What would you do with this guitar?

chrisj1602

I had a proper heavy LP and it even bothered me sitting down recording, it actually had body dive!

I moved that on due to weight alone, though it wasn’t as unique as yours.

Some people might not be put off by the weight and willing to trade something nice for yours…

maltingsaudio

Whatever you do to it it’s still going to be too heavy, as many threads on here attest to the fact heaviness doesn’t mean great tone. 

I would , and have , get rid and start again. I had a gold top deluxe ,sounded amazing but could only play it at best for half an hour standing up. Chopped it out for an Eggle and the start of a now 30 year relationship!

BillDL

What you need is a couple of these in different diameters and a hand chisel/gouge/sharpened spoon or a router bit to quickly and easily create your own weight-relief cavities from the rear of the body.  Hey presto, a playable guitar for minimum outlay!  Nobody sees the back anyway so it doesn't have to be neat, and if the open holes bother you then you can cut some covers from an old scratchplate with a slightly larger diameter hole saw and screw them on and optionally drill holes and mount tuning forks in keys that are sympathetic with the most common keys you play in inside those cavities to give a Strat-like (or Baoding Ball) sympathetic vibration sound.  You can thank me later 

OilCityPickups

monquixote said:

Corvus said:

Tricky one. Re new pickups & refret, do you like it enough to spend on it and put up with the weight. Or is that always going to be a killer for it. If your back was sorted, would you keep on to it. One I fail to ask myself is would it be missed if sold on, not just right now, but down the line when there might be more time to play or you get all fired up again.

Ash's new noiseless P90s sound great, if you want to come over and try them just shout. 

A physio is worth a go, the right one is worth their weight in gold. Not just for the beating up part but the advice on things like posture, seating if you're at a desk lots, bed & pillows and the car, even walking.

I may well take you up on that. I’ll bring the LP over and have a look at the  Oil City P90s. 

Something that may help ... within the photographic community straps with neoprene sections are well known by press photographers for cushioning the weight of heavy telephoto lenses and making them feel literally about half the weight. I know as I used for years and still do a mahoosive autofocus 80-200 f2.8 Nikon zoom that weighs a ton.  

Yorkie

BillDL said:

What you need is a couple of these in different diameters and a hand chisel/gouge/sharpened spoon or a router bit to quickly and easily create your own weight-relief cavities from the rear of the body.  Hey presto, a playable guitar for minimum outlay!

That’s one scary looking thing. 

robgilmo

Its gorgeous and you clearly like it , is that not reason enough to keep it? Sure it has its cons but the pros are the things you should pay attention to.

UnclePsychosis

I personally find it very hard to forgive guitars that are too heavy these days. I don't mind a bit of weight - I'm mainly a bassist - but 10lb5oz does sound a bit much.

You could always go the Speedo route... 

 

UnclePsychosis

PS a good, wide, neoprene strap (something like a neotech mega) will make a world of difference compared to the skinny, shitty nylon efforts that guitarists seem to call straps. But it still might not be enough.

monquixote

UnclePsychosis said:

PS a good, wide, neoprene strap (something like a neotech mega) will make a world of difference compared to the skinny, shitty nylon efforts that guitarists seem to call straps. But it still might not be enough.

I've got one but sadly it doesn't help.

Litterick

Animals as Leaders had their best guitar on a stand.

stylesforfree

If it's really too heavy and it causes you pain after playing then sell it and buy a second hand tribute (I know, I know, probably not what you want anyone to suggest)

Or I would have a look at some completely different guitars, hollow body gretsch, a thinline jaguar...gibson memphis joan jet or little lucille maybe?

borntohang

I love that guitar - remember it coming up for sale but I wasn't in the market at the time.

It's easy to go down a rabbit hole trying to mod to your satisfaction, but it's okay to admit that something you thought was cool just isn't working for you and it's time to move it on to somebody else. None of the mods are going to reduce the weight without also drastically affecting the value, unfortunately. 

MikeP

Sell. There are many great guitars. 

Kittyfrisk

^ What it is.

57Deluxe

...get it a stand??

ElectricXII

chrisj1602 said:

I had a proper heavy LP and it even bothered me sitting down recording, it actually had body dive!

I moved that on due to weight alone, though it wasn’t as unique as yours.

My 2001 Standard was the same. 10.5 lbs and actually more uncomfortable to play seated than standing. 

monquixote

ElectricXII said:

chrisj1602 said:

I had a proper heavy LP and it even bothered me sitting down recording, it actually had body dive!

I moved that on due to weight alone, though it wasn’t as unique as yours.

My 2001 Standard was the same. 10.5 lbs and actually more uncomfortable to play seated than standing. 

This one is fine to play seated and also standing, it's just that an hour or so afterwards I will be in nasty pain.

prlgmnr

BillDL said:

What you need is a couple of these in different diameters and a hand chisel/gouge/sharpened spoon or a router bit to quickly and easily create your own weight-relief cavities from the rear of the body.  Hey presto, a playable guitar for minimum outlay!  Nobody sees the back anyway so it doesn't have to be neat, and if the open holes bother you then you can cut some covers from an old scratchplate with a slightly larger diameter hole saw and screw them on and optionally drill holes and mount tuning forks in keys that are sympathetic with the most common keys you play in inside those cavities to give a Strat-like (or Baoding Ball) sympathetic vibration sound.  You can thank me later 

you are J White and I claim my 5 pounds

Philly_Q

ElectricXII said:

chrisj1602 said:

I had a proper heavy LP and it even bothered me sitting down recording, it actually had body dive!

I moved that on due to weight alone, though it wasn’t as unique as yours.

My 2001 Standard was the same. 10.5 lbs and actually more uncomfortable to play seated than standing. 

Yeah, me too, with a Tokai Love Rock II.  Really nice guitar in every other way, but playing seated it not only had body dive but felt like it was cutting off the circulation to my leg.