Whats on your work bench?

[mozz]

Dual 6x9 speakers, such as in a old Gibson and Supro. Will be driven by a plexi/jtm45 but with 6v6 outputs, fixed bias so gonna be about 20 watts. More when driven, i don't expect these speakers to last long but i bet it sounds good right before it blows. I like wood with character, stain then clear, simple. Grill cloth was from ????? But it near fit perfect so on it goes.

[Partscaster]

Just finished my last partscaster for a while....except for two other variants that are in the queue. One will be an e/b/e/b/e/b strat strung for normal tuning , might be called Nashville tuning? The other is a EYB Sitar bridge strat.

So, months ago I asked my Mom, who does very good water color natural scenes, to paint a winter mountain scene on a strat for me. She doesnt use acrylic or oil often, but said she would, and here it is. Unfinished body was from Woodtech LLC , an Ohio reverb cnc outfit. Neck is an Allparts 7.25. Pickups are Klein 1962. I haven't plugged it in yet, except to test that the electronics and pups work fine. However, it is very lively and loud sounding unplugged. Set up is done, play feels great.

first time I have painted a neck color, vs tru oil. I had decided I wanted a white neck to match entire scene, although wood grain looked good, too. I was pressed for paint but had BINZ shellac based White in a rattle can and on it went. I cant believe how nice it went on. Sprayed in mini-bursts from about 12" away. I had one big droplet hanging like a lugey just below the back of headstock that I was planning to deal with once dry. But once dry, the stuff had flattened itself. Its nice and smooth to feel. Feels "dry" if that makes any sense. Anyhow, I like it. Thanks MOM!

She's 87, just out of hip surgery within last hour....all went very well.

[Rollin Hand]

No pics yet, but...

1) the Watson Wolfgang is going to get a set of Warman Zebras. I will try to install the neck pickup upside down to preserve the look. The pots will get replaced too.

2) new fasteners on the way for my RG350. The ones on the bridge are kinda rough, so ordered titanium replacements from China. I may also add in a Tone Zone I have lying around, but a set of Warman Lokis could get the call. The original switch is noisy, so I may upgrade it because it also feels super cheap. A setup is also needed.

3) not my workbech, but my 5150 is in the shop getting the nut shelf done to accept an OFR R4 nut. For some reason, the R4 nut is thicker than its counterparts. I had a Gotoh lock nut on it, but it was the wrong radius, and I was starting to notice.

4) still gotta make a control cover that fits my old Kramer project. Kids are home sick today, as am I, so I might try for that later.

[jtcnj]

Feels "dry" if that makes any sense. Anyhow, I like it. Thanks MOM!

She's 87, just out of hip surgery within last hour....all went very well.

Really nice and not run of the mill strat!
"Dry" makes sense.

Awesome art work your mom did, hope she rehabs from the surgery well and is up and around soon.

[tobijohn]

I'm on a roll! An AL-3000 spalted old enough so that the serial number was on a sticker rather than stamped and empossed got a set of Guitarheads Alnico Supremes I picked up used a while back. Nice pickup, nickel/silver baseplates great articulation as well. Specs and sound are very similar to the Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz:

[Lamf77]

I'm on a roll! An AL-3000 spalted old enough so that the serial number was on a sticker rather than stamped and empossed got a set of Guitarheads Alnico Supremes I picked up used a while back. Nice pickup, nickel/silver baseplates great articulation as well. Specs and sound are very similar to the Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz:

That is one gorgeous guitar.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

[tobijohn]

I just started on a Agile AD-201 stealth Telecaster. @Buddha Pickups cooked me up these nifty Tele A5 7.8/6.8 pickups in a P90 form factor. Interesting wiring on this older AD-201 - pickups are connected directly to the toggle switch, I've never seen that before. I'm going to be replacing the mini pots with some standard size ones and do the 50s wiring thing as well:

[andrewsrea]

Dual 6x9 speakers, such as in a old Gibson and Supro. Will be driven by a plexi/jtm45 but with 6v6 outputs, fixed bias so gonna be about 20 watts. More when driven, i don't expect these speakers to last long but i bet it sounds good right before it blows. I like wood with character, stain then clear, simple. Grill cloth was from ????? But it near fit perfect so on it goes.

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Cabinet looks gorgeous! Won't the full-range 6x9's sound harsh?

[Buddha Pickups]

I just started on a Agile AD-201 stealth Telecaster. @Buddha Pickups cooked me up these nifty Tele A5 7.8/6.8 pickups in a P90 form factor. Interesting wiring on this older AD-201 - pickups are connected directly to the toggle switch, I've never seen that before. I'm going to be replacing the mini pots with some standard size ones and do the 50s wiring thing as well and will go back to the normal wiring scheme:

Not sure if it's good or bad that I completely don't remember making those!
I assume though that I made the bobbin taller than a p90 though too so that should make it a bunch brighter. Taller coil = brighter, shorter coil = fatter. Think tele bridge vs real jazzmaster pickup.

