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aged retro conversion complete - what d'ya think?

kidsmoke

By kidsmoke
in Heritage Guitars

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kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
Posted

Well, I FINALLY got this project "complete".

 

You guys may have noticed I've been jumping in on p'up swapping threads, harness threads, started a hardware retrofit thread, tuning machine threads. All that yappin' is behind me now. Time to shut up and play.

 

Started out wanting to remove the 14k wound Seymour Duncan "custom custom" from this guitar. These were stock p'ups installed by Ed Roman. Also, while I love uncovered 'buckers, something just wasn't right about them on the ASB guitar.

 

One thing led to another and I decided to remove everything metal or wire from guitar, except the frets, and replace it with "vintage" correct stuff.

 

Top to bottom:

 

Out: Grover Rotomatics 14:1

In: TonePros Kluson Aged Nickel tuners 15:1 (Vision Guitars)

 

Out: SD "Blackbacks" Jazz Neck and Custom Custom bridge w/black rings

In: Sheptone Tributes Aged Nickel w/ cream rings(Sheptone)

 

Out: Gibson/Schaller Nashville/TOM

In: Faber Tone Lok master Kit (ABR Locking bridge, locking aluminum stoptail) Aged Nickel (CV guitars)

 

Out: Stock harness 250k WD tone pots, 500k WD vol pots, .022 caps

In: 50's wired 335 harness matched 500k CTS pots Vitamin Q .022 paper in oil caps (JonesyBlues)

 

 

P1130336.jpg

 

before photo

 

IMG_2962.jpg

FredZepp Mentor

FredZepp

Posted
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This is on your 535... I thnk that you'll be really happy with the changes.

 

Sheptone Tribute pickups will change it fairly dramatically... sweet vintage PAF tone.

 

Maybe give us before and after pics , if you can.

kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
  • Author
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another "after" shot. Light plays such games with this finish. I swear it looks at least three different colors.

 

going cream REALLY changes the look. But more importantly, it sounds FANTASTIC

 

P1130328.jpg

DetroitBlues Rookie Copy

DetroitBlues

Posted
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You did it right Kip! It looks awesome now. Good job on the F-hole work too in keeping it safe. Now you just need to change your pic in your signature.

H Rising Star

H

Posted
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Nice work :) I did essentially the same work on my own 535 last year and made a great guitar fantastic :)

 

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kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
  • Author
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You did it right Kip! It looks awesome now. Good job on the F-hole work too in keeping it safe. Now you just need to change your pic in your signature.

 

Thanks DB, I like it so far. As for the F-hole.....all removal and installation actually went through the bridge pickup route. A much larger opening, and harder to catch the veneer. Not that it's a breeze, it ain't. Feels good to have done all the work myself though. With the exception of a couple of solder joints. Shout out to Punkitty for soldering assistance.

 

I think the aged cream covers and hardware all came together with the top really well. I'm happy.

 

P1130319.jpg

fretless Enthusiast

fretless

Posted
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omg what a stunning guitar ! That is one beauty I really want to hear , so yeah clips !!! Hey where did you score the cream rings , looks perfect . Congrats !

kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
  • Author
Posted

omg what a stunning guitar ! That is one beauty I really want to hear , so yeah clips !!! Hey where did you score the cream rings , looks perfect . Congrats !

 

thanks Fretless...I know we've been thinking along parallel lines for the last few weeks. Once I get a proper set up done, I'll break out the mic and see if I can do something respectable. You should hear this through my centaur clone into my 65 jet, volume at about 3...good god. Pretty sure I'm gonna be hearing from the neighbors today.

 

As for the rings, Larry at CV threw them in for a VERY nominal fee. We were talking about the project in general, and I mentioned the only aged cream items out there were obscenely expensive....$200.00 +...yes, that's right. 2 bones for PICKUP RINGS!?!?!?!?!

 

He sent me a pair of used ones from his bench. Absolutely perfect. All the vendors I worked with on this project were excellent, which is why I call them out in the original post. I recommend them all highly.

fretless Enthusiast

fretless

Posted
Posted

 

thanks Fretless...I know we've been thinking along parallel lines for the last few weeks. Once I get a proper set up done, I'll break out the mic and see if I can do something respectable. You should hear this through my centaur clone into my 65 jet, volume at about 3...good god. Pretty sure I'm gonna be hearing from the neighbors today.

