Chambered Korina Paulocaster Jr

[swarfrat]

Decided to nudge the project forward a teeny bit. Ordered the last of my hardware (minus the neckplate - still trying to come up with something for Doug).

Got my pickguard screws (the for real ones)  and a set of GFS staggered locking tuners. Been hearing good stuff about them.  If I don't like em I'd pretty much decided on Sperzels anyway for the staggering.

I suppose I should try to find an Earvana if anyone still has stock left. I showed the Delft article to someone who's done nut work for me before, and he said no problem. But I also wanted some kind of slippery plastic for that, and I don't know if any of that is glueable. So... I suppose worst case is get it cut for an LSR (which is not available in gold or I might be tempted). The LSR slot is wide enough to be able to cut the compensating notches. 

 

[bagman67]

It's a body shape Warmoth are no longer allowed to offer due to legal threats from Ernie Ball.

I hate that. Companies who believe litigation works as well as innovation as viable a business model should regard that as an indication that it's time to retire and die. They had their chance, and couldn't make a go of it. Sell off the assets, move to the Bahamas, and have somebody serve you umbrella drinks.

Breakfast of champions!​

I agree with you that litigation on IP rights is a craven business model, but it's a tremendously lucrative one, so nobody's headed to the Bahamas any time soon.  See, e.g., Apple, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Google, etc., etc., etc.  I get it, those folks are actually innovating, too, but still - the proceeds from settlements are considerable, as are the advantages of scaring folks off from pursuing otherwise profitable lines of business because it would be too costly to defend themselves.

Now, as for real patent trolls, who neither practice the patents they sit on, nor innovate, well... there's a special circle of hell for them.

Bagman

 

[swarfrat]

Speaking of patent trolls...
Earvana vs EBMM both patenting something with prior art old enough that had IT been patented, those patents would have expired now.

Is anyone besides BF selling some type of pre-compensated nut aftermarket?

 

[Cagey]

Speaking of patent trolls...
Earvana vs EBMM both patenting something with prior art old enough that had IT been patented, those patents would have expired now.

Is anyone besides BF selling some type of pre-compensated nut aftermarket?

I really don't think EBMM wanted the patent so much as they wanted to be protected from litigation for using the technology. The monetary award was pitiful, so there was no financial interest in play. But, if they'd have started putting unlicensed compensated nuts on their guitars, Earvana could have sued the snot out of them. EBMM had to nip that in the bud, so they could put those nuts on their guitars as a matter of course for little cost, but much marketing hype, which is worth money.

I also believe you can still buy the nuts. They only reason they'd become unavailable is that there's little money to be made without the artificial monopoly in place. I mean, there's nothing to them. They shouldn't cost much more than a standard blank nut. Once all the NOS of Earvana parts is exhausted, EBMM will probably make them available for $6-$8.

 

[swarfrat]

I emailed Ernie Ball about the compensated nuts, this is the reply I got:

there are no immediate plans to provide aftermarket compensated nuts

So evidently the whole plan was to protect themselves, and they think that people are going to buy their guitars because they can't get some aftermarket nut for their Strat.
Yeaah right. Before I was indifferent, now I'm thoroughly disgusted with them.

 

[Cagey]

Well, I'll tell ya. I wasn't a believer before, but one of the necks I bought last year I had one put on, and there is a difference. However, it's small, and it's only effective in certain areas under certain conditions. So, if I can't get 'em any more, I won't miss 'em. I'm certainly not going to buy a guitar on the strength of one. I doubt even EBMM thinks it's going to rock their world, but at least now they can't get sued into insolvency for using them.

Besides, Jimi Hendrix didn't have one. In fact he even played upside down and backwards, and he still managed to make something of a name for himself <grin>

 

[swarfrat]

I know, but man - hearing all your harmonics distorting so sweetly is just lovely. I'll see if I can buy one, if not I'll have it made.  So I guess my B plan now is 'can you buy LSR sized nut blanks?'

 

[Cagey]

It doesn't have any effect on harmonics. Also, I would never replace an LSR with an Earvana or anything like it. The benefits of the LSR are much greater and more useful. Perhaps if you could combine the two it might be interesting.

 

[swarfrat]

One of the patents Earvana still owns is for an adjustable nut - it looks like it might bolt up to a floyd nut prep (and if it doesn't they're stupid) . But yeah, compensated LSR would totally rock but they won't even make them in other colors, let alone widths.

 

[Cagey]

I don't know, but I get the feeling they're a very small operation. There was lots of stuff they could have done but didn't. They may have just been in it for the outsized profits they were making on a part with a very low manufacturing cost but a high sale price.

 

[swarfrat]

Yeah, had Doug been more industrious, he could've been making loads of the same part instead of one offs.

 

[Cagey]

Except before Earvana might have sued him, and now EBMM might. Assuming he got caught, which is unlikely unless he went commercial with the things.

 

[swarfrat]

Another brick in the wall...

 

[swarfrat]

Wow! That is one sharp-looking fiddle! Leo's gotta be turning over in his grave, though. The only thing Tele about that Tele is the body outline. But, that's what makes it so nice! <grin>

Back in the eighties, Zion guitars (then out of Greensboro, NC) had a set neck un-Tele called the Power Glide.  This one is a particularly unique one, with the EMG Tele bridge pickup on an otherwise super-strat like configuration. Set neck and a Floyd ought to cancel out any traditional tele points  imparted by the bridge pickup. (That and having belonged to one of my favorite guitar players, also a warmoth owner.  It also happens to be one of the first hits that comes up for Zion Powerglide)

I'd also like to extend a genuine 'Thank You' to whoever purchased 9893 and took that wrong scale siren off the table.

 

[Cagey]

That's definitely an "un-Tele" <grin>

 

[bigguspickus]

That's definitely an "un-Tele" <grin>

You sure are an expert on guitars.

 

[swarfrat]

Not sure this is 'progress' (all the work was done by Doug), but it is 'status'.  You guys saw it in the custom neck plate thread, but for build documentation, here's the neckplate for the project. Looks like I might be moving again - so ... neck is gonna be delayed ever more.  :sad1:  Maybe by Christmas.

 

[DangerousR6]

Now let's see it together.... :headbang:

 

[swarfrat]

After taking it back to almost bare wood (sanded through the epoxy - didn't realize that it would 'wet' when I put the urethane on) - it's once again ready for urethane. The last time I thinned the epoxy really really runny, and after some light scraping, I used the sanding block to level up and then used the medium scotchbrite in an orbital fashion, finishing up along the grain, then went to a fine buffing scotchbrite. It looks really good now.  I also dribbled some black paint in the grooves of the neckplate and think it looks really sharp. Pictures will probably be after the weekend, as I'm headed out of town. (And things may be absolutely bonkers hectic after that).

I also did some more mockups playing with Gimp.

 

[DangerousR6]

:toothy10: