Fender Marauder, worthwhile mods.

So, after my old boy stepping into the breach to buy me a new guitar, but insisting it was a new guitar, I am now the owner of a Fender Marauder. She's a quirky beast  to say the least, and I like that. Obviously the Fender crowd turn their noses up at this model because it's labelled fender but comes from the Chinese Modern Player series. I've read an awful lot of garbage about them from fender fanboys, the bodywood is soft as balsa, way overpriced etc, but I can vouch that non of this is true.

 The finish on my guitar is at least as good as the MIM guitars, the maple neck has lovely figuring, as has the rosewood board. Paint job is flawless and the neck sits tightly in the pocket. She's a nice guitar with a whole load of available tones from the 'exotic' pick up configuration.

 After 4 or 5 weeks of concussion, the playing has come back thankfully, and I'm thinking of a few changes, primarily the trem, and maybe the pots. I haven't had the pickguard off but I assume there are the small chinese potentiometers underneath. Swapping them out seems a no brainer.

The trem is fine for light wobbles, and I managed to get it floating without much trouble (I'm a hardtail player, the hassle of trems usually puts me off after some bad experiences in my early guitar playing days). Obviously this could do with some improvement, and I'm thinking a Wilkinson Vintage trem, or similar would help stability without blowing too much cash.

 So, would these upgrades be worthwhile? Are they jobs that could be done myself? Any other suggestions for improvement?

Glad to hear you're back in the land of Rock n Roll!

I've not had any personal experience with the Marauder but it looks interesting (triple 'bucker?). Upgrading the pots, etc is probably a good idea. I can't stand those itsy bitsy teeny weeny pots.

You're the only one who can tell if the trem is stable and usable. If not you generally can't go far wrong with Wilkinson hardware. If you're going to do that you may as well look at the machine heads too. They need to be solid or they'll never stay in tune, even with a new trem.

They're a decent trem on those. A Wilkinson replacement would be a waste of money in this case. Just set up to your taste is all you need.

A pot and cap change wouldn't go amiss though.

Nice guitar you have there... 

Thanks guys. Yes Barry, the 'Triplebucker', I think, is a dual rail bucker with a single rail added on. From the bridge, position one is first 2 coils humbucking, 2 is the full triplebucker, which has slightly less output and is notably more toppy and bright. It's my least favourite position. 3 is third rail alone,4 third rail and the mp90, finishing off with 5 and the mp90 alone. It's versatile, if a little gimmicky, but I like it.

 On reflection Westbone, I think you're right. I'm basically a fixed bridge guy, I don't need to be adding divebombs to the repertoire, adding a little wobble is new territory and its keeping its tuning at the level I'm using it at.

So, new pots and caps. I have a little windfall heading my way in the next week or so, more than enough to get the work done professionally. Means I'm not in a position where i'm desperate to find a 1A,and I can wait for the right one at the right price. Better times ahead for sure.

Had the pot cap and jack job done by steve, guitar tech in manchester. Definitely a major improvement

Ok Damian/Barry and anyone else, lambast me. Whats wrong with the pots or caps? Is physical size the important thing? If so tell Hoax.

Now come on Dr Grogg or Professor Faraday whichever you prefer, you don't expect someone like me who has forgotten most of his Higher Grade Physics to pass comment that would satisfy you in this instance?

I have to say, however, that I have never had any problems with mini pots, never really noticed when a guitar had 500k pots when it should have 250k.

Paper in oil, orange drop etc all mean nothing to me.....


But changing the value of the tone pot makes a very big difference.

All in my opinion of course.

Hoax  

I'm not sure what magics going on inside, but it's by far the best £25 I've ever invested in a guitar. Even fixed a hum when I used to roll off the volume, and the sound has opened out fantastically :-)

Excellent!