Andyjr1515

Hi Hope you are well Stored in a hard case will be fine - OK for years if necessary! I think a number of us will be doing the same - nothing much seems to be shifting at the moment The 5 string sounds great (and I'm sure it does, if you excuse the dreaful pun)! Andy

For cutting perspex, I would use a simple coping saw (much cheaper than a router, less melt, and easier to control) then file or sand to a smooth finish. Important to leave the cellophane covering in place until completely finished... Andy

Hi I agree with all of the above As you can see on my website, I have done many mods of all sorts on 6 strings and basses. The last series / parallel / reverse phase I did was on a 6 string strat for a top player. I did the James Tyler mod for him which gives series / parallel / reverse on each of the three pickups. Tyler publish their witring diagrams (I think it was a Custom Elite) that can easily be adapted for two four-wire humbuckers as each on-on-on switch operates for each pickup in turn. While my 'customer' (I actually did it for free) was delighted and now has his 'dream tone' on two settings - it IS only two settings he uses. Also I agree with the others - phase reversal really doesn't seem to add anything of value to a bass. In fact, by definition, it dumps the bass and you are left with weak, tinny treble - sometimes interesting and different for a 6 string but usually pretty rubbish for a bass. Series / parallel, on the other hand - like the rest of the basschatters state - is great and can be achieved with standard push-pull pots so no extra switches are needed. Hope this helps Andy

Got something that will probably do that were off either an AC30 or Hughes & Kettner Statesman (can't remember which). PM me and I'll happily post them to you for free Andy

I agree with all of the above If it fits, swop it - you are unlikely to regret it, and it might transform the feel of the bass. While it (may or) may not make a huge change to the actual tone, it certainly is most unlikely to reduce it and, if you feel better with it, your playing will improve which will improve the sound in any case. While you're at it, pop a set of D'Addario Chromes on - smooth as flats but bright as rounds... Andy

With different basses (and six-string double humbuckers), I've had the mid position sometimes drop the perceived volume and sometime raise it. Some of it is often the tonal difference but there is probably something else going on with paths and treble bleed etc etc. In practice, however, you can usually get the volume balance you want with small adjustments (1/4 turn for starters) of the neck and / or bridge pickups until you have it where you want it, both from tone or volume.

I agree with leftyhook about the D'Addario Chromes - they stun every bass player who tries my Jaguar. Flat wound in feel but bright as roundwounds. Fabulous! Ref the fretboard - don't epoxy at this stage. Try it first - probably ( with the above strings) perfectly fine with just a good fine sanding and a good lemon-oil treatment

Hi, Jason There are a number of ways of going about this, but I find the alcohol, water or ink-based stains the best. The biggest challenge, though, is usually getting the old coating off! I've done a couple of threads if you want to have a peep. Ref the results of stain, have a look at my website - ajrguitarmods.co.uk .The Hank Marvin strat 6 string used red calligraphy ink (any colour will do just as well and there are some great colours around if you search on the internet). The AJR Custom Built strat 6 string in teal used Dylon fabric dye (navy blue and amazon green). The former was finished in Tru-oil (with 4-5 coats it finishes in a gloss varnish effect, not like a traditional oiled finish). The latter had 20-30 coats of Halfords clear cellulose varnish. Either brings the colour and sheen of the wood out a treat. The basses on the site have all been veneered and then finished with Tru-oil. You can get wood coloured stains also from DIY shops, but go for the small 'lighter fluid' type of tins - not the paintcan-style tins of, eg, acrylic stain - they are a complete pain! The great thing is that, if you don't like the result, just sand it down and start again! Andy

Just being pragamatic, the other option is to let the buyer know and leave it be! The reality is that almost certainly the extra screw is not needed for either strength or tone (many similar bridges use 4 screws) and the probability is that a screwed out job will leave a bigger hole that means that the screw (even a slightly larger one) probably won't be doing much anyway. Just a thought...

Hi I'm sure there will be many learned opinions on this but, in my own experience, the tone is affected as much by the wood, the pickups, the strings, etc, etc as much as it is by the pots. Having 250's when you need 500's can be a problem because you simply can't achieve the brightness for some setups. 500's instead of 250's has never given me a problem and I've fitted and changed dozens.

Cellulose thinners from Halfords (in the car paint spray section) and enamel thinners from a shop that sells plastic aircraft model kits (Humbrol enamel paints). I'm sure there are wiser folk on the site than me but I would get the smallest bottle of one and, if no good, get the smallest bottle of the other. If neither shifted it, I would then probably shout at something or someone...most probably the p**t that suggested it on Basschat!

[quote name='soopercrip' timestamp='1321282944' post='1437293'] Andy, it's more reply options bottom right, then browse and attach files, then add to post. [/quote] Thanks - you've reminded me I forget every time...

Couldn't work out how to do it, so I've pasted a copy onto a page of my website! [url="http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/#Rear%20View"]http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/#Rear%20View[/url]

Hi This is the back of a Strat I did for someone - also a three part Ash body. I stained it with red calligraphy ink (but any colour fountain pen ink would do and there is a pretty vast range if you start looking on the internet) and then finished it with Tru Oil. Staining like this softens the differences in colour and cut (Sorry - have forgotten how to past a photo I will try again soon!!!!)

The bridge should be easy enough - it will presumably be either cellulose spray or enamel. In both cases there will be stripper/solvent available and it should just need a soak and wipe off. The pickguard will be a little trickier - if it is cellulose spray, the solvent will tend also to soften the plastic of the pickguard. If it was me, I would put a little solvent onto a rag, rub a small patch until the paint comes off and then immediately wipe dry. Move to a diffent area each time rather than progressively expanding from one spot - it will mean that the solvent doesn't sit in one area for too long. Be prepared that the reason the guy has sprayed it might be because there is something even worse underneath...

