First build, introductory post - VIP almost done!!!

[Ljbarbeau]

Hi everyone!
Long time forum lurker here, from quebec, canada.  Been playing for around 20 years now.  And french is my first language.  started posting a little bit this week just to confirm a few things before ordering. But now it's too late, it's done and everything will be on it's way soon (hopefully).

Here are the specs:

Chambered VIP body black korina front and back with recessed control tobacco burst w/ natural masked binding
22 fret warmoth neck wenge/ebony with wizard contour,  1 1/16 nut, SS6105 fret, compound radius, 25.5 in, cream dots.
Black graphtech tusq xl nut
Black Planetwave tuners
Black recessed Wilkinson tremolo
Black speed knobs
Black 3 way switch
Cts pots with tone push-push
Seymour Duncan JB trembucker bridge
Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker neck

I almost ordered black inlay dots for the ebony fingerboard, but I chickened out at the last minute.

Neck is custom build, body was in the showcase.
Do you guys think it'll be faster for it to ship since only neck is custom built and no paint job is involved.  Emails says to expect 5-6 weeks.  Also do you know if sometimes they ship stuff ready in advance and then send the custom stuff when ready?

I think that will be the hardest part of the build.  Wait for everything.

Luigi

 

[Ljbarbeau]

and here is the worst mockup ever made!!!
except dots are cream after all..

 

[nexrex]

Hi Luigi, welcome to the forum. Looks like a beautiful project. Warmoths VIP's are exceptionally built, and you will be be very impressed with them. i own two, and they are the best guitars I have ever played.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13291.0
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=12036.0

 

[Cagey]

You are going to be sooo happy when those parts show up. That's going to be an excellent instrument, and gorgeous as well.

You may as well dig in for the wait, though. Unfinished parts show up faster, but if they're build-to-order, they still take some time. The fastest stuff is what's already built and doesn't require any finish, and even those still take about two weeks for me. Not so much because of Warmoth, but apparently UPS has to go around the Moon to get from Washington to Michigan.

 

[dmraco]

Welcome...make sure to post lots of pics!!!

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Hey thx all!

Yeah I know your VIPs nevrex. I've spent so many hours in the VIP completed section.  That's what convinced me to see all those beautiful VIP.  I hesitated a long time to make one either in wenge or walnut with just a clear finish or mahogany/zebra wood with dragon burst. But in the end I fell in love with this one in the showcase and I tought it'd be faster and cheaper as well.  The neck I really wanted a wizard contour though and those are really rare in the showcase.

Cagey: I used usps because they are cheaper on customs.  Maybe they'll also be faster.. 

I also forgot to mention that this will be my first guitar without a Floyd rose.  I hope I didn't make a mistake.  But I watched a few videos and it seems almost as good.  And if John petrucci can do without I think I should be able able too.. 


Again thx for the warm welcome.

 

[Cagey]

Cagey: I used usps because they are cheaper on customs.  Maybe they'll also be faster.. 

USPS has been faster for me than UPS, so that's what I've used the last few orders. It's highly unusual, but it's a real phenomena that I've seen to be repeatable. Not that I have anything against UPS. I get 85% or so of everything I order online delivered via UPS, and it's a very rare occasion it takes more than 3 days no matter where the stuff's coming from. It's often faster than that. But, for some reason coming from Puyallup, WA, it seems they have to go to  Japan, then Australia, then Russia, then by dogsled over the pole to Canada and finally to Michigan. I mean, I almost never get things faster than 10 days from there.

 

[nexrex]

RE: Wilkinson Tremolo. I have two guitars with this installed, both with Graphtech Black XL nuts. I have never had any real tuning issues with them and they are both warmoths with locking tuners installed.  :headbang1:

 

[OzziePete]

HI Luigi

Welcome to the forum

Your mockup looks good enough, can't wait to see the real thing. :icon_thumright:

 

[crash]

Nice guitar!  I just ordered that same wood neck today, but with the black inlays.

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Ok I have to see that when u get it!

I'm sure I'm gonna be pissed I changed my mind at the last minute...

 

[Firebird211]

Cagey: I used usps because they are cheaper on customs.  Maybe they'll also be faster.. 

USPS has been faster for me than UPS, so that's what I've used the last few orders. It's highly unusual, but it's a real phenomena that I've seen to be repeatable. Not that I have anything against UPS. I get 85% or so of everything I order online delivered via UPS, and it's a very rare occasion it takes more than 3 days no matter where the stuff's coming from. It's often faster than that. But, for some reason coming from Puyallup, WA, it seems they have to go to  Japan, then Australia, then Russia, then by dogsled over the pole to Canada and finally to Michigan. I mean, I almost never get things faster than 10 days from there.

:laughing7:  I think you forgot the small trek through China on a tuna boat.

 

[D-rock]

Nice! welcome to the VIP club. Sounds like a kick-ass guitar

 

[dmraco]

concenring the wilkie vs floyd.  I have both.  For light use, you will be fine with the wilkie.  If you are into huge dive bombs, you will be sorry.  I do think the floyd has better feel but that is just my opinion.