 

As for the rings, Larry at CV threw them in for a VERY nominal fee. We were talking about the project in general, and I mentioned the only aged cream items out there were obscenely expensive....$200.00 +...yes, that's right. 2 bones for PICKUP RINGS!?!?!?!?!

 

He sent me a pair of used ones from his bench. Absolutely perfect. All the vendors I worked with on this project were excellent, which is why I call them out in the original post. I recommend them all highly.

That is very cool and good to know . Thanks ! Yeah we sure are , though seeing as you already have your Sheps and I'm waiting for mine means you beat me to that one :ph34r: mine is probably a couple more weeks out . They really are some of the best sounding pups I've heard and very fairly priced . I really look forward to your future clips and Have a Great guitar day ! Same for your neighbors :icon_jokercolor:

kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
  • Author
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for those of you out there so inclined.....

...something I didn't know til long after I'd ordered the pickups directly from Sheptones, David Jones at JonesyBlues is also a Sheptones distributor, and his harness's are excellent. He's got stock on Shep's p'ups, and had my harness out to me in 3, count 'em, 3 days. that means if you don't need a custom wind, you could have a vintage top of the line harness and one of the best rated PAF clones in the market, in one box, to your door, in a few days.

 

AND...the jonesyblues 335 harness came with a pigtail for pickup swaps, meaning you never need to remove the harness from the guitar once it's in. I was able to install everything, thoroughly, including the pickups, drove over to PK's and after 10 minutes of soldering and rocks glass of woodford reserve.....I was diggin' my new tones through her 50W Kustom in the living room.....

 

the harness with pigtail..... CTS 10% pots, tested and matched, with Vitamin Q.022 paper in oil caps, as recommended by Shep. Wired 50's style.

 

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skydog52 Mentor

skydog52

Posted
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That looks great Smoke. And I know it sounds like you want it.

Nice job!

I know what you mean when you say the color seems to change.

 

P1130336.jpg

kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
  • Author
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Nice work :) I did essentially the same work on my own 535 last year and made a great guitar fantastic :)

 

e6640084.jpg

 

That's a beaut, H! You were one that pushed me in the TPK direction, but I hadn't realized you had cream rings/tip as well. What are the pickups in this guitar? And I can't make out a screw hole next to the neck....did this guitar ever have a pickguard?

 

You sir, have impeccable taste. :icon_salut:

DetroitBlues Rookie Copy

DetroitBlues

Posted
Posted

 

That's a beaut, H! You were one that pushed me in the TPK direction, but I hadn't realized you had cream rings/tip as well. What are the pickups in this guitar? And I can't make out a screw hole next to the neck....did this guitar ever have a pickguard?

 

You sir, have impeccable taste. :icon_salut:

 

those look like Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90's

H Rising Star

H

Posted
Posted

 

 

those look like Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90's

Mr Blues is right on the money :)

H Rising Star

H

Posted
Posted

 

 

That's a beaut, H! You were one that pushed me in the TPK direction, but I hadn't realized you had cream rings/tip as well. What are the pickups in this guitar? And I can't make out a screw hole next to the neck....did this guitar ever have a pickguard?

 

You sir, have impeccable taste. :icon_salut:

Mr Smoke, sir, you're making me blush all over my cocoa and crumpets ;)

 

I tip my hat to you for the work you've done in styling and executing this. It's no mean feat to swap out the harness in a semi-hollow: I taught myself several new swear words when I did it ;) Your 535 now has your imprint upon it and a very nice piece of work it is :)

 

As DetroitBlues says, the pickups in mine are SD Phat Cats. I had the same revelation as you when the guts of the 535 were spread over the kitchen table: this baby needs cream rings! It looked a bit odd at first, as though they were too big, but I stuck with it and a couple of hours later the 535 had grown into them :)

 

There is a pickguard hole there somewhere :) It came fitted with a trans-black bound maple pickguard but that lives in the case pocket now.

gpuma Rising Star

gpuma

Posted
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I am so happy for you. The results are incredible!

 

Can't wait to see it in person.

It's almost NGD for ya.

Hurray!

  • 3 weeks later...
kidsmoke Rising Star

kidsmoke

Posted
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Finally took some decent photos. Still not up to par with some of you, but begins to do the guitar justice. After a couple weeks, and a proper set up, man, am I happy. I'v spent sooo much time considering options and appearance. I'm very rarely completely happy with my decisions. But this is the exception. I'm lovin' it.

 

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