Things Like This Shouldn't Fix Themselves...Right? Bonus Guitarlopnik!

"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5) 12/25/2014 at 20:20 • Filed to: civic ownership is weird, guitarlopnik

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Growing up, one of my dad's favorite things to say was "it's not going to fix itself". I had originally written that as "it ain't gonna fix itself", but my dad never said it that way. We're from New England. He said "it's not going to fix itself".

And most of the time that was true, but every once in a while, something did actually fix itself. Usually something electrical, right? Like a light in your dashboard would go out, and you'd live with it for about a week, then you'd get the parts to fix it during the day, and that night it would be the brightest light on the dashboard, never to go out again.

I don't think it's supposed to happen with clutches.

Last Friday I bought a 2003 Honda Civic EX coupe, 130k miles, very clean, 5 speed. Everything felt good during the test drive (a short, around-town affair), but when I registered the car the following Monday, I felt the clutch slip in 4th around 35mph. I hoped I had simply hallucinated the thing, but when I got on the highway, it was pretty bad. Step on it in 4th or 5th and the revs just jumped like it was spinning the tires. 1st and 2nd were fine, 3rd was only an issue after a high-RPM shift into 3rd.

Yesterday I was out with my wife in the car, got on the highway, and she asked me what it was doing. When I went to demonstrate...nothing. No slip, just grip. Car accelerated fine, felt great. Clutch bit nicely on downshifts and pulling away from lights just like it had before.

Of course, the new clutch I had ordered showed up in the mail several hours prior.

The car had been sitting for a while before I bought it. Have any of you guys ever heard of that? Maybe a glaze forming on the clutch disc like it sometimes does on brake pads that have been sitting?

My plan is still to replace the clutch, although maybe not as immediately as I had thought. Clutch kit only cost me $80 for an Exedy OEM replacement, so I'll just hang on to it.

And of course, Merry Christmas Oppo! Here's a picture of my Christmas present to myself:

Technically the parts were the gift. Once I started playing, I thought building my own guitar would be fun, and I wanted an Esquire to go with my Tele. It's a no-name basswood body, Mighty Mite vintage-tint neck, pickup is a Fender AVRI '62. I went with a top-loader bridge for two reasons: the body didn't come drilled for a string-through, and lots of early Esquires were top-loaders anyway. I love the thing, and it's a lot easier on the shoulder than my Tele...the Tele is a hefty 9 lbs 1 oz, the Esquire is a full 3 lbs lighter. And for some reason, without the neck pickup, the bridge really has a totally different sound.

deekster_caddy > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:27

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It probably ran out of clutch material and the plate is biting right into the flywheel now. Let it go too long and you'll need to machine the flywheel when you do the clutch... But it sounds better to say it fixed itself!!!

dogisbadob > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:28

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nice altima

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:28

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I like the guitar! I helped my friend build his first guitar a month ago. It was a seafoam Tele and we drilled string holes through the body. That wasn't too hard, but alignment is always a bitch and the ferrules he bought were really fragile. Trust me, Fender bridges are way easier to install than Stop-O-Matics.

Do you have any other guitars? Amps? I just retubed my 1993 Sovtek MIG-50, which is a scary, scary thing to do.

dogisbadob > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:28

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omg the exact same beige altima! :o

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:30

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Another luthier on oppo? I also pieced together a basswood tele years ago. Funny enough, even though I used the cheapest chinese parts I could find at the time, its still one of my favorite guitars to play (although a lot of that has to do with the higher quality conponents I've added over the years, the quality re-fret I did, and the pickups I rewound myself)

Decay buys too many beaters > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/25/2014 at 20:35

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Ive wanted to pick up a Mig for a while! Great sounding amps when they are well sorted.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:36

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I've read of cases like this, but I am not sure what caused them.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/25/2014 at 20:38

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I've got a Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele in Butterscotch Blonde and a Vox AC15C1 in purple. I looked at a couple of Sovteks before I got my AC15, they're super cool old amps. The bridge install on this one was pretty easy, installed the pickup in the bridge and sat that in the rout and there really wasn't anything else to it besides making sure it was straight.

