Blazer Project

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Author Message   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 10:46 am:    Hi dudes, Finally had a look inside my Ibanez Blazer ‘Bitsocaster’ to see what lurks beneath. It’s got 2 Super 70s stamped with what is either 180410 or 190410. The tremolo is a ‘PowerRocker’ She’s been used and abused over the years and could do with a bit of a makover After Xmas I’m going to fix the bad routing, fill the holes I stuck in the headstock to put on a locking nut. The soldering – done by myself – looks a bit messy so I might redo it and do some screening. I’m going to spray the guitar body and headstock. Any ideas what colour I should do it?   Mickf Username: Mickf Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 6:33 pm:    Hi Billy! What I can see from the picture your guitar looks great! Natural wood (beautiful grain, a little "flamed") , maple fingerboard plus black pickguard, what do you want? Unless you need your guitar in a specific color for the stage I'd never ever paint it! If you like the action and the sound and if it stays in tune, don't touch the tremolo. I've played guitars with the wood between pickups and tremolo springs removed (I never found out why) and they still sounded great. The soldering is important, but if it just looks messy and sounds ok, why bother? Screening is fine for the studio, but I found out that in most live-situations it is not possible to hear the difference, very often you are lucky if the audience can hear your guitar at all (at an amateur-level, most rent PAs and technicians do a lousy job, sometimes their equipment is on its last legs, too). If you want a guitar that looks new, buy a new one. If you want a guitar that has got character, keep and enjoy your "Bitsocaster"!   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Thursday, November 03, 2005 - 2:59 pm:    Thanks for your views Mickf. I only want to paint it to hide the naff job I did of the routing. I'll rethink it a bit - perhaps an insert ?. The twem's slightly off true so I'll correct that. I need a replacement transfer for the headstock - fleabay? Appreciate your advice on the soldering - depends how bored I get during the winter months. It's better to be playing the guitar than playing about with it though   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 3:33 pm:    Hi, About to start the project but can't find the source for the headstock transfer. I'm not too fussy as long as it's Ibanez (Fender transfers are easy to get) Any ideas where I might get one ?   Lespaul Username: Lespaul Registered: 10-2004 Posted on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 6:20 pm:    http://www.best-decals.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=13 Try here. Paul   Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 8:00 pm:    Billy, Ibanez didn't/doesn't use decals/transfers. The logos are painted or printed on. Steve   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 3:33 pm:    Many thanks - I'll bore you guys with the progress. May even add some active electonics. Still can't pick a colour though. Now where's that sandpaper ?   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 3:28 pm:    Hi heres the finished article. It's sort of 80s retro - Ivory white with black parts And her she is with my other electics   Mickf Username: Mickf Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 2:05 pm:    Nice job! I hope the two bolt-ons did not fall off the table while you were taking the picture :-) What kind of PUs have you got there? How does the Blazer sound compared to the Strat and the LP Custom?   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Monday, May 01, 2006 - 4:22 am:    Hi, The pickups are 2 Super 70s stamped with what is either 180410 or 190410 stamped on the back each with tri-sound switching and a roadster middle PU with coil tap. It's got a by-pass switch for the bridge so with the 5way and by-pass I can get any combination that I like. I've never worked out how many combinations are available. Regarding comparisons – it doesn’t quite get the single coil sound of the Strat nor the ballsy sound of the Les Paul nor does it play quite as well as either. I don’t gig so it’s still the first one that I pick up to mess around with whilst the others are kept in cases. Its still a nice sounding guitar though. The Strat gets played second and the Les Paul for special occasions Still not convinced of the colour with the maple neck but I'll live with it. They were actually photographed on a small chest but my heart was still in my mouth – only place I’ve got with an un-cluttered background.   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 3:45 pm:    Hi Guys Not posted here for a while but thought I'd bring you up to date. This has now become my number one again with both the Strat and Les Paul resigned to occaisional players. I just love the neck on this guitar and the pickups scream. I'm replacing the 5way switch this weekend as I can't get rid of the crackle no matter what I do. Bought a Joe Satriani strap to use with it which is a work of art.   Billy_porter Username: Billy_porter Registered: 3-2005 Posted on Monday, May 07, 2007 - 10:20 am:    Hi – I haven’t posted here for a while but thought I’d bring you up to date with my customised Blazer. Unfortunately I stored it in a cheap gig bag (my son is ‘borrowing’ my Fender one) and the lining stuck to the finish on the guitar. Some finish has cone off and black stains are all over it but – what the hell. Yet more sacrilege to you serious collectors I decided to resurrect the old locking nut and bridge adapters I’ve had for many years (think they are JHS) for my son to have a bit play with – he wasn’t impressed. It stays in tune perfectly for my mild dive-bombing. Some piccies below

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