Derek Trucks Inspired Velocity

Pickups: Cream T DT (Derek Trucks)
Tuners: Graphtech Ratio Tuners
Bridge: Schaller 3D-6 flatmount
Pots: CTS 500K ... not sure if I want to do a coil tap or not.
Capacitor: either Cream T PIO or Dark Moon PIO ... undecided at this point

TBD:
- Knobs: ... thoughts on these two? I also have chrome dome knobs.
- Finish: It has a matte finish at the moment. I'm considering putting another light coat or two of Brite Tone to give it a semi-gloss ... thoughts?

​

 
I thought Derek’s guitars had Gibson 57 Classics?

I would go with amber bonnets or black speed knobs. I would also go as glossy as possible to enhance the natural chatoyance of that wild mahogany top.

Really looking forward to seeing you progress!
 
I'm with Hodgo on this one - glossy finish with black speed knobs, if you want the DT vibe. But taken objectively, what you've already done with this body is quite beautiful, and it'd be no shame at all to just go with it as it is.
 
Hodgo said:
I thought Derek’s guitars had Gibson 57 Classics?

I would go with amber bonnets or black speed knobs. I would also go as glossy as possible to enhance the natural chatoyance of that wild mahogany top.

Really looking forward to seeing you progress!
Click to expand...
Alright, I'll throw a coat of finish on it and see how it looks ;) Good suggestions!

Ref Pickups:

DT uses a few guitars, but one of his main guitars has been a 2011 Gibson SG Dickey Betts Limited Edition. He apparently preferred it over his own signature model, which is fitted with 57 Classics as you said.

Derek Trucks said in an interview, “We’ve been messing with the pickups quite a bit. A friend of ours, Thomas Neilson, in Norway, wound these pickups and they’re kind of based on a guitar I played – ‘Spot’, this ‘59 Les Paul (once owned by Joe Bonamassa). And they are unwaxed, unpotted pickups.” Derek says the modification of the pickups resulted in pickups being almost “microphonic” and singing, which is exactly Derek Trucks’ playing style."

According to the Happy Bluesman, "How to Sound Like Derek Trucks:"
"The Dickey Betts SG that he plays was originally fitted with a set of Gibson Custombuckers. These pickups are only available in Custom Shop instruments and you can’t buy them separately.

The good news, is that Trucks switched his Custombuckers for a set of bespoke DT Humbuckers from Cream T Pickups. This is a boutique pickup company that also makes pickups for Billy Gibbons, as well as various other notable blues guitarists.

If you really want to sound like Derek Trucks then, and you are happy to spend a bit more, the DT Humbuckers would be my top choice.

Beyond that, the Gibson ’57 Classic Humbuckers would also make a great choice, as they are the pickups that Trucks uses in his Signature SG."
 
Fascinating! Do you also have the super reverb and the Weber DT-10 speakers? :)
 
Can't go wrong with chome dome knobs. Easy to change if you don't like it.
 
@Scab Pickens: Dang, those are expensive!
@Hodgo: I wish ... i'm rocking the Fender Blues Jr at the moment, and at 15W it's way too much amp for my townhouse. Considering trying to either find something in the 5W range, or at least something with a power scaling.

On a separate note, I think i'm officially done with Crystalac Brite Tone ... I cannot get a smooth finish with it, whether I wipe it or brush it. It's by far the worst finish I have used (by worst, globs, runs, and lap lines) ... not that i have used that much ... danish oil, polymerized tung oil, tru oil, arm r seal, and shellac.
 
I sanded off the brite tone and mixed up about 1/3 tru oil, 1/3 arm r seal, 1/3 naptha. i added some JE Moser oil soluble dark red mahogany and red aniline dye. This body now has two layers of dye ... the dye i mixed in with the danish oil when i applied it, and the dye in the poly topcoat.

2 applications of the topcoat:

https://flic.kr/p/2oSs9ff

I actually like the deeper red. I will probably just use the tru oil/arm r seal, naptha mix without dye from here out.
 
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