JoeUK

I think if i can track down some 1mm steel for the cores, this will take just enough width off it to fit it within my single coil casing,

Hi Avalon,

I'm building Juan's twin core, parralel driver (just trying to find the right size magnet to go between the blades), and used some pc blanking strips (the steel panels you use to blank off the expabsion slots), which were 1mm.

I was thinking (yeah...could be dangerous), could you use Juan's parralel design but in build a stacked single coil driver configuration. Or do you think using 1 core for both coils may re-introduce emi?

Ideally I'd like to make as thin a driver as possible and buid it into a body at the end of a overhanging 24 fret fretboard, so it would almost look like the last fret and be pretty inconspicuous.

Joe

So with this TBX pot... you can set frequncy of a cut..two of them

Can you do something like this in which

Push = Neck Volume

Pull = Bridge Volume

LP in two knobs! YEY

I've asked this in about 5 threads...maybe someone will know of some company who makes this kinda pot!

Thank'ee

SF on PRS

Hi,

Im no expert, but the TBX is a tone control only pot. It has a middle 'detent' - so turning 1 way cuts treble and the other cuts bass.

I think what you need is a stacked concentric pot for neck and bridge vol - its like 2 pots on top of each other.

Ive never used one, so I dont know where you can get one but I.m sure others can advise or you can goole concentric pot.

Joe

The real problem is even these tiny neodymiums are too strong to use as an internal core right under the strings...certainly when the driver is only 1mm away from the strings, but as long as I can't find some sort of custom tiny ceramic bar, it'll have to do. Just seems a bit silly to go through all the trouble of building miniature coils, and then use a pickup bar magnet which is 3 times the size of the coil .

I'll keep keeping you in my thoughts and lots of Mojo sent to you, Pete

Tim

I was messin around with the 'hard disk' magnets and if you put something non conductive between the magnet and the core you can reduce the magnetic strenght. I used a bit of plastic about 3mm thick and it reduced the magnetism about 1/3. If you wanted to get real flash you could mount the plastic strip to the bobbin with pickup height screws then adjust closer/farther away from the core - though I dont know if the magnetic field would interact with any else in the vacinity.

Joe

If you're careful about the physical design of your driver, you should be able to switch the magnets around to try different configs

One thing that has worked for me is to use double sided tape to stick stuff together - it's easy to change things around that way.

I found the best option for me so far has been the alnico magnet from an old humbucker. (I've not tried any rare earths though)

Cheers Col. I like your idea of different magnet configs, so I'll build some flexibility into the driver to allow changes in magnet type, size etc..

Thanks again

Joe

Cheers Col

1. Any good for the driver?

I remember someone mentioning the use of magnets from computer hard drives for the driver.

I pulled an old hard drive apart and got 2 of these [url=http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/ukaxer/?action=view&current=HDiskMagnets.jpg] bits of metal with the 2 'kidney shaped' magnets on each. I dont know what type of magnets they are, but they seem damn powerful - 1 set of magnets will move the other set from about 2" above, and when attracted together, it takes a fair amount of pulling to get apart.

Q's

1. Any good for the driver?

Bearing in mind Pete's warning about about trying to cut certain magnets -

2. can I prise them off the metal?

3. can the magnets be cut or shaped to better fit under the driver (without me spontaneuosly combusting)?

4.AM I barking up a gum tree?

Ive also found some fridge magnets backed with the flexible magnetic strips and 3 small solid circular magnets (about 8mm across + 3mm deep), used for 'sticking' notes etc. to metal boards.

Any of the above good for the driver + which would be more advisable?

Cheers

Joe

I see there's some differences between the Zepchilds and the Fangear Saville strat.

Anyone know where I can access some pictures of the original saville strat from that night (if they exist). I was going to do a refin to look like a 62 strat (aged but not reiced), but maybe I should do a saville strat, which be appropriate cause...

I was there in the Saville theatre that night and from memory (you know what they say about the sixties), Jimi did'nt burn this one - just busted it up against his amps (roadie behind supporting it) and threw the bits out to the audience.

Interestingly - Jimi had finished his set using a black strat I think, and as the crowd howled for encore's I'm sure the show presenter (some dj of the time), walked out and announced as this was Jimi's last gig in the uk before going to the US they presented the saville strat to him which he used for 2 or 3 songs before busting it up at the end of wild thing.

I'd assumed someone else had done the paintwork but I dont know, it could have been Jimi and the ' presentation thing' was just a bit of theatre.

Joe

I dont know if youve already seen it, but there's a swirl technique in the tutorials section.. with pics. which is allways helpful.

Joe

Thank you very much for the help!

I think I've not really grasped the difference between a resonatorand a dobro .. I thought it was the

same thing, and just "nicknamed" DOBRO after the company that made them ..

hmm..

Dobro and National Steel, didn't they used to be the two leading companies

manufactoring Resonator guitars ?

Or did I get this completely wrong ?

Thats right - both companies produced (+ still do) resonator guitars but with a slightly different looking design. Also national are more famous for the metal bodied ones + dobro for the wooden bodies.

you can buy resonator kits in either dobro or national style - the difference is mostly cosmetic.

Joe

I converted and old 3/4 scale acoustic a couple of years ago. I choose the national style reso kit so some bits may be different for the dobro kit

The biggest problem for me was the scale length (length between the nut and bridge).

You need to ensure there's enough body length in the acoustic so that the resonator bridge (under the chrome cover an sits on the cente of the cone) end up at the same distance/position as your current bridge, otherwise when/if playing normal guitar, notes will not stay in tune as you move up the fretboard. And obviously you need enough body to fix the the cone, chrome cover and tailpiece at that position.

