Guitars and Life

Yes I've finally written something and recorded it.   Been ages I know. So - this features my home built 12 string and my new octave mandolin....

Do you remember the 12string I made a while back? And here it is now.  What's the difference?  The pickups - my wife bought me some Wilkinson Hot Strat pickups.  I went for the hot more since they have flat pole pieces, not staggered as the vintage models do.  I just thought on a 12 string with the different gauges etc. that would be better for string balance. I'm really chuffed with the result.  A quick desolder and disassembly of the pickups that came on the kit supplied sratchplate and then re-solder in the new replacements.  They are a big big improvement over the originals.  The bridge in particular in quiet hot and very punchy, ok for emphasising arpeggio lines whilst the middle and neck are really excellent for strumming chords.  I retained the 7 way wiring, the bridge pickup is connected to the small switch, when that is on then the bridge pickup is always on whatever you set the 5 way selector to.  That allows you to have 2 ex...

Here is the first appearance of the 12 string anywhere! Really I was just trying it out after a bit of fiddling with the nut etc. So - you'll hear all 7 sounds on a little motif from one of my songs (On Christmas Day) starting from bridge, then bridge and middle, middle, middle and neck, neck, neck and Bridge and all three on together.   Then a little noodle with me just playing about - middle position I think which I really like.  Direct into my little Boss BR-600 with a Roland JC clean amp patch.

I've completed the final assembly on the 12 string. First the string ferrules at the back. Then the Tuners... so many tuners! One minor mod, like all my electric guitars I've fitted this with Schaller strap locks - I've used these on everything for so many years now it is just a default for me. Final wiring up. Waiting for stringing. Fitting the string tree and getting it strung up was one of the most challenging and stressful bits of the build! Finally all strung up.  It plays!  The wiring mods all work.  It needs a lot of set up work, the g pair in particular are way out in intonation initially.  I need to look at the intonation, action, nut depths and adjust the pickups.   I'll let is settle for a day or so then have a slow look, might take one or two stabs I think.  Also I will finally restring with some better strings - those on it now came with the kit but I've bou...

I've finished the body.  A quick rub down with 0000 wire wool and then a polish with my old beeswax finishing wax. I've just test fitted the neck in these photos.  I'm going to leave it a few days for the finish to harden before starting to add hardware etc. Really pleased with how it is looking. One thing this kit (for the 12 string) was only available with a basswood body.  In retrospect I should have sanded it more with 250 grade paper prior to starting finishing maybe, or it maybe basswood is less "grainy".  Personally I'd prefer Ash which has a better grain pattern for me.  Pleased with the colour though

I've completed finishing the neck.  I've done another top coat on the body - I might do another yet, will wait and see once it has cured off. Anyway here are some photos of the neck.   I used Wudtone Original Yellow which has given the colour I was hoping for.

The body and neck finishing is going really well.  I think I've just done the 3rd top coat on both.  I'm going to do at least one more on the body, possibly two and maybe one more on the neck.  I'll decide when I look at them after this latest one has cured off. In preparation for them being ready for assembly I've turned my attention to the electrics.  I commented at the start of the build a plan for some mods to the electrical circuit - nothing too major but a couple of little tweaks. Seven sound wiring .  One mod often seen on Strats is to add the two sounds you can't get on a standard 5 way switch with the three pickups.  Namely all three on together and bridge and neck on together.  The way I'm doing this is by just having a simple switch to switch on the bridge pickup no matter what position the 5 position switch is in. Many of the mods show this mod using the neck pickup.  I've favoured the bridge since I'd prefer the bridge only "lead...

Just a quick update.  Being a bit busy at the moment with stuff - work, course, volunteer training etc.  The build is on the go-slow.   On Monday I put the last base coat on the body.  You need to give it 2 days to dry out fully anyhow but I'll be unlikely to get to do anything until the weekend now.  The neck I've finished the base coats on.  So weekend I'll start the top coats on both.  I'm expecting 3 or 4 of them we'll see as it develops so probably at least another week or two then the advice is to leave it a full week before assembly.  Patience... it's a bugger at times isn't it!

There's a confusing post title and probably the title of my forthcoming 90 min epic single track progressive rock album... ;-) No seriously folks.  I've started on the finish. I'm using the excellent Wudtone products.  I like these since they are so easy for a DIY build like mine.  You "rag" them on, I use old cut up pyjamas as they seem best to me in terms of not soaking too much of the liquid up etc.  No sprays or complicated stuff like that.  You don't get the mirror finish a pro would get with proper spray booths etc. but the finish on the Tele Build was really good just right between colour, semi gloss shine and the feel of the real wood.  They have some sort of sealant in them so help with making the wood resistant to water etc. so all good. The body is being finished in Carmine Gypsy red and the neck in Original Vintage Yellow. Here they are after the application of the first coats.

Today is my birthday so Mrs F finally let me loose on my present. Here it is as it arrived.  For some reason they actually fit the scratchplate and electrics, probably for safety in transit to stop them getting damaged but obviously if you want to finish the body you need to remove them... so first thing was to whip them out... And then to try a test fit of the neck, can't resist it! All good, all parts (body, neck and scratchplate) are marked with 35 on them somewhere showing they've been mated together before putting into the kit.  On the body and neck  this has proved valuable the neck is a very good snug fit into the pocket, so much so with friction alone holding it together you can lift the guitar by the neck and body doesn't fall off.  This is a good sign.  Incidentally the body is basswood and very light.  The neck is maple with a nicely grained rosewood fingerboard - being a 12 string the neck is quite wide measuring about 48 mm at the n...

So my birthday is fast approaching... 52 before you ask... Mrs F graciously offered to buy me a guitar kit again!  So following on from my Tele Build a while back I've ordered a Strat shaped 12 string ... yes you did just read that right.  I don't have an electric 12 string and this is a cheap and fun way to get one into the collection. So the kit has everything you need - including a set of strings and a cable, both of iffy quality frankly!  I've ordered some finishing kits from Wudtone who's product I used on the Tele.  I've decided to used their neck finishing kit too this time since because the Danish Oil on the Tele neck was ok but I was so impressed with the body finish from Wudtone I thought I'd go for the neck kit too. What I plan to do is not as complicated as the Tele build which is you remember I updated the pickups and ultimately the bridge as well, with this one I was going to build it as is... However I've spent an hour or so exploring s...