Tom P.'s eBay Project

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Every PRS I have ever seen in real life was 25". Most 7-string players don't like the shorter scales because the low string tends to be floppy. I like the playability of the shorter scales, but the higher tension of the 25.5" scale sounds better.

The Santana model and some of the first PRSs that look like the Sanatana model were the Gibson 24 3/4" scale.  Can upping the string gauge take the floppiness out of the low B?

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Upping the gauge size will take up the slack.  The common complaint is that the more massive strings tend to become more "Woofie" because of how all of that mass behaves in the pickup field.  No experience with that personally, but that is the complaint I hear from folks with massive strings.  60's are about the point that the folks that complain about it go up to.  The longer string lengths also tension things up, but after about 27 inches the high E's become really bright/thin sounding.  Overly chimey.  I have played a 27" scale guitar, and I don't notice the great increase in chime, but that guitar has EMG 707's in it, and they do not seem to behave like passives.  Either that, or I just don't get how to play EMG's and sound like me.  I know that this has been an epic work in progress, and because of that the attention has been focused on getting it built correctly, but what are you thinking about using for pickups and so on?
Patrick

 

[TomPerverteau]

BareKnuckle Holy Diver bridge pickup eventually, and I'm not ready to spill the beans about what I have planned for the neck position. I have a Duncan JB already, so that will probably be my "get by for now" bridge pickup.

I saw an ad for Dunlop Heavy Core strings that claims they provide more tension for the same gauge as regular strings. I plan to try those for .054s, and use my usual SIT .009-.042 sets for the rest.

I have heard & read lots of opinions about the gauge for the low string. I will not go to some extreme like putting a .060 on there! My current 7 has a 25.5" scale and a regular .054 is only a bit floppy.

 

[Nando Vallart]

How could I forgot that thread?? I was on 4th page... didn't read it all, but it's a nice work!

 

[TomPerverteau]

I got buried in automotive projects for some weeks, then an opportunity came up to make a shite-ton of money. For the next few months, I'll be working 60 hours per week.

I turn wrenches at work all day, so I won't be working on cars at home except when it's absolutely necessary. That means whatever fun project time I have will go to my project guitar! I already have visions of some really cool parts to buy for it with my newfound wealth.

EDIT: I have been putting coats of tung oil on the neck, and it won't take any more in. The next step is painting the headstock. I need to get the neck all done so I can string the whole guitar up to pitch. That will tell me if my bridge location came out good for intonation.

 

[baskruit]

I got buried in automotive projects for some weeks, then an opportunity came up to make a shitee-ton of money.

That's excellent  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

I got buried in automotive projects for some weeks, then an opportunity came up to make a shitee-ton of money. For the next few months, I'll be working 60 hours per week.

That's ok. No sense in making your personal hobby/happiness into a job. There'll be time for that later.

One of my brothers recently ran into a similar situation involving some government work where there's tons of hours available for ridiculous rates, so life gets put on hold for him while that opportunity exists. You gotta make hay when the sun shines, right?

 

[mgaut051]

So to pull a "Look! A squirrel!" and hopefully break up some of this tension, I'll resurrect an earlier concept.

Please don't paint it!

Drill out your bondo, plug it with some walnut. In fact resurface all your repairs with walnut. Sand it down, tung it up, Call it Mojo, and when it asks you if you want to elope with it say yes!

It's yours, but it's going to break my heart.

 

[TomPerverteau]

I haven't used any Bondo. For filling holes and other patching I have used maple, mahogany, walnut, and oak so far. Not having to paint it would be far less work for sure!

 

[mgaut051]

I dunno, could the repairs be considered war wounds? To be shown with pride? Scars that say " buddy, i've seen things you can only imagine!"
I would definitely respect a guitar like that . But I'm also a little weird in that I really do think the guitar "tells" me what it wants as I'm building it.
"You WILL give me a third pickup; It WILL cost you an extra hundred..."

 

[TomPerverteau]

Take one last look at the bare maple headstock face...

Because I'm paintin' it!

 

[DangerousR6]

Silver....?  WTF.... :icon_scratch:

 

[AGWAN]

.... I do believe thats a gray primer...

least I hope...

 

[Cagey]

That's definitely the dreaded gray primer/filler/sealer, as seen on many automobiles back in the days when rust was a way of life and there were a lot of weekend bodyworkers.

 

[AutoBat]

4 for $10 is a good price for 12 packs of Pepsi.

 

[AGWAN]

4 for $10 is a good price for 12 packs of Pepsi.

God I love this Forum.

 

[TomPerverteau]

Notice how the masking tape is below the actual face of the headstock. I used 3/16" thinline masking tape as a guide to put the regular blue painter's tape against, then removed the thinline tape. I'm doing kind of a painted-on "binding."

 

[bigguspickus]

Pepsi- for when they don't have Coke.

You got a little overspray on the table. Epic project by the way. :icon_thumright: It's fun watching it come together.

 

[pabloman]

I'm partial to the frosted flakes and Corona myself.

 

[AGWAN]

raise your hand if you ever poured a corona on frosted flakes because you were too hung over to go out and get milk and you really wanted breakfast.

*raises hand*

that was a REALLY good new years party.