Short Horn 2TEK Graffiti Yellow Custom Build
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Cagey said:
:icon_scratch: So I'm the guinea pig, then.
Or something like, one of those Crash Test Dummies they strap into those car tests. :laughing7:
Well for starters …
Playing it unplugged (boring I know) sounds lots louder / clearer than any other guitar / bridge I have. (Acoustic not included)
I'm presuming it provides a brighter sound due to the large chunk of brass replacing the wood lost in the rout. :dontknow:
Probably why you see them more used on Tele's and Basses.
If I build a Bass one day, YES I surely will get one on that !! :toothy10:
For those that say …. what about all that wood removed for the bridge rout.
The 2-Tek bridge rout is a LOT smaller than ANY Tremolo rout I've seen, especially a recessed floyd.
I'm no expert, But ….
The real difference I notice and hear compared to anything else I own, is the separation between notes.
I've seen such words used as, clean and punchy ….. Yep, can concur with that.
Arpeggios sound crystal clear, the chords sound great and ring out nicely, and with a good level of sustain too.
BUT …. my Tele (Exotic Custom) has some amazing sustain to it, plus other guitars I have …… Go figure.
I'm well aware, that just a bridge isn't the only thing that you can base sustain around.
But think this bridge has something to do with it here.
Was kind-of expecting the SD Invaders to be deep / thick sounding, but think the Brass 2-Tek might have brightened them up some what. :dontknow:
Plus this does have a Maple / Ebony neck.
I don't have a guitar with the same pickups in, so can't do a real good comparison test that way.
Haven't done as yet, as I've been real busy lately.
But ...
For personal interest and for future builds with GK-3 installs using a 2-Tek …
I am really interested in testing this, by just mounting a GK-3 mountable unit on this guitar. (NO screws involved)
That way I will get a much better idea of whats actually happening though the VG-99.
ie: what individual strings are doing, via input meters for each string in that unit and my DAW.
Play / record some midi tracks (6) for each string, and see if any unwanted notes / sounds / crosstalk etc, happens in the recording of.
Then compare to my other GK-3's in that regard.
Think this is where it will shine though over the others.
Will report on that finding when I get that done. :icon_thumright:
Yes …. I would get another 2-Tek bridge. Just wish they where a bit cheaper thou.
Now ... some will like it and some won't, just like iMac's or Windows, Ford or Holden, Fender or Gibson, Oranges or Apples,
Hard Tail or Temolo, Strawberry or Chocolate, Floyd or Cheese Cake :icon_scratch: Floyd or Cheese Cake :laughing7: ..... ya get my drift.
day_2k said:
Thanks :icon_thumright:
When others see it in the flesh they go ... WOW
Jumble has a strat in the Graffiti Yellow with black, looks great too. :headbang:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=19845.0
I reckon this colour would look great with black too .... Neon Chartreuse Finish
Attachments
No, not yet Greg :laughing7:
When I get the guts to post a pic of my stuff up on it that I did.
Chipped the toggle hole that I had to drill for it, since I forgot to get that done when ordered :doh: .... Idiot I am.
OK OK OK ... shall post the dreaded pic's for it soon.
Besides that, it looks OK
When I get the guts to post a pic of my stuff up on it that I did.
Chipped the toggle hole that I had to drill for it, since I forgot to get that done when ordered :doh: .... Idiot I am.
OK OK OK ... shall post the dreaded pic's for it soon.
Besides that, it looks OK
Great Ape
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No sweat--what's a toggle chip or two between friends? And, ya ain't alone in the :doh:sweepstakes, either; On my latest project ('Prairie Princess') I neglected to specify ANY control routes! My solution is gonna be to install a master volume & a center-detente p-up blend knob, since I'm not about to attempt a strat-type blade-switch route myself... :icon_biggrin:
Anyway, I have NO doubts that tiger-eye of yours will be your usual world-class beauty...
Anyway, I have NO doubts that tiger-eye of yours will be your usual world-class beauty...
Cagey
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Great Ape said:
I did the same thing when I ordered my carved-top Soloist earlier this year. It's 95% assembled now, but still waiting on me to get up the nerve to cut a blade switch slot. I'm not worried about my ability to do it, but the thing's got a gorgeous Warmoth white pearl finish and I just know I'm gonna chip the damn thing.
Jumble Jumble
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How are you planning to do it?
Cagey
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I don't have a real solid plan, or it'd probably be done.
What I'm thinking of doing is dismantling a blade switch to get a "template" out of the deal, so I can mark the mounting holes inside the control cavity and drill two very small pilot holes for the mounting screws. That'll give me location information so I can finish drilling those out to the proper size from the finish side. I'll use a Festool countersink...
...to clear the finish first before drilling the holes, which should keep the twist drill from chipping things when I drill the hole proper.
Then, once I have the holes done I'll know where the slot needs to go so I'm thinking I can use a stainless steel fret mask...
...taped on with high-tack tape as a guide for my router base-equipped Dremel motor with a .125" mortise bit to cut the slot. I'll score the outline of the slot with an exacto blade or something to encourage chips to stop at the line while routing. Once that's done, I'll use the finishing side of a diamond fingernail file to soften the edges of the slot so there's nothing to catch and chip later on during use.
It should work, but there's no easy way to test it. Plus, the top is carved, so the router isn't going to have perpendicular face to ride on.
What I'm thinking of doing is dismantling a blade switch to get a "template" out of the deal, so I can mark the mounting holes inside the control cavity and drill two very small pilot holes for the mounting screws. That'll give me location information so I can finish drilling those out to the proper size from the finish side. I'll use a Festool countersink...
...to clear the finish first before drilling the holes, which should keep the twist drill from chipping things when I drill the hole proper.
Then, once I have the holes done I'll know where the slot needs to go so I'm thinking I can use a stainless steel fret mask...
...taped on with high-tack tape as a guide for my router base-equipped Dremel motor with a .125" mortise bit to cut the slot. I'll score the outline of the slot with an exacto blade or something to encourage chips to stop at the line while routing. Once that's done, I'll use the finishing side of a diamond fingernail file to soften the edges of the slot so there's nothing to catch and chip later on during use.
It should work, but there's no easy way to test it. Plus, the top is carved, so the router isn't going to have perpendicular face to ride on.
Jumble Jumble
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Cool, sounds pretty good. I look forward to seeing how it goes!
S
swarfrat
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2tek really blew it when they made this bridge a brand new route. It's already a steep uphill to get peopke to try new stuff. Carving big gaping holes only makes it harder.
If I ever get the bug to try this, it will be a block that fits in a standard trem route. Why that thought didnt occur to anyone utterly baffles me. Maybe when I get my mill someday.
I could use the spring area to hold my graphtech stuff so i can tweak without removing the pickguard, which requires removing the neck.
Come to think of it, I wish conversion necks were available with a 23 fret option. One more fret is never worth forcing a neck removal just to remove the pickguard.
If I ever get the bug to try this, it will be a block that fits in a standard trem route. Why that thought didnt occur to anyone utterly baffles me. Maybe when I get my mill someday.
I could use the spring area to hold my graphtech stuff so i can tweak without removing the pickguard, which requires removing the neck.
Come to think of it, I wish conversion necks were available with a 23 fret option. One more fret is never worth forcing a neck removal just to remove the pickguard.
Jumble Jumble
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I've got a 22-fret neck on a SSS routed strat, and I can't get the pickguard off without removing the neck. If I'd known, I would have got HSH or swimming pool!
Cagey, those fret guards are way too flexy to trust that placing a conical weight on them ISN'T going to spread them out to varying degrees. I would have little-to-no trepidation with this, provided that I had a whole HOUR to do it. Or longer, if that's what takes. Yes,
:hello2:
all the way, top to bottom. You need lines first, an "ULTRA FINE POINT SHARPIE" , or a Pigma Micron 02, something 0.35mm to 0.5mm. The fret guard might work here, though a flexible ruler is a bit thicker. Tape might hold an approximate place till you can hold it in place. Draw three parallel lines, I thinl the end slots are 3/32"? Go small... then take all that off . Load up your #2 X-Acto with the dogleg #16 blade. You just scratch out a little trench with the blade - you do know you can resharpen X-Acto blades almost indefinitely with just a sharpening steel? And you don't want any guide here - it'll make you cocky and you might cut UNDER the guide. Getcher eyes tuned with whatever magnification you need. Get it high up, chest level.
Here's the foolproof part: rest your palm on the guitar, X-Acto knive vertical like painting miniatures, and scratch out a nice little trench. As long as you're only taking 1mm scratches, and they're never facing outward, only parallel or inward, how CAN they jump the track? Just cut small. And once you have a decent trench, drill some small, small holes. They don't have to all line up perfect, as long as they're within the trench - it'll widen to fit.The "hand drill" I would use is the big, heavy chuck from my very last ever $%#@& DEAD FRIGGIN' BATTERY-POWERED DRILL. If you can pop the chuck off your drill press without it exploding chuck guts, that'd do. Anything that looks like a pin vise with sturdy grip to it, epoxy a 5/64" bit into a dowel, the trench was the hard part. And once you're through in a number of holes, I'd go back to the X-Acto knife for a while, then a 6" shop rule with 320 wet/dry wrapped around it. THE TRENCH IS THE HARD PART, and you can't zoink it if don't get greedy. This would all take less time that it did to write it out. Just don't get GREEDY. If you're harboring urges towards the cutoff blade on a Dremel, heaven hep us all. :toothy11:
:hello2:
HAND TOOLS
:hello2:all the way, top to bottom. You need lines first, an "ULTRA FINE POINT SHARPIE" , or a Pigma Micron 02, something 0.35mm to 0.5mm. The fret guard might work here, though a flexible ruler is a bit thicker. Tape might hold an approximate place till you can hold it in place. Draw three parallel lines, I thinl the end slots are 3/32"? Go small... then take all that off . Load up your #2 X-Acto with the dogleg #16 blade. You just scratch out a little trench with the blade - you do know you can resharpen X-Acto blades almost indefinitely with just a sharpening steel? And you don't want any guide here - it'll make you cocky and you might cut UNDER the guide. Getcher eyes tuned with whatever magnification you need. Get it high up, chest level.
Here's the foolproof part: rest your palm on the guitar, X-Acto knive vertical like painting miniatures, and scratch out a nice little trench. As long as you're only taking 1mm scratches, and they're never facing outward, only parallel or inward, how CAN they jump the track? Just cut small. And once you have a decent trench, drill some small, small holes. They don't have to all line up perfect, as long as they're within the trench - it'll widen to fit.The "hand drill" I would use is the big, heavy chuck from my very last ever $%#@& DEAD FRIGGIN' BATTERY-POWERED DRILL. If you can pop the chuck off your drill press without it exploding chuck guts, that'd do. Anything that looks like a pin vise with sturdy grip to it, epoxy a 5/64" bit into a dowel, the trench was the hard part. And once you're through in a number of holes, I'd go back to the X-Acto knife for a while, then a 6" shop rule with 320 wet/dry wrapped around it. THE TRENCH IS THE HARD PART, and you can't zoink it if don't get greedy. This would all take less time that it did to write it out. Just don't get GREEDY. If you're harboring urges towards the cutoff blade on a Dremel, heaven hep us all. :toothy11:
