NGD - my strat.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Isn't she beautiful?

Anyway, it sounds fucking STUNNING. Holds tuning well, too, I've got 10s on and 4 springs, allows a bit of upwards motion and enough downwards for me, too.

HOWEVER

There is a problem with the sounds. It's got a TON of crackling and popping. It occurs in all positions. It's intermittent, but there 80-90% of the time.

It gets worse if I fiddle with the jack, or apply pressure to the pots.

I can do a video if it'll help with diagnoses, but what do we reckon? Poor solder joint somewhere? Not looking forward to taking it all apart after all that hard work, so I'll probably sort intonation and saddle heights first, then sort the electronics.

It is *the* strat tone underneath though. @theguitarweasel has made a great set of pickups, it's glassy, chimey and genuinely very special. Once the noise is sorted, I think this will be the best sounding guitar I've ever played.

dchwhite · December 2014

Sorry not to have any pointers on the electrics, but it does look very nice.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

dchwhite said:

Sorry not to have any pointers on the electrics, but it does look very nice.

Cheers man!

@GSPBASSES smashed it on the neck, it's a right peach. Quite slim, but super smooth and the fretboard is a stunner, it's like a piece of glass without any stickiness. Proper nice.

But I'm a bit miffed at my wiring. Gotta remove the pickguard and do it all over again... *sigh* (well, not all but you know what I mean).

I suspect, as it's in all positions, it's the jack socket, but I wouldn't mind a pointer.

p90fool · December 2014

You may as well start at the jack socket, if only because it's the easiest bit to get to and you'd kick yourself if you checked it last.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

p90fool said:

You may as well start at the jack socket, if only because it's the easiest bit to get to and you'd kick yourself if you checked it last.

Good thinking.

I'm still really rather too ill to be doing anything. I was sweating like a chump and out of breath just screwing the bridge in...

However, I've mostly sorted the action and intonation and by god, does this thing sing. The noise is unbearable, though, and is worse during playing or when the guitar is moving. Definitely not a cable issue, it's fine with other guitars. I've done a video, will see if I can upload it.

I'm suspecting it's actually something to do with the tone pots, though. Turning them off stops the noise altogether... But up a bit and it's coming through again.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Yarp, got a video on it's way.

I'm really hoping it's the output jack! But actually, I'm thinking my cheapo soldering iron has left me with loads of dry solder joints and I might be just as well to redo the whole thing, or maybe pay someone to do it for me.

sweepy · December 2014

might have wired the tone pots backwards if the hum stops when you turn them off, does it have a Fender or Japanese switch.....the Jap one is all the contacts in one line and in a solid plastic enclosure

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

sweepy said:

might have wired the tone pots backwards if the hum stops when you turn them off, does it have a Fender or Japanese switch.....the Jap one is all the contacts in one line and in a solid plastic enclosure

It's a genuine CRL switch - same as a proper fender.

Wiring the tone pots backwards?!

Dave_Mc · December 2014

Nice

What is it?

)

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Dave_Mc said:

Nice

What is it? )

Not sure if you are being sarcastic but sod it, here is the specs!

So, super light pine body

GSPBASSES Neck with ebony board (this is super gorgeous) and fairly slim frets

Fender USA standard staggered tuners (no string tree, holds tuning fine!)

Oil City hybrid pickups (.53 calbre I think they're called).

CRL switch, CTS True Vintage Taper pots

1 ply white plate

Wudtone bridge and saddles

Switchcraft jack

Wudtone Faded Fiesta finish with a mix of tinted and non tinted satin top coat

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Hope this works... Calling @ICBM maybe?

By the way, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. I have a damn sexy voice.*

https://flic.kr/p/qxNj89

*not necessarily true

Alnico · December 2014

Very, very, very very nice !

Love the traditional look but obviously very modern parts !

Really well done man.

I bet your wiring problem turns out to be something daft, don't worry man.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Alnico said:

Very, very, very very nice !

Love the traditional look but obviously very modern parts !

Really well done man.

I bet your wiring problem turns out to be something daft, don't worry man.

Oh, it's daft alright!

So, just been playing it and I noticed... The horrible noises can be stopped - by resting my foot on any effects pedal! Or touching the jack!

So... Definitely something to do with a ground wire going to the wrong place I think.

By golly, this thing has serious tone.

Thanks for the kind words guys. This will probably be my number one guitar. I can't get over how incredibly smooth and lovely the neck is.

xmrchi · December 2014

Earth issue I'm assuming, are the electrics earthed to the trem claw correctly? I had the same bridge gigged it for ten years, bloody rock solid they are!

