Warning,Long essay ahead for those whom do not like grammar
mistakes.
Most of us especially my age group would noticed a lot of guitars
we missed in the past. We thought one day each of us could own it. That was
always not the case. Manufacturers would not wait for us to grow up quick, get jobs,
save up and buy it. I can't blame them. It’s how it was, how it is and how it
will be. Destiny dictates that if you can't buy it now then you have to wait
till a used one turn up.
I just want to share here one of the many gems from the 90s. To
you millennials, this is what you didn't even know existed e.g.
Take this beat up Charvel Fusion Deluxe for example.
It certainly had itself fair journey of music and unorthodox experiment(s). The
stock neck pickup spot was cleverly design to be in the path of picking strokes.
If you're the hard picker type, you'll peel off the pickup in no time. If
you're not then you're not really playing the guitar right but there's still time.
Which idiot thought up that pickup spot I do not know (the American/Japanese?).
One day in this Fusion Deluxe life, somebody install (or tried to) an EMG85 in
the bridge just to complicate things for everyone's life if not himself. Then
he realised that passive and active pickups can only work together but not with
each other. So he looks at control cavity and said to himself "awesome,
there's tons of room for another pot or three. Guess I start with one
first?"
He went to bantai-ed and korek-ed a hole for a 25k pot
behind the selector for bridge volume. What can I say, you do what you have to do right? He left the other pot (500k) alone for the
neck. Basically it's became 2 Master Vol No Tone config. I never seen this
before. He sold the guitar then after an undocumented time line it ended up on
my client hands.
The minute I open it, I said to myself "this shit
is pretty penny to me". There's actually a tone capacitor going to where I
just don't give a jubo lotong because I cut off all wires before that image
gets digitised in my precious brain storage. I suggest my client to get another
active or passive to restore this piece of nightmare. He look at the neck
pickup and said " definitely another EMG in that spot". Great,
comeback when you have the pickup.
A few weeks later he came back with a replacement. He bought
an EMG that I'm not very familiar with. It's an EMG with pole pieces. I have
some regret for not telling him which EMG to buy. I wish it was any of the flat
cover ones. I have a feeling this vintage wannabe EMG single is going to ruin
the guitar theme tonally. Oh well, what do I know about EMG compared to Seymour
Duncan. I was ordered by my client to only install what's needed to complete
the job. I must not use all parts that came in the box. He wanted to keep the spare
pot and stereo output jack for future spare. Yes sir, will do sir.
After everything wired, I took the liberty of slapping a
battery holder in there. I make it a priority to enhance hidden charges to my client. Hehe. As I assumed the neck EMG output is low than the
bridge. Too low, like a whisper. I raised the neck and lower the bridge.
Sounded okay but with a drawback. The neck pickup magnetic field interfered with
the string oscillation. Every picked note is followed by a
secondary out of tune note. Some people call this overtones. I just don't know what it is actually. In the mean time you can check out forum for answers.
On to the Jackson JT590 bridge or Schaller Locking Tremolo
or Floyd Rose II in disguise. It’s initially filthy. I thought the rust had
eaten pass the flaky chrome finish. After some derusting and cleaning, it
actually didn't. The saddles looks intact and they are made of quality dense
steel. Thumbs up 90's Charvel company and to our German bros too.
So let say in 1991, you and your three Abduls friend (Abdul
Wahab, Abdul Wahib and Abdul Wahub) found a stash of USD2000. The four of you decided
to split the find four ways.
With that windfall, you decided to get the new 1991 Charvel
Fusion Deluxe and grew some hair.
Abdul Wahab decided to put his share in a toy box
buried under the old oak tree. No ribbons of course.
Abdul Wahib choose to put it in his newly open bank
saving account.
Abdul Wahub used all of his share to buy 42 grams of
gold bars. Hid it somewhere safe.
The four of you met up again 2019 for old time
reunion. Your friends suddenly remembered about your cool old Charvel Fusion
Deluxe. The three Abduls' decided to take up guitar since you are the most
knowledgeable about the hobby. To make it a memorable purchase, all of them
decided to use their 1991 stash to buy a super strat. Something that looks like
your Charvel Fusion Deluxe or along that line.
Abdul Wahab dug out his toy box. Abdul Wahub sold his
42 grams of gold and Abdul Wahib withdrew all his money plus interest.Come one
fine weekend in January 2019, the four of you walk in the shop ready to buy a
guitar. With your guide of course.
Abdul Wahab didn't buy any Charvel or Jackson because
of their poor bridge quality in that price tier. He bought an Ibanez RG370ZB
instead. Just guitar, no amp.
Abdul Wahib didn't tell anyone how much accumulated
interest he got on top of his stash withdrawal. He said he would return to the
shop another time to buy (you don't think he will). He's facial expression was odd when he look at the guitars spec and price tag. He would have this long stare and thought at each super
strat on the hangar. You noticed he's looking at Abdul Wahub cash gears most of time
too.
Abdul Wahub with his converted cash from stash USD1750
bought an Ibanez RG570 Genesis - USD999 (cause he'd heard about Jackson bridge
quality from Abdul Wahab), Peavey Bandit 112 - USD350, Boss CE3 - USD90,DD3 - USD120,
TU3 – USD60 and Harley Benton HB40R – USD90 with Korg PC2 – USD13 (both for
Abdul Wahab actually). Kabel beli sendiri tuan. Tak cukup duit minta posmaster.
-The End-
Until next time, I hope you learned something.
Thank you
yustech
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