psw

Hmmm...there may be something missing to me here...did i miss some of the discussion? Who explained this to you? No....the train is like a slide or fret, not the sleepers. The train will initiate vibrations in the rails in both directions away from it. What you are doing with an electric guitar (or the body of an acoustic) is amplifying one end of it. If you amplify the vibrations behind the slide they will be generally out of tune with the note you are playing and sound really bad. In fact, generally with slide playing you dampen the strings behind the slide specifically to stop these vibrations. Such considerations are outside the pickup position debate and to some extent have been explored and experimented with in another thread a while back (length of string behind the nut or bridge). So...there may be small effects on the vibration of the wood by the string length behind a fretted note, they are not generally enough to have much effect on the sound sensed by the pickup or vibrating body in front of it, or the fact that the length ahead is being physically plucked or strummed...not resonating. An easy experiment is to put a big clamp on the headstock...by doing so you cancel a lot of these vibrations which might be desirable as these small vibrations can have a detrimental effect on sustain because of random canceling waves. The headstock and tuners can have a substantial effect on this and why products like the "fat head" (a brass plate screwed to the back of the head) was inspired (although making the guitar neck heavy. The mass of the head can have a big effect on the guitars vibration and so the sound of any pickup (changing tuners can have an impact on the sound of a guitar)...headless guitars like the steignberger addressed this with remarkably stiff carbon construction (as do many basses)...perhaps that is why you don't see that many headless guitars. But these theories do seem to be propagating myths...or confusing effects and analogies. So again, maybe I missed something, but who explained this concept and with what authority? You may also want to look at some effects I commented on here link about slanting the bridge or other pickups. The bridge pickup is more susceptible to changes in position perhaps. As fo0r middle pickups, they are generally judged by the effect they have in combination with other pickups and the position of pickups relevant to each other does make a remarkable difference and could be argued to possess "sweet spots" for their cancellation qualities. As for HB's, both coils sense the string and so have a much wider aperture of sensing. One coil will not read more than another...have a think about it...both coils read equally due to the rwrp construction. But there are flaws in the idea of the string behind the fretted note being a big if any influence on the pickup sensing or position...it is far more a question of the stiffness of the neck, damping technique behind a fretted note and things like the mass at the far end of the neck that can dampen these vibrations. Generally the effect of such vibrations (say on a rubbery neck) is to create interferance waves not related to the note played (or just as bad reinforcement waves) creating dead and hot fretted notes here and there and should be avoided. The length of string behind the fretted note to the bridge will almost always be detrimental to the vibration of the notes you are trying to produce by these effects as the length of string behind the fretted note bears little harmonic relationship to it. For instance...if you were to play an e string fretted at the 12th fret you would get an e vibrating on either side (or close to it as it wouldn't be intonated correctly). If you move up one fret to F (13th) there would be a length os string behind the fretted note that was perhaps something like Eb (the string has been shortened to the bridge but lengthen behind). Now...that is not a good combination is it! At some pints these will have bad effects on the vibration of the string, at others it will have reinforcing effects creating harmonic effects. The fact is that generally we don't here these (although you can if you put a pickup behind the fretted notes or on some electric guitars played acoustically...and on an undamped slide guitar)...and in generally this is a very bad thing! Anyway...hope this informs things a bit more... pete

