Washburn MG-42: a blast from the 90’s

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  • 4xv4xv Frets: 49
    Owned a kc90 since about 1993 even now its more guitar than i'll ever need no cracks flaws or neck movement stays in tune perfectly too
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  • Thought I'd give and update on my Washburn MG-42. (seeing as this thread is now second in google when searching for the guitar!). I have a thread on changing the pickups here. I decided to upgrade rather then sell. 

    A tech has replaced the awful Washburn licenced trem with a Goto 1996t Floyd Rose. I've replaced both pickups with Iron Gear Steam Hammers. I've put in a new switch, volume pot, coil tapped both pickups and replaced the volume and control knobs. It's been a great way to learn about guitar wiring.

    I'm so glad I didn't sell it. The trem is a vast improvement, it stays in tune for starters. The brass trem block gives more sustain, it sounds warm and alive played unplugged. The pickups are beefy with high gain.The neck is of course great to play, wide, shallow with huge frets. The upgrades have brought the guitar to it's full potential.

    The only problem I've got is some humming, which disappears when I turn the tone pot down. I didn't replace the tone pot and cap, perhaps it needs doing, or maybe my grounding and soldering is a bit amateurish. 

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  • mbembe Frets: 1840
    Have you grounded the bridge?
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  • The  Mg’s were a solid body some of the cheaper kc’s were a laminate body, floyds were branded Washburn under licence and poor quality pickups ok ish
    Thanks, I do wonder what a trem and pickup upgrade would do to this guitar. Or just block it off as I have trouble keeping it in tune. I’ve never really got my head round setting the fr trem up properly. 
    I had an MG-something in the late 90’s that I put dimarzio evos into and it sounded ace, to my ears at the time anyway. 
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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  • mbe said:
    Have you grounded the bridge?
    Yes to the tone pot. 
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Garthy said:
    John_A said:
    Garthy said:
    The Mercury's are fantastic, I've got two, a MG72 and JohnA's MG74  which I bought last year although I've never found either in a brochure or online with their paint jobs, the 72 is trans green and the 74 is black sparkle. The trems are made for Washburn by Schaller. Had Photobucket not committed commercial suicide I'd put some pictures up.
    Hi there, didn't realise you were on the forum.

    they are great guitars, but unfortunately not great when you're selling them.  I've got a mg-821 which has been on ebay for weeks with little interest.  Might just keep it :)
    I forgot to ask you earlier- what's the bridge pickup on 'ours'? I noticed it doesn't have the W from the stock pick ups but didn't fancy taking it apart to find out.
    Hi - A year late, sorry just seen this

    No Idea I'm afraid, it was in there when I got it
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    edited January 2019
    mbe said:
    Have you grounded the bridge?
    Yes to the tone pot. 
    My guess is a faulty tone pot, if you turn it down a bit and the buzz goes away
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  • JotaJota Frets: 463
    My first guitar was a black MG340.
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