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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Feb 28, 2020 16:27:09 GMT -5
Yeah, the pickup is the question mark right now. Even if it turns out to be a paperweight, I have other pickups I can drop in there. But I'm hoping this one works because I made the thing. Which means it probably won't
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Feb 28, 2020 16:30:18 GMT -5
No time to work on it today tho...
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Wrnchbndr
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Post by Wrnchbndr on Feb 28, 2020 16:45:22 GMT -5
Still, I'm envying your momentum. Dang I wish we were neighbors. I'm trying to think through a method of employing neo mags within the solid body adjustable from the back of the guitar for proximity to the strings with multiple separate (magnetless)coils on the surface that can be adjusted for orientation.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Feb 28, 2020 19:14:59 GMT -5
I have a neo bar mag on the back of this one. Adding it made the pickup brighter.
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gbfun
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Post by gbfun on Feb 29, 2020 19:17:25 GMT -5
Hmm. Weekends are for relaxing and unwinding...they say. At some point, why not "unwind" the pickup and see how it sounds ? For instance, at 13.7 ohms it should peel the paint off the walls. And that's about as high as I've seen for commercial bridge pickups. So maybe you want to strip the walls down to the studs instead. Maybe 14.5 ohms will do that. And if you want to completely remodel, maybe 16.8 ohms could take down some walls for you ? Just saying.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 1, 2020 2:49:23 GMT -5
The Duncan Invader bridge humbucker clocks in at almost 17 kOhms. That's pretty much the hottest production pickup commonly stocked in the shops. You can get hotter ones if you want; most makers will do any recipe you like.
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Post by Tinkerer on Mar 1, 2020 11:51:59 GMT -5
Peegoo, I'm curious about the neo bar mag that you have on the back of the pickup - is that in addition to the Alnico 3 pole pieces?
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 1, 2020 14:59:06 GMT -5
Yes. I wanted a way to add 'width' to the magnetic field, in a manner similar to how a Tele's steel bridge plate comes into play with the magnetic field of the polepieces. I tried different approaches to achieve this (various magnet configurations and steel channel similar to that on a Jaguar's pickups), and a long neo bar seemed to have the best effect.
How it will sound, though, I don't know yet. It makes good signal level and it sounds pretty good holding it over the strings on a guitar. But I won't really know until I get it installed and take it for a test drive.
How did I know where the magnetic field was going, you may be asking? Get yourself some magnetic viewing film...it's cheap. It allows you to see a magnet's field.
Check it out:
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 1, 2020 15:43:40 GMT -5
I applied the first few of several coats of clear shellac on the body. I'll sand with 320 between shots to get it nice and smooth. I may leave the topcoat of shellac as the final finish and buff it to satin with 0000 steel wool. That would look pretty good on this mahogany. It's starting to resemble a guitar.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 2, 2020 16:50:46 GMT -5
I sanded the body and neck and shot them with several coats of clear gloss acrylic lacquer. Also shaped and polished the string retainer for the end of the neck. While the wood finish is curing I'll cobble together the wiring (jack, volume pot, and getting the pickup mounted into the hatch for the front of the body). That should take about 15 minutes... Lacquer cures waaaaay too slowly. As Tom Petty sang, "the waiting is the hardest part."
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Post by Leftee on Mar 2, 2020 16:54:06 GMT -5
This is turning out way cool. 😎
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 3, 2020 13:50:26 GMT -5
I got the frets leveled, crowned, and polished, applied a little linseed oil to the rosewood, and attached the string anchor. I also shielded the cavities with copper tape; I've found the best way to press the tape securely into the wood is to use a large cotton swab; the type on the wooden stick. This tape is supposed to have conductive adhesive, but I've run into issues in the past with continuity through the various pieces, so I run a flux pen around the bottom corner of the cavity and then lay a thin bead of solder around it to bond all the pieces of copper. I also applied a strip of the tape behind the front pickup surround, as well as on the backs of the two little cover plates for the rear. We're getting closer to done...
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gbfun
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Post by gbfun on Mar 3, 2020 15:17:55 GMT -5
Looking good !
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 3, 2020 20:15:42 GMT -5
Thanks man. I'll be glad when this one is done. I owe it to wrnchbndr.
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gbfun
Wholenote
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Post by gbfun on Mar 3, 2020 20:19:41 GMT -5
Yeah, I hope you can get it done before the coronavirus gets me !
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Wrnchbndr
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Post by Wrnchbndr on Mar 3, 2020 22:45:22 GMT -5
Dude, I just gave you a lump of wood. I still have some chestnut that you gave to me - enough for one set neck or neck-thru telecaster.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 4, 2020 6:30:54 GMT -5
Get crackin', brother!
If you tell a woodworker you have *slabs* of American chestnut that's not wormy, they will sneak in at night and kill you for it. The stuff is rare these days. You cannot buy it for any price unless you find some as reclaimed lumber.
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Post by LTB on Mar 4, 2020 19:17:52 GMT -5
Gun butt? Hilarious! I already have a fishy guitar I built in 2004. It looked like Shamu to me, but my hunnie thought it looked like a sting ray. I need to build another one of these...I still have the templates: That’s kinda cool woth the 60’s vibe going on. I like the controls on the top edge!
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Post by LTB on Mar 4, 2020 19:35:34 GMT -5
Oh, you can get pickups made any way you like. But you'll sure pay for 'em. I made some more progress on this today. I got the control and jack cavities done and made cover plates from white pearl moto. The jack cavity is a teardrop shape because I needed a flat surface to run the washer and nut down onto the threads of the barrel jack. Since it's just one pickup, no need for a switch. I'll stick a volume pot in there and that will be the only control. If I decide I need a tone pot, I'll install a stacked pot for vol and tone; there's enough room for one. I also drilled the three bores for the jack wire from the volume pot, the bridge/string ground, and the pickup lead from the front cavity to the volume pot. One thing I've been wanting to try on a Tele or a Strat for many years is an inlaid pickguard, rather than one that's mounted directly to the face of the body. I understand why Fender doesn't do this (production cost), but it would look totally custom. So I used this project to see how that would go. This isn't a large pickguard, but the effect is the same. The pickguard I made for this is purposely asymmetrical to sort of mirror the look of the body shape. All I need now is a warm day to shoot finish on the body so I can start putting this thing together. When I first saw what you started with I couldn’t see the whole picture like you do. You are a true visionary. I am interested in seeing the finished product and what you think of it! Excellent work 😉
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 5, 2020 21:03:17 GMT -5
Thanks man! It's 90% there. Everything fits and everything works great. I still need to dial in the nut. It weighs in at 4.42 lbs. The pickup I made for it is a bit too dark sounding because I overwound the thing a bit too much. I may unwind it a little and try it again. The name seemed appropriate.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 5, 2020 21:21:46 GMT -5
Butt shot:
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 5, 2020 21:24:43 GMT -5
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 5, 2020 21:33:07 GMT -5
Nobody's perfect. Oy.
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gbfun
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Post by gbfun on Mar 5, 2020 21:49:41 GMT -5
A true American work of ART ! And that's no goof...it's exactly where a little round sticker goes with your name and date ! Or "made in the U.S.A."....
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gbfun
Wholenote
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Post by gbfun on Mar 5, 2020 21:54:16 GMT -5
Also, if you don't get the pickup the way you want, the pickup in the "fishy guitar" bridge above, I believe the Duncan lil' 59 humbucker, might be worth a try.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 5, 2020 22:03:53 GMT -5
😎😎😎
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Post by LTB on Mar 5, 2020 22:24:10 GMT -5
This just may be the guitar for you; this is Mr. Horsepower: Don't tell me this is your creation Peegoo....LOL
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Post by LTB on Mar 5, 2020 22:32:20 GMT -5
Thanks man! It's 90% there. Everything fits and everything works great. I still need to dial in the nut. It weighs in at 4.42 lbs. The pickup I made for it is a bit too dark sounding because I overwound the thing a bit too much. I may unwind it a little and try it again. The name seemed appropriate. Beautifully done! Definitely get the pickup right. You have gone too far with a nice product to stop now.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 5, 2020 22:47:05 GMT -5
Cheers, LTB.
Yeah, I will not leave this pickup in there. I have a Duncan stack I can put in there for now so I can play the thing while I fiddle with the pickup recipe.
gbfun, you've given me an ideer. I might inlay a year 2020 dime in there to cover that goof. Bingo!
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Post by LTB on Mar 5, 2020 22:50:40 GMT -5
Cheers, LTB. Yeah, I will not leave this pickup in there. I have a Duncan stack I can put in there for now so I can play the thing while I fiddle with the pickup recipe. gbfun, you've given me an ideer. I might inlay a year 2020 dime in there to cover that goof. Bingo! PERFECT!!!
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