Should I.....

[Mr H]

.....mod my Starla.

I have a Starla and I am thinking about taking the Bigsby off and installing a stoptail. I wanted to install a wraparound but I would have to dowel the old holes before drilling the new ones, do not want to faff with that. I love the look of the Starla but there is something I don't like about the tone when unplugged. I have to play unplugged a lot to appease the wife. Although I like it plugged in. I'm thinking that by using a tailpiece it will reduce the overall tension in the strings and solve my problem. I have a Mira with the same scale length and I like that a lot. I have tried a few mods to far. I completely upgraded the Bigsby with Callaham parts a Reverend soft spring and an ABM roller bridge and while the tuning stability was rock solid it just didn't work for me "tone" wise. I tried a Callaham bridge last night just because I was bored and still the same. Installing the tailpiece is something I could so myself. I have access to a pedestal drill and a hydraulic press at work. Or I could just use a hand drill and whack the inserts in with a hammer. I know you can get them with a stoptail but I think they are rarer than the Bigsby versions.

What would you do? Leave it alone, mod it or sell it?

 

[AP515]

I owned a Starla Stoptail a couple years back. There are a few out there. you could find one, but I would not seriously mod the one you have. If the only problem is sound volume and a happy spousal unit, try one of these and a set of headphones...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampl...6611254-sku^J15230000000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA

 

[veinbuster]

I wouldn’t make a dramatic mod like that in the hope that it would sound better unplugged.
I played I to headphones for quite a while.

 

[alantig]

I'd ditch the woman and move in with Sergio and Bodia. Their house rocks!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd ditch the woman and move in with Sergio and Bodia. Their house rocks!

I like that you think we live together.


It would be a quick way to expand our collection of guitars though...

 

[alantig]

I like that you think we live together.

I like that you pretend you don't.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I like that you pretend you don't.

Please, we'd have so many more guitars.

 

[bodia]

I'd ditch the woman and move in with Sergio and Bodia. Their house rocks!

Hell yes it does!

I like that you think we live together.

It would be a quick way to expand our collection of guitars though...

I like that you pretend you don't.

It's high time you know. Bodia doesn't exist. It's me Sergio with an alternate login.


aw crap...that damn Westie video proves I do exist

Please, we'd have so many more guitars.

And a handful of cool amps! I'll crash in the basement, with the cat. That is, as long as the basement TV gets Bravo.................

 

[alantig]

Please, we'd have so many more guitars.

And if I moved in, we'd have even more. Some even in non-blue!

 

[László]

What would you do? Leave it alone, mod it or sell it?

I had my ‘65 SG Special modded in 1970, to install a tune-o-matic in place of the wonky trem it came with.

While the guitar sounded better to me, the dowel plugs look pretty bad, and of course the guitar lost its value. Yes, I played it for all that time anyway, and my son learned on it.

It’s kind of a “neither fish nor fowl” guitar due to the mod, and 47 years on, I think it was kind of silly to have modded it.

It was my brother’s guitar when new, and I gave it back to him recently.

Don’t mod it. 47 years from now you’ll thank me. However, I’ll be dead and won’t be saying “I told you so.” Thus,, make yourself happy any way you like.

 

[Mr H]

I owned a Starla Stoptail a couple years back. There are a few out there. you could find one, but I would not seriously mod the one you have. If the only problem is sound volume and a happy spousal unit, try one of these and a set of headphones...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/vox-amplug-2-ac30-guitar-headphone-amp/j15230000000000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXMP&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[ADL] [MF] [Non-Brand] [PLA] [US] [Enhanced] [Shopping] - Generic&utm_term=1100506611254&utm_content=PLA - Product Type&kwid=bingproductads-adid^13788109092-device^c-plaid^1100506611254-sku^J15230000000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA

It's not volume it just sounds like mush when strummed unlike the others theres no note seperation. The wife moans a bit but half the time i cba turning on i just grab one from the rack and play. I'm used to playing them unplugged since i only got an amp last year. Hmm I'll keep an eye out for a stop tail.

 

[Mr H]

I had my ‘65 SG Special modded in 1970, to install a tune-o-matic in place of the wonky trem it came with.

While the guitar sounded better to me, the dowel plugs look pretty bad, and of course the guitar lost its value. Yes, I played it for all that time anyway, and my son learned on it.

It’s kind of a “neither fish nor fowl” guitar due to the mod, and 47 years on, I think it was kind of silly to have modded it.

It was my brother’s guitar when new, and I gave it back to him recently.

Don’t mod it. 47 years from now you’ll thank me. However, I’ll be dead and won’t be saying “I told you so.” Thus,, make yourself happy any way you like.

It's not a case queen tbh lots of dents and dings. I was going to leave the bigsby holes alone (just another scar). And if i did want to go back to the bigsby i was going to turn down some brass studs so they looked like shiny buttons in the stoptail holes. I also noticed while the main post of the tuner is solid if i back off the worm/button shaft its really sloppy. Wondering if that could be adding to the problem. I love the look of it, the neck is comfortable. I only payed £775 for it but then did my usual modding which got out of hand lol and didn't really make a difference.

 

[Mr H]

Have swapped a few bits and improved the problem. Installed some Gotoh tuners which were on the guitar before I put the modded PRS tuners back on but the worm shaft is so sloppy this may have been adding to the problem. I also re-installed the Callaham front roller and the ABM steel studs and brass inserts. Oh and the Callaham 360 arm bracket as the original was pissing me off. So looking it is looking positive. I would post a pic but I can't seem to in a reply.

 

[Boogie]

...Bodia doesn't exist. It's me Sergio with an alternate login...

I call zombie BS. When I left the bottle of St. Elmo’s cocktail sauce (enshrined in a Crown Royal bag) in Sergio’s back seat, he couldn’t have cared less. Heck, he probably forgot to tell you it was there. We all know if it was something he was as passionate as you are about that cocktail sauce, he has NO will power.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

.. he has NO will power.

WTF? I'm like, a paragon of virtue.

 

[alantig]

WTF? I'm like, a paragon of virtue.

Huh - I always thought you were more of a pair of thongs by Choo.

"A paragon of virtue"
Mistakenly said 'bout you,
You master the rhyme
Just part of the time
The paradox of haiku

 

[bodia]

I call zombie BS. When I left the bottle of St. Elmo’s cocktail sauce (enshrined in a Crown Royal bag) in Sergio’s back seat, he couldn’t have cared less. Heck, he probably forgot to tell you it was there. We all know if it was something he was as passionate as you are about that cocktail sauce, he has NO will power.

The eagle has landed. I never met the Will Power guy you mentioned though.

 

[Boogie]

WTF? I'm like, a paragon of virtue.

I meant that with the utmost love and respect. And virtue has nothing to do with Santana restraint. In fact, lack of Santana restraint is a virtue.

 

[bodia]

I meant that with the utmost love and respect. And virtue has nothing to do with Santana restraint. In fact, lack of Santana restraint is a virtue.

So, not only are you Santana-less, you're virtue-less

 

[alantig]

The eagle has landed. I never met the Will Power guy you mentioned though.