Roasted Alder Koa Top Tele build....

[KOABUILD]

Got all the wiring done, spent a ton of time learning how to use and test the electronics with my multi meter, what a great way to make sure its all wired up correctly before soldering it all together. Cagey now I know why you said you hate using diagrams, when you can test it yourself, you know its right....now I get it. I checked all the connections at every point I could, DC resistance, continuity, at pots, switch, and at the jack; when I was done and assembled the guitar, I connected to the hot and ground at the jack, running the pickups through each position and using the push pulls to make sure that the DC resistance was correct for the split coils, and humbucker modes, just to make sure nothing happened when I put everything inside, no cold solder joints here. What a relief now that I know how to test all this ahead of time, peace of mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSMtHlUgJG0

It took some research for me to find out why the no. 2 position DC resistance  was only reading 5.18, which freaked me out because the bridge is 14.75 and the neck is 7.95 so I figured they would add together in the No. 2 position with both humbuckers together, but once I learned that it was correct due to multiplying and dividing by the number of pots or some sh*t which I cant remember now, but made perfect sense when I was watching it on Youtube and running my test, anyway Im at ease now; being that it all came together in the end, cant wait to buy the neck for this guitar.

Explained here: http://www.mylespaul.com/threads/how-to-measure-pickup-dc-resistance.288972/

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/swd-qa/when-measuring-the-dc-resistance-of-two-pickups-together-in-parallel-why-is-the-dc-reading-lower-than-measuring-one-pickup-by-itself

Saw this beauty, waiting on some scratch, Warmoth is so fun.....I can't even stop thinking about it, even when I'm sleeping; does that mean I'm sick ?  lol.... :laughing7:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Saw this beauty, waiting on some scratch, Warmoth is so fun.....I can't even stop thinking about it, even when I'm sleeping; does that mean I'm sick ?  lol.... :laughing7:

Nope, it just means that you are...

She’s looking great. Ain’t it fun how much you get to learn as you dive into this stuff?

 

[KOABUILD]

Decided to make some changes to the build plan, just ordered the Hipshot Ibby high mass hardtail bridge in black, I felt I needed to go big or go home on this guitar, you know how it is; throw in those custom features that make it feel special...I also ordered a set of 8/32 x 1.25" oval head phillips Stainless Steel machine screws and Stainless Steel threaded inserts to mount it with, I plan on drilling the two mounting holes into the top of the body, and placing the inserts to secure the bridge.

I used these inserts and machine screws on my last Warmoth build to secure the neck to the body, but I used 8/32 x 1.75" oval head phillips stainless steel machine screws for that, since using them these have become a staple for me on my builds as the coupling is unmatched, pure sustain, tight,tight,tight. Not to mention it dosnt strip the neck holes out over time, which I know isn't really an issue, but you know how obsessed with details builders can be.....

I need to fix problems that don't exist so I can know its as good as I can make it, and then slap my head and think why didnt I think of that ?,  when some guy does something totally unique and cool with his build that never occured to me ... :laughing7:

Which by the way I'm happy to say is quite often on this site, I am amazed at the unique and talented builds and builders on here, years ago it wasn't as documented but now, wow! so many cool guitars, so many great builders.

Heres whats on its way and the spec sheets I have been pouring over to plan the implementation phase, which will mean some changes to the current bridge mounting pattern, possibly enlarging the string thru holes from the top slightly. As I have the American Standard bridge route on the guitar now, which is why I didnt feel comfortable trying to mount one of Hipshot's other bridges, as I have done so in the past and with the route I have now, this High Mass bridge will be easier to place over the existing route and bolt down without the need to fill and tap the old mounting screw holes; errr ...well at least thats the plan anyhow...find out soon enough.

Plus it looks cool, and I don't see many guys using it.....stay tuned for any unexpected issues which of course I'm hoping don't occur.

I have a Seymour Duncan Trembucker TB-5 "Custom" ceramic magnet in the bridge so string/pole spacing shouldn't be an issue there, though I'm wondering about the Whole lotta humbucker in the neck as its traditional "Gibson" spaced...we'll see.....the difference is marginal but until its done I'm gonna sweat the small stuff.

A side note: The Hipshot Ibby high mass bridge string thru hole spacing matches Warmoth's ferrule string thru hole spacing center to center perfectly, which when I measured came to: 2.115- inches or: 53.721 mm; meaning the strings will run straight from ferrule to bridge saddle a minor detail that appeals to my obsessive side.

The threaded neck insert kit I ordered off EBAY can also be purchased on Amazon, however it comes with 1.75" or 1.50" Stainless steel machine screws as the kits put together primarily for neck to body coupling so upon further investigation I decided to order on the side 8/32 x 1.25" oval head phillips stainless steel machine screws for sinking the threaded insert into the body for mounting the bridge, this will still put the screw an inch into the body wood more than enough wood for maximum sustain and resonance, the 1.50" seemed a tad too long for my comfort.

Don't forget to wax the threads when driving the insert to avoid getting stuck half way ......

Tools for this job:
1. A new, sharp 1/4" Brad Point drill bit for a perfect center after tapping a dibit with a nail or awl into the wood for the pilot point to sit,

2. A drill bit guide for straight holes while using a hand drill as I don't own a drill press.

3.  and a depth stop to place on the 1/4" drill bit so I don't drill too far, when making the holes to place the inserts into the body for mounting the bridge, and to make sure every hole is at the same depth, and worse case scenario so I don't drill through the body or neck as I will be putting inserts into the guitar neck as well.

My next problem is: do I go with the Gotoh's I always use and just love, or take a chance and go with Hipshot open gear tuners which look pretty narly, both have an 18:1 gear ratio but the Hipshot have graduated height string post which are pretty nice for mechanical and asthetic reasons, but just to be fair, with some digging the Gotoh's can also be purchased in graduated height configurations.....hmmmm;  So many cool possibilities and so little time.....or money...lol ! 

 

[Cagey]

Good choice on the bridge. Excellent design. I really want to try one of those.

 

[KOABUILD]

Ebay is selling them for a mere $90 bucks, I was surprised.....

 

[Cagey]

That's how Hipshot supports its dealer network. They'll sell direct, but you'll pay MSRP. They'd rather you buy from their dealers, who are free to compete with each other on price.

 

[KOABUILD]

Im so glad I looked around then, because I couldn't find it on Amazon and was ready to buy direct from Hipshot, clocking in at $120 plus tax...

 

[BigSteve22]

I've used both sets of tuners you're considering, and I really like them both. Here's a couple of links to look at for purchasing:

http://www.sporthitech.com/

http://www.japarts.ca/Gotoh/Gotoh-Products-SG510.asp#modlOrderingInfo

Sporthitech can, and will gladly, get you anything Hipshot makes, and at a considerable discount from Hipshot's MSRP.

Japarts is the only factory authorized Gotoh dealer in North America. If it's in the Gotoh catalog, they will order it for you, and have it shipped directly to you. Because there are so many to choose from, and no dealer can possibly stock them all, many finish combinations are only available as factory orders.

I've used both dealers, and found both to be very friendly and helpful. Good luck.  :icon_thumright:

 

[KOABUILD]

Thank you BigSteve22, I always appreciate anyone willing to feed my guitar parts addiction, your like my favorite uncle who is still willing to borrow a guy $20 bucks for a drink when nobody else will...lol !    :laughing7:.......but seriously always glad to get the inside scoop on suppliers of distinction, and those are some great leads.  :icon_thumright:

 

[bagman67]

guitarpartsresource.com (new easier-to-navigate front-end at guitarpartsfactory.us) also consistently beat Hipshot factory-direct pricing, as well as a number of other online retailers.  They don't appear to ahve the new Ibby bridge in yet, but I've been quite satisfied with their pricing and promptness on other stuff I have ordered from them.


Also - that's a hell of a build you're working on.  Thanks for sharing.

 

[KOABUILD]

Thank you Bagman67, another fantastic parts dealer, between the three above mentioned and Allparts I think other than custom made pieces these 4 would definantly keep a guy pondering his choices.

 

[BigSteve22]

guitarpartsresource.com.........

I use them too, another great parts source!

 

[KOABUILD]

Received the Hipshot Ibby High Mass bridge today,an excellent bridge, though some very sharp edges; definantly going to get the sanding sponge and rounding treatment before it goes on, they include 3 mounting screws and not very long either, strange as far as I can tell there is only 2 mounting screw holes, guess they don't want you to worry about losing one...lol 
I'm waiting on the Stainless Steel inserts and the 1.25" Stainless Steel Oval head 8/32 machine screws I ordered to prepare it for mounting to the body.

Waiting on the Neck arrival for that, as I can't mount this to the guitar body properly until I have the guitar neck bolted on so I can line the strings up from the bridge saddle over the pickups and down the length of the neck before marking for the mounting holes to be drilled and tapped.

Thought I would show the bridge as it arrived, which to me would not be very comfortable as is; being that the edges are very sharp and pointy, an easy fix however. All in all its an excellent heavy brass bridge with some serious weight, feels like a nice heavy set of Brass Knuckles in the hand, can't wait to jam some Heavy Metal on it.

 

[Cagey]

Gotta hand it to Hipshot - that's a really nice bridge!

 

[KOABUILD]

Yep, very nice design, looking forward to getting it all smoothed out and set up.

 

[rgand]

That's a nice looking bridge. It looks to have 6 mounting holes in it.

 

[Cagey]

No, only the two outside holes are for mounting. What appear to be additional mounting holes are alternative string-thru holes to accommodate strings with intonation requirements that would put the forward holes too close the saddle breakover points, creating a very steep angle. Also, it's supposed to be a retrofit for an Ibanez guitar, so perhaps they drill their string-thru holes in a wide "V" pattern. I suspect there will be a lot more of these installed on non-Ibanez guitars than as retrofits, simply because it's such an attractive, practical and comfortable design.

