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| why your guitar sounds like shit? |
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| browndog2woof |
 Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:53 am Post subject: PART 4 - ELECTRONICS |
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Joined: 10 Nov 2006
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PART 4 - ELECTRONICS
most people have real big confusion here to match things with their guitar. electronics they don't go by brands and names to match, but have certain stage of quality and standards to begin with. i'm using layman term here. (sorry guys, i forgot that this issue comes 1st before setup!)
a) the wires
cheap guitars goes with low grade wires, the good ones uses teflon. they may look the same but different value. as standards, fender uses cloth wire while gibson uses braided ones for their vintage guitars. i prefer teflon and these 2.
b) the pots
quality of the pots lies on it's contact point and grade. there are smaller pots with good quality with different casing. some with aluminium and some with steel. there are cts and alpha to begin with, these are recommended. the remember, some continental pots are inferior to our climate, fungus starts to grow and jamming it.
please match with your taste
set one - 500k for vol, 250 for tone
set two - 1 meg for vol, 250 for tone
set three - 1 meg for vol, 500 for tone (prefered)
c) the capasitor
- the value is very important, some uses standard .22uf/5v ceramic or equal. the real story here is to match up with your pickup configuration. using this set on high treble pickups will give you better range of sound. that's why i prefer high treble pickups so you can tame the tone down, high p/u to low will fly, low p/u to high won't go! same goes to recording. rubbish in, rubbish out!
d) the pickups
- this is the biggest issue here, are you matching the pickups with
1) brand
2) name
3) concept
4) tone
5) music
6) playing
7) amp
8) pedal
9) guitar
10) influence
ask yourself. i'm in 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 category. guitar itself will also play a very important role here, most of the new guitar nowadays are toneless. matching the guitar with the material, construction and setup is the best way to optimized the sound or tone.
low treble guitar needs more highs
low mid guitar needs more mid
low bass guitar needs more bass
using the above, listen to your guitar and configure yourself. nowadays you have charts at their website to refer.
the best way to have your guitar setup by a pro and take his advices. check with gg. i'll give 1 good example. texas special pickups matches with basswood body with maple neck. it sounds good with rosewood too!
good pickups will still sounds like shit if their are not properly setup and matched! believe me!
btw, strings are equally important to your tone. try these 2. they are my favorites. others are good too but some are really2 bad. best to match up with yourself!
- dadario nickle wound - high and midrangey
- ernie ball - more bass and highs
e) the switch
i prefer the americans ones, german and japs switches are good too! must be able to absorb extreme playing and pressure of course!
f) the input jack
hmmm, certainly the ones came with the standards usa strats. brands may vary, but i'm used to it. there are others good quality and locking ones too, but i'm still a traditionalist? wonder why i don't mention names here, seek and you will have a better understanding! (sama macam issue construction and material previously)
g) the wiring
pergh! too much to ask la bro, aku prefer standard. nuclear reactor plant punye wiring schematic aku tak ada dan tak tau dan tak interested. biar pro yg buat! try to be as standard as possible. the 'less is more' concept suits me well! as for those 'live ones' or pre amp installed, refer bro cosmo. (again, a traditionalist)
h) the 'wireman' aka 'technician'
please don't let a monster install or wire up your pickup. i'm not gonna waste my time here. beli guitar dan main guitar pandai, sini jadi kayu lak!
a good technician solders beautifully, organized and makes each of his wiring job perfectly solid. enough said!
so, enjoy for the day!
woof! |
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| setanicx |
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: PART 4 - ELECTRONICS |
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Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 133
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| browndog2woof wrote: | PART 4 - ELECTRONICS
........
c) the capasitor
- the value is very important, some uses standard .22uf/5v ceramic or equal. the real story here is to match up with your pickup configuration. using this set on high treble pickups will give you better range of sound. that's why i prefer high treble pickups so you can tame the tone down, high p/u to low will fly, low p/u to high won't go! same goes to recording. rubbish in, rubbish out!
............
so, enjoy for the day!
woof! |
so bro,pasai capasitor ...bleh rekemen apa yg best... 
