So many questions

C

CreativeName

Newbie
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Hi everybody

This is my first post on this forum because I'm totally new at all of this. I'm just gonna throw out a disclaimer right here, a lot of my questions may be unbelievably stupid to you, but I've never done any of this before, I've never taken a guitar apart before or anything like that. I currently only have one guitar, my Strat, and I've had it for a year. So be nice, ok?

So here's what's happening. I want to build a double neck guitar. Just like most other double necks, the top neck is going to be a 12 string, and the bottom one is a 6 string. I'm using the Double-Strat body. I've gone and picked out most of the parts from Warmoth, but I still have a lot of problems. Here's my list:

  • Does the 12-string need special pickups that are different than those I'm using for the 6 string? Or can I just buy 2 sets and use them for both necks?
  • For my six string, which of these two bridges (found at http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/options_guitar_bridge_routing.cfm) are better? The "Vintage Style Strat" or the "Narrow Spaced Strat"?
  • The 12 string only comes in one nut-width - 1 3/4 inches. Should I make the 6 string the same width? Will this affect the way the necks fit into my guitar?
  • In the online order form for a neck (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order42.asp) option #16 asks about the nut. If I put "None", will I just get a standard nut? Or, for some reason that makes no sense to me, would I not get a nut at all?
  • Does that bridge that works for the 12 string, or one of the bridges I selected for the 6 string add any additional cost to my order? Or are the costs of bridges included in the body cost?

  • There is a box next to "top routing or rear routing" in this order form (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order5.htm). Does top routing add more money to my order? I don't want rear routing.
  • In that same order form, what do options 8 (pot hole locations) and 9 (switch slot) mean? What do I write in those?
  • ONE LAST QUESTION!! In the pickguard order form (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order6.htm), what do options 6 and 7 mean? What do I write in them?

If anybody answers these questions, I will owe them my eternal graditude.

Thanks in advance

Brian
 
    * Does the 12-string need special pickups that are different than those I'm using for the 6 string? Or can I just buy 2 sets and use them for both necks?

Gibson/Epiphone use the same humbuckers for the 12 string and the Fender Strat XII appears to use stock single coils from pix (never touched one), so I think regular pickups are fine.

    * For my six string, which of these two bridges (found at http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/options_guitar_bridge_routing.cfm) are better? The "Vintage Style Strat" or the "Narrow Spaced Strat"?

You need to order the same bridge that matches up with the routing you order for the 6 string half.

    * The 12 string only comes in one nut-width - 1 3/4 inches. Should I make the 6 string the same width? Will this affect the way the necks fit into my guitar?

No affect on heel width; the 12 string needs the wider nut to accomodate 12 strings; order the 6 string neck in what ever nut width you're used to.

    * In the online order form for a neck (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order42.asp) option #16 asks about the nut. If I put "None", will I just get a standard nut? Or, for some reason that makes no sense to me, would I not get a nut at all?

You get no nut at all unless you order one; I recommend having Warmoth do it for you; your local shop will charge you as much or more, and it's not a good project for a first build.


    * Does that bridge that works for the 12 string, or one of the bridges I selected for the 6 string add any additional cost to my order? Or are the costs of bridges included in the body cost?

Bridges are extra, and must be ordered from the hardware -> bridge/tremelo page

    * There is a box next to "top routing or rear routing" in this order form (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order5.htm). Does top routing add more money to my order? I don't want rear routing.

Rear routing is generally extra; order top routing if that's what you prefer - make sure you order the doubleneck pickguard from Warmoth as well, may have trouble find an exact fit elsewhere

    * In that same order form, what do options 8 (pot hole locations) and 9 (switch slot) mean? What do I write in those?

Those are applicable only for rear route.

    * ONE LAST QUESTION!! In the pickguard order form (http://www.warmoth.com/customerservice/orderforms/order6.htm), what do options 6 and 7 mean? What do I write in them?

I don't think 6 is applicable to double neck, refers to different #s of mounting holes for regular strat/tele pickguards - vintage ones has fewer holes. 7 must be specified if using bridge route like Floyd Rose, etc.

As this is your first build and a bit more complex than usual being a doubleneck, you might want to call Warmouth and talk to a rep directly.
 
Good Job Jack- gonna expand on one part for you.

Pot location is short for volume and tone knob location,  Switch location, they wanna know either where you want it or what type or if you want one at all

Hey Creative, can't wait to see pics, also I've had my eye on that 12 string finnished neck with the diamond inlays,
 
Thanks a lot guys. I need all the help I can get here.

If anybody else has anything that Jack or Alfang haven't mentioned, I would appreciate it.

And yes, I will post pictures if I ever get this all sorted out!
 
CreativeName I can only add 2 things at this time.

1. Welcome aboard.


2. When wanting to know and  or understand something the only stupid question is the one not asked.



:blob7: :blob7: :blob7: :blob7: :blob7: :blob7: :blob7:
 
Ok well I'm back! With MORE QUESTIONS! Yay!

And yes, they still may seem painfully obvious to you. But now they're hardware questions.

  • Do I need a battery box for a guitar like this? Keep in mind, it's a double neck strat. I'm looking at my current Strat (the single neck one that was professionally made, not done by me), and I don't see any battery boxes...
  • What are the differences between the capacitators? How many of these do I need for a double neck? Does it matter that the pickups I'm using are standard Strat single coils?
  • So these pots are getting me pretty confused. I have no idea what a concentric pot or a push-push pot is. Do I need those? It seems like the regular pot (found at the top of the list on the pot page http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_potentiometers) is the one I need, right?
  • If I am supposed to use the pots at the top of the list, then this question matters, otherwise, skip it. It says the 250k pot is the one that single coil guitars (such as my current Strat) use. So it would make sense that they should probably go on to the double neck. But the knobs on my current Strat are lame. The volume knob works, but the tone knobs have no effect. If I buy the 500k knobs (which I assume will make those tone knobs actually do something), is it a problem?
  • The two bridges I'm buying say they come with mounting screws. So I don't need to purchase any extra bridge screws from the hardware section, right?
  • How does the contoured heel affect the neck screws I buy? I thought the contoured heel was at the bottom, directly opposite of the jack...
  • Do I need anything from the "Blade Switch & Pickup Mounting Screws" section (http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_screws)?
  • I want a 5 way switch for this, just like the switch I have on my current Strat. Will the "CRL5" model work for me, or do I need to shop elsewhere (http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_switches) ?
  • I honestly have no idea what "string ferrules" or "string retainers" are, where they go, or which ones I need  ???

Once again, any help would be SO HUGELY APPRECIATED.

Thanks for all your help so far!

Brian
 
    * Do I need a battery box for a guitar like this? Keep in mind, it's a double neck strat. I'm looking at my current Strat (the single neck one that was professionally made, not done by me), and I don't see any battery boxes...

You don't need a battery box unless you are planning on using pickups that incorporate active electronics and require such,

    * What are the differences between the capacitators? How many of these do I need for a double neck? Does it matter that the pickups I'm using are standard Strat single coils?

Typical/stock Strat single coil wiring uses a .050/.049 cap; see wiring diagram note below

    * So these pots are getting me pretty confused. I have no idea what a concentric pot or a push-push pot is. Do I need those? It seems like the regular pot (found at the top of the list on the pot page http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_potentiometers) is the one I need, right?

If using standard Strat wiring you just need 3 250K standard pots; see wiring diagram note below


    * If I am supposed to use the pots at the top of the list, then this question matters, otherwise, skip it. It says the 250k pot is the one that single coil guitars (such as my current Strat) use. So it would make sense that they should probably go on to the double neck. But the knobs on my current Strat are lame. The volume knob works, but the tone knobs have no effect. If I buy the 500k knobs (which I assume will make those tone knobs actually do something), is it a problem?

Who knows what pots are on your current Strat? Simply changing the pot value to 500K won't make all that much difference for purposes of this discussion, but if you want to go that direction order 3 500K pots; see wiring diagram note below

    * The two bridges I'm buying say they come with mounting screws. So I don't need to purchase any extra bridge screws from the hardware section, right?

Right

    * How does the contoured heel affect the neck screws I buy? I thought the contoured heel was at the bottom, directly opposite of the jack...

If you  are ordering the body with a contoured NECK heel(s) you need the contoured heel screws, not related to body contour at all.

    * Do I need anything from the "Blade Switch & Pickup Mounting Screws" section (http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_screws)?

Check with Warmoth rep, may depend on actual parts OEM; most switches/pickups come with mounting screws, but keep in mind they are invariably silver/nickel colored if that's a factor; see wiring diagram note below

    * I want a 5 way switch for this, just like the switch I have on my current Strat. Will the "CRL5" model work for me, or do I need to shop elsewhere (http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_switches) ?

That would be the same as what you probably have

    * I honestly have no idea what "string ferrules" or "string retainers" are, where they go, or which ones I need

If using a string through bridge, the string ferrules go into the holes drilled in the back of the axe that retain the string ball ends. String retainers are mounted in the neck's peghead and help hold strings in place, in particular B/E strings. You probably have at least one on your current Strat.

I will reiterate AGAIN, this is a highly complex build and you should really call Warmoth and talk to a rep. At least one question you haven't asked about is how to wire the setup, how do you plan on doing that? It has a direct impact on pickguard order, i.e., the only doublenecks I've ever touched (Gibson EDS- 1275and Epiphone copy) have a toggle switch to switch back and forth between 12 string/6string, a quick check of all the usual wiring diagram resources does not yield a double neck diagram that is easily found, at any rate you have to plan for where to put that toggle?
 
I have contacted a Warmoth rep, and I asked him a whole bunch of questions too. But instead of spending hours on the phone, I'd rather ask the community here. Plus, if I get more responses, the combination of them will probably help me more than just one reps response. And I can plan my questions out better when I'm here.

As for wiring, I have a good friend who can help me with that. And before you even ask, yep, I've asked his help on a lot of this too. So thanks for your help, I will eventually figure this out, and when I do, I'll get some pictures up.
 
A few quick questions here:

I plan on using 500k pots and a .022 capacitor. Both of these parts are regularly used on guitars with humbuckers, and not on Strats. However, the guitar I'm building (a Strat), has single coil pickups, and is a Strat in every way possible EXCEPT the pots and the capacitors. Is that a problem? I don't want to switch to humbuckers, I like my single coils, but I do want to compensate and use humbucker parts, so I can get slightly closer to a humbucker. And I realize the most obvious way to change the sound of my guitar to sound like a humbucker is to get humbuckers, and there are probably other ways. But I don't care about the other ways. I'm just asking two things about pots and capacitors:

Will something bad happen if I use 500k pots (for the volume and both tone knobs) and a .022 capacitor?

and a follow up

Will the guitar sound good or kind of off if I use these parts?



And part 2 is about string ferrules - I almost get them. I realize that my Strat, like all other Strats, is a string through bridge (or, if I'm wrong, then tell me, and crap all over everything I'm about to write :icon_tongue:). So since it's a string through bridge, I need ferrules. But where exactly do they go? I don't see them on my Strat here. And how many of them are there? I'd imagine 6, one for each string. And will I need 12 ferrules for the 12 string neck? Meaning that overall for my project, I'll order 18?



PS Jack - I'm still pondering the switch. I'm unsure if I want to do a 2 way between the necks or a 5 way just on the bottom neck, while the top one is ringing. I'm leaning towards the 5 way switch, but I'd like your opinion on the problem (or hey, anybody else who actually reads this :icon_tongue:).
 
I think you're getting confused by the terminology; what is generally meant by a string-through bridge is a HARDTAIL non-tremelo bridge which does not have a tremelo cavity cut out, but instead would have 6/12 holes drilled through the body in which the string ferrules go into, like a standard Telecaster setup. If you're using any other bridge, tremelo style, you don't need the ferrules.

You can use the pot/cap values you mention (which are more suited to a Les Paul type setup), but the end effect is going to be a very bright sound, here'e a link to some Wiring 101 info on that:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources.1basicwiringfaqs/

As to the toggles; you need BOTH the "2-way" and the regular 5-way blade switch, if you don't switch between the 6/12 string setups, the one not in use is going to produce noise you're not going to want to here, especially if you're playing at volume.

I couldn't find any double neck wiring diagrams for shit on the Internet, and have only the setup in Gibson EDS-1275s to go by, which is a bit simpler as they just have two pickups per neck to deal with. Basically you need a two input/one output switch that handles three leads for the pickups and put that in the circuit between the the two sets of pickups and the pickup input leads on the 5-way switch.

Anybody else on the board know where double neck wiring diagrams can be found or a suitable switch as described?
 
So I will be using a hardtail bridge, which means I need ferrules. And I guess then I'd need 18, right?

I read the wiring FAQ, and your one sentence summed it up pretty well. I'll be getting a very bright sound. So I think I'm going to compromise, if it's even possible. I'll go with the .047 capacitors instead of .022, but I'd like to keep the 500k pots. Will that still be overly bright?

And I still don't fully understand capacitors. Do I need 3 - one for each knob?

As for the switches... without a diagram, I'm pretty confused. Actually, I imagine seeing a diagram would still leave me confused... I think what I'm getting out of everything you're trying to tell me is that I'm going to need one hell of a switch. Would it just make more sense if I left out any 5-way deal, and just got whatever sort of switch I need to go between necks? Which one, off of this page (http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_switches) would I have to buy?

By the way, I'll be ordering over the phone, and I'll ask the Warmoth rep on the other end of the line about what I need for that. And all this great complicated wiring, my friend has my back.

 
You just need the one capacitor see the SD diagram poorly editted with MS-Paint diagram below. I have no clue as to where to source the 3x2 in, 3 out switch, anybody else on th board have a clue or alternate diagram?

stratwd.jpg
 
I AM SO CLOSE!

Right now, my main goal is to know all the parts I need. I will worry about wiring and all that later. And the last question I have is what do I do with this stupid switch?


I know that I'm going to need a switch that toggles between the necks. And I would like, if it's not too complicated, a 5 way switch for my 6 string neck. Can they be seperate switches? Maybe the neck-switcher is just a toggle, while the 5-way is a seperate "blade" switch. Is all of this possible?

I just want to know the parts I need to order for the switches. I would really really really appreciate it if the parts that you recommend to me are from Warmoth, and even better would be if you could tell me the part's "code name" so I can pick it out quickly.

And with this being my last question (hopefully) until the parts arrive, I'd like to say thanks to those who helped me (mainly Jack  :icon_tongue:)
 
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