Best beater guitar?

[xeroks]

Hi guys

I'm thinking about buying a guitar for testing wiring and pickups on. Any thoughts as to the best style of guitar to buy? Does a pickguard/control plate make things easier or more difficult?

I'd like to - for instance - minimize the number of times I'm restringing the guitar.

I'm not planning on spending more than £100 on it, but can wait until something suitable comes up locally.

[newey]

Feb 4, 2021 12:33:36 GMT -5 xeroks said:

Does a pickguard/control plate make things easier or more difficult?

I'd like to - for instance - minimize the number of times I'm restringing the guitar.

You face some trade-offs here.. A rear cavity guitar is much easier in that regard, no destringing until/unless you change pickups.

But, as the economists tell us, "there is no such thing as a free lunch . . .". There is a downside to using a rear-cavity axe as a test mule- any switches you add will need to have longer shanks to go through the wood. This will limit the selections of switches available to you. Also, adding any switches means another hole in the wood- if you ever want to return this to a stock appearance, it's much easier to just slap on a new pickguard if the old one is looking like swiss cheese from your mods.

It's also easier to wire things mounted through a pickguard than having to work down in a cavity. But it's always preferable to wire up a complete harness using a template of some sort than to wire on the pickguard itself, or down in the rear cavity.

But there is (IMO) a better idea. Strat clones are ubiquitous, and if you're looking for a cheap guitar, the likelihood is that you'll have a lot of Strat-ish choices. In order to avoid the destringing problem, we have had members modify a Strat pickguard so that the portion that covers the control cavity is separate from the rest, like an access plate- either by cutting the pickguard just North of the Vol control and adding some extra screws to secure that section, or hinging the guard at that point such that the controls can be raised out of the cavity on a hinged portion.

There are some photos of how folks have done that around here somewhere, but I disremember where those would be at this point, it's been several years. But you get the idea. IIRC, ashcatlt did this a while back, and someone else as well.

[frets]

SSS = Not in any order - Harmony, Sammick, Squier Cheapo, - I’ll catch a lot of heat on these choices but for good bones, these guitars do fine (okay, the Harmony is pushing it but we’re talking beaters for testing pickups)
HH = Ibanez GAX70 or GAX75 the absolute best beater HH in quality and they can be had for less than $100. A really good guitar.
SSH = Yamaha Pacifica - hands down. You can buy one for $75. This would be my top beater choice.

I’d say you’d be safe with any of the Ibanez GIO series. But the Yamaha takes it going away.

[xeroks]

Great suggestion about chopping a pickguard up into different sections. That's the winner.

I'm always amazed when I look at gumtree the cheap prices of some good quality guitars. It's soooo tempting to bump up my budget to that schecter blackjack for £200, or that ibanez for £150... but no, I must be strong.

[newey]

Feb 4, 2021 18:09:55 GMT -5 xeroks said:

but no, I must be strong.

As gumbo says, it's only an addiction if you're trying to quit. Or something like that.

frets had some good suggestions. I've modded a few cheap Washburns, and they were a solid starting point, the necks were good at least.

If you're in mind of HH guitars, the metalheads ruled in the '80s and '90's, and guitars from that era can often be had cheap- various Ibanez, BC Rich guitars come to mind as potential modding mules that can be had cheaply.

One thing that has been done, if you buy the cheapie and get the electronics upgraded to your liking, you can then swap in a replacement Strat neck, improving playability while keeping your "guts" intact. The neck quality will probably be the biggest distinction between the lower-level products and the higher levels.

[xeroks]

I think here in the UK things are more expensive on the 2nd hand market. The best I can see at £100 or less are the low end Squiers, which will be fine, I guess.

Most of the lowend yamaha/ibanez/washburn etcs are £120-£200, they're tempting, but I want this to be as cheap as possible.

Maybe I just should go really cheap, there's an Ion which the seller admits is not good for £20...

[newey]

100 pounds is about $137USD currently.  I don't know to what extent VAT, etc may affect things, but for $137, I could have a brand-new Epiphone LP Jr., a "Mitchell" brand Strat clone, or several other cheapie guitars.  Used would be even cheaper, but shipping is often prohibitive, sometimes more than the guitar itself.

I have bought cheap guitars for modding purposes second-hand at pawnshops for good prices.  Whatever price they hang on the tag is merely a "prelude to negotiation".