IB-1Q Screamin Demon Dragon - build #8

[wcieslik]

Hi Marcel, quick question. .. does the locking tab on the two high strings actually lock them in place on your IB? No matter which way I orient the tabs, the high e still slips. I'm thinking of simply hammering that tab flat so to make it clamp the string from above.

[Marcel]

I've had a bucket load of issues with getting this build right, and it's still not right for my tastes.

As for the locking tabs, I did have problems early on with the B and E however they seem to have self corrected over time. Either that or I have finally tightened them enough to do their job. I know initially the screw seemed to bottom out on the neck wood just as the plate made contact with the strings thus giving a false impression of the tension. That is no longer the case for me.

Maybe try taking the plate off and see how far the screw goes in. If it doesn't go in far enough then a light hit with a tiny drill or a scrape with a pointy knife or a spike might clear enough room for that tab screw to go all the way home.

[wcieslik]

Hi Marcel... Yeah, I have already taken the plate off the bottom of the nut. Had to do so to get the slot Heights down. Then it was too low. I ended up shimming it with a trimmed down piece of neck shim.

I've noticed I tend to push the bottom E off the fret board if I'm not careful. I can see the nut is about 0.5 mm off center. So there's something for me to look into at it's next teardown.

I like the general feel of this guitar but I'm still coming to grips with the tuning. I seem to spend heaps of time tweaking the tune instead of playing. The mossie and the Ricky just stay in tune, but this one... Not quite yet...

So glad I replaced the jack. The new one works great!

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

[Marcel]

Yes, on mine the "nut" needs a lot of work, however I'm reluctant to use my Stewmac nut files to do the job that I know will fix most of my tuning/intonation issues.

Stability isn't an obvious problem on mine. A dischordant tone when played is. I can tune and intonate till the cows come home but when I play a chord of more than 3 notes it sounds like sick dogs barking. Barr chord or finger chord and anywhere on the neck it just sounds wrong to my ears. It looks great, feels great and correct in the hand, but plug the buggar in and you had better be ready to be acoustically assaulted. Well, at least that's how I feel...

Maybe it's the IBX pickups I used, maybe it's the axe itself.... I'm simply not happy with its sound/tone. For me it has sadly become one of those great looking builds that gets hung from the ceiling on fishing line in the pool room....

I look at it as sometimes this happens. You get a dud. A build that just doesn't work for you at that time. Maybe on a day in the future the elements will come together.and it will sing like a bird and not burn my ears like a Dragon...

[wcieslik]

On another note (no pun intended)...
I swapped out the two HB's that came with the kit for a pair of ToneRider Generators.
but I kept the kit supplied SC in the middle.

I'm finding switch position 2-3-4 give very low output.
Position 1 and 5 are fine !
Would this be due to the SC being a very low impedance ? (SHould I be looking for one with a higher winding or resistance rating ?)

I need to go back a few steps n this build anyway, so in a good place to pull it apart atmo ...

[wcieslik]

PS... I suspect the SC has a very low dc resistance compared to the 7+K ohm Toneriders ...
Lower than the HB's by itself (pos 3)
and would equate to an even lower value when paralleled with the HB's (Pos 2 and 4)

[Marcel]

Yes, it is an issue. The impedance of the three PU's should be similar for consistent volume across all three PU's . At least within 25% or so. Any differences after that can essentially be balanced out by height adjustments.

There is the phasing issue, where the SC is opposite phase to the HB's. That caught me when I first wired it up. Also if you are splitting the HB's you will need to be aware of the magnet polarities if combining one coil from the HB with the SC so as to continue a virtual HB operation in positions 2 and 4.

On mine the IBZ DiMarzios clock in at above 8k. Not gunna find a SC with that impedance... so I just have to adjust PU heights and put up with the volume difference.... Then again having a low output option into a OD amp does offer more tonal ranges.