Maxxas (Not Mine) on the bay

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Author Message   Lofapco Username: Lofapco Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 10:10 am:    There is a Maxxas on the bay! Finally I have one to watch since I got mine. This one does not have original case or tremelo but looks to be in good condition. Ebay Item #190150415263   Lofapco Username: Lofapco Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 7:36 pm:    Well the Maxxas MX3 I mention above was withdrawn in a matter of a few days. I contacted the seller and he said he got frustrated by all of the people who wanted him to "give it away". When he pulled the listing it was slightly over $400.00 I think. This one was listed recently. It is a Maxxas MX2 (solid body not hollow chambered like the MX3). It looks in rough condition and has a middle pickup installed. Anyone ever seen that before? Ebay Item #160159272427   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 5:16 pm:    This only shows how little knowledge there is about these guitars. Especially about their original retail price. In 1988 they were MORE expensive than a Fender American Standard Stratocaster! Speaking about special guitars... but you and your daughter already experience that. Ginger   Lofapco Username: Lofapco Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 7:36 pm:    Your right Ginger but a little as you have put it "googlie googlie" and it goes a long way. Interesting photo on the web I found:   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 8:17 am:    I didn't google that. I have the original Dutch pricelists of 1988 of both brands and a Maxxas catalogue leaflet. The Maxxas MX3 was hfl. 2195.- and the American Standard Stratocaster hfl. 1710.- This was in a time that a Les Paul was about hfl. 2600.- (note the "about"...) Ginger   Lofapco Username: Lofapco Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 2:13 pm:    I knew that I liked it better than any Fender I have played. I actually have heard them called "super strats"? I am not sure why. Is it a pickup thing? The original IBZUSA/Dimarzio pups really do have a punch. When I switch guitars from my Taylor T5 to playing the Maxxas, the volume level at about the same position is much higher on the Maxxas.   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 3:49 pm:    Why SUPERstrats? Well, that's mainly because of a number of features ADDED to the normal strat features, such as: - screaming humbucker in the tail; - sometimes a jazzy humbucker in the front; - a heavy duty tremolo system with finetuners (Floyd Rose or similar) for extreme bomb diving; - sharper more aggressive looking horns; - a pointier more aggressive looking headstock; - sometimes more aggressive looking fretboard inlays such as shark teeth. - sometimes extra frets (24 for instance) Purpose: making an instrument that's more suitable for hard rock, in sound and in looks. BTW: In the '80s Dimarzio pickups were considered an upgrade in a Fender Strat. Nowadays collectors almost consider them a mortal sinn. Ginger   Lofapco Username: Lofapco Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 11:31 pm:    Why do they consider them a sin? Don't they like the pickups? I love the tone, it is a low growl but sounds great playing along with BB King. When I play, I cant see myself turning the tone knob down. I keep it all the way up and adjust from my amp. It would be kind of muddy if I didn't. By the way, since I know so little about how electric guitars work, (I am primarily an acoustic fingerstyle player) maybe you can tell me if what I think is true. The three way switch, is the most forward position the neck pickup, middle both and rear the bridge pickup? Sorry to sound like a newbie even if I have been playing for over 30 years it has all been acoustic.   Roland_g303 Username: Roland_g303 Registered: 5-2007 Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 11:55 pm:    You're right on the pickup selector Lofapco. I think Ginger is referring to them as a mortal sin, because it a strat would have to be routed to accomodate the humbucker. This kills the resale value and authenticity on Strats. Patrick   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 5:55 am:    That's right, Pat. But even removal of the original Fender single coils and replacing them with Dimarzio single coils is considered a mortal sin (with one n) if you don't keep the original pickups with the guitar. And the Dimarzios were so expensive that many guitarist had to sell the old pickups. Anyway a new humbucker routing is about the worst you can do to a vintage strat. I wouldn't even do that to my 1988 MIJ Standard Stratocaster with OEM Kahler Spyder. Luckily Fender added some models with OEM humbuckers to the Stratocaster range, such as the Sambora model. I even saw a nice sunburst with an OEM humbucker. The price was reduced a lot, because most hard rock guys who want a humbucker in the tail go for more aggressive looking models like Jacksons or Ibanezes. The price I saw, was EUR 995 for a USA SSH strat SUNBURST. I think that's a very good price, compared to what they ask for ••••• sunburst. But it's NOT what I call the Hank B. Marvin sound. Paul, about the selector switch. You can test it by gently tapping with a piece of iron/steel (teaspoon or a small screwdriver) on the polepieces. You will hear that different pickups react in each position. Your description is how it SHOULD be, but it is always possible that someone messed with it, or that a coil is broken. So this is a basic test for people with no multimeter. But as soon you notice that's something is wrong, you should get that meter, in order not to depend on expensive repairmen. There's A LOT you can do yourself. The basic electric guitar models with passive electronics are NOT complicated. But if you get troubles with active electronics and equalizers, it's wise to get some advise from experienced guys like FOX. The only active electronics I ever built in were Bartolini pickups with a WSC controlboard in my though-body-neck Jazz Bass. Batteries keep costing money, so I keep that limited to that bass and a few AE dreadnoughts such as my Maton. But over the last few years I invested a little in rechargeable batteries and loaders. (Also for the toys of the kids), so I don't have to worry that much about having to buy new Duracells anymore. Although they're of course more dependible for gigs. It's always wise to charge 3 rechargeables before you go to a gig. Or use the rechargeables at home and keep a new Alkaline battery for the gig. All these problems can be avoided with passive electronics. So: simple Strats, Teles, PB, JB and PJ basses, Les Pauls, ES models with simple wiring diagrams, that's what I like. The brand doesn't reallly matter, as long as it's good and keeps working. Looking at them with collector's eyes the brands start to matter of course. But that's not always quality related. I was originally a classical guitarist, who played on the 1962 Stratocaster of our music school band until I was 18 and went to university. There my Aria AC20 was under my bed. I still remember that time I took my guitar back home to my parents after a conflict with my landlady who used my room for her grandchildern during the weekend and didn't want me to be on my room during the holidays, but still wanted to get rent. When my parents saw me with my guitar at the front door, they knew it had to be serious. They immediately placed an ad for a new room. I bought my first own Stratocaster after I finished my studies. But I always was more of a melody picker (Hank Marvin fan) so I didn't need that much output and distorsion. A good reverb was essential for that sound. I found that in my Polytone MaxiBrute 104. Playing this way doesn't damage your ears as playing in a hard rock band or playing in a big band. (Don't underestimate that, because I know guitarist who wear a hearing aid because of the too loud horn section behind them). Ginger   Talajuha Username: Talajuha Registered: 11-2006 Posted on Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 6:12 am:    Most wiring diagrams at http://www.ibanez.com/support/wiringdiagrams.aspx explain the pickup selector function. There are models from years 1994 to 2007 and if you have older guitar you can try to find one with same pickup, selector and volume/tone control configuration. Juha   Bluesmeister Username: Bluesmeister Registered: 5-2004 Posted on Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 10:14 am:    "I think Ginger is referring to them as a mortal sin, because it a strat would have to be routed to accomodate the humbucker." My 2004 American Deluxe Strat is routed to accomodate H/S/H but is fitted with S/S/S. I think I'm right in saying that all but Custom Shop Strat are routed in this manner. Some years ago Strats had the universally slated 'bathtub' rout that was effecively a huge rout from the top of the neck P/U down to the bottom of the bridge P/U http://www.leatherhead.org/msp/strats.htm

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