Tom's FrankenFender / Marauder VI project!

[FuzzHugger]

The Marauder has the only type of pickguard I like on a LP style body.

Yeah, the pickguard's alright with the body shape...wish the control area of the pickguard followed the contour of the shape (same goes for the upper part of Fender's Marauder pickguard).

I think Gibson could redesign their Marauder with some success. Add a normal tailpiece and stopbar, a two piece body, and not a zillion piece neck. I hear the pickups are bad, and they look ugly anyway...at least sales would benefit from different pickups. But then, it'd basically be a bolt-on Les Paul, which I think Epiphone already makes! And since Fender's back on the Marauder name, I think Gibson's done. So... Hmm. Plus, by the time you standardized it, it might as well be called a Gibson Fender.

Alright, getting back to the project in a minute--with pics!

[Mudfuzz]

might as well be called a Gibson Fender.

Oh... it'll happen... it'll happen...

[masked elwood]

i was under the impression that the only redeeming quality to the gibson marauder was the bill lawrence pickups. it certainly isn't the playability of those wide flat low frets, nor it's striking good looks.
bill lawrence wants everything to sound like a tele and his pickups should be approached as such.
not a good idea to reissue that guitar. (imo).... so i'm surprised they haven't yet.

[FuzzHugger]

Alright! Got a few minutes to mess around.

The neck comes off. No one seems to know what Koto is, but it IS wood! I'd guess it's a 3-piece body.

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No shielding anywhere on the pickguard. And spotty shielding paint in the cavity. Not a huge deal--the control plate is metal, and the wires are shielded. But it's nuts--even the Squier Duo Sonic's aluminum pickguard had aluminum shielding tape on the back! So I'll be shielding cavities.

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Had some necks around here to check.


First, a Modern Player Jaguar neck (same series) that I thought I'd try first. No dice. Had a feeling that, even in the same series, Fender wouldn't be using a 24" conversion neck.

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Also had a Squier Duo-Sonic neck here that I figured I'd try...don't really want to Squierify a Fender that's already fairly close to being a Squier, but the neck was closer. Closer. Maybe a 1/4" from the point where you could get some longer screws for the saddles and move it into place.

SO. I know that Warmoth's 24.75" conversion neck would fit...IF you rout just slightly underneath the fretboard overhang. So that's looking like the next step. The stock neck/fretboard actually plays great for a 25.5, but I prefer shorter.

I'm thinking about cutting a custom pickguard rather than my previous plan. And if I do that, I can correct the pickguard so it fits the upper horn better...one of Fender's dumbest moves with this new Marauder--not correctly fitting the pickguard to the body shape.


So the project thread stays pretty boring for now.

[Chankgeez]

...don't really want to Squierify ...

That's what she said.

[FuzzHugger]

The question for the 24.75" conversion neck...

Maple neck, rosewood fretboard?
Mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard?

[jrmy]

Speaking of ugly Gibsons being just ugly...their design department has an amazing legacy of crack use.

I LOVE me the Corvus. Of course, my bandmate shakes his head in shame whenever I say that in public. But it's true!

Sorry, I don't have anything of substance to add to the conversation besides that I'm stoked to see what TDalt's Mauraudenstein looks like when it's done. Lipstick pickups sounds bitchin' to me!

[Chankgeez]

The question for the 24.75" conversion neck...

Maple neck, rosewood fretboard?
Mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard?

Yes.

I like both kinds of neck wood.

Be different, go with mahogany.

[FuzzHugger]

Lipstick pickups sounds bitchin' to me!

Always liked em! Even fuzzed out!

The question for the 24.75" conversion neck...

Maple neck, rosewood fretboard?
Mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard?

Be different, go with mahogany.

I know that's the right answer.

[Mudfuzz]

Speaking of ugly Gibsons being just ugly...their design department has an amazing legacy of crack use.

I LOVE me the Corvus. Of course, my bandmate shakes his head in shame whenever I say that in public. But it's true!

Sorry, I don't have anything of substance to add to the conversation besides that I'm stoked to see what TDalt's Mauraudenstein looks like when it's done. Lipstick pickups sounds bitchin' to me!

I never realized those were bolt-on... seems a black one would be the ultimate blackmetal axe..

[FuzzHugger]

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For reference, here's the control rout and pickguardless body.

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Gonna have to mod the tabs on the bridge pickups to get them to fit in the humbucker rout.
Getting reminded all over the place how much easier it is to mod the Fenders that everyone else is modding. Or go Warmoth. We'll see if I lose my mind and replace every single part.

[FuzzHugger]

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To get a Warmoth replacement or conversion neck to fit the Marauder, you have to shave underneath the fretboard.

Funny thing is, Fender apparently did this themselves to get their neck to fit!

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[Mudfuzz]

.
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To get a Warmoth replacement or conversion neck to fit the Marauder, you have to shave underneath the fretboard.

Funny thing is, Fender apparently did this themselves to get their neck to fit!

mar9.jpg

ಠ_ಠ

Warmoth necks are always too big..but fender should have their CNC together better....

ಠ_ಠ

[FuzzHugger]

^ Yeah, that's insane.


So I'm about sold on the custom pickguard. Either doing it myself, or having someone else do it.

As much as I like weird, having two pairs of lipsticks mounted in the pickguard will look so slick (compared to a pair of lipsticks in a humbucker ring, and two under the Jazzmaster cover).

And instead of the 5-way, I think I'll do 4 on/off toggles.

Wish that I had that CNC milling machine right about now. Been wanting one for yearssssss. Still pooooooor.

[Mudfuzz]

If you go custom I really suggest http://www.pickguardian.com/ I've had them do all my guards of late: all three RICs, The mustang one, and one for my jazz master thing that is sitting around...