NSGD

[parker_knoll]

New sacrificial guitar day!

I got this unfortunate Dearmond M55 for UK£70 to answer my own Qs about how different vibratos affect the sound.

To be scientific I have three new sets of GHS strings to test it with. Please excuse the bad phone pics and appreciate the way it was strung by the previous owner and how misaligned the bridge is.

 

[GGJaguar]

I love science. Looking forward the results of your experiments.

 

[Bonneville88]

Cool - this should be interesting!

 

[Nuuska]

Having one M55 ( for 100€ together w fully functional Peavy Audition Plus combo amp ) - it is hard to tell from those pictures if the bridge is misaligned. Could as well be the neck - while it is bolted - just a little angle would offset strings that much.

I took the neck off and routed a cavity into heel pocket - then drilled a hole to pup-cavity - installed a Barcus Berry pietzo - still have to change the jack to stereo so I can get both signals out separately.

All in all fantastic guitar for the money.

 

[Nuuska]

That "El Cheapo" vibrato looked familiar - and so I went to look - and I have one just like it. No name - no stamp - no Logo - no nothing.

Any idea of who made it? - and when?

 

[parker_knoll]

That "El Cheapo" vibrato looked familiar - and so I went to look - and I have one just like it. No name - no stamp - no Logo - no nothing.

Any idea of who made it? - and when?

which? there's no el cheapo here!

that's a Duesenberg vibrola (albeit cheaper than a Bigsby B5 but an excellent unit) and a very expensive Mastery jazzmaster style unit

 

[parker_knoll]

Just a few glasses of good Portugese red later, here's the Duesenberg. Works well. I'm recording audio as I go, proper post will follow

 

[cupric]

Just a few glasses of good Portugese red later, here's the Duesenberg. Works well. I'm recording audio as I go, proper post will follow

Looks excellent!

 

[Bonneville88]

Me too - surprised that looks as unexpectedly cool as it does!

 

[parker_knoll]

Bingo. Enjoy the router wounds

I did it with a mini drill and took no care. Poor guitar.

BTW installing one of these on a not straight guitar offers special challenges. To work properly the unit had to go on slightly skewed as well

 

[SFIV1967]

The Duesenberg looks great on that guitar, like it belongs there! The D even fits a DeArmond but both Ds from the knobs are missing!

But I believe Nuuska was refering to the last one as "El Cheapo" however, what manufacturer is that?

Ralf

 

[parker_knoll]

Mastery! Very expensive.

I chose to sit it closer to the bridge than on a Jazzmaster to increase break angle

 

[parker_knoll]

NB this is a test platform only. The destination will be my Guild M70

 

[GGJaguar]

Jazzmastery goodness there!

 

[Nuuska]

Not that cast Duesenberg - but the other one - Mastery - I have it from estate of my late friend who was violin repairman - and he collected all kind stuff.

I checked Mastery homepage - and it seems mine is one of those "other" that they mention. Sadly no telling if this one was touched by Leo Fender sometimes . . .

EDIT - except it doesn't say Fender - either - so El Cheapo it is - my unit.

 

[parker_knoll]

Never having played Fenders I'm struggling to deal with how high off the guitar the trem arm is

 

[parker_knoll]

Results now published here for peer review