Blasphemy, I know- but a question anyways

7stringninja · #1 04-11-2006, 01:53 AM

I want to see if anyone on here knows what kind of sonical-changes I might notice from cutting the upper-horn off of a "super-strat" bodied guitar.

The guitar in question is an Ibanez Universe. I am a left handed player and can never realize the TRUE beauty of owning a lefty UV.

So I have decided that the best option may be to trim/cut the upper-horn (lower from my perspective) to allow access to the upper registry. Basically it would be mirroring the other side.

I know it may be a little impractical monetarily, but it's something that I've wanted to do forever, and just now have gotten the motivation to actually do it.

gu1tar · #2 04-11-2006, 02:33 AM

I believe the word you are looking for is sacrilege.

It shouldn't make much difference sonically. Does the monkey grip and extra wood cutaway for the lions claw sonically change the superstrat style Jem? Nope. And I'm assuming you will not be taking off much more wood than that.

brothersnowgone · #3 04-11-2006, 03:07 AM

Well I believe everything you take away or add to a guitar effects the way it sounds, but short of throwing it into a chipper it's impossible to notice.

marianozz · #4 04-11-2006, 03:10 AM

What are you planning to make it look like, a PII, or an SG?

good luck man, should be an interesting project

7stringninja · #5 04-11-2006, 03:17 AM

This is the best I could do in 5 minutes. I only left the outline around the knobs so that you could see them. The moving of the knobs might get a little tricky and is only something I've considered. The cutaway is pretty much what I would aim for.

BTW - I had never seen the PII until you mentioned it. I googled it and after finding out what it was, I found quite a few pics on the Ibanez Registry. OMG that thing is hideous. Despite how ergonomical it might or might not be, it is ugly.

Even my conception (while not beautiful) is FAR better looking than that thing.

bpd111 · #6 04-11-2006, 03:30 AM

It's your guitar, so do with it what you want, but IMO you're ruining it. If you ever hope to get any cash for it, you'll leave it alone.

nickcoumbe · #7 04-11-2006, 04:19 AM

Dude, seriously there must be another left hand 7 string out there.

Looking at what you are intending to do I don't think that you would notice that much difference.

Davey · #8 04-11-2006, 04:27 AM

I'd look at a lefty RG and wait for a Uni neck to come up on ****, in the meantime you can play whilst waiting for the new neck. Plus you could add a metallic pickguard at a later date.

Devo · #9 04-11-2006, 04:37 AM

buy a UV.
order a custom lefty UV body.
flog the original right hand body on **** to recover some costs.
ask nicely for Brian at universal jems to do you a right-to-left trem conversion.

hey presto you have a left hand UV

Steve

Davey · #10 04-11-2006, 04:43 AM

^ damn good idea ^

Randy G · #11 04-11-2006, 04:58 AM

This post makes me realize the Flying V is the best guitar choice for a lefty.

7stringninja · #12 04-11-2006, 05:06 AM

As funny, ignorant, and stubborn as what I am about to say may sound.....I am really starting to like the design that I made.

I do understand that it's "ruining" a great guitar, but I do not see it that way. I see it as "customizing it to fit my playing style".

If I have a new body made, it just won't be the same IMO.

Plus, what's better than having a guitar that is 100% original? (other than having a REAL lefty UV)

7stringninja · #13 04-11-2006, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy G

This post makes me realize the Flying V is the best guitar choice for a lefty.

You are probably right. The only issue is the output jack and the control pots. Of course all that could be easily relocated.

However, most of the V-guitar's I would ever consider owning are NOT symetrical (like the Jackson and ESPs) and it would look really odd IMO. Maybe even more odd than my conception.

fettouhi · #14 04-11-2006, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7stringninja

As funny, ignorant, and stubborn as what I am about to say may sound.....I am really starting to like the design that I made.

I do understand that it's "ruining" a great guitar, but I do not see it that way. I see it as "customizing it to fit my playing style".

If I have a new body made, it just won't be the same IMO.

Plus, what's better than having a guitar that is 100% original? (other than having a REAL lefty UV)

Or a lefty RG1077XL hehe...

Regards

André

7stringninja · #15 04-11-2006, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fettouhi

Or a lefty RG1077XL hehe...

Regards

André

(cough)bastard(cough) hehe, oh how I am so jealous.

Your guitar is indeed as rare as they come, but honestly, I think I might rather have the UV in a real lefty. I am just partial to the 25.5" scale (but I haven't OWNED a 27"'er yet, only played).

I'd REALLY like to have an RG-ART or an S7420 in lefty. I'm a huge S-series fan, they just don't offer me anything in terms of a lefty, although I might soon get an S470L or S370L depending on what's available when I get ready to buy.