Some of this relates to the pickup position topic...and the need to understand the multiple modes of vibrations of strings and the harmonic series. Generally (except in the highest frets) the neck and the middle position pickups sense a wider and more dominant fundamental mode...where as the bridge pickup, closer to the end point of vibration, will sense a lesser fundamental and more complex harmonic content or mode of vibration. Difficult to explain without diagrams I guess. Anyway...the result is that in general the effect of things like slanting the pickup are far less the further from the end point of the string (typically the bridge or the highest fretted notes (of course in that case the notes are generally pretty high and the harmonic content very high and our ears are not so sensitive to such frequencies)). In short, there is some noticeable effect when slanting the bridge pickup...but probably negligible with the neck and middle pickups give the above. Now...there is a theory that perhaps Leo Fender got it wrong...perhaps the high strings could benefit from a less shrill harmonic content and a bit more fundamental, and the bass strings more harmonic complexity. Personally, I think he got the idea right (better fundamental response in the bass strings perhaps). However, I believe that Hendrix felt differently...there were lots of good reasons why hendrix played an upside down strat, this reverse slant was a part of the reasoning I recall him having. But then he also liked the controls on top...where as few of us would want them under the forearm. A big part of it really was I suspect to be super cool, and a lesson that upper fret access is perhaps a little over rated. But the thing I notice most that went to his advantage was the upside down headstock...his need to regularly tune continually as he played given the technology of the day and the way he played. By having the tuners below the neck he didn't need to pull his up and over to tune...if you watch films, when he was with it enough to care about tuning....you can see how he tuned often and often without being noticed... So...seemingly going off topic, but a lesson in the reversing of the slant and how little it really matters I suppose...I don't think there is a lot of advantage if any of slanting the middle and bridge pickups and changing the position will change combinations perhaps. One thing to consider is that these days strat bridge pickups tend to be longer to account for this slant (and allowing longer wraps and so more power without enlarging the coil or going to a thinner wire). Slanting the other pickups may require a longer pickup to line up the poles...however these would be bridge pickups typically and not really ideal for other positions due to their overwinding. A bit to consider...an interesting question given recent discussions however... pete

Well...I'm not a big fan of ebaying supplies for this kind of thing...generally the postage is way more than what you can get if you have a half decent electronics kind of store. For about 5 bucks I pick up a whole bunch of suitable wire in 12 colours...afterall, it's not like you need huge lengths. For more delicate stuff I have even used rainbow ribbon cable and just pulled off the colors and number or strands that I want (got to be careful with the heat of course). For guitars with the space, I will try to use shielded cable. This too can be found in paired or quad forms that can be easily separated and have colour coding. If enough shielded cable is used this can generally be enough to quieten down most unshielded guitars, even strats. Generally I use stranded cable, occasionally there is a use for solid core but I don't think it is reliable and the heat transfer easily melts cables. Heat is again something to watch...I now use a temperature controlled work station but with proper techniques and preparations you should not need that kind of heat even for the back of pots. filing and sanding soldering points, flux and tinning of surfaces before making connection and only then attempting a wire join will ensure a nice bright strong and professional join. If you expect to make the join without such precautions, especially on pots (but even wires) where there is usually a layer of oxidization, possibly oil or protective coatings you will need a lot of heat to burn through this and even then a good join can be faulty. You don't need a special soldering iron, but low wattage iron, preparation of the joins, good technique and practice is the order of the day. Generally I don't like cloth, it isn't really intended to be used in guitars (unless there is some vintage stuff I don't know about or can't get)...I suspect it is solid and designed for amp construction and perhaps not the kind of choice I would personally would make. Once all the joins and such are made, and it has tested to work, it is a good idea to use PVC tape to protect the joins. This can be important with shielded guitars. A bit of tape covering the shielding under a strat selector switch can never do any harm and save a lot of frustration or future problems and certainly won't hurt. It is not uncommon that once screwed down the selector could make contact with the shielding and short out some selections...of course when you take it apart these problems disappear. Another typical place is a shielded output jack that may find the whole guitar shorted out. These things are the kinds of things that have me avoiding shielding and going the extra mile with shielded cable...harder to do and space consuming but every wire is shielded right up close. Not suitable for all guitars either, but remember most pickup wires are shielded these days...another strategy for a pseudo shield is the twisted pair (twisting the hot and ground leads say from a pickup together). With some of these sheilded cable strategies it may be best to only connect them to ground at one end. Also remember that things like phase reverse switches will reverse hot and ground...you definitely don't want a hot shield so dual core shielded cable might be necessary in this case. Generally though...each guitar is a different case and each will have their own "style". A poor shielding job may cause more problems than a very neat plain wire or twisted pair configuration and some can turn out exceptionally quiet. Care and attention to detail really helps with this kind of thing...and a little practice. If doing a bit of it a good soldering station can be great and tell you exactly how much heat you are using. pete ps...co0lour coding can be good...the main thing is to do be cosistant with grounds...you may well find potential ground loops as you go and makes trouble shooting easier later...but most guitars are generally simple...a color for ground (say green or black perhaps) a colour for each pickup...another colour from the selector to the controls and then onto the output. pps...sometimes you can find some cheap rca plug leads with shielded stereo cables that are good for shielded cable jobs...but your soldering needs to be up to scratch. ppps....I would also recommend a really good pair of wire strippers that will take the insulation off accurately with no damage to the wire itself...no using the iron or a knife to strip the ends!

