My mockingbird copy

So I got it up and running the other day

before.


the pickups were proper trash, the neck pickup was muddy and the bridge pickup was a proper ice-pick....I think it was broken.


so Here it is after some bigneil magic.






Fretboard cleaned and oiled
Truss rod adjusted
A little fret levelling
2X Sky pickups, designed by kent armstrong. 59 clone in the neck and a hotter one at the bridge.
Tone control and individual coil splitters for each pickup added.
New strings and final set up
And a monumental neck shim was used.


The only job left on the list is a new nut.

It plays nicely now and sounds decent.
The neck is pretty chunky and uniform thickness from nut to heal.

Verdict; Only buy one if it's really cheap, and you are handy with your "guitar stuff tool box".

Just one thing left to do now....Play the heck out of it.

Good man Big Neil - Now use some of these skills on Matsumoku guitars and you will be hooked.

I bought a Westone Thunder 1 about 3 years ago and to be honest I have now lost count of the current number of Matsiumoku's finest in my ownership.

Like you, I am pretty hands on with regard to maintenance, upgrading and restoring.

Hoax

Thanks hoax, yep a proper Westone is on the list now. Probably have to wait a while first so as not to upset Mrs bigneil. Lol

So... the Chinese Westones aren't that flash as stock guitars?! I have to say, not too much of a surprise there, really!!

Did you notice what the body is made of, Neil; "proper" wood, or ply, or particle board?

I wonder if that is a slavish copy of the BC Rich re. the neck profile? I played one many moons ago and thought that the neck was quite skinny and wide??? That's a hellish neck shim you banged in there, bro!!!

Nice work, and thanks for the info!!

Who sez ya can't polish poo?
Well done.
But when all's said 'n done...'tis still poo.

Barry wrote:Who sez ya can't polish poo?
Well done.
But when all's said 'n done...'tis still poo.

ROFL. Perhaps we should name it the "Mockingturd".

It appears to be actual wood but certainly not all one piece, I see at least one join runing the length of the body. The wood I imagine was probably the cheapest that was commercially available that month.

Have any of you guys polished any turds ? Why not post before and after pics if you have them.

bigneil wrote:...ROFL. Perhaps we should name it the "Mockingturd"...