Mooncaster over Clearwater (FL)...

[jimhelmuth]

Finally getting close…. 18 weeks will be first week in May. Add a week for shipping so maybe in the next 4 weeks?
If anyone has and recently delivered custom body and neck, would love to know if 18 weeks seems right….

 

[Waraxe]

Thanks Waraxe.... appreciate your input. I did notice that (to my initial surprise) once I looked into it, the bass cut was implemented as a POT. Doesn't mean it could not be a switch - but something I'll need to consider more (albeit I'm leaning towards a switch). Were you using the 1 Meg in conjunction with the FIltertrons?

Makes me think now.... maybe use push/pull on the Master Tone to select between bass cut and "normal" tone (IE - bleed highs off to ground)?

Love this forum - you all come up with some great ideas!

No, regular singles and lace sensors in strats, using the g&l schematic.

 

[jimhelmuth]

Looking snazzy, fellow Clearwaterite!

As far as wiring scheme, personally I don't find coil splits all that useful as they're usually pretty weak/not that great sounding unless you've got some pretty high output pickups.

My favorite wiring scheme is Volume Tone Basscut as found on some G&L and Reverend guitars. Since you have four knob holes it could be master volume, independent tones, and master bass cut. But that's just me.

I assume this is the wiring scheme you refer to...

 

[stratamania]

I assume this is the wiring scheme you refer to...

That would not provide a master volume, independent tones and a master bass cut. Perhaps @ragamuffin has a diagram for what he described.

 

[jimhelmuth]

Right.... Maybe he meant something like this?

 

[stratamania]

@jimhelmuth possibly that looks similar to what he described. Personally, I don't see the point of it compared to something more like standard Les Paul wiring, which would be more useful to me, but each to their own.

 

[ragamuffin]

Right.... Maybe he meant something like this?

That's looks like what I was thinking of, though it's up to you wether you would consider dual volumes or dual tones more useful.

Also I see that schematic has a 250K volume pot; I would stick with 500k

 

[jimhelmuth]

That's looks like what I was thinking of, though it's up to you wether you would consider dual volumes or dual tones more useful.

Also I see that schematic has a 250K volume pot; I would stick with 500k

Agree. I was thinking of 500K (over the 250k). This was a mashup from an original G&L single Pup diagram. I was trying to determine what the wiring would look like (per your description).
I am absolutely intrigued by your suggestion (at least the bass cut part). But I think the Kyle Shutt wiring might be more appropriate towards achieving this feature but maintaining the volume control on the bridge and neck (IE - no master volume). At least as I "think" I'd like to put it together.
I think the only mode I'd have to do is to use a RAT pot in the Shutt diagram

 

[jimhelmuth]

Yea! I finally got my notice that the neck and body are shipped and I'll have them next Wednesday.

Order Date: January 5th 2023
Delivered Date: May 24th 2023
(1 day shy of 20 weeks)

 

[jimhelmuth]

Woohoo! UPS gave me notice it's out for delivery today. Pics will follow once I get home and get her unboxed and inspected....

 

[jimhelmuth]

Here she is...

 

[bagman67]

 

[jimhelmuth]

Neck fitted and bolted on.
Pups mounted.



Next up will be to wire the controls (I’ve still gotta decide how I want to wire it)….

 

[jimhelmuth]

I’m going to dye the headstock to match the body

 

[ragamuffin]

I’m going to dye the headstock to match the body

I like that idea, but I'd definitely practice/experiment on a piece of maple before touching the neck

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I would leave it plain, as there is nothing wrong with a one piece maple neck. I like the contrast as it is, and you may not get a reasonable match with the colour.

 

[jimhelmuth]

I’ll certainly consider it. I have no expectation it will “match” (and that is subjective anyway).
I have a fair amount of experience with it, so technique wouldn’t be an issue.
But dye colors are always different unless you use the same “batch”. But even then most woods (especially maple from different species) will almost always negate a “match”.
Something I considered when ordering, but decided against and I’d wait.
If I don’t do it now, I could always get after it another time. (and I have dyes already)

To get the best match, you have to use a test piece from the same lumber. Otherwise you have to go with multiple attempts and open up the grain as much as possible (water). Last dye has to be alcohol based. It is a lot of work for sure.

 

[stratamania]

I quite like the look of the plain headstock. To me, died headstocks with maple fretboards just don't quite do it. But of course it is your guitar.

The blue of the body does remind me a bit of the sea around the area of Clearwater, depending on the weather of course. Perhaps you could have a subtle dolphin logo on the headstock. I know you have a dolphin aquarium which I think moved from where it used to be to what was the old Stein Mart and I have good memories of standing on Pier 60 watching dolphins.

 

[jimhelmuth]

I can think of a lot of reasons to use a dolphin headstock logo - but if I do a logo on the headstock, it will be this...

 

[stratamania]

Is your logo an animal's face?