Would you re finish a Custom Shop Strat

Muddy T-Bone · February 8th, 2010, 10:35 PM

I've been wrestling with this question for 2 years now.

If you were given (as an award) A Fender custom shop strat, and you hated the finish, would you re finish to your liking of have a pro re finish it?

Or would that be sacriledge to deface a custom shop strat.

Oh yes, it's SN is #2 of 25.

peskypesky · February 8th, 2010, 10:39 PM

nope. no way.

Outlier73 · February 8th, 2010, 10:39 PM

DON'T!!! Please sell it and buy a new one if you don't like it. Someone else may like it the way it is and it's a custom shop!

tonyw · February 8th, 2010, 10:42 PM

Sell it and buy what you want!

Blackmore Fan · February 8th, 2010, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyw

Sell it and buy what you want!

Exactly! Its better for you and better for the guitar.

UmpaHimself · February 9th, 2010, 01:57 AM

Or at least attempt a trade. I really like to have my guitars exactly how I like them so I can understand where your coming from but I think you already know whats the answer. If it was anything but a custom shop I would say go ahead but on a CS, thats like sacrilegious man. Your gunna break some hearts.

johnreardon · February 9th, 2010, 02:46 AM

I wouldn't refinish any guitar, unless it really needed a repair of some sort.

With a serial number of 2 of 25, I seriously would not refinish it. It's a limited run of some sort with a low serial number, so it's going to have slightly higher value.

Either stick with it or sell it.

DKoor · February 9th, 2010, 03:04 AM

Good poll. I opted #3.

Personally I wouldn't do it, I'd rather sell that guitar and go for another one I like.

But choice is yours.

Scott L · February 9th, 2010, 06:44 AM

To me its silly to own something you don't like. If you don't care for it as a player now, you won't with a color you like either.

If it is a player, that you use because its a great guitar and not just a show piece, with no real plans to sell it, and the only thing you don't like is the color, then go for it.

Do it knowing its going to lower the value, but if its not for sale, especially after its the color you like, re-sale value is a non-issue.

harrysmo · February 9th, 2010, 07:19 AM

I would sell it unless I really liked the guitar. Then I would buy another body that I liked with the color that I want and replace the body of the CS. Keep the original body to swap back out when/if you sell it. Then sell the replacement body you bought. Probably much cheaper than a refinish, no damage to the CS Strat- it keeps all its' value and you'll recoup most of your money spent on the extra body when you sell it.

still_fiddlin · February 9th, 2010, 07:30 AM

I voted #3, but that's my answer to you, not what I'd do.

Assuming it's just the body color, I'd take the body off, put it in a box, and buy a Warmoth both painted the color I wanted. When I decided to sell, or came to my senses, I could recoup some of the money from the non-Fender body, and still have the CS in original form.

Oh, just saw i posted the same answer as harrysmo!

casualofender · February 9th, 2010, 07:37 AM

It's not sacriledge, but man, that's a bad idea. I vote work a trade too.
+++Post some pics man!+++

Andy · February 9th, 2010, 07:40 AM

I voted #3, but was tempted by #2 as well.
What is exactly you don't like about that poor guitar?

Tone Deaf · February 9th, 2010, 08:13 AM

Sell it, then get what you want.

It is only "on loan" to you.

Falstaff48 · February 9th, 2010, 08:14 AM

Go to the sight below, buy one, paint it like you want and be happy. But do not paint a low serial number custom shop strat. Even if you don't personally see it, that guitar is an asset the your family could sell in event of your demise. I know that is not a happy thought but at times you have to look at your possesions in that light.

Welcome to Guitar Body Huggerz

Rickster · February 9th, 2010, 08:16 AM

Yes, but only if it's pink.

Falstaff48 · February 9th, 2010, 08:26 AM

Shell Pink to be exact. By the way, I have one of them but have not installed it yet. But it's how I'm going to get my shell pink strat I've always wanted.

peskypesky · February 9th, 2010, 08:29 AM

i'm confused. how can anything that "destroys value" be ok?

67Strat · February 9th, 2010, 08:58 AM

I wouldn't. Sell it and buy what you want if you must.

What color is it? The color thing is pretty low on my list of cares. If I am putting something together the only thing I consider about color is having something different than I already have, I have too many black guitars so I usually avoid black. Other than that color doesn't matter to me, playability and need is everything.

T-Bodz Terry B. · February 9th, 2010, 04:12 PM

Don't do it! Sell it and buy what you'd like to have!

amstratnut · February 9th, 2010, 05:19 PM

Pics? And, no absolutley not. Do not care about value. Its what it is that makes it what it is.

Keeeeeep it. Some day you'll fall in love with that finish and you'll wish you hadn't sold it.

still_fiddlin · February 9th, 2010, 05:25 PM

To be realistic, this is a new, factory produced item, not even 1/1, so it's not like painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa. I still think #3 is "ok," though not what I'd do myself.

What if I got a "Closet Classic" because I couldn't find a relic'd one in the color that I liked. Would it be Ok to drag it around the block, tied to the back of my car, or hit it with a belt sander, to hasten the process? What's the difference?

LeftyBlake · February 9th, 2010, 05:28 PM

I wouldn't do it, personally. But I voted "yes" because it's yours and you can do whatever you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peskypesky

i'm confused. how can anything that "destroys value" be ok?

Because value doesn't matter to everyone. When I buy a piece of musical equipment, value means nothing to me. As long as it pleases me, then that's what matters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amstratnut

Its what it is that makes it what it is.

That's like saying you shouldn't put new pickups, pots, trem, etc. in a guitar because it will change what it is.

amstratnut · February 9th, 2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftyBlake

That's like saying you shouldn't put new pickups, pots, trem, etc. in a guitar because it will change what it is.

