Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Sep 25 2017 11:13 AM
Soon to be my MiM Jag, as I play the hell out of fresh strings so I don't feel so bad about forgetting something last string change...
This occurred in my JM too, so thought I'd just mention it in case it drives someone else bonkers & may save some gnashing of teeth. Sometimes in the lesser Fenders you can find that you remove the plastic off the pickguard & discover you are now generating all kinds of static when strumming that is audible (crackling & popping) at all the wrong times.
I've found that it's simply a matter of adding some shielding tape inside the PG (which in, for example, an AVRI-level guitar would already be shielded all over the place). This is not so much for outside shielding as to allow the whole thing to be connected to the existing ground in the guitar. I end up with a length of wire connected back between a piece of the tape & the common location, usually a volume pot. I use some DiMarzio tape I have laying around, which is conductive on top & you can join adjacent pieces electrically with a simple dot of solder. Then I make sure that the PG screws around the edges go into that tape as well and whole thing is tied to the ground in the guitar.
This process also has me insuring that there are good star washers on the pots that BITE into the ground and, finally, making sure that nothing is touching the body's shielding paint when buttoning it back up. (These aren't the biggest of control cavities around.) It also ends discussion about repetitively wiping down your guitar with anti-static dryer sheets, especially for those of us who who are 2-legged walking capacitors.
If you get these symptoms you may want to think about it before swapping cables, tubes or jumping to conclusions when it's, really, just your electric personality.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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raito
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 549
Madison, WI
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Posted on Sep 25 2017 09:03 PM
Well, currently on my bench is a JL Cooper MSB II that I'm reverse engineering. I hate the 'modern' MIDI patch bays that can't operate without a computer. Looking at making one that's 16 X 16. In theory I paid a lot of money to be able to do just this sort of thing...
Last guitar on my bench is a pink telecaster made out of a $70 loaded Japanese body, a $30 neck and a $10 set of tuners, plus whatever I paid for a nut blank long ago. First nut I ever cut from a blank. So far, it works just fine.
Next build is going to be something a little different.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Sep 26 2017 02:09 PM
A customer (somehow) talked me into building a clone of my long scale Jag.
Next up: testing out the new Nep-Tone Danelectro replacement pickups for my friend Doug Tulloch.
and more builds, and.......
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Sep 26 2017 04:08 PM
Another Jazzguar on the planet? Awesome! 
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Sep 26 2017 09:55 PM
Badger wrote:
Another Jazzguar on the planet? Awesome!
Blasphemy to some but yes, now there are two.
The only difference in them is that this new one has the entire, vintage style circuit. Mine does not have the rhythm circuit.
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Redfeather
Joined: Jul 30, 2016
Posts: 883
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Posted on Sep 26 2017 10:32 PM
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Sep 27 2017 11:55 AM
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LeeVanCleef
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 744
France
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Posted on Sep 27 2017 03:43 PM
What's on my workbench? Way to many unfinished projects, including:
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A no-name Strat I'm planning to mangle horribly in order to turn it into a pickup-testing guitar. I just bought it for €20, so I have no remorse (and it's a Strat anyway  ). Thing is, it plays shockingly well so I might save the neck for another project.
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My Tele I'm still in the middle of Franken-Cabronita-ing (still needs 4-way switch wiring sorted out and Bigsby installed).
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A red, vaguely Yamaha SC-shaped oddball guitar that started its life as something so utterly crappy that I'm halfway through the process of upgrading every last one of its parts except the body. I love a challenge.
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An awesome Aria 1803T loaded body. It's currently missing a neck and, more problematically, the quite rare vibrato/bridge assembly.
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My Squier Jaguar Bass waiting to be upgraded with circuitry similar to its Fender counterpart (including passive/active switching).
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An 80s Japanese-looking bass (Matsumoku made ?) in need of serious TLC.
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A 18.5"-scale mini-Strat waiting to be transformed into a mini-Jazzmaster.
And I'm not even mentioning the other guitars waiting for minor upgrades, the pile of half-built diy pedals, the amps in need of small adjustments, or the new pedalboard that hasn't made it past the design stage yet. 
What I am working on right now (taking a break from to write this) is my Frankenstein Stratmaster. I'm about to install a "neck on" switch to allow extra pickup switching options. I also need to address the neck heel gap problem that's slightly visible in the pic, although to be honest it hasn't really been a problem so far.
Redfeather, could you provide details about the vibrato mod (in a new thread maybe)? I might have to do something similar if I can't find an original tailpiece for the aforementioned Aria 1803T.
— Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2774
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Sep 27 2017 10:06 PM
I just had to rebuild the cabinet for my strobe-tuner. It must have taken a tumble sometime during Surf Stomp Fest. I didn't see it smack anything but it did get a bit beat up. Thought about popping a custom blonde cab but decide to just repair the forty year old original. West System epoxy rocks.
Lazy-boy Ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Sep 28 2017 08:47 AM
eddiekatcher wrote:
West System epoxy rocks.
