Making my MJT look a bit more authentic?

Rox

mudslide73 said:

It's hard to stop viewing a bitsa as a collection of parts and I think it takes time even when you're happy with it. I've always thought yours looked killer Bucket. I'd just try some other necks - my MJT is on its third now. 

It's funny this.

If you were to restore every part of an Austin Mini Cooper with original, replacement parts, it's an Austin Mini Cooper.  If you were to restore an Austin Mini Cooper with 3rd party repro parts, it's still an Austin Mini Cooper.

As soon as you replace the neck on a Fender - even with a genuine Fender neck, it's now a partscaster rather than a Fender Stratocaster.  If you put together your own Strat with 100% Fender parts, it's still a partscaster because someone at Fender didn't assemble it.

Broadly speaking, the partscaster is put together with more care and thought for materials, pickups, specs, etc, than the Fender version.

Winny_Pooh

That green will never look "authentic". Forget about authenticity and pop a chrome covered bucker in there so it looks like a 70's hot rod, much more fun like that. You could get someone to reshape the back of the neck and oil finish it it for a more raw feel.

RocknRollDave

I think it's the dark fingerboard. Maple board on that would look more "right" to my eyes. Mind, I'd get rid of the large headstock in a heartbeat. Never liked the look of them.

rossi

Urinate on it and leave it out in the  sun ..Add wolfs piss if  you really want some low down vibe .Make sure pussy cats dont touch it.or it will turn into a  pink Gretsch. A few weeks will do it usually and as we  are in the UK thats all you'll get  anyway .

mudslide73

Rox said:

mudslide73 said:

It's hard to stop viewing a bitsa as a collection of parts and I think it takes time even when you're happy with it. I've always thought yours looked killer Bucket. I'd just try some other necks - my MJT is on its third now. 

It's funny this.

If you were to restore every part of an Austin Mini Cooper with original, replacement parts, it's an Austin Mini Cooper.  If you were to restore an Austin Mini Cooper with 3rd party repro parts, it's still an Austin Mini Cooper.

As soon as you replace the neck on a Fender - even with a genuine Fender neck, it's now a partscaster rather than a Fender Stratocaster.  If you put together your own Strat with 100% Fender parts, it's still a partscaster because someone at Fender didn't assemble it.

Broadly speaking, the partscaster is put together with more care and thought for materials, pickups, specs, etc, than the Fender version.

You're right. Mine has a Fender neck and I think that stemmed from it not looking quite right - I got very obsessive about it. I always tell people that it's a bitsa though and I'll always see it as one. 

Gagaryn

I think it looks great. If you have second thoughts about th eneck like you mention then change it. Plastics look fine. And I prefer clay dots

stuagu

Think it looks lush 

impmann

As has been said, the chrome is a bit... bright, as is the tip of the trem arm. The flat pole pieces look a bit strange to my eyes too - and again, too bright on the pole pieces. The knobs look a little 'new' (the Volume and Tone legends are too clean and legible, as are the numbers, plus the top edge of the knurled section of the volume knob wears slightly. Finally the screws holding the pickguard down look a bit bright too.

But, the colour is lush and I think overall it looks great.

guitarblaster

I think it looks really good!

ICBM mentioned above the clay dots being swapped to pearl dots. If you did that and maybe had the neck refinished in a tint that you like, you'd have something that to me would be 10/10! 

roberty

OP guitar cool AF, my 2p

FX_Munkee

guitarfishbay said:

It looks fine. It'd look cooler with black plastics but I think that about most strats!

I'd do this and stick a humbucker in the bridge, proper 70's hot rod.

earwighoney

Get a black felt tip and draw a penis on the scratch plate. 

***

IMO, if I wanted it to look 'more authentic' I'd put a Mojo Supro at the bridge and a Gold Foil at the neck... 

All in all the guitar looks great. 

Rox

mudslide73 said:

Rox said:

mudslide73 said:

It's hard to stop viewing a bitsa as a collection of parts and I think it takes time even when you're happy with it. I've always thought yours looked killer Bucket. I'd just try some other necks - my MJT is on its third now. 

It's funny this.

If you were to restore every part of an Austin Mini Cooper with original, replacement parts, it's an Austin Mini Cooper.  If you were to restore an Austin Mini Cooper with 3rd party repro parts, it's still an Austin Mini Cooper.

As soon as you replace the neck on a Fender - even with a genuine Fender neck, it's now a partscaster rather than a Fender Stratocaster.  If you put together your own Strat with 100% Fender parts, it's still a partscaster because someone at Fender didn't assemble it.

Broadly speaking, the partscaster is put together with more care and thought for materials, pickups, specs, etc, than the Fender version.

You're right. Mine has a Fender neck and I think that stemmed from it not looking quite right - I got very obsessive about it. I always tell people that it's a bitsa though and I'll always see it as one. 

Thing is, I think it's a bit silly that a car, where literally thousands of pieces can be non-original is still called it's original name, but that same logic is frowned upon in guitars.

I don't actually see why a partscaster, with a majority of original Fender parts is bad form to call it a Fender... whatever.

Like I say, in a lot of cases, these Partscasters are put together with more care and thought for the component parts than the bought-in-the-shop originals.

Embrace your partscaster, call it something that works for you.  I love my Partscaster - The Custardcaster as I call it.  Every part on it, except the steel block (because I wanted to replace the original zinc block) was made by Fender.

Then it's your Fender  ....caster.