Kevin Cross

I have an N25 sunburst semi-acoustic that I bought in (around) 1987. I ran all the way home from a bootsale to get the money, and ran all the way back to buy it - for £35. When I took up the bass I sold it to a friend for £35 and then later bought it back from him for £35. It is the oldest of my guitars that I still have (my first guitar being a rubbish spanish acoustic that my dad had knocking around which probably came free with a gallon of Castrol. It is therefore known as "The £35 Guitar (which, as it's a copy of the Gibson 335 I think is a cool name). It has been sitting at my mum's house for years, as it has never been a great sounding guitar; but I retrieved it today and have been thinking about getting some decent pickups fitted into it to make it sound as good as it can be. I am recording music with a collaborator, and, although I don't think it would ever be tough enough for stage work, I am sure I could get some good sounds out of it for recording. I was thinking of some nice chrome pickups with black surrounds. When it came back from my friend its tremelo arm was missing (bugger him), and mine did not have a scratch plate when I bought it. I was thinking of getting a tortoiseshell scratch plate for it. I bought a Bigsby tremelo arm (just the arm) a few years back and fitted that, but I am thinking that, actually, the tremelo is pretty lousy. It creaks like crazy when you use it, and I think the spring in it is not first class. I was considering buying a trapeze type tailpiece that has no trem. I am not sure that the body is strong enough to fit a heavy Bigsby type tremelo tailpiece. I am aware that the above may inflame some responses, as I could obviously just leave the thing alone, or I could flog it and buy a semi-acoustic. The thing is, for sentimental reasons I don't imagine I would ever sell it, but I want to be able to use it - and, crucially, keep it in tune. What do people think? Kevin