Jump to content

Project S907 #2


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 175
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

You'd probably have to resort to putting a SECOND piece in the control cavity! gasp! shriek! the horror! Something like maybe a mini-toggle. Who woulda thought!

Bahhh! I have figured out how to cut down the push/pull pots I get. With a grinder... the open switch adds tone :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on the fence about the carve. But I wanted it to be comfortable and that meant cutting the arm rest into the back...

I think in the future i am going to bend the 1/4" top to the arm rest.

However... lets wait until this gets a finish on it to pass judgement.

Worst case scenario I guess I will have to keep it... :D man that sucks... I guess i will hang it on the wall with the other fails... :D HA HA HA HA HA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worst case scenario I guess I will have to keep it... :D man that sucks... I guess i will hang it on the wall with the other fails... :D HA HA HA HA HA.

Nope! Take the hardware off and sell it on eBay. I've had pretty good luck setting the opening bid at the cost of materials, so long as I explain in the details exactly what the actual cost is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worst case scenario I guess I will have to keep it... :D man that sucks... I guess i will hang it on the wall with the other fails... :D HA HA HA HA HA.

Nope! Take the hardware off and sell it on eBay. I've had pretty good luck setting the opening bid at the cost of materials, so long as I explain in the details exactly what the actual cost is.

I was __kidding__ John. You are the first one to not like it. (were is the forehead smack emoticon?)

I am however going to steam bend future 1/4" tops (warmoth style). I think without a veneer layer the reveal does not work as well as a curved top wood. Now if I had put a black veneer under the top and did the same carve it would be a different story.

Learning experience.

This build is a test of padauk (and what type of pickups go with it). I wish I understood its sonic properties like I understand Zebrano (some 20 guitars later). Previous experiments with it have yielded ok instruments but nothing great. I love the way it looks I just have to figure out the sonic properties. This top is soft so I am hoping to keep the guitar warm and dark... we will see. Of course it will sound one way this weekend with no finish on it. Then I will put a finish on and the sound will change...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont mind the carve at all. The uniformity across the bass side makes it look quite nice and unique at the same time. I agree that a veneer of dark material between the top and back would have produced and even nicer result, but big deal. To Johns point tho, would carving a matching contour to the treble side and transitioning it thru the rear of the body take too much material away? maintaining a nice two-tone edge all the way around could very well iron out some of the awkwardness you may feel it has? (tho I dont feel it needs it)

P.S. I am dissapointed the the gorilla no longer shows thru now... :D

Edited by MuffinPunch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont mind the carve at all. The uniformity across the bass side makes it look quite nice and unique at the same time. I agree that a veneer of dark material between the top and back would have produced and even nicer result, but big deal. To Johns point tho, would carving a matching contour to the treble side and transitioning it thru the rear of the body take too much material away? maintaining a nice two-tone edge all the way around could very well iron out some of the awkwardness you may feel it has? (tho I dont feel it needs it)

I am fine with it. I even like it as a solution. However looking at it from the perspective of how can it be better... that is where the veneer idea comes in.

Moving forward it goes as such

if __name__ == '__main__':
if top == .25:
if veneer:
armrest = carve.bend(.370)
else:
armrest = steam.bend(.25)
elif top > .375:
armrest = carve.bend(.370)

guitar = top + armrest[/code]

P.S. I am dissapointed the the gorilla no longer shows thru now... :D

The gorilla is still there... wait until it is wet. (he may have a black eye were a pickup is)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't like the initial string up on a new guitar. They are always tight and clanky... I like them a week later.

I think I still have some pickup things to work out on this one. It is a very bright guitar and the A4 magnet in the bridge is not helping. Very twangy and bright... Reminds me of a Gretsch. Time to play musical magnets...

I hope I don't have to wind a new set.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you don't want the old ones.....

I'm sure I could balance them out with a sapele bodied something.

I will send any FAILS your way... but the truth here is experimentation. I have never used an A4 mag in a pup before. The A4 seems to be very midrangy and in a bright guitar the end result is quacky. Great if I am reproducing a vintage Gretsch but this is supposed to be a shred machine. The answer may be a higher output pup... or simply a mag change. Mind you this is with no Volume knob in the sound path ( a 500K pot might really help here).

