douglas vs SX

[dusty tolex]

Hey thanks for all the input!

Has anyone checked the routing under the Douglas pickguard? Is there enough room for a humbucker (with a new p/g of course)?

I've heard in a couple of places that esquires have improved tone because getting rid of the neck pick up removes a magnetic field that has some detrimental effect on tone. Or something like that. If that is true, does that mean that a humbucker in the neck would have even more of an effect?

Or is that a bunch of crazy talk? :-)

dt

[fauxsuper]

Depends on what you mean by "improve". Magnets do exert some effect on the strings and it stands to reason that this would have an effect on vibration or sustain. I'd wager the effect is minimal, but you'll probably get a few Esquire fans that disagree. If there IS an effect, it would apply to all guitars, not just Telecasters. I ran my tele as an Esquire for a short period and I can't say if I noticed anything definate. If you're the sort of guy that can tell the brand of battery in a pedal by the sound, maybe you'd be on to something. If you're only a bridge pickup guy, it makes sense to give it a try. I've heard Les Paul Jr. guys claim the same thing. In any case, if someone snuck into your guitar case and removed the magnets in your neck pickup, I doubt you'd find yourself thinking; "Wow, this thing sounds WAY better for some reason!!!".

If the effect was that pronounced, I'd wager you'd find all sorts of guys running single pickup guitars, especially rich rock stars who can afford to have someone bring them a different guitar for each song.

In closing, I can tell you one thing that will make a change you're sure to notice: remove BOTH pickups from your Tele. You'll lose vitually all hum and noise, even those annoying squeaks when you move your fingers. I'll leave it up to the listener if this is an improvement.

[getbent]

Okay, the niece got her Douglas today. She called me in tears (and she is not one prone to that) and said it was the most beautiful guitar she'd ever seen. She said she plugged it in and it was 'in tune'!

She played a little bit over the phone and, well, it sounded pretty good... she's been playing guitar about a year (acoustic) but I had hooked her up with a little amp and she had it rockin'!

I asked her to check out for fret sprout, loose parts, pings etc.. I had her check the intonation (good stuff for her to learn anyway) so, until I get down there in a few weeks... that is the review! happy customer!

I went to order one last night for me and they were GONE!

[jwells393]

Good for you Randy.

[dusty tolex]

Originally Posted by fauxsuper

Depends on what you mean by "improve". Magnets do exert some effect on the strings and it stands to reason that this would have an effect on vibration or sustain. I'd wager the effect is minimal, but you'll probably get a few Esquire fans that disagree. If there IS an effect, it would apply to all guitars, not just Telecasters. I ran my tele as an Esquire for a short period and I can't say if I noticed anything definate. If you're the sort of guy that can tell the brand of battery in a pedal by the sound, maybe you'd be on to something. If you're only a bridge pickup guy, it makes sense to give it a try. I've heard Les Paul Jr. guys claim the same thing. In any case, if someone snuck into your guitar case and removed the magnets in your neck pickup, I doubt you'd find yourself thinking; "Wow, this thing sounds WAY better for some reason!!!".

If the effect was that pronounced, I'd wager you'd find all sorts of guys running single pickup guitars, especially rich rock stars who can afford to have someone bring them a different guitar for each song.

In closing, I can tell you one thing that will make a change you're sure to notice: remove BOTH pickups from your Tele. You'll lose vitually all hum and noise, even those annoying squeaks when you move your fingers. I'll leave it up to the listener if this is an improvement.

I think you've eaten one too many dorkmeister parfaits, but thanks for coming out!

dt

[fauxsuper]

Originally Posted by dusty tolex

I think you've eaten one too many dorkmeister parfaits, but thanks for coming out!

dt

I hate when I can't tell if I've been insulted.

I went to a Canadian Jam session once and everytime I asked what key we were in, I got the same answer: eh?

[DLGinSC]

Strange, The Douglas is still listed on this page here.

http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar-ss3.html

[getbent]

Yep. it is back. I'm gonna order.... hmmm how fast for shipping?????

