westhemann Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 All evildoers must be in the buff. They usually are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Apparently WES' neighborhood has a crime spree of streakers... coincidence? I think not! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted December 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 With the last bits of hardware soon-to-be on order, and the pups now in the works, I figured it was about time to stary playing around with some p/g shapes. The bottom * front will be closely following the edge of the bevel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 I got a pile of stuff in the mail today. Most notably, the pups RAD made for this beast. Major updates soon...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 The brand-spanking-new pickups, along with the body, neck, and p/g blank. The pups are short blade HBs mounted in jazzmaster covers. "I need to do some cutting and routing, but first I need a template" he said, turning towards his beloved scrollsaw. Minutes later.... And so here we have the pickguard template with pups & electronics in place. And a view of the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 i like the coloured potting and that pickup shape will add an individual look! needs a better bridge though - really dont like those particular top loaders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Foreigner Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 i like the coloured potting and that pickup shape will add an individual look! needs a better bridge though - really dont like those particular top loaders +1 on both points. Those bridges can be had for $8 and they're structurally sound enough, but for the same price these ones: http://cgi.ebay.com/HARDTAIL-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-BRIDGE-CHROME-top-mount-/190502767699?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2c5ad98c53 look much nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 i would still pay a little extra for the gotoh string through version. I am not totally against top mount, just with this style of bridge i always feel string through works better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 I agree that, while this one is serviceable, the bridge could use an upgrade. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with this one, but a Gotoh would certainly be better. I've bought hardware from Bezdez before; it's all low end junk. I still use them for bindings and the occasional inlay, but not for anything else anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 I don't comment much in the in progress section, although I watch a lot (I'm an in-progress-lurker). This looks great John! Classy, new and still with a classic vibe to it. The body shape goes extremely well with the head stock shape and the colors work really great together (turquoise body, white pg, chrome parts). Everything looks clean and well executed. My only reservation is that maybe white pups would have looked even better. And possible tele-style chromed dome knobs. Or maybe not. Just cut and shape that pg and let us see how it looks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 My absolute favorite top-loader is the ABM ABM Chrome Non-Tremolo Serviceable replacement is the Schaller If the guitar turns out as good as it looks like it is it would be worth the investment for the upgrade. I think I can get those covers in white....but can't say that I agree on white over black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 If I was going to spend that much on a bridge, I'd get a Kahler. At the point I'm at in the "finish it up" stage, I can say conclusively that this would have worked MUCH better as a neck-through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Serviceable replacement is the Schaller i like the schaller - but like kahlers they should really make it clearer that the saddles need to be raised a fair bit to get the most out of the bridge... i had one of those schaller's set relatively low (not bottomed out) and had some problems with the strings popping out of the roller - then having to reposition the roller to get string spacing correct again!! just not enough downward pressure on the saddle if its left in the lower 3rd of its adjustment range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 If I was going to spend that much on a bridge, I'd get a Kahler. Great idea. I like the Kahler fixed bridge over the Schaller... just forgot about it. I can get a kahler fixed or a trem for you... just let me know when you are ready. At the point I'm at in the "finish it up" stage, I can say conclusively that this would have worked MUCH better as a neck-through. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 I can get new Kahler fixed bridges on eBay for around $95-$110. Is that the normal retail price? Why is because of the way I did the neck pocket. It's 100% design and nothing else. I only have about 2" of glue space on the heel. Had I extended a small ledge from the body everything would have been fine. I suppose I COULD use some 1" wood screws and bolt it on with washers instead of ferrules. Thinking about it for a minute, I think that's what I'll do. Lemme think about it for a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I can get new Kahler fixed bridges on eBay for around $95-$110. Is that the normal retail price? Why is because of the way I did the neck pocket. It's 100% design and nothing else. I only have about 2" of glue space on the heel. Had I extended a small ledge from the body everything would have been fine. I suppose I COULD use some 1" wood screws and bolt it on with washers instead of ferrules. Thinking about it for a minute, I think that's what I'll do. Lemme think about it for a bit. OK. that makes sense. As for the Kahlers that is a good price for them. But just email me on the Kahler fixed bridges . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 So somehow I got involved in this project... honestly I love a good challenge. I was designing a new blade pickup anyway and I thought it could be used here. The hardest part of this was finding the covers. John graciously let me post to his build thread. This is a repost of how I did it. New blade humbuckers. I am working on a low profile design and a regular sized cast design that will use the same coils. Current prototype is about 7/16" thick to the top of the bobbins. On the first one I stuck the blades up 1/16" but they could be cut flush with the top of the bobbin if necessary. The base plate is just so I can test the design without casting it into epoxy. The possibilities are endless with this design. Uses a standard HB magnet so I can go any type I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I realize the bobbins are ugly right now but they are going to be encapsulated in epoxy so no worries. Slotting jig at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 First prototype test. It is held together with tape. Basically I just want to see how it sounds and the initial results were good. Very similar to my regular Diablo HB but with a nice smooth attack and some bass enhancement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Next project is finishing up the blade pickup prototypes. I used an EMG style housing and was planning on using casting epoxy. However the directions were very indepth with measurements and stiring and tranfering and ... well these are prototypes so I decided on an easy route. 5-min epoxy like so - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Getting ahead of myself here is a surface mount blade. I colored the epoxy this time blue. It felt like the color of a neck pickup... Starting on the bridge pickup. Here is the potted "core" of the pickup. I potted the coils with wax. I think on later models I am going to pot the whole core with wax. This will allow them to be taken apart as the epoxy will not adhere to the core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I put the core in the cover. I made some centering pieces that also eat up some volume in order to not waste epoxy. Also at this point you want to completely tape the outside of the cover as you don't wnat epoxy on the pickup outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I am using dixie cups for mixing. I put equal parts in the cup, add color, and stir for 2 minutes scraping the sides to get everything mixed good. Only get one shot at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Next we put a small amount in the cover and spread it around. Insert the core and the faom centering pieces and push down. Then add epoxy until completely covered and push down. Wear gloves as it is sticky stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Lastly position the lead so it comes out straight (as possible) and let them cure. I didn't experience large amounts of heat from this process but I was not using a lot of epoxy. I have heard that when you use a lot of 5-min it gets pretty hot so most guys use 30-min for this stuff. And that is it for my contribution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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