Overachieving VIP Hollowbody

[Shaun M]

I’m working on a guitar build I’m saving up for. It’s my first time building a guitar and was wondering what the community thought. I feel like I might be attempting too much to fit into one guitar. If yall have any comments or advice on the guitar please tell me. I also hopes there’s enough space inside for all the weird electronics I want to put in. Here’s the specs and a mock picture I made in Google slides:

P.S: I also have no idea what jack route to use so any advice would be greatly appreciated!



Hot P-Rails custom:



Hot P-Rails Trembucker Set

standard spaced neck

Trembucker spaced bridge



Alnico 8 magnet

CHOOSE COLOR: BLACK, CREAM OR WHITE

4 conductor lead wire

nickel screws

Wax potted

22.5k - 24k DCR High Output Trembucker

Calibrate neck position to match.

Please build with P90 coils as inner coils.

Middle: Hot Rails Bridge

Mounting Rings: Flat Triple Shot on P-Rails

L.R Baggs T-Bridge Piezo Pickup

Humbucker Covers

Hot rails cover

Bigsby B7 and Vibramate V7

1 Meg no load pots (tone) (2x):

1 Meg pots(Volume)(Blend)

On Off toggle switch (4x):

Warmoth VIP guitar body:

Details:

Construction

Carved Top - Hollow

Core Wood

Walnut (1-piece)

Lam Top Wood

5A Quilt Maple (unique choice I think)

Right / Left Handed

Right-Handed

Control Cavity

Rear Rout (Standard)

Neck Pickup Rout

Humbucker

24 Fret Reposition

Yes

Middle Pickup Rout

Strat®

Bridge Pickup Rout

Humbucker

F-Holes

2 F-Holes

Control Layout

No Controls

Jack Rout

7/8" (22mm) Side Jack Hole

Bridge Rout Type

Hardtail

Bridge Rout

TOM/STP (Angled Pocket)

Would you like Warmoth to install the bridge studs?

Yes, and I will mail them to Warmoth.

Mounting Holes

Standard 4-Bolt

Neck Pocket Shape

Strat®

Body Contours

Tummy Cut, Contoured Heel

Binding and Edge Decorations

Black Binding (Carved Top)

Battery Box

Single Battery Box

Paint Category

Dye

Top Color

Black Cherry Burst Dye

Back Color

Black (Burst-over) (Going to see if I can get a clear back)

Satin or Gloss

Gloss



Warmoth Guitar Neck:

Details:

Construction

Modern Tiltback

Shaft Wood

Wenge

Fretboard Wood

Ebony (Black)

Nut Width

1-11/16" (43mm) - Modern Medium

Right / Left Handed

Right-Handed

Neck Back Profile

D

Fretboard Radius

9.5" - 14" Compound

Number of Frets

24 Fret Extension

Fret Size & Material

SS6150 - Wide & Tall (Stainless)

Tuner Hole Size

Schaller/Modern Fender/Sperzel (25/64")

Inlay Shape

Blocks

Inlay Material

White Pearloid

Side Dots

Mother Of Pearl Side Dots

String Nut

Standard Nut - GraphTech White TUSQ XL

Mounting Holes

Standard 4-Bolt

Neck Heel Shape

Strat® Shape

P.S, knobs are master volume for magnetic pickups, blend for magnetic pickups, and tone for neck and tone for bridge and middle. And a piezo mini knob volume.

 

[rockandroller]

Excellent choices all around, in my books

 

[stratamania]

Your choice of 7/8" for the side jack is a good one to make.

On the Trembucker I am not sure that you need it. The diagram has a TOM style bridge which would have narrower spacing.

You mention also using a Bigsby B7 but that is for Archtop guitars which use a different constuction method to a VIP Hollowbody. A VIP hollowbody does not have an arched top so this spec does not appear to me to be compatible.

The VIP is flat on the plane where the bridge and pickups fit.

Also at the moment, this build is in planning and not in progress so is not in the correct sub forum.

 

[supertruper1988]

Looking at the specs, you may need a B3 and a towner bar. I am not sure the B7 will fit on a VIP.

You dont need the trembucker P rails with a gibson style bridge.

I would start with 500k pots instead of 1meg pots and only go to 1 meg if you feel you need even more brightness. I have p-rails with 500k pots and feel they are a little brighter than other humbuckers so going to 1meg could be ear drum piercing.

