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Project: Radical Departures -- RAD


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Just a question from a newbie, but how are you going to keep buzzing from occurring with the pickups?

Explain "buzzing"

I guess "buzzing" was the wrong word. I mean noise. I was thinking shielding. My bass had a lot of noise until I shielded the pickup cavities with copper.

Edited by Chuck_Chill-Out
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Just a question from a newbie, but how are you going to keep buzzing from occurring with the pickups?

Explain "buzzing"

I guess "buzzing" was the wrong word. I mean noise. I was thinking shielding. My bass had a lot of noise until I shielded the pickup cavities with copper.

Ehhh.... shielding is not always the right answer. I never shield my guitars (likes to live dangerous). I like a little AM radio bleed through (ZZtop style) it adds ambiance.

Shielding will not reduce 60Hz hum only RF.

I have found that the reduction in RF noise from properly shielding a control cavity on a humbucker is just not enough to warrant the work. In general if a humbucker is making noise most of the time shielding will not fix it because it is rarely RF causing the noise. Shielding has to be complete and properly grounded to really work. Any gaps in the shielding defeat the purpose.

I do some shielding on vintage all single coil strats but still most of them 60 cycle and not RF. I can never really tell the difference between a nice copper plate against the pickguard where the controls are and a fully shielded cavity. The gain is usually minimal.

Things I think are way more important than shielding your guitar.

1. Properly grounding the strings is a necessity.

2. Proper ground on your amp

3. Replacing old preamp/power tubes.

4. Power conditioner for all your gear

5. Quality instrument cable

A lot of times when you go in and shield your cavity you end up solving a ground issue that was missed before.

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One last point on noise.

Generally speaking metal in a pickup adds noise. I have several designs with very little metal in the pickup. They are always quieter than designs that have metal baseplates, poles, and/or covers. I can't explain it very well but it does.

This guitar has a huge chunk of aluminum right down the center. I have no clue how it is going to affect the eddy currents or the noise yet. It should act as a shield and I doubt it will have serious affect on the eddy currents.

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You made some slight changes since I last checked it out... Your first incarnation was pretty damn awesome with the new armrest and all...

This one is a bit scattered looking... reminds me of an opened up swiss army knife with a neck attached... Props for being different man :D

Two completely different guitars with different ideas. The first one feels like a model-T compared to this one.

The third one is going to be different from this one.

Thanks for the explanations. Increasing my knowledge in here.

Np!

Maybe the next exposed build would benefit from that 18v differential pre-amp I sent? They're certainly going into the bass builds to float the single.

Not a bad idea... going to need a bigger control cavity though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting everything lined up. Regular pickups are not going to fit. Conscious decision to keep the guitar thin. The 65 year old design is not the only way to build a pickup.

IMG_20140705_141626_zpsf870c4b8.jpg

Much thinner designed pickup fits fine. I have several designs that are very thin enough for this design.

IMG_20140705_144727_zpsb850dbb0.jpg

IMG_20140705_144733_zps4dd4b297.jpg

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"Solving the back of the guitar." It does look like a puzzle.

On the tall pickups. It looks like you have that solved but I was wondering if you had considered a set of Alimitones from Lace. They're pretty low profile and IMHO would enhance the look of that "thing". :)

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"Solving the back of the guitar." It does look like a puzzle.

On the tall pickups. It looks like you have that solved but I was wondering if you had considered a set of Alimitones from Lace. They're pretty low profile and IMHO would enhance the look of that "thing". :)

I agree the Alumitones would fit the theme. However I have a rule about using other manufacturers pickups so that is out. Now if I made some alumitone clones that might be fair. I will have to look into it again but I think the trick is the mini transformer in them.

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  • 1 month later...

I am looking at this thing and thinking I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it started crawling away. Then I realized that in the top and bottom pics it actually looks like a scorpion.

You may have to consider bolting on some extensions specifically for your strap buttons. No reason you couldn't find a location for perfect balance if you go at it that way.

Did the Long Hammer make your finger feel any better?

SR

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I am looking at this thing and thinking I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it started crawling away. Then I realized that in the top and bottom pics it actually looks like a scorpion.

You may have to consider bolting on some extensions specifically for your strap buttons. No reason you couldn't find a location for perfect balance if you go at it that way.

Yeah that is what I am looking into now. I can't cut and tap aluminum until the finger is better than it is right no so I have to wait to try what I am thinking.

I have figured out some things about ergos though from this build. The flat guitar is horribly non ergo. And building this thing all on one plane emphasizes this fact. There is a reason that Toone has been experimenting with arm positioning.

If I do it again the arm rest will be angled to keep the arm from reaching around the guitar to play. Also the front horn needs to be behind the plane of the neck.

Did the Long Hammer make your finger feel any better?

SR

Not the first one but by the last one I forgot. ;)
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