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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Shes finished...

A few issues had to be fixed..but everything is now bolted together, soldered and the toothpicks filling the gaps of the 3 bolt in place...
Very very different to anything else I have which was the point, I will get some pics up as soon as I have time with sunlight...

what started as a cheap JVSQ 3 bolt body is now a great working guitar.And I already have somebody whose interested in buying it.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

pups arrived...

...the long wait is over..the left staggered middle RW pup has arrived and on its way to a pickguard...so within a few days I should have the project up , running and playing...can't wait!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

cool...and then some..



Of all the greats, nobody came close to being as cool as Hendrix.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

tutorial on "no loading" your pots



So now , with two 500k CTS pots sitting around and doing nothing, I decided to follow this tutorial.Still awaiting a pup before I can wire up the guitar, but otherwise everything is in. I'm going with a Mastertone pot which Ive attacked with nail polish.We shall see how things pan out.The 5 way switch is in, the shielding tape is mounted and the 5 way switch and 2 pups fitted..can't wait!

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/pots.htm

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

take your pic...

Std wiring




Modified

Just get on with it...



Having been away a few days with work I was happy to return to loads of parts that had finally arrived from the states.An eric johnson neck pup, fatboy guitar parts and of course the neck and neck plate.

As I measured up the 4 bolt neck plate to the 3 hole body,I wondered if I should dare to do this myself.I made a quick call to the local luthier who mentioned he was busy but may have a look at the project...next week..

Stuff that, can't wait..only waiting for a piclup to arrive and I need some wire and a pot...although I havent decided on 500k or 250 k.And to make matters worst, I'm thinking of setting up a master tone pot as Rory Gallagher had and SRV..I could still use a tone pot as a neck pup blender..then there is a question of taking apart the CTS pots and making them "no load " pots..I have a CRL 5 way switch and 2 500k pots with a cap already soldered on.500k pots brighten up single coils...This may be worth an experiment anyway, after all I already have Sami with 250ks and scatterwounds..
So anyway, after work I went past the local harware store and bought three drill bits, 4,5 and 6mm bits.Got home ,made a template out of paper,outlined the bottom of the neck and starting drilling..what the hell I thought, just do it.
Within 60 minutes I had an aged neckplate holding the neck in place without any issues..just saved myself some cash and time..Guitar looks awesome and weighs very little..
So, decision is probably to go with the 500k pots with a master tone and a dummy pot.
My ear is too bad to seriously notice and I always play with the tone wide open..so question is if I make it a no load pot..
This guitar should be interesting anyway, and thats the point with this specific project.
The pups are alnico 5 in the tail and a vintage Dimarzio FS-1
The middle pup is a Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II Reverse Single Coil Pickup with staggered poles for a left hander..
neck pup an alnico 3 Eric Johnson Fender Custom shop
Making the tone pot a "no load" should get more character outta the pups when increasing the volume apparently...But I'm not 100% yet if I'm going down this road..
But Master Tone will be on the cards and of course a 5 way switch.

I'll get some pics for posting when its up and running..

Friday, September 18, 2009

Friday nite workshop

Finally got round to fixing some of the details that needed fixing..

First the 77 fender strat relic had the neck off as I tried to mate it with the JV body.I thought this would be the best time to remove the vintage Dimarzio FS-1 sandwiched between the 78 Dimarzio sds-1s in the bridge and neck position.Didn't think it ever really worked in the middle, could be that its not a ceramic.I'd been donated another sds-1 so that went into the middle and now the hardtail spoils 2 inline sds-1s.After the bolt on I plugged and played...awesome sound!Pics to follow!

Then "The Paul" needed its bridge pup readjusted as one of the bolts had run out of threads. Looking in the pile, I found a genuine M69 pup ring and used that instead of the item fitted.This seemed to be slightly lower and better for the springs and screws.
What an under estimated guitar this is, I thought.Original first year with ebony neck and walnut body what really makes it work are the pups.
In the neck, a setmour duncan 59 putting out some serious juice..
In the bridge, a one of.Started life as a Gibson 57 classic with 2 conductor wire.The previous owner wanted 4 conducter, so the pup was rewound for 4 wire.i bought ot intending to use it in a Jimmy page wiring set up and I really wanted something unpotted.So I bought the pup as nobody else seemed remotely interested in a classic 57 rewound for 4 conductor.Its a strong bridge pup with a great sound.
The Paul is a fantastic guitar which can be had for a very cheap price.

Anatomy of drum solos

Recently, and despite the raves about the guitar projects..as usual my focus always goes heavily on the rythm sections of the bands I enjoy the most.
Obvioulsy with Rush and The Police touring recently and releasing dvds, I have to just post some pics of these drummers that can memerise my cerebal for hours on end..
Different styles completely across the three of them, but similar in the sense that they all lead their instruments.Moon the Loon, a sloppy drummer, Neil Peart, the proffessor and of course , Stewart Copeland whose jazz style drumming and rim shots are amazing.But of course...you have to listen...an listen again..and want to hear what they're doing...RESPECT



Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Cool pic, genius and nice guitar,caught in a moment

...never heard of it....

...but apparently jimmy pages secret weapon in the studio, 2 x 10 changed to a 1 x 12,sounds like an old yanky car with the name of supro coronado...



or was it a Selmer Treble and Bass 50 or a Zodiac twin 30 that Jimbo used...
..The only amp in the Supro lineup in 1961 with a single 12" speaker was the 1624T Dual Tone..and this was the year he apparently purchased the supro, the coronado came out in 64..

