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FDP Forum / Guitar Mods, Repairs, and Projects / Pimpcaster 2012 commences
(This message was last edited by GP at 07:14 PM, May 21st, 2012)
(This message was last edited by shg at 02:06 AM, Mar 22nd, 2013)
(This message was last edited by shg at 02:54 AM, Jul 15th, 2012)
(This message was last edited by shg at 02:45 AM, Mar 24th, 2013)
FDP Forum / Guitar Mods, Repairs, and Projects / Pimpcaster 2012 commences
shg
StrayaMay 20th, 2012 11:48 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Here's the plan:
- CAR Strat body via reliablefender
- Chunky C neck from Tommy at USACG - maple back, rosewood front, 22 frets, 1 11/16" at the (LSR) nut, 10-12" compound radius, Schaller locking tuners
- Black EMG 85 bucker in the bridge, mounted in a pearloid guard with a single vol knob in Strat-normal position
- original Floyd Rose bridge (no fine tuners), chrome
Pics when complete!
DrKev
Contributing Member
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Irishman in Paris
Forget Tone - go with Note ChoiceMay 21st, 2012 04:39 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Interesting call with the EMG 85, it'll sound great!
FunkyKikuchiyo
Contributing Member
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New EnglandMay 21st, 2012 06:34 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Good call on the neck!
shg
StrayaMay 21st, 2012 07:27 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I've already got the neck, bridge, and pickup here; body is in transit; I just need to find a single-humbucker pearloid guard cut for a Floyd Rose. I've got one of those "easy access" Deluxe asymmetrical neck plates somewhere too, so I might round off the neck joint a bit.
I've always liked the look of black pickup(s), pearloid guard, rosewood fingerboard, and CAR together - I hope it looks and sounds as good as I imagine it. Since the neck is from USACG I know it will FEEL great :)
GP
Contributing Member
******
SW Burbs of Chitown
Defend yourself with a pointy headstockMay 21st, 2012 07:12 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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You might want to look for a square file that fits the width of the nut. My USACG neck routed for LSR wasn't close. The LSR nut height was way too high. Use the correct numbered drill bit per installation instructions for the LSR. Fender uses a 9.5 radius board with LSR. I don't think the 10" will be a issue. More concerned about the Floyd and the 12". Original locking Floyds were designed for 10" radius. Not sure on the non fine tuner Floyd.
I would use Warmoth for the pickguard.
shg
StrayaMay 22nd, 2012 03:32 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Cheers GP. The LSR is a 10" radius out of the box so the curve will be right at the nut end (I specifically chose a 10" radius at the nut to match the LSR radius) but I am going to keep an eye on the bridge radius. I guess to keep conical consistency the bridge SHOULD be radiused to about 13".
I don't have a radius gauge handy but the saddles on the Floyd look to be 10" by sight. If I have high-action problems on the centre strings I guess I'll be shimming the outer saddles.
FunkyKikuchiyo
Contributing Member
***
New EnglandMay 22nd, 2012 07:13 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I wouldn't sweat the radius issue. Unless you're really finicky, small discrepancies will go unnoticed, and when there is a discrepancy, it is best to have the nut and bridge rounder than the fingerboard rather than the other way around. We tend to perceive high action on the outside strings more than the inside. Just try to keep an even, smooth radius rather than something erratic.
shg
StrayaMay 22nd, 2012 11:28 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Thanks FunkyKikuchiyo. Yeah, I'll set it up without shimming and see how it feels.
shg
StrayaJun 11th, 2012 11:19 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Gah. This body's going to need some more routing - there's just not enough clearance around the nut holding the whammy. And I don't have a dremel either. Sh*t.
shg
StrayaJul 13th, 2012 07:17 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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All in one piece... first plugged-in playtesting tomorrow.
Vic Vega
Contributing Member
********
Massachusetts
Happy to be at the top of the food chainJul 13th, 2012 12:47 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Why did you not want the fine tuners on the Floyd?
GP
Contributing Member
******
SW Burbs of Chitown
Defend yourself with a pointy headstockJul 13th, 2012 01:42 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"Why did you not want the fine tuners on the Floyd?"
He's using a LSR not a locking nut. No need for fine tuners. With that Floyd, it is like a AmDeluxe strat.
shg, how was the LSR height on the USACG neck. Did you have to file the slot deeper for correct height?