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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kalau bole cari yg sebesar duit 10 sen tu dgn value yg sama... ha ha ha! aku kasi tips kalau ko nak capasitoraire... ko cari organ2 lama yg dah buang tu, dalam tu penuh dgn vintage caps, inductor, transformer, resistor, preamp amp, power, speakers (kadang2 ada rotating leslie's lagi), vintage grill cloth dan bermacam2 lagi. ever wonder where these vintage repairer manage to get their used parts? kat situ je ko bole experiment dah.... kalau nak detail, sms aku email ko, aku kasi gambar. tele aku pakai 60s capasitor.
woof! |
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| setanicx |
| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 133
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| browndog2woof wrote: | kalau bole cari yg sebesar duit 10 sen tu dgn value yg sama... ha ha ha! aku kasi tips kalau ko nak capasitoraire... ko cari organ2 lama yg dah buang tu, dalam tu penuh dgn vintage caps, inductor, transformer, resistor, preamp amp, power, speakers (kadang2 ada rotating leslie's lagi), vintage grill cloth dan bermacam2 lagi. ever wonder where these vintage repairer manage to get their used parts? kat situ je ko bole experiment dah.... kalau nak detail, sms aku email ko, aku kasi gambar. tele aku pakai 60s capasitor.
woof! |
sy dah test.hoh beza zkali bunyinya ohmm(x tersumbat bunyi rupanyerr hehehe).thanks for the email bro.
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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PART 5 - THE SETUP
BEFORE WE START, YOU NEED ALL THESE
SET A
1) screw drivers - the ones that fits your guitar requirement.
2) steel ruler - straight ones and as panjang as the neck if possible
- 1 small, 1 medium and 1 lengthy.
3) allen keys - the ones that fits your requirement - inches/mm
4) shim - steel or paper or veneer that fits your neck pocket
5) tooth pick - 1 box or can
6) super glue - 4 tubes
7) blade pen knife with spare blades
8) pencil
9) micro file set - get these from a specialty hardwarestore.
10) standard file set
11) sandpader grid 800 to 1500
12) autosol
14) masking tape, paper type
15) zippo oil (kalau tak dapat setup gak, boleh bakar guitar tu!)
16) polishing cloth
17) wd40
18) pliers set - long nose ka, short ka...
19) spannar set box - kat tesco rm 12 je
20) handrill battery mounted type with - drill bit sets and screws set
21) g clamp
22) micro chisel set
SET B
1) solder gun
2) soldering iron
3) soldering paste
4) solder sucker (vacuum)
5) multi tester
6) multi clip wire set
7) candle
8) tweezer
9) wire cutter
10) wires - braided ka, teflon ka atau cloth
11) shrink tubes
12) black tape
13) cable tie small and medium
14) blow dryer - pau akak ko punye
15) test pen
16) solder stand
SET C
1) rubber mat
2) work lights
3) magnifying glass
4) micro torch light
5) work bench
6) plug point with power surge protection
7) guitar capo
8) stand fan
9) working gloves
10) eye protection
11) guitar neck oil and polish set
SET D
1) knowledge from books and net info as much as possible
- get printed schematics or instruction, buat satu file..
- radius info
- neck info
- wiring info
- etc. etc. (sendiri mau ingat la...)
2) passion and patients (no kelam kabut here!)
3) good reader
4) a goot pair of eyes and feel
5) relaxs la.... jangan la gabra!...
SPECIAL NOTE :
kalau guitar ok dari segi construction, assembly or tak ada major problems, ko cuma perlu 2 tiga barang je... kalau masaalah start timbul, ha ha ha ha!, bench seperti diatas diperlukan. itu tak termasuk special tool la bro. skill lagi satu hal, kalau tak feel, kerja tanpa perasaan tu kejam nama nya!....
btw, kalau rasa2 takmau usik, hantar pro je... jangan lak complain lak mahal!
so enjoy reading WHILE preparing!
woof!
Last edited by browndog2woof on Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:28 am; edited 2 times in total |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:38 am Post subject: LETS TALK ABOUT YOUR NECK 1ST |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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NECK
major problems that i've encountered are,
1) loose machine head mechanism
- dah haus dah, tukar je baru but better quality
2) loose screws or not tighten machine head on peghead
- grover/gotoh - cracked bushing screw - beli baru
- kluson - loose screws - use glued tooth pick to fill in gap, cut to fit
- wrong size peghead holes - either factory workmanship atau aftermarket products atau monster yg fit in. this one a bit chronic, you have to find a maple that is cut to the exact diameter, re fit, glue and redrill to exact size.
3) not truly fitted nut
- no contact to the surface - chisel out and refit
- sides distance not equal - chisel out and refit
4) not truly slotted and angled nut
- neck stem or neck contact surface to the neck pocket tak proper. kena re sand atau trim dengan sanding block, repaint and polish. must set the proper angle. fit in the 4 screws hole with maple to reset with neck pocket. this will come handy during setup.
5) poor quality nut
- tukar la yg plastic dan yg hollow tu. soud will improve.
6) loose or damaged truss rod
- pro saja boleh buat. jobs invove steaming, removing, replacing, refitting fret slot, fitting and reglueing fretboard, clamping, fixing fretwires and nut.
