SE EG Mod Project

[maccampbells]

So far have replaced the tuners with Grover locking Mini's and both pots with CTS 250K (volume was broken anyway after 6 months).

Have already taken her in for nutwork and setup for 10-52's. Once she is strung up I can pick her up a week later and she is still right in tune. Play her hard for 3 hours with only minor retune. As far as tuning stablility she is way better than the than the 60's reissue MIJ strat I used to have. Though I do miss the trem.

Bill Lawrence Keystone pickups should be arriving today. Already have enough cloth wire, orange drop .022uf cap, and volume kit (treble rolloff) from Acme guitar works to completely rewire her this weekend. Hopefully I can get close enough to the tone I am looking for that I can only blame it on my fingers:). More definition string to string and less "icepick" tone.

Just wanted to get a thread started. If I get geeky enough I will post pics, though she still looks stock to me. If there are any more mods it will be another pickgaurd with H/S/S.

[Big Mike]

Sounds like a fun project!

[maccampbells]

Success! The only original piece of elctronics left are the 5 way and the ground wire that goes to the bridge post. How do you get those out? I've never done it and it feels like you have to really reef on it which scares me a little. I know people do it when replacing the studs with the locking studs, but how?

Went to a Jam with some buddies. I told them I made some mods and they noticed right away- smoother, airy, less muddy, bite when you want it. I was going back and forth on GFS pickups. Glad I went with the Keystone's.

[_pete_]

Sounds like a great project.
I Have an SE EG that I really love too. It's an SSS with trem. I replaced the pups and wiring with an EMG SA set with a mid boost and added Planet Waves locking tuners. I had to make the pickguard from sctratch. I need room for 3 pots and the stock pickguard has the volume control way too close to the pickup for my liking. The guitar is incredibly versatile now.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/My%20Guitars/EG8.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/My%20Guitars/EG5.jpg

[_pete_]

Oh, the bridge posts should pull out with a claw hammer.
Put a piece of wood on the body so it doesn't get scratched or dented and hook the claw under the screw head and slowly pull it up like pulling out a nail. It helps to heat the insert up with a soldering iron if it's in there really tight.

[maccampbells]

Oh, the bridge posts should pull out with a claw hammer.
Put a piece of wood on the body so it doesn't get scratched or dented and hook the claw under the screw head and slowly pull it up like pulling out a nail. It helps to heat the insert up with a soldering iron if it's in there really tight.Hey that EG looks really nice, especially the pickgaurd. I've been trying to get my hands on a tortise guard. I've never made my own. Did you use the special router type bits to trim the edges? If you still have the old tortise pickgaurd, can buy it from you? Are you the guy I hit up for one a while ago?

How do you like the planet waves tuners? Did you get any nut work done?

Also, are you saying that I leave the posts screwed into the studs (insert?) and pull on the bridge posts so they both come out at the same time? Did you just tap them back in?

[BlueJakester]

Looks like some really fun projects ... both of them! I'm jealous :D

Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

:dude:

[_pete_]

Hey that EG looks really nice, especially the pickgaurd. I've been trying to get my hands on a tortise guard. I've never made my own. Did you use the special router type bits to trim the edges? If you still have the old tortise pickgaurd, can buy it from you? Are you the guy I hit up for one a while ago?

How do you like the planet waves tuners? Did you get any nut work done?

Also, are you saying that I leave the posts screwed into the studs (insert?) and pull on the bridge posts so they both come out at the same time? Did you just tap them back in?The old tortoise guard gave it's life in the making of this new one. I was using it as a template and it got pretty messed up.
I cut the new pickguard with a router and straight and 45 degree bevel bits. I used a single coil pickup template from StewMac for the cutouts.

The Planet Waves are great. They're accurate and the easiest, fastest tuners to string up. The built in string cutter is slick. You need to drill a new hole for the mounting screw but I figured that the SE EG's were never gonna be collectibles anyway.

Yep, hook the hammer to the post and use the post to pull the insert out.
I just tap the new ones in with a hammer and a block of wood.

Here's some pics of the same operation on an Ibanez:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/studremoval1.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/studremoval2.jpg

[maccampbells]

The old tortoise guard gave it's life in the making of this new one. I was using it as a template and it got pretty messed up.
I cut the new pickguard with a router and straight and 45 degree bevel bits. I used a single coil pickup template from StewMac for the cutouts.

The Planet Waves are great. They're accurate and the easiest, fastest tuners to string up. The built in string cutter is slick. You need to drill a new hole for the mounting screw but I figured that the SE EG's were never gonna be collectibles anyway.

Yep, hook the hammer to the post and use the post to pull the insert out.
I just tap the new ones in with a hammer and a block of wood.

Here's some pics of the same operation on an Ibanez:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/studremoval1.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h247/pete2112/studremoval2.jpgWow thanks pete, pics and everything! Can you reuse the inserts? Simple newb questions I guess.

[_pete_]

Wow thanks pete, pics and everything! Can you reuse the inserts? Simple newb questions I guess.Yep, you can reuse the inserts if you ever have need to.