I always liked BJ as a song...i have a jazz chord harmony version that I do...but I don't know if you'd really want to have EVH on any more MJ songs. EVH did a few "session things" though...I always liked the solo on Dolby's for something different again. The thing about EVH was his ability to make his solo's "pop" right out of the mix and make it work with the material. Still a good effort...of course you do realize that all this kind of thing is several decades old now...

Kind of...but it may not be any good so I wouldn't put a lot of work or thought into it like reboxing it. You will most likely need a preamp, a stompbox might surfice...but very few stereos are built to take the high impedance signals directly from the guitar. Also, such small speakers built for stereo amps can't take the brute force of guitar in general or reproduce the full spectrum and dynamics that are demanded. There is also quite a difference in the power required or produced in stereo systems...different ways of rating wattages and the kind of signals they need to deal with. just a few thoughts... pete

Still...you can't get around the fact that all the modes of vibration change with every fretted note. HB's have a wider sensing window and give them that midrangey sound in general. I do think that some guitars work better for different types of playing though...if you play around the middle of the fret board as I do a lot, or a lot of chords...some guitars do have a pleasing sound for different kinds of play. Some different combination's of pickups have surprising results. My tele has a huge bright HB in the bridge...sounds like a single coil really...and a small SCn tele neck pickup. The neck is exceptionally warm and the Hb bright...the combination is much like the neck pickup but there are more harmonics. Most harmonics with the neck pickup alone are almost inaudible but the tone exceptionally warm. Perhaps not one might expect from these very different pickup types...almost the reverse of the rule. I don't think that any of this has to do with the position of the pickups however...more the types than anything. pete

Possibly the most important point to remember. However, the vibration of a string is also not a sine wave like this but a complex of vibrations. The fundamental may have nodes at those points (for a given length of string and pickup placement) but the harmonics behind them have different nodal points. As you get towards the end point, such as the bridge, the pickup can sense more of these complex harmonic vibrations...where as further away such as on a neck pickup there is a far more powerful fundamental content resulting in a smoother tone.

