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Gavin1393
04-01-2014, 07:13 AM
Bought a Strat from Cash Converters for $40. All I want it for is my Gk-3 and GR-55 Midi to operate as a Midi Controller for the unit.

Here is the unit in question.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/g4760-GK-03.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2m591-Gr-55.jpg

Gavin1393
04-01-2014, 07:14 AM
One stripped down Ash Strat body.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/39wf5-Photo-3.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/3ul63-Photo-4.jpg

Gavin1393
04-01-2014, 07:16 AM
Attempting a burst in Black, Tabacco Brown and Cherry Red.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/01q9w-Photo-2.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/57efq-Photo-1.jpg

Brendan
04-01-2014, 07:46 AM
Going reliced as well? Love to see how this turns out.

Gavin1393
04-01-2014, 08:44 AM
I figured since it was a beaten up old guitar I'd play it safe and keep that THEME! :$ also if, I stuff up the burst, I will use the relic'd detail as the excuse!!
Plus I have quite a few old strat pieces from guitars I have dismantled that I want to use up!

stan
04-01-2014, 09:08 PM
great project! another piece of Roland gear on the want list now! I have the Boss GT100, which is a nice piece of kit

Gavin1393
04-01-2014, 11:30 PM
The Boss GT-100 sure is a beaut!

stan
06-01-2014, 09:59 AM
yep - if i only had the skill to match my equipment!

Gavin1393
07-01-2014, 02:20 PM
Staining complete, first top coat applied.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/1e1uf-image.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2kunk-image.jpg

wokkaboy
08-01-2014, 03:14 AM
looking good Gav, how many top coats are you going to apply ? Its really got a relic look, with midi should sound and look great !

Gavin1393
08-01-2014, 03:58 AM
It's had it's first drenching with the N.C.R Oil, I will give it another coat tomorrow and then do a wet sand with Boiled Linseed Oil before applying a final coat of N.C.R Oil. Then off top the buffer if all looks like it's holding up! I want it to look relic'd in terms of the finish but it will be properly sealed, etc. I have another set of EMG's's I'm thinking of putting on this one.

wokkaboy
08-01-2014, 05:27 AM
presume that acronym is naughty corner/room oil !
What are EMG's ?

Gavin1393
08-01-2014, 06:38 AM
These things!
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/90hdx-81bk.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/sh44h-85.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/5k283-hcontrol.jpg

wokkaboy
08-01-2014, 07:08 AM
you sly dog Gav, think you edited your comment and MINE to say EMG's. You wrote EMC's so I presumed it was a typo !

Gavin1393
08-01-2014, 08:48 AM
/<\\/p>[/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/]<\\/p>/Quote from wokkaboy on January 7, 2014, 16:08
you sly dog Gav, think you edited your comment and MINE to say EMG's. You wrote EMC's so I presumed it was a typo !

Haha! It was a typo and i thought you had done the same thing! Sorry mate! But it is good to have POWER!!!! (Synical Vince Clark laughter)

Brendan
08-01-2014, 10:58 AM
Looking spot on Gav! Nice job.

Gavin1393
14-01-2014, 03:19 PM
Applied a sealer coat.....some NRO and wet sanded....phwoooooarrrr!!!!!
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/0guz3-image.jpg

stan
15-01-2014, 10:02 AM
love the look of this one Gav

Gavin1393
25-01-2014, 02:22 AM
Quick update
I think I have the final coat on of NCR Oil. Looking good. Have to let it cure. Doing some work on the neck at the moment and also experimenting with my own take on finishing solvents. If I fail? If I succeed? At least I'll live.....OMG - too much time in the Art Gallery lately!
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/73km6-Photo-11.jpg

Gavin1393
28-01-2014, 11:48 AM
I am thinking....of something really different.....but maybe overkill....may disclose later!

In the meantime, i have installed the PBG bridge and positioned the midi.....attached the output plug ( the big black unit) to the strap holder.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/34f8k-image.jpg

Gavin1393
31-01-2014, 02:24 PM
Ok, so special order went into StewMac on Monday evening AFTER making a special order with Realtone in Aus, also on Monday night. Lets see which order gets here first. I have my money on Stewmac!

I am going to change a few things from the original plan.
Changing out the bridge, it's too flimsy for my liking and thicker ones generally produce better sustain.

I was going to install two active humbucker pickups but have opted to use passive humbuckers as well as a single coil in the middle position.
I am anticipating using this guitar in my home studio. Here is what I am aiming at.

The guitar will be capable of producing a MIDI signal which can be manipulated into any instrument of my choice. It will also be capable of being mixed with the analog signals produced by the guitar. This is where the pickup selection has become important. Since Fender and Gibson are the most commonly used guitars, i have decided to use coil-split humbuckers at the bridge and neck and a single coil in the middle position. Switches as opposed to pots or push pull pots will be used to turn off or on every coil thereby allowing me to select any combination of single coil and humbuckers. Now for the final pickup. I am also installing at the bridge, a Ghost Prewired Saddle Pickup Set with onboard Acousti-Phonic Onboard Preamp and onboard QuickSwitch which will allow me to switch between electric and acoustic pickups and to mix these together AND to mix these with the MIDI output too!

But I digress....

What I have done today was to put on some really nice looking locking tuners onto the headstock. I am really partial to locking tuners.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/r2a3g-image.jpg

wokkaboy
01-02-2014, 05:43 AM
looking good Gav, the range of sounds you will get with this axe should be amazing, can't wait to hear/see it completed !
Was this strat body and neck a $80 or $90 cash convertors axe ?