7) rising tounge
- pro saja boleh buat. jobs involved radius sanding, fret bending, fret slot retrimming, fitting fret wires
8) bumps
- pro saja boleh buat. jobs involved radius sanding, fret bending, fret slot retrimming, fitting fret wires
9) humps
- pro saja boleh buat. jobs involved radius sanding, fret bending, fret slot retrimming, fitting fret wires
10) crack
- fretboard - re fretboard process. sama macam diatas
- neck - pro saja boleh buat. syringe injection glueing method and clamping atau traditional support method.
11) uneven frets
- moster fixed different brands and size of fretwires.. re fret to standard.
12) loose frets
- moster fixed different brands and size of fretwires, reslot not to original slot depth, hancos! .. refill and re fit gap, then re fret to standard.
13) not properly fitted frets
- wrong tang on the wrong slot size by moster - proper reslotting and re fret
14) worn out frets
- re fret - same method as the above. kindly refer.
15) dented/ding frets by strings
- try to crown or resand to smooth things out nicely.
16) poor refretting jobs by monsters
- re fret - same method as the above. kindly refer.
17) poor fret slot job by monsters
- re fret - same method as the above. kindly refer.
18) poor fret curve/radius or not even properly rolled frets by monsters
- re fret - same method as the above. kindly refer.
19) glued frets by monsters
- if totally damged, re fretboard and refret. same as above, kindly refer.
20) low quality fret wires
- re fret - same method as the above. using good material.
21) low quality neck material/works
- fretboard x
- neck x
- frets
- truss rod x
- glues x
- nut
- paintwork and paint
- assembly line and workmanship x
- truss rod quality x
- truss rod slot routing angle x
note: x means very2 costly work
22) wrong fret slot angle
- believe it or not, hancos habis. re fretboard je la.. then refret
23) wrong nut slot angle
- refill and reslot and repair by fitting to standard
24) misplaced string tree angle/point
- refill hole and align. sama macam diatas.
25) not standard, misalignment or wrong machine head holes
- refill hole and realign to standard. sama macam diatas.
26) damaged bindings
- replace atau reglue. use plastic clamp, cheaper method pakai cable use ties je.
27) missing fret markers
- relace je la. kalau mother of pearl kind of material sakit la....
28) twisted neck - almost forgot about it!
- chronic problem ni, mau bukak semua baru tahu. best avoid dan beli baru unless ko rasa value dia woth repairing. lagi teruk daripada x category!
If you were to notice, most of the problems needs professional handling due to sufficient tooling for guitar repair and works. these tools can be bought at many2 places but utilizing it professionally, that involves skills, experience and passion is another. If you think that it is worth of your investment and time to do so, so be it. But remember, getting results is also taht one have to suffer or you yourelf will become one of the monsters temporarily . (how long la bro?)
Try to learn as much as possible so that you can minimize mistakes. The motto here is, 'NO PAIN, NO GAIN!'. i advise working on your own test guitars before experimenting on others until you have your grip on your confidence!
Honestly speaking, to me, i would like to have less pain in the arse, ha ha ha ha! I have segregated the issues that i think one can handle as per below. (personal survival information for guitarist to setup their weapon)
NORMAL STANDARD ISSUES OF NECK PROBLEMS
a) fitting to neck pocket (if any)
b) tilt angle
c) strings slot
d) concave
e) bowing
f) crowning
g) fret buzz
h) intonation
i) string height (nut and saddles)
j) corroded frets
k) dirty fretboard
l) chip and dings
m) scratches
n) protruding frets edges and unproper trimming
o) loose bindings
p) frets trimmed by monsters
NOTE:
I HOPE THAT I HAVE NOT MISSED OUT ANY MAJOR THINGS OR ISSUES HERE. IF YOU KNOW THE PROBS, KINDLY READ THE ARTICLES ON HOW TO SOLVE THEM 1ST. THE INTERNET AND BOOKS ARE YOUR BEST TOOL TO ASSIST YOU FOR NOW. EXPERIENCES AND UNDERSTANDING WILL COME BY LATER ON NATURALLY. KNOW HOW IS THE PRIORITY HERE, BUT DON'T START RUSHING AND DOING THINGS OVER THE SHADY CLOUDS TILL THE FINAL CHAPTER!
so, enjoy boys and girls!
woof!
Last edited by browndog2woof on Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:35 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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| Erna |
| Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Joined: 04 Apr 2006
Posts: 498
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| thanks for the good knowledge u've given to us mr.browndog.. |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:44 am Post subject: |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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THE BODY
This is the part also needs to be well checked. Don't be fooled by the crystal clear painting job, gold or very worldly accessories and other thick make over. Look as if oneself to up grade your car to have more horsepower by fixing turbo powered Catterpillar tractor engine. Ya ya, I know that it has more gain, but does it serve it purpose?
