I got the guitar, just ordered all the parts, fun begins

[exaN]

Hey I just ordered all the parts I need to mod that silver sparkle Charvel I posted in another thread. I did a lot of research for choosing the right pickups, but in the end I can just replace them so I'm gonna try some and not care too much about it.

I will put a Super Distortion in the bridge and two HS-4 middle/neck. The idea behind it is that I have ANOTHER Charvel 375 which is transparent red as you can see here:

So the silver one is going to have all chrome hardware and the red one all gold hardware, but both will have creme color pickups. Cool pair uh ?

The red one is more likely going to have a Dimarzio Air Classic in the bridge and two Area '67, but that will be a bit later.

Any thoughts/suggestions ?

 

[Mor Paul]

I'm voting black hardware on Mr. Sparkles.

 

[DangerousR6]

I'm voting black hardware on Mr. Sparkles.

+1 all black... :icon_thumright:

 

[erogenousjones17]

I'll vote all black as well. Not sure about chrome on silver...

 

[exaN]

I'll vote all black as well. Not sure about chrome on silver...

Well it's hard to see from the picture but the original lacquer as noticeably yellowed, giving the finish kind of a gold tint (I had to tone down the yellows in Photoshop because of the lighting conditions).

Anyways, I'll see how it looks and just change to black if it doesn't look good .

I will post pictures as soon as I get the package.

 

[erogenousjones17]

I'll vote all black as well. Not sure about chrome on silver...

Well it's hard to see from the picture but the original lacquer as noticeably yellowed, giving the finish kind of a gold tint (I had to tone down the yellows in Photoshop because of the lighting conditions).

Anyways, I'll see how it looks and just change to black if it doesn't look good .

I will post pictures as soon as I get the package.

That sounds like the best plan of all.  :toothy10:

 

[dmraco]

yes...it looked more yellow in your other thread.

Black or gold would look good.  I think black would look good on both. Here is what it may look like on the RED one....this axe is very similar...right down to the controls.  Headstock is different obviously.

 

[exaN]

I got all the parts in!

   * 1 of: Schaller Floyd Rose Tremolo, Chrome
   * 1 of: Metal Humbucker Mounting Ring, Chrome
   * 1 of: Short Humbucker Mounting Ring, Black
   * 2 of: Round Top Knob, Chrome
   * 1 of: Strat Switch Knob, Cream
   * 1 of: Blade Switch & Pickup Mounting Screw, Dozen, Chrome
   * 1 of: Humbucker Height Adjustment Screw, Dozen, Chrome
   * 6 of: Gotoh SG38 Tuner, Left, Chrome

Also: Dimarzio Super Distortion + 2 Dimarzio HS-4 (I'll take better pictures outside when it's all done)

Couple questions though:
1. The singlecoils triangular shape coming out of the bottom does not fit into the guitar body, can I just cut it off or do I really need to carve space for it?
2. The original locking nut was screwed from the top of the neck but the Schaller locking nut is screwed from the bottom, can I drill new holes behind the neck or is it not recommended?

 

[DangerousR6]

If it's just the plastic piece you speak of on the single coil, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to cut it off. Just be careful not to damage the rest of the bobbin cover.

For the nut, if it doesn't have the holes in the neck, then I'd say you need to screw it dow from the topside... :icon_thumright:

 

[exaN]

If it's just the plastic piece you speak of on the single coil, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to cut it off. Just be careful not to damage the rest of the bobbin cover.

For the nut, if it doesn't have the holes in the neck, then I'd say you need to screw it dow from the topside... :icon_thumright:

Yeah, for the nut, I used the original screws, though the nut kinda goes off side by maybe a millimeter or less, does that affect the string alignment much?

 

[DangerousR6]

If it's just the plastic piece you speak of on the single coil, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to cut it off. Just be careful not to damage the rest of the bobbin cover.

For the nut, if it doesn't have the holes in the neck, then I'd say you need to screw it dow from the topside... :icon_thumright:

Yeah, for the nut, I used the original screws, though the nut kinda goes off side by maybe a millimeter or less, does that affect the string alignment much?

Yep, that would effect it quite a bit. I'd try to get it as square as possible, you might have to fill in the holes and realign the nut..

 

[exaN]

If it's just the plastic piece you speak of on the single coil, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to cut it off. Just be careful not to damage the rest of the bobbin cover.

For the nut, if it doesn't have the holes in the neck, then I'd say you need to screw it dow from the topside... :icon_thumright:

Yeah, for the nut, I used the original screws, though the nut kinda goes off side by maybe a millimeter or less, does that affect the string alignment much?

Yep, that would effect it quite a bit. I'd try to get it as square as possible, you might have to fill in the holes and realign the nut..

Alright thanks, I might just use the original nut and take the 3 little blocks from the new one

 

[DangerousR6]

If it's just the plastic piece you speak of on the single coil, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to cut it off. Just be careful not to damage the rest of the bobbin cover.

For the nut, if it doesn't have the holes in the neck, then I'd say you need to screw it dow from the topside... :icon_thumright:

Yeah, for the nut, I used the original screws, though the nut kinda goes off side by maybe a millimeter or less, does that affect the string alignment much?

Yep, that would effect it quite a bit. I'd try to get it as square as possible, you might have to fill in the holes and realign the nut..

:icon_thumright:
Alright thanks, I might just use the original nut and take the 3 little blocks from the new one

 

[exaN]

Something bad happened :\

I was dremeling the pickup plastic thing, i had to pull the wires back so I didn't touch them with the dremel, all fine, but the ground wire snapped from too much pulling , is that fixable?

 

[MUYFUE]

eew...that's a bad thing...I hope you don't mean that the coil wire snapped...I hope you mean the actual ground, cause that's a pain to fix, but it ain't that bad. If you thnapped one of the actual coil windings...you have a more difficult repair.

On the other hand Silver Sparkle and Chrome look cool to me!

 

[exaN]

eew...that's a bad thing...I hope you don't mean that the coil wire snapped...I hope you mean the actual ground, cause that's a pain to fix, but it ain't that bad. If you thnapped one of the actual coil windings...you have a more difficult repair.

On the other hand Silver Sparkle and Chrome look cool to me!

It's the wire that is soldered onto the metal plate on the side of the pickup, that's the ground wire right?

 

[MUYFUE]

Better if you put up a picture. I can't visualize your description.

 

[exaN]

Better if you put up a picture. I can't visualize your description.

Here you go:

Hope it's fixable :help:

 

[MUYFUE]

Yup, That's fixable. That's ground.

I totally spaced on the fact that it's the HS-4, :doh: The way they are made, the coil windings are protected.
I was thinking it was like a 'normal' single coil, where you see the tiny little copper wires exposed a little bit.
you got two choices on repair strategy, I think.

1. Repair the broken joint by re soldering it. I'd get some heat shrink on that joint after you re-connect the two pieces.

2. Replace the whole wire from that point, ending up with you solderig a new wire to the casing.

If it were me, I'd do #2. I hate splicing little wires.

 

[exaN]

Yup, That's fixable. That's ground.

I totally spaced on the fact that it's the HS-4, :doh: The way they are made, the coil windings are protected.
I was thinking it was like a 'normal' single coil, where you see the tiny little copper wires exposed a little bit.
you got two choices on repair strategy, I think.

1. Repair the broken joint by re soldering it. I'd get some heat shrink on that joint after you re-connect the two pieces.

2. Replace the whole wire from that point, ending up with you solderig a new wire to the casing.

If it were me, I'd do #2. I hate splicing little wires.

Thank God :hello2:

Yep #2 seems to be less trouble

Thanks man!