Gavin1393
01-02-2014, 06:39 AM
$40 :)

wokkaboy
01-02-2014, 06:45 AM
$40, they couldn't give it away for that price ! Any idea what sort of wood it is ? Hope its not mdf or a cheap compressed wood !

Gavin1393
01-02-2014, 06:54 AM
It's Ash! but it had a few dings in the Nitro finish, broken wires in the output Jack which was missing a screw and there was a missing string... They wanted $80, offered them $40 and they agreed.

Gavin1393
01-02-2014, 06:56 AM
Latest...
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/6c7c3-midi-guitar.jpg

wokkaboy
01-02-2014, 07:02 AM
very cool Gav, you know how to bargain mate !
See if you can bargain with DB for wifi in the naughty room !

stan
01-02-2014, 10:17 AM
great work! waiting to hear this thing in action!

Gavin1393
01-02-2014, 10:21 AM
....and we have a result on the Stewmac VS Realtone delivery race...........

Gavin1393
02-02-2014, 04:17 PM
Here I have installed the acoustic pickups in the bridge.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/zjpc8-image.jpg

Gavin1393
02-02-2014, 04:18 PM
Earthed up the bridge.
Shielded everything!
Wired up the stereo output jack!
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/a7d9y-image.jpg

The acoustic will play in one channel and the electric in the other!
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/28o53-image.jpg

Gavin1393
02-02-2014, 04:28 PM
Electric pickups all in place, 250k pots, three way switch for mixing acoustic and electric, 6 way switch solely for the coil pups! Everything all wired up too!

On the electric side i am able to select as follows

1. Bridge humbucker
2. Bridge and neck humbucker
3. Neck humbucker
4. Middle and neck single coil
5 bridge, middle and neck (all single coil)
6 bridge and middle single coils
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/98ms2-image.jpg

lawry
02-02-2014, 09:22 PM
Talk about tone options... If you can't get a sound you like from one of those combos I'll go he. Then add the midi. It's going to make an interesting sound file when your done Gav. This is one cool project and it's looking great.

WeirdBits
03-02-2014, 12:06 AM
Very nice Gav, I love all the options you'll have with this.

keloooe
19-02-2014, 12:12 AM
Hey Gav, I only just found this thread, are those saddles Graph Tech Ghost saddles? And how did you do the relic work?

Gavin1393
19-02-2014, 04:03 AM
Yes they are Graph Tech Ghost saddles! This was a seconds strat from cash converters so I basically sanded it all down and then left some of the resin primer in place so that I would have a sealed and protected finish but that it would look really worn!

lawry
19-05-2014, 07:12 AM
Hey Gav.
I assume this is finished. Do you have any sound clips of her?

keloooe
22-05-2014, 04:59 AM
Gav, if you had the time and patience for it, you could have bought he Hexpander for the Ghost system, it just piggybacks on the acousti-phonic and gives amazing MIDI tones!

stan
22-05-2014, 10:48 PM
cool Gav, this does everything!

Brendan
23-05-2014, 12:24 PM
Quote from keloooe on May 21, 2014, 13:59
Gav, if you had the time and patience for it, you could have bought he Hexpander for the Ghost system, it just piggybacks on the acousti-phonic and gives amazing MIDI tones!

Pest - having seen this in the flesh - I think you would struggle to find a sound this one doesn't make. I've seen guitars with more switches than Cape Carnavral, but this would have more options for sound than most of them combined... :P

Gavin1393
23-05-2014, 02:40 PM
/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from lawry on May 18, 2014, 16:12
Hey Gav.
I assume this is finished. Do you have any sound clips of her?

It is finished. Has every possible sound combination you would look at in a studio situation.

Not only does it have all the electric configurations that run off a six way switch to produce every fender strat, fender tele and les paul config but it will also pull off the Ibanez sounds too.
Then we get to the ability to sound exactly like an acoustic using the ghost system.

First bonus, these electric and acoustic sounds can be mixed or played in isolation.

But there's more.....

The guitar is set up for midi, appart from the sensational tones and sounds built into the module that Roland supplied, the midi can be channeled to any midi controller to use the full array of sounds from bass guitar, jazz guitars, 12 strings, various electric settings and acoustic settings, keyboard, wind instruments, pianos, etc. even drums!

And did i mention that these midi sounds can be blended (on the guitar) with the acoustic and or the electric configuration at the flick of a switch.....

My recording studio is being set up for me at the moment and as soon as it is completed I will put up some sound bytes. Suffice to say I have put really awesome pickups in this guitar and it sounds superb.....

lawry
23-05-2014, 09:05 PM
Excellent. This will be a cool clip. And I want video of the studio too! If that's OK with you, m'lord.

Gavin1393
23-05-2014, 10:07 PM
/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from lawry on May 23, 2014, 06:05
Excellent. This will be a cool clip. And I want video of the studio too! If that's OK with you, m'lord.
I'll speak to the producer!

stan
23-05-2014, 10:25 PM
wow it does everything - nice work.

Does that mean you are going to stop building guitars for yourself? (yeah right....)

Gavin1393
24-05-2014, 02:05 PM
/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from stan on May 23, 2014, 07:25
wow it does everything - nice work.

Does that mean you are going to stop building guitars for yourself? (yeah right....)

Never!!! Every guitar is an improvement on the last one!