10-10-2014, 09:31 PM
It's a little shy at first, being a bit nakeder than the other pets...
![[Image: IMG_20141010_183440_zps684c6a36.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_183440_zps684c6a36.jpg)
Maybe if we get closer.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_183243_zps1ed549d5.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_183243_zps1ed549d5.jpg)
Ok enough teasing. I had taken off the strings and was prepping to do a setup/cleaning. On the bench, so to speak.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_182016_zpsc90f4a43.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_182016_zpsc90f4a43.jpg)
Just about done.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_163847_zpsc0863b71.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_163847_zpsc0863b71.jpg)
A better look at the quilt
![[Image: IMG_20141010_182217_zps5a018761.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_182217_zps5a018761.jpg)
a nice layered chocolate cake lookin' piece of rosewood for the fretboard, though it's kinda hard to see through the strings.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_181025_zps0680ad9c.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_181025_zps0680ad9c.jpg)
Classy headstock
![[Image: IMG_20141010_181133_zps30b42a4b.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_181133_zps30b42a4b.jpg)
Slick heel and fortunately the finish on the back of the neck isn't sticky.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_181227_zps2109fc97.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_181227_zps2109fc97.jpg)
And a brass block on the back of the trem.
![[Image: IMG_20141010_181334_zpsc602dab5.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/blackwater/IMG_20141010_181334_zpsc602dab5.jpg)
Electronics are nothing special. I'm planning to gut the pots and capacitor, and do a bit of a makeover on the front. maybe a new trem baseplate + saddles, new pickup rings, and nickel covers for the pickups.
Speaking of pickups, it's a PG+/'59N, both black baseplates (i.e. OEM models). Wasn't digging the sound of the stock A5 magnets. sounded too bright and too hollow in the mids for both pickups. Swapped in an A8/A2. What do you expect happened?
Obviously because A8 is involved, my debt is now cleared, I repaired all my damged relationships, I lost 10 lbs., found God, discovered the meaning of life, won 500 eating contests, became a 3-time world champion in the grand ol' sport of lollegaggering, and saved $50 on my car insurance!
Actually, seriously, it sounds great. The '59A2 especially. it's got this lovely fat/sweet/articulate thing going on. great attack on the notes, nice and middy, just how I like neck pickups, and every note just sings with a warm, sweet low end. Getting Opeth-esque neck pickup tones is just effortless. The PG+8 has more attitude now. Still a bit bright, strong and cutting, but more musclular than before. Cool pickup. It was hard to hear what it was doing to all the mid frequencies before, but with the A8 they're pushed right up front and center and you can hear a really clear articulation of the note without being laden with compression that covers up the string's character. I feel both pickups really manage to represent the tone of the guitar beautifully, while adding a bit of character to the edge of the notes instead of dominating the signal with its own sound. It almost sounds kinda Hi-Fi compared to my alder guitars. They tend to have more compression and hollower mids, though they are also using hotter bridge pickups.
Plays like lightning. The spec sheet doesn't read like a Fender.
- Basswood body, carved top with a quilt maple veneer top
- Set maple neck, rosewood fretboard
- 24 jumbo frets, 15.75" radius
It doesn't really feel like a Fender either, except for the neck thickness. It's like they took a nice comfy modern C back shape, and shaved down the apex of the curve slightly, so it's like a C that got turned into a subtle D/U shape. It's nice and substantial in your palm, but still super easy to shred. It's actually super comfy for me since Fender necks are where I feel most comfortable. Anyway, big frets, and I was able to get just stupidly low action on it without any fretbuzz. My legato runs are completely obstruction-free and playing fast is just effortless. Playing slow and bluesy is also effortless haha. The pickups just sing so beautifully.
Maybe if we get closer.
Ok enough teasing. I had taken off the strings and was prepping to do a setup/cleaning. On the bench, so to speak.
Just about done.
A better look at the quilt
a nice layered chocolate cake lookin' piece of rosewood for the fretboard, though it's kinda hard to see through the strings.
Classy headstock
Slick heel and fortunately the finish on the back of the neck isn't sticky.
And a brass block on the back of the trem.
Electronics are nothing special. I'm planning to gut the pots and capacitor, and do a bit of a makeover on the front. maybe a new trem baseplate + saddles, new pickup rings, and nickel covers for the pickups.
Speaking of pickups, it's a PG+/'59N, both black baseplates (i.e. OEM models). Wasn't digging the sound of the stock A5 magnets. sounded too bright and too hollow in the mids for both pickups. Swapped in an A8/A2. What do you expect happened?
Obviously because A8 is involved, my debt is now cleared, I repaired all my damged relationships, I lost 10 lbs., found God, discovered the meaning of life, won 500 eating contests, became a 3-time world champion in the grand ol' sport of lollegaggering, and saved $50 on my car insurance!
Actually, seriously, it sounds great. The '59A2 especially. it's got this lovely fat/sweet/articulate thing going on. great attack on the notes, nice and middy, just how I like neck pickups, and every note just sings with a warm, sweet low end. Getting Opeth-esque neck pickup tones is just effortless. The PG+8 has more attitude now. Still a bit bright, strong and cutting, but more musclular than before. Cool pickup. It was hard to hear what it was doing to all the mid frequencies before, but with the A8 they're pushed right up front and center and you can hear a really clear articulation of the note without being laden with compression that covers up the string's character. I feel both pickups really manage to represent the tone of the guitar beautifully, while adding a bit of character to the edge of the notes instead of dominating the signal with its own sound. It almost sounds kinda Hi-Fi compared to my alder guitars. They tend to have more compression and hollower mids, though they are also using hotter bridge pickups.
Plays like lightning. The spec sheet doesn't read like a Fender.
- Basswood body, carved top with a quilt maple veneer top
- Set maple neck, rosewood fretboard
- 24 jumbo frets, 15.75" radius
It doesn't really feel like a Fender either, except for the neck thickness. It's like they took a nice comfy modern C back shape, and shaved down the apex of the curve slightly, so it's like a C that got turned into a subtle D/U shape. It's nice and substantial in your palm, but still super easy to shred. It's actually super comfy for me since Fender necks are where I feel most comfortable. Anyway, big frets, and I was able to get just stupidly low action on it without any fretbuzz. My legato runs are completely obstruction-free and playing fast is just effortless. Playing slow and bluesy is also effortless haha. The pickups just sing so beautifully.