Hendrix 63 fender...if you've got 120,000 plus dollars



no often you see this man with this guitar....

83 MIJ JVSQ ..the gutz..

...of Project Rat. Well, malsteen calls his the Duck, so in chinese traditional ways I'll keep with the animals and call it a rat.
I don't usually get stuck into MIJ stuff, but the Golden years when Fender were at Fullerton and moving to Corona and you get the idea that the quality was better than in the states..so I took the gamble and bought a relativly cheap body of sen ash, apparently,not sure if its basswood but its light, but not too light.I reckon around the 4LBs area.
Its a poly finish which doesnt really bother me, although the music media is really stuffing the concept of nitro C being the dogs bollox and nothing else matters.
To be honest I dont think i'd know the difference...
Anyway, everything is currently packed and being shipped, so everyday is x-mas.
The neck should turn up at anytime and once that has arrived I will deem if its gonna be me or a luthier turning the #3 bolt to a #4.
Once again you read a lot about plus and minuses of the warmoth pro necks with a truss adjuster on the side.Once again I'm confinced it will do the job.beautiful neck as can be seen in the pics.
The aged look of the body and trem block ensured I could keep the aged look, so we're talking aged guard, knobs, tips,bolts,screws,backplate.
And thats it..basically, except for the details which makes the full picture..
I'll have to modify the pup cover for the fs-1 as its dimarzio..but thats the pup in the bridge, the Edge,Knopfler and Johnny Ramone also used the fs-1 and since its beginnings its still a popular pup, that was back in 74..The mid pup is gonna be the seymour duncan alnico II pro with staggered poles and up in the neck, an old friend returns which Ive previously had but sold as a set, an Eric Johnson alnico III from the custom shop.Great sounding pickup! So its gonna be interesting how they match up, the fs-1 is 25% stronger than a standard pup and alnico 5 rods, so its 5/2/3 with a counter wound in the middle.Both middle and neck have similar outputs and offer more of a spongy bass sound..I'm hoping the guitar will be round 7LBs, we shall see!




Nice angled pic of an SRV neck

alnico 5, 2 and 3?



project RAT
white body
ivory aged pickguard and covers
JV trem
Warmoth neck

electrics a mix n match from the used and offer box, 5 way cts switch and 3 pots

So, pups.Given slider a mail but went ahead and bought a rw middle pup in alnico 2, gonna use an original fs-1 in the tail which is alnico 5 and finally possibly go for an ej alnico 3 in the neck..we shall see..

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

musical chairs...

So now the projects are set up for the up and coming grey skys.

The 78 telecaster is currently carrying a set of Rio Grande Vintage Tallboys which as advertised are the ultimate chicky chick chick.
However, I may set in the Sliders hand scatterwound set that I have currently split up, with the Alnico 5 sitting unused.The bridge Rio Grande will make its way back in to the oddball telecaster from whence it came.Still undecided, but it has to be said the Sliders scatterwound are recommended.

The 77 strat is currently carrying 2 vintage Dimarzio sd1's and an FS-1, also vintage.I have another sd1, but I may instead look to try and get a set of 77 fender originals to make her 100% original.That leaves me with 3 Dimarzio sd1s and an fs 1 which may end up in the telecaster mentioned above which has 2 strat pups and a tele bridge.

That leaves me with 5 vintage dirty fingers , 2 of which have split coil options.
Maybe stick a set in The Paul from 78.

In the bag o bits I also have knobs, covers and a bunch a stuff including screws, aged or otherwise which I can use to build up the latest project.And thats the one that will be the most challenging and rewarding.

The JVSQ body is light and hopefully sen ash as opposed to basswood.Its a poly coat but its a keeper.Next step is to get the 4 bolt warmoth rosewood neck to fit onto the 3 bolt configuration.Haven't decided yet if I will leave this to a luthier or not.One thing for sure is that I wont ruin the neck bolt config.
Next will be an ivory green fatboys pickguard, 62ri.And then the question is whether to reuse the bakelite covers and knobs on sami mk1 and borrow the relic covers and knobs from there or simply get another set.
The pickups and electronics are of course another question mark, although I do have 2tone pots that I can use as well as a 5 way switch.All CTS.
Vintage wiring of course.

Right, next move for here will be pics of whats already done.Just have to get the pics snapped.

Monday, September 7, 2009

The Real McCoy...




For a mere $69 000 you can go out and buy yourself an original 1960's Olympic white strat..Or, get a project going to build something that you'll probably enjoy as much..ok, so it will never be as good but on the other hand you save 68,400 dollars..

Sunday, September 6, 2009









WARMOTH STANDARD THIN C - NECK PROFILE

WARMOTH RADIUS = 10-16 COMPOUND RADIUS for super low action.

WARMOTH PRO SIDE TRUSS ROD ADJUSTER

NUT WIDTH IS 1- 5/8ths

22 JUMBO NICKEL FRETS

plus ca change



So, the day the 78 telecaster was put together and plugged in, the 83 fender japan sqjv body arrived.Olympic white and very lightweight, I started looking for a neck.

Initially I tried to fit the 77 fender neck but that wouldnt line up.
So, after looking, reading, investigating at just about every neck available, I finally found a warmoth that I felt would do the trick with the right size dimensions.
Birdseye maple AAA and Brazilian Rosewood fretboard with a thinner neck than the SRV neck, I'll have to get the JVSQ body routed for a four bolt which I feel is much better.
Plan is to get an ivory green reliced pickguard and another set of sliders pickups.

Can't wait!
pics of the 78 telecaster will be posted.