Guitar Projects
In my spare time, I'm a keen amateur butcher, experimenting with new modifications and improvements to my guitars. I'll be adding links here to my projects as I get spare time between contracts!
Project 1: Janika Humbucker
After discovering this pick up on amazon, I decided to purchase it with a 5 way switch that was really 4x 5 way switchs in one. Using this, I wired the pickup to have 4 main sounds with a 5th position as an "Off". An interesting project with my first encounter with a hot rail pickup. This was accompanied with a vitage style staggered pole piece single coil in a typical humbucker format. You can hear the range of tones from the demonstration video on the right. Recorded with a Laney LC30 (Flat EQ settings) and close mic'd (dynamic mic) without any post production. All the volume drops and boosts are the pickups multiple output ratings driving the amp softer or harder.
Project 2: Encore Scalloped Neck
and Bridge switch
I got this encore for £20 as a tester for scalloped fretboards. I've always been curious since first seeing yngwie malmsteen's guitar neck. After completing the 12th to 22nd frets (and realising how hard it is to do and how bad I am at doing them!), I decided to hot rod the electrics by first converting to a single volume and tone. Then further by adding a switch to bridge the neck and bridge pickup. Turning it from 5 sounds to a total of 7. Later I will be refinishing the Headstock too if i can master the spraying of it.
Project 3: Variax Conversion
Coming Soon!
After my varixx 300 had electronic issues, I decided to convert it to a solid body acoustic. To Complete this project I had to make a small circuit board and install a preamp that was spare. So I
ended up building a surround for it. Audio tests/photos coming soon!
Project 4: Piezo Blending Strat
Coming Soon!
After finding another way to install a piezo bridge on a guitar, I installed one on this Squire Bullet Strat. A Parker Fly inspired creation. Doing my usual one volume and one tone mod first and then using the redundant tone pot as a blend for both electronic and piezo sounds. Audio tests/photos coming soon!
Project 5: The Squire Affinity Neck
This guitar became my main guitar for work between 2017-2019. A true work horse and virtually unbreakable. An Absolute beast for £150 and some upgrades on the saddles and electronics. I decided to spend £40 on some fretboard stickers as I really felt the standard "dot" markers let it down. A mixture of the classic Fender Stratocaster and Ibanez Jem inlays. With pickups rescued from a very warped neck washburn parallelaxe.
Project 6: Headless Kit
Coming Soon!
I can't afford an M series Steinberger so it's time to build a copy! A cheap guitar kit that I will be doing a full build diary on. including all the hair-tearing moments! Initial build videos coming soon!
Project 7: Headstock Decals
Coming Soon!
The Encore and Squire Bullet get their headstocks sprayed to match their bodies. Whilst doing this, I will be adding a custom decal I made at home. Videos and more photos coming soon!
