RestorationAD Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I like the idea of making a PJ set with blades. I have a few friends (guitarist with my pickups bass players) begging for me to start developing Bass pickups. However all my knowledge is in passive pickups and a lot of bass players love active pickups with complete onboard boost/parametric EQs packed in the cavities. I am too much a minimalist to help bass players. I made my brother a P set so he could sound like Steve Harris. That is the extent of my bass pickup knowledge. I do have some ideas on how to leverage neo mags to make a beastly P/J blade solution... What is more important to a bass player clarity, power, or growl? Most bass players want Winged Unicorn Ponies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 So what you REALLY need is an affordable supplier of blades. How much research & investigation have you done into it? With all of the blade pups out there I have to believe there's a manufacturer somewhere that you can deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 So what you REALLY need is an affordable supplier of blades. How much research & investigation have you done into it? With all of the blade pups out there I have to believe there's a manufacturer somewhere that you can deal with. I have done 0 research into it. You would be surprised how hard it is to source small batches of parts. If it wasn't for a few friendly conversations with the guys at Mojo most of us boutique pickup builders would still be in the dark trying to acquire parts. If I was to guess though I could talk to them as they already have a blade product that I use in my hot rails style pickups. I am a guitar company first... for now. I am not sure how much demand I would have for the blade pickups. Kids today don't listen to me about outputs and clarity they like their 18k BKPs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Kids today don't listen to me about outputs and clarity they like their 18k BKPs... I used to want a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge and something else really hot in the neck to match output. Then I grew up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Can you use these and just shape/polish the tops? http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Bar-Magnets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Precisely why I don't understand why people bitch about EMGs sounding bad. The pickup of itself is very low output and hence maintains the clarity and response of cool coils whilst the pre brings it up to levels you can use in a day to day environment. Apparently the newer pre is just the same as the old one with a couple of MINOR tweaks just to clear the headroom a little. Certainly not worth the price hike. For myself, I prefer having the onboard shaping so active is where it is at. My next project after the BnG is an Aria SB-Integra. I doubt I can replicate the original pickups (onboard pre, epoxied like EMG) however I have a pre-amp extracted from one on loan. Perhaps when I get a feel for the pre I can better define what to load its front end with. Likely going to try SD Pro-Actives rather than the obvious EMG choice. Ping me when the project is under way if you're interested, RAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Kids today don't listen to me about outputs and clarity they like their 18k BKPs... I used to want a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge and something else really hot in the neck to match output. Then I grew up. I have a DiMarzio X2N in the neck posi on my Iceman, I haven't grown up yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I had EMGs in my Steinberger until 3 years ago. I never thought they sounded bad, but they didn't sound good either. I thought they were pretty sterile. If you use a lot of effects or use high-gain distortion, I'm sure they'd be as good as anything else for you. If you're more stripped down, then I wouldn't give you two bits for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diffidentia Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I had EMGs in my Steinberger until 3 years ago. I never thought they sounded bad, but they didn't sound good either. I thought they were pretty sterile. If you use a lot of effects or use high-gain distortion, I'm sure they'd be as good as anything else for you. If you're more stripped down, then I wouldn't give you two bits for them. I've been using EMG HZs for years, and they have their use. For metal and prog, which is my main gig, they fit perfectly. For all the other stuff I do (blues, classic rock, alt rock and pop) I have to work hard to make them fit the sound. I also acquired a set of EMG Xs which I use on a guitar tuned to drop A - which should give you a clue to where I've found use for it. I'd agree that they are sterile, which is perfectly fine for some genres, but when I decided to build something myself I wanted something less clinical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Back to RAD's pickups, I would be interested in seeing what turns up for this one. Are blades on the menu for a seven? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Back to RAD's pickups, I would be interested in seeing what turns up for this one. Are blades on the menu for a seven? Yes if I can find a long enough small magnets.... I have to talk to Mojo again and explain that everything cool they do they need to do for 7 strings as well. I need different color bobbins for 7 strings bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Last night did the first run on a neck profile. Not a full neck profile carve but a neck blank that is flat on the back. This way I can still carve them by hand (my favorite part of building along with top carving). The idea is to replace the thickness run using the neck monster and the profiling run using a template on the router table. The router table was always the most nerve racking as you never knew when you might get horrendous tear-out and when you are doing 20 necks in a row it was no longer fun. The first run went pretty well. I have to fix some feedrates and DOC (Depth of Cut) but it was overall very accurate and pretty fast. With the CNC I can easily produce a blank that is .512 in thick from the 1st fret to the 15th. If I am careful while carving and stay off the back of the neck (the trussrod slot is .387 in deep) I can easily produce necks that are .748 in (18.9992 millimeters) thick (without frets). This is going to save me a lot of time and headache. The heel tenon is now always going to be the same depth. I always try to get them the same but sometimes I just had to wing it… not anymore. I think I am going to like my new level of accuracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 It is loud so turn your speakers down.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I have to talk to Mojo again and explain that everything cool they do they need to do for 7 strings as well. I need different color bobbins for 7 strings bad. If you do, please suggest 8 sting parts too. Have had some requests for Meshugah style instruments lately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I have to talk to Mojo again and explain that everything cool they do they need to do for 7 strings as well. I need different color bobbins for 7 strings bad. If you do, please suggest 8 sting parts too. Have had some requests for Meshugah style instruments lately... So on the 8 string parts... we need to up the demand in order for them to actually help. I am sick of 8 string requests... it is hard to build a good pickup for them because the good parts don't exist in small quantities. I just can't waste 10 dollars a magnet to have a 100 A8 magnets made big enough for 8 string pickups (I already had a special run of A8 rods made up for multiscales)... And don't get me started on nickel-silver base plates. I have torn a couple of BKPs 8s apart now and know how they are doing it. They use short nickel pole pieces (about 5/8" but I can measure if you need) what looks to be a stainless baseplate and bobbins with seams. The short nickel pole pieces were probably special order... I could understand that cost as they work in 6,7, and 8. The A5 Magnets were definitely special order and I bet they had to order in a large quantity. I use A8s which cost a lot more and the smaller the special order the more expensive it is. The stainless baseplates were pretty rough so I wonder if they were cut by hand (if so that is a pain). I am thinking that they cut 2 6 string bobbins and glue them together. My solution to the baseplates is to cut forbon baseplates on the CNC machine. I am using the forbon 6 string baseplates from Mojo in my new high output pickup and so far they work really well (except for putting stickers on). Anyway I will talk to them again soon. When I do that will be on my list... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Talking of which, new album tomorrow :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Talking of which, new album tomorrow i hope it's less Catch 33 and more Obzen...that last one kicked serious ass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Cutting a real neck on the CNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Fretboard slotting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Real neck blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 What's your verdict on the "real" neck blank? Other than the huge pile of orange sawdust? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 What's your verdict on the "real" neck blank? Other than the huge pile of orange sawdust? SR Well I am no were near where I need to be. Right now I am saving myself a days work profiling and setting the thickness of the back of the neck and the heel. I have increased my repeatability to 100%. I have increased my accuracy 50% (still have to sand 0.005" off for it to fit). I have made a heel that is going to be hard to recreate on a table router without the risk of tear-out. I have reduced the chance of injuring myself with a table router 75%. I have been thinking about where I am going with this and I think the next step is to attach the fretboard first. Then while it is square put 2 - 1/8" locator pins in the nut slot and a 1/4" locator in the heel cut-off and profile the neck with the fretboard and save even more time. What I would like to be doing by the end of the summer is to take the neck blank you see in the picture (but with an unslotted fretboard, trussrod, assembled) and turn it over and radius and slot the fretboard. Then I would still have to profile the back of the neck by hand. The final place to get to is to glue a blank together, add trussrod, attach unslotted fingerboard. Then radius and slot the fretboard. Turn the blank over and carve the neck, volute, and heel joint in one pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 More fretboards slotting... Trussrods for first 2 necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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