Dave I Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 (edited) I have a guitar in mind for my high-gain shredder guitar. However, I thought I would run a few ideas past to see if it is a good idea or if I should simplify it. Here is what I have in mind: A 22-fret guitar with either an RG or PRS-shaped guitar with an HSH pickup configuration and a Kahler tremolo. My question is two-fold: 1) How much difference in upper-fret access is there on a typical PRS-shaped guitar? Can I make the cut on the treble side deeper, or would it look weird and leave the RG-design as a better option for easy reaching of the frets? 2) I am thinking of the humbucker-singlecoil-humbucker configuration mainly for diversity and to go from distorted/overdriven/lead tones to quieter cleaner tones within songs. If I go with the HSH configuration, would it be feasible to use the typical Les Paul knob configuration using three of the knobs as volume pots with coil splitters and one as a tone knob? I am thinking that way, with a five-way selector I can go between a quasi-Strat sound to a really crushing high-gain or just dirty/distorted line at the flip of a switch. I can also put the volume for one of the pickups on 0 and use the coordinating position(s) as a kill switch (ala. Rage Against the Machine). Does that sound like a good setup, or should I use a different configuration, or just stick with a simpler HH pickup design? Additionally, would there even be enough surface area on an RG to accommodate a four-knob & pickup selector setup? -Cheers Edited February 6, 2008 by Dave I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Personally, I'll argue all day long that body shape has nothing to do with shredding. That's all in the player, not the instrument. Prince, Les Paul, and Yngwie Malmsteen all shred on vastly different body shapes. From your words, I hear you concerned with upper fret access. As long as there body is cut deep enough, the exact body shape is relative immaterial and all a matter of personal taste. An important aspect to define now would be what type of neck joint you'll be using: bolt on, set, or through. All three pose different problems and solutions for enhancing access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave I Posted February 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Personally, I'll argue all day long that body shape has nothing to do with shredding . . . From your words, I hear you concerned with upper fret access. As long as there body is cut deep enough, the exact body shape is relative immaterial and all a matter of personal taste. Yeah, I was only referring to the shape as it might impact fret access, for me, nothing else. An important aspect to define now would be what type of neck joint you'll be using: bolt on, set, or through. All three pose different problems and solutions for enhancing access. Good point. I am planning on bolt-on with a contoured heel. -Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave I Posted February 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 One additional concern. Is there going to be any problem doing a carved top body with a Kahler tremolo? Can I just route for the Kahler and then carve, or can I carve the edges while leaving the top flat where the pickups & tremolo will go, or will that still be a problem either way with that style of trem? -Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave I Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 ody shape has nothing to do with shredding. That's all in the player, not the instrument. Prince, Les Paul, and Yngwie Malmsteen all shred on vastly different body shapes. As an aside, that may be true, but I am not as good as those guys. As such, I need all the help I can get (hence my preoccupation with fret access, and other factors). -Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 One additional concern. Is there going to be any problem doing a carved top body with a Kahler tremolo? Can I just route for the Kahler and then carve, or can I carve the edges while leaving the top flat where the pickups & tremolo will go, or will that still be a problem either way with that style of trem? -Cheers Kahler makes a stud-mounted Hybrid to use on typical TOM-style bridges, i.e. LP's. They require a neck angle, though. I'd make up your mind whether or not you're going to have a neck angle, because the flat mount Kahler can't have a big angle or it won't work properly. I would build the guitar flat and do all routing on the flat surface (make sure to have the parts you're installing on hand) before carving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 You can use a flat mount kahler on a carved top but you have to have a flat base for it to sit on and you might have neck angle issues. The highest you can set the saddles is about .640 without a base plate shim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 ody shape has nothing to do with shredding. That's all in the player, not the instrument. Prince, Les Paul, and Yngwie Malmsteen all shred on vastly different body shapes. As an aside, that may be true, but I am not as good as those guys. As such, I need all the help I can get (hence my preoccupation with fret access, and other factors). -Cheers I would doubt that any of us are. I'm certainly not! I was just making a point, which I'm glad you understood. I get what you're saying: What's the point of having frets if you can't get to them easily. For pure access with an unaltered body, an SG or a V is great. For looks on a strat-like body, though, I'd go with the PRS, but that's just a matter of personal taste. It's your axe. Sorry... I'm no help on the Khaler trem question. Bigsby makes archtop models.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Read through the pinned post on Kahlers and check out their website. Both do a great job of explaining which ones to use in which situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave I Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Kahler makes a stud-mounted Hybrid to use on typical TOM-style bridges, i.e. LP's. They require a neck angle, though. I'd make up your mind whether or not you're going to have a neck angle, because the flat mount Kahler can't have a big angle or it won't work properly. I would build the guitar flat and do all routing on the flat surface (make sure to have the parts you're installing on hand) before carving. Thanks. I am not going to have a neck angle. I will either carve on the area around where the Kahler sits (keeping the same width of the carve around the whole body), or just round the sides and keep it a flat top. Read through the pinned post on Kahlers and check out their website. Both do a great job of explaining which ones to use in which situations. Thanks. I started to read the Kahler sticky post. I will go through and find which one I need. -Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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