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Bokchoi's Double Humbucker Tele


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Small update, I've been refining the neck, I'm amazed at how well it seems to be coming along for a first go, The wood seems to be pretty forgiving.

I've got the side dots installed and the holes drilled for the tuning heads, mostly been working out the high spots and the tool marks.

 

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I'm looking forward to fretting it when the marker dots arrive....

 

In other news, I wandered down to the local wood supplier and picked up some blackwood for the next build I have planned...

 

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Edited by bokchoi77
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Check your high frets by tapping them with a small piece of metal....I use a fret rocker for that. If they sound "hollow" or dead, you might have a poorly-seated fret. Well-set frets should return a nice ting noise. It's a good check, because the last thing you want to be doing is to try and level a slightly flexible fret; it'll continue to be a problem and even if it doesn't, notes fretted on it sound bad.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting closer to the finish line on this one, have coated with poly and buffed out the finish so it's getting nice and glassy (and slippery)

 

The neck is coming along too, the Tas oak has darkened up quite a bit and looks pretty good with the rest of the wood I think. It certainly has some heft to it now when all bolted together but nothing too bad.

 

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I've turned some attention to the electronics, I think I'll run parallel switching on both humbuckers via push pull pots. Fancy!

 

Edited by bokchoi77
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4 hours ago, Muzz said:

Loving this build, the guitar is turning out looking so natural, earthy and gorgeous.

Thanks! I quite like the look considering I wasn't going for anything in particular.

3 hours ago, ShatnersBassoon said:

Looking awesome! Funnily I was reading yesterday that the dark markings on Sassafras are caused by a fungus, and as such special precautions need to be taken with regards to safety. Either way, you have cut it all out now 😁

Cheers! Yeah you're right on the fungus but I'm pretty sure it all vanishes by the time it's all dried out. I've not heard any safety notifications about it but I tend to treat any and all wood dust as deadly - I'm also an asthmatic so I use a respirator and keep dust under control as much as possible. 

Apparently the Tasmanian Blackwood I'm working with on my other project is the worst - at least so I'm told. Best avoid breathing anything that isn't air I'd say.

 

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So over last night and today I got this assembled and strung up for the first time. 

So far so good, managed to get it intonated but I may need to relocate the bridge as I'm pretty tight on adjustment. I read the rule of having the saddle all the way forward long after I set it in the middle when locating the bridge... oops. Still it's intonated for the moment and we'll see how it goes.

It's a heavy beast, I'll weigh it later on and see what it comes in at...

Wiring TBD next!

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It was a pretty grey day today so I'll take it out when the sun shines for some better pics.

Edited by bokchoi77
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I've been watching this with interest over the last couple of weeks, but not really had chance to concoct a proper response what with being on mobile devices instead of a real keyboard. She looks like a real success, and that black stripe meeting up with the switch cover was pure serendipity.

You're correct in that the bridge should be placed according to where the saddle witness points are in their maximum forward position. Intonation only ever needs to lengthen the string to compensate for bending notes sharp when fretting. If it intonates right now, that's what matters. Don't go opening a can of worms re-placing the bridge unless the look of the saddles in their current position or the tighter break angle over the saddles to the string through holes bother you that much.

I think she's fantastic as she stands. The only thing that I think I would have done differently is to have slightly more defined transitions around the heel and volute. That's just me though, as I like those parts in sharper definition. Absolutely nothing wrong with it as it stands of course.

So what's the thought process on the wiring so far? I reckon a vintage Les Paul style rather than the modern equivalent would be a nice fit. There's all manner of options open to you with a three-way and two-pots-per-pickup.

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16 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

I've been watching this with interest over the last couple of weeks, but not really had chance to concoct a proper response what with being on mobile devices instead of a real keyboard. She looks like a real success, and that black stripe meeting up with the switch cover was pure serendipity.

You're correct in that the bridge should be placed according to where the saddle witness points are in their maximum forward position. Intonation only ever needs to lengthen the string to compensate for bending notes sharp when fretting. If it intonates right now, that's what matters. Don't go opening a can of worms re-placing the bridge unless the look of the saddles in their current position or the tighter break angle over the saddles to the string through holes bother you that much.

