Leaderboard

Ermighad. Time for an update I think - Jon Shuker once told me that fifty percent of the effort that goes into building a guitar is spend on solving problems. I'd say probably 70% of that was the case with this build. At every single stage something went wrong. I also ended up commissioning a neck with a 57mm heel in flame maple from a company I discovered on one of the shopping apps. I also asked them to do a 44mm nut as I like the extra space between strings. So that arrived and it was pretty good (on the second attempt). The first attempt was made by a new employee and it was a bodge job. But the company took responsibility and provided a neck that met the requirements we had agreed. So the neck was painstakingly finished (and patch refinished) in super glue. The quality is very good and I like how easy it is to repair dents or other imperfections with nothing more than a bottle of glue and a nail buffing pad. But still it took a long time to apply, let dry and sand back. I was also thrilled to discover that the new neck lined up almost perfectly in the adjusted neck pocket. So after checking, double checking and triple checking the scale length (25.5") I installed the bridge anchor post ferrules. Double checking the alignment showed that, against all odds, the bridge studs are actually at ninety degrees to the centre line. I checked the trem movement against the cavity and there was some blocking and rubbing in places so I got out the rasp and provided a bit more clearance around the front edge where the CNC machine that carved the body hadn't removed enough wood. At that point major milestone completed. I test fitted the pickguard and after quite a bit of readjustment, it fits snugly which meant it was time to paint things. I decided to stick with the fairly obnoxious spray bomb flourescent paint scheme and something of a rough and ready almost punk attitude. I did trial some newpaper cut out lettering stencils but while the lettering looked good I realised I needed to think about things a bit more if I didn't want it looking like a high school A level exam. So I turned to the electronics instead and meeting an aspiration of quick fit electronics and pickguard using connectors to the jack socket. I ordered a pair of Dimarzio Joe Satriani signature pickups as I thought they might be a nice match given how the guitar was fairly light weight. They're currently fitted to my Yamaha so I can get familiar with them while I work on the electronics. So the main goal for the wiring was the following 1) Bridge (splittable) 2) bridge coil + mid single coil 3) Bridge and neck (splittable) 4) Mid single coil + neck coil 5) Neck (splittable) I found a half-super switch (identical to those offered by Seymour Duncan), a B500K push pull pot and a prewired harness and then set about doing some research on wiring diagrams. After quite a lot of planning and adjusting and asking people I knew (like Aaron Armstrong) for advice I settled on the following diagram as a starting point because it was basically cobbled together out of other diagrams and I really don't know at this point which coils are activated in the split mode (and neither did anyone I asked). I think it might be the outside coils? By far the biggest head scratcher has been in figuring out where to put the connectors. I installed the two dimarzio pickups temporarily in my Yamaha, which has three pole quick connect switches. Originally I wanted to use two pole because it allowed a bit more flexibility with the connections but now I've decided to go the three pole route so I can straight swap between the Yamaha and the new guitar. Last night I installed chrome tuners on the headstock and installed the half complete electronics, pending the arrival of 3 pole female connectors. So that's where I'm at right now. I will also buy a locally made, improved version of a Fender mid boost circuit and figure out how to fit that into the diagram. Or, possibly it might involve gutting and restarting a new diagram if the circuit is fully integrated. Not sure. But hopefully it will involve much less ballache than has been the case so far. Speaking of ballache, a list of the issues so far is below for entertainment value 1) Square up neck pocket by shaving the sides with sanding block and file. 2) Remove excess wood blocking the trem movement. 3) Refinish and re-sand from 120 to 800 grit portions of the super glue finish on the neck. 4) Plug and redrill pickguard holes (because the original HSS pickguard I installed wasn't fender standard 11 hole). 5) Sand and repaint body after changing mind about lettering and stencil graphics. 6) Drill holes for bridge using slightly bent drill bit and drill shaft. 7) Clamp and glue the split underside of the trem cavity after trying to hammer in a bridge anchor ferrule into a hole that was 1mm too short (I measured it twice as well!) Figure out a circuit diagram cobbled together from other circuit diagrams for using the super switch, push pull post for two humbuckers and improvised quickfit connectors to allow the pickguard to be completely replaced without soldering.

Hi all! I've read a bit on and off for a while but didnt post because i put the guitar down for about 20 years. Now, i'm back. I'm playing daily, I recently cut all my hair off, and gave up on writing originals. So i decided it was time to join. I'm hoping to give more than get, and already have a few ideas i can share. I'm guessing i'm pretty common around here. I'm a gigging amateur, your usual weekend warrior with a day job, playing the usual classic rock covers, losing hair / gaining weight, usually off pitch, and rarely in tune. Will take a solo if given an opportunity, or, even if not given an opportunity. Looking forward to meeting you all! https://www.instagram.com/myskeletoncrew/?hl=en

Welcome to the forum @BadSituation

Welcome.

Hi & welcome.

thanks! looking forward to it.

Really appreciate your words. Thanks!!