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

mrchi said:

Earth issue I'm assuming, are the electrics earthed to the trem claw correctly? I had the same bridge gigged it for ten years, bloody rock solid they are!

Hey, Mrchi, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my dignity, will you marry me?

I DIDN'T CONNECT THE CLAW TO GROUND.

I'll do that tomorrow.

cheers guv.

Just did intonation by using the korg pitch black and it's close enough for rock and roll, but open strings are slightly out with notes played over the 12th fret so I'll fine tune by ear tomorrow.

Megii · December 2014

It's certainly a beauty TPD, notice no string tree - have you used staggered height tuning machines? Like Alnico, I'm very much approving of the combination of subtle modernisation, but staying with the clean vintage kind of look, it really works. Like the choice of a '62 style scratchplate also, I always go for that as well, just to be different. Hope you get the electrics sorted before long, can't be anything major I'm sure. Gorgeous guitar you've created there anyway, my congratulations on a fine build.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Megii said:

It's certainly a beauty TPD, notice no string tree - have you used staggered height tuning machines? Like Alnico, I'm very much approving of the combination of subtle modernisation, but staying with the clean vintage kind of look, it really works. Like the choice of a '62 style scratchplate also, I always go for that as well, just to be different. Hope you get the electrics sorted before long, can't be anything major I'm sure. Gorgeous guitar you've created there anyway, my congratulations on a fine build.

Yup, staggered machine heads.

Actually, I'm loving that - it looks wrong, though. Genuinely wrong. The low string tension is nice, and I can still do bends without the strings popping out of the nut

However, I might fit them. Not just for looks, but for funk a bit more fight in the strings could be nice.

My inspiration for the build was John Frusciante's red strat - it's my favourite guitar in the world, even if he never really uses it. His has a 3 ply plate, and mine did but I preferred the cleaner (and oddly more modern) look of single ply.

Thanks very much for the kind words

it's a wonderful guitar. Just need to ground the strings (DUH) then play the thing endlessly.

I've already jammed out If You Have To Ask, Power of Equality and Under the Bridge and, frankly, I sound just like John Fru. Through a Peavey Bandit! Ash at Oil City really knows what he's doing, the pickups sound wonderful.

When the strings are grounded, I'll crank it up a bit, stick a mic in front and see if I can jam out a clip or two

it's a wonderful guitar. Mega light, too - about 7lbs or so?

Megii · December 2014

I never like the look of two string trees - just the one, for the high E and B, if you must, only my opinion there FWIW. But also FWIW I think the headstock looks great as is - a very clean kind of look, just subtly different. Kind of "boutique strat" actually, hope that's not the wrong thing to say...

ThePrettyDamned · December 2014

Megii said:

I never like the look of two string trees - just the one, for the high E and B, if you must, only my opinion there FWIW. But also FWIW I think the headstock looks great as is - a very clean kind of look, just subtly different. Kind of "boutique strat" actually, hope that's not the wrong thing to say...

That's all I'd want, the middle strings have good tension - the top two are nice and slinky, but I don't know... I kinda like a bit more fight. We'll see.

Haha 'course not. It's a boutique neck, for sure, @gspbasses knows how to make them. It's wonderful.

He also cut the nut for me - and it's perfect. Not used any lubricant but, now the strings are fairly stretched in, it's hardly going out of tune at all, and there is no buzz! (though I'm expecting to tweak the truss rod a bit in the next few days). So GSP can set up a neck better than my local shop...

...Without it being on a guitar. Amazing.

Dave_Mc · December 2014

ThePrettyDamned said:

Dave_Mc said:

Nice

What is it? )

Not sure if you are being sarcastic but sod it, here is the specs!

So, super light pine body
GSPBASSES Neck with ebony board (this is super gorgeous) and fairly slim frets
Fender USA standard staggered tuners (no string tree, holds tuning fine!)
Oil City hybrid pickups (.53 calbre I think they're called).
CRL switch, CTS True Vintage Taper pots
1 ply white plate
Wudtone bridge and saddles
Switchcraft jack
Wudtone Faded Fiesta finish with a mix of tinted and non tinted satin top coat

Thanks

Sounds sweet

I wasn't being sarcastic, lol, obviously I could see it was a strat-style guitar but I didn't know exactly what it was (and I couldn't read the headstock in the pic)

)

dindude · December 2014

Looks ace. Is that trem the Wudtone vintage constant pivot thingamebob?

Been so close to putting one of the two post conversions in my CS Strat but it means drilling holes in my beloved and I'm a chicken.

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NGD - my strat.

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