The Tele is getting a set of Vintage Noiseless pickups whenever I get around to installing them...maybe this week since I'm off work.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Decay buys too many beaters 12/25/2014 at 20:41

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I was shooting for cheap at first, but it got a little out of hand. The only cheap Chinese stuff I ordered were the bridge (tough to find a vintage style 3 saddle top-loader) and the pick guard, because it's REALLY tough to find a mint green Esquire pick guard. I think I'm into it for around $270, the neck being nearly half of that. It's such a sweet guitar to play though, and when I'm not playing it, I just like looking at it, haha.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > dogisbadob 12/25/2014 at 20:41

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It's been there forever. It's a touch loud.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Decay buys too many beaters 12/25/2014 at 20:44

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They're really really fantastic. The MIG-50 is my favorite because I'm a Fender Bassman sort of guy but also really like the JTM-45 circuit. The MIG-50 is a nice middle ground there. The MIG-60 is a little higher gain and is equally awesome. I bought mine from Kurt Cobain's high school art teacher. He'd used it for years as a bass amp and had replaced all the cheap plastic bits with higher quality metal ones. I love it and the band calls "her" Gorbachev. If you get one, I'd recommend getting an attenuator of some sort because there's no master volume. As a side-effect of that, and its tube rectification, it has this great midrange sag. The Soviets did a good job making cheap watches and amps that would never, ever break, even you drop them down your practice room's stairs.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 12/25/2014 at 20:45

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I've been reading about people having their clutches glaze from overheating, same as brake pads. I'll have to check it out again tomorrow...it was fine today. Weird shit.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:49

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Ooh, do it! I love guitar projects. The Classic Vibe Squiers are probably one of the best deals ever. They're better than a lot of low-end Fenders. I had a Classic Vibe Tele that I absolutely loved, but I traded it for a Fender Jaguar, mostly because of the Fender name. It's an MIM and it kind of sucked when I first got it, but I've labored and poured money into it and now it's my number one. I replaced the pickups with the same Seymour Duncan P90s I've got in my JA-90 but they don't really sound at all the same. I don't have a router and P90s are substantially larger than the routing for regular single-coils, so I had to use my Dremel rotary tool. Those kind of just scorch wood away.

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 20:50

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That's not bad at all! Mine is based on an old Saga kit, with a bunch of parts torn from a washburn I had laying around.

Did you paint the body yourself, or did it come painted?

Decay buys too many beaters > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/25/2014 at 20:57

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Nice! That sounds like it would make a good tonal compliment to my Maz (kind of a hybrid Vox/blackface circuit)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 21:40

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My Civic had a similar "fixed it's self" moment a bout three weeks after I bought it. For one after noon, on like a three mile drive the check engine light came on. I didn't worry to much about it, the next day it was off. It's never come back on, but it does light up then you to the key to on.

Also, on an unrelated note, I'm assuming you do you own oil changes. Our cars have that "serv req'd" light that comes on 5000 miles or so after the last oil change. It was a PITA for a long time until some one told me I can probly turn it off myself. I looked in the owners manual and sure enough you can. It's something like turn the key to the on position, the back off then cycle the key again the press and hold the trip odo reset until the light shuts off.

Alfalfa > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 21:41

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Seafoam Tele is best Tele.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Alfalfa 12/25/2014 at 21:55

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That's basically my motto. I was gonna do an Olympic White until I saw a green body, and then it was on like Donkey Kong.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Decay buys too many beaters 12/25/2014 at 21:58

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Came prepainted and routed, but not drilled. If I had to do it over, I'd spend a few more dollars on a drilled one. I think the next one I do, I'll paint myself...maybe a super thin white blonde nitro finish, let it age naturally. I'm not big on relics, but I do like vintage appearance.

Got a picture of your Tele? Gonna have to start an Oppo Tele Club.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/25/2014 at 22:04

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Yeah, rotary tools are excellent. The jack hole on my Esquire was just a touch too small for the electrosocket I wanted to install (awesome if you love Teles but hate installing the jack cup, by the way), but 10 seconds on low speed with a nice new sanding drum got that sorted.

Jaguars are such a cool guitar. One of my great regrets is not buying a no-name Japanese Jaguar knockoff at a flea market. Looked like it was a 70s piece, decent shape. I walked the flea, decided I wanted it 15 minutes later, and it was already gone. Ah well, it happens.

