and the collection...assorted..

77 fender stratocaster

77 fender strat..stripped many years ago from sunburst apparently..now natural..3 dimarzio sd1s and a true world relic with evrything else original..

78 boat anchor telecaster..

To recap, a 78 heavy and original except for ivory green pickguard and Rio Grande Tallboy vintage pups..I'm curious about the weight so I'll take her to the post office..the paint job is the infamous ghost black, when fender used water based..

The new member is finished..

To recap, a #3 bolt JVSQ 83 body drilled in the kitchen to #4 bolt neck, rosewood slab on birdseye maple, jumbo frets (22) and a compound radius from 10 to 16 inches with vintage sized nut width, fatboy relic parts and 3 different alnico pups for variation, including a lefty in the middle, positions 2 and 4 sound awesome.Master Tone is "non loaded" using pliers and lipstick ( 2nd tone is a dummy)..sounds great!

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.

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!

cool...and then some..

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

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

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 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

so what?

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....