Guitar Quirks - Little Things That Should Not Throw You Off But They Do

[HaWE]

That reminds me that in the 90's I had replaced all 3 knobs in a Strat with 3 mini-toggles, with no volume or tone controls whatsoever. I think the longer-term goal was to then drill holes for a master vol and master tone somewhere in between the toggles, and probably just use significantly smaller knobs.

Going by memory, it actually worked out kind of well for some things. It's ultimately how I discovered that I really like using the neck and bridge pickups together - I think that sounds 1000% better than the middle pickup by itself does. Having said that, I think the Strat's middle pickup by itself lacks all the glorious overtones you can get from the neck pickup, and falls short of having the snarl and bite of the bridge pickup, making it a horribly tepid compromise of either one. I have no doubt I'm in the minority there, though.

My guitar buddies hated playing my Strat when it only had the 3 toggles in it. They thought I was nuts for not at least adding a volume control. It was just a phase for me, as I've always seen a Strat as an experimenter's platform - I just honestly can't use a 100% stock Strat.

I also did not like the middle pu of my Strat.And because I got tired of that 2 and 4 quack positions I simply changed middle and bridge pickup on the selector switch to get a "neck and bridge pu" sound. Easy modification with great result.

 

[HaWE]

Where are you on 5-string headstocks? 5-on-a-side, 4+1, 3+2?

5 on one side

 

[trapdoor2]

View attachment 1056957
I somehow do not like tuners arranged like this.For me it always looks like someone had forgotten to drill a hole for the fourth tuner and therefore placed it on the lower side of the headstock.
I would always either put them all four in a row or two of them on each side- that single,poor lonely tuner on the lower side just does not look right to me.

I have a custom with a similarly annoying tuner arrangement.

Not only are they 3+2, the bottom three are staggered around the inlay. It is just not right from any angle.

 

[Frisco 57]

The walnut truss rod plug on a maple neck Tele or a Strat should be almost round not teardrop shaped and despite the convenance, it should not have a hole in it!

I will now see myself out to go yell at the people standing on my lawn!

 

[11 Gauge]

I don't care for gold hardware.

I don't really have a problem with gold hardware by itself, but I hate when it starts to wear, because it becomes 'fancy ugly' at that point, IMO.

The other thing I don't like about a guitar with gold hardware is that if something breaks, then it looks dumb to replace a part or two with something chromed or nickel instead.

I have a parts build LP with a bolt-on neck that I got a loaded body with, that had cream binding, cream back covers, cream mounting rings, and a gold bridge and tailpiece, and a gold neckplate. I think the only gold hardware I ended up getting for it was a set of tuners. I've got black strap pegs, black speed knobs, a chrome pickup selector switch with a black tip, and black coils for the pickups. It's honestly just always looked like a mashup to me. And I hate how the gold plating has worn off around the edges of the T.O.M. bridge.

 

[BFcaster]

When I got my Epiphone Sheraton, what threw me off was the front-mounted output jack.
It's fine if I can find my angled guitar cable, but using a straight jack plug just looks like something that'll break off. I can't "un-see" it.

 

[brookdalebill]

Locating the input jack on the face/front on ES-335-type semi-hollow guitars bugs me.
The wood around the jack often splits and cracks.
My otherwise fantastic 1980 Ibanez Artist had the problem.
I had local builder/luthier guru Tony Nobles fix the top, and relocate the jack (with a metal plate) to the rim.
I also dislike the switch location on most semi-hollow guitars.
It’s usually near the other controls.
I greatly prefer it up top.
A few manufacturers do this, I wish Gibson did.
The 70’s Les Paul Signature model had the switch up top.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I love, love, love the looks of Bigsby vibratos.

Hate the feel and function…to be fair, I don’t really like rubber-butt bridges of any sort.

 

[DekeDog]

Maple boards, Bigsbys, poor upper fret access, Explorers, Vs, Mustangs and Jazzmasters, Rickenbackers, 8s, GC, automatic tuners, locking output jacks, baseball bat necks, the Nuge...

 

[Lonn]

Locking nuts. I don't mind a huge Floyd type bridge but for some reason can't stand the look of those locking nuts.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Some unknown luthier will be taking note of all of this and next year will announce the perfect design for an electric guitar.

And another thread will start about how no one likes it!!!

 

[SixStringSlinger]

Locking nuts. I don't mind a huge Floyd type bridge but for some reason can't stand the look of those locking nuts.

That's funny, a guitar with a Floyd or the like and no locking nut looks incomplete to me.

 

[omahaaudio]

Yeah, well I play with my hands in my pockets.

I play with my guitar in another room.

 

[omahaaudio]

Those goofy grab handles Ibanez cuts into some of their bodies

That's so you don't need a case or gig bag.

 

[omahaaudio]

And cilantro. Tastes like dusty soap.

That's the case with approx. 10 percent of people.

 

[omahaaudio]

View attachment 1057069

Where can I buy that switchplate?

 

[omahaaudio]

The Gittler is one I can't imagine with a head.

The Gittler is a guitar I cannot image playing.

 

[Fiesta Red]

That's the case with approx. 10 percent of people.

We are right. ()

 

[omahaaudio]

We are right. ()

Darn right! It tastes like soap!
Why would anyone want to eat it?

 

[AAT65]

The Gittler is a guitar I cannot image playing.

I can’t imagine being able to afford to buy a Gittler… (a proper titanium ‘skeleton’ one that is, the T2 isn’t really the same thing).