Here's a brief review of the thing, if you're interested.

 

[KOABUILD]

Yeah what made this bridge especially attractive for me besides its obvious asthetic and functional qualities, is that I had originally ordered my Tele Body with the Fender American Standard bridge route.....the original Hipshot hardtail which I have used on 2 previous guitar builds is too close a match to the Fender standard mounting holes; but Not close enough; meaning it would have been a real pain, drilling and plugging the mounting holes with wood so New mounting holes could be drilled to fit the original Hipshot hardtail bridge specs.

The beauty of this Hipshot Ibby model is that it mounts to the body using the 2 holes on the outside of the bridge eliminating any grief involving the guitar bodies previous bridge route, and the string thru holes match the Warmoth Ferrule holes center for center, meaning at most I may have to enlarge the string through holes a tad from the top of the body but thats it.

As you can see in the pics; Hipshots original 3 mounting screw holes are too close to the Fenders Mounting hole pattern, but not close enough to be a retro fit. But the High Mass model mounts on the outside, a perfect solution for that issue.

The Base Plate the saddles sit on is roughly .157" inches or 4mm thick, so the Base Plate rest right between Hipshots original 2 hardtail bridge Base Plate versions: 1.25" and 1.75" inch thick models almost exactly in case anyone is wondering.

I didnt move the bridge, but had to move over the Ferrule holes with the camera, from one side of the bridge to the next (left to right): to show the center for center status of the bridge to string ferrule hole line up.

I didnt move the bridge, but had to move over the Ferrule holes with the camera, from one side of the bridge to the next (left to right): to show the center for center status of the bridge to string ferrule hole line up.

As you can see in the pics the Hipshot Ibby hardtail string through holes line up damn near perfectly from center to center of the Warmoth Ferrule holes, making this a good bridge match to Warmoths existing string through hole route. 

 

[KOABUILD]

In the interest of full disclosure here are the saddles supplied with the Hipshot Ibby HM hardtail bridge, not really to my liking being that they sacrificed metal where I feel its pretty important to keep it, and especially being its High Mass distinction.

Im sure it has alot to do with the original down tuned 7 string demands for a versatile bridge setup as when you down tune theres a tendency to have to back up the saddles, in particular on the Bass side further toward the back of the bridge, I know because even tuning down to "D" I have run into this issue with the original Hipshot Hardtail bridge, even having to sand the rounded portion of those saddles a bit flatter on the low "E" or "D" in my case to compensate for the travel needed to intonate.

Being that this is a 6 string version I feel the need to locate some of Hipshots original hardtail saddles to replace these, only problem is these are offset like Fenders American Standard hardtail saddles. (which makes me  think Fender or Graphtech offset saddles would be a great replacement part to try).

Just to be fair this Ibby High Mass model is geared toward versatility in the setup department, so Im sure the saddle design is intentional; to aid in keeping the saddle itself out of the way of the strings in case you need to pull it way way back.
This is why the bridge also has multiple string thru holes in the base plate at the lowest two saddle/string positions, its on both sides because this bridge is made for both right and left handed guitars, hence it looks like extra mounting holes or a "V" configuration, but its really theoretically so anyone can use it and achieve the same "low tuned" perfect intonation results if thats your goal, of course feel free to experiment as you see fit.

I can definantly see the "Down Tuned" guys calling Warmoth and asking to have the string through and ferrule holes customized to match the bridge in a custom "Low Tuned" guitar build.

Im about to bust out the needle files and sanding sponges and wreck the good looks of this bridge, in my quest for supreme comfort by sanding and filing  the sharp and pointy edges to round them, and removing most if not all of the finish in the process so here are the saddles as received.

For the record this is still an excellent bridge design; Im just picky and eccentric, I can say that because Im old.  lol  :laughing7:

Fender or Graphtech offset saddles look like a great replacement part to try. I measured the width of the Hipshot saddles individually and they came to .409" or 10.38 mm making these Fender and Graphtech saddles perfect replacements.

Heres an article on some of the issues and details one of the seven string guys mentions using the Hipshot Ibby as a direct retro fit for their Ibanez guitars and talks about those intonation issues that make the saddles Hipshot uses relevant to the goal- specifically for the "down tuned".

http://yustech.blogspot.com/2017/01/hipshot-vs-gibraltar-standard-ii-yesno.html

As you'll note when down tuning it is often necessary to pull the Bass strings way back to achieve intonation as this guy above has compensated for by using shorter bass side saddles adjustment screws and longer treble side adjustment screws to get him there, of course this is pretty extreme, in most cases 6 string users will never face this issue while using this bridge and using standard or a tad lower tunings.

 

[Cagey]

Im about to bust out the needle files and sanding sponges and wreck the good looks of this bridge in my quest for supreme comfort by sanding and filing the sharp and pointy edges and removing most if not all of the finish in the process...

Whaddaya gonna do? Sometimes you gotta teach hardware a lesson. That's why we invented tools.

I got tools to work on tools.​