Hi I use Tru Oil for most of my Custom jobs. I find it great, but wouldn't term it as a satin finish. Have a look at ajrguitarmods.co.uk - I think you'll agree most of them are pretty glossy (for example, check out the Epiphone Junior 6 string shots) It does dull a little over time but not to what I would call satin. There are satin spray lacquers about - any other basschat members use them?

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1321012151' post='1434314'] I've posted what I think is a better way before and linked to several times but...the reason the heat gun burns the wood is it is TOO hot. It doesn't actually need to be that hot to soften the poly enough to scrape off with relative ease. I used a tresemme hairdryer on hottest setting to strip a thick MIM poly finish. Soft, easily scrapable but no bubbling, fumes or burn marks. Takes probably a little more patience but for the lack of mess and total lack of burns on the wood it's worth it. That is my only useful contribution to the world of guitar building. [/quote] But a very useful contribution nonetheless I do agree, and this is a great tip - although it doesn't always cut the mustard. My heat-gun has a high and low setting - wherever possible I use the low and, as you rightly say, it often softens it enough to get the scraper under and rarely scorches the wood. But some finishes are just not touched by it and seem to need the city-lights-dimming-eco-system-destroying-mega-tega-bega-watt treatment . Whether that's nitro vs poly I can't be sure, I just know that serious heat is all that seems to work.

Great Link! This is, indeed, how I do mine . Both poly and nitro (I suppose impressively) is an absolute sod to get off any other way. However, the wood often burns before the covering bubbles so it needs to be done with great care - especially on the edges and in the cut-out curves. This is no great problem if it's going to be veneered or sprayed, but leads to considerable sanding for any natural or stained finish - the burn 'bruise' goes deep!

Hi Congrats! I'm a big fan of Warmoth - pricey but great, great quality. I suspect you will be delighted with results. Andy

[quote name='iBudd' timestamp='1320261642' post='1424587'] I've checked the action a few different ways - I like your method though. Fretting at 1st and 16th fret I do have some clearance at the 8th, but not very much at all. A little tap produces a tiny click. I can get feeler gauges up to 10 in there before they start to drag. Running a straight edge up the neck doesn't seem to show any major relief either, but I only have a 15" straight edge to hand so I can't do the whole neck... [/quote] Sounds OK - as long as there's a gap and it's not too big, its probably OK. Clearly, the nut slot is also OK. Maybe we're into the other things Retroman has talked about

Hi Sounds more like the nut slot on that string is set a bit low. It could also be, as Brensabre79 says, the angle of the neck. However, no point on checking either until double checking the neck relief is broadly OK. To check the neck relief, get a friend (or capo) to hold down the E string at the first fret, hold down also at the 16th fret and then press the string up and down at the 8th fret (told you you needed a friend or capo ) If there is perceptable movement (more than nothing but less than 1mm), then its broadly OK. If the string is hard on the 8th fret, loosen the trussrod (small movements at a time), until there is between 1/2mm and 1mm gap at the eighth. If gap is way over 1mm, you need to tighten the truss rod - this is a bit iterative because you need to loosen the strings before you tighten the truss rod and then retune the strings before checking the gap Once the neck relief is checked, then look at what distance the string is from the fretboard at the nut. If your troublesome string is much closer than the rest to the fretboard, the nut slot may have been filed a bit too far. As a very (VERY) broad guide the gap should be around the same as the first fret is deep and so, when fretted at the first the string is broadly parallel to the fretboard. If that is OK, then check the neck angle - find a straight edge long enough to reach the bridge while running along at least 5 frets-worth of fretboard. Run it along the frets towards the bridge, with the bridge saddle at its lowest setting, and the straight edge should meet the bridge on, or just below, the appropriate saddle. If it is way below, you need to shim the body-end of the neck, if it is way above, you need to shim the headstock end. If that is all OK, it could be some slightly proud frets or slightly low action or something completely different - but worth checking the above first and in any case! Hope this makes sense and helps! Andy

Hi, Mel I can have a look at it when I fix your jack sockets. Like the others say, it's very rare that these things can't be fixed cheaply and easily Andy

Hi, John The reason the sealer / filler helps (or you can just add extra coats of the Tru-oil) - and the sanding steps, is that it allows a true gloss finish to develop much quicker. Otherwise, the grain will continue to show (which is what some people like, of course) and it will look more like an oiled finish rather than a gloss varnished finish. I've done both ways, to be honest, and been pleased with both - they are just different. Keep up the good work! Andy

Hi, John I use Birchwood Casey Tru-oil...available from all good gun shops! It is used to do the gunstocks of shotguns and therefore also readily available over the internet. The thread you saw earlier details how it is applied (very easy, though a b****r to get the final coat dust free). Birchwood Casey also do a sealer filler which dries clear and fills the grain pretty successfully. In very brief, I do a generous brushed coat of the sealer/filler, let it dry (you can sand the sealer filler while it is still wet and the mush will pretty successfully fill the larger gaps), sand back down to the veneer, then apply a number of coats of Tru-Oil, letting it dry fully and sanding gently with 1000 wet n dry in between (I apply it with my fingers - but read the datasheets just in case that will send me to an early grave!). After about four or five coats, you end up with a high gloss finish. This stuff REALLY brings the grain out! It sets touch dry in around an hour but takes about a week to fully harden. It will never be anywhere near as resilient as poly or nitro, but is very easy to repair and can be kept shiny with a Wax polish that Birchwood Casey also sell. The other great thing is that one small bottle of Tru-oil (around about £4.00) can do at least two guitars!

Whoa! That's truly stunning - and it will look even even better when the varnish gets into that grain!