Ash Les Paul <> ALP - 1 (?)

[rockmof]

Well, that was a mock build, but I glued the neck on shortly after the pics were taken, on a home ward track now. Left the clamps on for about 26 hours.

There were two pressure marks from the clamps, but a quick rub with 600 and a spray, almost like new.

You may have noticed that the centre pickup mount ring is broken, not sure to leave it (after all Ace Frehley would), repair it with some epoxy or replace it.
Leaving it sounds good, as dose repairing, but will eventually get a new on some day.

Today I put the pots in and wired the 3 volume pots.

Am waiting for some components to do the tone switches and pot.

Now I didn't use the pots that were removed from my Gibson, the holes were too small, but mainly I didn't have any nuts to suit, and I am impatient.

Will drill the holes for the switches maybe Wednesday, or tomorrow (depending on how board I get) but want to do most of the soldering be fore they are mounted so would like to get the caps first.

[lunaticthighs]

I have the creme pickup surrounds from the lp kit I am building that didn't get used if you want them? Email me your address and I'll chuck them in the post. lunaticthighs@adam.com.au

[rockmof]

Gosh! So many new builds, good to see.

Ok! Today, thought may as well stick the three switches in.
Drilled the holes, no trouble, put the first switch in<><><><><><>too short. Yep the face was thicker than the switches were long. Not at work to have the facilities to easily make it the right thickness, so out came the drill and an end-mill (must have been in my pocket when I came home from work one day), it was blunt anyway.
Carefully dug the wood away, and finally got them to sit ok.

First pic. The "damage" done (gosh that sounds familiar) where I dug the wood away.

second . All lined up.

Ps have made that last switch parallel since pic.

Third . Lined up for show (at present)

[wokkaboy]

nice work Rick, good workaround, so what do the 3 switches do, just turn on and off the 3 humbuckers ?
or a coil split ?
just trying to work out you would need a 5 way switch like a strat to control 3 buckers

[rockmof]

Hi Wokkaboy,

Each pup has it's own volume pot and with this "set up" I am trying to get an experiment to work, I hope it will. All switches are DPDT one on off on. the other two are on on. The bridge switch is the on off on and will switch between 2 caps, .022 and an 0.047 uf, the third position (centre) will be a by-pass (no cap or tone pot). the middle will switch an 0.01uf (or about that size) and no cap . So, hopefully this will give me 5 cap sizes (maybe) plus a "passing lane with no tone. This is also adjustable by the master tone pot, bottom middle.
The last switch is connected to the centre pup, switching the signal to either straight to the output jack and a home made "black ice" through a volume pot. I am not sure if the black ice will still work on the other pups', if the vol for them is up (I think it will, but may not) or directing the signal straight to the circuit.

I won't be sure if this works until it is up and running.

What do you think?

Just thinking I won't get the 0.01uf by it self so that knocks out one position, I'll think about that a bit more. I won't be using any more switches so it's interesting.

Rick

[rockmof]

Ok! Today I decided to start the wiring of the tone. Every thing is done except for one cap, the 0.01uf that I need to buy from Jcar, maybe tomorrow.

Got it finished and found out I put the two main caps on the wrong switch, just sat down and the post man brought me some components, thanks Adam, very good timing.

Anyway in stead of just taking the caps off I took the switch out. Now anyone else it would be an easy job, not for me I drilled the holes tight and threaded the face so the switches needed to be unsoldered screwed out then screwed back in again, frustrating.

Plugged in in and it did work, surprise surprise, but I need to finish it and then fine tune as it is not 100% so a bit of fiddling is required.

One thing, I won't get the 0'01uf cap by itself or a bypass of the tone control, but a by passs of the caps.
Two photos today.

Pic 1 partially wired

Pic 2 with 2 of the caps

pic 3 an oldie

Rick

[maxaxe]

Ah yes, the joys of doing something differently.
Seems like nature sows mini mine fields for those who dare.
However, the pleasure of triumph when all obstacles are surmounted is well worth the trouble IMHO.
Your instrument is looking brilliant already and should also be great fun trying out the available sound palette.

[rockmof]

Today my pick up mounting rings came, so replaced the offending ring with the new, only to find the same thing was happening.
The pickup was firm in the ring but didn't think that would be enough to break it, but filed the space bigger and tried again.
Same thing, investigation found that the screws were 30mm so took 3mm off each one and tried again. Still too long so drilled the cavity (where the screws sit) and that did it.
Tomorrow I'll put some strings on to see how it may sound. It still has some trouble shooting and may need to revise the purpose of the switches, but they will do something. With the strings on it will be easier to find just where the wrong wire(s) is or what ever.
There is a pick up soldered to a wrong pot, so this will be the first to be changed then work through the switches to find what the problem is.

1st pic.....the pups in place
2nd pic....another view.
3rd pic.....shame to not use a pic space.

Rick

[stan]

what a beast, looking forward to seeing this all rigged up!

[gavinturner]

Looking superb Rick. I have found that tap testing the pickups is usually enough to check that each pickupsis making sound and that the selector switch, volume pot(s) and tone circuit(s) are working as expected. Can all be accomplished without the strings if the strings are a hassle.

cheers,
Gav.