My dad's old CBS strat w/pics

[loogyman]

Bought a new (cheap) digital camera. I thought I'd share some pictures its a 1980 cbs stratocaster. Its been sitting around in its case for 30 or 40 years so the strings are reeaaalllly old and it is in need of a good setup. My only problem is its a little harder to bend than what I'm used to although I'm sure with a setup it'll be better.











Pickups are not original they are dimarzio something the pickup selector cover was put there to match the pickup covers, sorry about the poor image quality, and i have no idea what happened to the headstock pic

[RodeoTex]

That's kind of a cool old guitar but I don't think a 1980 has been sitting around anywhere for 30-40 years.

[loogyman]

what ever 29 I was almost close lol

[Dizi]

Those pics are gonna give someone motion sickness.

But thats a sweet hardtail!

[pchilson]

Yes, it kinda looks like an 18 string.
Nice guit. Is it your guitar now?
See if you can get some good shots that are nice and focused.

[loogyman]

lol I know I couldn't really keep my arm and the camera steady. I've been thinking about putting bigger frets on it 6100 or 6105. Do you think that'd be a good idea I play mostly blues. And yes it is my guitar now

[Dizi]

Originally Posted by loogyman

I've been thinking about putting bigger frets on it 6100 or 6105. Do you think that'd be a good idea I play mostly blues.

Thats not a good idea at all.

Leave it stock, son.

Find another guitar to modify.

[loogyman]

I got a much better shot and I was going to get it setup tomorrow with 11 gauge strings and put the stock pickups and bridge on it again. I was talking to my dad earlier and he said when he was 14 he put dimarzio pickups and a brass bridge on because his friend said that it would improve the guitars sound.

[KCLefty]

Nice guitar! If it was me I would with not bother with a re-fret. I might swap out the pickups if your not happy with the old dimarzio's.

Hey if that camera has tripod threads if would be worth picking up a cheap tripod. I picked one up for taking ebay picts. You can get way better close up shots. Big difference with my cannon.

[loogyman]

Yeah my dad told me that the stock pickups had more bite to them. Although I was considering buying a set of lindy fralin blues special pickups. The only thing about the re-fret is that the 20 and 21st fret are really worn and I do a lot of bends with 11 gauge strings. Although I'm hoping that after the setup it'll be easier to bend.

[metropolis74]

Originally Posted by loogyman

Bought a new (cheap) digital camera. I thought I'd share some pictures its a 1980 cbs stratocaster. Its been sitting around in its case for 30 or 40 years so the strings are reeaaalllly old and it is in need of a good setup. My only problem is its a little harder to bend than what I'm used to although I'm sure with a setup it'll be better.

Wow! You got a cool hardtail Strat and a cool dad

Originally Posted by loogyman

I can't believe how clean that guitar is. Still looks brand new and must not have seen much daylight since the headstock is so pale. I see you were trying to cover up the serial number. Do you mind letting us know what the first two digits are just to get an idea of how old the guitar is? Should be a letter S followed by a number.

I agree to hold off on a refret until it's been properly setup and all other options have been exhausted.

[loogyman]

S95

[loogyman]

I'm hoping to have it setup tomorrow after I get paid. Anything I should ask the guitar tech to do or look at?

[Stratotwanger]

It's a 1979, very nice.

[loogyman]

Is it really!? Also I just have one question I've heard that CBS guitars were of horribly low quality. I personally love it but what do they mean low quality?

[Stratotwanger]

There is nothing wrong with CBS guitars at all. Same as today. Most off the rack Fenders really blow dog and even most of the custom shop stuff still isn't as good as what you have there. There is way too much hype around the real vintage stuff. It all buzzed like hell, they didn't know exactly what they were making and as time went by, then came the advent of the reverse wound middle pickup and noiseless etc. plus the 5 way to replace that nasty 3 way switch and so on. So, yours is at a point when they actually had things figured out for the most part. That's really a sweet guitar and I'd trade any of my current $2,000.00 + Fender guitars for it because they simply don't measure up to it. So, most vintage freaks will tell you it's low quality because they are in a stagnant mind set that it needs to be beat to hell and noisy as a chainsaw and not contain a truss rod to be any good. Just blow them off. That is a tasty axe and be proud of it, play it and move on.

[Goluphi]

Wow wow wow. I've looked at this thread at least 5 times today, drooling over this Strat. CBS guitars have a stigma of bad quality around them, but this looks like a keeper. Most of the stigma is nonesense anyway, and CBS guitars have the sweet vintage features we crave today.