[DLGinSC]

I don't know Cali is a long way. But, they are generally pretty fast. I've always had good service from Kurt.

[Nashter]

Originally Posted by fauxsuper

I hate when I can't tell if I've been insulted.

Fuaxsuper, I hear ya!! If you've been having too many dorkmeister parfaits?!? then I think some folks here have had their brain in the magnetic field of their neck pickup too long!!

Seriously though, to weigh in here, despite how much homework you've done Dusty T, I also am the purchaser of an SX tele style from Rondo. Man, it sure looked sweet in the pictures, and had me gas'ing, but several folks here speak the truth on the MIM.

My story is that I got the SX. Intonation sucked, the nut was super high. but... I liked the sound for a cheap guitar. I think they were $119 at the time. So I put in a graphtec nut. OK... there could not return it, since I modified it. Then I realized the intonation was still off, a little better but still bad. So I start cranking the saddle and the string starts wrapping around and under before it is intonated. I measured and posted and found out the string holes were about a 1/2" closer to the nut than a Fender.
So then I drilled out the holes and found the body wood is SOFT, and I don't know what it was. and when I tried to move the bridge back, some of the bridge cavity route was showing. That thing is a piece of scrap in my closet.

Anyway, I've sworn off those cheap thrills of getting a new guitar in the mail, and I'll just resort to finding, playing, and keeping a quality concoction of wood. I now have an ash Fender Nashville blonde/maple converted to blackguard with no strat pu, and it is sweeter than a few Am Stds I played recently. I've also seen these particular guitars, and G&L ASAT classic Tributes, and MIM standards go for < $300 used. AND I've owned all 3 of these guitars and I can 100% say that the wood used in MIM and the G&L is much better than the SX body anyway.

My main problem with SX that I struggled with, was "am I willing to pay 1/3rd or more of the guitars worth to ship it back and try another?"
Good luck, but I agree with several here about the MIM. I've been there, done that, and not trying to be an #$% but sincerely hope folks think about what they get into.

[bluescube]

Add some GFS FatBody alnico's and she'll be sweet!

[dusty tolex]

Originally Posted by fauxsuper

I hate when I can't tell if I've been insulted.

I went to a Canadian Jam session once and everytime I asked what key we were in, I got the same answer: eh?

Your post was insulting and hostile. My response was the gentlest mockery I could come up with at the time.

dt

[dusty tolex]

Originally Posted by Nashter

Fuaxsuper, I hear ya!! If you've been having too many dorkmeister parfaits?!? then I think some folks here have had their brain in the magnetic field of their neck pickup too long!!

Seriously though, to weigh in here, despite how much homework you've done Dusty T, I also am the purchaser of an SX tele style from Rondo. Man, it sure looked sweet in the pictures, and had me gas'ing, but several folks here speak the truth on the MIM.

My story is that I got the SX. Intonation sucked, the nut was super high. but... I liked the sound for a cheap guitar. I think they were $119 at the time. So I put in a graphtec nut. OK... there could not return it, since I modified it. Then I realized the intonation was still off, a little better but still bad. So I start cranking the saddle and the string starts wrapping around and under before it is intonated. I measured and posted and found out the string holes were about a 1/2" closer to the nut than a Fender.
So then I drilled out the holes and found the body wood is SOFT, and I don't know what it was. and when I tried to move the bridge back, some of the bridge cavity route was showing. That thing is a piece of scrap in my closet.

Anyway, I've sworn off those cheap thrills of getting a new guitar in the mail, and I'll just resort to finding, playing, and keeping a quality concoction of wood. I now have an ash Fender Nashville blonde/maple converted to blackguard with no strat pu, and it is sweeter than a few Am Stds I played recently. I've also seen these particular guitars, and G&L ASAT classic Tributes, and MIM standards go for < $300 used. AND I've owned all 3 of these guitars and I can 100% say that the wood used in MIM and the G&L is much better than the SX body anyway.

