Encore Stratocaster Copy - Around '91-ish - Any good?

nimrod86

Just bought myself an Encore stratocaster on ebay for €11. Feels solid, needs some wiring work but doesn't matter as i plan to install a humbucker at the bridge. I bought it to make a replica of Billie Joe Armstrong's guitar "Blue". Before i take it apart anyone got any good or bad comments about these. Are they a small jewel or was i done for €11?

Tell me what you think!

Owen

Surprisingly ... yes! It was my first guitar, and I still have it. Everything the guitar is made from's pure crap, but somehow that crap merges together to make a semi decent guitar. Having said that, I'd say there was little or no consistency at the Encore sweatshop, and while one might be fine, the next could be utter rubbish.

Squidgy Black

For 11 quid it's grand for a project, change out the tuners and the pickups and the bridge and you've got yourself a decent machine.

Saying that, I was never fond of the neck on them, but horses for courses.

nimrod86

stetyrrell wrote: »

Saying that, I was never fond of the neck on them, but horses for courses.

Yeah, it's a bit sharp on the edges, will fix that when i take off the rosewood fingerboard and replace with a maple one!

bayles

As Paintdoctor said , or another way of looking at it is , remember that episode of the simpsons were mr burns had so many bad bacteria and viruses in him they all cancelled each other out and it made him invincable (makes sense to me anyway) well its a bit like that , a lot of crap that works well together .

I wouldnt really call it a small jewel, more of an empty jewelery box but for €11 your not going to go wrong

nimrod86

if it's an empty jewelry box then I can't wait to put my own crap in it!

bayles

nimrod86

To anyone who's interested I just took some pics of it beside my other guitar (I got the stickered one last year (my first guitar) took 2 weeks to wreck aswell):

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/248943_2087477472211_1403427589_2467117_7794791_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/255751_2087476352183_1403427589_2467114_3766701_n.jpghttp://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/251620_2087475592164_1403427589_2467112_7941997_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/251620_2087475592164_1403427589_2467112_7941997_n.jpg

artvandulet

They're great cheap guitars. Those late 80's/early 90's ones were far better than those that came after. The neck on my one is smooth and comfortable.
Just be aware that you will need to modify the pickguard or replace it if you change the p'ups. The stock pups are different sizes. A stock fender pickguard wont fit exactly but its not too bad. Try and get an 8 hole one as thats whats on it already. You will also need to enlarge the hole to fit a fender trem block too.
I replaced the tuners, bridge and pickups in mine and the guitar plays great!
Good luck with it.

nimrod86

artvandulet wrote: »

you will need to modify the pickguard or replace it if you change the p'ups

I'll just mark it and cut it like my other strat to fit the humbucker, it has a universal routing under the pickguard as well which is handy