Cabronita conversion to standard tele?

[Dismalhead]

Cabronitas are limited in numbers and have a special niche and followers. I absolutely love my MIM and wouldn't consider changing it in any way. They will (and already) have some collector value. Whatever you do, make sure it's 100% reversible.

 

[ruger9]

Cabronitas are limited in numbers and have a special niche and followers. I absolutely love my MIM and wouldn't consider changing it in any way. They will (and already) have some collector value. Whatever you do, make sure it's 100% reversible.

Believe me, I know! That's the whole reason for the thread! IDK what they are going for these days, but I do still have the original Fender Fidelitrons in case I ever sell it.

 

[Hodgo88]

I'd just replace the body, but then again I'm in the camp that doesn't believe in tonewood. I highly doubt your neck will notice.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

OP, you're going to take a great guitar & completely ruin it. Wishing it so ain't gonna make it so.

 

[tfarny]

as long as it’s all reversible go for it. but i would just get a second tele personally.

 

[Feck Studios]

Just looked that model up. Look, if it were me it'd all depend. If your definitely keeping it and don't wanna sell ever then have at it I say.

If you may sell it one day then either make sure you don't have to mod it at all so you can put it back to stock as I'm sure people would be after this different model or sell and invest in something that ultimately suits you.

As soon as you drill one extra hole the value will go down is all.

 

[Feck Studios]

I'm a drummer first and foremost and I collect, deal with and play vintage Rogers drums (hey, this is still on topic, cbs owned Rogers, fender and Rhodes at the same time haha) and there's a saying ''friend don't let friends drill holes) haha.

Again though it's really up to what you will ultimately do with it.

 

[ruger9]

Just looked that model up. Look, if it were me it'd all depend. If your definitely keeping it and don't wanna sell ever then have at it I say.

If you may sell it one day then either make sure you don't have to mod it at all so you can put it back to stock as I'm sure people would be after this different model or sell and invest in something that ultimately suits you.

As soon as you drill one extra hole the value will go down is all.

Well, that's interesting, because the guitar has already been modded (by the previous owner): he's added a 2nd string tree, recessed string ferrules (very nice), added a tone control and moved the selector switch to the upper bout. Oh and an MIA bridge. All this is PERFECT for me, but it can't be returned to stock at this point. I do think it's kind of unique in Cabronita world- the upper bout switch is something alot of people dig.

 

[hemingway]

As a lot of people have said, if you mess with that you'll regret it. Just get another tele. Even a cheap one that you can mod.

 

[Peegoo]

@ruger9

No, typical Tele pickups will not fit into Filtertron-sized routs.

You will need to get out the router and enlarge 'em.

 

[2HBStrat]

I wouldn't do that if I were you, that body is too nice to tamper with and it's somewhat of a rare model. I'd just get a tele body and use the neck from this guitar.

Just don't. If you have to have another Telecaster, sell that one and buy a MIM. You should be able to get a good clean used Player for what the Cabronita sells for. In fact, I'd like to have it. PM if interested.

Don't do it! Cabronita are cool and rare. Let this guitar to someone who likes Cabs and just get yourself a standard ol' Tele if that's what rings your bell

 

[ruger9]

@ruger9

No, typical Tele pickups will not fit into Filtertron-sized routs.

You will need to get out the router and enlarge 'em.

Yeah, that would stop the "experiment" dead in it's tracks. I wouldn't rout unless I knew for sure I wanted a permanent conversion.

So, on the flipside, the TVJ T-Armonds are like tele pickups on steroids... they make a "big/fat" tele due to their enhanced low end and thick high end. It's a great tone. I've never tried Magnatrons, but they sound SO thin and bright to me, I don't think I'd like them. So I guess I'll either stick with T90s or put the T-Armonds back in and call it a day.

 

[Peegoo]

It's a guitar. It's made of wood and metal and plastic.

It's a mass-produced consumer item.

It's not collectable beyond the value any individual player might assign to it. Outside of truly collectable and valuable vintage/artist-owned instruments, there is no magic in any guitar until a player picks it up and plays it. Short of that, it may as well be a doorstop.

Modify that guitar to your heart's content. If you're not woodworking-inclined, do as some here advise: sell the body and use the proceeds to offset the cost of a replacement with standard pickup routs. If it needs to have the Fender cachet, look on Stratosphere's Website for a replacement.

 

[peterg]

IMO you have a beautiful guitar. The colour, pickups, switch in the upper bout, pick-guard all work well together. I wouldn’t change a thing. As others have mentioned converting it to accommodate standard Tele pickups and bridge would be no easy feat and not reversible. From the looks of your original posted photo you’re not opposed to owning multiple guitars! Find the standard Tele you like and add it to your collection is my advice.

 

[ruger9]

It's a guitar. It's made of wood and metal and plastic.

It's a mass-produced consumer item.

It's not collectable beyond the value any individual player might assign to it. Outside of truly collectable and valuable vintage/artist-owned instruments, there is no magic in any guitar until a player picks it up and plays it. Short of that, it may as well be a doorstop.

