Next Up....Flamed Black Korina Hardtail strat

red king

Junior Member
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139
OK Guys..

Here's the next project...

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd256/redking99/IMG_2496.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd256/redking99/IMG_2497.jpg


What do you guys think I should do with this baby? 

I've already got a chrome Hipshot hardtail bridge that's made of solid brass, so she'll have tons of sustain.
As far as the guts go, I'm thinking Seymour Duncan chrome covered Jazz pickup in the neck and a chrome covered '59 or Pealy Gates pickup in the bridge.  As far as the controls go, I'm thinking two concentric 500k pots so I can have separate tone and volume controls for each pickup and a 3 way toggle.
Regarding the neck, I'm thinking CBS headstock and maybe Canary or Padouk with Ebony fretboard.

My questions are:
Has anyone done coil splitting with these types of pickups?
Direct mount vs. pickup rings (I'm thinking chrome)?  (opinions on looks and sound?)
Finish?  Light tobacco burst looks cool as evidenced by Greg's strat.  What about a very diluted dye just to add a touch of color and high gloss finish?  Or, what about a satin finish on this type of wood (will the flame be less noticeable)?

thanks!

RK
 
Finish - Look at some of the other Korina bodies on the site, hard to beat putting a light coat of natural to amberish stain/tint to bring out the flames and then Tru-oil or Tung Oil for a topcoat

Coil splitting - I think the full size '59 doesn't come in a 4 conductor flavor to coil tap? The Pearly Gates tap OK, never tried a Jazz, that might sound a little thin tapped? How/where are you going to put the tapping switch(es)?

Don't ask me about the rings; just ordered both a chrome and a cream set for my next build, can't make up my mind until I see them on the guitar, but from the last build in which I did the same thing, metal rings that match the color of the pickup (in this case gold/gold) just didn't look right to me aesthetically.
 
I am not usually a humbucker kinda guy, but my most recent build was seymour duncan jazz and JB, both tappable. The jazz sounds absolutely fantastic full humbucking AND split. Don't worry about that, my friend. It's clean, clear, and warm.

Most people I've spoken to don't think that direct-mounting pickups really affects tone much. So do what you think looks best.

I support a light tobacco burst (but the warmoth tobacco burst is one of my favorite finishes that they do. It always seems to look great.
 
Here's what trans red looks like (from the Warmoth website)

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd256/redking99/transred-blackkorina.jpg

My guitar has a similar light - colored "stripe"  running through it.  What would happen if Masked off the "stripe" and gave it a little brown dye to make the body a little more even, and then went Trans red over top?  Would the brown and red dyes mix and run if I did that?  Maybe I'd have to seal up the brown with a light coat of shellac first?

RK
 
red king said:
OK Guys..

Here's the next project...


My questions are:
Has anyone done coil splitting with these types of pickups?
Direct mount vs. pickup rings (I'm thinking chrome)?  (opinions on looks and sound?)
Finish?  Light tobacco burst looks cool as evidenced by Greg's strat.  What about a very diluted dye just to add a touch of color and high gloss finish?  Or, what about a satin finish on this type of wood (will the flame be less noticeable)?

thanks!

RK

Hi. Very nice korina body.... my advice : try first a a transparent  finish either high gloss or oiled. the color change bteween raw korina and varnished is amazing. Have you try to wet the body with some water to get an idea ?
Regarding the PU mount, the problem with the HB direct mounted is that you might have to glue 2 pieces of wood where the screws are because the hole is more designed for a PU ring. direct.
All black hardware is fine on korina but as you already have a chrome hardtail, the choice is obvious...
Luc B
 
a Macassar Ebony board might look kick ass with that Korina if you want oodles of brightness; for looks, I'd only use macassar with a natural clear gloss finish on that korina...if you go with an amber tint, I'd stick with gabon ebony (pure black), I also tend to think all black hardware wood look best, but some folks really love that shiny chrome.  kick ass flaming on that body, congrats on that snag. 
 
"What should I do with this baby?"

First of all, make sure no one is looking, and then make sweet, sweet love to it.  Damn, that's a fine piece of wood.  That figuring is incredible.  Anyway...  I've never tried the SD Jazz pickup, but I have a Pearly Gates tapped in my Strat.  First I used a 300k pot for the Pearly Gates and got some incredible Pink Floyd tones, but I wanted it to have more power, so I swiched to a 500k push/pull and wired it for coil split.  I tried out both the north and south  coils, but didn't really like the sound of either.  I really dig the parallel wiring though.  When the coils are put in parallel, there's not a significant loss in power, and it sounds very single coil-like, but without the hum.  Somewhat percussive too.
I also use the Hipshot hardtail bridge, and I love it.
I'd really love to try out a canary neck, but I've never played one before.  I can suggest wenge, though.  That wood is amazing.  Go with a black ebony fretboard if you get a wenge neck.
I'd definitely go with a high gloss finish on that body, too.  I like the tangible qualities of a matte finish though too.

Good luck
 
"My guitar has a similar light - colored "stripe"  running through it....."

That's part of the beauty of Korina; don't try to dye that out, let it show through whichever transparent finish you wind up going with
 
Check my post TeeJay hybrid in the misc. gallery. You will recognise the grain pattern I'm sure.
 
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