Next project hits the drawing board

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nocaster	Next project hits the drawing board		Lead	[-]
Posts: 19034 Thu, May 1, 2003 12:26:31 The Big FIBer	Tags : None As I'm starting to close some guitar projects off, I'm starting the lengthy planning process for the next guitar (inspired by Tommy, Ken, Bill, Leo and Les): Body: ~3.5lb, one-piece or two-piece centre-join (Tommy's choice), sitka spruce solid T or S, with forearm and tummy contours & contoured heel (finished by Roxy in trans butterscotch, trans cream, or trans aged Mary Kaye white) Routs: Control: ? Pickups: dependant on pickup choices Neck: mahogany, with 1.75" nut width, ? back profile, ? taper (finished by Roxy in vintage satin, with MV headstock) Fingerboard: striped darker Pau ferro, with 7.25"-9.5" conical radius or 11"-12" straight radius (dependant on bridge), 25.5" or 25" scale, 22 frets Pickups: Option 1: Bridge: L-495L48 or 36, or L-290TL-E (49) Middle: L-290SM (32) or L-280SM (24) Neck: L-490N36 or 24 Option 2: Bridge: L-450L48 or 36 Middle: L-280SM (24) Neck: L-450N24 Wiring: Tone/Volume: probably masters (with Q-Tone on push-pull) Switching: probably: 5-way covering bridge and neck combos; middle on-off; Q-Filter mode toggle Bridge: dependant on bridge pup (hardtail Strat, or Tele plate (single or dual)) Tuners: Gotoh Kluson; Nut: probably Earvana; String retainer(s): ?; Pickguard: maybe; Strap buttons: recessed Dunlop StrapLoks; Hardware: chrome or nickel So, here's your chance to rip in. [Edit 1: bridge options changed. Edit 2: basswood eliminated as neck wood option.]
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onopalot	bridge	#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 167 Fri, May 2, 2003 03:27:48	Go with the Tele bridge. You don't need an angled neck pocket, it is classic, a great design, sounds great, is fun to play, and has that huge plate so important to a classic sound. 3 saddles of course
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Unregistered(d)	3 saddles	#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 0 Fri, May 2, 2003 03:48:50	...compensated, of course. Barden or Callaham.
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heath	Here's mine.	#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1156 Fri, May 2, 2003 05:14:55 Contributing Palladium Member Resident Jazzmaster	T style solid body, no tummy contours just the forearm and heel, finish in butterscotch, rear routed with controls laid out in std. T fashion, Pickups: option 2 definitely, Finger board: Ebony (had to say it), Neck: mahogany with 12 straight radius, Bridge I prefer the modern six saddle tele bridges, but Im usually alone in this regard. Neck nut: vintage bone cut by yourself, Hardware: Nickel, string retainers: vintage style preferable two. One question whats the Sitka spruce sound like and cost.
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nocaster	Re: bridge	#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 05:38:25 The Big FIBer	> "Go with the Tele bridge" As stated, depends on the bridge pup. > "You don't need an angled neck pocket" That's a good point! Spec changed to hardtail Strat instead of T-O-M. > "it is classic, a great design, sounds great, is fun to play, and has that huge plate so important to a classic sound." No arguments from me. It is my favoured bridge type. > "3 saddles of course" I usually favour three compensated brass saddles, but I'm considering varying this here. > "Barden or Callaham." Nope!
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nocaster	Re: Here's mine.	#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 05:43:11 The Big FIBer	> "One question whats the Sitka spruce sound like" From the Parker ws: "Sitka Spruce: We use only the finest vertical grain Sitka spruce, from large slow-growing trees in the Pacific Northwest. Springy and tough, spruce has the best stiffness-to-weight ratio of any wood, and is used to build the most demanding of wooden structures: airplanes, sailboat masts, soundboards of pianos, the violin family, and most acoustic guitars. Its vertical fiber orientation produces the best mechanical properties. The Artist, Concert, and Spanish Fly are the only electric guitars made from spruce. Spruce is lively, vibrant, lush and ferocious. Spruce makes a stunning electric guitar." (my emphasis)
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nocaster	Re: Here's mine.	#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 05:50:28 The Big FIBer	> "Pickups: option 2 definitely" That limits bridge choice to a Tele dually or Strat hardtail.
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PeteMK1	Re:	#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2102 Fri, May 2, 2003 09:37:30 Contributing Silver Member Resident Electronics Guru	The spruce body will most likely give a lot of high frequencies and snap, so I think you're right about the mahogany neck. I'd even consider the 24.75" scale, but then again, 25" should also deliver the goods. As far as pups, I'd probably go with 490s in the bridge and neck, maybe a 450 at the bridge. I always fear the bass-heavy sound of fullsize neck buckers. Dunno the 450 though. Definately no string retainers, staggered tuners instead. Straight radius 11" or 12". IMO, the big unknown in the equation is the spruce body. If this wood is really that stiff, the axe might come out overly bright.
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nocaster	Re: Re:	#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 10:10:08 The Big FIBer	The woods spec is based on the Parker Fly Artist. However, with the fingerboard for the Parker being composite, I suspect it would be sonically similar to ebony, and therefore brighter than my spec. The Parker also features stainless frets and saddles. According to Tommy in another thread: "You should hear a Spruce solid body Tele sometime. Very Bluesy and great for Jazz it really kills the twang factor." 450's are single-coil voiced.
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nocaster	Re: Re:	#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 10:33:02 The Big FIBer	What I'm looking to do with this project is take Parker's research and high-tech approach and essentially feed that back into the low-tech traditional construction part of the loop.
