Tweaky's ES-1 build, with P90's

[Muzza]

Thanks Tweaky

[Tweaky]

A bit of progress of a sort.

As I mentioned in my first post for the build [with photo] I explained how I wanted to sort that gap out between the neck and the rear of the body by adding some wood to the neck heel.

So that's what I've been doing today [same on my ES-3 build]


I'll give it 24 hours drying time then shape it.

[Tweaky]

OK.
I pretty much finished the heel extension that now brings the neck flush to the back of the body.


One thing I've sort of had second thoughts about, and that's leaving the small bit of binding across the top of the neck pocket at the bodies rear..... I think it would look very amateurish if I let it on.

Any recommendations on removing it cleanly without disturbing the binding on the sides ?
Would Acetone be of any use removing it?
I'd rather use a solvent if possible to soften the glue, as I know it's going to be rather frayed ply underneath it [which I intend to fill with a sawdust/titebond mix]

[wokkaboy]

Tweaky I think the binding below the neck pocket looks good. Fair risk of damaging the joining binding on the horns if you remove it

[Tweaky]

I've sort of got the same problem as I have with my ES-3 build, and that is I won't know the final position of the neck until I know the neck angle it is going to end up glued at.
I could get the tolerances a lot closer once I know that on both builds, but it's just sort of winging it ATM.

[Muzza]

Hey Tweakster, I've only been playing electric guitars for 18 months (Before, I played bass, acoustic and blues harp) so I'm still on a steep learning curve regarding pickups.

I'm wondering where the P90's fit into the scheme of pickups. I'm familiar with humbuckers - my Maton BB1200 has push/pull pots for HB/single, but in single coil mode, it doesn't have anywhere near as much 'bite' as my Maton T-Byrd, which has as much of a Telecaster sound as most Telecasters, but I'm really curious about P90's.

Are they another beast altogether, or are they similar to the Telecaster's single coil sound. (I've never been a Strat fan. Too many knobs and switch positions.)

[Tweaky]

Hard to explain really.

To me personally I think of them like a humbucker with extended mids / highs [not as nasal sounding], and a single coil with a thicker sound, but not as glassy.

I mean the humbucker was Gibsons solution to the hum problem the P90 always has suffered from, but it never sounded the same, so Gibson has always made it a option to have P90's on most of it's range of guitars.....it's that different.

Splitting a humbucker doesn't sound anything like a P90 either, I've got a old Gibson ES 347 that has split-able humbuckers, the only time they are of any use in that mode is when playing funk rhythm, or a lot of effects ...a lot of that has to do with the value of the volume / tone pots on that guitar..but that's getting into a different topic.

A P90's sound is something you have to try yourself to really hear the difference.... I think the video below gives the fairest example of the difference between a humbucker and a P90, and if you know the differnce between a humbucker and a single coil....well you can sort of mentally fill in the gaps.


I was looking at the dirt cheap pitbull JR-1 kit at $189.... Id' go for one, except that it is routed like the modern LP juniors with the pickup cavity about 15mm I'm guessing closer to the bridge than the original design, that doesn't sound like much, but this tends to make the guitar sound a little brittle and biting compared to the original spec'd one.

[Muzza]

Hard to explain really.

Well I think you explained it quite well.

me personally I think of them like a humbucker with extended mids / highs [not as nasal sounding], and a single coil with a thicker sound, but not as glassy.

"Glassy"... very eloquent. Describes the sound of a Tele perfectly.

I reckon I need a set...

[Tweaky]

Quite a bit depends on your amp as well on what any pickup will sound like, regardless of humbucker or single coils.

What speaker it has also has a lot to do with it.

I've always liked small amps, it's very easy to get a great tone out of most of them.
I currently run a VOX AC15 with a Blue Celestion speaker, it cleaner than the Green Celestion, and if asked I always tend to recommend people go for a cleaner sound, as it's easy to dirty up, but you can't clean up a amp that gets dirty easily.
Especially if you have a guitar with hot pickups in it.

Watch this video to hear the difference of the different Celestions, it's not subtle.

[Muzza]

I've got an Orange Rockerverb 50. It's got a Vintage 30 in it. I liked it the most in that comparison too.

I still need a set of Kinsmans tho'...