BriGuy1968
New member
Well, the day has finally arrived!
Some of you know that I started my first build a couple of months ago, and while it may be completely self-serving, I want to show her off now that she's completed. So without further ado, I'd like to introduce "Ashleigh," my one-of-a-kind "BriGuy Georgiecaster:"
In case you didn't notice, she's a Strat. I've never had one before, and my only single-coil guitar is a cheap Epi LP Special with P-90s (which is fun, but they're not the same thing). I thought about doing HSS or HSH, but decided that I wanted to go with a traditional SSS setup so I'd be getting something completely different from my other guitars.
I got the body (swamp ash) from Reverb.com for $50 and the neck (maple with rosewood) from GuitarFetish's factory buyout clearance for $15. The neck was unfinished so I put some time into sanding & finishing and it came out pretty good (considering my lousy finishing skills). At that price I wasn't sure if I was getting a piece of junk or not, but it plays great, no dead spots, and I love the inlays. It's a little thicker than the standard "C" or wizard shapes that I'm used to, but I acclimated to it pretty quickly.
The pickups are GFS Gold Foil Single Coils, which I've been intrigued by since I first saw them... and I love 'em! (Check out the demo vids below).
All in all I only have about $340 into her... not bad, huh?
She also boasts an elaborate custom electronics job that I came up with, and I'm pretty geeked about it. To begin with, I hate 5-way switches... I HATE 'EM!! Whenever I try to switch pups I end up getting the position next to the one I wanted... I just think better in 3-way, so I found a 3-way super switch and coupled it with a 3-way 4-pole rotary switch which, together, give me 9 sounds instead of the standard 5. I also used a 4PDT mini switch as a phase reverse which works in EVERY POSITION that uses two pickups, all in a single toggle. Here's the diagram:
Finally, I know a couple of you have expressed some curiosity about the Gold Foils, but decent demos seem to be hard to find, so...
Some of you know that I started my first build a couple of months ago, and while it may be completely self-serving, I want to show her off now that she's completed. So without further ado, I'd like to introduce "Ashleigh," my one-of-a-kind "BriGuy Georgiecaster:"
In case you didn't notice, she's a Strat. I've never had one before, and my only single-coil guitar is a cheap Epi LP Special with P-90s (which is fun, but they're not the same thing). I thought about doing HSS or HSH, but decided that I wanted to go with a traditional SSS setup so I'd be getting something completely different from my other guitars.
I got the body (swamp ash) from Reverb.com for $50 and the neck (maple with rosewood) from GuitarFetish's factory buyout clearance for $15. The neck was unfinished so I put some time into sanding & finishing and it came out pretty good (considering my lousy finishing skills). At that price I wasn't sure if I was getting a piece of junk or not, but it plays great, no dead spots, and I love the inlays. It's a little thicker than the standard "C" or wizard shapes that I'm used to, but I acclimated to it pretty quickly.
The pickups are GFS Gold Foil Single Coils, which I've been intrigued by since I first saw them... and I love 'em! (Check out the demo vids below).
All in all I only have about $340 into her... not bad, huh?
She also boasts an elaborate custom electronics job that I came up with, and I'm pretty geeked about it. To begin with, I hate 5-way switches... I HATE 'EM!! Whenever I try to switch pups I end up getting the position next to the one I wanted... I just think better in 3-way, so I found a 3-way super switch and coupled it with a 3-way 4-pole rotary switch which, together, give me 9 sounds instead of the standard 5. I also used a 4PDT mini switch as a phase reverse which works in EVERY POSITION that uses two pickups, all in a single toggle. Here's the diagram:
Finally, I know a couple of you have expressed some curiosity about the Gold Foils, but decent demos seem to be hard to find, so...
