What did you do to your "Other" guitar today?

[Raiyn]

Yup, totally original thread idea.

Since I had the house to myself yesterday, I had planned on building another pedal. However, after sorting the parts and discovering a couple of missing resistors that wasn't an option. I ordered a mega pack, so this won't hinder me in the future, but I needed to pivot.

I already posted about the work I did on my G400 over in the original thread, but my G&L Tribute Doheny got some love last night too.

I installed a second Tremolo Stopper on the other side of the center spring.

G&L trems have rubber bushing grommity bits that don't exactly like being off kilter, nor does the system like being decked. You have to set it up as floating. I could have used blocks, but I wanted something that could be used "in the field" hence the Tremolo Stoppers. It's not perfect, but it does what I need it to do.

Having installed and engaged the devices, I removed the strings and gave it a good working over with fret erasers and a polishing cloth followed by some fingerboard love using Crimson Guitars products.



Set up and happy.

 

[imnotcreative]

I installed a set of Burstbucker pro's in my Gibson SG tribute. Sounds a lot better than the 490's that came stock with it. It now has those shimmering highs i love on burstbucker pickups with tight bass and warm mids and punchy attack when overdriven. I read the BB Pro's often have shrill glassy high's but i'm glad thats not the case here. I'm really glad they sound good because i don't really feel like taking the whole thing apart again to change pickups.Having to take out the bridge posts to take off the pickguard.. probably not the best design ever.

 

[Paruwi]

I've put new strings on some of them....
and blacked them out

 

[Mimmo]

I have always been a big fan of 70s telecasters custom, so as soon as fender announced the new CuNiFe wide range humbucker, I bought a vintera tele custom and had my tech replace the neck humbucker and set it up.
Man, this guitar sings! I use it for clean tones, when I have to go dirty I pick my AV52.

EDIT I have also replaced the neck humbucker tone pot with the pickup switch, so now the guitar as two volume pots and a master tone.

 

[Raiyn]

I installed a second Tremolo Stopper on the other side of the center spring.

G&L trems have rubber bushing grommity bits that don't exactly like being off kilter, nor does the system like being decked. You have to set it up as floating. I could have used blocks, but I wanted something that could be used "in the field" hence the Tremolo Stoppers. It's not perfect, but it does what I need it to do.

I should mention that once I was done, I disengaged the Tremolo Stoppers thus returning the wiggle stick to floating status.
https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...per-stabalizer-for-floyd-rose-guitar-bridges/

The next setup I do will be on Killer Frost.
I'm planning on a set of TUSQ saddles, replacing the neck shim with a full pocket shim, and a clean / polish / oil job on the neck. While I'm in there, I'll make a decision on changing it to a floating setup or keeping it decked. Right now I'm 63/37 on leaving it decked.

 

[Darkness]

I've put new strings on some of them....
and blacked them out

You really need to get black strings for your guitars. Complete the package.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

I'm so glad you started this thread~! Was thinking of where to post this:

BLASPHEMY!

 

[Raiyn]

I'm so glad you started this thread~! Was thinking of where to post this:

BLASPHEMY!

View attachment 16553

Ok.... so you have a Gibby made this century....

PCB's make assembly and QC easier and (theoretically) make the instrument less expensive. They don't have to pay a skilled worker to make all the solder joints. Also, if something is wrong, the modularity makes the QC process idiot proof as well: swap out the bum component and shift it down the line.

I'm no stranger to a soldering iron, in fact, I find it therapeutic. Having said that, I'd love to be able to do some of my mods "LEGO style", where I could just pop things in and out without pre-planning.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Ok.... so you have a Gibby made this century....

PCB's make assembly and QC easier and (theoretically) make the instrument less expensive. They don't have to pay a skilled worker to make all the solder joints. Also, if something is wrong, the modularity makes the QC process idiot proof as well: swap out the bum component and shift it down the line.

I'm no stranger to a soldering iron, in fact, I find it therapeutic. Having said that, I'd love to be able to do some of my mods "LEGO style", where I could just pop things in and out without pre-planning.

Hrmm... actually... come to think of it all my Gibby's should now be from this century. The last one I sold was a '99, and that would've been the oldest one I ever had. Couldn't afford them when I was going through school anyway. The downside of these PCBs though, is that once one a component fails, it's a lot of hassle to replace. I'm glad they went back to using wires for the more recent models.

I added terminal posts on top of the already solderless quick connects so I could swap out pickups without having to source those connectors and/or splice the quick connects onto new pickups each time makes swapping out pickups fairly quick for trying different things.

 

[Raiyn]

The downside of these PCBs though, is that once one a component fails, it's a lot of hassle to replace.

It's all through hole. Easy peasy as long as you don't break the harness connectors.

