kevphol
05-14-2007, 08:05 AM
I posted a while back here asking about push/push (as opposed to push/pull) tone pots for coil splitting. So this is an update to that post. I started with a stock Hollowbody Spruce and have subsequently changed out the pups with a Duncan Jazz/JB combo, replaced the standard tone pot with a push/push pot and wired the whole thing with the McCarty wiring scheme with coil split. I also replaced all hardware with chrome and changed the bridge to a Tonepros adustable locking bridge.
Here's the stock guitar:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSfront.jpg
The HB is obviously a challenge since there is no back route. I used the "puppet process" as I have come to call it now with strings tied to all of the electronics before pulling them all out through the bridge pup hole.
Here is "the puppet process" in process:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSapart.JPG
I studied the McCarty wiring scheme closely and duplicated it. Also, before putting it all back together I plugged it in to my amp and tested it while all the components lay out across a cloth on top of the guitar. I put just the low E string in place to test it.
The first good sign was that I had sound with no noise. Check for grounding. Slowly but surely everything checked out, including the coil split with the push/push pot. Woohoo! It was already 11:00pm by this time, but I had to keep going and get all the strings on just to hear it. So I got all the strings on, tuned it up about half a step above standard to get some stretch on the strings, and then proceded to go through different settings on my amp checking out the tones.
So, this is very preliminary BUT... my initial impressions are that this is EXACTLY what I was looking for out of this guitar! :) I haven't played or heard an HB with a maple top, and I know some guys say that model is quite bright, but this HB Spruce was quite warm with the original pups and it has maintained a good deal of that with these new pups, especially at the neck. The SD Jazz at the neck is just fat and full as it can be, bigger sounding, more like a 335 than before. The JB at the bridge is certainly much brighter but not too bright for this guitar. It is hot in the drive settings but not too hot. The push/push coil split is working like a charm and greatly increases the tone variations as you can imagine. I also think with the woody character of this model to begin with, I might even get close to sounding like a piezo with some clean settings.
I still have quite a bit of work to do with action and intonation of the adjustable bridge, but I am really excited so far. I think this is going to turn out to be well worth the effort. I hope to try and record some clips with different settings to post up at some point for you guys to hear. I didn't think though to record any before taking out the stock pups. Wish I had for comparison. I'll get some more pics outside too. It looks pretty sweet all chromed out! B)
Here is a pic just after everything was put back in place:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSrodded.JPG
Here's the stock guitar:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSfront.jpg
The HB is obviously a challenge since there is no back route. I used the "puppet process" as I have come to call it now with strings tied to all of the electronics before pulling them all out through the bridge pup hole.
Here is "the puppet process" in process:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSapart.JPG
I studied the McCarty wiring scheme closely and duplicated it. Also, before putting it all back together I plugged it in to my amp and tested it while all the components lay out across a cloth on top of the guitar. I put just the low E string in place to test it.
The first good sign was that I had sound with no noise. Check for grounding. Slowly but surely everything checked out, including the coil split with the push/push pot. Woohoo! It was already 11:00pm by this time, but I had to keep going and get all the strings on just to hear it. So I got all the strings on, tuned it up about half a step above standard to get some stretch on the strings, and then proceded to go through different settings on my amp checking out the tones.
So, this is very preliminary BUT... my initial impressions are that this is EXACTLY what I was looking for out of this guitar! :) I haven't played or heard an HB with a maple top, and I know some guys say that model is quite bright, but this HB Spruce was quite warm with the original pups and it has maintained a good deal of that with these new pups, especially at the neck. The SD Jazz at the neck is just fat and full as it can be, bigger sounding, more like a 335 than before. The JB at the bridge is certainly much brighter but not too bright for this guitar. It is hot in the drive settings but not too hot. The push/push coil split is working like a charm and greatly increases the tone variations as you can imagine. I also think with the woody character of this model to begin with, I might even get close to sounding like a piezo with some clean settings.
I still have quite a bit of work to do with action and intonation of the adjustable bridge, but I am really excited so far. I think this is going to turn out to be well worth the effort. I hope to try and record some clips with different settings to post up at some point for you guys to hear. I didn't think though to record any before taking out the stock pups. Wish I had for comparison. I'll get some more pics outside too. It looks pretty sweet all chromed out! B)
Here is a pic just after everything was put back in place:
http://209.18.100.181/userpics/lib7/HBSrodded.JPG