For the piezo setup, I have found that the ability to have the magnetic and piezo sounds on completely different signal paths is a huge benefit so you may consider a stereo jack or even a second jack to accommodate that functionality.

 

[Shaun M]

Your choice of 7/8" for the side jack is a good one to make.

On the Trembucker I am not sure that you need it. The diagram has a TOM style bridge which would have narrower spacing.

You mention also using a Bigsby B7 but that is for Archtop guitars which use a different constuction method to a VIP Hollowbody. A VIP hollowbody does not have an arched top so this spec does not appear to me to be compatible.

The VIP is flat on the plane where the bridge and pickups fit.

Also at the moment, this build is in planning and not in progress so is not in the correct sub forum.

Looking at the specs, you may need a B3 and a towner bar. I am not sure the B7 will fit on a VIP.

You dont need the trembucker P rails with a gibson style bridge.

I would start with 500k pots instead of 1meg pots and only go to 1 meg if you feel you need even more brightness. I have p-rails with 500k pots and feel they are a little brighter than other humbuckers so going to 1meg could be ear drum piercing.

For the piezo setup, I have found that the ability to have the magnetic and piezo sounds on completely different signal paths is a huge benefit so you may consider a stereo jack or even a second jack to accommodate that functionality.

The only thing is that I’m most likely getting hot p rails in both the bridge and the neck so I thought 1 meg would fit there. I’m also trying to make this the most versatile guitar possible so I was hopping with the p90s it would sound like a jazz master somewhat. Also speaking in versitility I might put a ghost piezo system in there so I can get acoustic and midi sounds. Do you guys think midi is worth putting in to the guitar? How would an output for all 3 types of pickups even work? And thanks for the help.

Also would a towner bar interfere with the string movement or would it be fine? It’s my first bigsby so I have no clue. Also is there any one that would fit that looks more like the B7? I really love the look of that one and I think it would fit but i don’t know for sure. Warmth doesn’t post the dimensions online (from what I can find) so I don’t know what fits.

 

[stratamania]

The hot P-Rails would use 500K the same as the normal P-Rails.

If you do not know why you would be putting things into a guitar, then you probably don't need it or need to do more research.

 

[Shaun M]

The hot P-Rails would use 500K the same as the normal P-Rails.

If you do not know why you would be putting things into a guitar, then you probably don't need it or need to do more research.

Well I was assuming sense the p rails have p90’s I could use 1 meg pots to get a jazzmaster type sound. And I could just roll it off if it’s too bright on the other pickups

 

[Rick]

I'm intrigued by this, particularly in regard to the Bigsby. Will be following .... I'm in the same stage as you (planning) but for a jazzmaster with a bigsby, though I'll be using the B5. The jazzmaster is flat so there aren't the same issue that might pop up as in something with a neck that tilts back.

As to the pots I always start with what the manufacturer recommends and then change later. I have a guitar with P90's in a humbucker form factor and it's nice, and it would cover Jazz nicely if I ever played any. I'm more or less in the Americana vein.

 

[ragamuffin]

Sounds like a fun build!

I'm not sure that I'd recommend getting your p-rails overwound/hotter like that: sounds like a recipe for mud, at least in the series humbucker mode

I had a set of stock p-rails in my first Warmoth build. The p90 coil tone was pretty stinkin' good and so was the sound of the the two coils in parallel. The series humbucker mode I found to be kind of muddy but passable, and the rail only mode I found to be pretty wimpy.

Using 1meg pots could potentially help by letting more treble through though maybe? Idk

Also you mention Jazzmaster tones but Jazzmaster pickups aren't really p90s, they're more like wider flatter strat pickups

 

[Shaun M]

Sounds like a fun build!

I'm not sure that I'd recommend getting your p-rails overwound/hotter like that: sounds like a recipe for mud, at least in the series humbucker mode

I had a set of stock p-rails in my first Warmoth build. The p90 coil tone was pretty stinkin' good and so was the sound of the the two coils in parallel. The series humbucker mode I found to be kind of muddy but passable, and the rail only mode I found to be pretty wimpy.

Using 1meg pots could potentially help by letting more treble through though maybe? Idk

Also you mention Jazzmaster tones but Jazzmaster pickups aren't really p90s, they're more like wider flatter strat pickups

So you would say just go with a set of regular p rail pickups? With 1 meg pots? Would you consider putting a hot p rail in the bridge or not even that?

