Ar-Pharazon

I picked up an old strat s/s/h from a pawn shop for $60 and found out that the single coils are active. They are the ones you get with an EMG 81 S/S/H set. There is a 9 volt connector in the pot cavity and it seems to be connected correctly. The single coils had been disconnected from the selector switch (3-way) and only the humbucker is wired (it is a passive generic thing). Is there a way I can reconnect them and switch between pickups without buying an 81 to replace the Humbucker? At the moment the wiring is screwed and i don't even know if the bridge pickup even works... Its just a mess of wires in the pot cavity so I can't really show you a pic.

could be fun... the edges of the cavity are rather rounded, but I'll give it a try. Just takes more sanding to fit

Just thought I'd point out that Brian May's guitar was a mahogony swiss cheese and it seems to be fairing well

Thats pretty much what I was going to do. I was just finding out if the tremolo was do-able considering the blocks proximity to the future post holes.

Firstly I would like to apologise for not having any actual pictures to demonstrate what I am trying to fix... I don't have a digital camera. Anyhoo, here’s the situation. I have acquired a mahogany body. Its previous owner seems to have tried to route the pickups by hand (without a template) and has got it all quite wrong. Also, the body was originally drilled for a hard-tail Les Paul style, but since the body is a Jem copy with an all access joint, I thought I would fit it with a decent Floyd or Low-Pro. The only real problem I have with this is that the bridge pickup is routed in completely the wrong place (further down the body than Jem – nearer the pots). I am wondering if it is worth blocking up the cavity and attempting to route it properly (the pick guard would cover the other stuff-ups). If done properly, would this affect the chances of fitting the floating tremolo (the posts would be fairly close to the blocking…would this weaken the area)? Any thoughts... I’ve included a pic of the current state of the body. The red is where the cavity was placed, rather wrong if you ask me :

5 electrics (Ibanez RG and Tele are playable) -BC Rich Bich (waiting for ~8/16 coats of laquer) -Session Strat copy waiting final sealer coat (its really windy outside today) -Fender Strat, "propping up my desk" -Ibanez RG (dunno the model) -The Telecaster from Hell...won't stay in tune 1 Acoustic -Cheap Phoenix guitar (bought it cos I needed an acoustic for camping) All this, and I don't even have a job...just shows what a poor student can do instead of going broke, getting plastered on a friday night.

I am refinishing one of the few BC Rich NJ Bichs and I though while I was at it, I would change the tremolo system to a locking one, Floyd Rose. So far, all goes well but I'm just wondering if anyone knowns whether I should put a string retainer behind the nut or not. They are on the Ibanez guitars but not one so many other floyd fitted axes I have seen. Anyone with experience is welcome: Also, what pickups do people recommend for a metallica sound (I know... EMG 81s... but I'm looking for passives)

Everyone knwons that telling someone not to do something will only make them do it... anyhoo, the best lesson is experience. The first guitar I did was a BC Rich copy made from basswood and it turned out fine (granted I did have the neck to start off with).

Thanks muchly... will be in contact soon

To answer your first question: What style guitar will sell the best? (Jackson Soloist vs. LP)? This really depends on what kind of music you play and how picky you are about staying in tune etc... A Les paul styled guitar is grate for blues and most of the rock on the radio because of the tone (if set up right with the right pickups etc) On the other hand, if shred is really your thing you might prefer an note churning shred machine. to be honest most if it is really down to looks as both styles of guiar can be used for anything if you are willing to work at it. A good floyd rose with a locking nut is definately worth the price over a vintage tremolo. The guitar will actually stay in tune for most of the strings life (usually changing them at least one a season if not sooner - ie every gig or so) if you tune it properly to begin with. The slight downside is the the tone stealing capability of the tremolo, which can be easily fixed with a decent Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio pickup or two. Chrome tends to sell better on vintage looking instruments whereas black works best for shredders. really, though, the quality of the parts on the instrument will be te selling point. Also, don't be dilluded into thinking that if something has a Gibson or Fender badge on it it must be good. Those companies have been making basically the same instruments for years and while they do have a solid workhorse instrument for each brand, there have been advancements in technology which enable the same instruments to be made for much less than their vintage counterparts. That said, there is nothing wrong with the guuitars that these companies make, I just prefer guitars that have a great tone AND will be in tune when I pick them up.

This has been driving me nuts for weeks. I've just got into the whole guitar project thing and am planning on refinishing a guitar in a PRS finish. For some reason it is nigh on impossible for me to find spray cans of sanding sealer at any hardware/specialist paint shops. I don't really want to have to buy/hire a spray gun for one or two jobs. As I am unfamiliar with the whole luthier business in Australia (backward as it seems to be - they're obsessed with Fender and Gibson )having moved from the UK not too long ago, I would be appreciative if someone could point me in the direction of a decent supplier of guitar stuff... in particular, finishing stuff. I have been surviving on eBay up until now. I live in the Brisbane area, if that helps