We're not talking just any guitar. I've modded my deluxe am strat without thinking about it. This is in another league to me. I probably will never get to own something like that. To me it is kinda like drawing a mustache on the mona lisa. Maybe they're not as special as I think they are. I'm not thinkng value here.

hunterlovell · February 9th, 2010, 06:16 PM

id go with the get a new body idea

Razorc195 · February 9th, 2010, 10:19 PM

Nope. Keep it long enough to be sure you hate it, say a year or two. Then if you still don't like it, go sell/trade it for your dream rig.... but don't refinish it..... Limited runs are money in the bank. You could even order a master built to your specifications....

Scoey · February 10th, 2010, 02:22 AM

Just send it back to the Custom Shop and have them refinish it a colour you like.

frankjc · February 10th, 2010, 09:25 AM

I would refinish it it it started looking like a relic.

bettsaj · February 10th, 2010, 01:21 PM

speak to Fender first, see if the custom shop will refinish it for you... that way it retains it's value

If not.... sell sell sell

cmfrtblynmb209 · February 10th, 2010, 01:41 PM

At the end of the day, it's just a guitar. No matter who made it or what it's worth. So if you love the guitar and have no reason to think you'll ever part with it, but can't stand the color? Hey, it's your guitar...

If you really love the guitar, I wouldn't suggest changing out the body. I mean, it's worth a shot, you can always change it back, but the body is a fairly substantial part of the guitar, and you're probably going to change the way it feels and sounds. Weight, wood type, and the intangibles of a "good body" are all going to affect the sound. You might get lucky and like it, you might not. But I wouldn't expect the same guitar with more than 50% of the wood replaced. There's a reason people on this forum will tell you all day long to "play them all until you find the one..." It's because no two guitars are the same, and that obviously extends to the bodies.

If you're not sure you're going to be buried with the guitar and value is of some concern to you... I wouldn't touch it. It will hurt the value significantly.

Again, at the end of the day, it's your guitar. Only you can possibly know what the right thing is for you to do.

Toadlc · February 10th, 2010, 02:17 PM

I agree with Bettsaj. What about sending it to Fender & having them refinish in the color of choice? Might be an alternative that wouldn't diminish the appeal of the guitar.

JDavis · February 10th, 2010, 08:02 PM

Can you pls post a pic of this beauty so we can see what we're talking about?

johnreardon · February 11th, 2010, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bettsaj

speak to Fender first, see if the custom shop will refinish it for you... that way it retains it's value

If not.... sell sell sell

If it's a limited edition of 25, it will not retain it's value, whoever finishes it?

JonnyFriendly · February 11th, 2010, 01:36 AM

Do not refinish it - not in a million years

Boris Bubbanov · February 11th, 2010, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Bodz Terry B.

Don't do it! Sell it and buy what you'd like to have!

What Terry says.

Astro1176 · February 11th, 2010, 05:08 AM

went for option 3 and generally agree with the flavour of this thread and ideas like sell it, get a new body, or get the custom shop to refinish it.

I'd ask - what has been holding you back from refinishing or selling it?

Is it because the you have a special attachment to it since it was an award? If so - then you must deal with your feelings in this regard. If you had been awarded a gold cup, would you want to respray it white to match your crockery?

orcslayer · February 11th, 2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyw

Sell it and buy what you want!

I agree.

Muddy T-Bone · February 12th, 2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott L

To me its silly to own something you don't like. If you don't care for it as a player now, you won't with a color you like either.

If it is a player, that you use because its a great guitar and not just a show piece, with no real plans to sell it, and the only thing you don't like is the color, then go for it.

Do it knowing its going to lower the value, but if its not for sale, especially after its the color you like, re-sale value is a non-issue.

Scott,

I agree it is silly to own something I don't like. Here's my quandry. I paid zero for it, it's a custom shop, which will do nothing but go up-up-up in value, and I really don't like anything about the axe. But if I do something as radical as refinish it, it will destroy value

I really liked nothing about this axe. The ridiculous finish is something I can't live with....see the picture below. The frets were jumbo originally, I hated those and had her refretted to vintage. My luthier returned the originals in a zip lock bag for me.

The pickups are those disgusting Texas specials.

I dealt with the frets, I can replace the pickups, but the finish just ain't me.

Muddy T-Bone · February 12th, 2010, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by still_fiddlin

I voted #3, but that's my answer to you, not what I'd do.

Assuming it's just the body color, I'd take the body off, put it in a box, and buy a Warmoth both painted the color I wanted. When I decided to sell, or came to my senses, I could recoup some of the money from the non-Fender body, and still have the CS in original form.

Oh, just saw i posted the same answer as harrysmo!

SF and Harry,

You guys solved my problem. I hadn't even considered that as an easy solution to my vexing problem. I will do that.

I can't stand the Texas Specials, they would need to be replaced, and I think it's just wrong to put tele metal knurled knobs on a strat. Plus the finish brings me to heave, it just ain't a blues-man's axe.

That's what I'll do, replace the body and toss this custom shop monstrosity in the attic should I ever decide to sell her.

Much grass...sorry, mucho gracias

Muddy T-Bone · February 12th, 2010, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 67Strat

I wouldn't. Sell it and buy what you want if you must.

What color is it? The color thing is pretty low on my list of cares.

'67,

Color is low for me too. In fact it matters not one bit for me. It's the stupid graphics, the texas specials, the tele knobs all of which I can't live with.

Hell, if it sounded good and the neck was right I'd play a barbie pink guitar.

See the pic above of the stupid graphics