My main problem with SX that I struggled with, was "am I willing to pay 1/3rd or more of the guitars worth to ship it back and try another?"
Good luck, but I agree with several here about the MIM. I've been there, done that, and not trying to be an #$% but sincerely hope folks think about what they get into.

I hear you Nashter. In fact I contacted a forum member about his MIM telecaster in the classifieds just a few days ago (good price and he'd done all the upgrades that seem key on a MIM tele). He wouldn't ship to Canada. I'm still looking around. I'll just have to sell my Boss DC-2 after all, I guess.

dt

[Nashter]

dt,
Well, good luck. On the other hand from my post, there were some positives about the SX, and lots of people seem to get good ones. I suppose there are good and bad for MIMs, squires, SX out there. I was just burned I guess.

However, the bridge metal was also suspect for me (the screws are leaving holes into the plate), so IF the Douglas has dimensions that you can put a bridge on there. that would be the way I'd go.

I was looking for a looper pedal the last 2 weeks on craigslist. Didn't see any, so I bought one, then yesterday one pops up! go figure.

[the recluse]

I just got one of the newer SX teles that were listed on the rondo site in the last couple of weeks and I cannot tell how surprised I am by the quality. I was expecting a somewhat playable modding platform and got something much more impressive. The intonation and fretwork were excellent right out of the box. The body feels very substantial, simlar to my '78 Tele Deluxe in heft, and it sounds very nice both plugged in and unplugged. I bought straplock buttons, new locking tuners, and found an inexpenssive used set of new pups and I still have less than $200 invested in what I feel is a very nice playing and sounding dirt cheap guitar.

The more I read on this kind of topic, I find I have read enough posts from people happy with their Agiles, and SXs (and Xavieres etc.) to know that the good ones are out there, as are the lemons, but this goes for Squiers and MIMs as well. I just feel a lot more comfortable taking a gamble with $100 than I do with $300+. It feel bad for the folks who got crappy ones, but the good ones are out there too.

[rhomco]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Thanks again Dan. For some reason this did not work out using SX and Telecaster dimensions. Telecaster headstock is 7 in. nut to end. So I resized the outline to have close to the same tuner spread. This shows what's possible.

......

[rhomco]

Originally Posted by getbent

Yep. it is back. I'm gonna order.... hmmm how fast for shipping?????

I ordered mine Sunday. Received a shipping notice first thing Monday with a delivery date of Friday. HeHeHe, my off Friday I'll have the headstock cut down and the setup done before the sun sets Friday before my wife gets home from work and discovers "I Did It Again"
Rob

[popthree]

the Desc. of the SX's say "jumbo frets" can anyone confirm ? are they JUMBO ?

[jwells393]

rhomco ............ looking forward to your report.

No one has mentioned this but the Douglas would be a great candidate for a Bigsby since it is a toploader.

[DLGinSC]

Popthree,

Compared to the Mainstreet Tele I have and my Ibanez they are jumbo.

[popthree]

Originally Posted by DLGinSC

Popthree,

Compared to the Mainstreet Tele I have and my Ibanez they are jumbo.

aw, sorry to hear that. i hate jumbo wire

[floridapete]

The routing under the burled Douglas is not for a humbucker. removing the pickguard is unusual, requiring the removal of the neck to get the guard from under the end of the neck overlap.

The tuners are smooth, Gotoh clones and do not need replacement. The pickups are pretty standard imports - medium output and nothing special.

All told, the fit and finish are good and the veneer on the top is good looking.

[Chimp #6]

This thread has re-kindled a flame that I have been trying hard to extinguish.
I have been thinking of adding one HB guitar to my family ...
I really don't like to buy something that I haven't played first ....

But .... http://www.rondomusic.com/product1747.html

Somebody stop me PLEASE ... ARrgghhhh

[mikespe]

For my review and pictures of the SX SST Ash Strat I just got check this thread.