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Thread: Stratocaster Build - From Scratch

  1. #391
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    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    On another note - I've been playing with a new logo, new name and "the" headstock shape for what seems like an eternity and
    NOTHING
    I do works for me. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever come up with anything that I like as much as I did with the first guitar. If I keep building guitars, I'll have to sell them or go broke. And I can't sell them with a copyrighted headstock. This whole process is taking the fun out of making guitars.

    For the headstock design, I think you're working too hard. I suggest taking a break, the idea will come to you. You can't force design.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  2. #392
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Pixley View Post
    I think you're working too hard. I suggest taking a break...
    Until I read that Shawn, it never dawned on me that one might need a break during retirement. But you're right.

  3. #393
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    Julie,you are EXACTLY right: Designing things CAN take the fun out of making things. But,it is the only way to achieve real good work.

    A while back,I decided to just have some fun. Lathe work is the easiest physical work to do in metal working. O.K.,I'll make a model brass cannon barrel for FUN. Well,the first thing to arrive to my brain is:If I don';t do a good job of making it authentic,it will be a meaningless piece of junk. SO,to the drawing board to get all the proportions right. THEN some hours making special molding cutters to get the moldings right. There were about 6 or seven of them,ogee turning form tools,three hump molding cutters for the small moldings,etc.,etc..

    The teat on the end of the cascabel knob will be filed off. The barrel has not yet been polished or de burred in the pictures. Just fresh off the lathe. It is about 8" long. At least,it's authentic in style.

    My "relaxation" project turned into more work than I had meant it to be.I just CAN'T relax any more in the shop,it seems. But,it is the only way to not turn out crap,and you are finding this out for yourself. But,you are doing superior work.

    My big problem is I suffer from chronic fatigue,do not get REM sleep and go around very tired out all the time. Been this way since my 30's. The only way I have gotten through has been through plain stubbornness. Unfortunately,I know what good work is,so that has made my struggle worse,but at least worth while. But,remember,after you are gone,the only memory you will leave(eventually,after those who knew you die off) is the work you have done. Keep on working.
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    Last edited by george wilson; 04-04-2014 at 9:15 AM.

  4. #394
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    I got tired just reading that George. But that cannon is certainly a beauty! Just be careful you don't shoot your eye out.

  5. #395
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    At .50 caliber,the little cannon is much more dangerous than most ordinary pistols at 9MM.(.38 cal),which is a very common caliber these days.

  6. #396
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    The pickguard for #2 finally arrived, a couple of days ago. For some strange reason, I wasn't jumping on finishing the guitar. Oh, I know, it must have been the fact that I didn't quite route the neck pocket to 5/8" and I was scared out of my wits I might screw up the finish. Yeah... that must have been the problem.

    A bit of the meditating erased the worries.

    Once the neck pocket was properly dressed, I started the process of making "my second child" sing. But this is one of those things where you have the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other, each telling you something different.

    In this case, one ear is hearing, "You got lucky! You know nothing about making guitars!"

    In the other ear it's, "Can you imagine how good you'll feel when sweet sounds come from your creation?"

    Personally, I just wish they would both shut up.

    It's been a while and I had to retrain myself a bit. But once I got things going, I got back in the groove pretty quickly. And John, you'll be happy to know I got the signal and ground right on the jack connector.

    Yes, I still need my guitar bible.


    The string action is all set. I still have to finish the nut but I wanted to see how she plays.

    I really love those Hosco nut files. They are so much better than what StewMac sells. They make this part of the process so easy...

    Once I had the guitar tuned (I did it by our piano), I played it for a bit, stretched the strings with the whammy bar, and kept retuning it until the tension settled in. Then I connected it to the SCX2 amp.

    I realize there are a lot of David Gilmour fans out there who want a replica of his Black Strat (I used those components in #1) but the Seymour Duncan Everything Axe pups blow the DGBS out of the water! This guitar rocks! ... IMHO... We played both guitars, then one guitar in conjunction with the piano. Phil Specter didn't come down from the heavens, but we had fun.

    Afterward (we had a session til our fingers tired) the kids settled in on the couch.


    And there's more kids on the way... Oh boy...

  7. #397
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    Very professional work,Julie!! You could make good money selling custom guitars.

