CA Guitar Repair Blog: 2026

Saturday, August 08, 2026

Temui Pramaya di Fiesta Perkampungan Koboi

Salam semua. Jangan lupa temui kami, Pramaya di Fiesta Perkampungan Koboi. Bertempat di Pantai Sepat, 26060 Kuantan, Pahang pada 5 September 2026, jam 3.30 petang. Pramaya akan menghiburkan anda di opening sempena ketibaan geng motor bikers, termasuk geng Dato Awie dan Pae Sebah Bumi. Jumpa di sana!

Friday, August 07, 2026

1983 Fender MIJ Strat Demo

This Strat has been set up with D'Addario EXL110s (10 - 46) and a "wide open" middle pickup. In effect, we only have two pickups tied to tone controls. Tone 1 works on the Neck Pickup only, and Tone 2 exclusively on the Bridge Pickup. I do love being able to tame the highs on the sometimes "ice-picky" bridge. Granted, I could have tied Tone 2 to both the middle and bridge. However, I prefer not to have a pickup weighed down by two tone pots in position 2 (neck + middle). Recorded at 5:53 PM on August 7, 2026. CA Guitar Repair. Taman Impian Ku, 25200 Kuantan.

RC Stromm 045C Sings the Blues

Folks, here is an RC Stromm acoustic that has clearly seen better days. The current owner would like it restored so that his younger brother can learn to play on it. And, once again, you can see for yourselves the perils of not keeping your precious instrument in a hard case or gig bag. Recorded at 4:25 PM on August 7, 2026. CA Guitar Repair. Taman Impian Ku, 25200 Kuantan.

1983 Fender MIJ Strat Photo Shoot

These photographs were taken at 4 PM on August 7, 2026.

CA Guitar Repair. Taman Impian Ku, 25200 Kuantan.

1983 Fender MIJ Strat Photo Shoot

Thursday, August 06, 2026

Ibanez GIO GRG121PAR - Fretwork

Photographed on August 2, 2026.

CA Guitar Repair. Taman Impian Ku, 25200 Kuantan.

Fret tops colored with permanent marker

Leveling - First Pass. Black marks are low spots.

Subsequent leveling has removed the low spots

Leveling - Final Pass

Frets Are Level

Creating "Fall Away" From Frets 15 - 24

StewMac Fret Crowning File (Z-File)

Crowning the Frets

Polishing Sides of Frets

Scraping the Fretboard

Abrading Frets - Silicon Carbide Paper

Polishing Frets - 3M Scotch-Brite Pads

Polishing Frets - 0000 Steel Wool

Cleanup With Naphtha

Conditioning the Fretboard

Wednesday, August 05, 2026

1983 Fender MIJ Strat - August 5 Update

Hardware Upgrades and Replacements

Upgrades and replacements include a new set of Korean #0965NI-R6 vintage-style tuners, white plastic Strat control knobs (Imperial/24 Splines), Allparts stainless steel pickguard screws, pickup mounting tubing, pickup height adjustment screws, saddle intonation and height adjustment screws, and also strap button screws.

New Vintage-Style Tuners Installed (Front)

New Vintage-Style Tuners Installed (Back)

String Tree Retained After Servicing

Electronics Upgrades and Replacements

Upgrades and replacements include vintage-style cloth push-back wire (white, black and yellow), three CTS 250K audio taper pots, an Oak Grigsby five-way selector switch, and a K73-16 0.022uF tone cap.