Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Bringing your older offset back to life.
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Tumtrah
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Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:06 am

I acquired this butchered Musicmaster last year. Luckily, the neck ist untouched. MM pickup, pots, cap and knobs are original. Bridge and control plate are fine.
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Weird bridge solution... :wtf:
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Strap button
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AWSchmit
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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by AWSchmit » Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am

If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
I finally finish building a guitar, go to play it, and then remember, "oh yeah, that's right. I suck at playing... Why did I build another guitar again?"

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Pacafeliz » Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am

Amazing piece you got there!
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by SignoftheDragon » Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:37 pm

AWSchmit wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am
If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
No- but he reallyreallyreally wanted an SG apparently.

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by AWSchmit » Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:01 pm

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:37 pm
AWSchmit wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am
If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
No- but he reallyreallyreally wanted an SG apparently.
Same difference.. lol. :D
I finally finish building a guitar, go to play it, and then remember, "oh yeah, that's right. I suck at playing... Why did I build another guitar again?"

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:03 pm

Everything, from the heel of the neck to the end of the stop tailpiece, looks like a bunch of cluttered leftovers & the butchered top horn, oversized strap button & overlapping pickguard make me feel quite sick.

Of course, it might sound fantastic though, so who cares.
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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Pacafeliz » Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:32 pm

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:37 pm
AWSchmit wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am
If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
No- but he reallyreallyreally wanted an SG apparently.
...btw, have you ever seen the Red Fang guitar?
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i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:04 am

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:37 pm
AWSchmit wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am
If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
No- but he reallyreallyreally wanted an SG apparently.
The former owner told me that he bought the guitar new in 1974 because it was cheap. He "modified" it because he disliked the colour. He also wanted better intonation, more pickups, and easier playability in the higher range...

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:17 am

So here we are. First I thought that I should fire the body in the chimney and build a new one. Oversanded curves, missing upper horn, crude routing under the pickguard:
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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by pacemaker » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:29 am

I'd say that Musicmaster has reached crackwhore status...

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by countertext » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:36 am

Honestly, I think if you clean it up good and come up with the right pickguard shape, it could turn out great. Oh, and abandon the whole tailpiece/bridge mess.

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:04 am

countertext wrote:
Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:36 am
Honestly, I think if you clean it up good and come up with the right pickguard shape, it could turn out great. Oh, and abandon the whole tailpiece/bridge mess.
I agree. Put the right bridge and pickguard on and roll with it. I dont even know if i'd fill the leftover bridge holes.
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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by AWSchmit » Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:13 am

I don't know about burning the body. There is some brave soul out there that would either like it as is, or would want to recue it. Maybe threw it up on ebay with a starting bid of $20 and see what happens. I personally would never rock it as is... As stated before, I truly hate it when top horns are moved or reduced.
I finally finish building a guitar, go to play it, and then remember, "oh yeah, that's right. I suck at playing... Why did I build another guitar again?"

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Tumtrah
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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Thu Feb 11, 2021 9:01 am

AWSchmit wrote:
Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:13 am
I don't know about burning the body. There is some brave soul out there that would either like it as is, or would want to recue it. Maybe threw it up on ebay with a starting bid of $20 and see what happens. I personally would never rock it as is... As stated before, I truly hate it when top horns are moved or reduced.
Agreed! It's a no go with missing upper horn. As a carpenter in real life we'll see what can be done...

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Re: Butchered '74 Musicmaster

Post by Amon 7.L » Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:46 am

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:37 pm
AWSchmit wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:50 am
If all of this wasn't a solution looking for a problem, I don't know what is. The bridge in particular.

I will never get people chopping off top horns either... Do people WANT their guitars to be neck heavy and unbalanced?
No- but he reallyreallyreally wanted an SG apparently.
A logical explanation to such a little horn & deeper cutaway would be the carving being done to flip the guitar for a left-handed player and allow a better reach to the higher register.
Any trace of a plugged strap button on the lower horn?

I'm gonna follow this project with sheer interest, I love restorations :?

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