spacey
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Fresh off the workbench
Since the Ash one got scarfed up I made this Alder one for me. I spared ya'll all the BS details because this one was built exactly like the Ash one. Even the electronics. Came in at 7.5 lbs. Decided to not have fretdots, just side dots and not to vintage tint the Birdseye inlay and fretboard...natural wood. Just finished the set-up and it sounds and plays great. I took the neck off a Deluxe Strat that is one of my favorites and copied the neck for this one. Sounds almost identical to the Ash one. I used one of the three sets of pups I made when making the Ash one and so I imagine there won't be much difference in them. I guess the biggest difference besides the body woods is that this one is all Tru-oil finish and the Ash one was nitro. Tru-oil takes requires more attention for upkeep but the feel is sure worth it IMO. Not sure what the custom shop would want for one of these but I have under $450.00 into it. do have to get a black tip for the trem bar to complete it. In the past I had a fluke: I set the trem saddles and the intonation was spot-on and it happened again with this one...weird but cool. Hope ya enjoy the guitar candy. The photo colors seem to be very close to me. The Birdseye inlay is darker than the fretboard.
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bapu
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:00:41
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jamesg1213
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:04:58
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That is absolutely stunning Michael.
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bapu
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:08:18
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Leadfoot
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:09:04
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Man, that's sweet Spacey. Nice job! Are you satisfied with it, or are you gonna nitpick this one to death too? :)
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yorolpal
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:44:48
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Jimeny Christmas on a soda cracker!! That's a stunner. Love the Birdseye.
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 16:46:08
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Thanks fellows...glad you approve. Really...I know you guys know instruments and I value your takes. Leadfoot Man, that's sweet Spacey. Nice job! Are you satisfied with it, or are you gonna nitpick this one to death too? :)
Well......I did but got over it. I played it for about 15 minutes checking the set-up and realized I'll be putting this one to use. It's one of those that when ya pick it up and it fits...you just know. Wouldn't change a thing about it. Got lucky I'll say. Even managed to get all the parts for a tune Warren requested me to do so I'll mix it now so he can post it. I guess I'll always remember working on this guitar and one of my favorite tunes.
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SteveStrummerUK
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 17:13:06
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Bee-ooo-tee-ful
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pentimentosound
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 17:27:38
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Fabulous! I'd say it was skill and perseverance! Congrats! That neck is superb! Michael
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Old55
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 17:38:11
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Should auld acquaintance be forgot--hey, who the hell are you guys? X2(X3 pending hardware upgrade), Emulator X2, E-mu 1212M, Virtual String Machine
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 17:45:48
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Thank you Steve, Michael and Jan. Here's another shot that shows more of the neck (heel) and the Birdseye covers. I noticed with that Ash Strat that the Birdseye and dots seemed to blend together and distort the area around the dots...looked a little funky to me and that's why I wanted this one with no fret dots. The Birdseye was a lot heavier on the Ash too...plus the tint. This one would have worked with dots I think.
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craigb
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 18:20:25
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The man's a machine! I love how you appear to be picking up momentum with these.
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 19:05:13
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craigb The man's a machine! I love how you appear to be picking up momentum with these.
I have improved many of the steps but I'm not sure how much time that has saved. I have been on short term disability since the middle of March. I had a (chronic) double subdural hematoma for unknown reasons to me or the doctors. So for almost six months I've been mostly enjoying home life. Doc said not to drive or strain so other than that it's been like a welcomed vacation. Not looking forward to going back to work though...no one there that can do all my job tasks so I know it's been backing up and is going to be a real PITA. If it would have happened two years later I wouldn't go back. I hope I can remember all my passwords for all the crap I have to use LOL. Some have to be changed every time I turn around so I never wrote them down. Allways something lol.
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craigb
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/17 20:28:52
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spacey I had a (chronic) double subdural hematoma for unknown reasons to me or the doctors.
Yikes! Hope you're doing better now! Perhaps you got this condition from banging your head against a wall while trying to deal with some of the delinquents around here?
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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drewfx1
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 11:08:10
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Wow, that's gorgeous! Is the truss rod adjuster a new design? I don't recall seeing that before.
In order, then, to discover the limit of deepest tones, it is necessary not only to produce very violent agitations in the air but to give these the form of simple pendular vibrations. - Hermann von Helmholtz, predicting the role of the electric bassist in 1877.