Just need one of these.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Took this out of storage to play around with. Bought this from Rondo music around 15 years ago while I still lived in the states. I previously installed a D-tuna and also a tremol-no (but I usually leave the tremol-no off). Forgot to take the before pic, but it had mighty mite motherbuckers in it (the hotter/ alnico 5 version) - used to like really hot pickups but not so much these days. Had to give it a partial level/recrown to ramp down the last 7 frets or to fix some buzzing and installed a pair of lower output pickups.

 

[mgenet]

Just received my "mint" 1998 Korean Epi Dot so there was only one thing
I was required to do... I tuned it and played it.

 

[Raiyn]

Just received my "mint" 1998 Korean Epi Dot so there was only one thing
I was required to do... I tuned it and played it.

Ok.... but this thread is for non-Epiphone guitars.

I believe you wanted:
epiphonetalk.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-epiphone-today.5915/

 

[mgenet]

Ok.... but this thread is for non-Epiphone guitars.

I believe you wanted:
epiphonetalk.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-epiphone-today.5915/

Dang it. I gotta learn how to read. Apologies. Thanks Raiyn.

And now in the spirit of the thread I will present the Other...


Jim Adkins PA-90

 

[Noodling Guitars]

One of those "just because" things. Changed the bridge to a a short bridge purely for cosmetics. Didn't expect any changes to tone - didn't get any changes to tone. Played around with a black pickguard too but it looked a bit weird on this shade of blonde so kept the white pickguard on it.

 

[imnotcreative]

since my LP BFG was a barely finished guitar, the thin layer of lacquer on the body started to wear fairly quickly after playing it over the last year. Could be my own incompetence made the scratches from the pick even worse so i decided to refinish the top. It's still a work in progress but slowly it's getting there. I'm going to spray a few more layers of clearcoat over the weekend to build up a thick layer for level sanding which i plan on doing next week. then some more layers of clearcoat and then let it sit for atleast a month to let the solvents from the lacquer evaporate before the final wet sanding and polishing.
before:


at this moment in time, still work in progress. there is a bit of a burst on there being a bit yellow/light amber in the middle with darker amber around the outside, but it does not show very well on camera, maybe in some different light.

 

[Raiyn]

since my LP BFG was a barely finished guitar, the thin layer of lacquer on the body started to wear fairly quickly after playing it over the last year. Could be my own incompetence made the scratches from the pick even worse so i decided to refinish the top. It's still a work in progress but slowly it's getting there. I'm going to spray a few more layers of clearcoat over the weekend to build up a thick layer for level sanding which i plan on doing next week. then some more layers of clearcoat and then let it sit for atleast a month to let the solvents from the lacquer evaporate before the final wet sanding and polishing.
before:
View attachment 18052

at this moment in time, still work in progress. there is a bit of a burst on there being a bit yellow/light amber in the middle with darker amber around the outside, but it does not show very well on camera, maybe in some different light.
View attachment 18053

You *did* adjust the truss rod to put the neck straight before you set it aside, right?

You're also periodically checking to make sure it hasn't relaxed too far, correct?

 

[imnotcreative]

You *did* adjust the truss rod to put the neck straight before you set it aside, right?

You're also periodically checking to make sure it hasn't relaxed too far, correct?

yes i have. I had to adjust it 2 times but it seems to be stable and straight so far but i'm keeping my eye on it

 

[Noodling Guitars]

since my LP BFG was a barely finished guitar, the thin layer of lacquer on the body started to wear fairly quickly after playing it over the last year. Could be my own incompetence made the scratches from the pick even worse so i decided to refinish the top. It's still a work in progress but slowly it's getting there. I'm going to spray a few more layers of clearcoat over the weekend to build up a thick layer for level sanding which i plan on doing next week. then some more layers of clearcoat and then let it sit for atleast a month to let the solvents from the lacquer evaporate before the final wet sanding and polishing.
before:
View attachment 18052

at this moment in time, still work in progress. there is a bit of a burst on there being a bit yellow/light amber in the middle with darker amber around the outside, but it does not show very well on camera, maybe in some different light.
View attachment 18053

RIP yet another BFG from this planet but born from its ashes is an awesome guitar

That's very nice work on the top!!!

 

[imnotcreative]

RIP yet another BFG from this planet but born from its ashes is an awesome guitar

That's very nice work on the top!!!

If it wasn't for the finish getting worn down to the wood and starting to flake off where the pickguard would be i would not have attempted a refinish of the top. I think a single thin pass with lacquer wasn't enough to handle some wear. The back and sides are still as they were, a bit shinier from my hand and shirt rubbing against it but still looking fine.
It's a nice looking plain top with a long mineral streak going across the body just above the tailpiece which they happen to line up perfectly