CTN builds a Star

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

when I had the JB8 in my strat with a 500k vol, it sounded tooooo bright. 250k solved that, but considering that, I don't think full bypass would be that great an idea, but I could always test it out with a mini toggle to see if it's any good before committing to it by drilling the body.

the only difference in woods with the strat was that it has a rosewood fretboard, whereas the star's gonna have pau ferro. supposedly a bit brighter, and better attack than rosewood. My plan for countering the additional brightness was reducing the scale length to 24.75". So theoretically, the star should have roughly the same tonality as my strat.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: CTN builds a Star

when I had the JB8 in my strat with a 500k vol, it sounded tooooo bright. 250k solved that, but considering that, I don't think full bypass would be that great an idea, but I could always test it out with a mini toggle to see if it's any good.

Well the theory behind it is that every pot/switch you add actually takes away some tone. Not a lot of the heavy metal players i know actually never touch the tone knob its just always maxed out. I think thats why single humbucker 1 volume guitars where really popular during the 80's

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

no i know that.... (again, captain obvious ) but I had exactly the same pups in my strat and they sounded seriously SERIOUSLY frickin amazing. It too had just a master vol and master tone. I'm trying to not change a whole lot cuz I really dug the sound I was getting then. Thing is I converted my strat back to an SSS setup, so these pickups were just sitting around not getting used, even though I desperately wanted to use em.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: CTN builds a Star

I don't like you beating me to this.

I'm feeling quite inept at this point.

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

hahahaha I wasn't aware we were having a contest

But you could still catch up, most of my parts and the neck are still a few weeks out.

 

[J E C]

Re: CTN builds a Star

Will be cool to see it when your finished, and to hear what it sounds like.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: CTN builds a Star

hahahaha I wasn't aware we were having a contest

But you could still catch up, most of my parts and the neck are still a few weeks out.

Nah, I've got three projects in front of it, I'll probably get to mine this summer.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: CTN builds a Star

What about a true bypass switch there all metal and allow a direct path from pickup to jack, Ahhhhhchuga

I can only read the last word of this post as George of Otto and George. If you don't know Otto and George, you've missed out on a great piece of life.

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

I've gone mad.

I decided to make a hard but lightweight case for this guitar. It'll end up being cheaper than buying a hard, heavy case, and lighter, too. I'm not gonna go out on major tours, so a light case should be fine.

Ordered the basic hardware (hinges, latches, handle, corner protectors) last night. I'll get all the framing materials when the neck comes in so I can make some accurate measurements.

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

I shaped part of the rear on the lower bout near the neck heel. My hand was getting jammed up there before, and I wanted to make sure I had good access to higher frets. So this is kinda inspired by the cutaway part of the Warmoth contoured heel. Amazing how a dremel can make short work of a good bit of wood removal. Certainly easier than slaving away with hand files. Though I did use files and sandpaper to clean it up and get it smooth.

I'm also gonna route down from the barely visible line on the heel (in the 1st pic) to the edge, probably about 1/4" deep so that the heel doesn't dig into my palm as much, but I'll do that later, when I get the neck, cuz I need to make sure there's enough thickness for the neck mounting screws to not poke through the fretboard.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: CTN builds a Star

Shyeah.

I'm erect.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: CTN builds a Star

never heard of kne... kewl
Anxious to see this project unfold

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

Feels like christmas!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!

Today, the mailman dropped off a couple of boxes:

Box number 1 was from ebay seller Bezdez, and features a bevy of shiny chrome hardware:

L-R, going clockwise: Rear string ferrules, front string ferrules, bigass strap buttons, neck mounting screws, neck mounting ferrules, jack plate+screws, and obviously the humbucker mounting ring.

[/URL]


Box number 2 was from a local company called Trans Continental Hardware, and features a bunch of hardware for the case:

Again, L-R, clockwise: hinges, corner protectors, handle, latches (middle one is lockable, and there's the key for it too)

I haven't yet decided if I'm gonna use rivets, machine screws or wood screws for the case, but I can get that from Home Depot.

I also got a tiny little package from China which contained some really tiny bearings, for my dremel router bit, for small template work. Woohoo!

Best of all, I got this in my inbox:

***Please do not reply to this message. Replies to this message are routed to an unmonitored mailbox.***

Reference Number 93057

A package was shipped to you on 04/11/2013 via U.S. Postal Service to the following address:

(what, you think I'm gonna leave my address in here? )

Tracking Number: a bunch of numbers and letters

http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm

Warmoth Guitar Products, Inc.

That means the neck is en route!!! Should be here by friday next week. I'm hoping the tuners, and knobs get here by then as well. Additionally I'm expecting a box from StewMac any day now which will contain a bunch of electronics stuff, and the Gotoh tuneomatic. I think by next weekend I'll be able to start shaping the headstock and do a test fitting/acoustic test of all the hardware.


So that's my Christmas in April! :lmao:

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: CTN builds a Star

I also got a tiny little package from China.

That's personal, man. I hear it's a common problem, though.

Can't wait to see how the guitar turns out.

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

lol I'll post a pic of the bearings in a bit. they're MINISCULE!

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: CTN builds a Star

Yay!!!

Lay it all out & pic(s)!!!

Please tell me/us you're not gonna put the strap button on the backside of the body...

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

I was considering it. After all, it is where Charvel put it on the original stars.

But in actual fact I'm gonna do some experimenting to find the best spots to balance the body and I'll put em there, wherever that happens to be.

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

here's the bearings. That's a Canadian quarter, for reference. It's the same size as American quarters. The bearing is for a 1/8" shank, and 1/4" outside diameter.

And here's a stack of 3 of them on the dremel 1/4" router bit

 

[PunkMetalhead42]

Re: CTN builds a Star

Looks pretty good so far... definitely excited to see the finished product! That hardware looks very shiny!

 

[CTN]

Re: CTN builds a Star

More goodies!!!

This is from stewmac.

L-R,

sprague orange drop cap 0.022uf, couple of alpha 250k audio pots (I just like how they turn, CTS feels too stiff), behind that - cloth pushback wire (LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff), direct mounting screws and rubber tubing for the neck pickup, and a shiny chrome Gotoh tune-o-matic.

The Gotoh mounts like an ABR-1, but the top part is like a Nashville. Larger travel range for the saddles so it intonates better, and no pesky retainer wire. woohoo! 12" radius to match the fretboard.

The rest of the parts for this project will be in by this time next week (hopefully).