Newbie... First Duo Sonic Project, First Post here.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:17 am

Control plate question...

Do I need a vintage DS/MM/Mustang control plate or will the new Fender parts work? How about a MM bass control plate? It's the last part I need to track down for the red DSII project.

Johnny Noir · Post by **Johnny Noir** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:41 am

the new mustang control plate have small holes and cts pots doesn't fit.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:41 pm

Johnny Noir wrote:the new mustang control plate have small holes and cts pots doesn't fit.

good to know, thanks.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 4:46 pm

Well, I finished up the routing yesterday and am working on getting the painting done today. As previously stated, the routing probably wont get me hired in the Fender Custom Shop but will get the job done. All I need to do now is get the thing wired up and mounted after the paint dries. Seems there's a little helper up in the corner of my shop above my bench... a plump little black widow. It's getting to be that time of year where I don't stick my hand anywhere in the shop before seeing where exactly its going... the shop is full of the damn things. Oh well...

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 6:19 pm

Paint is complete... time for wiring.

Can anyone see why this scheme wouldn't work? My only concern (so far) is the orientation of the pickups... having never used them and having no diagram for them included, I don't know I have them mounted correctly? Other than that it seems good to go but if anyone catches anything please let me know.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 7:45 pm

Only thing that concerns me, do you need to flip one of the pickups?

See how your pickup routes are opposite of each other

Here you have pickups mounted identically

Not saying it's wrong... just further adding to your confusion

Don't lipsticks just have a coil wrapped around a bar magnet. I don't suspect there is a up or down with a lipstick pickup

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 8:00 pm

The routing itself is good to go... everything fits and there's room to wire, and run wire where it needs to go. I was just concerned about my wiring plan, it's a conglomeration of diagrams but it seems to make sense. The routing may have made more sense if I had run the wires from the neck pickup down to the toggle instead of the long way around. I see what you're saying... as long as the pickups can be mounted in either direction it should be good go.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:21 pm

So because of the length of the bare ground wires, I'm going to remove them and just solder a piece of covered wire, given that it has such a long way to travel... I though about leaving the original and using heat shrink tubing but I don't have that much, and covered wire seems a better way to go.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:59 am

I double checked seymour duncan site. It doesn't matter what direction you mount pickups. Except for humbuckers and staggered single coils. So you are good to go.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 2:57 am

s w e e t... I'm looking forward to getting things together, though it may need a new nut. I'm leaving tomorrow for camp (counselor). I'll consider it a success should there be no net gain/loss of life. They're high schoolers but a bunch of science nerds, god love 'em. Should be a good time, but no guitar work for a week. We're actually expecting snow/rain mid week... that'll cool their eggs.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 5:27 pm

Umm.... Onnee time in band camp....

My friend was a counselor and was always scared 9 months later he'd get a phone call from a parent.

Remember just cos she looks 18 don't mean she is. The hormones that put in chicken these days.....

StevePirates · Post by **StevePirates** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 9:38 pm

JamGuy wrote:s w e e t... I'm looking forward to getting things together, though it may need a new nut. I'm leaving tomorrow for camp (counselor). They're high schoolers but a bunch of science nerds, god love 'em. Should be a good time, but I BET THEY COULD BUILD MY GUITAR AND WOULD ENJOY IT. We're actually expecting snow/rain mid week... THAT WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO BUILD MY GUITAR

Fixed that for you.

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:25 pm

Howdy ladies and gents...

Good news, she's all done! The wiring was a pain in the arse given that this was my first DS/MM/Mustang type project but other than that things went pretty smooth. There is a slight issue w/ the nut, however it's playable as-is and the action is actually stellar. It did require a neck shim and like many late 60's/early 70's Fenders the neck pocket is not as snug as it might be. I set it up with D'Addario 12's... the light jazz set. I great choice as far as I can tell.

What truly surprised me is how she's DEAD quiet... not even the faintest hum which was a pleasant surprise... I wasn't sure what to expect but it's by far the quietest single coil guitar I've put together. I'm not sure if it's the shielding paint or just a good wiring job.

The pickups sound cool... there's a cool jangle played clean and then they get pretty sweet sounding with some OD. The bridge pup is significantly hotter and sounded terrific with some OD & distortion added. I'll try to get a video made and posted so you can hear it. For now, just a little guitar porn to look at... thanks to all of you who've helped answer questions and point me in the right direction. I'm looking forward to sharing its evil twin with y'all once it's finished. Cheers, JG

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:08 pm

[youtube][/youtube]

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:12 pm

Waiting for the first coat of shielding paint to dry on the red DSII body (pics to follow soon). Here's a little video from this morning... enjoy! BTW, love the new Obama shot at the top of the page... too funny!
[youtube][/youtube]

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:26 pm

Here's some pics of the routing I used for this body... I failed to rout from the toggle to the neck pickup cavity last time and it led to me having to fish wires all over the place so this should simplify matters greatly... the routs for the wiring are only about 1/4". Whoever had the body previously did some routing of their own and it wasn't the cleanest work but all in all it's looking pretty good now.

A mock up shot...

And another...

The routing...

Tape up...

And the first coat of paint...

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:05 am

Nice GEE Tars. I like the neck on that red one. Sexy aging on them body's by the way

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 1:44 pm

All I can say is WOW!

Talk about a rocker... I thought it was going to need some nut work (and by that I mean a new nut) but I got to setting it up after I got the wiring done and it's amazing... the range of tones is fantastic and the switching is flawless, and like the white one I just finished, dead quiet. It looks very vintage but this thing will blow out the windows. Both pups sound great split and both cleans and heavier tones are outstanding IMO. This seals the deal with me and DiMarzio pickups... this is about the fifth model (Fast Track) I've tried over the years and every one is awesome, and they're reasonably priced which is nice. Anyhow, back to playing this little monster

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:29 pm

fantastic work,

beautiful sounding

i've never really liked lipstick pups before..

but you may have changed my mind on that

JamGuy · Post by **JamGuy** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:08 pm

Here's a new video of the red one in action... enjoy.
[youtube][/youtube]