Modify that guitar to your heart's content. If you're not woodworking-inclined, do as some here advise: sell the body and use the proceeds to offset the cost of a replacement with standard pickup routs. If it needs to have the Fender cachet, look on Stratosphere's Website for a replacement.

This is actually why I don't have a problem routing it (IF I could decide it was a 100% keeper). *I* want to play it, I don't care about resale value. BUT- I also don't want to do anything irreversible to find that out, as I have really grown fond of these 2 pieces of wood, stuck together. Some people don't get that, or have never experienced it... but when you get a body and neck mating *just right*, it matters. It's just luck of the draw, of course. But I've had plenty of "perfectly good playing and sounding" guitars, but they weren't special. then one comes along and there's just something about it... it's different, it's better than the others.

And this guitar is that. And I know it is that because, despite not being a Filtertron fan, I loved this guitar from the start. I tried several type of filtertrons in it, liked none of them. Finally tried TVJ T90s and T-Armonds, and found the guitar's tone finally matched it's... whatever. Mojo... such a silly term... but IDK how else to describe it. Despite having pickups I pretty much hated, I knew these 2 pieces of wood were special (at least to me), from the very beginning.

 

[ruger9]

IMO you have a beautiful guitar. The colour, pickups, switch in the upper bout, pick-guard all work well together. I wouldn’t change a thing. As others have mentioned converting it to accommodate standard Tele pickups and bridge would be no easy feat and not reversible. From the looks of your original posted photo you’re not opposed to owning multiple guitars! Find the standard Tele you like and add it to your collection is my advice.

Yeah... I've also thought about building one, but I tried that once and the sum was not greater than the whole of the parts. Disappointing. You'd think buying every exact piece you want would = a "custom" awesome guitar, but that is not always the case.

I'd love one of the the Brad Paisley bodies (but with a smooth finish on it, that sparkle on the silver ones is like sandpaper), and MIA Modern C neck with 22 frets (which is on my #1), and then I have 2 different sets of pickups I'd like to try.... I have considered buying a Paulownia body from GFS, and an MIA neck (altho an MIM would be fine too, that's what's on the cab), and trying one more build.... IDK....

 

[2HBStrat]

This is actually why I don't have a problem routing it (IF I could decide it was a 100% keeper). *I* want to play it, I don't care about resale value. BUT- I also don't want to do anything irreversible to find that out, as I have really grown fond of these 2 pieces of wood, stuck together. Some people don't get that, or have never experienced it... but when you get a body and neck mating *just right*, it matters. It's just luck of the draw, of course. But I've had plenty of "perfectly good playing and sounding" guitars, but they weren't special. then one comes along and there's just something about it... it's different, it's better than the others.

And this guitar is that. And I know it is that because, despite not being a Filtertron fan, I loved this guitar from the start. I tried several type of filtertrons in it, liked none of them. Finally tried TVJ T90s and T-Armonds, and found the guitar's tone finally matched it's... whatever. Mojo... such a silly term... but IDK how else to describe it. Despite having pickups I pretty much hated, I knew these 2 pieces of wood were special (at least to me), from the very beginning.

What makes you think these "two pieces of wood" are special if none of the sets of pickups that you've tried so far have been able to bring out that specialness?

 

[Festofish]

Would Tele singles fit in that route? If so there are probably conversion rings.

 

[ruger9]

What makes you think these "two pieces of wood" are special if none of the sets of pickups that you've tried so far have been able to bring out that specialness?

Like I said, if you've never experienced it, I can't explain it to you. And I don't say that condescendingly- it's just something that I (and others) have experienced.

But then I do believe wood matters. Pickups are not 100% of a guitar's tone. But that's debated at nauseam already. Again, some people can hear it, some can't.

Here's a quote from builder Ron Kirn:

[some] musicians DO develop a "sixth sense" making them very aware of immensely subtle sonic anomalies... some will spend considerable effort to resolve something that "abrades" their preferences, while others could care less....

I've known professionals in various fields over the years, Pro Golfers, Race Drivers, and a guitarist or two . . and one common denominator is their symbiotic interface with their "tools of the trade"... they detect variances that exist for most of us only in Science Fiction....

 

[yegbert]

Unless you just love modding more than you care about it’s looks, I wouldn’t recommend it. A Tele style single coil in standard angled and distance from the bridge end of a 25.5” scale length Tele that was Fender designed, may need some bridge pickup space routed lower than how they designed Squier teles; and the rout for a bridge HB they put in may have been made higher than a Tele SC and it’s bridgeplate needs.

Above is my Squier Standard Series Special Tele. It came with a bridge HB and a hardtail. I positioned the SC at the same distance from the nut, and the vintage style bridgeplate so that it’s saddles could be positioned the same distance from the nut, as my Fender and Squier factory SC teles. You can see the old HB rout and it’s mounting screw holes, and naturally those are needed wider than for a SC, so they show side of the Tele SC and bridge position. And the designers and makers located the HB higher on the body than for SC and tele style bridges. And the lowest of the factory hardtail mounting screw holes show below the bridgeplate. I later installed a Kluson hybrid (made for Am Std) and the Squier’s factory STB holes align with that bridge.