Another Liquid

[uwmcscott]

Congrats, glad it showed up safely with no major issues. And I agree, even at today's prices the SX line is pretty difficult to beat.

And all of you ( Well some of you ) were all worried about the demise of Rondo - Kurt's still got some connections over there methinks.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I found myself conflicted... I like the Lake Placid Blue, but was also interested in the Candy Apple Red. I prefer a 2 pickup guitar, but so far these 3 pickups are a nice array of tonal options. I am also betting Rondo will go away, even though I think most of the products are great. So what is a guy to do? I ordered the CAR Liquid off Reverb this morning to sit side-by-side with my other 2 Liquids.

Here's my thinking... I can keep either the LPB or the CAR Liquid pretty well stock, and use the other as a mod platform. So one of them will get to go 2 pickups. Whichever it is gets a new pick guard, so what sounds better:

A 2 P90 Lake Placid Blue with black pickguard and chrome pickup covers, or

A 2 P90 Candy Apple Red with mint green pickguard?

Or I'm open to other thoughts, of course.

[tobijohn]

I found myself conflicted... I like the Lake Placid Blue, but was also interested in the Candy Apple Red. I prefer a 2 pickup guitar, but so far these 3 pickups are a nice array of tonal options. I am also betting Rondo will go away, even though I think most of the products are great. So what is a guy to do? I ordered the CAR Liquid off Reverb this morning to sit side-by-side with my other 2 Liquids.

Here's my thinking... I can keep either the LPB or the CAR Liquid pretty well stock, and use the other as a mod platform. So one of them will get to go 2 pickups. Whichever it is gets a new pick guard, so what sounds better:

A 2 P90 Lake Placid Blue with black pickguard and chrome pickup covers, or

A 2 P90 Candy Apple Red with mint green pickguard?

Or I'm open to other thoughts, of course.

If it's any help, here are a few pics of a mocked up CAR with chrome P90 covers and chrome metal knobs. I was going to put everything back together this weekend but my soldering station quit working so it will have to wait until next weekend along with a SAE chrome switch tip.

One note, if you're going to be upgrading the selector switch to a rotary type, because of the location and narrowness of its rout you'll need some patience fitting the pickguard back in but it will fit without modification. Also, you'll have to do some thinking on how to ground the pickups as there is no ground lug on a rotary five way switch which is what these are grounded to in the stock configuration. Normally on a typical Strat setup, they would be grounded to the volume pot but that's way down at the other end of the guitar. What I am doing is gathering all the pickup leads near the switch and soldering their ground wires (with these pickups, it's the braided sheath) to a separate ground wire attached with contact cement to the underside of the pickguard that then runs down to the volume pot (if you don't attach it to the back of the pickguard, good luck getting it in the length of the routs while trying to get the pickguard back on and aligned). If you're OK with the stock box switch then disregard as there's already a ground wire running from it down to the volume pot.

Also FWIW, I'm putting mini-humbuckers in my LPB 3X P90 so will need a custom pickguard for that and think I'll use pearlescent white material. I'm not sure how long it will be until I get the chance to try and cut one myself so in the meantime I'm considering just using P90/mini adapters spray painted chrome with the stock pickguard.

[BatUtilityBelt]

If it's any help, here are a few pics of a mocked up CAR with chrome P90 covers and chrome metal knobs. I was going to put everything back together this weekend but my soldering station quit working so it will have to wait until next weekend along with a SAE chrome switch tip.

One note, if you're going to be upgrading the selector switch to a rotary type, because of the location and narrowness of its rout you'll need some patience fitting it back in but it will fit without modification. Also, you'll have to do some thinking on how to ground the pickups as there is no ground lug on a rotary five way switch which is what these are grounded to in the stock configuration. Normally on a typical Strat setup, they would be grounded to the volume pot but that's way down at the other end of the guitar. What I am dong id gathering all the pickup leads near the switch and soldering their ground wires (with these pickups, it's the braided sheath) to a separate ground wire attached with contact cement to the underside of the pickguard that then runs down to the volume pot (if you don't attach it to the back of the pickguard, good luck getting it in the length of the routs while trying to get the pickguard back on and aligned). If you're OK with the stock box switch then disregard.

Also FWIW, I'm putting mini-humbuckers in my LPB 3X P90 so will need a custom pickguard for that and think I'll use pearlescent white material. I'm not sure how long it will be until I get the chance to try and cut one myself so in the meantime I'm considering just using P90/mini adapters spray painted chrome with the stock pickguard.

The Liquid shape really does like the chrome covers! I like those knobs too, very nice. I still have some blend pots sitting around, so I may consider replacing the switch with one of those on the 290 version.

[tobijohn]

I like those knobs too, very nice. I still have some blend pots sitting around, so I may consider replacing the switch with one of those on the 290 version.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233883550850

They took a couple of months to get here but cost half as much as identical ones offered by other sellers...

