james90 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 it's supposedly like the super distortion, but just voiced in the upper mids instead. I can't say it sounds like that at ALL in the other guitar. and no idea how they will match, but i guess I'll find out a bit later. in other news... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 also, i wanted to put custom hardware on this one, but my shaft was too large. ended up using these strange ones I found on the shelf. i think they might have been off an old amp or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Excite. What's that going in again? I need to buy one and not sell it this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Excite. What's that going in again? I need to buy one and not sell it this time. most likely the rounded MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Well... awake at 3am this morning (not unusual) so I decided to finish it. I didn't finish it. Always check that your pickup pole piece spacing matches the spacing of the bridge... I got the strings on and saw right away that it was WAY off, and needed standard spaced pickups. If anyone wants some F-spaced humbuckers for cheap, I don't need these anymore It's pretty much done other than that. I literally only need to put the new pickups in (actually went for a different neck pickup this time) and drill the holes for the pick guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Sad times But the Trembucker only comes in 52mm spacing? Isn't that the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Sad times But the Trembucker only comes in 52mm spacing? Isn't that the point? I thought it was, considering this is a Fender type guitar (as far as I'm aware, even the modern ones need F-spaced pickups). It's not that they aren't aligned, but you have the pole pieces from the pickups going further out on both sides. But as I said yesterday, as I was putting the graphtech saddles on, I discovered this bridge has a spacing of 2" (rather than 2-1/16" like most modern hardtails) So it seems that I'll need the standard spaced pickups. I'm not looking forward to rewiring this, but I did do something I shouldn't have done when I was last in there, so I need to correct it anyway. Either way, looks like it will have to wait until after lunch. Might have it done on Monday, depending when the new pickups are here. I'll get a few pictures up before then - the neck looks lovely, and luckily I didn't drill through the headstock while installing the machine heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 as I said before, it's finally done. Just set it up and it plays alright, but could probably still use a tiny bit of work. the clipping circuit isn't that great. luckily i put it on a push/pull so it's a normal tone control unless it's pulled out. only other thing is that the action is a bit too low with the saddles cranked up pretty high, but i think that's because of how the bridge is designed. it's about 1.75mm across, and i wouldn't mind getting it closer to 2mm on the wound strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Looks great, demos? Maybe shim the neck and get the saddles up a bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Looks great, demos? Maybe shim the neck and get the saddles up a bit? Soon, I'm thinking of changing the clipping circuit to a homemade one. Any idea about what diodes? This used some 1N34A diodes, but I'm wondering what else I can try. I think that's a good amount of distortion compared to what I have now, which is barely noticeable. There's also this version which uses four diodes, which I might have to try as well http://www.instructables.com/id/Passive-Guitar-Overdrive-Black-Ice/ And no, that's the opposite of the problem I have. The saddles are raised almost all the way (don't want the screws to come out the other side) but I can only get it up to around 1.75mm across all six strings. That's perfect for the plain strings, but might want to go a bit higher on the wound ones then again, it's a bridge from a charvel of some sort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Isn't the 34a a ge diode? You need to look for diodes with a low forward voltage, typically a ge diode is around 350-500mV, so anything above that is clipped to ground. There are some Schotcky diodes with much lower turn on voltages, which clips more signal, but bear in mind the clipped signal will be of a lower level than the clean. Maybe adding a small step up transistor would help with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 from what I read, it is. I'm not sure which ones I bought exactly, but they're NOS, so they must be good What's this about a step up transistor? Would I be able to use that with the current circuit I have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Yeah you can use a step up with any circuit. The fernandes circuit uses one to step up the signal from the pickup to use as a neck pickup. You need a good ratio, since you're losing 50% of your signal to the clipping diodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Actually... what about adding something to the existing "circuit" that's in there? Sort of like the version 2 that's listed on the second link up there, which uses four diodes. There were some different wiring options for the black ice module, but I clipped the additional legs off before trying them all So I only have one option now, which is the third most distorted one. I'd rather not pay another $30 for one of these, especially considering I got ten of the diodes for $5 shipped. Only problem is that space is somewhat limited in that corner of the control cavity, as there's the push/pull, black ice module, and tone cap in the same area. I'm sure some additional diodes will fit, but not sure about anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 You could just put some diodes in series? You'd lose some distortion. Parallel some diodes and you may get more distortion? I don't know is the answer. Edit: did I reply to your PM James? Phone issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Only one way to find out And no, I didn't receive anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 My diodes still haven't arrived. I did put one of these in the guitar though. I would've done individual volume controls for each pickup, but that would just overcomplicate everything. http://www.1728.org/guitar4.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattTinnitus Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 I'm having a lot of luthiery pain right now :facepalm: My problems are that I have realised I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to screwing down the humbucker rings. I did it once and it was squint af. I have filled the holes with wood filler but I want to do it right this time. Also, it seems I may have ripped the thread out of one of the fixing holes in my sustainer pickup. Please help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flump Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 I redid the top on one of my guitars recently. It is a piece of tarnished copper...which replaced a previously much thicker piece of copper. You guys have...what I'll call a "discerning" eye about guitar accessories (knobs, pickup rings, switch tips) and I'm looking for suggestions on this one. The guitar used to have black binding and a stained swamp ash back. Now its crème binding and the most in your face flake finish there is. Looking for suggestions on changing potentially the pickup rings, knobs, and switch tip here. Tuners, bridge, and pickups are staying as is. The pieces on there were on the pricier side of things and I don't really feel like changing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 I'd be tempted to put some brass hardware on (since I'm guessing there really isn't a copper alternative) I have a bridge made by these guys on one of my guitars, but they also do some other hardware. http://www.armadilloguitar.com/main/ Also, unrelated, but good timing I guess. Going to be throwing together a new HSH strat, but this time it'll actually resemble the guitar it's based on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flump Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I'd be tempted to put some brass hardware on (since I'm guessing there really isn't a copper alternative) I have a bridge made by these guys on one of my guitars, but they also do some other hardware. http://www.armadilloguitar.com/main/ Also, unrelated, but good timing I guess. Going to be throwing together a new HSH strat, but this time it'll actually resemble the guitar it's based on.... I like those brass knobs. If I can get knobs, a switch tip, and maybe even some pickup rings that would be great. I was also thinking of going with crème, the problem is I want a more industrial style of knob and those don't really come in crème ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Jaicen Before I go and buy the F spaced bridge pickup and rewire everything... Bad idea? They don't fit as well as the original saddles, but besides being a bit tight, I can't see it being much of an issue. There's enough room to adjust (they don't get stuck or anything) but still... For what it's worth, the bridge is meant to have 2" string spacing, and these are the more common 2-1/16" spacing. The only replacement saddles I can find with the 2" spacing are these raw brass ones, and that's not what I'm going for. I guess the biggest concern is the saddles splitting in half. It's happened before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Have you emailed Graphtec to check they don't do 50mm saddles? I'd be surprised if they don't. I think as you only need 0.3mm shaving off, it wouldn't be too hard to do with some fine sand paper, though I'd get it milled down. If you have to have it as accurate as possible, that's the approach I'd take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james90 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Have you emailed Graphtec to check they don't do 50mm saddles? I'd be surprised if they don't. I think as you only need 0.3mm shaving off, it wouldn't be too hard to do with some fine sand paper, though I'd get it milled down. If you have to have it as accurate as possible, that's the approach I'd take. Now why didn't I think of that... I'll give that a try anyway. Means I can keep the current bridge pickup as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, I only mentioned it because it's something I've done in the past when I couldn't find the saddles I wanted and they were very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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