Custom “wide neck” PCGC conversion (you know who it is...)

[lemmywinks]

Good point, there's a "D" stamped here:

That's a bit naughty really.

[ForbiddenWytch]

2 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

There is no mention in the listing that this guitar was originally sold by Thomann for decoration only and not as a playable instrument.

Yes! This is so true!

[Twincam]

9 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

Good point, there's a "D" stamped here:

That's a bit naughty really.

If he's not stating that there deco instruments then that is wrong! 

Nothing wrong with getting a deco instrument in working order and selling it, if stating the fact. But keeping it hidden that the instrument had been marked as not suitable for playing then butchering it even more and whacking the price up is a disgrace. 

[lemmywinks]

This is what he's bought:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_baritone_7sb_dlx_serie_deko.htm?sid=553157f82f9c4050bf30a19d8025e769

Here's what I don't understand - the guitar comes with matching knobs and rail humbuckers so why have these been changed for odd parts drawer knobs and a Jazz bass pickup? Instead of spending £20 on a bass pickup he could have bought 6 individual bridge saddles and done the job properly.

[Twincam]

Just now, lemmywinks said:

This is what he's bought:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_baritone_7sb_dlx_serie_deko.htm?sid=553157f82f9c4050bf30a19d8025e769

Here's what I don't understand - the guitar comes with matching knobs and rail humbuckers so why have these been changed for odd parts drawer knobs and a Jazz bass pickup? Instead of spending £20 on a bass pickup he could have bought 6 individual bridge saddles and done the job properly.

Lol this is the mystery. Could be the pu or circuitry had an issue. 

More likely though he just fancied bodging, while laughing maniacally as lightning strikes around his workshop. While his assistant hands him random bargain bin parts at random. Testing the string spacing carefully with a sausage. And cutting the nut with a angle grinder. 

Its alive! 

[ambient]

2 minutes ago, Twincam said:

Lol this is the mystery. Could be the pu or circuitry had an issue. 

More likely though he just fancied bodging, while laughing maniacally as lightning strikes around his workshop. While his assistant hands him random bargain bin parts at random. Testing the string spacing carefully with a sausage. And cutting the nut with a angle grinder. 

Its alive! 

If you look at his other items for sale, the one particularly I don’t think you’re too far off with your mention of him using an angle grinder to cut the nuts.

[ForbiddenWytch]

I have just sent the following message to him (unfortunately hit the character limit so couldn't go in to more detail) but I will post his reply on here as soon as I get it. 

 

[lemmywinks]

You missed the bit about the raked back tuners, that's the most puzzling part! Anyway if he replies tell him there's a solid £110 offer on that 5 string Peavey sitting here provided he has the original pickup and knobs, been looking for a mistreated one of those to do up.

[ForbiddenWytch]

2 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

You missed the bit about the raked back tuners, that's the most puzzling part! Anyway if he replies tell him there's a solid £110 offer on that 5 string Peavey sitting here provided he has the original pickup and knobs, been looking for a mistreated one of those to do up.

Bahaha! I shall be sure to pass on the message

[ped]

Hi guys

Please keep comments here factual and try to limit the name calling and use of terms like 'bodger' if possible, we have to be careful of libel. That said, I think the best thing to do would be to report it on eBay too.

Cheers

[lemmywinks]

I'll just leave this here and be off then, not my work btw (I'm not that clever):

 

[Twincam]

It's unbelievable that video was made 4 years ago and his instruments haven't really improved. 

 

[prowla]

On 26/09/2018 at 10:50, ambient said:

If you look at his other items for sale, the one particularly I don’t think you’re too far off with your mention of him using an angle grinder to cut the nuts.

Well, that sounds painful!

[lemmywinks]

Incidentally I found it as I was looking for other examples of 7 to 6 string conversions as it does seem to be something that has a niche market and almost all roads lead back to threads like this one albeit on other forums. There was one fella on YouTube who'd done a full conversion (on a Peaver Predator IIRC) but he was a luthier who made a replacement bridge etc. He did say the out of whack pole pieces weren't an issue though so maybe MDP's wouldn't be totally unusable.

[ambient]

On 23/09/2018 at 20:11, prowla said:

Did everybody miss the video link?

(Darn - I thought he wasn't going to sing, but then about half-way through he did!)

That is seriously awful. My cat was sitting on my lap, her ears pricked up and she ran off.

[ForbiddenWytch]

The man is deluded to the point where I feel an ounce of sorrow for him (which quickly fades away). He truly believes what he is doing is for the better. As for the point that "Harley Benton's are just as fundamentally good...", I never said anything detrimental about HB guitars, what I did mention was the fact he's repurposing their Deko (although I think I spelt it deco in my message) models. He's laughable. 

[lemmywinks]

I think part of the problem is that he has obviously never really played a well made instrument with a proper setup, being brutally honest the instruments in his videos sound woeful IMO (particularly the basses) and definitely aren't set up hence all the choking and buzzing. The sad fact is if he actually ordered a Harley Benton new from Thomann instead of getting knackered ones he would be in for a shock as it would put his creations to shame in terms of playability and sound.

Edited September 28, 2018 by lemmywinks

[ForbiddenWytch]

5 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

I think part of the problem is that he has obviously never really played a well made instrument with a proper setup, being brutally honest the instruments in his videos sound woeful IMO (particularly the basses) and definitely aren't set up hence all the choking and buzzing. The sad fact is if he actually ordered a Harley Benton new from Thomann instead of getting knackered ones he would be in for a shock as it would put his creations to shame in terms of playability and sound.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the HB guitars and basses, I know a few people that have them and they’re perfectly fine instruments. I’m pretty sure they get them from other manufacturers and just put cheap hardware on which im fine with. For example, there’s an ESP LTD Eclipse with the HB logo on it that you can clearly tell has come as B stock from the LTD Factory but again, I’m fine with that! Especially at the price they sell them for. 

[yorks5stringer]

11 hours ago, ForbiddenWytch said:

The man is deluded to the point where I feel an ounce of sorrow for him (which quickly fades away). He truly believes what he is doing is for the better. As for the point that "Harley Benton's are just as fundamentally good...", I never said anything detrimental about HB guitars, what I did mention was the fact he's repurposing their Deko (although I think I spelt it deco in my message) models. He's laughable. 

Unfortunately as others (and myself) have found out, it is impossible to have a rational dialogue with him. He reminds me of some of the X Factor contestants  who just because they have ' had a childhood dream' to be a singer think that is enough and talent does not come into it. Regarding his creations,  if it looks like excrement, smells like excrement and feels like excrement it usually is, and no amount of spin and quasi- technical terms alters that fact.

It is also noticeable in his reply he does not  address the issue of passing off a deco as a custom creation. Whenever I've sold decos on, I've always mentioned their origin and explained what a deco is, he has omitted to do this. Equally he ignores your point about the pickup being a generic cheap one: if as he says in his reply they are all the same and just a magnet and wire, why does his description allude to it being a custom creation? He cannot have it both ways.

In conclusion I do love his patronising and passive-aggressive  start and ending to your enquiry too.

Edited September 28, 2018 by yorks5stringer

[Rich]

Ped's request seems to have fallen on some deaf ears. I think we get the jist of what's happened/happening.