-The pickups are ok, but not amazing. I've had my ear on a set of Novaks for a while (JM-FAT for bridge, JM-V for neck), but I'm gonna sit on the factory "Fender-designed" ones for a little bit, just to see how I like them long-term.
-I immediately put a set of medium gauge strings (0.11-0.48) on them (knowing this is a thing, just from years of reading things here on OSG
), and that plays nicer already.-The vibrato arm is fairly loose in the collet, but I've had a Staytrem collet and arm for a few years now. I've also got an American Pro vibrato (with a trem lock, which the Classic Vibe doesn't have), but I've also considered the Swope Descendant IF I don't like the factory vibrato. Again, gonna sit on that one for a little while too.
-I believe that the bridge is a Mustang bridge (or similar) as the saddles have a single string groove and no height adjustment. I'm just realizing that as often as I read threads on here about what parts are what and why, I don't remember all the information. Now that information is suddenly relevant, and it's a little weird. Haha. I like the bridge though so far.
-This is my first proper Fender/Squier neck. I've never played a straight 9.5" radius and I like it so far. "Slim C" as it's described feels really nice too. I was worried because my Tele Custom is a Warmoth, and I've gotten really used to the 10"-16" compound radius. I'm glad that so far it doesn't feel weird, or at least weirder than a brand new guitar I'm not used to yet would feel.
-I'm gonna get an anodized guard for it pretty quick, even though it doesn't hum very bad at all. I like the look of the anodized, and think that it would help with hum anywho, so why not. Considering black or bare (silver-colored).
-I'm also gonna order a set of 3D-printed pickup covers, possibly in orange
-Already switched the Strat knobs for a set of white witch hats I've had sitting around for a little bit.
-Also need to find a cool strap for it. To the Souldier website!
I'll post some pictures of my upgrades when I do a few more little things.
For my second NGD! I posted a thread asking about them a while ago, and have been busy, so I didn't make a post. I thought doing these 2 together would make it easier. I sold my old Seagull S6 cedar-topped acoustic after I'd fallen out of love with it. I don't play acoustic much anymore, and really wanted a parlor/small-bodied acoustic, but damn they are hard to find lefty. I found a lefty Alvarez AP70 parlor on Reverb. It was technically used, but the guy said that he bought it and never played it. It still had the factory tags proclaiming string types and such on it
A little discount, but at least less than the factory sold it for.I'm not sure what type of bracing is inside, etc., but it plays VERY well. Sounds very full for a small guitar, which I think could be due to the body wood. I believe it was mistakenly listed as walnut, but from reviews I've seen around, it might be rosewood back and sides with a sitka spruce top. One review said that they were made with mahogany, but maybe that was a different/specific AP70 parlor. I'm not sure, but it sounds damn nice. A bit of a tighter sound, than the boomier/bassier Seagull S6 dreadnought I was used to. I've been into the modern folk revival of the last few years (Lumineers, Vance Joy, Of Monsters And Men), and the tighter sound is more my cup of tea.
Nothing needs to be done to it, though I did get a sweet Souldier strap for it
I do too! We don't see lefty content TOO often, though more often as more of us have been popping up in the last couple years.