 

[Shaun M]

I'm intrigued by this, particularly in regard to the Bigsby. Will be following .... I'm in the same stage as you (planning) but for a jazzmaster with a bigsby, though I'll be using the B5. The jazzmaster is flat so there aren't the same issue that might pop up as in something with a neck that tilts back.

As to the pots I always start with what the manufacturer recommends and then change later. I have a guitar with P90's in a humbucker form factor and it's nice, and it would cover Jazz nicely if I ever played any. I'm more or less in the Americana vein.

What issues would come up with a tilt back neck?

 

[PFDarkside]

IMO, you are close but it’s a little too much. Here are my suggestions, of course feel free to fully dismiss them!

1. Remove the middle hot rails unless you’ve built a Strat with P-Rails/Hot Rails/P-Rails and know it’s what you want. (Dual standard P-Rails is quite good, and the inner rails will get nice quack. The hot rails in the middle get visually cluttered). I know you are shooting to get Strat 2/4 sounds but I think the one setting of split rails might be enough.

2. Consider going with standard 22 frets, reaching the 24th on a 24 fret overhang is tough.

3. Consider neck binding to match the body. With 22 fret you can get binding and it really ties the look together.

4. Consider a headstock overlay that is dyed to match the body. Wenge by itself is nice, but the matching headstock really sets it off, IMO.

I’ll also tag on to say that the P90s are not Jazzmasters, they are throaty and raw, not clean and sparkly. Finally my preference would be either a real tremolo or a stop bar, but defer to the other’s recommendations for which Bigsby to choose.

Good luck, it sounds fun!

 

[Shaun M]

IMO, you are close but it’s a little too much. Here are my suggestions, of course feel free to fully dismiss them!

1. Remove the middle hot rails unless you’ve built a Strat with P-Rails/Hot Rails/P-Rails and know it’s what you want. (Dual standard P-Rails is quite good, and the inner rails will get nice quack. The hot rails in the middle get visually cluttered). I know you are shooting to get Strat 2/4 sounds but I think the one setting of split rails might be enough.

2. Consider going with standard 22 frets, reaching the 24th on a 24 fret overhang is tough.

3. Consider neck binding to match the body. With 22 fret you can get binding and it really ties the look together.

4. Consider a headstock overlay that is dyed to match the body. Wenge by itself is nice, but the matching headstock really sets it off, IMO.

I’ll also tag on to say that the P90s are not Jazzmasters, they are throaty and raw, not clean and sparkly. Finally my preference would be either a real tremolo or a stop bar, but defer to the other’s recommendations for which Bigsby to choose.

Good luck, it sounds fun!

I was planning on getting my guy who does guitar work to actually make the guitar so the wiring doesn’t concern me too much unless I decide I want to give it a shot. I’m trying to make the guitar extremely versatile so that’s why I was thinking of putting the middle pickup in. I was trying to get Strat tones so that’s why I was going to put the rails on the outside. So what do you think?

Also you’re saying warning can dye headstocks??? I would love to do that. Maybe a matching flame maple neck dyed with the same color as the guitar.

Also I was thinking if using a Wilkinson VS100 in but having that hole for the bridge is a little scary because what if I don’t like it? That’s why I was going to use a bigsby because if I don’t like it I’ll just put in a normal TOM bridge there.

 

[PFDarkside]

I was planning on getting my guy who does guitar work to actually make the guitar so the wiring doesn’t concern me too much unless I decide I want to give it a shot. I’m trying to make the guitar extremely versatile so that’s why I was thinking of putting the middle pickup in. I was trying to get Strat tones so that’s why I was going to put the rails on the outside. So what do you think?

Also you’re saying warning can dye headstocks??? I would love to do that. Maybe a matching flame maple neck dyed with the same color as the guitar.

Also I was thinking if using a Wilkinson VS100 in but having that hole for the bridge is a little scary because what if I don’t like it? That’s why I was going to use a bigsby because if I don’t like it I’ll just put in a normal TOM bridge there.

For number 1, I’d want to have tried it out before dishing out $$$ on an expensive body. I don’t think it’s ever going to sound like a Strat, but I do think that just the P-Rails split do a nice clean and bright funky tone.

