Yeah, it's quite a long way down the list of jobs so I suspect it'll get a lot more use before it gets redone.
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Yeah, it's quite a long way down the list of jobs so I suspect it'll get a lot more use before it gets redone.
Haven’t been able to get the pots I want from my usual suspects as they are out of stock. Anyhow, this has been sitting around for a couple of months now so time to start the polishing process. 1500, 2000 wet sand today. Another day I’ll hit it with the fine sanding pads. Feels great, but looks like a contour map at the moment.
Excited to see this unveil
Well BD, it’s not finished yet, it needs some more polishing in spots to remove the layer marks. I obviously didn’t polish enough on my GR-1SF because it you keep on polishing they disappear. I’ve run out of light for today which is a good thing as I can’t rush it finished.
Looks great. Love the colours.
Looks great.
That's coming along nicely!
That is a fine looking thing.
Thanks guys.
Tuners attached. I’m pleased to announce that I didn’t drill pilot holes all the way through the side walls for the tuner screws this time. Where shall I attach the tone and volume knob? Absence of F holes gives many options. Still waiting on internet stores to stock everything I want in one purchase.
If it were mine, I might think about putting them on the upper bout, rather like an electro-acoustics's controls (if I could get some suitable low-profile knobs), or else in the more traditional position if you feel you'll be adjusting them a lot so need them close to your right hand playing position without getting in the way. How far does the pickup lead reach? Does that limit how far away the volume control can go from the pickup? Best not to have to extend that unless absolutely necessary.
That’s a good idea Simon. I hadn’t thought of that.
Electronics are on their way. Would someone please confirm or help correct my wiring diagram. Note I have two wires from the pickup, the black wire is thicker than the red wire. I assume the black wire ends at the back of the volume pot and the red wire joins at the tab. (The back of the pot to tab join doesn’t seem relevant to my pickup). Output earth to back of one of the pots…any suggestions?
The thick 'black' wire looks like it's probably another wire like the the red one (in thickness) but wound with a braided ground wire, soldered at the end and then covered in heat shrink. So basically a two signal wire + screen cable. This allows you to easily change the pickup output polarity if needed (maybe for compatibility with another manufacturer's pickup or to create an 'out of phase' pickup mix). All irrelevant if you only have the one pickup.
So yes, black to the back of the volume pot, red to the input tab of the pot. Just don't link the input tab to the back of the pot as you've show or you'll get sweet silence.
I'd put heatshrink on the two legs of the capacitor. Assuming you are using braided screen wire for the output connection, it will prevent any risk of the braid contacting the cap leads and shorting the signal (either silence or full tone roll-off). Alternatively use heatshrink on the braided wire. Or both to be doubly sure.
👍 Thanks Simon. As I expected but always nice to have confirmation on the esoteric steps. Yes, going the full ‘Christo’ with heat shrink was my thought too.
https://youtu.be/ge8uBsvAKmw
Does this make sense?
Oops, should I do back of the volume pot to tailpiece instead like my humbucker plans?
See my reply in 'Hum'. Best not to ask in two different threads as it gets confusing. I thought my reply (which I made in 'Hum') had gone missing!
Sorry Simon. Braided wire is new to me and I thought I could apply something I’d learnt from the humbucker diagram to this diagram. You’ve been helping me out a lot. I have a lot of respect for the time and help you give me and everyone else.
Ah yes, my fault, I'm getting very confused (not uncommon these days). Exactly the same principles on both the ES-3 and this one. To go 100% with the star grounding scheme, I'd connect the tailpiece ground on the back of the volume pot.
Three hours later I have a wiring harness, minus the earth to tailpiece wire. Plugged into the amp for the tap test it worked but with a god awful buzz. Turned off the soldering iron which was plugged into the same PowerPoint outlet and the buzz stopped 🤷. Must remember not to solder between guitar solo’s.
Did I forget to cover the shielded wire one solder too late? Absolutely!
Don't use the soldering iron as a slide during the solo either!
Hot licks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I'd wrap some insulating tape around the braid at the jack socket end. You don't want it touching the tip connection by accident. The rest of that length should be OK.
As you are going for minimum hum pickup, I would have minimised the exposed length of pickup output wire connected to the volume pot to the bare minimum. Unless you are running short of overall pickup wire length, I'd cut it down and resolder. The length of the ground wire doesn't matter here, just the hot wire.
This is how I find out Coles in Freo is closed...
True story: That was a reliable source of toilet paper when (ahem) shit was going down last year.
Coming together. Insulation tape wrapped at the output jack shielding wire. Didn’t take your good advice on knob placement Simon, but happy to say, absolutely no hum. Bridge needs to come down a bit, neck feels a little chunkier than I’m used to but let’s see how it feels when the strings are lower. Good string clearance at the headstock. Not in love with the gold on the pickup but like a happy arranged marriage I’m sure I’ll learn to love it. Volume needs to turned a long way up. Tone turns all the way to the the bass end without getting muddy, sounds great! Pickup reads at 7.9K on my multimeter.
Yay no hum! I bet your glad you got that sorted. What an awesome looking instrument there mate.
Thanks mate. Had fun with this returned unwanted kit. I look forward to getting it set up properly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakersdozen
The knobs look fine just as they are. Looks great!
That gold metal band round the P90 is keeping a lot of hum out of the single coil, even if it doesn't look quite right.
I suppose you could try and go more gold with a gold pickup ring, so it's not just a single thin line of gold looking from the top.
And if you name your guitars, this one could be Humphrey. :rolleyes:
Nice one 👏🏻.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
Nice work Mark.
Wow, this is awesome! the headstock looks really good. Are the tuners OK with the string tension? I guess so, but this is a design I have only seen on nylon string guitars before. Really innovative, impressive!
Thanks McCreed, thanks Andy.
I came across Frank Vignola some time ago on YouTube. He is a really good player and I’ve seen him playing a guitar with this style of headstock. I actually quite like it, it’s feels nice and ergonomic. The strings are still stretching so I can’t comment on tuning stability yet but I’m guessing it will be ok.
Looking very nice, is the bridge straight though? It's bugging my OCD. ;)
No, it’s shifting around the place to find correct intonation. Currently it’s got a broken e string and I’m waiting for knobs. It will find where it belongs in the future.Quote:
Originally Posted by blinddrew
Whilst waiting for knobs and truss rod cover screws I thought I’d weigh the guitar plus strap (minus two knobs, three truss rod screws and one truss rod cover). Weights in at just over 2.4kg. Easy on the back. No neck dive…light tuners and headstock design plus wide strap probably help.
It's going to be a gem to play [emoji2]
Got knobs. Only truss rod cover screws left to arrive in the mail. Hopefully I’ll be able to find my truss rod cover.
Those knobs certainly look at home on that body mate!
A little touch of gold, but not TOO much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakersdozen