KVR Audio

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:05 am

P.T. wrote:Not new guitar exactly, but I have a basswood Bullet Strat that I am thinking about putting a Dimarzio PAF Pro and a Fred into.

I tried an Ibanez with that combo today and I liked the sound.
I've been wanting to change the pickups in this.

I will keep the middle pickup and wire it 5 way.

I want to avoid the problem of too much bass in the neck pickup and I think the paf pro should work.
The Fred has a nice tonal balance that isn't too mid range.

I use to have my warmoth H-S-H and I wired it so the switch was B>B+N>M>M+N>N as opposed to B>B+M>M>M+N>N I really liked it that way

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:21 am

Hink wrote:
nix808 wrote:
hibidy wrote:What I need is a hadron collider sized magnifying glass so I can see!
Hink recommends those ones you wear.
Maybe Susi is right though, I imagine we need some rare little files, and a practiced hand not astray.
hobby shops have the files and yeah the magnifying goggles are great...but just because someone is a salesman is no reason to worry about his luthier skills...but if you ask me unless it's serious give it some time, if it's really affecting your tone and playing then have it done...if not and it's just aggravating, well it's graphite imho any unnatural points of contact will take care of themselves. Guitars need a little 'breaking in'

Well, what I meant was that unless he's really a skilled luthier he's just a glorified string changer......I'm already good at that

I'm suspicious of someone learning the craft in a short period of time and I doubt if he was already trained that he'd have been a sales guy. (just trust me I know him and I have my suspicions) Nice guy, but I don't believe him (if you know what I mean)

susiwong · Post by **susiwong** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:23 am

hibidy wrote:Always good to hear from you! (actually, I really really really like the people in this thread )

@PRS: The one uncle e bought from me had this issue to some extent. Now, it's minor. It's not this horrible things that just ruins everything but when 3 (one SE the other two "prestige" ibby's) have had the issue, I'm suspicious.

The key to the tech is "good" I don't think the sacramento are is conducive to good techs. I've had a TERRIBLE time with techs here It's bad enough to the point where I think I'll drive to SF and have that gary brower..bower.....whatever guy do it. He's the dude that does Satriani's guitars and is an ibby authorized center. Expensive but my odds are better I'll get 'er done.....if you know what I mean

Same to you, hibidy !

Yeah, it's not quite as hazardous in here than in some other areas of the kvr jungle

, only axe murderers afaics.

Molly Hatchet, anyone ?

Oh, and nekrotic housewives ...

Why not ask Eric about a good, fair repairman in your area ?
He knows a lot of people and is in California, too.
I can't believe there are not at least 5 real pros within 100 miles from your house, come on, this is the home of the electric guitar ...

This is not rocket science but you should have some basic experience.
Here's a great description, long winded but precise :
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Nuts,_s ... -5350.html
I was talking about US PRS, they absolute nail this thing.

Good luck,
susiwong

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:24 am

P.T. wrote:Not new guitar exactly, but I have a basswood Bullet Strat that I am thinking about putting a Dimarzio PAF Pro and a Fred into.

I tried an Ibanez with that combo today and I liked the sound.
I've been wanting to change the pickups in this.

I will keep the middle pickup and wire it 5 way.

I want to avoid the problem of too much bass in the neck pickup and I think the paf pro should work.
The Fred has a nice tonal balance that isn't too mid range.

I'll tell you the charvel I got has terrific tone and what it has is an EVO in the neck and a TONE ZONE in the bridge. My point is I think that getting good balanced pups is almost always a good investment. It's issue is the god forsaken floyd rose

(it's absolutely criminal how much better the ibby edge pro is for "tricks" and such)

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:27 am

@susiwong: Yeah, but eric is in LA and that is a MUCH MUCH longer drive!

It's many many hours from here to even the outskirts of LA (which I guess is bakersfield to some

susiwong · Post by **susiwong** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:46 am

hibidy wrote:@susiwong: Yeah, but eric is in LA and that is a MUCH MUCH longer drive!

It's many many hours from here to even the outskirts of LA (which I guess is bakersfield to some

Right, but this is the 21st century, we have mail, telephones, even little boxes with TV screens to solve problems we wouldn't have without them ...

Eric just might know somebody in your area.

Or take a look here for example
http://www.cybozone.com/fg/luthiers.html
The number of qualified repairmen should be 10x bigger.
Simply google or ask around for recommendations.
I'd choose a good local tech over a superstar any day ...
Mine works as freelancer for my local store, he's brilliant.
For bigger jobs I know some real, studied luthiers, but they are about 80 km away and overqualified for filing saddle slots.