[tobijohn]

Not sure if it's good or bad that I completely don't remember making those!
I assume though that I made the bobbin taller than a p90 though too so that should make it a bunch brighter. Taller coil = brighter, shorter coil = fatter. Think tele bridge vs real jazzmaster pickup.

That is a little scary as it can't be every day that you're making a set like that. Memory wise, the same thing is happening to me though, sometimes I apparently forget what an ass**** I am but fortunately have people around who are more than happy to remind me...

And yes, both pickups are a bit higher so stick out a bit at the base of the cover but the routs in the AD-201 are just deep enough to accomadate them without chipping out the bottoms....

[tobijohn]

Next up!

A MIV full body thickness (2" vs. the 1 3/4" MIK version) oceanburst AL-3100MCC getting a set of split Gotoh HB Classics. There's not a lot out there on these but what I was able to find was way more than good so I shall see. I was able to pick up a basically open box set for half of what they normally go for.

FWIW, the stock no-name pickups have a different wiring color code (red- hot, black/bare -ground, green/white - split) than the previous four lead Agile generics (black - hot, green/bare - ground, red/white - split) ...

[UrenragK]

I got my workshop set up after a year in the new house

I made blast gates from some scrap 9mm MDF for the dust extraction so unused machines can be isolated to ensure maximum extraction for the active one

[jtcnj]

Next up!

A MIV full body thickness (2" vs. the 1 3/4" MIK version) oceanburst AL-3100MCC getting a set of split Gotoh HB Classics. There's not a lot out there on these but what I was able to find was way more than good so I shall see. I was able to pick up a basically open box set for half of what they normally go for.

FWIW, the stock no-name pickups have a different wiring color code (red- hot, black/bare -ground, green/white - split) than the previous four lead Agile generics (black - hot, green/bare - ground, red/white - split) ...

Glad to see you getting around to these pickup swaps!

[andrewsrea]

3 AMI pedals: 'Vesper' (TDrive clone), 'Evolution' (VoxUL730 Clone) & 'Boost Ranger' (adjustable treble boost). Getting ready for clear coat and finishing the electronics...

[mozz]

Cabinet looks gorgeous! Won't the full-range 6x9's sound harsh?

Hopefully they don't sound bad, in your face bright maybe. They are ceramic magnets. I really don't expect them to last. I do have another pair with alnico magnets but i'm sure the wattage is even lower than these. Amp is on the bench, moved over a bit, just got my parts for the next project.

[mozz]

Tale of 2 Champs. I have been collecting parts for these and finally found a pair of cabinets from Ali Express. Was over $400 for the pair. Everyone in USA who makes tweed cabinets has either raised prices to outrageous levels or has told me they no longer are in that business. I had 2 chassis from a while back, turret boards from Hoffmans EL34 world. So, searching Ali, i found these, not real tweed, it's a tolex tweed, looks pretty good, feels like tolex. Dimensions seem ok, speaker mounting threads are metric, which i should have figured. I doubt they are pine.

These are going to be really close together yet different. I have used all precision 1% resistors and good grade coupling caps, the other has old school original carbon composition resistors, old blue fender coupling caps and will be wired with a spool of 1957 cloth covered wire from my dad's old TV shop. Power supplies for both will be the same stock values plus a additional 22uf/ 200 ohm first stage to reduce hum. Output transformers are not the same but both 50's-60's era. 1 is 6.3k impedance, other is 9.4k. 1 speaker is a alnico 8" late 50's and other is a 8" Utah most likely 60's.

Ordered 2 power transformers from Weber, whom i have only dealt with a few times before. People have said some of their stuff is lower grade , maybe not the better speakers but some components. Well someone said the wires coming out of the transformers melts very easy, and yes it does. Chinese made transformers. When you strip the insulation, i usually tin the wire and bend it into a hook, well these really don't like to tin well and when you bend it into a hook, you can see bare strands which the solder didn't flow to. I have seen this before and it's usually impure copper, which is what i suspect. Hopefully there are no other problems. Weber's prices have gone up too.

[andrewsrea]

Tale of 2 Champs. I have been collecting parts for these and finally found a pair of cabinets from Ali Express. Was over $400 for the pair. Everyone in USA who makes tweed cabinets has either raised prices to outrageous levels or has told me they no longer are in that business. I had 2 chassis from a while back, turret boards from Hoffmans EL34 world. So, searching Ali, i found these, not real tweed, it's a tolex tweed, looks pretty good, feels like tolex. Dimensions seem ok, speaker mounting threads are metric, which i should have figured. I doubt they are pine.

These are going to be really close together yet different. I have used all precision 1% resistors and good grade coupling caps, the other has old school original carbon composition resistors, old blue fender coupling caps and will be wired with a spool of 1957 cloth covered wire from my dad's old TV shop. Power supplies for both will be the same stock values plus a additional 22uf/ 200 ohm first stage to reduce hum. Output transformers are not the same but both 50's-60's era. 1 is 6.3k impedance, other is 9.4k. 1 speaker is a alnico 8" late 50's and other is a 8" Utah most likely 60's.

