Muddslide
Joined: Mar 25, 2009
Posts: 76
Gypsy Caravan
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 09:41 AM
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Stagg-M350-Electric-Guitar-Warrany-Sunburst_W0QQitemZ370177108847QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item370177108847&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
I realize it's not a Fender (or even a Squier) but I'm looking for a dedicated surf guitar. I play bass about 70% of the time, but these days I'm no longer gigging and just planning on doing some home recording. I have a Les Paul and a Telecaster, but I'm jonesing for something offset-waisted and Fender-ish.
I was looking at the Squier Jagmaster, but they have humbuckers...I could probably retrofit some more traditional Jazzmaster pickups onto it, but I am on a pretty tight budget.
I've also considered slapping a Bigsby trem on my Tele.
I've played some Stagg instruments that were pretty decent and some that were pretty bleh.
I know this is sacriligious here, but I'm not much of a Strat fan; I think mainly because they are just so common. I've owned some great Strats but never bonded with them. Of course, if I'm not playing live shows, the looks don't really matter, right? And this Stagg has the same pup configuration, so I'm just being silly I suppose.
Wondered if anyone had any knowledge or experience with the guitar linked above. Or if anyone had any suggestions for alternatives in that general price range.
I'm very interested in the Rondo/SX SJM guitars too (the ones that look like melting Jazzmasters with a shark fin) but they come with 'buckers or P-90s and I've heard real horror stories about the trem setups on them.
Any advice appreciated.
As I said, I might just go for a Bigsby on my Tele, but that woulkd cost nearly as much as this Stagg or an SX.
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2687
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 11:01 AM
That looks like a Strat in a Jazzmaster body, it should work fine. I assume it has a Strat tremolo. I'm guessing that putting a Bigsby on a Tele would probably cost more than the whole Stagg guitar.
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parrish
Joined: Aug 05, 2007
Posts: 15
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 11:11 AM
I have played a couple of Stagg guitars at local places and have been less than impressed with their quality. I have never seen that model before, but if you have played some that were decent and others that were not, then I wouldn't risk it.
Granted, you get what you pay for, but even for that price I would look around some and see what else is available, IMHO.
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estreet
Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 12:17 PM
Stagg are just a company that get other companies to make stuff then put their name on it - as such I've seen both good and bad stuff. You mentioned SX guitars - a friend ordered one of their jaguar-ish looking short-scale basses from the US, and we were both pretty amazed by it's quality at such a low price.
— http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns
Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.
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badash
Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 01:14 PM
And long as the neck (frets) don't do a cheese-grater number on your hands, it has a vibrato and single coils. Done. I don't know who built it for Stagg, but alot of the cheap Korean and Chinese production houses have invested in Plek machines. Keeps their costs down on the front end attention to detail on necks and the back end attention to detail on setups. They end up with a very playable guitar hanging on the wall of the music store. It "feels" and "plays" better than fenders costing 5 times as much right from the shop. Hopefully this is one of those.
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supertonesurf
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 419
n.y.c.
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 01:23 PM
looks like a cool guitar for the price, go for it
— Facebook pages theSupertones
or @ Timothy C Sullivan
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Surfabilly
Joined: Apr 21, 2006
Posts: 852
Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 01:34 PM
I don't know about the Stagg. I'd more likely consider this one, but I'd rather try a Reverend Warhawk II 390 first.
Matt
— Fast Cars & Loud Guitars!
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2687
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 02:14 PM
Surfabilly
I don't know about the Stagg. I'd more likely consider this one, but I'd rather try a Reverend Warhawk II 390 first.
Matt
No and no. P-90s and no trem unit on either of those. They look cool but lack the fundamentals.
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Muddslide
Joined: Mar 25, 2009
Posts: 76
Gypsy Caravan
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 02:55 PM
No and no. P-90s and no trem unit on either of those. They look cool but lack the fundamentals.
Well, yeah...it's not the P-90s I was going for, but the overall shape and the fact it has a trem. I don't have a guitar with a trem currently.
Someone above mentioned SX. I own two SX instruments and they are killer. I've been plaing over 30 years so I can tell good from crud. Those el-cheapo offshore budget guitars are many levels of magnitude better--and consistently better--than they were up to about 10-15 years ago.
Rondo/SX does sell this:
http://www.rondomusic.com/sjm62bk.html...which I think is super-cool, but again--P-90s! I like P-90s, but I want this to be my surf guitar, so will be looking for a more Fender-ish single coil. Also, while I do think SX stuff is really good, I've heard the trems on these SJMs are barely usable. Many people put Mustang trems on them.
I came across another pretty cool-looking el-cheapo actually called the Surf Master:
http://i2.iofferphoto.com/img/item/531/377/06/47c3_1_b.JPG
...it gets decent reviews (it's made by Jay Turser who have some nice budget gear) but once AGAIN--P-90s! How can they call it the Surf Master with P-90s?!?!?!
Oh, the affrontery! 
I dunno...in the end, I may just get an inexpensive Strat copy or maybe even just put a Bigsby on my Tele.
Anyone play surf with a Tele I wonder?
