Soloist in a PRS-style Dragon Breath stain pattern

[stratamania]

The roasted maple and mahogany combo does look quite complementary and has given me an idea for a mahogany backed body for an option for the neck...  :icon_thumright:

 

[fdesalvo]

omg man

 

[docteurseb]

Tuner buttons at different stages ( I really dig the last three colors):

[youtube]https://youtu.be/z9tBr4BkTqE[/youtube]

The pickups are installed.
I've always found the process of installing ring covers as painful and stressful as it gets.

Just checking here how things would look height-wise using PRS pickups rings I got couple years ago but never used. One of the cats inspected it as well:

Like the VIP from couple years ago I printed a rectangle with the same dimensions as Warmoth's humbucker cavity, and an inner rectangle matching the pickup rings mounting screw distance...
Once taped, I take a brad point bit to mark the position:

After that I remove the paper template, run the drilling bit in reverse to bare wood, then drill. Even with that I still get some minor finish lift up around the hole which I finally take care with a countersunk bit and superglue:

If anyone has a better process for doing this I'm more than happy to know. Have I had all the parts before staining I would of course have drilled everything beforehand to minimize lifting the finish around the switch, strap holders, and pickup mounting holes.

Rings and pickups installed (I've switched back and forth between gold vs black screws for the switch):

 

[rgand]

That's really looking good! That neck is optimal for this one.

 

[Dazkeirle]

I think you and I are in an exclusive club of people who like putting prs pups in non prs guitars.

Which pups are these for the soloist (or rather either soloist).

Coincidentally I'm building a prs soloist atm too (even more coincidentally my finish got damaged as well, with a very different outcome). I'm going to be running hfs / vb in that.

I have some squabbin 85/15MT in my Strat and Squabbin 59/09 in my actual prs.

Are you doing the standard treble bleed 180pf that you would find in a PRS or a doing your owners thing in the electrics?

P.s. Thanks for the tips on how to drill straight pickup ring holes.

 

[docteurseb]

I think you and I are in an exclusive club of people who like putting prs pups in non prs guitars.

Which pups are these for the soloist (or rather either soloist).

Coincidentally I'm building a prs soloist atm too (even more coincidentally my finish got damaged as well, with a very different outcome). I'm going to be running hfs / vb in that.

I have some squabbin 85/15MT in my Strat and Squabbin 59/09 in my actual prs.

Are you doing the standard treble bleed 180pf that you would find in a PRS or a doing your owners thing in the electrics?

P.s. Thanks for the tips on how to drill straight pickup ring holes.

It's understandable that few here would want them, you got to admit it's a little dumb to use PRS pickups when some of the finest SD pickups cost half as much... But I wanted to try the squabbins in this build and I do like PRS pickups too.

These ones are 85/15 but mint, I think I'll be able to break mostly even if I don't like them and end up using something else.
I have a new set of 59/09s in case the 85/15 don't work for me.

I'm going to use the standard caps + treble circuit from the PRS pots. I will add resistors for the split positions to keep volume up. I think I figured the wiring for the super switch but it's the first time I try something that complicated...

 

[Dazkeirle]

Sounds great.

Well I did pretty much the same in my last build. Full PRS spec electrics, pots, resistors etc but put it all in a Strat. They were 85/15 too.

I also have a cu24.

You know what, the Strat sounds just like a prs. Everybody bangs on a out tone woods etc but honestly, 99% of what a guitar sounds like is pickups and electrics.

Tbh I prefer the 59/09 because I'm a mid feind and they are super middy, but the 85/15 still sound really great, especially split. I play then more than the 59/09.

I think so long as you're not using dragons or hollowbody pickups you're golden. They appear to be be regarded as the only duds.

What you adding resistance wise to the split? 2. 2k? That appears to be the PRS way for splitting in many of the SCs.

That will make them similar to my MT split. I play that single all the time. Sounds great to me. Legit single coil sound with the PRS flavour. You'll love it.

I've bought and sold so many PRS pickups I've lost count. You'll never lose money on them and tbh unless you're expecting something that doest sound like a PRS you'll love it.

These are amazing builds, can't wait to see them finished up. I get my fret levelling kit next week so my build will finish up then.

LOL what a weird coincidence that there will be not 1 but 3 warmoth soloists with PRS setups appearing at the same time.

 

[docteurseb]

Sounds great.

Well I did pretty much the same in my last build. Full PRS spec electrics, pots, resistors etc but put it all in a Strat. They were 85/15 too.