I think regarding the wood matter and constructions you have already viewed previously. i don't mind getting a 'bohsia' guitar (mostly vintage la atau old guitars, jarang NOS kat malaysia ni!), as long as everything is in order and without chronic or major deseases. They can be work out alright if the basic origin came from a good source of works and quality. Please look into these because they are also very2 important to all of us.
major problems that i've encountered are
1) not up to standard specifications guitar body works (blue print factor)
- yang ini paling banyak. most of the strat copies atau standard strat macam ni. you can see the contour, curves, neck pocket, trem route, pickup cavity, angle, screws position etc2 all hancos. when you wanna fix ori parts, tak compatible, gap here and there, wrong screw holes and 'hau siau' workmanship... hmm, therefore expecting a vintage replica tone only for 'loonies'. but, if yu're making a super strat which is version out, that one is achievable... don't trust whatever 'shit loonies' telling you. comprende?
2) body joint does not matches with routing alignment
- ha ha ha, worst guitar, completely reject that is made for sale, 100% rubbish! i've seen it, no names here, don't ever waste you time here or never ever sell to people except cc or bst. i've i were the person doing it, i'll feel guilty to the grave
3) not matured or well aged woods
- common. look for the body joints, especially asian made guitars, sorry guys. look thoroughly by checking the finish surface, selalunya tak even out.
4) neck pocket too deep or shallow
- not according to the international specifications or association of brand names guitars specs. therefore, bila ko swap atau install neck from different brands of model, the guitar feels like 'strange' and it makes your trem sinks or high.. then the pickups lak too low or high!.. nak adjust lak, cavity dah too low... hmmmm, so enjoy tweaking to the 'crap zone'...
5) neck pocket width too big or narrow
- if you give 'malau' to install them, they will make peanuts out of them... just like in the zoo... they try to will force in or out, and at the end of the day... squeezing into a dog into a small cat house.... they will scream like hell.. same goes to your guitar, they will crack under pressure.. i know of a person who did all of these.... but i told one of the customer about this prob, the monkey ego comes out and the customer believed him. that is how stupid some guitarist nowadays. they prefer to put their head on the chopping board... so be it, kalau tak sabar..
6) wrong neck plate screw positions
- common on copy strat, can be adjusted. as long as the rest is ok. cover the holes thoroughly with the exact diametre of wood material, shave as close as possible, glue and sand.
7) uneven neck pocket surface
- common on most medium grade strat, can be trim. as long as the rest is ok or 'no taik kuda on top!' use a small sanding block to trim down, kalau chronic, re route the surface! tricky work this one bros!
8) cracked joints or body
- can be syringe glued. this is where the g clamps comes to work! feel mau ada, kalau tak, bengkok lak macam tangan member aku kena simen dengan doctor pelatih!
9) tremolo or tune a matic alighment screw holes diagonal (problems applicable to all type of bridges)
- common on most medium grade strat copy, refill hole and re drill. use a mount type with marked heigt on the bit. use a template and get in properly aligned with. you need a pro has the feel out of it... just like a painter with good stroke.... if you're the hyper type or trembling like the tremolo pedal and out of phased in this category, send to a pro, or there'll be more damaged done...
10) pickguard position screws not aligned with bride or pickups
- fill with tooth picks or better option, glue, trimm cut, re position.
NOTE: must be aligned with - neck pocket, tremolo position (if any), pickup route, nut slot and overall feel of the guitar. things must be equally balance.. if here are not fitting, the pickguard must be trim according to specs!
11) pickup positions does not fit
same as no 4. check whether worth doing it by a pro or better get rid of it... sorry guys....
12) chiseled out body by monsters - tremolo, pickup cavity and neck pocket
same as no 4 or 11. i'll tell you how it works.
a) route into a square or rectangle pool
b) make a blok according to size
c) fit in, clamp and glue
d) trimm out the excess surface
e) re route using a template
f) fill in the gap with amber
g) sand down to smooth
h) re-paint
13) tremolo screws not fit or too long or perfectly matched
- guitars and tremolo screws has their own specs, length and thickness. for your info, vintage tremolo screws are shorter compared to the late 70s onwards. some copies are too thin or the tremolo spring cavity too shallow. they are all related, copy, design and productions. get the ones that matches.
14) worst assembly by monsters of all parts above
same as 4, 5 and 11. maybe a new worker have been employed and this is his 1st few assembly while gaining some experience and skill... luthiers they don't do these kind of works.. some can be readjusted, but some are doomed. better get some person with some good experience when buying a guitar. bayarla or berlanja la some service fee... asyik nak free dan untung aje!...