As far as a Sapele body goes... Yeah yeah yeah... using known goods is easy. I have several known goods that will rock these pups. You know me a little zebrano, a little mahogany (sapele if we must) and we get good results. This is about making a beautiful wood sound like it looks. Mind you I am splitting hairs here... this thing sounds great like it is. And most guys would be ecstatic about the initial results. However... I think it can sound better. I never want to settle.... shoot I should stop doing this if I have to settle (my better half might make me stop if I can't produce great things).

So the quandary is not the winds on the coil as much as it is the correct pickup for the guitar. I have had great success in the past with low DCR pickups on bright wood guitars. I have a set of EMGs that I have a hunch will sound fab in this beast. I am pretty sure she will play like a goddess when it breaks in so I absolutely have to make it sound good.

One last point. This beast is bare. When I put a finish on it it will change. The sound will change... so we will see.

No one panic. We are way too early in the build to panic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

. Mind you this is with no Volume knob in the sound path ( a 500K pot might really help here).

Been following htis build for a while, it is looking great.

the above comment you made is completely true. guitars need a load to sound right. using the amp's inut resistor as the only load will make it bright as hell, and makes the cable contribute significantly more to the tone.

I think you will find a marked difference with a pot in place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that semi-carve rocks!

It's creative, it's different, it's NOT 'beat you over the head with the concept' over the top, it's curvy, it's refined, and it's a mark of your individuality as a builder.

It's just enough to catch your eye, but not enough to be too obvious and gauche.

Artistically, I think it was done to perfection.

I hope it translates well when finish is applied. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

. Mind you this is with no Volume knob in the sound path ( a 500K pot might really help here).

Been following htis build for a while, it is looking great.

the above comment you made is completely true. guitars need a load to sound right. using the amp's inut resistor as the only load will make it bright as hell, and makes the cable contribute significantly more to the tone.

I think you will find a marked difference with a pot in place.

That is the hope... But I know the difference between load and no load and I can tell you this is very very bright right now. It was so bright I thought i had the pup out of phase (I didn't). Some things that still may effect the tone of the pup. I predict it will still be bright with the extra 500k. In truth I did a little too much experimentation in one pickup to tell how each piece is effecting the tone.

No volume knob in the signal path -- I have to fix this before making any decissions.

A4 magnet is midrangy -- I think this is what I am feeling from it (never used one before)

Unplated pole pieces? -- no clue yet how these effect the tone

Not potted yet - This will it tone it down a bit. But not much

No finish on the guitar - I just have to put the right finish on it (something lightweight)

I think that semi-carve rocks!

It's creative, it's different, it's NOT 'beat you over the head with the concept' over the top, it's curvy, it's refined, and it's a mark of your individuality as a builder.

It's just enough to catch your eye, but not enough to be too obvious and gauche.

Artistically, I think it was done to perfection.

I hope it translates well when finish is applied. :D

To Wes and Drak

Thanks. It was a really scary thing carving up something so thin that would have looked just fine without a carve. The reveal on the edge was intentional and necessary (I need an armrest) but I tried to be subtle.

As for the finish... I am still debating what to do. The top looks like a million dollars covered in mineral spirits and I want that look in the end. I want the guitar to feel natural. The padauk will look great with an oil but the top is a little soft and probably needs some protection. I am thinking about a BLO with a final urethane layer. I have also thought about doing a rubbed lacquer the thing.

I am open to suggestions at this point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will send any FAILS your way... but the truth here is experimentation. I have never used an A4 mag in a pup before. The A4 seems to be very midrangy and in a bright guitar the end result is quacky.

I LOVE it when they quack like a duck. Both the blade singles and the mini-humbuckers you made have a lot of quack in them, and I just eat it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will send any FAILS your way... but the truth here is experimentation. I have never used an A4 mag in a pup before. The A4 seems to be very midrangy and in a bright guitar the end result is quacky.

I LOVE it when they quack like a duck. Both the blade singles and the mini-humbuckers you made have a lot of quack in them, and I just eat it up.

Like I said quack has its place on vintage recreations it makes sense. However I am not going for a vintage sound on this one... I want dark and mean.

to be continued...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am open to suggestions at this point.

If it were sitting in front of me, I'd CYA glue it.

Then, once basically filled and sanded level with CA, top coat it w/ whatever you want, lacquer in my case.

I would do the top and bottom separately, so you don't drag any Paduak oils onto the top by accident.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...