  8. #398
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    Julie, they look beautiful. I am so glad that they play well in addition to looking good. You should be very proud.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  9. #399
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    Thank you guys. I felt pretty proud of myself with the second guitar but the headstock is nagging me to change it. But that will have to wait. A friend is coming in from out of town next week. He's a pastor and performs often for his church and community events. He's been playing guitar for over 30 years and now wants me to build him a Tele-style guitar. Of course my labor will be donated... for a better place in heaven.

  10. #400
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    Julie,have you tried the blade type pickups for Strats? They just have thin blades,chromed,that are parallel to the long axis of the pickups. I have a pair out in the shop,in their plastic boxes(I think there's a pair),but can't recall off hand who made them.

  11. #401
    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    Julie,have you tried the blade type pickups for Strats? They just have thin blades,chromed,that are parallel to the long axis of the pickups. I have a pair out in the shop,in their plastic boxes(I think there's a pair),but can't recall off hand who made them.
    The two big names are Bill Lawrence (RIP...he was a great guitarist too) and Joe Barden (now JBE....Joe Barden engineering...I don't think Joe is involved anymore). I happen to be a JBE dealer. Those pickups are expensive, but they're very nice. If you find anything on JBE's site that you're interested in, let me know. I'm always happy to help out a Creeker.

  12. #402
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    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    Julie,have you tried the blade type pickups for Strats? They just have thin blades,chromed,that are parallel to the long axis of the pickups. I have a pair out in the shop,in their plastic boxes(I think there's a pair),but can't recall off hand who made them.
    I have. I think they are called rails. I've noticed on the pole-type pickups the poles aren't set at the same height or even a height that might mimic the fretboard radius. The B-string pole is almost below the plastic cover. I don't know what the reason for this is but I've wondered if the rail-types sound different because of this.

  13. #403
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Coloccia View Post
    I happen to be a JBE dealer. Those pickups are expensive, but they're very nice. If you find anything on JBE's site that you're interested in, let me know. I'm always happy to help out a Creeker.
    I'll remember that John. You've probably noticed by now I tend to shun standard fare and I was thinking of putting JBE pups in my next build. I was playing the two guitars yesterday and there's a noticeable difference in sound. So I was wondering what JBE or Fralin or Nordstrand might sound like. When the time comes, I'll be tapping your brain.

  14. #404
    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    I have. I think they are called rails. I've noticed on the pole-type pickups the poles aren't set at the same height or even a height that might mimic the fretboard radius. The B-string pole is almost below the plastic cover. I don't know what the reason for this is but I've wondered if the rail-types sound different because of this.
    Way back when, Fender attempted to even out the response of the electric guitar's strings by staggering the pole pieces. Remember also that it use to be a wound G string, but it's output was anemic compared to the other strings. It may have all been flat wound at that time as well. I believe roundwounds didn't become available until the 60s, and really didn't become popular until later. Flatwounds are much duller and make any sort of setup more critical.

    Anyhow, IMHO, the best "stagger" for modern guitars and strings is either following the contour of the strings (i.e. the fingerboard) or just simply flat across. The vintage staggered pole pieces don't sound very good to me on a modern guitar. The G is far too loud...the B and E are weak and brittle.

    I happen to have Lollars in my personal strat...with flat poles. Again, they're not cheap, but they make very nice pickups. They ARE single coils so they're a little noisy, but you just learn to deal with it. A fast pinky on the volume knob will quiet the guitar down lickety split. The Lollars really give you that totally traditional, Strat sound...it IS the strat sound. That's why I put those in my own strat that I play everyday and use for pedal development. I have another Strat here that I have JBE pickups in. They sound VERY good, but it's not exactly the traditional strat sound. They're just slightly compressed....maybe just a bit less dynamic. Perhaps a bit more clarity too? They don't have as much of that traditional, single coil growl to them, though they're very close and an excellent choice for a workhorse guitar that has to be versatile and quiet.
    Last edited by John Coloccia; 04-26-2014 at 1:49 PM.

  15. #405
    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    I'll remember that John. You've probably noticed by now I tend to shun standard fare and I was thinking of putting JBE pups in my next build. I was playing the two guitars yesterday and there's a noticeable difference in sound. So I was wondering what JBE or Fralin or Nordstrand might sound like. When the time comes, I'll be tapping your brain.
    JBE makes Ric bass replacement pickups too, btw. I think Will Lee just had some installed in his own bass.

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