If you haven't CRINGED today ...

That's just sad. Reminded me of the hack job that was done on Michael Bloomfield's Tele! Too much time and a jigsaw are bad bedfellows.
 
I'm pretty sure I overpaid but the work seamed well done--
I found this Dean in Vegas at a Pawn Shop... idk what they were asking for it but I paid $200 for it... probably too much.

It's not that bad- BUT I'm sure with a little work it can be much better (there's 2 strings going through each ferrule so it's a little annoying to tune)

I like 12 string electrics so I have a bunch of crappy ones because I don't wanna pay for a Rickenbacker

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I see no problem with people trying to hack their guitars and find the next big thing, because there will be many failures that have to happen before each forward step. For example, from what I can tell, metal guitars have not advanced much significantly from the time when Edward van Halen was sitting in his father's garage hacking on axes (well, perhaps they've become HSH with coil taps?), and I want to see progress!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstrat

Personally I think the lack of progress stems from the vintage craze that followed after the 80's. When guitarists stopped looking forward and began to look backwards. All obsessing about vintage tone, effects, amps and guitars. And when you start to treat your gear with reverence you're less likely to experiment on it. Instruments should be maintained well, as any other tool, but they are still tools. Nothing more.
 
I agree to an extent, but taking a saw to a PRS or Gibson is just throwing away money. Pick up a cheap import guitar for that kind of thing.

I think a lot of the progress we've seen has been in production techniques. CNC machines allow companies to make far more consistent and precise instruments than ever before. Your dollar goes further these days too. For example, today's entry and mid level instruments are far better than they were 30 years ago. We also have far more options than ever before as well. Hell for a few thousand dollars, you can buy your own CNC router and design and build your own guitars on a home computer. That was a wet dream 30 years ago. Many things have also stayed the same, not through lack of trying new things, but because people keep coming back to certain tried and true designs.
 
The kicker is that most of these abominations are being done to really nice guitars.

It reminds me of a Les Paul I was considering a few years ago. I was looking at a 1978 Les Paul Standard for $1800 at the Guitar Center in Kalamazoo. I thought that was a good price, and from the website picture it looked decent. Mind you, Guitar Center doesn't provide much more than the most basic in pictures for their used gear on the website. So, a while later I was going to a friend's wedding in Kalamazoo, so I figured I'd stop in and take a look at this Les Paul.

Oh dear.....

Someone at some point in it's life (probably the 80s) had taken a BELT SANDER to the Les Paul's neck. The neck was shaved down to Ibanez Wizard-type thin. I wanted to cry. Poor Les Paul. If someone in the 80s wanted a shred guitar, they should have sold it and used the proceeds to fund a shred axe!!!!!

There were some other holes and knobs drilled into this guitar, which were not there when it was built. Those mods were horrible, but by far the biggest travesty was the neck. I still weep when I think of that poor guitar!
 
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