I really think there are some fatal flaws between the virtual ideal situation and the reality of guitar signals and resulting outputs. Also not anticipating the effect on the guitars sound and output by diverting power from the output to charge up caps and run electronics, let alone lights. It is easy enough to use the signal as a trigger for lights and effects (like and auto-wha for instance) but to use the power to run lights itself is really over reaching. Guitar signals are not analogous to constant sine waves. They can put out a bit of power but generally only at a sharp spike for a micro second at the start of the note after which it quickly drops off. They are also complex AC wave forms that vary greatly with pitch and picking strength. None of which bodes well with audio electronics that require a very constant regulated DC power supply to avoid noise and distortions, or even to work properly at all. A further misunderstanding may well be in the attraction of "active pickups" put in the topic title. The popularity of this sound is that it is clear, even and powerful...may regard the sound as "sterile" compared to passive pickups. However, they do take effects and distortions and overdrive amps well due to their extreme clarity and eveness of harmonic content and output. Contrast this with the apparent output even in the ideal virtual world of this proposal. At best and extremely squared off wave form that is likely to be somewhat ugly and abrasive and certainly not the kind of clarity that people seek in active electronics. The ideas are interesting to consider but largely because of it's failings. With such things it may well require stepping back and asking what is trying to be achieved. If it is motivated entirely as an aversion to battery installation, then there is a major flaw. You could get some of the benefits of active electronics with passives like low impedance pickups perhaps boosted by transformers. But it is not enough just to get signal strength but also a good sound. Les Paul's recording model and some lace pickups use this strategy for instance, but neither have enjoyed widespread popularity for their sound. ... However, such things are interesting to consider in the wider world. For instance, such a charged cap scheme could be used in a water supply to generate power by running over piezo elements and ionizing water as it runs through a pipe. I don't even know if that is a desirable thing, but perhaps a more suitable application of such ideas. I have been criticized myself for appearing down on modeling electronics, perhaps because I have little experience skill or ability to interrupt the results...but from experience, it is only with at least some experimentation to prove the concept in the application or in general that you can really get an idea of the pitfalls and complexities. Modeling using constant waves is always going to be an "ideal" and give false results IMHO. And in audio, a lot depends on what it actually sounds like and issues of distortions and noise...A higher output is never going to be desirable even if possible if it sounds ugly. Anyway just a few thoughts. Lights take a lot of power as people have discovered from doing various light effects around here and there are all kinds of switching issues/noise to consider as well. pete

There have been a few guitars with sliding pickups...none particularly sucessful...there was an early iceman and that perspex guitar as I recall (can't recall the name). I have a strat for testing electronics and such that can be used in this way... I use double sided foam tape generally to hold the pickups in and can replicate control layouts on a temporary pickguard to ensure that everything works as it should and make modifications. It also allows of course for the moving around of pickups or comparison of things on the same guitar. I've not ever really been tempted to do that much experimentation on the pickup position. One thing that is often overlooked and perhaps more obvious on single coil pickups and combinations is the pickup height. Adjusting a middle pickup for instance can make a big difference to the inbetween sounds, and tilting them (high on the bass low on the treble for instance) can produce some cool (if subtle) variations.

Well...it would take dorking around obviously...and care. Generally the coils are bolted in from below as well as the pole pieces. The covers are soldered on. Solder wick will soak up the cover solder and then the poles will be holding on the blue plastic bit. Removing the poles will release the blue insert and you could use these to make a template. Thin wood, non magnetic metals, plastic, card...all could be considered...then reverse the process. However, avoid excessive heat, be prepared for the unexpected and take care of those thin wires...but it is not that difficult if you really wanted. You might find that with a more tasteful thing on there it would suit this guitar more and you could sell it as is. pete

I think you will find that in the real world you are not getting nice constant sine wave signals out of signals, excessive times to charge up those caps and then farting when the supply falling below as the signal decays...there seem to be quite a few fundamental flaws and what you appear to be getting from a sine wave is effectively a squarewave een in an ideal world with a very simple signal and constant form and with both pickups feeding it. Reality is simply not like that...massive changes between a big low chord and a high single not, huge changes as the frequencies increase...and you are working with AC signals and the caps will pass most of this rather than store them. In the end that is a lot of electronics stuffing up the signal, all of which will rob from the actual output to the guitar and take from the "tone" and all apparently to avoid a battery...I still fail to see the point other than to avoid a battery, but you are adding so much stuff in there anyway you would need the kind of space in the guitar that a battery would take anyway as far as I can see. Sorry if I sound too negative, but there comes a time to solder up an experiment and see what really happens. Still...good to think about such things...you're not the first...and perhaps you may come up with some ideas from it that might well be worth pursuing more... pete

I live the iceman but a lot depends on the neck for instance...the iceman headstock and long neck are more of a part of the design than many appreciate...the newer six in line wizard things stuck on the new ones don't do it for me. Also...those candy coloured pickups and knobs and all that gold is only going to work on something a bit kitschy. Maybe a gretch penguin or something. I love a white iceman...white everything and that could work with this kind of pickups and hardware perhaps...but it means doing a solid finish on both body, neck and headstock. Perhaps even a carved LP in white might work. I'm not sure that anything will save that "blue" with "taste"...however, you might consider seeing if you could replace the blue inserts with some timber veneer for instance....not a look for an iceman, but perhaps some other kind of beast and avoiding the blue all together. pete

So...have you tried this only in a virtual world...or have you actually tried this?