Vic Vega
Contributing Member
********
Massachusetts
Happy to be at the top of the food chainJul 13th, 2012 09:31 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"He's using a LSR not a locking nut."
Ah, yes. I didn't notice that.
Thanks.
Peegoo
Contributing Member
**********
**********
That chicken
is WRONG, baby.Jul 14th, 2012 09:58 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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That looks fantastic! I expected something with fer-real Xzibit bling, but that is quite tastefully done. The white MOTO with black pups and red body look great together.
shg
StrayaJul 14th, 2012 10:17 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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First impressions:
I went with stringing 9-46 for a change since I'm out of practice and my fingers are weak and soft.
Great resonant acoustic tone. The chunky neck on what turned out to be a pretty light alder body makes a combo that rings like a bell. Sustains well, haven't found any dud notes yet and artificial harmonics squeak out loud and clear even when unamplified. I did notice the guitar fighting itself on a frequency somewhere between C# and D but a process of elimination revealed that to be a resonant frequency of one of the springs in the rear cavity, wadded it up with some tissue paper and it shut up.
I can't achieve a neck angle that will let me lower the Floyd flat onto the body (my usual setup) so I've got it floating. I've got three springs in the back and they feel really tense, so the bridge takes some moving. If the floating bridge annoys me I'll probably get a Tremol-no rather than performing body surgery.
The guitar stays in tune really well with moderate whammyage. I've got locking tuners, a roller nut, and a locking bridge so there aren't many reasons why it should go out of tune. The bridge feels substantial - a big hunk of steel - with a reassuring solidity under hand.
I've taken FunkyKikuchiyo's advice and done first setup without any shimming of the bridge saddles to compensate for the compound radius. FunkyKikuchiyo you were right, I don't really notice any abnormally high action in the middle of the top end of the neck. It all feels pretty consistent even though I know it actually isn't. FYI GP the LSR went into the nut slot right first time, no filing required.
That's all the good bits. The bad is probably due to my own niggardliness.
The amplified tone is sh*t. Not THE sh*t - just sh*t. No treble at all, it has that sound of a tone pot rolled off or a wah pedal left half-cocked. I had some fun playing young-Clapton woman-tone licks, but for anything other than that application the tone sucks. So I'm gonna have to pull the damn thing apart to check the pot, cap, and battery connection. If they're OK the pickup might be a dud. (Here's the bit that was my fault) - to do this whole project as cheaply as possible I went with a Dragonfire EMG85 clone rather than a genuine EMG, as the Dragonfire pup was a third of the price. It might just be that it's a crap pickup.
I'll post some recordings when I get the tone worked out. In the meantime here's a quick snap with my phone:
GP
Contributing Member
******
SW Burbs of Chitown
Defend yourself with a pointy headstockJul 15th, 2012 10:45 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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When I bought my USACG neck with LSR nut route. The LSR was a little over 1/16" too high. Had to file the slot down. That was when they first opened. They must have a better idea on depth now.
Floyds were designed to float.
shg
StrayaMar 21st, 2013 09:48 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Update:
1. Couldn't handle having the Floyd floating, it's just not me any more. The Floyd is now flat-mounted (down only). Sounds and feels much more to my liking.
2. I did start noticing action weirdness because of the neck/bridge radius mismatch. Found some Floyd saddle shims on Ebay, flattened the bridge out a bit and it feels much better.
3. I swapped the crappy EMG clone out for a real EMG 85. Sounds FAT. I've played Strats with single-coil bridge pups for so long having an active bridge humbucker sounds like GRAAAAAAH to my ears now :)
Peegoo
Contributing Member
**********
**********
Version 2.0
New and ImprovedMar 23rd, 2013 01:06 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Excellent!
Often, clone pickups will sound good because they used the same materials as the thing they're copying. Sometimes though, the "clone" is name only, and you're left holding the [toneless] bag.
shg
StrayaMar 24th, 2013 12:44 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Yeah, that Dragonfire pickup was just rubbish. Lesson: you get what you pay for!
Having the bridge radiused properly and decked on the body has made an incredible difference to the feel of the guitar. It feels both effortlessly playable and rocksolid stable now.
Describing the guitar makes it sound really garish and shreddy (EMG humbucker! Floyd Rose! chrome and pearloid!), but in my hands it feels like a big chunky workhorse Strat.
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