numberthirty wrote:As for the guitar, one of those silver Blacktop Telecasters with a pair of Univox humbuckers would be pretty "Thug Life".In seriousness -those pickups seem to only have the same sound when they're combined with the thin body and design of a HF. You see pics of Nirvana and every guitar he used up to a point had Univox HBs wedged in it but you can really hear when it's a HF being played. That said I would kill for a spare one to put in my Dan Armstrong. Hint.

Mason wrote:Got it.So it's an early Phase III, with the generic Matsumoku neck plate instead of the "U." It was once sunburst, judging from the wood, but it was stripped and given a light clear finish. The pickguard was white but has been painted navy blue. I think the only non-original bits are the machine heads, which were replaced with functionally identical Ping plank keys.It was advertised as needing work, that the nut had been removed but it'd be included in the sale. The seller told me later it was fretting out all over, needed a new nut before it'd take a setup, wildly unplayable for now. I got it home and strung it up with the nut held under string tension, and: I have no idea what he was talking about. The action was too high if anything. But it's now playing perfectly, and the electronics are perfect, and even cosmetically it's almost perfect aside from the Decisions.None of the issues I had with my Phase II are applicable here. I'm totally content, aside from the pickguard. But even with that, I sort of want to "play it as it lays," you know? Like a less intense version of the Chris Jury "Eddy" guitar.This looks almost exactly like my natural Phase III. People mistake the design of these guitars for a fault with the frets. Bandmates pick my Phase III up and it sounds like the bridge has collapsed - just fret noise and choking and all sorts of nasty clangs. "How can you play this?" "This needs a fret job BADLY!" etc. I pick it up and it feels perfect to me. Excuse the self-promo but pretty much every guitar sound on this record is a Phase III Hi Flier and every bass sound is a Phase III HF bass. I think I switched to a proper Mosrite for some overdubs and a Strat occasionally but all the major stuff is the same Phase III HF. I took a ton of guitars with me and then just stuck with the same one throughout - if the design of the guitar and the way they feel works for you then it *really* works. I keep picking up really cool guitars thinking I fancy a change but I always find I can't get the same feel and sound unless I have a HF.https://greyhairs.bandcamp.com/album/serious-business

Had a natural/maple neck Univox branded bass that for some reason I sold and regretted ever since. anyone in the UK holding, and not charging fucking silly money?

honeyisfunny wrote:That said I would kill for a spare one to put in my Dan Armstrong. Hint.Noted.

I just bought a Phase II but it's missing the trem arm. What are my options for that? I read elsewhere that a jag arm fits - is that true?

Mason wrote:professionally inlaidIts REALLY easy to install side dots. One doesnt really need to consult a professional, imo.

So. Side fret markers.What's the move there? My first Hi-Flier, I'd dot them on with a White-Out pen. It looked gross and would flake off pretty quickly.Do I have an option that sits between that, and having fret markers professionally inlaid?

Agreed- adding side dots is simple- I have done it on every harmony bobcat I've reworked for folks.order a piece of side dot material off ebay- just a couple bucks- it comes in long round rods, often 1/16" diameter. 1) use a small nail or awl to mark a spot in the middle of the fretboard edge you wanna mark.2) drill about 1/4-3/8" hole straight in- use a bit exactly the size of the material, be sure not to angle and come out the top of the fretboard.3) rub the tip of the material on some sandpaper, just a second or 2 to give some clearance4) put a dab of wood glue on the end, push it in, clip it off with a bit extra sticking out.5) lightly tap with hammer just to get it close to flush.6) wipe with wet cloth to clean up excess glue7) when dry (2-3 hours) trim flush w/ x-acto and sand if needed.

Nice! Only reference I've seen to anyone adding side dots was FM honeyisfunny having his luthier put them in his Hi-Flier, figured it was finicky work I shouldn't bother with as a novice. But that doesn't sound bad.

Mason wrote:Nice! Only reference I've seen to anyone adding side dots was FM honeyisfunny having his luthier put them in his Hi-Flier, figured it was finicky work I shouldn't bother with as a novice. But that doesn't sound bad.They did it for free without me asking as they saw the Tipp-Ex dots I'd added so it can't have been too tricky...