Phillip Island This island is one of Australia's big attractions...the penguins though are the smallest in the world...very cute! It forms a breakwater to Bass Strait so has rugged coasts and surf beaches on the south side and calm tidal waters on the north in western port bay, so there is a lot of variety in environments in a very small space. It has a lot of Koalas and small roos and wallabies about the place and a lot of large sea birds. There are wildlife parks where the animals are very tame and will let you feed and touch them so popular with the tourists and children. It gets a bit cold though in winter (like now) and mild in summer. It is a big step for a city boy like me to leave but everyone on the island through my short visits have been very friendly. As far as music goes, I'm not sure...however the country towns do seem to still have some live scenes that have died out with the poker machines that came to town a while back and perhaps I will meet some local musicians round and about. ... As for my various projects, I am not sure...I have sold off a lot of things...my main guitar is the tele still so the sustainer will be used occasionally and perhaps I will be enthused to develop things further. I have another guitar that I was working on that was to feature a piezo thing that I have been working on. My strat is still needing it's wiring completed which featured the ultra thin coil driver and a piezo thing...maybe I was reaching too far to add so much to a guitar. However, I really need to scale down my activities and prioritize other parts of my life for a while...I may not be able to do much work in this line of things, we will have to see. ... Anyway...thanks for the well wishes. ... The sustainer will work in a simplified form quite well with attention to detail and within the limitations of performance one might expect. With care it will give good sustain on all strings but generally lower strings will win out in a chord...this is much the same as with the sustainiac or fernandes systems but can be built smaller and simpler. To get "improved performance" it perhaps depends on what you are aiming for. The moog thing is interesting but details are almost nonexistent at this point. It would appear to be a refined hex system but it is very difficult to tell exactly what is going on and it's limitations (can it only work with the bridge pickup for instance?) ... but then perhaps it does point a way in experimenting further in that direction. ... I did a little work with bass guitars...generally you need less power but having a circuit better able to deliver lower frequencies helps a bit (I put a 470uF output cap into my circuit for instance). Those big loose strings are easy to drive at low frequencies and most basses have enough room to surface mount the driver far enough away from any pickups and so avoid the need to route or interfere with the controls. You would be best to have an on off switch but without the need to bypass a push pull pot can handle it, a harmonic switch would also be important and again could be a push pull. If not wanting to add to the controls an intensity control could be used with a trim pot and preset. Turning it down would not be enough to preserve battery life and wouldn't be suggested...these things have a big drain on battery life and loss of performance once the battery gets too depleted so battery access is a must. From what I have tried however, I have not found a particular musical use for a feedback bass. It would be nice if I could have gotten a nice bowed effect perhaps...maybe I need to experiment still further with the thing or maybe it would take someone with more commitment to lead the way for bass sustainers. Sustainiac did at one stage make a bass sustainer btw. ... Otherwise not a lot to add at this stage...the move will be in a couple of weeks...thanks again for the well wishes it is a major change of life and something of an adventure for sure. Anyone who may be venturing down this way be sure to drop me a line...I'm only a couple of ks from the penguins...I might go a little more crazy waiting for the summer to come for some company. In the meantime the plan is to eat well (I found a farm produce place nearby and there are no fast food places on the island) and exercise every day in the fresh air, run along the nearby beach or swim in the ocean in summer...maybe play a little guitar...and get some peace of mind...with any luck it will work out, if not at least I will get a tan... pete

