NKD: a little makeover

[MartyGrass]

Here's before the new knob day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's after. I put an amber toggle switch cap on, a set of amber hats, and switched out the bridge to get a little more finger spacing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://s796.photobucket.com/user/mgoetting/library/Toty%20Viola%20Custom?sort=3&page=1

 

 

 

I originally put D'Addario flatwound 12s on the guitar. They were decent but a little too mellow. I restrung it with Pyramids flatwound 12s round core (not their hex core). They seem like a better fit to me for the Lollartrons.

 

 

 

[Kuz]

Just my opinion, I am a speed knob guy. I now have speed knobs on all my guitars other than Teles or Strats. So I like the original look better but I am biased.

[MartyGrass]

I have amber speed knobs, and they would have been my choice, too. But mine go up to 11. My guitar is way too serious for that funny stuff.

[Kuz]

I have amber speed knobs, and they would have been my choice, too. But mine go up to 11. My guitar is way too serious for that funny stuff.

Yea, it is heard to get amber speed knobs that only go to "10", most amber ones go to "11". What's up with that? All the other colored speed knobs that go to "10" are easy to find except the amber ones.

[Guitarbean]

...why don't you live dangerously and try clear knobs?

 

Like this bad boy...

 

http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/skrieg13/media/P1130418_zps280ed81a.jpg.html

[Gitfiddler]

Looking good, Marty.

[Vanschoyck]

I like that look much better. My guitar tech insisted on taking the black speed knobs off of my Ste 16 and he put on ebony ones. It was a good call.

[hinesarchtop]

That guitar is so dang cool. How would you compare it sound wise with others you've had (576, Roy Clark, 535, 555 etc.)

[PaGator]

I like the change

[Rod]

Like it! Good change.

[Keith7940236]

Very cool guitar. Good choice on the knobs!

[peterbright]

 

New knobs on my Super Eagle

[Steiner]

I would have let it go to 11. Sometimes 1 more is just that. It's a beautiful guitar no matter how you adorn it.

 

Kudos for slipping "knobs" in.

[MartyGrass]

Super Eagle 2 New Knobs.jpg

 

New knobs on my Super Eagle

 

Wow! What finish is that? Cherry burst? It seems darker (and better).

[MartyGrass]

That guitar is so dang cool. How would you compare it sound wise with others you've had (576, Roy Clark, 535, 555 etc.)

 

 

Acoustically it's pretty loud. It is a full 16" across, which is maybe a 1/4" wider than a Sweet 16. The Golden Eagle is a little shy of 17" across unless custom ordered to a full 17" or even wider. But this guitar is a laminate with top hardware. Both of these factors compress the tonal range, especially the highs. It's still decent as an acoustic, probably like a H550 or an ES-175.

 

Amplified, I'm afraid the Lollars run the show. My best comparison is that the neck Lollartron sounds very much like a HRW. It has no mud but is warmer (more mids) than a P90. The bridge is also very much like a HRW without the ice pick trebles though.

 

I just ran my Sweet 16 with the Heritage Floating #3 through my amp at the same setting and with the same strings as this Toty Viola (whatever you want to call it). The Lollartrons are hotter, which isn't saying much, and more articulate. The sounds are very different.

[hinesarchtop]

Thanks for the detailed answer Mark. A friend of mine put Lollartrons in his L5 which sounded great and had more clarity without the mud. I imagine that your guitar would work great for several musical styles. Would love to hear it through a cranked Deluxe Reverb with the guitars volume rolled off a bit.

[FredZepp]

Looks great with the new knobs etc. It's hard to imagine any better combination than what's on it now.

[FredZepp]

I have amber speed knobs, and they would have been my choice, too. But mine go up to 11. My guitar is way too serious for that funny stuff.

Since we are talking about knobs, The Centurion has speed knobs with no numbers... just one dot.

 

[MartyGrass]

I like those numberless dials a lot. In practicality, an obvious dot probably works better than hard to see numbers.

[SofaPlayer]

I think the new knobs are a perfect match. But the guitar is stunning either way.

[peterbright]

 

Wow! What finish is that? Cherry burst? It seems darker (and better).

Vintage Wine Burst