Like I said, I'm like the crazy guy who gathers together stray unwanted cats and fill my house with them. 'Cept I hate cats: I love guitars. And trust me, I have seen more than my share of neglected axes. Maybe instead of an arsenal, I have an orphanage...
Anyways, let's talk about Flasher:
I particularly liked the reminder of the tuning it's in:
2 tuners busted, cracked nut, coil rot on both pickups (both were so intermittent it was like I was using a kill switch), wiring was dicey, knobs glued to the pots (I *hate* that!) and an output jack so corroded it broke in half (down the middle!) when I examined it. But the best part: buddy unscrewed the upper strap button to take the strap he had on it off. Getting it home, I discovered it was the hazard light knob from like a 70's Comet, with a screw jammed in. Hence the name Flasher.
70's Epi's have 3 big issues to deal with, in my experience. First, the truss rods tend to seize or snap pretty readily, they're kinda small in diameter. Flasher's in fine, stroke of luck there. Second, like many budget guitars from the era, the pickups tend to corrode and short over time, requiring a rewind (yeah, right...) or a swap out. Problem is, these humbuckers are wider than normal, which lead to all sorts of mounting issues. And third, at least in this neck of the woods, they're the classic "throw it in the unheated garage for 10 years" electric: I seen these with some serious wood rot in the neck. Again, Flasher is fine.
It's currently hooked to an old Washburn humbucker I had kicking around (which sounds great) and a single volume. The neck hum is there because I kept catching my pick in the cavity. The neck is super wide and flat (almost early 80s Fender), which I honestly can't solo on. So this is my chainsaw axe, for those Johnny Ramone excursions. I've used this a lot in recording, exclusively on my 28.8K & the Bauds stuff, where chainsaw is the order of the day. That signal path, which I love, is Flasher into a Smokey Amp (Dunhill, natch) into a 15" Fender bass cab w/ a 57 at the cone. Great tone.
I love this goofy thing. I wish there were more crazy Ukes around here with guitars they wanna sell... I've run into the guy who sold me this a few times at the store, and he's always "Yer that guy... don't tell me... you I know from somewhere..." Still nuts, and I still dig him.
Anyways, let's talk about Flasher:
While perusing Kijiji one day, noticed an ad, no photo, selling an Epiphone for $80. Checked the map - seller was literally within walking distance. Phoned him up, and popped over. And then the fun begun...
Dude was this crazy old Ukrainian dude. He had homemade pink flamingos in the yard, no shit. We when to the basement, every ledge of which was covered in little models of wagons and boats he had made out of twigs (very well done ones at that...). As I entered the rumpus room (with tan and green checked carpet from the 70s in immaculate condition), he hid another guitar. The place was filled with beat up trumpets, trombones, a fire engine red snare, and on one side, a wall of couches stacked up. He talked a mile a minute in a heavy accent. I dug him instantly.
He bemoaned his wife making him get rid of his stuff, "sure don't wanna get rid of this nice guitar." I chatted it up with him, when he gave me a sudden glare, asking "what you gonna do with this?" Gave him the song & dance about fixing up gear for "my church" and giving it away - a line I've used with folks for decades. Swapped him 4 twenties, and hiked home.
So, 70's Cretwood ET-290, a guitar that's been on my want list for years, except maybe in better shape. Crudely stripped and finished in 90 coats of blue spray paint, with strange little embossed stickers all over it:
2 tuners busted, cracked nut, coil rot on both pickups (both were so intermittent it was like I was using a kill switch), wiring was dicey, knobs glued to the pots (I *hate* that!) and an output jack so corroded it broke in half (down the middle!) when I examined it. But the best part: buddy unscrewed the upper strap button to take the strap he had on it off. Getting it home, I discovered it was the hazard light knob from like a 70's Comet, with a screw jammed in. Hence the name Flasher.
70's Epi's have 3 big issues to deal with, in my experience. First, the truss rods tend to seize or snap pretty readily, they're kinda small in diameter. Flasher's in fine, stroke of luck there. Second, like many budget guitars from the era, the pickups tend to corrode and short over time, requiring a rewind (yeah, right...) or a swap out. Problem is, these humbuckers are wider than normal, which lead to all sorts of mounting issues. And third, at least in this neck of the woods, they're the classic "throw it in the unheated garage for 10 years" electric: I seen these with some serious wood rot in the neck. Again, Flasher is fine.
It's currently hooked to an old Washburn humbucker I had kicking around (which sounds great) and a single volume. The neck hum is there because I kept catching my pick in the cavity. The neck is super wide and flat (almost early 80s Fender), which I honestly can't solo on. So this is my chainsaw axe, for those Johnny Ramone excursions. I've used this a lot in recording, exclusively on my 28.8K & the Bauds stuff, where chainsaw is the order of the day. That signal path, which I love, is Flasher into a Smokey Amp (Dunhill, natch) into a 15" Fender bass cab w/ a 57 at the cone. Great tone.
I love this goofy thing. I wish there were more crazy Ukes around here with guitars they wanna sell... I've run into the guy who sold me this a few times at the store, and he's always "Yer that guy... don't tell me... you I know from somewhere..." Still nuts, and I still dig him.
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