Hi there... Long time readers of the thread will perhaps have wondered what has happened of late...so for people who subscribe to this thread I thought I'd share some personal news. Obviously things have gotten on top of me in recent times...to top it off the house I rent is going to be sold so a while back I was given a 60 day notice...in the middle of a housing crisis and rapidly increasing rents due to the economic crisis. It has been something of a panic of course and having difficulty remaining where I am I have made a far left field life changing decision that I hope will improve my health and attitude. I will be moving in a couple of weeks to an island! Largely rural and small it is a little cold (is famous for it's penguins!) but a beautiful spot...I will be close to a beach and can even see the sea from my bedroom window. Although cold and isolated in winter it is a well known destination for tourists and holiday makers and the little 8,000 population swells to 40,000 when the weather picks up. 3.5 million visit the island each year to see the wildlife, surf and such. As a city boy all my life, this will be a dramatic and sudden change but one I hope for the better. The house I have got is beautiful and hopefully the time away (at least a year) in the back of beyond will do me some good and help me reassess my priorities and get back to a more open mind. I may even resurrect my playing, get a handle on recording...mainly though I will be trying to eat well and exercise, take in the fresh air and let go of some of the major problems that have associated from the loss of my children and in more recent times my work. Anyway...not sure how the internet access will be, most likely my normal email and other connections will require termination due to my ISP not being able to operate in this remote area in a couple of weeks..but I will be looking in with interest when I can for sure. Good luck to all with their projects and thanks to all those who have been supportive or simply put up with my long winded posts over the years. There are links in my signature to a few other related threads and a bit of a presence related to this thread at various sites like aron's stompbox forum and guitar nuts 2. pete

Nope...at least from what you have described and on principle is seems very implausible. Transistors and semi conductors are not passive components like inductors, resistors and capacitors. They require some power to run them...even if you were to find a way to get enough power from the pickup output itself, it would fluctuate at the least and would draw power from the output to run the components. The result would at best be a no loss no gain situation but in reality it would have to loose without external power sources. There is potential to use transformers such as is done with the lace aluminitones for instance...but not really a gain as such. There is also potential for willing people to design circuits that require very little power and perhaps run for months from something like a watch battery maybe. However, for the reasons given above...not really plausable...perhaps not even desirable! pete

As you fret the strings the length of the string is changing...once you play around the 22nd fret with a neck pickup the length of the string will be stopped (equivalent to a bridge) right in front of the neck pickup and it will have similar characteristics to a bridge pickup as far as the harmonic balance. Also, at the end point there are no vibrations pretty much...so at the bridge saddle or the fretted note...and so just next to it the strings are moving in a much smaller arc (especially the fundamental modes) so the output tends to be lower. This is why a bridge pickup requires a bit more power and is more consistant for lead work over the whole board when soloing. Where pickup placement is important to my ears is in the magic combined positions... Which is why you noticed this effect...small changes can make big differences when two pickups are combined and the qualities of those pickups. A bridge middle combo like a start won't ever really sound as "straty" with an HB no matter how you split it in general. It has a lot to do with the distances between them. Similarly close HB's as on some 24 fret guitars do suffer when combined to my ears due to the lack of space between these big pickups. But a lot is to do with the kinds of sound and the type of playing that you do with both the type of pickups and their positions. There is some voodoo of course...on a bass where you want a lot of thumping fundamental and you have a lot of string length to play with it is easier to hear better or more appropriate positions of pickups...on a guitar it is more subtle I guess. For a given guitar and pickup combination there may well be positions that work better than others...perhaps considering a particular players musical style. pete ps...some of this comes up with the sustainer thing....is there a sweet spot for that...is it under the 24th fret position. In general though, it is the need to get the driver as far away as the bridge pickup as you can and as close to the end of the neck is the best you can do which is why it is generally there. However, mine sustains fine right at the highest frets which is of course right up near the fretted end point of the string so there is a bit of voodoo there as well. It hints that you could reasonably be able to sustain a string from the bridge with the neck pickup for instance...but there would still need a fair bit of work and mid position drivers do seeme to produce weird harmonic effects and difficulties.

