NOIZmaker
Newbie
- Messages
- 2
Hello all! This is my first post here, and it’s a pretty long one as I want to be as comprehensive as I can be in order to not have you all have to ask me for info that I can give in my original post… I’ll start by saying that I’ve been through all 40 pages in the ‘Tips & Tricks’ section for relevant reading and a few other threads besides, so I think I should hopefully only be posting with questions not asked already. If some of my questions have been answered elsewhere, then I have probably repeated the question here because I’m unsure if there are any components that cause this particular build to warrant a different answer due to incompatibility or something, if not, apologies.
It will be my first ever build, and I’ve been spending a fair bit of time designing (and researching) this guitar I want. Aesthetically, it’s inspired by the Guild S-300, Gibson Firebird, Rickenbacker 4001, Ibanez Iceman and a few other instruments, however, I aim for a pretty custom guitar that doesn’t really function much like those I mention. I’ll add that I mostly play heavy stuff – particularly doom, stoner, death, thrash and black metal, often combining those styles within a single song, and I use heavy strings dropped to C.
The neck will be Warmoth and I am yet to decide how to go about building the body. The purpose of this post is to ask in general for advice and if anyone sees any issues with it, for example, incompatibility of components, missed something out, etc… So, the specs as I think (in my ignorance) I would like them on the final build are below, and I’ve attached a rough mock-up picture (not to scale) that I have made of the front:
NECK:
Tiltback Strat (or Warhead) w/ reversed headstock (modified slightly)
24-3/4" scale, ‘Thin C’ profile, roasted maple shaft & ebony fretboard
10”-16” compound radius w/ 22 extra jumbo SS frets
Cream binding, black side dots & white pearloid block inlays
Either a light oil or light satin finish (clear)
Double-expanding truss rod w/ clear plastic truss cover
Either a stainless steel nut or perhaps the Zero Glide nut
BODY:
Mahogany core & maple top, w/ stained sunburst & satin or oil finish
PICKUPS:
Neck: Zombie Dust P90/rail hybrid (kinda like SD P-Rails)
Bridge: Zombie Dust Doomster (both being custom wound for me)
CONTROLS:
Seymour Duncan Triple Shot mounting ring (neck only)
Momentary killswitch built into scratchplate
2-way pickup selector (on/on)
Push/push neck (volume and treble cut)
Push/push bridge (volume and boost)
HARDWARE, ETC… :
Alpaca gearless tuners (similar to Steinbergers on Firebirds)
Hipshot Baby Grand bridge
Witches’ hat style knobs
Straplocks and locking input jack
And now a few specific questions…
1. Will Warmoth do a reverse tiltback Warhead for me?
2. I want where the strings contact at the nut to be made of the same material as the frets and saddles, has anyone had any experience with SS or Zero Glide nuts?
3. If rear-routing for most of the electronics, will it be an issue for me to mount a killswitch on the scratchplate?
4. I never use both pups together, anyone got any reason I shouldn’t use a 2-way selector on this build? Also, as you can see in the attached pic, I’ve not included it, as I don’t yet know where I want it.
5. I want both knobs to be push/push, now I know they wear more easily than push/pull but they are cheap parts that I don’t mind replacing every now and again for the ease of having push/push. Anyone got any reasons aside that I shouldn’t? Or that what I suggested above wouldn’t be ideal? Also, I’ve never experimented with pots (I heard it’s a gateway to harder electronics) so will be trying a few out on this when the time comes.
6. Anyone had any experience with the Alpacas or Steinbergers? I’d quite like the string pull to be straight also, will I encounter any problems here? Link to Alpaca tuners here: https://www.etsy.com/il-en/listing/464275278/steinberger-replacement-gearless-linear?ref=shop_home_feat_1
7. Is there any reason to NOT go with the bridge of choice? I understand that with the length of the bass strings being longer both behind the nut (due to reverse headstock) and the saddles that I will get extra ‘give’ for wide vibratos and bends, will it perhaps be too much?
8. How should I determine where to put the upper straplock?
Apologies if this is a bit much all at once, I hope to hear from some of you soon!
It will be my first ever build, and I’ve been spending a fair bit of time designing (and researching) this guitar I want. Aesthetically, it’s inspired by the Guild S-300, Gibson Firebird, Rickenbacker 4001, Ibanez Iceman and a few other instruments, however, I aim for a pretty custom guitar that doesn’t really function much like those I mention. I’ll add that I mostly play heavy stuff – particularly doom, stoner, death, thrash and black metal, often combining those styles within a single song, and I use heavy strings dropped to C.
The neck will be Warmoth and I am yet to decide how to go about building the body. The purpose of this post is to ask in general for advice and if anyone sees any issues with it, for example, incompatibility of components, missed something out, etc… So, the specs as I think (in my ignorance) I would like them on the final build are below, and I’ve attached a rough mock-up picture (not to scale) that I have made of the front:
NECK:
Tiltback Strat (or Warhead) w/ reversed headstock (modified slightly)
24-3/4" scale, ‘Thin C’ profile, roasted maple shaft & ebony fretboard
10”-16” compound radius w/ 22 extra jumbo SS frets
Cream binding, black side dots & white pearloid block inlays
Either a light oil or light satin finish (clear)
Double-expanding truss rod w/ clear plastic truss cover
Either a stainless steel nut or perhaps the Zero Glide nut
BODY:
Mahogany core & maple top, w/ stained sunburst & satin or oil finish
PICKUPS:
Neck: Zombie Dust P90/rail hybrid (kinda like SD P-Rails)
Bridge: Zombie Dust Doomster (both being custom wound for me)
CONTROLS:
Seymour Duncan Triple Shot mounting ring (neck only)
Momentary killswitch built into scratchplate
2-way pickup selector (on/on)
Push/push neck (volume and treble cut)
Push/push bridge (volume and boost)
HARDWARE, ETC… :
Alpaca gearless tuners (similar to Steinbergers on Firebirds)
Hipshot Baby Grand bridge
Witches’ hat style knobs
Straplocks and locking input jack
And now a few specific questions…
1. Will Warmoth do a reverse tiltback Warhead for me?
2. I want where the strings contact at the nut to be made of the same material as the frets and saddles, has anyone had any experience with SS or Zero Glide nuts?
3. If rear-routing for most of the electronics, will it be an issue for me to mount a killswitch on the scratchplate?
4. I never use both pups together, anyone got any reason I shouldn’t use a 2-way selector on this build? Also, as you can see in the attached pic, I’ve not included it, as I don’t yet know where I want it.
5. I want both knobs to be push/push, now I know they wear more easily than push/pull but they are cheap parts that I don’t mind replacing every now and again for the ease of having push/push. Anyone got any reasons aside that I shouldn’t? Or that what I suggested above wouldn’t be ideal? Also, I’ve never experimented with pots (I heard it’s a gateway to harder electronics) so will be trying a few out on this when the time comes.
6. Anyone had any experience with the Alpacas or Steinbergers? I’d quite like the string pull to be straight also, will I encounter any problems here? Link to Alpaca tuners here: https://www.etsy.com/il-en/listing/464275278/steinberger-replacement-gearless-linear?ref=shop_home_feat_1
7. Is there any reason to NOT go with the bridge of choice? I understand that with the length of the bass strings being longer both behind the nut (due to reverse headstock) and the saddles that I will get extra ‘give’ for wide vibratos and bends, will it perhaps be too much?
8. How should I determine where to put the upper straplock?
Apologies if this is a bit much all at once, I hope to hear from some of you soon!