[Buddha Pickups]

Dug up my original SJM the other night.
I believe back in this time the serial number coincides with the year it was made but not sure if that still is or was true. This one starts with 07.
It originally came with the jazzmaster style bridge but I enlarged it to take a wilkinson roller.
I'll be listing this one locally eventually. I'd offer it here but hate shipping guitars.

[BatUtilityBelt]

Oh sure, that figures! The day after I ordered the CAR lefty off Reverb, Kurt starts selling them for the low low price of free!

I don't know how he does it.

[mickey]

You should have put several of them in your cart (at that price!)

[tobijohn]

Oh sure, that figures! The day after I ordered the CAR lefty off Reverb, Kurt starts selling them for the low low price of free!
I don't know how he does it.

Volume!

[tobijohn]

...I like a 2 pickup guitar a lot more than 3 pickup, so I had been resisting, waiting around for a 2 P90 Liquid for far too long. I keep seeing them pop up used for twice their new price and that ticks me off a bit. Finally, checking Rondo again, I had to pop for this one. $200 is still cheap for such a great guitar, the Lake Placid Blue is a great color, and I realized it would be no big deal to turn this into a 2 P90 guitar if I want to later...

If you do decide to go with the two P90 configuration, here's a mockup:

[BatUtilityBelt]

If you do decide to go with the two P90 configuration, here's a mockup:

So then... not like this:

[BatUtilityBelt]

My 2nd Liquid this month (CAR) arrived. This is my 3rd Liquid in total. Either this one or the Lake Placid Blue one will be converted to 2 pickups.
I am pleasantly surprised to share that I find no issues at all with this one either. I can't believe they can have such consistent quality at this price point, but it is awesome. This one also needed action and pickup height adjustments, but beyond that is perfect. They play exactly the same and sound pretty much the same too. I think anyone on the fence about the current run of Liquids should feel good about ordering.

[Jaymo]

I want a CAR 3xP90 Liquid to go with my "powder blue" 2x P90 Liquid.
But, I also want a Squier CV Tele, a Squer CV PBass, a Squier CV Jazzmaster, and a couple other guitarsand basses.
If I were a multimillionaire I'd have the marked cornered on lefty gits.

[Lamf77]

I just fell prey to another guitar from Rondo. I already have a Liquid, but mine is humbucker powered, and I think the guitar screams out for P90s. I like a 2 pickup guitar a lot more than 3 pickup, so I had been resisting, waiting around for a 2 P90 Liquid for far too long. I keep seeing them pop up used for twice their new price and that ticks me off a bit. Finally, checking Rondo again, I had to pop for this one. $200 is still cheap for such a great guitar, the Lake Placid Blue is a great color, and I realized it would be no big deal to turn this into a 2 P90 guitar if I want to later. So I clicked Buy, and will wait for the June 30 or so shipping.
liquidmnalder3p90stoplpblh6.jpg

Got nudged and ordered. I was torn between the green and placid blue, but chose the green based on the Reverb ad. Looked very "surf green" to me. Guitar arrived today, great shape, flawless. However color is more olive/camo green than surf. Would have definitely swung to the placid blue if I would have known in advance. Picture show the difference, although the one I got is darker in person. A subtle difference, but a difference none the less. Not sure this will grow on my, not sure if they will accept return since no damage?

[BatUtilityBelt]

Got nudged and ordered. I was torn between the green and placid blue, but chose the green based on the Reverb ad. Looked very "surf green" to me. Guitar arrived today, great shape, flawless. However color is more olive/camo green than surf. Would have definitely swung to the placid blue if I would have known in advance. Picture show the difference, although the one I got is darker in person. A subtle difference, but a difference none the less. Not sure this will grow on my, not sure if they will accept return since no damage?

I saw the green one, and if it had been available lefty, I might have gone for it too. I would not have guessed the olive/camo thing. Rondo's pictures really do not come close to conveying the real colors of their guitars, but usually they look much better in person. The CAR looks bright and plain in the pictures, but is actually a deep red with a fine grained metallic sheen. The Lake Placid blue has the same metallic character, but is closer to the color in Rondo's pictures in person.

[jtcnj]

If you dont like it, push for an exchange; the color is WAY off.
I do like the actual / darker better myself.

I never compared the actual blue to the photo; it must be pretty close.
Regardless, I like the blue I got.
I like the switch on the lower bout too.

[tobijohn]

The CAR looks bright and plain in the pictures, but is actually a deep red with a fine grained metallic sheen. The Lake Placid blue has the same metallic character, but is closer to the color in Rondo's pictures in person.

I concur, both my CAR and LPB Liquids are striking...

[mickey]

I think Rondo has always done a better job of photographing LPB guitars even tho they do not show the "metallic" nature of the finish.

[jam]

There was also a trapeze version that had a notch in the butt of the body. I always thought that it would be a good candidate for a Bigsby.