Melinda: Meadowhawk Build

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

It begins.

 

[Hagwood]

It begins.

Awesome ! Love the finish on that, and the trem choice.

 

[Hodgo]

One of us, one of us, one of us!

 

[Hagwood]

One of us, one of us, one of us!

We accept You, We accept You……

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Cavities shielded, tuners attached to neck, neck attached to body.

Tremolo and pickup mounting are next.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Mounting the middle pickup directly to the wood wasn’t working the way I wanted it to. Decided on using threaded inserts for it. Waiting on them to arrive.

The Free Way Switch didn’t have a schematic for exactly what I wanted. I ordered a custom diagram from GuitarElectronics.com. They explained I can’t have two different tones, only a master tone, but can use the third knob as a high pass filter. Waiting on that schematic.

Given how the routs work, I’m going to need to remove the Sentient when it comes time to actually wire everything.

The drill slipped and created a little ding by where the volume knob is. Hopefully I can buff that out.

For now I’m just giving it a rough setup. I understand why it would, but is the truss rod supposed to be as loose as possible when the neck arrives? I’ve probably given it a full two turns and the neck relief still seems kind of high.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Has anyone had any success getting the Warmoth decal on the Meadowhawk headstock? I totally wouldn’t mind having it there but it doesn’t seem to actually fit anywhere.

 

[Hagwood]

Mounting the middle pickup directly to the wood wasn’t working the way I wanted it to. Decided on using threaded inserts for it. Waiting on them to arrive.

The Free Way Switch didn’t have a schematic for exactly what I wanted. I ordered a custom diagram from GuitarElectronics.com. They explained I can’t have two different tones, only a master tone, but can use the third knob as a high pass filter. Waiting on that schematic.

Given how the routs work, I’m going to need to remove the Sentient when it comes time to actually wire everything.

The drill slipped and created a little ding by where the volume knob is. Hopefully I can buff that out.

For now I’m just giving it a rough setup. I understand why it would, but is the truss rod supposed to be as loose as possible when the neck arrives? I’ve probably given it a full two turns and the neck relief still seems kind of high.

Looking great ! Too bad about the ding, been there. I bet you cand sand/buff it out.

I usually get the neck perfectly straight and level before assembly by tightening the truss rod until level, then check all of the frets with a fret kisser for any fine leveling that may be required. Very minimal on any of my Warmoth necks, but I have OCD..... Then I will dress the fret ends and roll the fretboard, and do the fret polishing while everything is straight. Then obviously adjust relief after assembled.

 

[stratamania]

I ordered a custom diagram from GuitarElectronics.com. They explained I can’t have two different tones, only a master tone,

You have paid for a diagram, but what you explain to have been told doesn't make sense. It is perfectly possible to have two different tones.

What wiring are you trying to achieve?

 

[Heavy Rock]

Mounting the middle pickup directly to the wood wasn’t working the way I wanted it to. Decided on using threaded inserts for it. Waiting on them to arrive.

The Free Way Switch didn’t have a schematic for exactly what I wanted. I ordered a custom diagram from GuitarElectronics.com. They explained I can’t have two different tones, only a master tone, but can use the third knob as a high pass filter. Waiting on that schematic.

Given how the routs work, I’m going to need to remove the Sentient when it comes time to actually wire everything.

The drill slipped and created a little ding by where the volume knob is. Hopefully I can buff that out.

For now I’m just giving it a rough setup. I understand why it would, but is the truss rod supposed to be as loose as possible when the neck arrives? I’ve probably given it a full two turns and the neck relief still seems kind of high.

Love the look, reminds me of the Gibson Voodoo series but with a beautiful flame top.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

You have paid for a diagram, but what you explain to have been told doesn't make sense. It is perfectly possible to have two different tones.

What wiring are you trying to achieve?

Basically the same pickup options as the Guthrie Govan Charvel, except with an extra option to have bridge and neck Humbuckers together, with one tone knob for Neck and the other for Middle+Bridge, and a master volume.

They wound up sending me two diagrams, one where there’s a bass cut and treble cut, and another where both tone knobs work normally but control different pickups depending on which position the switch is in.

I’m leaning towards the bass and treble cut version.

 

[stratamania]

Basically the same pickup options as the Guthrie Govan Charvel, except with an extra option to have bridge and neck Humbuckers together, with one tone knob for Neck and the other for Middle+Bridge, and a master volume.

