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Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!

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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-10 10:59 AM (#302399)
Subject: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hi Guys

I bought this a few months ago, came across your forum and thought you'd like to here about it and see it...



I was in a pawn shop in Hertfordshire, England and saw this. It had 4 strings, was covered in dust, bits were loose - looked like it was in really poor and neglected condition. Anyway they had a 20% off sale and wanted £60 for it (US $120). Anyway I hadn't come across Breadwinners before, looked it over and saw it was from the US. So I had a fiddle with it, and left the shop to think about whether it was worth buying.

A bit later I went back and beat them down to £48 ($96 US) as it was a bit tatty and bought it, pretty sure it was worth much more than that - and quite special.

So I got it home,cleaned her up, re-strung her, did some soldering, replaced the 12v batteries etc AND SHE PLAYS GREAT! There are some repairs to make to her, which is why I joined your forum, to get some advice from other owners. But I have always dreamed about finding some old beaten up Gibson at a car boot sale or a yard sale - a hidden treasure - and finally it happened!

Needless to say, this guitar's tonal variety is so good, so comfortable to play and has fantastic low action, I will never part with it, if for no other reason than it was my find of the century!

Cheers - Mick :cool:
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-07-10 11:26 AM (#302400 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
You came to the right place. Great fairytale find!

Welcome to the 'hive'!
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numbfingers
Posted 2008-07-10 11:32 AM (#302401 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1128

Location: NW Washington State
Great find, Mick. Did it come with that MIDI pickup (or whatever it is) attached? If you need a new pickguard, Miles, Mr. Ovation on this board, has them.

I got my white Breadwinner and a Fender Champ for $100, but that was in the last century.

-Steve W.
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Mark in Boise
Posted 2008-07-10 11:38 AM (#302402 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759

Location: Boise, Idaho
Congrats. Those deals are harder to find these days, since anyone can find out about their stuff on the internet. Most pawn shops I see have their prices set pretty high.
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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-10 1:40 PM (#302403 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hi guys - thanks for welcoming me and joining in my thread. Yes, it came with the midi pickup - I don't know if it works or not - is it worth anything these days? I thought I might take the midi pickup off and fill the holes etc.

I have some buzz on the strings - I was dicking around with the bridge because one the the strings sounded like a banjo being plucked, and now at least 3 of them do!

I know it's not fret buzz, the strings being too clode to the pickups or the nut at the top. If you push down with your finger behind the brass bridge on the string, the buzz stops - how do I cure this guys?
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2008-07-10 8:51 PM (#302404 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
Mick, the banjo-like tone from the strings is probably down to the neck-set and bridge angle. It can be fixed in minutes if you know how. Where in the UK are you?

The midi pickup is an early Roland GK series, itself worth about what you paid for the guitar. It'll work with any synth module with a 13-pin connector.
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alpep
Posted 2008-07-10 9:50 PM (#302405 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583

Location: NJ
I have the modules for that pickup
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-07-11 12:06 AM (#302406 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by bendlikewillow:
I thought I might take the midi pickup off and fill the holes etc.
Please don't!
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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-11 4:34 AM (#302407 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hi Paul

I'm in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in the UK. I see you're listed as Scotland so we're a long way from each other. I made this problem worse when I raised / lowered the bridge with the screws either side. So I can change the angle it sits at by the sound of what you're saying? If you could shed any light on this that would be fab as it was one string doing it and now it's 3!
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numbfingers
Posted 2008-07-11 11:54 AM (#302408 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1128

Location: NW Washington State
If you remove the back battery cover, you should see a nut that will adjust the angle of the bridge. Loosen the strings a bit and try adjusting it a half-turn at a time. My guess would be that you'll need to increase the bridge angle by tightening the nut.

I suppose it's possible that the springs behind the bridge saddles are rattling. Seems unlikely unless the springs have been replaced and are too short, or the saddles have been adjusted to an extreme positon.

I don't know why Iffy was horrified at the idea of removing the MIDI pickup. You could sell it and use the proceeds to buy a new pickguard. It doesn't improve the appearance of the guitar. Just make sure you've got paint that's a very close match before you do any touchup. You could try paint samples in the battery compartment or under the pickguard.

-Steve W.
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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-11 1:54 PM (#302409 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hi Numbfingers - thanks for the advice I'm going to have a look at that now.

