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540p3 - Kahler / Emg / Earvana


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Although this was not the first guitar I started building it is the first I have completed. I'm pretty pleased with it.

The body is based on the Ibanez 540p, aka 540 Power. I always loved the look of this guitar since Joe Satriani was pictured with one on some of his earlier albums. The headstock is a reverse ESP style.

Hardware:

Kahler Hybrid Tremolo / Behind the nut stringlock

Earvana Nut

Fender Tuners

EMG 85 - 1 Volume

Flush Mount Input Jack

Dunlop Straplocks

540p3bodyjm6.jpg

540p3frontfullsu8.th.jpg 540p3neckjoinqx3.th.jpg 540p3perspectiveshotgu1.th.jpg frettingsetupnb5.th.jpg

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It sounds pretty good, the Earvana does make a difference at the first few positions.

The reason for the input jack so high up is so when I'm sitting on the bed the cord can still fit without getting jammed into the mattress.

I'm not sure I have it wired up correctly though. The first time I wired it up the volume control did nothing, the volume was high whether I turned it up or down. After rewiring it, it now goes from 0 to 10, but stays really low and then turns up quickly all at once. I think I have read this can be caused by using the wrong type of pot (log / linear) but I am using the one supplied by EMG so I assume it's the right one.

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The Kahler has a string lock which goes right behind the nut so the strings are still locked. It stays in tune pretty well so far. The only problem I have had with the Kahler is the screws that come with it are so soft they get shredded very easily, and replacement screws are a dolloar each! One of the ones to screw it into the body is beyond repair, and I haven't replaced it yet, but it isn't a major concern.

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The first time I wired it up the volume control did nothing, the volume was high whether I turned it up or down. After rewiring it, it now goes from 0 to 10, but stays really low and then turns up quickly all at once. I think I have read this can be caused by using the wrong type of pot (log / linear) but I am using the one supplied by EMG so I assume it's the right one.

It may be different for EMG's (I don't know). But with normal passive pickups, you want a log pot to make the volume control "sound" linear. A linear pot will have a huge kink in the "sound taper", which is what you're describing.

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