crafty

Funny thing, PRS is still building Tremonti SEs over in Korea for worldwide consumption. They just can't advertise or sell them here in the US. What's interesting is my local guitar store, an authorized PRS dealer, seems to have a neverending supply of new Tremontis, though...scandalous.

Here's a good source of info, with links to other good sources as well: JustFacts.org at UMD Best quote: " A recent study in New Zealand found that 99% of other illicit drug users had previously used marijuana. However, a majority of marijuana users studied (63%) did not progress to the use of other illicit drugs."

Not true. Marijuana has about 1000 more cancer-causing chemicals than your average cigarette. Keep in mind, tobacco is a natural plant too, it's the process of preparing and smoking the tobacco that it becomes dangerous. Also, for those of you who say that marijuana doesn't cause you to lose reaction and motor skills when you're driving, you're wrong too. When I was in high school, a friend of mine and his mother were killed by a driver high on marijuana. Marijuana is a gateway drug. Now, it may not be a gateway drug for everyone, but in my experience I have SEEN it be used as a gateway to get people introduced to illegal drugs. Legalizing marijuana is not going to solve the nation's drug problem, either. You're still going to have cocaine, heroin, meth, PCP, LSD, and other drugs that people are still going to pimp out their children for a hit. Most people who have started on the "harder" drugs started with marijuana and/or alcohol. Plain and simple. Prohibition didn't work because 99% of the country drank some type of alcohol. Less than .01% of the country REGULARLY smokes weed. Also, notice how the organized crime syndicates didn't go away after Prohibition was repealed. They simply grew and became more dangerous in other trades later on, especially with the unions.

It is interesting how Fender was always more concerned with trademarking headstocks more than body shapes. Seriously, at least Gibson was smart enough to go after Ibanez and the other imports early on to protect the Les Paul design. I wish they hadn't gone after PRS over the Singlecut, but I do understand why they had to do so. That was a great post, Jeremy. I think a lot of people go to Ed Roman's site and see his "conversions" that are flat-out copies and think they can get away with slapping a JEM decal on a mutilated, left-handed RG. Such actions will only lead to the big guns tightening their grip on their trademarks and going after reputable builders who aren't doing anything wrong.

Hmmm...I had heard somewhere long ago that you could disconnect the bridge ground if you used a PA-2 because the preamp would filter out the noise picked up by the passive pickups. Doesn't make much sense to me now that you mention it, I just never really thought much about it. Nothing to see here, move along

The trem system is a natural reverb tank. The springs vibrate when you strum the strings and keep vibrating even when you stop. The only way to stop or dampen this effect is to either add more springs or wedge a piece of rubber or butyl rubber between the springs and the body. Both solutions will affect the trem operation, so it may not be a good idea if you're using it a lot and want it to go back in tune all the time. I don't think it would be a good idea to loosen the screws on the claw. That would raise the bridge and consequently raise your action.

Look for an EMG PA-2 without the toggle switch, usually a special order item. It will allow you to add passives to the active system. The other option is to use a two-way switch between systems. Set up independent tone/volume for each pickup and wire to the switch. BTW, my personal preference is to either have all-active or all-passive in a single instrument. The simpler you can make your guitar the easier it will be to use on-stage or in the studio. That makes no sense. First of all, removing the bridge ground is a benefit of the EMG system because it reduces the risk of electrocution through the amp. EMG pickups are internally grounded via the preamp stage--there's no need for the bridge ground. When you add the PA-2 to the system, you will not need the bridge ground for the passive pickup, either.

You put a tele bridge pickup in the mid position of your strat copy? How'd you get that to fit? Did you have a "swimming pool" route in that body or something?

Pleeeaaase put the post anchors in BEFORE you finish it this time!!!

For the cavity cover: fill the hole with baking soda. Drop a "drop" of superglue or CA onto the hole. You will see a little puff of smoke--do not breathe it in--now you can use the screw again. For the jack plug: drill out the hole with a 3/16 bit, sharpen a 1/4 dowel rod to a point with a pencil sharpener, fill hole with wood glue, insert pointed dowel into hole as far as it will go, snap off with a pair of wire cutters, "stuff" excess dowel into hole as far as it will go, let dry for a couple hours, reinstall screw and jack plate.

You gotta enter that for GOTM. It'd be a toss-up between your axe and Perry's Rhodes tribute, but that's a freakin' hot guitar. Qua-li-tee! Yeah, the neck pickup does look reversed...

