Prostheta Posted August 2, 2020 Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 Ack, missed that. Bummer. Still, it's all an upwards curve and one of the few in life that we want to be seeing, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 I’m thrilled with it. It’s a kickass satin finish that the hardwax oil did not produce. I’ve already managed a ding in it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Trial run with the rough nut to make sure electrics are working as intended. Still need to finish nut, slight heel refinement, screws for pups (originals are too long), then disassemble and oil finish neck. Hella strings! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiloszM Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Yesss.. What strings you have there? You know how the sound check will end up.. This guy has died so many times before. Just do it once more 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 1 hour ago, MiloszM said: Yesss.. What strings you have there? They are Stringjoy 10,13, 16, 26w, 34, 46, 64, 85 Boy, I just did sound test #1 and I’m not sure I could be any happier. Just tuning up the strings unplugged, you could hear how resonant it is. The coco / swamp ash combo is magic. Also, the pickups are just great with three voices and so much tonal range. String spacing is perfect. Action is super low and clean all the way to the F# 24th fret (cool sound that). Needs intonation, and the G string is a bitch as usual. I’ll never be able to play it like it should be played, but I don’t care. lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 I'm pretty sure I already mentioned how sexy that is. Remind me what the two switches and one knob do. On off for each pickup and a volume? SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 One knob is the control for dialling up the eleven-ness of the tone, the other is the same but closer when the other one is further away. The switch is to bring out the dancing girls. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Back switch adjusts the phase shift of the polarized vortex beams that allow you to see Cthulhu without going insane. The knob lets you dial that in with precision like a focus knob. Front switch chooses which pickup you want. front = pickups, knob = volume, back = three voices built into the pups. Modern, vintage, and single coil which uses the south coil on each pup (closest to neck coil). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiloszM Posted August 7, 2020 Report Share Posted August 7, 2020 Great love it. Ican hear the soud 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 8, 2020 Report Share Posted August 8, 2020 On 8/6/2020 at 7:47 PM, komodo said: Back switch adjusts the phase shift of the polarized vortex beams that allow you to see Cthulhu without going insane. The knob lets you dial that in with precision like a focus knob. Front switch chooses which pickup you want. I see what you did there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post komodo Posted August 26, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 Well I think this one is done as well. I’ve installed brass inserts in the pup cavities for these bolts, oiled and waxed the neck, etc. I put on some Hipshot tuners cause the Sperzels were breaking strings (3 at once!). I’ve filed the post holes a bit, but these have a better gear ratio. They are also 3 ounces heavier and cause a little neck dive when sitting. I’ll see if a strap changes anything. I cut a fourth (!) pickguard, and crap if I didn’t get the neck opening off, plus a tiny nick. But the rest looks so good I guess I’ll do it again. But not today lol. There are no side dots, I wanted to keep it clean. But, I gotta say that the tentacle loops don’t really scream at you when you are looking over the top of this board and navigating the two extra largest strings. So, I’ll probably do that sometime in the future. The thing sounds like a dream, the notes ring forever. The combo of the coco neck and active pups really make it really sound alive. I’ll get some proper pics soon. My shop lighting is bright but horrible for pictures. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 The one thing - and it's the only think - I don't like 100% here is the seam from the scarf. Beyond that, this is another phenomenal job, Komodo! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Prostheta said: I don't like 100% here is the seam from the scarf. I was looking at the same but then again, look how nicely it lines up with the tuners: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 Yeah, not giving you a hard time about it or anything. Seams across the grain always look like that. Given the size of the volute and neck angle, placing it in the neck instead would put it somewhere around the 3rd-4th fret? That's a little too far for comfort. No, I absolutely love this build. The pickguard is perfect and everything is tied together really well. A complete package. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 RE: the scarf seam - I worked at getting it somewhat straight. It's a consequence of the compound angle cut with the router jig and then gluing the head atop that. I'm pretty sure I did that because of the length of the board, but I'd have to go back and look. I'm pretty sure I'll keep these tuners on so I need to get the screws installed, which is not something I'm looking forward to. Tiny screws into cocobolo! You can also see the saddles hitting their limit as I was intonating. I might have to reset the bridge a bit farther back. There's room to elongate the string through holes, so it's not a huge issue, just annoying after planning so much. Final weight is right at 8 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 That is absolutely totally wicked Jeff! SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 If you dropped that guitar in my lap, I'd have no idea what to do with it but even so, I think it's fucking epic Jeff, coolest build I've seen in my time on PG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 1 hour ago, komodo said: I'm pretty sure I'll keep these tuners on so I need to get the screws installed, which is not something I'm looking forward to. Tiny screws into cocobolo! Tuner locating screws don't provide much other than preventing the tuner twisting in place. Drill good pilot holes and if you've got some spare screws with the same thread, use them to chase the thread sacrificially. Just be ultra careful when re-using the same screw to chase several holes as it becomes more likely that the constant torque will shear the head off. That becomes a world of pain really quickly. A bit of soap or stearine/candle wax goes a long way. I cheat by drilling my pilot hole (calipers measuring the diameter within the threads) to depth, then relieving the first half of that to the width of the threads or screw shank below the head. That way the screws only have to work as much as they need to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 Thanks @ScottR and @ADFinlayson ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 wow, you have good taste. I think that inlay just looks fantastic against the monotone body/hardware. and satin - love it. awesome work as always. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted August 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2020 4 hours ago, mistermikev said: wow, you have good taste. I think that inlay just looks fantastic against the monotone body/hardware. and satin - love it. awesome work as always. Thanks buddy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted September 14, 2020 Report Share Posted September 14, 2020 I've been slacking off from the forums for a bit, so just catching up slowly. I just wanna say... Wow! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted September 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2020 After playing the last two builds for awhile now, the neck profiles are revealing themselves. I'm not sure I've ever built a neck that wasn't tweaked later, sometimes a hair, sometimes quite a bit. For this one, I was very careful as I didn't want to mistake the extra width and mass as extra chunkiness. Spoke shaves and even finger planes are too much at this point, so a super sharp scraper is the trick. The profile was kind of a shallow, flat D, but after playing I realized it needed to be more of a C. Probably not unlike an Ibanez JEM, but translating that to the 8 string and making sure that you don't creep into the fret board edges and make knife edges takes some careful removal. While playing, the "corners" of the D profile made the neck feel thicker than it was depending on where the thumb was placed, as well as blocking your ability to wrap smoothly around the neck and play up and down vertically with any speed. By shaving it to more of a C, it's a WAY more natural motion as your hand rocks up and down. In the end, a pile of shavings and a way better feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 17, 2020 Report Share Posted September 17, 2020 Agreed 100% on the scraper. I usually end up taking a slight bit more off the treble side, making profiles asymmetric. I like a bit of chunk to my necks, but taking that little off the treble side makes it speedier transitioning otherwise I lock in position more....if that makes sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Thanks to @curtisa for the Sunn O))) reference earlier on. I didn’t know them, but I do now! I was going to build a clone of their Life Pedal, but ended up having a clone made by Kpedals so I didn’t have to source all the parts, and cause he does paint pours. It sounds like hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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