I got round this cause I wanted to change the freboard anyway - and used an ebony blank and fretted it to suit the new scale length. Hopefully on a full scale acoustic you shouldnt encounter this prob - but measure up just to make sure.

I measured + took off the old bridge and cut out the circle for the resonator cone and cut a smaller circle from the scrap to fill in the normal acoustic soundhole. You have to use wood filler or epoxy to fill in any gaps so you'll never have a perfect looking wood top unless your very skillful + lucky or do as I did - painted all the body (+ neck) with a solid colour (Mine's gloss black).

You need to build a soundwell in the body which is a round wooden frame which supports the resonator cone. I made mine with 2 scraps of hardwood jigsawed and routed with the correct dimensions to support the cone at the correct height - being 2 pieces made it easier to fit them through the hole then glue into position.

The soundwell height is critical - it has to support the cone edges inside the body but the top of the cone which supports the biscuit bridge (on nationals), has to be just above the guitar body so that with the bridge is in position the strings are not too low or high above the fretboard.

As I said before - these points are for a national reso conversion - they may not all apply to a dobro conversion.

Here's another stewmac link for building a resonator which may give you more info.

resonater kit instructions.

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/i-5290/i-5290.pdf

Joe

OK Tim's just beaten me to it, but here's my pennyworth.

Ive been browsing this thread for the last few months and agree with zfrittz's and Davids requests for some structure to make the sustainer info and development easier to navigate and understand.

I'd suggest a structure along these lines.

TITLE: DIY sustainer system - One Thread ro rule them all.

quick simple description of what is being developed i.e. a DIY sustainer system with similar sonic capabilities to the Sustainiac, Fernandez sustainer systems. Using ONBOARD Battery driven DIY DRIVER, fetzer-ruby, cols , zfrittz's etc. AMP.

(Ideally each word in CAPS should be a link to a simple description thread to help the complete novice understand the terminology being used)

and what is NOT being developed but may be discussed +/or referenced i.e. Variax, Ebow, Hex/midi etc.

an Index with simple descriptions.(again those in CAPs are links to seperate threads).

i.e.

DESIGN: i.e. new/changed driver, preamp/amp-components. shielding etc. being discussed/considered BUT not currently built or in development.

IN DEVELOPMENT:different - drivers - neck position, middle position, bar type, pole type, shielding- foils, cans, reverse winding etc. Amps - different IC types, resistors. caps etc. with Materials, components, schematics and wiring design changes. Also the Dev results need tracking with description + sound clips. i.e. neck driver with bridge HB/single coil, Low, Mid + High vols with clean (no effects) + possibly with named effects.Ideally first a standard 'test' tune should be used by all with chords and single notes (we could make a simple one up), before allowing the individual to do tharownthang.

It would be an overhead but a good idea, if results were copied by at least one other forum member using the same type of driver, amp etc and submitting at least the 'standard test' sound clips to ensure an idividuals type of guitar, amp or recording were not a factor in the results.

PRODUCTION: This could just be a statement of the currently accepted working diy sustainer system(s) with known working driver(s), amps etc. with links to:-

TUTORIALS:

Drivers Construction Bar type, Pole type, shielding.

Amps + schematics and wiring designs.

Tim's comments and lists certainly nails these.

Hopefully a structure along these lines would help all looking for sustainer enlightenment.

Happy New Year to one and all

Joe

There is no signal to protect there, only the steel from the tremelo assembly, which itself is grounded.

Thanks Modman

Joe

Cheers Boys,

I thought not, but best to ask.

Thanks again

Joe

Hi and happy christmas to all.

Quick shielding question.

Is there any benefits id shielding a strat trem cavity ??

I've shielded the control cav, but just thought I'd ask before I finish.

I've searched on the forum and the web, but cant dind anything definite.

Cheers

Joe

Thanks Ansil - thou art a scholar and a gentleman.

If you need any more info on the GK3, PM me and I'll see if Ive got anything useful.

Cheers

Joe

Hi, I'm a newbie to the forum and want to use Ansil Gregory's 12 way wiring diag as the wiring basis for a strat

build I'm doing BUT I need assistance on some changes I'd like to incorporate.

Ive got 2 HB's, 1 SC, a standard 5 way switch, + 2 push/pulls just like Ansil's 12way BUT I'd like to use a TBX with Joe Arthur's Tbx rewire - Joe's TBX mod as master tone control.

I'm also putting in a roland internal gk3 hex pickup.

I've already cut out a nice comfy cavity in the rear of the body for the controller and made extra holes in the pickguard for the 2 roland control buttons, the guitar/mix/hex switch, and the led. The GK3 has a standard vol pot, but I dont want to do any more holes in the pickguard (its already 'swiss cheesed'), so I was thinking I could use 1 push/pull to be master volume (HB's+SC only) + Ser/parrallel switching. The TBX as master tone (again HB's+SC only). And use the other pull/push pot to do the phase switching AND as volume control for the GK3 hex pickup (I beliceve there's no elctronic coninuity between the pot part and the switch).

The Roland guitar/mix/hex switch GK3 wiring diag, needs + and - wires from the guitar volume to the controller - so I suppose special care maybe needed to ensure I dont blow the controller.

Is all this possible? and can any of you guru's help with the wiring diagram.

Cheers

Joe

'Xmas is coming, The strat is getting fat.

Who can help me get it cookin, without me lookin a twat.

Just testin.

1. an image - oops I need to subscribe to an image hosting site 1st. Done!

2. a url Ansil's 12 way wiring diag

joes tbx mod Joe's TBX mod

toland GK3 diag GK3 wiring diag

Hmmm. sort out an avatar.