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  • State of the Modded Charvels address

    Corny, I know :P

    Anyway, after what seemed like a month or more, I've finally finished modding my 3 SoCals:



    This one was originally going to be monstrously modded, but it didn't pan out. I'd need almost a swimming pool route to make it happen.

    I was going to put 5 Duncan Jrs in it in an H-S-H pickguard with a Jackson Special 5-way/SuperSwitch, a push/pull, and a 3-way mini toggle to get tons of options.

    The wiring took two weeks to work out, but what finally killed it was the amount of wood I was going to have to chew out of it. I shaved it a bit with a Dremel and sanding drum but not enough, and didn't really feel like grinding out the required amount of wood. It simply wasn't worth the damage.

    Anyhoo, I settled on regular H-S-H using the original DiMarzios and a Duncan Custom Shop Custom Jr (which I ordered a few years ago).

    I was going to put a Hot Rails in the middle, but apparently it bit the dust somewhere along the way.

    Standard 5-way switching here (even though I'm using a SuperSwitch) -
    Bridge full
    Bridge split + Middle split inverse phased
    Middle full
    Middle split inverse phased + Neck split
    Neck full

    Since it's already got the extra hole from the originally intended mods, I might throw in a push/pull just to split everything or swap the phase of the middle.




    Nothing fancy here - 3 singles with standard 5-way wiring, though the middle isn't phased. Might throw in a 2-way mini for that.

    Jackson J-150 ceramic in the bridge and 2 Duncan Designed SC-101Ms (I think those are the Middle pickups? One should be a neck model, but I've got 3 that are identical and there's no way they all came out of 2 guitars).


    Might swap these 3 out for a DistortionJr (B) and JazzJr (N) (the other 2 I had built with the C-Jr) and a JBJr in the middle. But then I'd want switching options galore, and that's more headache.

    This one was originally going to have a Classic Stack in the bridge, and I had to cut a chunk out of the body to fit it, but the CS was DOA. Had it in another guitar not too long ago and it worked fine. Guess the Parts Box killed it




    Last but not least - this one just got a very simple mod - 3-way blade to select B-B+N-N and the 3-way toggle selects which one is split when the blade is in the middle. Down is Bridge split+Neck full, middle is both split, up is bridge full+neck split.

    Like I said, simple


    Between these 3 guitars, I have tons of tones available.



    Oh, and yes, that nasty scratch on the pickguards is where I cut the control section off so I could rewire anything without having to take the whole guitar apart. It's ugly, but when the rest of the world catches up to the idea that a Jazz bass-style pickguard with separate control plate is how Strats should be done, I'll stay out here on the bleeding edge, blazing my own trails. Call me crazy now, then call me a genius when these go into production.
    I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

    The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

    My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

  • #2
    I've been doing the split pickguard for my customers that use EMG actives for years. If you use a fine jewelers blade and bevel cut the guard it becomes almost invisible. Great mod ideas btw.

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    • #3
      Wow...I was expecting a lot more crazy things the way you were talking before. Simple, but effective.

      And regarding the split pickguards...ugly, yeah; effective, hell yeah. Good idea.

      While we're on this subject, instead of a two-piece, how about a hinged pickguard? After removing 1-2 screws, you could just flip that lower part up to work on the electronics.

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      • #4
        Wow... just... wow...
        -------------------------
        Blank yo!

        Comment


        • #5
          Well, that's function over form for ya. :ROTF:

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by 6string40 View Post
            Wow...I was expecting a lot more crazy things the way you were talking before. Simple, but effective.

            And regarding the split pickguards...ugly, yeah; effective, hell yeah. Good idea.

            While we're on this subject, instead of a two-piece, how about a hinged pickguard? After removing 1-2 screws, you could just flip that lower part up to work on the electronics.

            Yeah well, I tried crazy. Made me crazy, so I gave it up :ROTF:

            And I had thought of the hinged flap, but all I know from hinges is Lowe's - big-ass door hinges, not the little jewelry box hinges



            Just spent the last 3 hours trying to suss the Special 5-way with the MegaOptions on the Pagan Gold (replaced all three singles with Jrs - Distortion Jr, JazzJr, JBJr in the neck) and was trying yet again for the wiring.

            It's definitely do-able, the design is sound, but the switch seems to be the problem - it's not grouped like I thought it was, and I can't do what I want to do with it. I'm gonna try a SuperSwitch from StewMac - the design appears to be different than the Jackson switch, maybe that's the key.
            I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

            The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

            My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

            Comment


            • #7
              So... What did you cut those pickguards with? It's a cool idea, the split. Not sure I'm digging the execution so much, but, it's definitely a cool idea.

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              • #8
                dude they look horrible.
                the guitar players look damaged - they've been outcasts all their lives

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by skorb View Post
                  dude they look horrible.
                  I am speechless......

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Did you have to route any extra wood under the pickguards to fit the 5 way switch? I gave it a look a little while ago and it looks like it could be a tight fit.
                    THIS IS MY POST
                    Thanks for reading

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                    • #11




                      Cool idea, though...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Well, since grinding the neck cutout away with a sanding barrel on a Dremel produced so much black plastic dust, I decided against the cutting wheel for the control plate mod.

                        I started to score it with an exacto knife, but that wasn't proceeding with much speed.

                        So finally I broke out the tin snips. Cuts right through plastic, though the turn is kinda hard to make smoothly.

                        It looks like ass, but the functionality more than makes up for it.

                        Might do what ATD said and pick up a jeweler's saw - assuming I can find one at WalMart :ROFL:
                        I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                        The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                        My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Newc View Post
                          Well, since grinding the neck cutout away with a sanding barrel on a Dremel produced so much black plastic dust, I decided against the cutting wheel for the control plate mod.

                          I started to score it with an exacto knife, but that wasn't proceeding with much speed.

                          So finally I broke out the tin snips. Cuts right through plastic, though the turn is kinda hard to make smoothly.

                          It looks like ass, but the functionality more than makes up for it.

                          Might do what ATD said and pick up a jeweler's saw - assuming I can find one at WalMart :ROFL:
                          A good coping saw with a superfine metal blade will do the trick. Use masking tape so you can see your cut line well and take your time.


                          You still see a seam but as Newc said.. its functional
                          Last edited by atdguitars; 05-25-2009, 09:44 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Here I think is one place where form trumps function. I'd rather route the back of behind the pickguard.
                            -------------------------
                            Blank yo!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Another idea I've been toying with - if this control plate design could be set up in a stamping die, then you could churn out tons of them, and pre-wire several "snap-in" control layouts - 1 vol 3-way, 1v1t 3-way, 1v 5-way, mini toggles, etc.

                              All you'd have to do is wire your switching options. If you used snap-on connectors (molex, etc) for the pickps, then that makes it even faster.
                              I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                              The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                              My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

                              Comment

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