I'd go a khaler...nothing else will really wok for extreme stuff and even bigsbys are a a subtle and acquired taste. The khaler allows the nut to be locked behind the existing nut and you get a suitable lock and has fine tuners on the bridge. I had an old rocklinger thing...useless really and can mark the top...poor mans bigsby really. But a khaler is a commitment...it will put a hole in a top...not like a floyd or anything....but still. I f the guitar is valuable you may want to think twice and get a cheap second trem guitar like a strat that works. A khaler is a big investment. I have a project to put a khaler on an LP and it seems to have gone off ok so far. Funny how things change...we were having people trying to hardtail guitars for the longest time and string throughs....but a trem can always be a good addition if it works. One benefit of the khaler if it is set up right is that they can be locked tight...but the design isn't affected by palm muting which is pretty cool.

I have a much delayed LP project with some similar ideas. Unfortunately until I do it I can't give specific details of circuits. Not sure what you are intending to use as the piezo element...a commercial bridge or a DIY buzzer element kind of thing. On mine, I have put in a khaler trem and mounted a piezo element onto the wood underneath it so far. Well...you definitely need a preamp for any piezo...the impedance mis match and loading is too great. My intention is to add a preamp for the element and a volume control on it perhaps with a pull switch to turn it on. I don't expect great acoustic guitar type sounds, but a percussive edge that I can add to the magnetics. Rather than a switch...you could wire in a stereo jack socket so that with a stereo lead you could get separate outs...or use a standard lead to have both signals go to the one amp...that is my intention...most likely with a switch jack as well to turn off the battery when unplugged. The idea, like I set up with my sustainers is that the guitar will work without a battery or if goes flat albeit without peizo function. Best to test ideas a bit at a time I guess...see if you can get a decent sound out of the peizo and try and work out how to integrate the systems before making too much of a commitment to modifying the instrument. One good thing about an LP is that you can hang wires and circuits out the back cavity and there is plenty of room in there to fit a battery and circuit when you have it all working to your satisfaction. Don't know if that helps...but a piezo added to magnetics can sound great even if the piezo alone might not be that good. To get a really great "acoustic" sound, you are likely to need a commercial bridge and preamp system such as a ghost...but then there is the cost and on mine, prohibits the trem option. pete

It looks good...well as good as a corvus can...the pinstripes help a lot. Much as I criticized the corvus design, and there is a lot to be critical of...making one and repeating the mistakes of gibson and co could be really instructive for future designing. Obviously I have thought about the corvus enough to have recognized it's flaws. But then I made some really weird bad designs my self in my teens and learned a lot along the way without having to be too precious about things...some of them played quite well despite looking a little rough. The great thing here is that everything but the body wood is reusable and once you get tired of the corvus you might try an equally silly similar era fender Katana... There were so many bad things that seemed like a good idea in the mid-80's...gibson were not the only ones to ignore basic design principles and naming protocols (apparently a katana is type of samurai sword)...hahaha...If you really wanted "cutting power" a telecaster would be sharper! pete

I am not sure if there is a "living" to be had...of course there are people who manage it but they are certainly rare and as technology progresses it may be more and more difficult by the traditional means. I suspect that software modelling will improve greatly and start to compete in many ways especially with modulation and delay effects. Even things like eq-ing and modeling of amps and pickups have improved out of sight. By "software" this need not just be computer based as you might think but the programming of solid state chips...already guitars like the variax are allowing user access to the programing through computer interfaces and this may become more common. Perhaps there will still be a place for boutique stuff...but it is certainly a hard road with a decreasing market and very volatile to economic times like these. Learning electronics and skills of construction and diagnostics is always a useful thing and could aid in your own self-education. There are a few sites around that can aid in such a quest and a supportive community out there (check out arons stompbox forum for instance)...but in general electronics are becoming increasingly digital in all fields and that things are getting increasingly tiny and out of the reach of many DIYers. ... Not to put you off though...aim wide and go for something you are interested in and excel...audio engineering takes you into areas such as recording and signal modification techniques and like most things increasingly digital...or a practical skill like being an electrician is also a worthwhile skill to have and important for things with high voltages such as amps. Personally I studied music but know the people that I studied with in a graduate degree went on to all kinds of varied careers and studying something you really like will aid in doing well in it. 2c less inflation... pete

