daveq Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 The black limba guitar put together for the first time for testing out: It's not quite ready for finishing - there's a few things yet to be done. It's got: -Schaller floyd, -Ebony fretboard with sterling silver inlays (front and side inlay) -Hotrod truss rod with carbon fiber rods - brass inserts in neck -Chrome hardware -Seymour Duncan Lil Screamon Demon neck -Seymour Duncan Lil 59 Demon middle -Seymour Duncan Screamon Demon bridge -Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster (onboard) - this thing is pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 ...and he... SCORES!!! Man, I love those clean pkp cavities, very classy! I always black out my cavities, pkps and tremolo, but yours looks waaay tight like that, I really like it. The whole thing rocks Dave. Those SD pkps give it a kind of 'techno' look. Sooo, SD is making a pre-amp these days? God I love my EMG on-board pre-amps, how's that one working for you? Is that a chrome covered 5-way switch tip? Wheredja get that? Man, I really dig it the way it sits, hope you don't change it in the finish too much, looks great! PS, the neck is also beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKGBass Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 that neck...me want......ahhhh......you dog, you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoG Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Nice work Dave. Makes me see what might happen if I ever get around to my B. Limba sitting in the garage. How does it sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLS Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Looking Good! Any reason you used the Lil Screamon Demon and 59?? Do they sound any different then the Full sized humbucker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Sweetness! The combination of natural looks and shredder technology is perfect. I'll have to look into that black limba when I get around to doing a natural-finish guitar. It has more character than the usual flamed maple suspects, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Sweet. That looks absolutely awesome, Dave! Does Duncan sell the pickup booster as an onboard package, or did you just gut a pedal and install it in the guitar? Either way, pretty cool idea... i love SD products. I would have routed just regular oval holes for the mini Duncans, rather than using the full triangular single-coil pickup rout, but i guess that keeps your options open later on. I also would have direct-mounted the bridge humbucker. But hey, that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 i agree with drake, the guitar's got some very clean lines on it, although i can't figure out how i feel about the single routes.. i think i kinda like them, and whoa i like the wood on that neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 that some nice lookin' guitar! and darren, the SD booster does come as an onboard paackage now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted April 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Thanks for the replies. The SD Pickup Booster is available as an on-board unit from guitarelectronics.com (I think that's where I got it?). It does a great job. There's more noise than an EMG pickup but other than that, the booster does allow the passives to perform like EMG's - I like it alot. I actually only use a bit of boost (3-4) and it's plenty. I can make this thing sound like a great lead guitar and a great blues sound in pos. 2/4 - I'm very happy with it so far. The chrome pickup sel. knob was from Brian (very hard to find but he had one!). I posted a topic about the oval vs. triangular route a while ago and it seemed like most preferred thr triangular even if the pickup was not - so that's why I did it. I like the fact that the owner has the option of putting in whatever they want without needing to route again too (but those pickups were damn expensive!!). I was going to black the cavities but I'm not sure - maybe I'll post a vote and see what you guys say. There's also chrome mounting plates for them but I think they might look strange? Any reason you used the Lil Screamon Demon and 59?? Do they sound any different then the Full sized humbucker? Well, I wanted some versatility in the sound. I wanted to match the neck with the bridge but I thought the middle could be different without messing the sound up. The lil 59 is actually quite similar to the demon but is much cheaper! I thought it would be an interesting match. In positions 2 and 4, it actually sounds a lot like a strat! That wasn't what you were asking though - I chose the single coil sized pickups because that's the look I was going for - I've never built/owned one with that look. Thanks again - let me know what you think about blacking the mid and neck cavities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Drak, what EMG onboard preamp have you got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Amazing guitar man - I love the simple look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Dave, I like the triangular routes better myself, but hey, it's nice we all have the option these days eh? The holes might look different once you get finish on it, so when that happens you might opt to black them out, you can do it anytime in the process, even last, so you could hold off for a bit see how it looks...I just use flat black lacquer in a can, it's quick and easy, I just tape off around the holes... In my case, I always do 100% shielding, which includes either (old way) black paint or (nowadays) copper tape on the bottom of all pkp cavities, then I put some of that black sponge material between the bottom of the pkp and the hole, same stuff I use to cushion the bottom of the tremolo cavity, so I almost have to black mine out and pad to cover up the copper tape shielding under the pkps. Here's a pic where I knew it would be covered, so I even went up the sides...on the SC's, I just do the bottom and connect them with a thin strip of tape running thru the hole where the wires go. I found when pre-amping, it's extremely important to do 100% shielding to keep the noise floor to an absolute minimum. ____________ Spirit, I use the EMG Afterburner, which allows me to use normal pkps and pots of my choice, the Afterburner goes very last in the chain, and also allows me to use the other EMG specialty pots, like the EXG, SPC, that stuff. Each pot is about $40.00 which I think is pretty reasonable, I love that stuff. You can turn it all off and go stock sound or engage it and party on in Sin City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 nice. i'm thinking about putting one of them in the guitar i'm gonna make. are they hard to install? i assume you like it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Hell yeah I love 'em, I have them in at leat 4 guitars, and I have three more units here, ready to go in the next guitars. If you've done guitar wiring before, it's no problem, just follow the directions. And if you've never had a pre-amped guitar before, you have to get in the habit of unplugging ALL the time. But I've had pre-amped guitars for years, I'm completely used to it now, I don't even take notice anymore. Battery drain, dontcha know . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 ah yes, i remember hearing that somewhere. active cuircitry is "on" when you plug in the jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted April 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 That's one reason why I put the kill switch in my skull guitar. I didn't put one in this one though (I don't remember if the switch that activates it kills the circuit to the battery but I don't think it does) Here's a few shots from outside so you can see the silver inlay a bit better: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 man dave,that is some nice work.....you da man you know what's funny though?i never "fit up" before i finish...maybe i should but i just can't see myself doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost in Guitar land Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 SWEEEEEET!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 It's my guitars' evil twin!!!! I love it. Originally mine was going to have a middle pickup too but I decided not to because they always seem to get in the way of my picking habd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 I would so love to see those 2 side by side and play them both, they are both :D AWESOME!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 WOW! i didn't notice the job on the silver inlays before! Nice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 Both guitars are impressive. I am currently building two guitars out of black limba and wonder if I should give them a maple top or not. So some questions for you limba freaks: 1. How do your "limba-strats" sound compared to a usual Alderbody? 2. Do they sound more like mahagony guitars or do they have enough highs in order to satisfy my strat-addicted ears? I am aiming for a guitar that sounds less thin then a Strat but does not lack the clarity and heights of Alder or Maple.... Thanks, MK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 4, 2004 Report Share Posted April 4, 2004 If you don't put a Maple top on it, then I'd use a Maple 'board/neck for insurance. My worthless .02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 If you don't put a Maple top on it, then I'd use a Maple 'board/neck for insurance. Yup....I'll do that anyway. Not only because of the sound, but also do not trust into limba's stability enough to build a neck out of it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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