BJFE / BearFoot fx Guitar Effects Community

So how many of you out there play ugly guitars? You know, the ones that make vintage dealers cringe

This is my 69 strat.

It was modded in the 80s with an original Floyd Rose. Body was routed for the floyd, and refinished in surf green. Also refretted with BIG frets.

Over the years, I have experimented with lots of electronics, and settled down with Dimarzio HS-3 pickups, and a "blender" switch on the second tone pot, so I can get the front/back pickup "Tele" setting.

I let my daughter color it with sharpies. Every now and then, we will clean it off with googone, and let her do a new design.

And I recently ordered all new plastic from Dimarzio, to make it even uglier.

Say hello to the "Key West o Caster"

Here's the kicker -- it SOUNDS AMAZING and has the neck profile that the Tyler guitars '59 profile was modeled upon.

And no vintage dealers ever try to buy it from me

Apart from the trem, I don't mind that at all!

yeah, everyone hates the floyd rose....but i started using those in 1982, and I still have the VERY FIRST floyd rose that was ever shipped to Florida in 1981, it is on my Kramer Pacer Imperial "strathead" guitar that I played in my band The X-Statics all during the 80s.

Vintage guitars have become too recognizable and too likely to be stolen, now that most of them are $10,000 and up. A good '69 strat all original is hitting $16,000 these days.....I remember buying them for $600 all day long in the 80s....sigh.

Yeah, don't mind me - as good as I'm sure they are I just can't cope with Floyds and Kahlers on traditional guitars.

I'd probably change my mind if I was any good at proper tremolo playing and techniques! It is pretty impressive when you
see someone who knows how to use them.

I like floyds because they WORK. My guitars wll stay in tune ALL WEEK LONG.

Plus, I have more than a little influence from Jeff Beck, so I like to use the whammy bar for some of that stuff.

And I really like microtones -- the notes between the notes......and i like to use it VERY subtly to make shimmering modulation sounds combined with delay.

Kahlers? I hate them. the eat tone, don't stay in tune, are too complicated, and just a royal pain in the butt all the way around.

And yes -- once the "vintage dealers" guys see that floyd route, the refinish, and the mods done to that guitar.....they hate it

I like it.

I used to play an absolutely hideous guitar. It was an all-mahogany neck-thru Martin electric from the late 70's or so. Ebony board, two humbuckers. Decent tone, and one of the best-playing necks I ever played on ... but absolutely horrifyingly ugly. Eventually sold it.

Pretty rare, too ... only 150 ever made. I'll see if I can find an old pic....

DocRock wrote:I like it.

I used to play an absolutely hideous guitar. It was an all-mahogany neck-thru Martin electric from the late 70's or so. Ebony board, two humbuckers. Decent tone, and one of the best-playing necks I ever played on ... but absolutely horrifyingly ugly. Eventually sold it.

Pretty rare, too ... only 150 ever made. I'll see if I can find an old pic....

I remember those! A music store in Gastonia NC had one in 1976 or 78.....I remember playing it, and it WAS ugly...weird headstock too, right???

Yeah, the headstock was kinda curved or scroll-shaped.

Had the initials "CFM" monogramed on the headstock as well.

i remember those martins -- they WERE funky....said CFM in script on that strange headstock....


here's a pic of the KWcaster and pedalboard with BJF's getting ready for gig tonight.

i'm rehearsing.

one bandleader told me "rehearsals are for bands without gigs!"

Beauty is in the hold of the behinder !!


Yeah I had one really good Floyd and it sounded r eally good too.... just hated the string change tho

hmmmm might have to do some pic taken ....