They wound up sending me two diagrams, one where there’s a bass cut and treble cut, and another where both tone knobs work normally but control different pickups depending on which position the switch is in.

I’m leaning towards the bass and treble cut version.

Please describe the wiring you are actually trying to achieve.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Please describe the wiring you are actually trying to achieve.

Free Way Switch bottom row:

Neck (Humbucker)

Neck (Humbucker) + Bridge (Humbucker)

Bridge (Humbucker)

Top Row:

Neck (Split to Outer Coil) + Middle

Neck (Split to Outer Coil) + Bridge (Split to Outer Coil)

Middle + Bridge (Split to Inner Coil)

 

[supertruper1988]

And where do you want the tones?

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Neck and Middle+Bridge

 

[stratamania]

Free Way Switch bottom row:

Neck (Humbucker)

Neck (Humbucker) + Bridge (Humbucker)

Bridge (Humbucker)

Top Row:

Neck (Split to Outer Coil) + Middle

Neck (Split to Outer Coil) + Bridge (Split to Outer Coil)

Middle + Bridge (Split to Inner Coil)

Which Freeway switch will you be using?

Please be specific. If it is a toggle switch, they do not have upper and bottom rows, but rather have six positions in two banks of three.
Earlier you mention the same as Guthrie Govan, but if you are using a toggle switch it works differently than a Super Switch in the Govan model.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Which Freeway switch will you be using?

Please be specific. If it is a toggle switch, they do not have upper and bottom rows, but rather have six positions in two banks of three.
Earlier you mention the same as Guthrie Govan, but if you are using a toggle switch it works differently than a Super Switch in the Govan model.

3x3-05

It’s the three way toggle with two banks of three. The "bottom row" is what Free Way labels positions 1-3 and "top row" is 4-6.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Making progress, but there’s going to be a lot of damage control coming up. I may have bit off more than I could chew, but I’m going to finish this damn it!

The Good: I got pretty much everything in the right spot (sort of), and all the wires fed through the routes. I’m pleased with how it looks aesthetically. Continuity between the cavities’ shielding, and all of the grounding of the electronics and the bridge seem fine.

The Bad: Oh boy, where to start.

• I’m not as good at soldering as I thought I was.
• Upon my first attempt of soldiering the wires to the Free Way, and testing it, the neck and middle pickup were working but the bridge wasn’t. Tapping a screwdriver against the neck pickup indicated it was only working as a Humbucker and none of the split positions were working right.
• Upon my second attempt none of them were working at all. I have no idea how I’m going to begin with trouble shooting this.
• Between the first and second attempt with the Free Way Switch, I did go into the control cavity to adjust the pots and attach the knobs, so maybe I knocked a hot wire off one of the pots or the output jack. I need to go back in there to check. The cable management situation in there is a mess.
• The heads of both of the screws in the middle pickup broke off when attaching it. I think the screws may have been too long. I need to first find a way to safely extract a #6 screw from a plastic pickup bobbin, and then find the exact dimensions of an EZ-LOK brass threaded insert plus the sides of a Seymour Duncan pickup bobbin and find screws in that length. It looks like the best height for that pickup would be to just have it flush to the body so there’s no need for foam, springs or silicon anymore. If the pickup wasn’t so lopsided the way it is now, I’d probably just say "F It" and leave it as is.
• I’m pretty sure one or two of the soldering pads on the Free Way have burned off completely. Probably gonna need to throw another $60 out for a new one.

The Ugly

• My soldering iron burned a little bit of the satin clear coat on the rear by where the toggle switch cavity is.
• I’m noticing tiny little microscopic silver specs here and there from not being more careful with the shielding paint. They’re not very visible to the naked eye, but it’s going to bother me.
• Do those plastic Strat knobs look kind of tacky to anyone else?

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

 

[Hodgo]

I found soldering the Freeway to be very easy due to the gold contact pads taking heat quickly, but I did tin them slightly (I tin all connections). The other thing that helps is using a helping hand to make sure the connection is mechanically stable before soldering.

The little singe on the clear won’t be something anyone notices

The red Strat knobs don’t work for my personal taste. Maybe soak them in some strong espresso or amber dye to fade them slightly?

Still - quite a looker and I’m excited for you to cross that finish line!