I agree; the midi pickups not enhancing the look. I've just bought some Tone Rider Vintage pickups for my strat that are getting rave reviews and selling this could buy me another set for my Tele - both of which could sound much better than they do with these babies in.

They make humbuckers too if anyone's looking at putting new pups in a Breadwinner - luckily mine still has the originals.
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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-11 2:12 PM (#302410 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hey Numbfingers - you just solved my problem - it was loose, I tightened it now it sounds fine - nice one! Time to take off that midi pickup now and get it on Ebay!
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-07-11 2:28 PM (#302411 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by numbfingers:
I don't know why Iffy was horrified at the idea of removing the MIDI pickup.
Not horrified, just appreciative of original configurations. If the git had an Ovation body, Fender neck and a Gibby bridge, OK, no biggie.

But hey, I'm the guy that spent $140 for an original set of gold tuners for my 1763 Classic!

:D
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dvd
Posted 2008-07-11 2:50 PM (#302412 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1889

Location: Central Massachusetts
Was the midi pickup ever part of an original breadwinner config?
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numbfingers
Posted 2008-07-11 2:51 PM (#302413 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1128

Location: NW Washington State
Mick, glad that did the trick. Check out the owner's manual for more setup and electronics info: Breadwinner/Deacon Manual

Iffy, I'm in favor of keeping things stock too. I have extra pickguards so that my electronic experiments don't wreck the originals. That MIDI pickup box on the face of his guitar is a "custom" addition.

I do think that filling and repainting should be done with care.

-Steve W.
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Captain Black
Posted 2008-07-11 3:15 PM (#302414 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 270

Location: Yorkshire, England
Hi Mick & Welcome !
I'm a big, big, big, Breadwinner fan - well done on your find. I'd have loved to have come across
something like that !
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numbfingers
Posted 2008-07-11 3:24 PM (#302415 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1128

Location: NW Washington State
Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
If the git had an Ovation body, Fender neck and a Gibby bridge, OK, no biggie.
I did check to see if a Warmoth Strat neck would fit on a Viper body, but the bridge routing was in the wrong place. Maybe I should modify the body and try a Gibson bridge. :)
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bendlikewillow
Posted 2008-07-12 6:28 AM (#302416 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
July 2008
Posts: 6

Location: UK
Hey Captain Black - thanks for your welcome mate! Yes, it was a sweet find for sure and it'll probably never happen again as people are so internet savvy these days and able to do good research. Mind you, you still come across those who don't bother so I shall carry on scouring the car boot sales for guitar bargains.

The only other time this happened to me (and not to such an extent) was when I bought a spanish classical accoustic guitar at a car boot sale for £10 that turned out to be worth £100 - it was a nice instrument but was nylon strung and not really my taste. So there are always bargains to be had somewhere.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-07-12 8:15 AM (#302417 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by numbfingers:
That MIDI pickup box on the face of his guitar is a "custom" addition.
Then by all means get rid of that 'wart'! :D
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Captain Black
Posted 2008-07-12 5:21 PM (#302418 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 270

Location: Yorkshire, England
Cheers Mike - Strangely enough there's a Roland GK1 Midi pick-up system fitted to a black Breadwinner for sale on ebay at the moment. (Breadwinner not for sale though)
I'll be running the car boot sale in Barnsley tomorrow - (up at five) I'll keep a watch out for any 1958 Les Pauls or Breadwinners that may come along !
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AussieJames
Posted 2008-07-13 11:00 AM (#302419 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!



Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084

Location: Brisbane Australia
Hey Clyde, if you find any send em to me!! :D

Congrats bendlikewillow great pickup.

I've got more chance of finding a Breadwinner in a Porn shop here.

AJ
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numbfingers
Posted 2008-07-13 11:54 AM (#302420 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1128

Location: NW Washington State
Originally posted by AussieJames:
I've got more chance of finding a Breadwinner in a Porn shop here.
James, do you usually look for guitars in a porn shop? I can only imagine my wife's reaction if I told her "I'm going to look for guitars" or "I'm off to the porn shop". Combining both is beyond my imagination.

-Steve W.
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Captain Black
Posted 2008-07-13 4:18 PM (#302421 - in reply to #302399)
Subject: Re: Breadwinner Pawn Shop Find of the Century!


Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 270

Location: Yorkshire, England
Sorry Jim, only a couple of pre-CBS Stratocasters on the market today, nothing special !
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