Geo

You really should take the advice here and modify your project accordingly. You are on our turf now, so to speak. You don't know how to do this kind of thing and we do. It would be pretty foolish (no offense) to keep plowing ahead after several experienced guitar-builders have warned you. It wouldn't matter at all whether you make huge mistakes on your first project (and you will), except that you plan to use a Carvin neck. I seem to remember those being very expensive. We don't want you to ruin that neck, which is a great investment! If you're patient, the rewards will be huge for you. It's for your own good man!

I'm guessing it's this pickup. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...For_Guitar.html If you want an even bigger challenge, try making your own pickups!

FWIW, I use a 220k 1/2w to discharge tube amp caps. No problems yet. The resistor never gets warm in any way, so to me that says that a 1/2w resistor is fine. Just DON'T leave it in when you turn on your amp. I've never done it, but I imagine it's a fireworks show.

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.

I'm sorry; I was a little harsh. I think you're doing a good job considering that you're 13. Take your time and do things the right way, and you should have a guitar that you can be proud of.

Sweet. I love the grain, especially your fingerboard!

Dude.... dude.... Wow, that is such a gorgeous instrument! That's one of the best aesthetics I've seen in a long time... and there are lots of beautiful guitars displayed on this forum. Congrats, that is a work of art.

Love that FB binding on the Les Paul!

Gotta agree with that. That horn is way too honkin' huge but looks AWESOME with that reptilian grain!!!

Hm, you obviously haven't checked out this thread..... http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...32778&st=45 There is nothing special about originality. What counts is a beautiful, artistic design that is structurally sound.

Here's what I think.... The characteristics of the body are reflected into the strings when they vibrate. In other words, when a wave travels down the string and hits the bridge, the bridge and body determine how that wave is reflected back up the string. This must translate into favoring of certain frequency ranges.

That wood is slab-sawn I think, nearly from the center of the tree. That may have something to do with it?

It's difficult to answer your questions. If you don't know where to place the pickups and bridge, you need to read before you start cutting wood. Melvyn Hyscock's book is excellent and explains everything. See, the thing is, YOU decide where to place the pickups and bridge. And you decide this based on other factors in your design (scale length, neck joint, neck angle, etc.) So if you aren't at the point where you know how to determine this, you should read a guitar building book.

Maybe minerals in the wood? I think this happens with poplar.

Good, I think you're doing the right thing. So what are you going to do with the too-thin neck?

Thanks for the informative replies. I'll use mineral spirits since I have some.

Looks like you're on the right track. I am a little concerned about the burn marks on your neck tenon. This has to be a perfect fit, as I'm sure you know.

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. I think I'll wait for a few more, as there are several very different suggestions. For some reason I am just wondering how long my bit will last, as I use it for a lot of things (all templates, pickup cavities, neck tenon, neck pocket, body outline after rough jigsawing, etc.) I'm probably just paranoid. Thanks again. More replies appreciated.

Can anyone recommend a product to keep a router bit with a ball bearing guide lubricated? Thanks.

Whoa, I love that headstock. It looks like you really planned the string angles well.

Hey, check out the signature at the bottom of your posts. Apply it to yourself here. Don't throw in the towel on guitar building. You missed this shot, but if you take a break, cool down, devote your energy to something else for a while... I'm sure you'll do well again. Seriously, your building style is one of the most distinct I have seen on this forum. You really bring something unique to guitar building. It's obvious to everyone that you have innate talent but that you also have a huge amount of LEARNED SKILL. If you quit guitarbuilding, you're basically throwing away all the time and money you invested in learning how to build. You got this far for a reason. If you're afraid you might damage your materials, buy some cheap wood, as others have suggested. Build some basic guitars for fun. Don't spend more than you have to. (Buy cheap pickups, cheap tuners, etc.) Have fun. Build something funny or outrageous. Keep your cost low so you can sell them cheap or give them away to friends. Don't put any pressure on yourself and take your time.

Don't pitch that neck. If all else fails, you might consider changing your design to some sort of "alternative" guitar, maybe with 5 strings. Maybe you could do something with a low B or A and the next 4 strings from a normal guitar. Yeah, it would suck, a normal bridge won't work, but in the end I think SOMETHING would be better than trashing your work. Or you could go the other direction and make it some kind of 5-string soprano guitar. I know, that's stupid... I'm just throwing out ideas for you. Don't get too discouraged, though. I don't reply to alot of your threads but I always check them out. I love the aesthetic of your designs. You have a lot of talent and your projects turn out better than mine.

It seems to me that there's something wrong with your guitar, but I seriously doubt that the problem is the difference you see between your guitar and this "buckethead" guitar. Your guitar was designed with a different neck angle. "I also noticed how my strings on the upper frets (12 and up) don't sound as loud as the rest. " I suggest that you adjust the height of each pickup, the relative height between the pickups, and the height of each polepiece. Listen very carfully with each adjustment until you have what sounds like balanced output. Actually it sounds to me like you have too-high action; but you say you've lowered your bridge as far as it can go. I really don't see how the output could be LOWER from the 12th fret up. Even with a low action, fretting high on the fingerboard is going to bring the strings down a little closer to the pickups. This effect will only increase if the guitar has a high action, as the strings will be dragged farther down to reach the high frets on the fingerboard. I say this with all respect, but I wonder if your conception of the differences between your guitar and Buckethead's guitar is clouding your perception of your guitar's sound? "Another complaint I have is how unclear each string tone is. " I hope you have new strings on it. There's nothing like dull old strings to make you hate the tone of your guitar. If new strings don't sound better, maybe you need different pickups. Perhaps humbuckers aren't the sound you're looking for, or perhaps you would prefer lower-output humbuckers. Or maybe you have a muddy-sounding amp. Maybe your speaker is damaged. There are so many possibilities.... I suggest trying the guitar in several amps. Use the shortest or newest cable you have. Plug straight into the amp (no pedals. Those suck the sound away even if they're turned off).

I've never bought from them but have read good things in other forums.

LMI sells large fretwire, as does Stewmac. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....eader=+Fretwire http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_suppl...d_Fretwire.html