15) scratches - minor or major
- minor
use a grid 1200 till 1500 wet based sandpaper. must have a sanding block. the swirl technique will help you. fine tune until it smooths out, use a rubbing compound or autosol and rub gently to shine....
- major
a) touch up with amber, and use the above technic. kalau coloured, must look for the exact paint and blend to match. then put amber.. and the rest is the same....
b) too chronic, send to a pro. if worst, strip and repaint.... some shit area to start with, i'll cover it in the furure la kot!
16) paint surface not level
- sanding block and swirl technic, the rest is the same lah like 15.
17) 2nd grade or reject bodies - ho ho, yg ni paling banyak
a) kayu jointed bodies campur dgn not from the same age group or type - sana kembang, sini kempes, body joint start to loose contact, lump sana etc. etc.
b) cnc and handmade/manually reject guitar works or repaired by underpaid labours/workers, monsters aka 'malau' or self acclaimed 'doctor/sinseh/bomoh/manderum' on all pickup cavity, angle, hardware and accessories position, fittings, tremolo, etc. and bla bla... instead rejected by the QC, they assembled them and sold them off! (that includes usa made fenders and gibsons, ho ho, no suprise, believe me!)
c) all second quality stuffs - at the end of the day, semua pon kena tukar! itu pasal aftermarket product sales booming!
therefore, korang decide la nak add kat iklaneka, classifieds, bst atau cc. sama la macam no 2.
18) DIY guitars unproperly assembled or fixed
- check the problems 1st, whether it can be repaired or beyond...
19) overdo workmanship on fitted parts
- aku pernah tengok orang fix a tremolo on non tremolo guitar and replacement parts on a vintage les paul... 10 kali tampal, 20 kali chisel and the lubang is bigger than karak highways tunnel... nak redo pon tak sanggup, dah over do!
20) reshaped guitar contour due to unprofessional sanding works
- dah macam gula2 hacks lak separuh makan dalam mulut... ini khas kepada kaum2 yg ketagih sandpaper dan takut paint remover... jawab nye sama macam wira nak convert jadi evolution 3 tapi tak menjadi dengan insang ikan kat tepi dan lebih menyerupai apekejadah entah... bila nak tolak kat 'used car', aftersales value pon tak ada, baling la dalam gaung karak dan claim insurance total lost!
21) horrible paint job - either nitro, poly or acrylic. that includes that grey filler... ha ha ha, yg sama macam buat kereta tu... kalau 'les tebiat' aku confident la gak sebab background guitarist, dia mesti ada feel. cuma mamat yg tau nak buat cantik je, tak pedulik tebal ka macam 'tepong gomak', main bedok aje... paint selection pon hancos...
22) loose hardware fitting holes
- refill hole with the right material, glue, resand to smooth and redrill..(pakai yg ada stand le, more accurate.. i've seen an indon worker uses perfectly superb with the manual hand drill, respect habis! but you guys, better use a proper one....)
well guys, thats about it la, most can be repaired by us, but some needs attention or buat 'kayu api' untuk bakar lemang je!.... go check your guitar guys, by doing so or I hope at the end of the chapter, we are more capable and prepared on buying guitars in the future. therefore, we can avoid all unecessary hassles or pain in the arse! ha ha ha ha! 'prevention is better than cure!' (my moms word!)
so enjoy once more, guys and gals!
woof! |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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ACHTUNG!
sorry guys and gals, by contributing to this article, you may discover that some of the parts on your guitar are lousy pieces of shit!... i'm really sorry if these will affect some of your feelings towards your guitar, aftersales business, or used sales and future purchases, unless korang tak kesah lah... so enjoy!
THE HARDWARE
1) cap tengkorak a.k.a cap ayam a.k.a cap angsa
- most of these parts are off specs, poor of quality and you will need more adjustments than fitting them right. i am totally against these type of product. it will destroy your guitar face look and sometimes even your guitar tone. the worst ones will make you regret forever.. like fixing a poor quality frets on your vintage guitar. this will be even worst when you sent them to a 'monster' or a 'butcher'! i have my years of night and daymare experienced over this matter, i'm trying to avoid yours!
2) replacement aftermarket to specs
- these types are quite tricky, they look original, feels original but some are not using original material. i.e brass are replaced by cast iron or a lower grade steel instead of high tensile type. some are eve better than the original, but you will defaced it's standards. (macam graphtech, stainless steel, titanium and brass) mostly on trem blocks, saddles, nut or even fret wires... becareful of the contents as well. i prefer stumac frets because the content of nickle is more prominent to the vintage. i'll try to stick to the standards if possible with only a little upgrade, unless it's your 'frankerstein' strat. however, i'll definitely rec them to most friends except for so called 'purist' or 'collector.'
