Magnus

I'd be interested in how you like the wiring when you're done.

And which ones you like the best after a month or two.

I use those little things that fit over the strap and the strap button. If you pick some up, get some that don't turn very easily. I've been using the same ones on my Les Paul for about 4 years.

Here they are:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_part...rap_System.html

I bought mine at a local store.

They may have changed them. I know a guy that has a set of them, and he says they work better than any other tuners he has. His only reason why they are "better" is the high turn ratio.

its the switch under the pedal, so when you put the pedal at the top and lean down it swiches the wah on and off.

If I remember correctly,

it's a simple 3PDT stomp switch.

You can get it online at places

that have parts for stompboxes.

Here's one from Small Bear Electronics.

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=80

Well, that's how they're all gonna look in a few years. Magnetic pickups are going to go the way of the dodo bird as digital technology gets better and better.

I wouldn't be so quick

to send the pickups

down the river.

People have said the same

thing about tubes ever since

electronics went to transistors.

I use a 24" aluminum level.

I cut the sandpaper to size,

and spray the back with some

spray adhesive.

Works great.

That would be from the top

of the fretboard.

The neck on my homebrew Les Paul

is 23mm all the way down,

and it is pretty chunky.

Big difference between it

and an Ibanez neck.

'Sup brian. Axehouse in the house!

Good to see you over here.

Never heard of the wood, either.

I thought that Ed

kept his guitar builidng

shop in Connecticut

when he moved to Las Vegas.

That looks cool.

I like the combination

of the wide stripes

and crackle.

Never thought of using

sawdust. Good idea.

Dan Erlewine shows in the

Stew Mac fretwork book

how he fills them in with

tiny pieces of the same wood,

but it looks like a lot of work

unless you use the excess that

you cut off of the fingerboard

in the first place.

Regular strat (white pickguard)?

If not, candy orange

or a marble style finish.

Take a look at a King V.

Most are 24 frets.

That's the look you'll have,

and I don't think there is anyway around it.

I don't think they look bad,

but you can tell the pickups

are closer together.

In addition to that, the tone softens and gets an almost "airy" tone; very nice. Notes just kind of bloom as well.

A very accurate description.

I suppose on an LP you could also wrap the strings over the top of the stopbar to reduce the break angle.

Yes, but that does introduce a longer string length

behind the bridge. Raising the tailpiece minimizes

and addition to the length.

I tried topwrapping, and even with notched saddles,

the strings tended to slip, so I just strung it straight

and raised the tailpiece.

Anyway, after fitting the "stopbar" there were several rather noticeable changes: 1) the bad overtones went away (shifted about an octave up the neck and aren't a problem anymore). 2) The overall tone is richer and better balanced, and the low strings have developed a nice Les Paul-ish roundness that wasn't there before. 3) It now plays/feels more like a shorter scale instrument (it's 25 1/2")... as if the tension has been decreased a bit, and the strings feel like they have more give. 4) Not sure, but it seems to have just a tiny bit more resonance. The sustain is just as good as before.

#1 was expected, the rest are pleasant surprises. I'm guessing that the change in feel is due a combination of the slightly reduced string length between the bridge and the stopbar, and a slightly shallower break angle over the saddles. Perhaps the rosewood has something to do with it as well?

Interested to hear your experiences and theories...

Mike

Another newb here.

My experience with this comes from Les Pauls. A lot of you covered some variables that I have not even considered,

but here is my experience.

With most Les Pauls, if you have the tailpiece screwed all the way down to the wood, the strings are stiffer and the tone tends to be a bit harsher and brighter. Now, when you start to raise the tailpiece, the action gets slinkier, easier to play. In addition to that, the tone softens and gets an almost "airy" tone; very nice. Notes just kind of bloom as well.

Kind of like you found out with your discovery, I think a lot of it came from the change in the break angle over the bridge.

String length may have something to do with it, but that is out of my realm of knowledge.

On a Les Paul, I would think that the amount of overall string length just by raising the tailpiece would be rather small, but it may be a factor in the slinky action.

Just my 2¢.

Thanks, guys.

Yeah, I don't want to use CA or epoxy.

Yeah, but I want the filler to show up as little as possible.

Would a lighter filler show up in the dark streaks

that much?

What's a good grain filler for Black Limba?

I want to spray it with a slight amber tint

or clear.

What kind of guitar?

I've discovered there are plenty of tones

in the volume and tone controls.

Especially the tone.

For timbuckers, there is a LLLLLOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGG

waiting list.

I know some guys who have those, and they say these

two guys are just as good, most say better

www.crcoils.com

www.wolfetone.com

Not cheap, but a whole lot cheaper than real PAFs.

If I were you, i'd just swallow my pride and buy a fretboard

from Stew Mac, Luthier's Mercantile, or Warmoth.

No need to cut your own, fingerboards are pretty inexpensive

overall.

There's no reason I can see why that maple wouldn't work.

It looks like the second one is right on.

Do you have an original Floyd Rose?

If so, take some measurements from it.

Like you said, it does look like the FR Pro

is offset just a little.

Outstanding.

I like the headstock too.

I ordered a maple neck blank & fingerboard

from Stew Mac about a month or two ago.

Both pieces are just fine.

Sorry I have been on for a few days and haven't replied yet but WOW! what a response!!!

First I would like to clear a few things.

FIRST AND FORMOST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR IMPUT! AS A NEWBE I APPEREATE ALL AND ANY ADVISE THAT I GET.

I was wondering about pine as I have used it to make everything from shelves to tables and was wondering if it would transfer to my "NEW HOBBIE" of guitar making.

Since this is my first build I know that I am bound to make a few errors in my work so I was planning on using a wood that I had a large supply of, I don't what to sound like a tree hugger but I would rather practice on a wood that is renewable than a hardwood that takes a years to regrow, So if I screwed up a pine body I wouldn't be as upset as if I screwed up a walnut or some other expensive or hard to find hardwood.

I am searching on eBay for bridges and such and I am trying to get the highest quality parts that I can for a reasonable price.

After I complete my first build out of pine and it is a success I'm planning on reusing all the parts on a build with a quality body, whatever that my be (I have searched the forum and everybody has a different option on what wood is the best) I will decide that in the future.

Once again, Thanks for everyones imput on this subject

Let me weigh in on the subject:

I built my first guitar (a Les Paul) out of 2 2x8s

with a 1/2" poplar top. The neck was made from Black Limba (I bought a 3x3x30 blank) and a rosewood fingerboard. This guitar does not have a finish on it. Maybe it will one day.

I used that stuff because I didn't want to start hacking on the Black Limba and quilted maple I had ordered for the "real one", and used this for a practice guitar. Made a couple of mistakes (don't we all) but it turned out pretty well. I had no problems using any of my tools on it, it was pretty easy to work with.

As for the sound, it sounds pretty good, actually. More of a biting tone to it, but very nice cleans. Not overly loud acoustically, but it sure wasn't dead sounding.

I say use it to learn on, you may like it altogether.

I know i'll use it again, on any kind of experimenting I want to do.

Just my two cents.