck it's the best sounding strat I've ever had. Some one before me routed out all the wood under the pick guard to make it lighter and it's still super heavy but sounds so Good and plays ok so it's my favorite vintage strat 😂

@rubievale

2 ай бұрын

@auntjenifer7774 that's mad about the different neck making such a difference. I bought a Squier Strat for about €350 about 5 years ago, and it absolutely slays the Fender. It's a far better guitar. My main guitar nowadays is a PRS 513, but I reckon if I put new pickups into the Squier, it'd hold its own against the PRS, and at 1/10th the price. I traded a 1980 Les Paul Custom against the PRS, and that weighed more than the Fender, something like 12 1/2 lbs.

@Patrick-857

2 ай бұрын

@rubievale Some Squires are better than Mexican strats now. Indonesian made ones, like the Classic Vibe line and some of the weird stuff that's Squire only. I have a Chinese 50th Anniversary Squire from 1996 that's missing a lot of finish so it's got the vibe of a roadworn battleaxe. It's been played a ton. Had it for nearly 20 years. Back in 2014 I ripped out all the original hardware and electronics and put new stuff in it, including Luce Sensors and a bunch of other stuff. Gave it a refret. It's a nice guitar.

Brad, please continue to do what you want to do. I've spent most of my adult life doing that everyone else wanted me to do. Follow your heart.

I have one of those.. it is a beast the baseball bat style neck.. I still love the sound.. it's a natural finish to

@fasteddie8782

2 ай бұрын

I think mine is a 1979?...

@fasteddie8782

2 ай бұрын

I'll tell you one thing though I had a b**** of a time getting the intonation right I had to take the adjustable saddle screw out and take the spring out and cut it and I'm just able to f****** make it intonate right...

'70s Fenders have actually gone up quite a bit on the used market. With that being said, I've never played one that I've fallen in love with.

I've always preferred the natural finish on a guitar. Cousin Frank has a 1962 Partscaster that after striping the body of multiple different layers of paint. The three piece body looked like one piece of ash. He left it natural and sprayed clear coat and it looks just amazing.

I have an Epi SG special 2020 that I’ve worn thru the frets of already. Great guitar for the price but soft frets. I’m building up the courage to refret it. Got everything I need except confidence.

I have the same Ibeneze blonde Strat with heavy gouged frets. I might try to do what you did, and feep it for another 45 years .

I enjoyed the video and learned a few things Thank You

Your videos are entertaining and educational for repairs and ur guitar playing are both excellent. Keep it up if u run out of amps to repair Ive got a couple.

Nice. Frets looks good and it sounds great. My grandma wants her pajama pants back though.

Great work 😎 had a luthier refret a 70s Tele deluxe for me (3 bolt) replacing similar worn out frets. Really brought the guitar back to life, although it needed quite a bit more re-fin lacquer on the board than yours - super glue did the trick for you there! Cheers😎

I have the same exact problem’s with my 79 - natural… worn frets, a dirty Jack and pots. I haven’t played it over the years to prolong what’s left of its playable life. Really frightened with the thought of needing a fret job… lol. I love your amp work and your closeted guitar collection is similar to mine. I love it when I go through and find a guitar that I’v forgotten about… 😂 Also like your thrift store finds and I listen to what you have to say about guitars and amps. I just stay out of the politics and in the past have thought you were a little hard on people over certain products but can’t think of any particular beef you had with anyone. I really do Appreciate the free knowledge service you’re providing and do try to absorb all that I can. I unfortunately am not in a position to offer your channel with any monetary support but I know it would be worth every Penny without a doubt. Thank’s again… God bless and take care!!! 👍 Sincerely, Shawn Owen. Fremont, California USA

I almost bought a 74 that was identical to that, but heavier. Had the hardtail bridge, 3 bolt neck, and bullet truss rod too. I've always had a soft spot for those large headstocks, and like the way the pickups sound. Just a bit different from the vintage 50s to early 60s stuff or the modern stuff.

Sounds amazing !

i feel i've seen makeshift press made with standard vice. i'm fender shopping with a grand these days and honestly i feel like I can't remember the last time I was so happy.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, I need to make one.

Hey Brad, excellent work I have a 73 with a white guard hard tail all original in dire need of for Fret job also 79 anniversary could use it too. Maybe I’ll send them to you that fantastic job you just did.

I have a '76 musicmaster bass and it is as good as I could have hoped...can't believe what people are trying to sell them for now though

I think I read somewhere in a fender history book or online post about the 3 bolt neck that the idea behind it was it cut down on setup time since they could just adjust neck angle with a allen key instead of having to use shims

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

I think it helped to tweak side to side angle too.

Imagine mounting that fret tool onto a sawzall. Hahahahaha

Great video Brad. That guitar sounds fantastic!

I have one that’s a 1974. Owned by Mark Farner.

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Now THAT is cool!

@johnnytruck2009

2 ай бұрын

@@TheGuitologist The pickups aren’t original but everything else is. It’s the only vintage guitar I own and was at the right place at the right time to acquire it.

Made me feel much better about my desk area

Superb job there Mr Brad!!!!!

My 77 hard tail strat looks just like this and I love it, I traded a nice 65 melody maker for it

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

You got the better deal.

Very nice strat Brad, congrats.

I have a 1979 natural Ash finish 3 bolt neck that looks like yours. It's held up well. The neck is kinda fat but the action is very low and fast playing.

Really nice result Brad. 🇦🇺

Love your videos! Thanks so much!

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Glad you like them!

Adam at Mill City Lutherie heats the frets with a soldering iron before pulling them and it seems to work pretty well. He has some great vids.

@_Mr_C

2 ай бұрын

I’ve done many professionally over the last 50 years (yikes I’m old) and scoring the lacquer with a luthier knife and using a heat regulated soldering iron and 60/40 lead solder does the trick, every time.

The Indiana Guitar show is coming up this weekend Brad! You stopped by last year and did a nice video. I was the guy with all the new guitar necks for sale along with the bodies , parts and new guitar building kits. Stop buy if you get a chance. Open to the public this Saturday the 13th and Sunday the14th. Friday is set up day for dealers only. I will have 3 tables of items and guitars for sale. Cochran Guitars. I enjoy all your videos too.

Excellent camera work👍

@TheGuitologist

2 ай бұрын

Thank you very much!

Sounds like you enjoyed the guitar in the end. That amp sounds great!