3) replacement originals
- sounds convenient right? but beware, some have already changed it's material content... but at least you're on the safe side. the only differences are old and new or reissues.
- exact
yg ni mahal sikit. most of these items can be found (utk strat ya bros) on the V series productions. the best ones are somewhere in 82 to 84 usa strats (not dan smith strats era ya!). superb right to the blueprint. therefore, those of you who has V series, it's worth keeping!
- reissue replacements
it looks the same, but the material have been subtituted. banyak jual yg ni. let me remind you fretted bros, you are actually buying the logo only! we have all been bought or sold! ha ha ha! aku pon kena recently! i've bought a 69 p/ups that does not sounded as the early 69 that i've bought before.. ya, so much true of the abigail signature la.... hah!
4) used parts
- yang ni, these are my real favourites... enough said! but searching for one will cause you a 'grenade'! aku suka collect tit bits and build them to my custom needs... btw, aku enjoy doing so... take note that some tokai's, greco, early squires (80s) or lawsuits has the same specs to the oris...
5) high tech redesigned replacements
- i'm not too fond of these too much of 'hot rod' or 'mojoed' high tech and precision design. sometimes they look like 'not of this earth!' it's just like an alien on board! the worst ones will kill your feel and tone. the 'ugliness' suites well then too! have any of you ever played a 'parker fly'? korang selalunya 'fallen' to these area! check it out!
a) machine heads
- try using the standards. jangan la over do... nanti macam katun lak! renti-renti kan la.... kejap kluson, kejap spezels, kejap schallers, kejap grover... then back to the standard. habis lubang2 tuners tu di perkosa!
b) nut
- micarta, bone, tusk or brass. graphtech looks a bit funny. the biggest joke is the lsr.... at one time on my naive years, aku guna batang berus gigi... ha ha ha ha! tapi on my 'kapokcaster' la..
c) string tree
- same like the above. i've seen many designs... too tired to say so.... perghh!
d) frets
- this part, aku dah cakap. aku use stumac la, dunlop aku rasa ada sikit kasar la.. stainless steel licin sangat, have anybody tried this?. btw, stumac ada vintage tone kind of feeling. aku suka vintage frets, extra jumbo is too much for me to ask! ingat!, jangan kasi sama itu 'godzilla' pasang sudah!
e) neckplate
- pakai la yg standard, not too thick, nor too thin. jangan la yg banyak sangat lapek dengan plastic. aku suka jap fender with larger screws... they tight more better... 4 screws better la... tilt angle aku guna brass shims, 3 screws, hmmmm.... aku ada kurang sikit. sekarang ni plate pon dah tarak! lagi jimat cost kompeni!
f) screws
- jangan la pakai screw orang buat rumah.. pakai yg standard cukup. cuma bahagian yg bersangkutan dgn tone kena jaga la... but beware of....
i) inches or metric sizes
ii) off set design (banyak aftermarket yg oversized)
iii) tak perlu la stainless steel. btw, stainless steel ni mati sikit. flux transfer tak bagus sangat. magnet tak lekat.... try test tengok ya... therefore, those area yg ada bersangkutan dgn tone transfer or flux, tolong jauhkan ya... no rust, no fuzz! tapi kalau sekadar screw pickguard, tak lah kesah sangat!
g) pickguard, scratch plate
- sangat pening, too much of static and sometimes like real2 only (poyos)! tak boleh faded. ko compare jap plastic parts and usa. jap will last a 100 years looking glossy white while usa ones will fade like a pair of 501 levis. you are not able to stain the japs because of the material babe!... maybe later aku explain ya... the other thing is, all other brand names, even a copy, will not have the same screw holes on them. so when you change from a brand to the other, lubang mesti lari... get the oris if possible atau face the facts of new placement to be positioned. do a good job by refilling work ya... si pemalas akan biar dan belasah je lubang2 tu. the worst bila depa buat kat lubang tremolo tu... hmmm, sangat sedih bila jumpa!
h) pickups
- aku pon pernah terjerumus! ha ha ha ha! macam2 brand aku dah belasah! find a pickup that fits your guitar tone matching or playing style. bukan sebab guitar hero ko pakai. kalau macam tu, the whole chain of tone contribution from the 'fingerist' to the 'equipment used' till to the guitar tech and the roadie plus macai c/w appu the lorry driver, bla bla bla.... however, my suggestions is to take a good honest advice or opinion from a pro, not the salesman, let him test your guitar 1st the have a clear precise understanding of the tone needed. he will be more honest with you. mostly after a proper setup with a set of new strings baru bole decide. these will affect the amps, pedals and type of music too... the other thing is routing work, you must use a proper template. pahat2 dah tak main ya...
