Anyone familiar with Carson Electric Guitars?

OK, time for some pics
We'll start with the headstock. The two end tuners spin like they are broken, but the section where you thread the string through still rotates.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps8ak0kbvj.jpg

Otherwise, not much damage here.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psln3qkulm.jpg

The nut is missing completely, I'm thinking either a locking nut or a black tusc style nut would look the goods.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psc9bwwzvq.jpg

The back of the neck has a couple of dings in it, this one being the worse.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshauomwrw.jpg

The fret board also has a couple of dings, but overall it looks pretty good, just in need of a clean up and some lemon oil.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psuogzryne.jpg

The switch gear, I have one volume, and one tone knob, a 5-way selector, and a small 2-way switch.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psbgilmeko.jpg

From the back, it's a mess. Half the wires aren't connected, and it is very messy and dusty inside.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshaq4hovp.jpg

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxbspuzkr.jpg

The pickups are pretty basic looking, I don't think this was ever an expensive guitar to start with, but it certainly hasn't been looked after.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psdbxa4xmb.jpg

The Trem Cavity is also very messy.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psy7lkigzo.jpg

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psypcledy2.jpg

There's a big dent right on the side of the trem cavity. but compared to the rest of the body, this is just the start of it.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psubuktjnr.jpg

Finally we get to the rest of the body.
Bottom Horn
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshlaaoaof.jpg

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxzlgyhkf.jpg

Top Horn. I'm guessing this has been dropped on this point, or over tightened. Would it be best to drill this out a bit, put in some dowel then re-drill for the strap button?
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshfixqvuf.jpg

Jack input - This spins in place, and there are no wires connecting it to the controls
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...psvnjqpzeg.jpg

The rest of the gouges and dings in the back and front
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps209xld53.jpg

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/u...pstwbhghdk.jpg

Have I bitten off too much? I'd like to rip out all the controls and start from fresh, and install new pickups. The Lace Alumitones I had in mind are going to be about $400, so I'm thinking that will be overkill, and maybe just replacing the trem with this Floyd Rose Pro Knock-off - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Floyd...IAAOSw3mpXEKLY

Any tips on fixing the body? I'm assuming some form of filler then sanding back to smooth things out then re-spraying the body.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I knew that headstock looked familiar, just figured it out.
http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/p...36_image_0.jpg
Same as Onyx (remember them?). Possibly the same manufacturer.

My 2c worth is it's not worth putting much money in to, but a great refinishing and setup project.

Check if you can get signal from the PUP's (after connecting things of course) and then start from there. If the PUPS are duds then it becomes a re-finishing exercise for the experience. I would think very carefully before plonking any hard earned on those Lace units, like you say it would be massive overkill. I dare say there's be some second hand or reasonable quality spares floating around the forum that would set you back far less.

If you are going to ding fill then you may be better off stripping all the way back to see what you are working with. You might get a nice surprise like the re-finished Ply Strat [URL="http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=6189&highlight=Plywood+strat"], or it could be a dog, you just never know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pablopepper

My 2c worth is it's not worth putting much money in to, but a great refinishing and setup project.

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Yeah, I'm starting to agree. Might just get some Entwistles and some cheap controls for it and see how it comes up.
Would that different style Trem work that I linked to?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pablopepper

I knew that headstock looked familiar, just figured it out.
http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/p...36_image_0.jpg
Same as Onyx (remember them?). Possibly the same manufacturer.

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Considering I'm an acoustic guy, none of the brand names ring a bell for me apart from Fender and Gibson etc. but you're right, they do look the same.