Go to this website and order this kit: Carvin Bolt Kit This kit comes with everything you need to make the guitar you want. The electronics are prewired, so there's no way you can screw them up. If you have a little coin, they will even finish the body how ever you want it, even the sunburst. Later on, after you've assembled the guitar and verify everything else is perfect, then you can purchase a set of Texas Specials and wire them up to the same solder points as the Carvin pickups. The kit costs $349.99 plus $19 for shipping. I would be really surprised if you can find the same components on fleabay for the same price w/shipping. Also, when you're new at this, trying to get all the components you need at once is kind of tough, too.

The Smashing Pumpkins DID come before Bush, but you can hardly call Gish an Emo album. Adore was just weak and sounded too much like Emo crap, maybe that's why they finally called it quits. I dunno, I'm sick and talking out of my a$$ right now... All I know is that if I didn't want to buy a Ford Focus before, I certainly don't want one now with Switchfoot's endorsement. Oh yeah, Dashboard Confessional sucks, too.

Yeah, approximately 1/4, just like Southpa's.

Sorry, I can't find my metric rule, but here's the measurements off my MIM Strat: L- 2.5 in. W- 2 in. T- 3/32 in. HS- 1-3/8 in. vertical or 1-7/8 in. horizontal (edge of hole to center of next hole) 1-1/2 in. vertical or 2 in. horizontal (center to center) HD- 5/16 in. (not accounting for countersink, actual inside diameter is probably less) Amazingly, the measurements were spot on for the English system. Hope this helps.

Emo is the evolution of Alternative mixing with Pop. In my opinion, it started with Bush, was accelerated by Adore-era Smashing Pumpkins, case-hardened with Filter, and finally recognized by the likes of Good Charlotte and Switchfoot. Linkin Park is what I'd call extreme-Emo, mixed with elements of hip-hop. Note, however, LP has only released two full-length studio albums in five years. Everything else is either remixed or live footage. At least 3 Doors Down, the only Emo band I can stand because they're a little bit southern rock, has release three LPs in five years. The most annoying Emo song on the radio right now is Dare You to Run. I swear I've almost set off the airbag in my car when I smash my fists into the wheel everytime I hear the intro to that song come on the supposed "cutting edge" rock station here in the city.

No, it's just the Ed Roman bashing. Just about everything mentioned in that quote has been said by ER at one time or another. Although, I never heard the one about blue vs. red instruments...

Sooo...why not do the ER mod to the guitar you're building?? Won't it be even more playable than one with the AANJ? I'm not trying to bang on your idea or anything, and personally I've never been a huge fan of PRS necks until I played a CE 22 this last weekend. I just thought it was neat how they placed the joint under the neck pickup rather than on an extension of the body like the traditional Fender joint or the AANJ. I'm going to be quiet now until the guitar is finished, at which point I will probably be sending my compliments unless it meets with the Wall of Death first.

I'd rather see a PRS with the stock bolt-in neck joint than the AANJ...you don't need the "heel from hell", either.

Question: Are you really going to use the middle pickup, or are you just putting it in to put it in? Try just putting a switch or push-pull pot switch in to split either the JB or the Jazz for single coil mode. You'll get just about the same sound as a Strat middle pickup and it'll save you some coin. If you really want a solid pickup for the middle, I recommend the SD Classic Stack for Strat. Fine pickup for this application, cheaper and better sounding than the Fender Noiseless, in my opinion.

If you haven't named it yet, I'd name it Saturn. The look of that dyed, streaked poplar just reminds me of Saturn's rings for some reason. Too bad you got a raw deal on the neck. Guess you should've used that old Epi neck after all.

It'll sound warm, for sure, but not anything like a vintage Strat even if you put a split on the JB. A basswood body and a JB is more of a recipe for a shredding machine than a vintage-style tone machine.

It's the ED ROMAN KOACASTER!! RGGR -1 points for posting ER's handiwork

You are a master of the obvious. Thank you.

Because Walnut and Bubinga don't sound very vintage and are heavy as hell... Just kidding, RGGR. The guy sounded like he was thinking more about Alder or Ash, so that's why I responded in kind. If I were doing it, I'd pick up a nice grainy piece of swamp ash, bleach it out, fill the grain with blue tinted filler, clear Nitro and throw a nice set of used Bardens in there. But hey, that guitar would cost $400 for the pickups alone...