i) pickup covers, tip and knobs
- ok ok!, these you can fancy la. but plastic material tu sama macam p/guard. sukati ko la, tak affect tone pon... but always remember, japs vs mex vs cap tengkorak vs ori are not the same... nanti tak fit lak pickups...
j) bridge
- aku really shit calculative over the matter.... this will affect floyds as well... let me tell you guys and gals.... floyds are designed by a german using all steel parts. then they changed some components with brass as subtitute. later with cast iron. the same ol' story like the strat steel block yg ditukar ke cast iron due to cut cost. note that they all have their own sound and character... aku kasi ringkas je la... floyd ka, strat style ka, lubang mesti ikut standard specs and dimensions. kalau tak sangat susah nak buat replacement atau transfer.. banyak kerja nanti. sound dan assembly lak satu hal. as for strat, the 6 screw holes are important for tone as well asiding from the material of make..
1) block
- best pakai steel or brass, cast iron aku tak prefer sangat. (mostly on strats) make sure standard specs if possibble. ask mie chewie.. the legendary expert on the matter!
2) plate (trem plate)
- aku suka steel la, lain2 material tu macam nak cut cost je atau 'fancy nancy'... remember CBS years... brass by dimarzio or other custom brand pon cun gak. again, the size does matters... once upon a time ago in the late 80s, diorang letak plate kat the back of the neck headstock to gain more sustain... pergh!
3) saddles
- steel with nickle coating. chrome ni sakit mata lak tengok, anodised ni fashion je lebih... ha ha ha! woi!, ini opinion je la.... no need to get emo over the matter!... btw, japs vs mex vs tengkorak vs ori. semua pon lain2 size dan material. itu pasal kalo fix replacement ada yg jarang dan kembang. it comes together with the set tremolo.
4) allen keys/screws
- as per discussion, for knife edge, hardend steel is needed. that includes the pole as well. the rest aku dah comment dah!
k) switches
- use the american ones, yg germans pon bagus gak, they are efficient! but the upcoming and on the way to the quality are the japs and taiwan. (especially for pedals) but the 3 way or 5 way.... ha ha! aku insist on the 2 tadi... ikut la mana yg ko comfy.
l) pots
- same like the above, but put japs and taiwan in the bandwagon. alpha pon ada good grades selain dari CTS, ernie bola just to name a few... pots value will depend on your pickups need.
m) jack plate
- use original kalau boleh, or better ones. looks will affected but not the tone... they won't improve the guitar sustain la... fix yg ori size ya...
o) input jack
- aku punya favourite, switchcraft! no compromised! pasal apa? aku dah puas cari dan try yg lain, termasuk neutriks... (gonjeng sikit looks dia tapi very2 practical). remember dimarzio booster that fits the strat input jack plate...
p) strap buttons
- freedom to choose. tapi yang dijamin oleh kerajaan ya! get the ones you can trust, or maintain the original ya... i've seen fallen guitars due to this problem... very sad and stupid! tapi apa bole buat, owner tak angkat peduli. always make sure that the screw holes that holds the strap buttons must be tight and fit!
q) spring claw
- fit the ones with the same specs as your tremolo. kalau off specs, find one that fits! to fix then alighned with a proper tilt and angle by a luthier or pro. remember, sini ada angle ya.... atau trem ko tak free flow atau sangkut atau toing! atau unwanted reverb like kind of sound!
r) springs
- use a quality ones. springs pon ada gauge. jangan kasi rojak, standardizedkan semua... tension dia tak pernah serupa. not too soft, nor too hard. it's easier to tune later, if not, they won't come to pitch or perform better.... some people needs tremsetter atau sebagainya. well, we really don't need that anyway....
s) p/up springs or rubber
- some of those unwated rattle, vibrate or reverb from you guitar datang dari sini. fender strats uses rubber. this is good except for it's lasting. as for springs, get a good firm type, kalau tak, ko akan dengar tu semua. the best trick is to extent the spring and make them a bit longer so that it fits tight!
t) tremolo arm
- pakai yg original specs or you will damage the thread. ' tengkorak' ones bukan high tensile and they are always oversized... inches or metric pon penting or you will damaged the thread inside. kadang2 patah setengah, lagi terok!.... ho ho ho! hendrix belasah gak yg ori sampai patah dalam block... nanti aku suggest titanium kat dia. repair job pon agak hassle ni. they got tilt angle as well...
