Gms-7z

[Simon Barden]

It's not just the pole piece distance, it's also the magnet length. Sloping a straight 7-string pickup will leave the normal pole spacing about 2mm short overall once it's sloped, but you need to double that for the length the magnet needs to be, so you'd need a magnet at least 4mm longer than on the straight pickup so that the magnet provides the same magnetic field strength to all the pole pieces as before. Otherwise you'll end up with one pole piece at either end with a lot less magnetic field than it should have, so the two outer strings will sound weaker.

[Barry snook]

Thanks Simon as always great advice!! I think it’s safe to say this guitar will be used for dirty more than clean so should be ok. Il look at carving out the cavity a bit more too

[Simon Barden]

I somehow knew that.

[Barry snook]

Thanks guys, yeah I think I’ll wait for someone to finish a pickup swap and try and copy it, as I just wasn’t willing to shell out loads of cash for something that doesn’t work, especially as it’s only my second build im just not confident enough to pave the way first

[Barry snook]

So I’ve just soldered everything in today, I opted for a cts push pull tone pot split coil, master volume and a 3 way switch, amazingly worked first time.

I just have to get another knob for the push pull as the ones supplied don’t go on properly

One thing that’s a bit annoying is the 3 way switch they provide isn’t really long enough, you can only give it a slight turn of the nut to keep it in place, I’ll have to order one with a slightly longer shaft

[Simon Barden]

Getting ones with longer shafts isn't that easy and they tend to have a 4mm screwed shaft length as standard. Any longer and the simple geometry of a longer switch shaft in the same diameter threaded tube stops the switch contacts from working as well, so there's a limit to how deep the threaded section can be without messing up the whole switch. I think you're best going for a Switchcraft selector switch and a round extension nut of the sort used on Gibsons where the body is too deep for the shaft alone. One like this: https://www.axesrus.co.uk/Switch-Cra...ut-p/p3501.htm

Note that the Switchcraft switches have a different (imperial) thread to the (metric) kit ones, and I haven't seen those extension nuts for metric switches, though they may exist.

Alternatively, you could reduce the thickness of the wood where the switch sits. It's been done before. Personally I'd always fit a Switchcraft switch in place of the kit ones as those cheap switches do have a habit of failing without warning. They may last for ages, but quite a few fail fairly quickly, normally with at least two positions just going open circuit (without going scratchy beforehand).

You'll need a 24-spline knob if you've got a CTS pot. Hard to find sellers that makes it clear if their knobs are 18- or 24-spline.

[JimC]

). You'll need a 24-spline knob if you've got a CTS pot.

I recommend taking a photo of the knob and putting it in a graphics editor to greatly enlarge and so you can check off the splines as you count them, that was the method that I found best to avoid hurling knobs across the room. I have come across knobs that I was sure were mismatched until I counted the splines, so reluctant were they to go on the pot. Once I knew they should fit I managed to get them on OK, although I have my doubts about whether I'd be able to remove them without damaging the pot

[Simon Barden]

In the UK I’d recommend Axesrus for guaranteed well-fitting knobs and theirs are available in both 18 and 24 spline versions. (There may be other suppliers who give similar full info but I haven’t come across any to date). They also fit well. Quite a few, even Gibson ones I’ve had, often only go partway down the shaft and sit quite high above the body. These one push all the way down if you want them to.

[Barry snook]

Thanks guys, yes I just tried to search for one and they are few and far between in the Uk to just get a plain black one (and no real info) if I knew this before I probably would have got a normal push pull pot

I’ll have a search for axesrus thanks!

....Well before I posted the one above I did just try and push the knob on hard and it only went part way down, as I tried to pull it off the whole shaft came out 😳 luckily it still works.

[Barry snook]

Just doing a set up now, the low B string wont intonate and its as far back as it can go, i've taken the spring out too, the rest of the strings are fine though

ill keep tweaking and let the guitar settle a little before i start thinking about moving the bridge back a bit