[LuvN Guitars]

Yes, time changes everything.
When CBS bought Fender it was considered to be a case of "The Man" buying out a real guitar maker. The fact that shortly after CBS took over they changed the finish to a heavy poly finish led some people at the time to state that their worst fears had been realised. For a long time CBS guitars were considered inferior to earlier Fenders, These days with the interest in older instruments they have become accepted.
Loggyman suggested not moding it, maybe return your Strat to original spec and keep it that way, at least for a while. As Dizi said, maybe find another guitar if you want to do some mods. That Strat is in great condition, keep it that way, it can only increase in value.
Here's a little story. I modded a '61 Strat for a friend back in '83, so it wasn't a real old or valuable guitar then. At his request I reamed the headstock tuner holes for modern tuners, swapped out the original pickups (which he didn't keep) and routed the body for a bridge humbucker. He still has the guitar and has looked after it well, but it isn't worth anything like what it would be in original spec.

[oramac7891]

Another little tip to take pics that are steady. If you camera has a threaded hole on the bottom, it is the same thread as a lamp(with the shade removed). In a pinch, I have taken the lamp shade off of a lamp and use it as a makeshift tripod.

Don't believe me, try it. Some old photographer showed me this trick and it blew my mind the first time I tried it.

[E5RSY]

I agree that the quality may be there in some CBS instruments (I have a pretty cool little '79 Musicmaster, myself). However, for my money, they truly screwed the pooch in the aesthetics department (big Strat headstock, nasty large "TV-friendly" black logo, bullet truss rod, etc.) There's no really good reason for any of that stuff, except for some guy behind a desk needed to justify his job by making those changes (Hey, look! We really are hard at work...we made some changes!).

On your camera, I don't think it's a question of you shaking too much. It's probably one, or both, of two things:

1. You may have manual focus turned on...if so, switch it to AUTO.

2. Many cameras have a "Close-Up" setting. Sometimes it looks like a flower, or similar. Make sure that's turned on, too, for these kinds of shots. Turn it off for regular use.

I do dig the guitar. That's a nice heirloom to have. The only thing I might be tempted to do would be to put a pickguard on it that matched the p'up covers. Parchment, maybe? I'm just not a fan of black on sunburst.

Good luck,
Scott

[loogyman]

Wow thanks so much for that information! I had no idea I had an amazing guitar sitting in my basement.

[bluesboyorange]

Wow! That guitar reminds me of one I played a while ago at a store. It looked kind of like that, and it was HEAVY! It was definitely the heaviest strat I've ever picked up. It was very cool and sounded great. This kinda guitar might have nothing to do with the one pictured, but does anyone know around what time period and what strat I'm talking about?

[mehlert52]

Just about anyone who curently plays a CBS Strat wouldn't trade or sell em for anything, the later ones got a bad rep because it was a period when Fender wasn't doing very well financially and they were looking for ways to cut costs, but they still put out decent guitars. Make sure your tech adjusts the neck properly and checks the nut for correct cut height and angle and most likely you wont need to do anything wih the frets.

[loogyman]

Yeah my guitar teacher said last week that he could set it up for me last week so I'm going to take it to him.

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by loogyman

I've been thinking about putting bigger frets on it 6100 or 6105. Do you think that'd be a good idea I play mostly blues. And yes it is my guitar now

Bad idea.
If you're going to do that, you might as well go all the way and put on some DiMarzio pickups and a brass bridge

[JayFreddy]

Cool old guitar. From a collector's point of view, it's too bad the original pickups are gone, but I bet those Dimarzios sound much better than what was originally in there. I actually kind of like the parchment covers with the black knobs too, gives it character.

Please allow me to offer some advice:

Learn to appreciate it for what it is and what it can do, rather than trying to make it fit your idea of what it could be or should do.

This is especially true for vintage and antique instruments, but it applies to new stuff too.

I.e., The optimum set up for that guitar might not be what you're used to. With a guitar of that quality, once you've set the intonation correctly and eliminate any buzzing, etc., learn to adjust your playing to the guitar, instead of adjusting the guitar to your playing.

If it likes 10's better than 11's, use 10's... if it likes 12's better, then use those.

If I had known this years ago, it would've saved me tens of thousands of dollars... And I bet I'm not the only one here who can say that.

Good luck with it, and thanks for sharing!

[JayFreddy]

Originally Posted by charlie chitlin

Bad idea.
If you're going to do that, you might as well go all the way and put on some DiMarzio pickups and a brass bridge

Just noticed, it does have a brass bridge, doesn't it?!

[loogyman]

Yeah my dad put the brass bridge and dimarzios in it a year after he bought it. I'm having the stock stuff being put back on. I own the original pickups and original bridge

[loogyman]

Should I leave the brass bridge on?

[JayFreddy]

I'd bet that the brass bridge and Dimarzio pickups really do offer noticable audio improvements over the originals. If you're going to play it, leave it as is.

If you're planning to sell it, put the originals back on. It's worth more as a piece of history with the original parts, it'll sound better with the mods your dad did.

If the pickup covers really bother you, you should be able to get black replacement covers for around $6 for all three. If it were mine, I'd probably just leave it be, and pray that it sets up well with a string guage I like. As I said, you might need to go with 10's, those 3-bolt necks can be finicky, but I bet it takes 11's no problem.

Honestly, just set it up and play it. If you can't get it somewhere that you feel comfortable playing it and decide to sell it, put the original parts back on, and save the nice aftermarket bridge and pickups for a future partscaster project.

[Markocaster]

loogeyman , nice strat I just picked up the same strat in black 2 days ago
1979 black strat

it has a little fret wear too , I am going to leave it till it wears way down
enjoy your new guitar , the burst looks nice

[gitlvr]

If it were mine, I'd put it back to original spec, have it set up well, and play the bejeebers out of it. MHO. Lovely guitar.

[JayFreddy]

Originally Posted by gitlvr

If it were mine, I'd put it back to original spec, have it set up well, and play the bejeebers out of it. MHO. Lovely guitar.

Just curious, but why? Do you think the original bridge and pickups would sound better? I don't... But that's MHO.

I like the sound of brass bridges, and Dimarzio pickups at that time sounded much better than any of the stock pickups that CBS/Fender was selling.

[Gene Machine]

you don't have to do a full refret.

a good luthier can dress the frets and make a huge difference.

if refretting is required, they may only need to do a few frets, and then dress them all to suit.

i would be hesitant to change too much, unless necessary. it's better to have a
1) an unmodified guitar, next:
2) slightly modified guitar done correctly to make it playable , finally
3) kahler installed with dimarzio super distortion pickups and a brass nut.

enjoy, that's a wonderful guitar.

g.

[gitlvr]

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

Just curious, but why? Do you think the original bridge and pickups would sound better? I don't... But that's MHO.

Again, MHO: I know it's not "vintage" in the way that term is used around here, but much of the charm it has for me is as a wonderful example of an older guitar that has aged well, and it's from a time in Fender's history that will not come again(much maligned though it is). If the rest of it(bridge and pups) are in comparable shape I'd put it back together.

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

I like the sound of brass bridges, and Dimarzio pickups at that time sounded much better than any of the stock pickups that CBS/Fender was selling.

I like brass bridges and Dimarzio as well, but they are aftermarket parts. I'd put them together with some more afermarket parts and make a killer partscaster. And lest you think me some type of purist, both of the strats I own are partscasters. I don't own a Fender strat, and don't believe I'm at a disadvantage because of it. My partscasters serve me well and I don't have a need for them to say Fender on the headstock. But putting that guitar back to original spec just "feels right" to me. MHO.

[JayFreddy]

Originally Posted by gitlvr

...And lest you think me some type of purist, both of the strats I own are partscasters...

Hope I didn't sound like I was calling anyone names, especially not a purist!

I own an '83 Tele, also from the "end of the CBS era", and I have played several late 70's Strats too. The stock pickups of that time were nothing to write home about, IMO...

Dimarzio, on the other hand, was making some good pickups at that time. Not all of them are "super distortion" pickups. Lots of Dimarzio's early single coils have nice chimey cleans tones too.

Since brass bridges are typically installed to increase sustain and/or chime, I'm guessing those pickups were chosen with similar qualities in mind. It's possible that they are distortion pickups, but before removing them, I'd suggest listening to them. If they sound nice and chimey with gobs of sustain, you won't get that from the stock Fender pickups...

In other words, if it's a guitar you intend to play, I wouldn't recommend spending money restoring it to something that sounds worse... The only reason I can see to restore the original parts is if you want to sell it to a collector (or you are a collector).

Also, keep in mind that those pickups and that bridge have been on there for 28-29 years, so the patina on the original parts probably won't line up with what's currently on the body. Putting the original parts back on could actually make it look fake.

If you want a museum piece, restore it to original. If you want a nice guitar that sounds good, it's basically already there.

Thank your dad, have it set up by a professional, thank your dad again, and then just PLAY IT!

[IPLAYLOUD]

You can leave the pickups and bridge, because it really is a cool "80's" thing that many of us (me included) did. I think it's cool.
I'm surprised it doesn't have a brass nut.

Just play it and enjoy it!

[gitlvr]

[quote=JayFreddy;2092427]Hope I didn't sound like I was calling anyone names, especially not a purist! QUOTE]

JayFreddy, absolutely not. Just didn't want you to take me the wrong way. In fact, in most instances on this type of discussion, I'd say we'd probably be on the same page. Thanks for the conversation.

[loogyman]

Well I got the guitar set up and it plays like a dream now! I put 10 gauge strings on it for now. Now all I need is a decent Fender tube amp.