Partscaster SX CAR Hawk HHH completed
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2023 5:55 pm
I'm giving this partscaster a "sort of" NGD . I bought the SX CAR Mahogany 2xp90 Hawk 2 weeks ago with thought of making an HHH partscaster, and since SX is disappearing from Rondo, I justified "one more". I still am wow'd by how beautiful the fine metal flek paint job is.
I'll take it out into full sunlight and get a picture to add here.
So, I figured I'd first use a SD Pearly Gates humbucker set I had in the parts bin. Thats my best unused humbucker set, along with a HP-90 from the Aussie winder D'Urbano Magnetcs that I have gotten some other great pups from. (a Neil Young firebird, and a mini humbucker "Phoenix" set thats very single coil-ish) I could also pick from 3 Giovanni humbuckers as a backup, if any of the first choice didnt work out.
I did have to route out a good bit for proper pickup cavity, as glasshand told me. He wasnt wrong. I pretty much chunked out a swimming pool.
Some walls of the control cavity needed a bit of routing here and there as the hawk cavity was not identical to what a fender sized pickguard needs . After 5-6 revisits with the router, I got it done.
I had a used MIM replacement vintage spacing bridge with full steel block in the bin.
Ordered up picture/design pickguard for HHH that caught my eye. Came from Rockibilly, affiliate of Greasy Groove.
I used a set of 4 Bourns 500k pots that are on amazon with good reviews. they seem nice. Good feel, Full range affect.
One was 575K, then 525k, 485k, and 482k. I put the 525 in volume, and 575 in neck tone, and 485 in bridge/mid tone.
Used a .22 pio russian cap. Wired it all 50's style with the bridge tone mod as seen on BrejaToneworks vids.
All went smooth. No shorts, hums, etc.
My first choice for a neck is a Musikraft maplecapped that I had laying around and didnt like so much. I was sort of mad that Musickraft built my order with quarter sawn stock when I listed flat sawn as my choice. I dont know if they assumed it would be a welcome upgrade, but it pissed my off as it also took quite a while to wait. I kept it, but after a few trys, it ended up unused. Other than that I have 2 rosewood fb necks around to pick from. I figure the maple should be brighter, and I figure the Hawk body , and Pearly Gates all point to darker tone...so the maple would be my first attempt.
Well here it is
So I got to play it today for first time. I've had 2xhumbucker strats in the past that I latter took back apart as they just didnt have "it". And I first wondered if this guitar was reminding me of that. But with a bit of height adjusting of pickups, and pole pieces, all three pickups sound very good. The PG neck needed the most pole piece raising, especially toward the 4-6 strings, but also at the 1-3 stings. It is warm in the bass, not muddy, great neck tone. I raised those pole pieces to get more definition and it almost sounds like a p-90. I love it.
Middle position, HP-90 is a medium hot humbucker size p90. It sounds like it shares the same voice as the PG neck, but stays a bit more pronounced. There is quack in 4 position, and in 2 position. 2 position especially close to Wait Til Tomorrow tones. Thats my position 2 test song. . The 3 pickups all share the same polarity/ phase. The PG bridge sounds full, thick, bright, and not too bright, its got great of mids, nothing shrill. And all 3 balance out volume very well.
I cant believe how much I enjoyed the tones after the initial dialling-in . Maybe tomorrow it will sound different. Its really nice . I'll likely keep dialing in little things to suit the moment .
Its been a great project, and its my only strat of this sort. It will be good for live playing. I have tons of old import knobs and took many pics of color comparisons. The black won as I also had a black switch tip and black trem arm tip. Thought I should put a speed knob on volume for swells.
This is one ass-kicker of a guitar.
I'll get a nice sunny picture tomorrow, to show the metal flek paint job better.
Total weight with trem arm in place: 7lb 10 oz.
I'll take it out into full sunlight and get a picture to add here.
So, I figured I'd first use a SD Pearly Gates humbucker set I had in the parts bin. Thats my best unused humbucker set, along with a HP-90 from the Aussie winder D'Urbano Magnetcs that I have gotten some other great pups from. (a Neil Young firebird, and a mini humbucker "Phoenix" set thats very single coil-ish) I could also pick from 3 Giovanni humbuckers as a backup, if any of the first choice didnt work out.
I did have to route out a good bit for proper pickup cavity, as glasshand told me. He wasnt wrong. I pretty much chunked out a swimming pool.
Some walls of the control cavity needed a bit of routing here and there as the hawk cavity was not identical to what a fender sized pickguard needs . After 5-6 revisits with the router, I got it done.
I had a used MIM replacement vintage spacing bridge with full steel block in the bin.
Ordered up picture/design pickguard for HHH that caught my eye. Came from Rockibilly, affiliate of Greasy Groove.
I used a set of 4 Bourns 500k pots that are on amazon with good reviews. they seem nice. Good feel, Full range affect.
One was 575K, then 525k, 485k, and 482k. I put the 525 in volume, and 575 in neck tone, and 485 in bridge/mid tone.
Used a .22 pio russian cap. Wired it all 50's style with the bridge tone mod as seen on BrejaToneworks vids.
All went smooth. No shorts, hums, etc.
My first choice for a neck is a Musikraft maplecapped that I had laying around and didnt like so much. I was sort of mad that Musickraft built my order with quarter sawn stock when I listed flat sawn as my choice. I dont know if they assumed it would be a welcome upgrade, but it pissed my off as it also took quite a while to wait. I kept it, but after a few trys, it ended up unused. Other than that I have 2 rosewood fb necks around to pick from. I figure the maple should be brighter, and I figure the Hawk body , and Pearly Gates all point to darker tone...so the maple would be my first attempt.
Well here it is
Middle position, HP-90 is a medium hot humbucker size p90. It sounds like it shares the same voice as the PG neck, but stays a bit more pronounced. There is quack in 4 position, and in 2 position. 2 position especially close to Wait Til Tomorrow tones. Thats my position 2 test song. . The 3 pickups all share the same polarity/ phase. The PG bridge sounds full, thick, bright, and not too bright, its got great of mids, nothing shrill. And all 3 balance out volume very well.
I cant believe how much I enjoyed the tones after the initial dialling-in . Maybe tomorrow it will sound different. Its really nice . I'll likely keep dialing in little things to suit the moment .
Its been a great project, and its my only strat of this sort. It will be good for live playing. I have tons of old import knobs and took many pics of color comparisons. The black won as I also had a black switch tip and black trem arm tip. Thought I should put a speed knob on volume for swells.
This is one ass-kicker of a guitar.
I'll get a nice sunny picture tomorrow, to show the metal flek paint job better.
Total weight with trem arm in place: 7lb 10 oz.
