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PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:17 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:08 pm
Posts: 1018
Location: Denver, Colorado
I just finished up this beast. I call it TestBot XJ5007BGYP9MS07. I know, it's not going to win any beauty contests, but that's not its purpose. It lets me easily swap out different pickups and move them around. The black knobs control a 500k volume and tone, and the amber ones 250k. I can switch between the two couples by hitting the mini switch.








It's pretty self-explanatory, but the pickups are mounted to a lexan template that is trapped between the aluminum angle stock and a piece of wood. They stay in place but are easily moved around and can even rotate. The guitar swings open on a hinge to allow pickup changes without removing the strings. I have single coil and P90 templates too.












In the back, I simply plug the pickup grounds and leads into the speaker box thingy. All the grounds go in the one on the far right. The first three run to the 5-way switch for neck, middle and bridge positions.






I used an old neck I had laying around. The fingerboard was coming off, so I went ahead and removed it and put on a new one with a different scale length.

I originally had a rake on the neck like I normally would with a tune-o-matic bridge, but I ended up giving it no neck angle and recessing the bridge into the body. This way, as I move a pickup around it stays the same distance from the strings.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:19 pm 
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Koa
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Location: Denver, Colorado
By the way, I'm very open to any improvements anyone can think of. I really just designed it on the go.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:40 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:50 am
Posts: 214
Location: United States
Looks great!



Getting into pickup winding?




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PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:00 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:50 pm
Posts: 4662
Location: Napa, CA
Mike...How timely, and I like the fact that many of the OLFers seem to have an electro side as well. This looks like a great setup for hearing the effects of an unconventional pickup selection request from an 18 year old college freshman who seems to know everything. I'm referring to my earlier therad regarding my cutrrent dilemma. Hope you have a chance to read and comment, Mike.

It won't be long before we're clamoring for a separate section...Brock, are you listening? Hey...if there was a Resonator Section, why not an Electric Guitar section?...MIMF has one!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:21 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:11 am
Posts: 2761
Location: Tampa Bay
First name: Dave
Last Name: Anderson
City: Clearwater
State: Florida
Zip/Postal Code: 33755
Country: United States
Very cool design Mike! I like the way you can change pick-ups for testing. Hey,An electric section sounds good!
I'd read it ! and MIMF has one!   

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:13 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:24 am
Posts: 744
Location: United States
Mike...very cool idea. I always thought something like this would be a great way to test pick ups back to back. Nice job.

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Brad
Avon, OH


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:27 am 
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Koa
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Location: PA, United States

Hey Mike,


Neat idea. Let us know if you have any further customizations on the prototype. I know someone here will surely build one like it.



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:34 am 
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Walnut
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Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 7:18 am
Posts: 21

That's a keen contraption.  Smarty Pants!


 


 



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:20 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Location: Florida

Looking at the first couple of pics, I was thinking....yada, yada, yada...


Then the pic of the hinged side came around!!  Man, that is some creative thinking!!


Good Job!!!!


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Ken H


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:28 pm 
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Koa
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Posts: 1018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Thanks for the feedback, guys. It was a fun little project and is going to
be very useful.

Erik, I would like to get into winding in the near future, but just other's
pups for now.

_________________
Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:31 pm 
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Mahogany
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Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:48 pm
Posts: 42
Location: United States
That's pretty wild.....But also pretty sweet. Brandon


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:56 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:20 pm
Posts: 32
Location: United States
I like the body shape. Kind of Burns looking.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:47 pm 
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Koa
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Posts: 1018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Thanks, Steven. I actually kind of like the shape too. I might tweak it a
bit and use it for a "real" guitar.


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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:06 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:58 pm
Posts: 2946
Location: United States
I'm impressed Mike! I'm a big fan of testing and that makes the whole thing a lot easier! Clean execution too!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)


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