I think she's fantastic as she stands. The only thing that I think I would have done differently is to have slightly more defined transitions around the heel and volute. That's just me though, as I like those parts in sharper definition. Absolutely nothing wrong with it as it stands of course.

So what's the thought process on the wiring so far? I reckon a vintage Les Paul style rather than the modern equivalent would be a nice fit. There's all manner of options open to you with a three-way and two-pots-per-pickup.

Thanks man I appreciate the kind comments.

I think I'll take your advice, if it aint broke don't fix it etc, I simply went with an incorrect assumption on the bridge placement, a lesson for the future, luckily not a breaking one.

As for the neck carve, yeah I think that's definitely something to be refined, I was honestly gobsmacked that it came out so close to the money on a first go, I had purchased a neck for this project but the trial scratch built neck was such a success (in my view) that I pushed on for a fully hand built project. 

There are a few little bits to be fettled here and there, a couple of slightly high frets and I'll check the neck etc after being strung up for a day or two. It's definitely a 'first build' in that there are plenty of lessons here and there.

Wiring process I was thinking a fairly standard LP setup with a parallel switch on each pickup via push pull pots. But I have enough pots etc for a standard setup as well, I'm open to suggestions.

It's an interesting play, feels really solid kinda like an older LP, but thick in the neck like a Tele as well. I like it, but I'm not sure I'd love it on stage so much after an hour or so it weighs in around 4.3 kg.

 

 

 

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Nice! Shame about the weight, however a nice supportive strap should help with that of course.

I've always been of the opinion that 50s style wiring works better in an LP (or whatever) than the modern variant. It makes the tone controls more reactive and usable rather than being "dumb".

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This article explains it better than I can, but not as good as your ears and fingers.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/lespaulwiring

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Ok so I found some time to wire this one up today, I went with the wiring as I posted above, and I'm pleased with it, when running the coils 'split' (Actually Parallel but I refer to it as split for some reason!) It has quite a Strat style tone to it, and you can do some interesting thing mixing in split and unsplit etc.

Anyhow I made a quick recording. The first one is a similar progression running through Neck -> Neck Split -> Bridge - Bridge Split -> Neck + Bridge -> Neck + Bridge both split -> Neck + Bridge neck split -> Neck + Bridge bridge split.

And this is plugging it into a song I was working on a while back, just a small section. I played both guitar parts on this guitar.

Hopefully the clips work ok!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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26 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

I'm running without sound right now, and I'm sure the mobile devices will butcher the clips. Good to hear (or not?) you got it all up and running though!

Look forward to hearing what you think.

Yup wiring went smoothly and worked first time. Funny, I've been soldering for 30+ years or so now give or take and I still manage to sizzle a finger EVERY. TIME.

 

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On 9/29/2018 at 12:46 PM, thaumgarrett said:

Sounds great!! 

Always good to see a project come to fruition. :)

Thanks man!

Well this one is finally done and dusted save a few tweaks down the track no doubt.

After some test setups I went ahead and relocated the bridge, as I just wasn't happy with the location. I also routed another 3mm from the neck pocket to seat the neck a little more nicely into the body in relation to the bridge.

I had to pull one fret and re seat it and then gave everything a good level and crown, I can now get the action to where I want it.

All in all a fun build with a lot of lessons to take forward to the next one.

 

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, bokchoi77 said:

Thanks man!

Well this one is finally done and dusted save a few tweaks down the track no doubt.

After some test setups I went ahead and relocated the bridge, as I just wasn't happy with the location. I also routed another 3mm from the neck pocket to seat the neck a little more nicely into the body in relation to the bridge.

I had to pull one fret and re seat it and then gave everything a good level and crown, I can now get the action to where I want it.

All in all a fun build with a lot of lessons to take forward to the next one.

 

 

 

 

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Lovely guitar you built there.  Anyone should be happy to have it in their collection.

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