squier vista musicmaster convert to a "solosonic"

[teensupertiger]

Hello
this my first project. I mean more mods than change one pickup.

i recently buy on ebay a squier vista musicmaster; this guitar was only mad during the year 1999.
i was disapointed about the neck, not a shortscale! but a gibson scale 24.75". what the fuck for a musicmaster!
i don't like the HB but i had in mind to change it.
One amazing thing is the pot, you can pull it and the pickup runs on single. but useless for me.
the guitar sounds good, i was just expecting a shortscale and just change the pickup.




My project:

- change the neck: mustang RI65
- change the pickguard: white mustang style with only one hole for the bridge pickup
- add a control plate
- hat knobs
- put a new pickup: i have a 74' pickup from my musicmaster bass
- maybe put a decal "solosonic" or "broncomaster"
- move the bridge 'cause i change the scale.


the bridge on this squier is cool, 'cause strings through the body and 6 saddles. But maybe i'd prefer an original bridge to be more "vintage style" but theses are very hard to find! if someone have a plan.


so it'll almost look like:

[jingle_jangle]

Go! Go! Go!!!!

Vintage bridges are around on Ebay. The early (rectangular) 3-saddle bridges are used on the new Squier Duos, and the old (Las Vegas) bridges turn up on Ebay all the time. The bridge you have already is very close to the '70s MM bridge.

[teensupertiger]

i don't like the rectangular one.

my bridge is cool 'cause of the 6 saddles but it's more cool with 3 T (but difficult to intonate perfectly), big dilemma. I saw some on ebay but quite expensive!

[garyptaszek]

I always liked the look of those guitars.
Are you gonna change the neck aswell, maybe a Squier Jagmaster neck? Just moving the bridge won't be a good idea without changing the neck.

[teensupertiger]

yep i change the neck for a RI mustang neck.
i don't like the squier necks, not very glossy.
And the white tuners can look like some 60's early 70's duo-sonics or broncos.

[mjet]

Hello
i was disapointed about the neck, not a shortscale! but a gibson scale 24.75". what the fuck for a musicmaster!

Really? .075" = 19mm. Personally, I don't find going between 24" and 24.75" scale necks to be much of an issue at all. 19mm distributed evenly along the whole fretboard is a pretty small difference.

Those Vista Squiers keep a bit higher resale value than other Squiers. I can't help but think that you'd do better by just buying an old Musicmaster or DuoSonic since they seem to have what you're looking for without any modifications, and you can always sell it for what you paid for it. Moving the bridge on the guitar body you've got, dealing with a new pickguard, buying a RI Mustang neck - that's not cheap, and unless it ends up being the guitar of your dreams, you're not going to get your money back in resale.

Just my opinion, of course...

[teensupertiger]

Hello
i was disapointed about the neck, not a shortscale! but a gibson scale 24.75". what the fuck for a musicmaster!

Really? .075" = 19mm. Personally, I don't find going between 24" and 24.75" scale necks to be much of an issue at all. 19mm distributed evenly along the whole fretboard is a pretty small difference.

Those Vista Squiers keep a bit higher resale value than other Squiers. I can't help but think that you'd do better by just buying an old Musicmaster or DuoSonic since they seem to have what you're looking for without any modifications, and you can always sell it for what you paid for it. Moving the bridge on the guitar body you've got, dealing with a new pickguard, buying a RI Mustang neck - that's not cheap, and unless it ends up being the guitar of your dreams, you're not going to get your money back in resale.

Just my opinion, of course...

i've already think about but i can have not too expensive parts and at the end it'll be cheaper than an original duo sonic, and with a neck i love.
I think also buying a warmoth body but it's more expensive.
yes the scale is very close but this neck is not very confortable.

[teensupertiger]

so, i tried. But too many issues due to the original routing. I don't do it, too much work on it. I found another body and a musicmaster bridge. I'll do a topic on my build when i get all the parts.

i'm selling my vista musicmaster; if someone is interested. ask me.
great cheap guitar but not in my taste. you can find a lot of nice reviews on forum and youtube.