Shine - an experiment

Andyjr1515

Hi

When we were enjoying a good old-fashioned verbal lynching of our esteemed e-bay friend (ie, 'He's at it again) @Megii and I both said we had bought the same Shine thinline models that said friend had butchered in his own inimitable fashion.

I bought mine as an experiment. That is, can it be sorted to sound as good as it looks and then sell it for at least the total it has cost?

OK - so it is ready to go on ebay.  I'm going to put it on an opening bid of the total cost price (including ebay fee) with the possibility of bidding creating a small compensation for the time and effort.  Don't worry, I'm not naive - I'm well aware it probably won't sell...

Here it is, complete with Iron Gear pickups, new pots and a less blingy truss rod cover...

   

It really is a smart bit of kit for £95!  To that, the other bits have cost a further £91...still a smart bit of kit! 

The upside for such a cheap guitar, apart from the looks, was that the fretwork was great - haven't had to do ANY tweaking at all.  The 'eagle' inlays were a bit rough at the dust- end but easily sanded smooth with some 600 grit.  I didn't replace the nut but did use my nut files to smooth them out a little.

The pups and strings, on the other hand were DREADFUL.

Attached is the web page.  It includes 2 sound files:

The first clip is the BEFORE and AFTER for each of the switch settings

The second clip is differing styles, all with the modded electrics

http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/shine%20upgrade.htm

I fitted a push pull with split coil but, to be honest, the volume drop is so great, you couldn't use it mid number.  Still - you sort of get it for free :-)

Andy

 

octatonic

£100 is chickenfeed- they look a lot smarter than that.

Megii

FWIW, having done my best researching on the web, I think (admittedly without having absolute proof) that this is a model that Shine actually discontinued around 2004/5. I read somewhere that they last appeared in the Shine catalogue in 2004 anyway. And actually I believe the quoted RRP of £350 on Chase's website - I reckon that would have applied in 2004-ish maybe, though of course they would probably expect the guitar to be sold for less than that in practice. I have no idea where Chase got hold of their supply - I guess "new old stock" or maybe slight seconds even... They must have got a job lot from somewhere anyhow! The ones I have, I really like - I would agree with Andy about the pickups, I found the stock ones just a bit harsh and lacking in subtlety. There were/are no issues with mine, and the standard of finish is actually pretty high. I would say if you get a good one, and I think Andy's is by the look of it, then £95 is a steal. I liked the blingy pearloid stock truss cover better I must admit, but that's just personal taste.

JookyChap

They looks really nice guiitars - crazily at that sort of price..

@Andyjr1515 - some rather pretty looking guitars on your site too - very nice poshification

Dave_Mc

That does look very nice

PolarityMan

Love the finish.

guitargeek62

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Andyjr1515

guitargeek62 said:

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Actually, it was the best I could get the tuning to be...both the nut and the bridge had tight spots and it wouldn't stay any more stable.  If you listen to the middle position and neck position 'before's' on the same clip, the guitar seems to be better in tune - these were in fact done as one continuous take on the recorder.  It really was fluctuating that much!

Yes - still can be bought from Chase for £95ish.  Got this at the beginning of the year from them at that same price.  The RRP is a lot higher but whether they ever tried to sell at that level...

Andyjr1515

JookyChap said:

They looks really nice guiitars - crazily at that sort of price..

@Andyjr1515 - some rather pretty looking guitars on your site too - very nice poshification

Thanks, Jooky 

ThePrettyDamned

Andyjr1515 said:

guitargeek62 said:

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Actually, it was the best I could get the tuning to be...both the nut and the bridge had tight spots and it wouldn't stay any more stable.  If you listen to the middle position and neck position 'before's' on the same clip, the guitar seems to be better in tune - these were in fact done as one continuous take on the recorder.  It really was fluctuating that much!

Yes - still can be bought from Chase for £95ish.  Got this at the beginning of the year from them at that same price.  The RRP is a lot higher but whether they ever tried to sell at that level...

Probably fixable though! You'd just need to file the saddles a wee bit and maybe lube the nut a bit.  

Outstanding value for money - it's a very, very pretty guitar and sounds ideal as a first instrument.

Andyjr1515

ThePrettyDamned said:

Andyjr1515 said:

guitargeek62 said:

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Actually, it was the best I could get the tuning to be...both the nut and the bridge had tight spots and it wouldn't stay any more stable.  If you listen to the middle position and neck position 'before's' on the same clip, the guitar seems to be better in tune - these were in fact done as one continuous take on the recorder.  It really was fluctuating that much!

Yes - still can be bought from Chase for £95ish.  Got this at the beginning of the year from them at that same price.  The RRP is a lot higher but whether they ever tried to sell at that level...

Probably fixable though! You'd just need to file the saddles a wee bit and maybe lube the nut a bit.  

Outstanding value for money - it's a very, very pretty guitar and sounds ideal as a first instrument.

Yes - it was easily fixed.  The 'Before' parts of the clips were pretty much straight out of the box.  The 'After' clips, hopefully all sound in tune!

Andy   

Andyjr1515

ThePrettyDamned said:

Andyjr1515 said:

guitargeek62 said:

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Actually, it was the best I could get the tuning to be...both the nut and the bridge had tight spots and it wouldn't stay any more stable.  If you listen to the middle position and neck position 'before's' on the same clip, the guitar seems to be better in tune - these were in fact done as one continuous take on the recorder.  It really was fluctuating that much!

Yes - still can be bought from Chase for £95ish.  Got this at the beginning of the year from them at that same price.  The RRP is a lot higher but whether they ever tried to sell at that level...

Probably fixable though! You'd just need to file the saddles a wee bit and maybe lube the nut a bit.  

Outstanding value for money - it's a very, very pretty guitar and sounds ideal as a first instrument.

Yes - easily fixed.  The 'Before' parts of the clips were pretty much straight out of the box.  Hopefully all the 'After' bits are in tune!

Andy

Andyjr1515

ThePrettyDamned said:

Andyjr1515 said:

guitargeek62 said:

I don't mean to criticise, but... it is out of tune (clip 1), right?

Either way, cracking looking guitar for £95!!! Was that the new price?!

Actually, it was the best I could get the tuning to be...both the nut and the bridge had tight spots and it wouldn't stay any more stable.  If you listen to the middle position and neck position 'before's' on the same clip, the guitar seems to be better in tune - these were in fact done as one continuous take on the recorder.  It really was fluctuating that much!

Yes - still can be bought from Chase for £95ish.  Got this at the beginning of the year from them at that same price.  The RRP is a lot higher but whether they ever tried to sell at that level...

Probably fixable though! You'd just need to file the saddles a wee bit and maybe lube the nut a bit.  

Outstanding value for money - it's a very, very pretty guitar and sounds ideal as a first instrument.

Yes - easily fixed.  The 'Before' parts of the clips were pretty much straight out of the box.  Hopefully all the 'After' bits are in tune!

Andy

Andyjr1515

Sorry about the multiple posts - not sure what caused that!

guitargeek62

Interesting! I'm tempted to pick up a grey/black one at that price! :O

What's the neck profile like? I've not got a problem with needing to a little nut/fret work out of the box.

Andyjr1515

guitargeek62 said:

Interesting! I'm tempted to pick up a grey/black one at that price! :O

What's the neck profile like?

It's nice.  In my view, it's a cut above a 'beginners' guitar.  There IS a difference between it and my Gibson LP Studio (with the slimmer 60's neck)...but not as much as you might think.  Out of the box, though, it doesn't feel right at all.

Andyjr1515

Andyjr1515 said:

guitargeek62 said:

Interesting! I'm tempted to pick up a grey/black one at that price! :O

What's the neck profile like?

It's nice.  In my view, it's a cut above a 'beginners' guitar.  There IS a difference between it and my Gibson LP Studio (with the slimmer 60's neck)...but not as much as you might think.  Out of the box, though, it doesn't feel right at all.

...and, of course, there just happens to be one just about to come onto the market  that is already upgraded and set up (and if you switch off the lights, it looks pretty black)   )

ThePrettyDamned

Post the eBay link!

Are you going to do a comedy, talk down to the audience, Mark d Phillips description?

Lukeage

ThePrettyDamned said:

Post the eBay link!

Are you going to do a comedy, talk down to the audience, Mark d Phillips description?

I, too, want to see exactly that. Please please please do it! See if anyone questions whether you are in fact he! 

Gru

The shine is a very nice guitar for a silly price really. The only problems I have had with mine are the intonation of the G string, now sorted, and a recent resonance from the metal in the neck pickup vibrating when playing the D string, but going to consider taking the metal covers off or dampening it in some way. Setup was very good out of the box, only the strings to change when I get a chance, and maybe pickups in the future. If I was looking for a red one I would snap this up.

Lukeage

That problem with the D and G strings you describe could easily be solved by one of Mark D Philips's custom bridges.  

From the "He's at it again." thread: hehehe

equalsql said:

ToneControl said:

I'm reluctant to mock the afflicted, but I will make these points:

he doesn't look very tall or wide, does he actually have sausage fingers himself?

having a single coil on the neck is not a bad idea for sound balance, but wouldn't coil tapping, or even unwinding one coil be more economical

This picture - how the hell are the G & D strings expected to stay in place : http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Schecter-wide-neck-huge-hands-6-string-Blackjack-single-coil-tapped-humbucker-/00/s/MTA3MlgxNjAw/z/XWIAAOxyXTRSBSqd/$T2eC16h,!w0E9szN,8jjBSBSqcsqS!~~60_12.JPG I had assumed he would drill new holes to space the saddles out,

"Oh Bless"