Ymmv,
susiwong

P.T. · Post by **P.T.** » Thu May 12, 2011 7:20 am

hibidy wrote:
P.T. wrote:Not new guitar exactly, but I have a basswood Bullet Strat that I am thinking about putting a Dimarzio PAF Pro and a Fred into.

I tried an Ibanez with that combo today and I liked the sound.
I've been wanting to change the pickups in this.

I will keep the middle pickup and wire it 5 way.

I want to avoid the problem of too much bass in the neck pickup and I think the paf pro should work.
The Fred has a nice tonal balance that isn't too mid range.
I'll tell you the charvel I got has terrific tone and what it has is an EVO in the neck and a TONE ZONE in the bridge. My point is I think that getting good balanced pups is almost always a good investment. It's issue is the god forsaken floyd rose (it's absolutely criminal how much better the ibby edge pro is for "tricks" and such)

I have been looking at guitars with Floyd Rose trems because I was thinking that the Vintage style wasn't good enough.
From trying a few FR as well as a few good Vintage styles like the ones on the PRS guitars and even the Fenders, it seems that many of the FR style double lockers are even worse than the Vintage trems. It was hard to believe how badly some of the cheaper FR trems go out of tune.

I guess you need the real deal FR or a top of the line Ibanez.

susiwong · Post by **susiwong** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:08 am

P.T. wrote:I guess you need the real deal FR or a top of the line Ibanez.

Certainly.
Include Schaller, Germany - they also built the original Floyd Rose btw.
Everything else I've seen doesn't even remotely play in the same league, different/inferior metal (those 3 are steel), tolerances not as tight ...

You might be "lucky" and not notice at first,but after a year of use it becomes obvious.

"Licensed" Floyds is the evil word.

Except for Schaller.
susiwong

susiwong · Post by **susiwong** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:19 am

P.T. wrote:From trying a few FR as well as a few good Vintage styles like the ones on the PRS guitars and even the Fenders, it seems that many of the FR style double lockers are even worse than the Vintage trems.

Agreed, too.
My PRS DGT stays in tune perfectly, best trem out there imho, close competition by Wilkinson & 2-point Fender.
Again, the PRS SE trem ain't the real deal ...
Add locking tuners and a well cut graphite nut and these trems keep in tune perfectly (about 95%) on a guitar with straight strings at the head.

Floyds don't get much better ime.
Ymmv,
susiwong

DethoticA · Post by **DethoticA** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:34 am

My next guitar is going to be ESP KH-2 SE.... Mmmm.... Any lucky owners here ?

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:38 am

nix808 wrote:I suggest you open it up to 3mm if you want to bend that far.
An option so you don't have to loosen the screws is to pull out the middle spring. It's nicely arranged in 5 springs, so you can run as many as you need.
Hope you have a ball on it!

Cheers. Not sure about the springs, I'm not planning on divebombing or anything and generally prefer a stiffer action, maybe a little floppy with just two?

I'll carry on loosening the screws a little at a time and see where I end up (casualty probably...

)

hibidy wrote:actually, I really really really like the people in this thread

what, even me?

nix808 · Post by **nix808** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:59 am

no worries gary,
I recently went from 5 springs to 4 on a new floyd rose install, so i thought i'd mention the option.
You could also get longer screws if need be?
I will be setting up this strat-type bridge soon, as I went for the classic build on a body i have recently ordered.

This thread is a serious one. i didn't think to think it would be a stayer when I started it. I have met Hibidy,Susi,Hink,Ian and Dean among in it, so it's a winner (^_^)

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Thu May 12, 2011 12:04 pm

It is, a little oasis of sense in the KVR, um, maelstrom. (think I shredded my metaphors there...)

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Thu May 12, 2011 3:05 pm

hibidy wrote:
P.T. wrote:Not new guitar exactly, but I have a basswood Bullet Strat that I am thinking about putting a Dimarzio PAF Pro and a Fred into.

I tried an Ibanez with that combo today and I liked the sound.
I've been wanting to change the pickups in this.

I will keep the middle pickup and wire it 5 way.

I want to avoid the problem of too much bass in the neck pickup and I think the paf pro should work.
The Fred has a nice tonal balance that isn't too mid range.
v(it's absolutely criminal how much better the ibby edge pro is for "tricks" and such)

I would love to know how so, not disputing the fact..I'm just curious of what makes it better, what tricks are you talking about etc

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Thu May 12, 2011 3:19 pm

btw hibidy, what's the chance of you snapping a pic like you did of the frets on the ibby you returned?

Your next guitar?