 

[Ljbarbeau]

well guess what...    everything is here!!!!  I already started to build...   I first waited 2 days to let the wood settle in this cold canadian envronment tho.  taking a small break to give some update on my post.  The push/push pot wouldn't fit.  i had to sand almost 1/4 inch in the body to make it fit...    :tard:

I'm really disappointed that I changed my mind at  the last minute about those black dots.  especially since I tough those cream inlay would be almost white.  I guess I misred the description.  on the positive side it kinda fit with the natural masked inlay...
almost done with the copper shielding.  I know lotsa ppl here think its a waste of time but I tough it couldn't hurt...  I hope to be able to do the electronics before going to bed...  I need to finish this build before the baby comes...  dont think Ill have much time after..

Ho did I mention how beautiful and light this guitar is?


here is a direct link to my flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ljbarbeau/sets/72157625480731813/with/5264027367/

and here is some pron for the lazy...

 

[m4rk0]

That looks amazing!!
I too, am a member of the Tobacco burst over Hollow Korina VIP club!!!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Ljbarbeau]

I tough Id do a little update just in case someone actually cares and I also have a few questions.  so...

Let me first say I never tough this would take so long to finish; but the baby arrived 4 weeks early so that took some of my time off...

anyway I tough Id list a few tips I learned about VIPs with this build first:

1.  I tough you needed a tall and a short mounting ring for VIPs.  If you have a wilkinson tremolo don't.  buy 2 short instead.

2.  the push-push tone pots warmoth sells wont fit a VIP without modification.  you need long shaft pots.  only place I found that sells them is here:
   http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Guitar-Potentiometers/Mojotone-US-Spec-500K-Audio-Taper-Push-Push-Long-Shaft-Poten.
   I will try them for my next build.

3.  Don't buy planet wave tuner.  the auto trim feature might seem to be sweet at first but when doing all the tune up/setup its actually a pain in the ass..

4.  dont buy cream face dot.  they look like sh!t...

5.  Dont buy copper shielding from warmoth.  its only 24inch long.  stewmac sells them by the roll.  much better deal...

6.  dont waste your time with the recessed option on the wilkinson tremolo.  it wont go any further.  the block hits the wall way before the recessed portion...

and now some pictures:

push-push pots splits both coils.  mini switch is phase inverter switch.  although this one is temporary.  a black one is in the mail.

The "made in USA" from the decal didn't stick.  probably because its raw wood...  but I didn't care cause its assembled in Canada...

like I said before I copper shielded the back plate and the control cavity as well as both pickup routs...
then I routed a braided shield in between and soldered it all together to have the same ground everywhere.
When in single coil I still have some white noise but I didn't try it before, so its hard to know if it helped at all.
but at least I know I did everything I could.

the tremolo rout doesn't have any back plate because of the tremol-no.
and I always remove it from my guitars anyways.  so I chose not to drill holes in this beautiful wood for nothing...
I used .022 cap on tone pot and 180pF ont the volume bleed.


So finally my questions:

1.  What do you guys do to rout mini switch in back routed bodies?  it pains me to carve in that body.  I had to remove a lot,  but I didn't want 2 push-push control.
    I like my volume knob steady..  I am not aware of any long shaft mini switch?

2.  I tough Id try it and I might end up being lucky but I'm not.  my neck needs a fret leveling job.  I never did a compound radius neck.
    Dave Erlewine barely mentions the existence of them in the books/video Ive seen.  the only thing I found is this:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-zdkPhDVBg&feature=related[/youtube]
Is this a good technique.  I'm afraid this might flatten the radius...  what do you guys do?

3.  I left my neck raw (its wenge/ebony)  does it need somekind of protection/sealant?  If I need to clean it for some reason do I need a special Product?

4.  Finally, I understand that I have to set the bridge radius to about 18.5 to work best with the compound radius.  but where do I find a 18.5 radius gauge.
    I have the stewmac understring gauge and jumps from 16 to 20.  also does any1 knows what is the radius of a wilkinson when coming out of the factory.
    It seems pretty close to 20 to me but I kinda find it odd..

well thats it for now...  thx in advance if I get any answers..

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Bump!

Really no one knows/cares?

I really wanted an answer on the fret leveling technique.  I was waiting on a thumbs up to order them from stewmac... 

I guess I could always ask on another forum..

 

[kboman]

I know nothing about what you ask I'm afraid and this thread didn't show up as updated on the 30th - but it's a great looking guitar!

What you say about the tuners intrigue me, I've wondered how well they really would work. Care to elaborate a bit?

 

[AprioriMark]

A good luthier will not have a problem with the compound radius.  I wouldn't do it myself, but I'm a wuss.  Also, a luthier can easily replace those fretboard dots with something else.  My luthier charges me 40 bucks to replace the dots with abalone.

-Mark