Warmoth/Charvel Hybrid Project (Completed - lots of pics!)

[rgmetal]

First post here, but I've been lurking for a couple months now.  :toothy12: Thought I should post this over here, since reading this forum helped immensely.

I've been working on this for the last couple months or so. Warmoth body, alder with high grade flame top. Dyed and Tru-oiled. Charvel MIJ ProMod neck. Gotoh Floyd. Dimarzio Breeds. I would've used a Warmoth neck, but I'm in love with the Charvel necks, and they're a great deal if you can snag one off Ebay with the tuners/nut. It was a fun project, but took a lot of work. I'm absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out, though.

Parts pics:

Now, I had to take a tiny bit of wood out of the trem rout for the Gotoh(by the treble-side wing) and widen the neck pocket for the Charvel neck(2 1/4"). Bit of a pain, but worth it, IMO.

Finishing process:
Back dyed black-

Top dyed black and sanded back-

Top dyed green and sanded back again-

Top dyed green-

Coating with Tru-oil-

Wring and installation of parts:

Finished product:

And a family shot:

Thanks for looking!

 

[Cagey]

Sweet! You must be very pleased. That's a fine guitar you've put together. Everything melds nicely.

 

[line6man]

Looks good, but why the mechanical connections to ground? Those should be soldered if you expect them to hold up in the long run.

 

[rgmetal]

Looks good, but why the mechanical connections to ground? Those should be soldered if you expect them to hold up in the long run.

You mean the little rings? They're crimped and soldered. :icon_biggrin: They were easy to get(already at Radio Shack buying something else), so I went with them.

 

[line6man]

Looks good, but why the mechanical connections to ground? Those should be soldered if you expect them to hold up in the long run.

You mean the little rings? They're crimped and soldered. :icon_biggrin: They were easy to get(already at Radio Shack buying something else), so I went with them.

It looks like the ring lugs are just screwed down. The wires should be soldered directly to the copper.

 

[rgmetal]

It looks like the ring lugs are just screwed down. The wires should be soldered directly to the copper.

Meh, works for Jackson in their guitars, though they use shielding paint. Not worried about it.

 

[Cagey]

For as much good as shielding cavities does, the ground wires could be connected with bubble gum. But, it does look nice.

 

[line6man]

It looks like the ring lugs are just screwed down. The wires should be soldered directly to the copper.

Meh, works for Jackson in their guitars, though they use shielding paint. Not worried about it.

Shielding paint will not patina the way copper does, and it is done that way because solder will not stick to the paint.

 

[Eric Banjitar]

Really nice finish!

 

[rgmetal]

Shielding paint will not patina the way copper does, and it is done that way because solder will not stick to the paint.

I don't care. Let it go. The guitar has humbuckers with no coil tapping.

 

[rgmetal]

Sweet! You must be very pleased. That's a fine guitar you've put together. Everything melds nicely.

Really nice finish!

Thanks guys!

 

[Gilmore]

Awsome job man.

The only thing I would change is the white strat knob.

 

[Eric Banjitar]

You have built a fine instrument to your liking and dont change a thing.

 

[Damon]

Dude, that guitar looks sweet. Nicely done.

Looks good, but why the mechanical connections to ground? Those should be soldered if you expect them to hold up in the long run.

I keep seeing you say that, but you're forgetting one thing: internal guitar current is AC, not DC. Failure of mechanical electical connections is much less likely with AC because whatever is deposited when the current is flowing one direction is picked back up when it flows the other. That's why your light switches are all mechanical connections. That's why wire nuts work. Mythbusters showed this and explain the process. Check out starting around 7:45.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xlntlw-YGg[/youtube]

My parents lived in the same house for 25 years and we never once had a problem with a light switch or power outlet failing because of the mechanical connection, and those carry a massive amount of current compared to a guitar.

Not saying that it's impossible for there to be problems with a mechanical connection in the guitar scenario, especially if you have active electronics which would introduce some DC current, but you're more likely to have problems from a bad solder joint.

 

[line6man]

Dude, that guitar looks sweet. Nicely done.

Looks good, but why the mechanical connections to ground? Those should be soldered if you expect them to hold up in the long run.

I keep seeing you say that, but you're forgetting one thing: internal guitar current is AC, not DC. Failure of mechanical electical connections is much less likely with AC because whatever is deposited when the current is flowing one direction is picked back up when it flows the other. That's why your light switches are all mechanical connections. That's why wire nuts work. Mythbusters showed this and explain the process. Check out starting around 7:45.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xlntlw-YGg[/youtube]

My parents lived in the same house for 25 years and we never once had a problem with a light switch or power outlet failing because of the mechanical connection, and those carry a massive amount of current compared to a guitar.

Not saying that it's impossible for there to be problems with a mechanical connection in the guitar scenario, especially if you have active electronics which would introduce some DC current, but you're more likely to have problems from a bad solder joint.

I know very well how these things work, I've studied it.
AC or DC, low or high current and voltage, it's all irrelevant. I'm talking about metals corroding and mechanical connections becoming unreliable. This happens even at an infinite impedance and near zero current. It's not related to the flow of current through a conductor, metals corrode regardless.

Now of course, by the time there is any issue whatsoever, which is likely to be MANY years, you could just as easily redo the ground path, but my point is, why put forth extra effort that is not necessary which also puts you at a theoretical disadvantage?  I think everyone is making way too much of my simple comments, however. In practice, there is no difference.

 

[swarfrat]

Forget about the ground connection - if you want your guitar to handle AC/DC you should ditch the floyd and go with a tune-o-matic.

 

[line6man]

Forget about the ground connection - if you want your guitar to handle AC/DC you should ditch the floyd and go with a tune-o-matic.

:toothy12:

Every guitar needs a Floyd though!

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Awesome guitar. Like the simplicity of the switch+volume.  :icon_thumright:

 

[MikeW]

The only thing I would change is the white strat knob.

Agreed. I think a crome dome knob would really make it perfect.

I love the Charvel necks as well and when I was doing some research for my latest build I found that the W Wizard neck profile is almost identical to the Charvel San Dimas. The W is a tad thinner in the 1-5 fret area, but otherwise they feel the same to me.

BTW, had a chance to play one of the new Charvel Pro-Mod Wild Cards (quilt top in dyed aquamarine). Super nice quality finish. The playability was awesome and with Duncans in it the sound was great too. If they had the contoured heel I'd be all over one.

 

[AutoBat]

Very nice job on it all!
This is why chrome hardware is the best choice.

If it were mine I'd direct mount the pups & reverse the volume & pup selector, but it isn't mine, so arty07: