I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

[Elias Graves]

Here's where I'm going.

This body, all walnut and just a bit bigger than a Les Paul, will be 100% "chambered" if you will. Everything inside the inner line goes, leaving a 1/4" back intact.

This is the top. Also 1/4".



Here's the general layout, with 24.5" scale walnut neck/Honduran rosewood board.

My original plan was a pair of antiquity dogears, but I'm concerned its gonna look a bit crowded. There's not much space betwixt the neck and bridge.

I play mostly rhythm; I'm a singer/songwriter type but I can't stand piezo equipped acoustics and micing is too fussy so I play electric. As you can imagine, my tone is mostly clean and I use a bit of slapback and vibrato sometimes but mostly no effects other than reverb.

My other guitar is a tele made from the same walnut, chambered. It has a Fender Original Vintage tele bridge pickup and a Duncan SM3 neck pickup. I love the sounds I get from that guitar so that gives a bit of reference I hope.

Obligatory tele pic.

So, I'm ready to begin hollowing out this body and I need to decide on pickups pretty soon, but its proving a harder decision than I thought.

Go with the antiquity dogears?
Phat Cats
SM3 neck and bridge
Seth Lovers (had those before and liked them)

Another,pricier option is a lollar El Rayo bridge with Charlie Christian neck. I'm not convinced going that route is worth double the money, though.

Now, I read here a lot and I know what fans you guys are on swapping magnets, however, I seriously doubt ill be doing any of that. Haven't been able to get into that and I doubt I start now, so whatever pickups I choose, they need to sound good out of the box.

Let's hear it!

(One last bit, I "bolted" the neck to the blank with a clamp to check alignment and strung it up. Suckler is pretty twangy sounding but I'm sure the hollowing will temper that some. It is not a dark sounding guitar at all.)

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

You may want to rethink that "100% chambered" idea. Would be nice to have a little extra wood under the neck, bridge, and pups (unless you're planning an arch top).

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

You may want to rethink that "100% chambered" idea. Would be nice to have a little extra wood under the neck, bridge, and pups (unless you're planning an arch top).

It'll be braced appropriately.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

It'd also be a shame to waste so much wood (especially walnut). You may want to rethink this a little bit.

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

It'd also be a shame to waste so much wood (especially walnut). You may want to rethink this a little bit.

It weighs 12 pounds just for the blank.
Anyway, I'm just after pickup ideas, thanks.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Yeah, "wasting" wood would be leaving it in the middle of a guitar for the sake of it. Like how "wasting" food is eating it when you're already full.

In that space between the neck and bridge, how about a TV Jones?

 

[staybobo]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Charlie Christian triditional Mount with Johnny Smith mini humbucker in the bridge.

 

[Grenade]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Antiquity II mini-buckers, or one in the neck and a Seth in the bridge. Can you post clips when your done?

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Antiquity II mini-buckers, or one in the neck and a Seth in the bridge. Can you post clips when your done?

I had a Seth lover + SM3 combo in an epiphone alley kat once. Nice combo and this guitar is loosely based on that design. Might be a good option, but I already have the mini in my tele. I kinda hate to duplicate things.
I could pull the mini from my tele and replace with a regular tele neck pup. I still have the Original Vintage neck pup.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Similar to an Epi Wildkat. I had one of those when they first came out, and I liked it a lot. I wish I had not sold it, actually.

I also built a guitar once that had the same custom scale length. Great minds think alike, right?

For pickups, I would probably go for Les Paul Junior setup: single bridge dogear pickup.

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Similar to an Epi Wildkat. I had one of those when they first came out, and I liked it a lot. I wish I had not sold it, actually.

I also built a guitar once that had the same custom scale length. Great minds think alike, right?

For pickups, I would probably go for Les Paul Junior setup: single bridge dogear pickup.

There were many things about the Alley Kat that I liked but it suffered from build problems. The body eventually warped and I gave up but I liked the size and shape.

I'm not a big guy and I have tendinitis. My hands like shorter scale lengths.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

No seriously, not trying to be a dick, but you need to rethink this design or face a lot of trouble down the road.

For example, if you hollow it out, there will be little to no support for the back (think where end strap pin would go) and other places that go with the grain. With just a few bumps of pressure, you can knock holes in the guitar, even if it is hard like walnut.

You might also argue "The top that will be glued on will provide structural support". No it will not, because what if you accidentally bump it from the bottom/back? You'll have a hole in the guitar.

A sensible solution if you really want to have a hollow body walnut guitar is to cut out the interior with a jigsaw (so now you have a solid piece of wood you can use later, solving the 'waste' problem), and using this outline as the brace.

Next, put a slab or veneer of walnut to create the back, and add solid hardwood to the interior via glue/epoxy for certain areas like the bridge/pickups/neck, and then glue the top on.

Then you can continue with any plans as desired . Sure, this is the more time-consuming and somewhat difficult way, but no one ever said or says building a guitar is easy. Also, if you don't have the patience, building is not for you.

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

More pron
These were taken pre-shellac.

 

[teleblooz]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Give David a shout at http://www.zhangbucker.com/ and let him know about the build and the tones you're looking for. You can thank me after the build is complete and you plug it in for the first time! Seriously.....you'll be happy you did this. By the way, your tele is a beaut!

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Give David a shout at http://www.zhangbucker.com/ and let him know about the build and the tones you're looking for. You can thank me after the build is complete and you plug it in for the first time! Seriously.....you'll be happy you did this. By the way, your tele is a beaut!

Thanks.
I'll check it out.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

jazz neck and bridge. Use push pulls for coil taps. That'll be sweet for a range of beautiful pristine cleans.
if not, then a jazz in the neck and a 4 conductor 59 again, both with taps.
Either pickup combo will give a nice clear, articulate tone to complement the acosutic/rhythmic kind of sounds you are going for in a hollowbody or semi hollow guitar.

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

jazz neck and bridge. Use push pulls for coil taps. That'll be sweet for a range of beautiful pristine cleans.
if not, then a jazz in the neck and a 4 conductor 59 again, both with taps.
Either pickup combo will give a nice clear, articulate tone to complement the acosutic/rhythmic kind of sounds you are going for in a hollowbody or semi hollow guitar.

I'm wary. Over the years I've purged every humbucker I owned except the sm3 mini. I like livelier tones with a little jangle.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

I had Bryan wind me some BG Buckers that were under wound and had more offset between the coils than what he normally does. They are beautifully clear and articulate.

 

[Elias Graves]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

I had Bryan wind me some BG Buckers that were under wound and had more offset between the coils than what he normally does. They are beautifully clear and articulate.

I think I'm gonna talk to him about some minis. I've heard he's making them now.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I'm building a unique guitar...Pickup suggestions requested

Elias, we need more info. You say you play mostly chords and clean, but we need more info on the "character" and tone curve you are looking for. Could you be a bit more descriptive?

[Guys - stop bagging the build - he made what he made, let's get it equipped!]

Elias - interesting guitar no doubt. Why don't you make a post in the guitar room. This guitar (love or hate the idea) certainly warrants some discussion. Would love a thread on the why/hows and pro/cons about it.