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 11:41:27
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drewfx1 Wow, that's gorgeous! Is the truss rod adjuster a new design? I don't recall seeing that before.
It's not new. It's called " spoke nut". It's a double action rod. There are those that make claim to the double action giving superior sound energy transfer through the neck as opposed to no rod or single action...I don't know nor care, I like to have the security because those folks also don't know what wood will do over time...and neither do I. My first time use was with the Ash Strat. This time I didn't cut out the end of the neck and fretboard to install it- I routered a pocket for the wheel in the neck leaving the end of the heel and routered out the fretboard for access. I thought it would appear to be "right" and I do think it looks better....and glad you like it. I went out to the shop and checked all the setup- nut action, neck relief etc. and it was still in tune with no changes so I enjoyed playing it for awhile. It's moved up to first pick out my Strat style axes. craigb
spacey I had a (chronic) double subdural hematoma for unknown reasons to me or the doctors.
Yikes! Hope you're doing better now! Perhaps you got this condition from banging your head against a wall while trying to deal with some of the delinquents around here?
Doing fine and thanks. Nope...no head banging and delinquents can take care of themselves without me :)
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batsbrew
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 12:47:28
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i think i like that one better than the other. i mean, either you are a sucker for wood (i am) or you are not. either way, it's an interesting combination, the alder lets the birdseye scratchplate stand out more, and actually from a 'stage-audience' perspective, i think works better from a distance... and is still infinitely interesting up close. would love to hear some clips. congrats on another achievement.
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 14:00:11
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I agree Bat. The darker Alder is a nicer contrast to the Birdseye than the Ash. I also think not vintage (amber) tinting the Birdseye helped visually. The Birdseye fretboard and pickguard match better on the Ash one but since I was tinting them I had control. I'll get some clips for ya. I didn't on the other because since a guy jumped on it I didn't want to play it. It's amazing how close they sound. The pups are almost identical of the two so I think the wood with this one seems to have made the lows/mids very clear...you'll hear. I did keep all 3 pups the same- I didn't RWRP the middle and did use a treble bleed...love it and I sure don't get the noise as many talk about. No doubt there is but not reason enough to avoid the advantage of the sound when the middle is combined with the N or B pup IMO. I do use conductive shield paint in all the cavities...maybe that's a major difference. ?
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 15:47:26
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Looks sweet. I've often thought that a sheet metal Strat pickup cavity shield kit, like the Jazzmaster has, would be a great upgrade product for Strat owners.
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batsbrew
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/18 16:24:38
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i know shielding can only ever help.
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Wookiee
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/20 09:37:19
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Dribble, drool etc. Nice Job Spacey you have a talent with wood and a talent with guitars thank you for sharing.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
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Guitarhacker
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/21 15:44:03
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I always enjoy looking at the guitars you create. Just amazing work.
My website & music: www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface BMI/NSAI "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/23 17:14:43
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Thanks John and Herb. There's always little pieces of the wood left so either save it to make something later...I made this for my wife with pieces from this build. I've shown the "guitar neck" boxes but I make many other types too. Better than trashing the scraps.
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craigb
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/24 01:45:05
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Wow! Trashing the scraps? I don't think so! Nice job there Michael, I'm sure your wife will be very happy with that.
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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spacey
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/30 17:42:35
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For Bat....as per request. My 2004 Deluxe Am Strat. Alder with Maple neck and rosewood fretboard. Stock- no changes made to it and the one I made for me. Both are recorded straight into the soundcard with nothing added in Sonar. They were both recorded into the same channel of soundcard and both used the same cord. No changes to volume or tones on either guitar where made- they are both set on 10, on all controls. They both have the same gauge(s) and make of strings. I alternate single open strings- Starting with neck pup all strings then NM etc. There are no effects/filters...nothing but straight signal and I didn't even bother to tune the guitars together. The only thing is moving the pup selector 5 pos. switch. I prefer not only the playing and feel of mine but also the sound of the pickups. Mine are much more "alive" and are without doubt clearer. If the recording doesn't make it obvious which is which...I'll tell you.
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michaelhanson
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Re: Fresh off the workbench
2014/08/30 20:59:06
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The pickups sound really good Michael!
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