2, yes they can, and it looks awesome! However you need to have a finish on the rest of the neck so if unfinished Wenge is the goal, maybe it’s not a good idea on second thought.

3. That makes sense.

 

[Shaun M]

For number 1, I’d want to have tried it out before dishing out $$$ on an expensive body. I don’t think it’s ever going to sound like a Strat, but I do think that just the P-Rails split do a nice clean and bright funky tone.

2, yes they can, and it looks awesome! However you need to have a finish on the rest of the neck so if unfinished Wenge is the goal, maybe it’s not a good idea on second thought.

3. That makes sense.

Unfinished wedge wasn’t the goal I just needed something that matched the body and I didn’t like how anything was really looking. I’d probably go satin finish on it.

I only have one other “nice” guitar (Gibson Les Paul studio session) I got about a year ago which I love but it was from guitar center so the neck is all messed up. My tech fixed it up pretty good and I love it but I just want something of my own. I wanted to get a Strat but I don’t really like anything fender has put out recently. I also have been wanting to get a hollow body so that’s why I made this. So the middle pickup is trying to accomplish all that. I’d probably use a regular hot rails middle pickup with some regular p rails with the p-90’s inverted. The Seymour Duncan rep I’m talking hasn’t brought up any flags about having the two combined so I think it’ll be okay but I’m open to hearing what you think.

 

[Rick]

What issues would come up with a tilt back neck?

Well not really an issue, more like planning.

With a B5, which goes on a flat top, like a tele, strat, jazzmaster etc, generally doesn't need shimming or a neck with an angle. It seems to be simple.

With a neck pocket at an angle your Bigsby bridge will need to be higher so the break angle on the bridge will work. I've not researched the issue on a VIP, but I've seen Bigsby's on Les Pauls. As near as I can tell it should work, and it's good you're planning it out. I wondering if anyone here has put a bigsby on a VIP.

 

[Shaun M]

What issues would come up with a tilt back neck?

Well not really an issue, more like planning.

With a B5, which goes on a flat top, like a tele, strat, jazzmaster etc, generally doesn't need shimming or a neck with an angle.

With a neck pocket at an angle your Bigsby bridge will need to be higher so the break angle on the bridge will work. I've not researched the issue on a VIP, but I've seen Bigsby's on Les Pauls. As near as I can tell it should work, you just need more planning.

This might be just inexperience but I’m confused on what the issue would be. Should I just switch to a warhead neck instead?

 

[Rick]

You got me out of my depth on this, but if you look at the specs on the VIP, the neck pocket tilts back so it can accomodate the bridge, generally a TOM or wraparound. It's not the neck per se, it's how the bridge works and how the string go over the fretboard. Like I said, if the Bigsby works on a Les Paul, in theory it should work on a VIP. As a point of order, generally, a fender guitar is flat (both neck pocket and bridge) while something from the Gibson family is designed to have neck pocket that tilts a little. A warhead neck doesn't make a difference, it's the neck pocket.

 

[Shaun M]

S

You got me out of my depth on this, but if you look at the specs on the VIP, the neck pocket tilts back so it can accomodate the bridge, generally a TOM or wraparound. It's not the neck per se, it's how the bridge works and how the string go over the fretboard. Like I said, if the Bigsby works on a Les Paul, in theory it should work on a VIP. As a point of order, generally, a fender guitar is flat (both neck pocket and bridge) while something from the Gibson family is designed to have neck pocket that tilts a little. A warhead neck doesn't make a difference, it's the neck pocket.

So everything should be fine? Like I play a Les Paul so I won’t notice a change really I think.

 

[supertruper1988]

Reading through this, I think you have a cool idea but none of the details are quite correct.

Jazzmaster pickups are wildly different from P90s like kale vs ice cream. 1Meg pots will not change that.

24 frets will wildly change the sound of the neck pickup because the position of the pickup matters a lot for the tone.

Piezos are good enough as an acoustic sound and can get better with IRs but arent 100% right. So great in a pinch live but not perfect.

The middle rail pickup wont sound like a strat as much as you would want it to.

The bigsby has its own issues so do some research about what you are getting into with that. The Towner bar is great but the Bigsby already has issues it wont fix. Also you can get a bigsby and expect to be Van Halen. Its for subtle vibrato only.

I have never seen a need to put midi on a guitar. Thats what keyboards are for.