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Minor Dilemma: what to do?

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Post by Brainfertilizer Sun Jul 17, 2011 11:47 pm

So the Westone bender I've been on is kind of coming to an end.
I have an 89 Corsair (HSS, 3 mini-switches, 24 frets), an 89 Challenger, a 90 Villain Graphite neck, an XA1420, and an 87 Genesis I.

I like the idea of the Genesis I. But it is in pretty rough shape. I got it for $100 shipped, and think I got a pretty good deal. It is cosmetically okay. The neck is great. But it is missing the locking nut washers, the pots crackle and are loose, and the sound cuts out when you move the 5-way switch.

I like the playability, but I'm not terribly in love with the tone. It isn't bad, but to be honest, the XA1420's active pickups sound better, the Challenger has far better strat sounds, the 89 Corsair is more versatile with the 3 mini switches and a DSR5 mid-range control, and the Villain Graphite is just all around cool.

So here is my dilemma. Should I:
- Fix it up? I'm not that good with a soldering iron, and fixing the locking nut would probably mean just swapping it out with a normal square washer floyd rose locking nut. Bye-bye original equipment. Heck, I'll probably have to replace the pots, but those aren't an obvious swap...more like changing the tires on a car.
- Sell it and buy another Genesis I? Since I bought it for $100, even in this condition I think I can get close to $200 on eBay for it. There is another Genesis I out there for about $250 shipped, in much better condition. Would I be that much more pleased with one that is in working condition that it is worth the buying/selling hassle?
- Sell it and just keep the profit? With so many other cool Westones (not to mention, 2 Alvarez Dan Scoops, 6 Vantages of various kinds, 6 Hamers, 6 Jon Kammerers, and handful of other cool shredders), I probably won't even miss it.
- Sell it and buy other Westones? For the same $250 it would take to buy another Genesis I, I could get a Spectrum Series II ST and a Spectrum MX. But I'm already somewhat distrustful of Bendmasters' ability to stay in tune...is it worth it to get vintage, 6-screw trems?
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Post by corsair Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:50 am

Personally, I'd fix it up. The lock washers are available.. if you ask the right person nicely! They're not even that hard to make... The pots could probably just do with some DeOxit....

There's been some chat in here about the Bendmaster's ability to stay in tune, but I've gotta say, set up correctly, they're as good as any other single locking trem I've ever used...
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Post by hobster Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:26 pm

I'd do what Corsair said and fix her up. Maybe the pots are a little dirty and need cleaning and the switch has a loose wire. If not gut it and have some fun! I've sold a few guitars on ebay, and the prices they sell for are unpredictable. You might get less than you want and then you have to give 10% of your profit to ebay and paypal. Shipping and all that is a hassle also. Keep that sucka!!!!
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Post by Brainfertilizer Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:43 pm

I keep going round and round with myself.

On the one hand, after I put all the effort in to get it fixed up, there is a high likelihood this will be my 6th favorite Westone (out of 6) because I do like the other ones so much. It hardly seems worth it.

On the other hand, it *is* a Genesis, which isn't the most common guitar in the world...and it does still have the Westone neck (which seems tailor made for me).

On the third hand, the best guitar in the world is the one you are lusting after: I really want one of the mid-80s Westone H-S-H guitars w/ 3 pull-knobs: coil split, middle pickup on, and phase reversal, just because of all the cool tones you can get from one guitar. And the prospect of getting a Westone Spectrum Ser. 2 ST for cheap ($100) is intriguing. I have to sell something to get the cash for that...a Genesis that I have almost nothing invested in seems a good choice.

I'll keep thinking about it, but I'm leaning toward keeping it and seeing if I can successfully re-wire it. If I can, I may decide I love it enough to figure out what to do about the locking nut washers. Or at worst, I raise the final sale value by being able to say the only problem is the lack of locking nut washers.
Of course, if I fail to correct the electronics (cutting out) problem, I'm no worse off and can sell it then for what I got it for (starting price of $115 on eBay would get it sold for what I have in it, and may go up even more).
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Post by Brainfertilizer Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:49 pm

Also, one of the Alvarez Dana Scoops also needs the same pot work/replacement. And so does the XA1420 Corsair. But I have more confidence the effort is worth it on those two...plus they are higher priority. The Genesis could end up just sitting there for the next 6 months to a year. Wouldn't it be better to be in the hands of someone who will appreciate it more?

But that doesn't mean I've made my decision. Still considering.
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Post by corsair Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:08 pm

Oh, to have your problem!!! Laughing The Spectrum Series II have a better neck - IMHO - than the Spectrums, at least my SP1012 does; it has the best neck I've ever played on, and that includes my VA900 and my Pantera...

The Genesis would reward the effort, I can guarantee that....
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Post by hobster Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:43 pm

corsair wrote:Oh, to have your problem!!! Laughing The Spectrum Series II have a better neck - IMHO - than the Spectrums, at least my SP1012 does; it has the best neck I've ever played on, and that includes my VA900 and my Pantera...

The Genesis would reward the effort, I can guarantee that....

Thats interesting John, i'm kind of suprised about the SP1012. Honestly i never even look at Korean Westies, i guess i'm sort of a MIJ snob (sorry Brainfertilizer). Maybe its time to change and check one out.
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Post by Brainfertilizer Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:56 pm

corsair wrote:Oh, to have your problem!!! Laughing

That's why it is just a minor dilemma. I don't think I'll regret whatever choice I make. I either end up with:
- another Genesis I in better condition
- more cash in my pocket
- 2 additional Westones, or
- a Genesis I that I "rescued" (fixed up) by my own efforts

At this point I think I am leaning most toward keeping and fixing up, and maybe selling a different guitar to get the $100 for the Series 2.

...at least, I think it is a Series 2 (from the 1988 UK catalog)...it clearly has the later pointy headstock, but it also has the 6-screw trem...everything else I've seen in the catalogs leads me to believe that only the Spectrum Series 2 has the vintage 6-screw trem. But then, it is one short of a knob to be a Series 2.

The humbucker instead of a slanted single coil in the bridge position is another difference...but that can easily be explained away by a pickguard swapout.

I suppose it might be a Westone neck stuck onto some other company's strat copy body...

I think I might be in the process of talking myself out of buying it.
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Post by Brainfertilizer Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:58 pm

hobster wrote:Thats interesting John, i'm kind of suprised about the SP1012. Honestly i never even look at Korean Westies, i guess i'm sort of a MIJ snob (sorry Brainfertilizer). Maybe its time to change and check one out.

No need to apologize to me!

But don't sell the MIKs short. The Challenger I got for $200 was an extremely nice surprise! It has the best tone of all my Westones. And the Villain Graphite is a bit of rare history, too. I haven't played it enough to be able to characterize it adequately, but the trem stays in tune and I know for a fact the neck will be rock-solid stable for the rest of my natural life.
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Post by corsair Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:07 pm

Yeah... I'm a believer in some of the Koreans as well!! I reckon the p'ups lack a little "presence", or "individuality" compared to the MMKs, but hell; I can live with that!!

My Vantage Invader II has a graphite neck, too; I haven't played it much as it's now back in NZ but I'll let you know what I think of it when I do play it!!
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