u) tail stop/ tail pieces
- wood for archtop, steel pon bole
- brass or steel for les paul type
others you can forget ya! make sure you get the sizes right. aku suggest sebelum ko beli replacement, check kat net for it's specs and info. it will make you do a better move, but don't get confused lak! make sure it fits damn well... archtop ni very2 sensative and fragile.
v) hardtail stop/string ferrules
- brass or steel. cast iron not prefered! kat sini pon mau jaga ya... same contribution to tone as per material used.
w) wires
- by right, teflon (looks like plastic) wires are better than cloth wire. but aku confirmed tak advised on copper wire material. (macam wire lampu) use a silver wire for your guitar like belden or similiar. shielding tu, ada lots of good technique that you can apply and use, you will find out later anyway...
x) logo
- sejak 2 menjak si tolin dengan decal2 nya, semua orang berpesta logo gamaknya on their guitars.... alo bros, fixing must come together with the right feel. the contour cut away of the decal pon aku dah tahu DIY. keep it short and simple and please ikut the productions years yg tele dgn ko punya guitar kalau bole... he is selling for replacement and cosmetics intentions, nothing to do with the con job. that one you should ask yourself why la...
to those who were about to pirate their guitars, we salute you! there's one charvel at bst in ampang selling for rm 3669.00. 'it's a custom made guitar' as i been told. 'tak bole kurang la brader, ini guitar pro je pakai macam eddie van halen (with a photocopied of A4 size of eddie at the back holding and playing another shaped charvel guitar)...' he said. aku just smiled and kept quite, it is a cort guitar with charvel decal.... fantasticly stupid! hancos! try me!
and also, somebody beat on ebay for a vintage 66 strat and won. when the guitar came to malaysia, it's a tokai with pirate stampings and logo.. pictures can be deceiving... how much he paid for it? don't ask me lar.... don't be victimised by the situation.
SPECIAL NOTE:
i have placed my humble opinion on most matters, whether i have inherited, experienced or learned through reliable sources via reading, net, dreams or tabloid newspaper. these comments on the guitar parts subtitution will affect the tone to become good, bad or ugly. (macam lagu hugo montenegro orchestra je!)
however, use your own commonsense towards every matter because these are adhoc, hand to hand experiences and suggestions. sometimes it is hard to compliment somebody for his goodwork because we always have the ego in us. remember, every good boy does find is a good theory to start with. and also, the matter of personal preferences needs to be considered by oneself too! provided with an equilibrium point of balance and utmost good faith with a true and honest justification to solve the matter.
btw, it is all about playing the guitar, you need not to be a rocket scientist to make it fly my learned friend! everybody can become guitar player, but a good player can come from anywhere, regardless of his or her background... looking forward for the last chapter, the axis point. the ultimate in guitar tone! i wish everybody to have their guitar in an optimum playbility. tak 'terror' pon takpe, asalkan you can get that 'hero feeling' pun dah bagus! jangan 'overdose' perasan sudah! i think every guitarist deserves that. good luck comrades!
woof!
Last edited by browndog2woof on Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:53 pm; edited 28 times in total |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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sorry guys, been busy and still busy... still under construction....
woof! |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:23 am Post subject: notes updated! |
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Posts: 1357
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ok guys and gals, so sorry for the delay. i hope that the notes will help you on your quest!
woof! |
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| nazeemshah |
| Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:22 am Post subject: |
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Joined: 27 May 2007
Posts: 179
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yup.....the quest which I'm suffering now...the quest to find the ultimate guitar!!!......the desire to have sumthin' that maybe impossible!!!......arggghhhh!!!!!!
_________________
GEAR:
1962 Fender Stratocaster RI Custom Shop, 1957 Vintage Reissue Fender Strat, 1966 Fender Mustang, Ibanez FG100 Archtop, Carvin Quad X-AMP Tube Preamp,Yamaha SPX900 Multi effects, Roland BOLT 100 tube amp. |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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| nazeemshah wrote: | | yup.....the quest which I'm suffering now...the quest to find the ultimate guitar!!!......the desire to have sumthin' that maybe impossible!!!......arggghhhh!!!!!! |
fuwah! dasyat2 brg2 ko ya....
woof! |
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| browndog2woof |
| Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Mod Squad
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 1357
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it's been a new year now and sorry that i have not continued this thread. i've been seeing many2 guitars in a sad situation lately. my questions is -
1) how much you spend for this so called 'setup'
2) do hinestly think that they did a good job for you?
woof! |
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| faizal747 |
| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 15
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reason2 basic yg aku tau,, muhehhehe
1. tak reti main
2. tune tak betul
3. intonation tak betul
4. tali karat
5. tak reti setting amp and pedal
6. fret tak sama level
lepas tu baru blame menda2 lain yg lebih technical..... |
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