Ordered 2 power transformers from Weber, whom i have only dealt with a few times before. People have said some of their stuff is lower grade , maybe not the better speakers but some components. Well someone said the wires coming out of the transformers melts very easy, and yes it does. Chinese made transformers. When you strip the insulation, i usually tin the wire and bend it into a hook, well these really don't like to tin well and when you bend it into a hook, you can see bare strands which the solder didn't flow to. I have seen this before and it's usually impure copper, which is what i suspect. Hopefully there are no other problems. Weber's prices have gone up too.

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They both look cool and will probably sounds spectacular!

As far as Weber's quality, IDK since Ted died - but I've worked with his son who has been a stand-up guy. He custom made some dummy reactive 8 ohm motors for me to use as loads, which really react well with my amps. Since Ted build the company on being an 'upgrade' brand, I'd be surprised if his son took it in an inferior bargain direction.

That said the problem I've encountered with some Asian transformers was, that they are riddled with pot metal. In the 'iron' cores and in the 'copper' magnet wire. I've not encountered too little insulation coatings. But definitely overheating from inferior metals (the pot metal increases the resistance in the magnet wire). Because of this, they also don't trans-conduct well and there is a significant audio loss. With a Champ, that may be good or bad depending on the preferences of the player.

Keep us posted on progress!

[mozz]

The wire insulation on the power transformers is actually very thick. Thicker than normal i would say. The problem, ( not a real problem once you know to be careful with the heat) is when you are soldering, the insulation just melts easier than most. When i was looking at transformer voltages/currents, that Weber model number came up as a very good champ/princeton transformer. The price was good too. I think it was the gear page where somebody said, it is great, just be careful when soldering as the insulation melts easy, and it came out to be true. I'm not really worried about it.

[tobijohn]

Fender MIM CSBF Strat just got a set of Fender Pure Vintage '65 pickups, CTS pots and a Grigsby switch:

[tobijohn]

Harley Benton TE-52 Classic is getting a set of pickups out of a 2005 American Telecaster. Normally, I'd also replace the harness, modify the neck pickup and use a four-way switch but these days I'm just trying to make as big a dent in my upgrade backlog as I can so I'm leaving the stock harness in, just reversing the pot wiring to a right-handed configuration so the proper sweep is restored. The stock Roswell pickups have gotten pretty good reviews and if this were just about tone, wouldn't need to be replaced. They have Alnico 5 magnets, the same as the Fenders going in:

[jtcnj]

Finally got around to shielding the cavities of this AXL husk build from 2017.
The buzz was pretty loud, it is much quieter now. Not dead quiet, but much improved.

Didnt take pics with the ground leads soldered to the copper tape in the pickup cavities.
The shielding paint in the control cavity is MG Chemicals - 841AR-15ML Nickel Print (Conductive Paint). Expensive but it works.
I used shielded wire to the switch, grounded at a pot / one end only.

[mozz]

Though grounding on the source end is common practice, if accessible, try the other way and try both ends.

[tobijohn]

Next up, an AD-3200MCC getting the Gibson Deluxe treatment: Dimarzio PG-13 mini-humbuckers, mini adapters, pickguard, pointers and the appropriate knobs. I was curious as to whether the stock P90s were actually tapped (a single coil can't be split) but as you can see, they're stacked and split. I suspected as much as I was removing them as it only took a few turns of the screws before they were loose due to being substantially taller than normal P90s:

[BatUtilityBelt]

Next up, an AD-3200MCC getting the Gibson Deluxe treatment: Dimarzio PG-13 mini-humbuckers, mini adapters, pickguard, pointers and the appropriate knobs. I was curious as to whether the stock P90s were actually tapped (a single coil can't be split) but as you can see, they're stacked and split. I suspected as much as I was removing them as it only took a few turns of the screws before they were loose due to being substantially taller than normal P90s:

Curious as to how much it changes the sound. I really like the sound of the P100s it came with. Let me know if you don't want to put those in something else. Happy to talk price, as they're kinda like P90s with stealthy HB means.

[tobijohn]

Curious as to how much it changes the sound. I really like the sound of the P100s it came with. Let me know if you don't want to put those in something else. Happy to talk price, as they're kinda like P90s with stealthy HB means.

I will but was planning on putting these stock P100s in either an old AD-2300 or even older SX GG1 Gold Top (pointy horn). I like the sound too which is why they're going into something else. Also FWIW, the wiring colors on the leads are the same as the humbuckers that were in the AD-3200 2 TS Quilted: green/white - split, red -hot, black/bare - ground. All previous Agile pickups have been red/white - split, black - hot, green/bare - ground. The CSB plaintop AD-3200MCC I have had Giovanni GVH-1s. I sent those off to someone here and it will be getting a set of DiMarzio DP13 Air Nortons and black plastic/gold hardware (the latter is kind of a tribute to the old 70s Yamaha SGs and Ibanez Artists)...