Indeed it does! I've been using it for years. I just set some inlays with it last night and am going to sand it today. Want to come by and work on these projects together, talk shit and stuff?
Ed, Did you first encounter the West System Epoxies through your boat building?
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Oct 02 2017 08:20 AM
'08 Eric Johnson Strat. Have any of you guys seen one of these? Fantastic guitars!!
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 01:14 PM
Spent a bunch of weekends and nights putting this together.
Today I'm not going to work on it, I'm just going to play it.
Not usually associated with being a "Surf" guitar but it's still pretty and I'm very happy with it.
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 01:56 PM
Holy Smokes! Jeff, that is beautimous!
What does she weigh?
(polite kaffee-klatsch version of "tell me everything")
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 03:16 PM
Toneschaser wrote:
'08 Eric Johnson Strat. Have any of you guys seen one of these? Fantastic guitars!!
I touched one exactly like this at a local store. Had to proceed with emergency underwear evacuation procedure, and look at pics of my AVRI offsets on my phone ("I'm a Jag person... yes") to not buy it on the spot. Very light as I remember, the neck was incredible. Really perfect.
Last edited: Oct 08, 2017 15:19:07
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bjoish
Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Posts: 596
Stockholm
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 03:21 PM
CrazyAces wrote:
Spent a bunch of weekends and nights putting this together.
Today I'm not going to work on it, I'm just going to play it.
Not usually associated with being a "Surf" guitar but it's still pretty and I'm very happy with it.
Wow, I am so impressed by your work, Jeff !!! 
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 06:23 PM
Wes and Bjorn,
Thanks for interest and kind comments.
Right back at you guys.
Wes,
It weighs a little over 8 pounds which is really good for a Lester.
It was a second grade (some neck alignment and neck angle issues, control cavity routs a little off) kit that comes white wood. You do the paint work, glue the neck in, and assembly, fret work etc. and supply your own parts. I was able to fix the neck angle, alignment issues and it turned out great. I've had a bunch of nice Les Pauls but never bonded with them and sold them all. I needed one to demo some pickups for a few companies and didn't want to spend (read:didn't have) the money for another Gibson so I decided to try this route.
Overall quality (if you have some skills) is that of a custom shop Les Paul with only $400.00 investment and some time/effort.
Pretty cool and fun.
Cheers,
Jeff
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 07:11 PM
CrazyAces wrote:
Pretty cool and fun.
Awesome Jeff, thanks for the breakdown. A guy local to me who used to play in a band & deal in stuff out of his basement way back started putting in his "retirement" in the late 60's in things that had 6-strings on them. I've held some old LP's from back in the day & they were NOT the tanks of today. 8 lbs. sounds great. And yours is simply splendid in presentation. Hopefully we can get some audio out of it sometime if you get a chance to test drive some pickups.
Damn that thing's pretty.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 08 2017 09:56 PM
Badger wrote:
I've held some old LP's from back in the day & they were NOT the tanks of today.
Yes, I agree. I've been very fortunate to have hands on experiences with '52 - '60 Les Pauls, late 60's versions as well and they are very different beasts than the common offerings that have become associated with the Les Paul vision. Not all the old ones are light weight but with their different circuit wiring, pickups, neck angles and woods...it's like a totally different instrument. Far more versatile than many folks would think.
Sometimes I wish I was not aware of this, LOL.
I've played a few recent, high dollar Custom Shop versions, built with hide glue and other correct details that really, really came close to the original experience but they are far out of my price range.
This one should be more than I will ever need.
Thanks again,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Rob_J
Joined: Sep 29, 2007
Posts: 500
Sacto, CA
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Posted on Oct 09 2017 10:38 AM
BEAUTIFUL Les Paul, Jeff! Congratulations.
I just acquired the Epiphone version in that same color. It is the Epiphone Standard Pro. While it's likely not nearly the guitar the real deal is, I REALLY like this Epi. It was a CraigsList deal at a price that I couldn't pass up. I had previously owned a 50's tribute Goldtop Gibson that was just okay but this Epi outshines the one that I had in both tone and playability.
It "may" end up on the workbench for a new nut although that may even not be needed. The pickups sound great and I see no need to change anything else at this point. Of course that could always change sometime down the road.
And, as for playing surf on a Les Paul - with the right amount of reverb and played through a Fender amp this thing sounds every bit as surfy as my Fenders. It won't replace my Fenders but it's really nice to play.
Last edited: Oct 09, 2017 10:45:15
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 09 2017 11:18 AM
Rob,
Congratulations on that Epi.
A few years ago I found an Epi 335 Dot used, for my Dad and I really liked that guitar. I picked it up off of craigslist and went over it quick for him (I ended up needing to do very little) and he asked me if it was "any good?". I responded that I would have no problem taking the guitar out and playing shows, as is and that it was very cool.
I also used an Epi Sorrento on a lot of our Surfadelic Spy-a-Go-Go record.
It was wonderful.
I also agree about being able to play Surf with some of these Gibson style guitars as well.
Enjoy that beautiful guitar!
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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