I also have a cu24.

You know what, the Strat sounds just like a prs. Everybody bangs on a out tone woods etc but honestly, 99% of what a guitar sounds like is pickups and electrics.

Tbh I prefer the 59/09 because I'm a mid feind and they are super middy, but the 85/15 still sound really great, especially split. I play then more than the 59/09.

I think so long as you're not using dragons or hollowbody pickups you're golden. They appear to be be regarded as the only duds.

What you adding resistance wise to the split? 2. 2k? That appears to be the PRS way for splitting in many of the SCs.

That will make them similar to my MT split. I play that single all the time. Sounds great to me. Legit single coil sound with the PRS flavour. You'll love it.

I've bought and sold so many PRS pickups I've lost count. You'll never lose money on them and tbh unless you're expecting something that doest sound like a PRS you'll love it.

These are amazing builds, can't wait to see them finished up. I get my fret levelling kit next week so my build will finish up then.

LOL what a weird coincidence that there will be not 1 but 3 warmoth soloists with PRS setups appearing at the same time.

From what I see 1.1k for the neck tone pot, 2.2k for the bridge one is what they use.

 

[Dazkeirle]

Yeah that's right, although the soloist is probably closer to a custom than a sc and they don't use a thing on them.

I still would though, there's significant volume of drop splitting on mine.

I'm guessing you're going to with a John Mann prs style bridge (or Wilkinson) considering it's 2 post?

 

[docteurseb]

Wilkinson VS100N on this one, I have one in another Strat-style guitar and can dive bomb (not that I do) w/ perfect tuning stability (after spending way too much time on the nut).

The PRS / John Mann tremolos, although I considered them at some point, just don't seem to bring me any additional benefit (maybe the smooth feel of the PRS tremolo ? ). It doesn't help that they cost 2-3x; and without locking saddles I imagine they can only have worse tuning stability.

 

[Dazkeirle]

Well that's great to hear as I'm using the vs100 in mine too! How very weird.

From what I've seen the vs is an amazing piece of design. From the single knife edge, to the locking of saddles. It doesn't harm that it looks cool af too.

I guess the only different here is that Ive got the 720 mod and the recessed bridged area.
Never used that before so I hope it works well for me (Aaron's recent video doesn't fill me with confidence lol)

Will be interesting to be able to directly compare

 

[docteurseb]

Making sure the string slots are perfectly smooth (as in 1500-2000 grit smooth) is key though...

 

[docteurseb]

And I have a recent CU24-08, I think this model doesn't use the resistors because their updated MT pickups (Multi Tap) achieve little to no volume loss even w/o them.

 

[docteurseb]

Can't say I'm optimistic the wiring will be correct the first time around  :laughing7:

 

[Dazkeirle]

And I have a recent CU24-08, I think this model doesn't use the resistors because their updated MT pickups (Multi Tap) achieve little to no volume loss even w/o them.

Correct, my 85/15MT have no resistors. It achieves extra volume because of actual physical winds.

String slots? in the nut? No problem there, using an LSR.

Hey, working job looks very neat.

This project isnt wanting for any thing. Top quality stuff.

 

[docteurseb]

LSR will definitely save you some time, I considered going for it.

There were 4 wiring mistakes but now everything seems proper, I ended up doing this configuration:
1: Bridge Humbucker
2: Bridge single // Neck single
3: Bridge Humbucker // Neck Humbucker
4: Neck single
5: Neck Humbucker

Bridge is installed. The only thing that went slightly wrong so far is that I broke the tone pot's split shaft trying to spread it a bit so the knob wouldn't be loose. New one ordered.

Updated with pictures:

 

[rgand]

Man, that does look good! Elegant and classy. A hearty  :icon_thumright: to you.

 

[stratamania]

A good result it looks good... :icon_thumright:

 

[Dazkeirle]

excellent build.

Love the tuner knobs.

 

[docteurseb]

Thanks !

I replaced the broken pot yesterday, I forgot I had a spare volume pot which is the same as their tone pots. I really like the taper on those PRS pots, a cheaper alternative would be nice though.

I'll take beauty shots w/ proper lighting once I'm really done with it (nut, intonation, action still need to be taken care of).

My index finger has mostly recovered from the fret polishing session 1+week ago. I guess I should start being more careful or find a better way to polish the frets in the future. On the plus side, the frets do feel smooth.