EX-1 with alder body build

[Simon Barden]

Just white. All very simple. Means I could just print out a black decal. And it also matches the body artwork.

[Simon Barden]

Right thread this time! Lunchtime break status. Not too much left to do before the set-up. Just some wiring to install and a rear control cover to make.

[Simon Barden]

Short of fitting the straplock buttons (which I've just run out of so had to order some more), the EX-1 is now all put together. The nut need serious work as the action is currently a mile high, and it all need a jolly good setting up, but I've plugged it in and it works.

But that can wait until tomorrow, because right now, I'm knackered.

[blinddrew]

Looking very tidy.

[Sonic Mountain]

This is rad Simon. Nice work.

[McCreed]

Great job Simon. I'm not an EX fan, but I certainly appreciate good work!

Also, this build makes me feel better about my last ST taking over 12 months to complete! Thanks!

[wazkelly]

These things look cool in White and much better than the oh so common Black ones.

[Simon Barden]

I'm thinking that it may look a bit too busy now it's all assembled. I've already changed the knobs from silver-grey to black. Would probably do the body logo in a light grey if I did it again. and a black ebony fretboard would also go better (but not an option).

At least I got to use the Gibson-sized pickup rings that I bought for the GSM-1 as the other ones I had (standard kit size and the typical rings you buy online etc.) pushed the scratchplate too far down against the edge of the guitar, whilst these shorter ones put it in the right position (well, it is a Gibson Explorer-sized scratchplate, so it makes sense).

Also not sure about the silver bell-truss-rod cover. I may have a go at making a black one that's shape's more in keeping with the scratchplate. I know real Explorers run with the bell, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. Plus they are normally black on a black headstock, so less obvious.

[JimC]

My first thought is that a grey body logo would be a bit insipid. The stark black logo against the stark white body is my favourite bit. Its an Explorer, it ain't supposed to be subtle and understated... You could consider dying the fretboard couldn't you, I could see that working as black. An asymmetric triangular truss rod cover in black might work.

[Simon Barden]

I've tried staining it. It's made it darker, but most of it came off. Getting stain off the fret dot markers invariably leads to removing some from the area around them and it then looks patchy. Also I don't want to use anything now that could possibly get taken up by the lacquer. Sort of thing that really needs to be done before the frets get installed.

Anyway, the guitar is set up, the nut's been taken down and polished and the bridge and tailpiece locked in place.

The Iron Gear 'Metal Machine' pickups are pretty much as described; high output, punchy and with a tight bottom-end (= not a huge amount of bass). Not the best sounding pickups in the world when used clean, but I've heard a lot worse. They do lack in the treble department due to the extra winding inductance, but gain in the mids as a result. However, the harmonics created by distortion adds back all the treble you need for a good punchy high-energy rock sound. Certainly not pickups suited to a multitude of purposes, but for their designated job, they work well.

I don't really have much to to compare them against to know whether they could be improved upon or not. The closest I did have in nature was some Ibanez Quantum humbuckers on a guitar I bought for a friend, and they were nasty and scratchy and soon got replaced by the friend, so certainly better than those. Otherwise a Kent Armstrong hot quad rails bridge pickup fitted in an Ibanez RG. That's very powerful, wound to about 24k, but has almost no treble as a result. I may well replace it with one of these Metal Machines.