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Unregistered(d)	Taper	#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 0 Fri, May 2, 2003 11:17:06	"? taper" Were you thinking a non-.070" taper or are you asking for the 1st fret depth (to apply USACG's standard .070" taper to)?
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nocaster	Question marks...	#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 11:47:04 The Big FIBer	...simply mean undecided. And, I'm not looking for any suggestions. When the time comes to decide on the back profile and taper, I might seek clarifications before final decisions. Basically, Ive tossed this spec out for discussion, because I think its an interesting one that may benefit from input, but more so, because I think its one that may get folks thinking. I havent tossed it out there because I need help, but Id be especially interested in Tommys input.
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PeteMK1	spruce	#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2102 Fri, May 2, 2003 12:30:45 Contributing Silver Member Resident Electronics Guru	I wasn't aware of Tommy's comment in the other thread. That clarifies the wood selection. When Parker uses a composite fb with good results, then harshness shouldn't be an issue with any fb wood. I think your switching (5-way for bridge and neck, middle on-off) is one of the best possibilities for a 3-pup guitar. Very simple and intuitive with many useful options. For this scenario, IMO it's best to use a 4-pole switch to incorporate series and out-of-phase or 1/2 out-of-phase sounds.
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nocaster	Wiring	#13	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Fri, May 2, 2003 13:19:33 The Big FIBer	Yep, I'm basically looking at a version of Bill's 5-way wiring for a two-pup guitar, including half out of phase. Then I'd have a toggle to simply switch the middle pup on or off, and possibly another toggle to switch between a couple of Q-Filter modes. Switching between Q-Tone itself and std tone would be via a push-pull tone pot. I think this control spec would be extremely flexible yet very straightforward to operate.
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RMosack	Re: Wiring	#14	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3169 Fri, May 2, 2003 15:53:10 Contrib. Silver Charter Member	"Yep, I'm basically looking at a version of Bill's 5-way wiring for a two-pup guitar, including half out of phase. Then I'd have a toggle to simply switch the middle pup on or off..." In that case, and especially since you mentioned master volume and tone in the first post, you might consider a 3-way mini-toggle. This would allow you to select: 1) middle pickup ON (ONLY) 2) middle pickup ON AND 5-way switch selection 3) 5-way switch selection ONLY (middle pickup OFF) It's still not overly complex. It would allow to to access all of the settings with or without the middle pickup and still have the simple middle only sound. That may be especially nice to have if you want to take advantage of the significantly different tonality of the middle pickup versus the bridge/neck choices - may be great for clean, cutting chord work.
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heath	Take a look at this bridge.	#15	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1156 Fri, May 2, 2003 17:19:43 Contributing Palladium Member Resident Jazzmaster	hipshot hardtail
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onopalot	bridge	#16	[url]	[-]
Posts: 167 Fri, May 2, 2003 22:45:23	Why not callaham? Awesome stuff Mann Made is cool too but prices are up there.
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Tommy	Re: bridge	#17	[url]	[-]
Posts: 699 Sat, May 3, 2003 02:20:27 Gold Charter Member USA Custom Guitar Master	I like all of the ideas being thrown around here Nocaster. Of course I can't help with pickup selections, radius and all of that kind of stuff because it's really up to what you like I can put in a my couple of cents. As far as a hardtail bridge goes I like the Hipshots and the Callahams. Of course it would really come down to who offers the string spacing that works the best for your setup and what you prefer as far as the materials used to design the bridge. But I recommend both of them all the time. As far as a personal pickup configuration I am as simple as they come and would probably do the dual pickups instead of three, but thats just me. The one thing I know for sure is Basswood is much to soft to build a neck out of so I would go with Mahogany. By the way still no decent prices or luck on that wood we are looking for Nocaster! I'll find it eventually just keep on me if you are still interested! Thanks! Tommy.
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nocaster	Tommy	#18	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Sat, May 3, 2003 07:07:26 The Big FIBer	Tommy: Thanks for your input! I'll change the neck spec to mahogany. As far as the wood you're looking for, I still want it, but am still in no rush.
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nocaster	Re: Wiring	#19	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Sat, May 3, 2003 07:25:59 The Big FIBer	> In that case, and especially since you mentioned master volume and tone in the first post, you might consider a 3-way mini-toggle. This would allow you to select: 1) middle pickup ON (ONLY) 2) middle pickup ON AND 5-way switch selection 3) 5-way switch selection ONLY (middle pickup OFF) It's still not overly complex. It would allow to to access all of the settings with or without the middle pickup and still have the simple middle only sound. That may be especially nice to have if you want to take advantage of the significantly different tonality of the middle pickup versus the bridge/neck choices - may be great for clean, cutting chord work. Well spotted, RMosack! Yes, its essential that the middle pup can be soloed! I need to think on it more, but certainly at first glance I really like your suggestion! This seems to be Bills current 5-way switching for two pups: 5 Neck 4 Bridge/Neck 3 Bridge 2 Bridge/Neck 1/2 out of phase 1 Neck w/ 10% less bass Im not bothered about Neck w/ 10% less bass, so that could be replaced with Middle: 5 Neck 4 Middle 3 Bridge/Neck 2 Bridge/Neck 1/2 out of phase or Bridge/Middle 1/2 out of phase 1 Bridge Or something like that.
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nocaster	Hardware	#20	[url]	[-]
Posts: 19034 Sat, May 3, 2003 08:04:52 The Big FIBer	As far as hardware, we all have our brand preferences for various reasons. I always use the std Gotoh Kluson tuners, and usually use Fender, Gotoh or Hipshot bridges. That Hipshot bridge that heath linked above is the business if I go down the Strat hardtail route. If I go down the Tele plate route, this axe will probably feature a modern Tele bridgeplate (whether or not it's a dually), just for a change.
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