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 22:04

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Im at my parents house for Christmas dinner now, but I'll reply with a picture later tonight

It's relic (not by design, but from years of use) mopar orange :)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Decay buys too many beaters 12/25/2014 at 22:09

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Authentic relics are, of course, awesome. Seems to me that the wear and tear is something you earn through playing, not sanding, haha.

Mopar Orange Tele, that's what I'm talking about.

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 22:14

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Agree 100%

I also never really understood people buying pre beat up guitars.

sellphones2493 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 23:38

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My clutch slips in 3rd maybe every 12th time. I freaked out and took it to an indy mechanic to get an estimate (then ending up spending 4K on random shit), he said I was imagining things.

It works just fine, it may have to do with the weather or something. With that said, I no longer trust it. The clutch, that is. I trust my car otherwise.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Decay buys too many beaters 12/25/2014 at 23:55

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You are so lucky. Dr. Z amps are heavenly.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/25/2014 at 23:58

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I bought a 1970s Hondo II Competition Mustang for $99.99 from the Trading Musician in Seattle. It was a complete hunk of crap, but it sounded alright and looks really nice on the wall.

Electrosockets are a good little thing, but I've always gone with LP-style plates instead because some right angle jacks can't even make the slight turn into an Electrosocket.

Decay buys too many beaters > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/26/2014 at 01:07

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Their cabs are quite good as well. I have the ported 2x12 and its probably the best sounding cabinet I've had the privilege to play through.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Decay buys too many beaters 12/26/2014 at 01:44

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My local music store had one for sale a couple months back, but they were asking $600 for it. My bandmate's dad has a bunch of expensive gear and I got to play it through a Marshall 1960TV 4x12, and needless to say, now I really want a nice 4x12. The bass response is phenomenal. I use a 2x12 I built myself from 1/8" furniture plywood and 1/2" MDF. It actually sounds really good somehow even though I had literally no idea what I was doing and cut everything using a circular saw on rails.

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/26/2014 at 01:52

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Here she is

And a close up of the relic finish from a few hundred punk and metal (yes I used a Tele for metal) gigs

Decay buys too many beaters > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/26/2014 at 02:02

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Yeah, that's why I went with the ported cab (picked mine up on craigslist for a pretty good price), gives most of the response of a 4x12 at lower SPLs. I live in an apartment so I'm not able to really blast as loud as I want to. I did have an Orange PPC 4x12 for a while and holyshit, what a wall of sound. Nothing quite like playing a 50+ watt amp through a half-stack to raise some hairs on the back of your neck.

My advice is, if you want the boutique stuff buy it used from private sellers. I've gone through quite a few higher end amps and never lost money when I resold them for my next fix.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Decay buys too many beaters 12/26/2014 at 07:42

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Love it. Hammer and sickle on the pickguard? Very Soviet, haha.

My cousin used to play mostly metal, so he has an Ibanez RG with a single active EMG in the bridge and that's it. Pretty sure it has a volume knob, but he was thinking about even getting rid of that. Of course he also has a Strat that sounds almost as good for that, but looks awesome because it's Sonic Blue with a mint green pickguard.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/26/2014 at 07:45

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So pretty. Love the stripes, really makes it look like nothing else...not that a Mustang really needs much help there.

Decay buys too many beaters > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/26/2014 at 13:18

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Haha, yeah. Was playing in a punk band when I painted the pickguard and kept it ever since because I think it looks pretty cool.

My main metal choices right now are either an Ibanez RG or a V (or of course my Tele), but they are all passive pick ups. I never really could get in to active pickups, they sound lifeless (to me at least) and have a slight lag that I could never really deal with.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Decay buys too many beaters 12/26/2014 at 14:55

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Oh, of course! I'm a Craigslist slave. That's where I've found pretty much all of my gear. My friend bought a Verellen 6x12 from someone who found it in their attic. I'm not sure how that all worked, but it's an amazing thing.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/26/2014 at 14:56

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Haha, I agree. The real ones look better I think. The Hondo IIs were made out of 3/8" plywood and the necks were much, much heavier than the bodies.

Decay buys too many beaters > saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars 12/26/2014 at 15:18

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God, I hope your friend has a pretty strong back (or good insurance). I can't imagine hauling around something that big on a regular basis. But wow, that's got to sound incredible!

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > Decay buys too many beaters 12/26/2014 at 16:46

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Haha, he's got a dolly, which is just as good as insurance. It sounds pretty cool with his THD Univalve.