A bit of a mystery if it worked and now is not...and not that familiar with EMG's...for instance, can an EMG function in anyway without a battery? My first port of call (after the battery thing of course) would be to suspect the jack plug switch. I assume it is wired so that when the jack plug is removed it turns off power. Also, stepping on the lead or poor connections, stray shielding shorting by the jack socket rotating, etc...are all easily done by a user, where as internal problems are pretty rare (unless you have poor wiring or shielding/shorting precautions and something can move inside the guitar). So...I could see that something in the switching might cut or short power so as to stop the EMG preamp getting power yet perhaps still pass a signal. If both pickups are not similarly effected (ie the neck pickup works fine but the bridge is faulty) then that might be another story. Checking each pickup separately and using a multimeter to detect the battery voltages and grounds may well be in order. perhaps that helps or provides some direction...hope so... pete

I am a big fan of the iceman, not sure how successful messing too much with it is...matter of taste really. However, you should check out this thread as it is close to the kind of thing you are contemplating...ICEFLY Good luck with it though... pete

You may be out of luck with a 12. There may be something about more in line with an electric 12 string but generally a 12 needs that extra space to allow the pairs of strings to vibrate freely and still allow space enough between pairs to finger chords. Electric 12's with lighter strings tend to be a little easier to find and work. There is also a lot of tension on a 12 string neck and a cheap one is often something to be wary off...it needs to be built to take the strain and not warp over time...something to consider anyway. pete

You are right, it's three years ago and there were numerous variations...this particular aussiemart circuit that I posted as to the similarity to another does not feature a zener but a different diode, Both work (with appropriate mods and value adjustments)...yes half way rectifier...to trigger the mosfet in that case as a switch (in it's most simple form)...it is still not a clipper circuit, but a triggering device for the MOSfet to cut the input signal. Not what I no as a "clipper circuit such as a tube screamer, but a level limiter as described. Here is one description from the designer(s)... .... but from me after watching that thread and others and doing some work of my own... There was no SECRET about the directions I was considering, I was working from the site from people who designed and developed the thing and do have the expertise and scopes that I lack...no point posting or asking here now is there. I was talking about principles, not the minutia of particular values of components and directing to the known source of such uses of the LM386 (not me) because it should have been credited and put into context and wasn't. If I have or had made use of similar principles with different values and diodes, it is still the same principle and not what I would regard as a "clipping circuit" nor that of people far more knowledgable than I in that regard...have the debate with them if you seek such a conflict. Personally, the principle will achieve a compression effect, not a distortion (fuzz box clipper) effect and I have proven this to be so in practice. If that is not of interest to you, fair enough...probably wasn't then, maybe still not now. ... Well...I'll cut my pointless reply short I think...there was more explanation, however, clearly you are the better man Col, I should have credited you more with all that I have done here. Your simulations trump my reality and I can't go back 3 years over old ground with any reliability and clearly explain everything. Obviously if I were to "reveal" the circuitry I presently use, I would only be subjected to more abuse. Obviously the same is felt about any questions I have regarding others work too. Perhaps drivers that run as clear as a whistle yet still squeal exist and perhaps an AGC will correct that, I can't comment on that because of what I am not privy too either. None of that actually helps the average person who comes along with simple questions to get a simple device operational or who are looking for simple solutions within the scope of the average DIYer here. Obviously they are of little significance to the grand plans afoot. All the best with that, sincerely pete