I'm really not wanting to confine myself to "surf" (though as we all know, it's a much more expansive genre than most people think) but guitar instro stuff in general...I like Duane Eddy, Link Wray and Davie Allan as much as I like Dick Dale, for instance.
But I do want some kind of guitar with some kind of trem system...
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skeeter
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 2063
Virginia, USA
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 03:13 PM
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2687
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 05:37 PM
Muddslide
I dunno...in the end, I may just get an inexpensive Strat copy or maybe even just put a Bigsby on my Tele.
Anyone play surf with a Tele I wonder?
But I do want some kind of guitar with some kind of trem system...
You are right to insist on a trem unit. I just got a Squier Strat, I had to change the crappy tremolo unit for $40 and a few hours of labor. I also put a Jaguar trem unit and bridge on a Tele and I like it a lot, with heavier strings it would be very suitable. I personally think any guitar with single coils is fine for surf music as long as you aren't going for a specific tone (Strat/Jag/Jazzmaster). I had a Daneletro Innuendo which was fine except that it wouldn't stay in tune for me.
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tiki101
Joined: Mar 22, 2009
Posts: 101
pgh, where the zombies live
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 09:16 PM
I don't know what your budget is, but i just saw a cool Yamaha on ebay. It's listed as a 300, but more like a Mosrite-style guitar than the sgv's.
It has a trem and strat p/u's, samurai headstock.
opening bid is 210, b.i.n. is 275.
Just an idea.
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tiki101
Joined: Mar 22, 2009
Posts: 101
pgh, where the zombies live
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Posted on Mar 26 2009 09:19 PM
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Surfabilly
Joined: Apr 21, 2006
Posts: 852
Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Mar 27 2009 06:23 PM
Interesting Vibrola-style setup on those Danos, skeeter. Personally, I've fallen in love with guitars having P90 pickups. So far my, Epiphone Les Paul Jr. 90, Gibson Les Paul Faded Double Cut (Special) and Gibson Les Paul Melody Maker are just what I need to satisfy what I want to do, in the way of my original instrumentals. In the future, I'll have a "Telecaster" with P90s and a Stratocaster-style tremolo, and eventually I'll indulge myself in the possibilities of "if one or two P90s are good, what about three P90s?"
I've been longing for a Dean Palomino, and if I don't buy a Reverend Warhawk II 390 or another having three P90s, I'll likely build something with three P90s. Once I manage to get ahold of a Dean Palomino, I'll likely replace the tailpiece with a Bigsby.
Matt
— Fast Cars & Loud Guitars!
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badash
Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732
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Posted on Mar 27 2009 07:28 PM
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Woodsurfer
Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 310
Bel Air, MD USA
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Posted on Mar 27 2009 07:30 PM
You didn't say how much you wanted to spend (though most have suggestions have been in the $200 range) but I hope you'll consider this option -- the DiPinto Galaxie 4 (http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dipinto-Galaxie-4-Los-Straitjackets?sku=512625). It's definitely not a Strat and does have single coils (four of 'em, yet). If I didn't already have as many guitars as this no-talent surf rocker needs, I'd be jonesin' for one m'self.
-- Woody
— It takes a lot of mussel memory to avoid clams.
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JimCucci
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 20
Huntington Beach
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Posted on Mar 27 2009 10:13 PM
OK, I confess. I own one (actually 2) of these. I paid under $200 for the Stagg m350 new in CAR. I upgraded the tuners (about $20) and swapped out the pickups for GFS '64 Staggers ($62). End result? This may be my favorite guitar of the 10 I own including a Fender Strat, 2 Jazzmasters, a Jaguar, the Dipinto Galaxie 4 and a couple Wilson Bros. models. It looks great, feels great, and sounds great for less than $300. I bought the second one used in a Candy blue color under the Wesley (UK) brand but I'm positive it came out of the same Chinese factory.
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Muddslide
Joined: Mar 25, 2009
Posts: 76
Gypsy Caravan
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Posted on Mar 30 2009 03:52 PM
JimCucci
OK, I confess. I own one (actually 2) of these. I paid under $200 for the Stagg m350 new in CAR. I upgraded the tuners (about $20) and swapped out the pickups for GFS '64 Staggers ($62). End result? This may be my favorite guitar of the 10 I own including a Fender Strat, 2 Jazzmasters, a Jaguar, the Dipinto Galaxie 4 and a couple Wilson Bros. models. It looks great, feels great, and sounds great for less than $300. I bought the second one used in a Candy blue color under the Wesley (UK) brand but I'm positive it came out of the same Chinese factory.
Well, you are not making it easy. 
I called around locally and didn't find a place that had this particular model (M350) but I did find a nearby Stagg dealer, so I went there to play just about every one they had in stock.
Okay, well, I didn't play their Gibson knockoffs, but several Strat and Tele and P-bass clones and they weren't bad.
I found one or two that were real dogs that had serious setup issues (which may well have been fixable.)
Overall, however, I was pretty impressed. I'm good at tinkering and doing setups and such. I may actually go for one of these.
You don't wanna sell your blue one cheap do ya?
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