1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 4, 2015 11:25:55 GMT
Definitely. Some sound samples from the triplets would make this point even clearer I imagine... Samples would only make clearer the difference between the types of pickups, not the influence (or lack) of the magical tonewood.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 10, 2015 10:20:41 GMT
A bit bored waiting for the next PB-Shorty that should be delivered today... To kill some time made and edited a picture of the things that are already prepared for this one. Not sure yet which pickguard ring I'm going to use for the bridge position, for the time being I'm using the black one.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 10, 2015 10:53:24 GMT
... 20 Minutes after my previous post. Delivered. First impression: No sharp fret-ends and only two tuners mounted a little bit crooked.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2015 12:21:42 GMT
You ONLY have 4 shorties
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 10, 2015 12:34:30 GMT
They are all different. Or at least have a different pickup configuration.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 15, 2015 16:58:39 GMT
Aligned the tuners (and removed the stickers). Before: after: No filling and drilling, there was just enough space to move the tuners around in a aligned position after loosening the screws. Routed the cavities for the pickups in the body.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 17, 2015 9:56:48 GMT
Drilled the hole for the sidejack.... And with doing that created a serious repair job for myself. While the drill-bit was coming through a big chunk of wood broke out on the topside, luckily it was a clean break on the woodgrain, repaired it almost invisible, you can still see some very thin lines where the breakout was - these lines are primarily how the light breaks on the thick polyurethane top-coating, I cant feel them. After this repair I mounted the bridge and neck to check how the pickups aligned with the strings... judge for yourself.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 18, 2015 16:17:17 GMT
Shielded the controls cavity. This should be enough, the pickups are fully shielded constructed and will be connected with a shielded cable.
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Post by JAC on Jul 19, 2015 9:51:22 GMT
Thanks for sharing, as always, and sharing that you also make mistakes (you would never believe it by the finished products!).
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 19, 2015 11:48:07 GMT
Harley Benton RiB-Shorty project is done. Detail pictures: This was a smooth and simple conversion, only minor setback was the breaking out if the chunk of wood while drilling the hole for the sidejack. Verdict: This one was the best made HB instrument I've had in my hands until now. Nice tight(ish) fitting neck/neck-pocket, frets are level and there are no sharp fret ends, only two tuners were a little bit misaligned that were fixable without any 'filling and drilling'. I replaced one bridge saddle due to the fact that the height adjustment screws were not at an straight angle to the intonation screw (the original one worked okay but I don't like these small disturbing details). I also placed a neck shim, this was not necessary but I prefer to have the strings a little bit higher in the bridge position. These Chinese toasters sound amazingly Rick-ish, even though they are dual coils (in series), the round rolling sound with a bite, the only minus is that they are slightly microphonic.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 19, 2015 11:56:02 GMT
Thanks for sharing, as always, and sharing that you also make mistakes (you would never believe it by the finished products!). Making mistakes is just part of life. Even as a craftsman you make mistakes, the true craftsmanship is shown in how you fix these mistakes.
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on Jul 19, 2015 13:07:37 GMT
Things I forgot to mention: The bass came out of the box with a good setup done on it, intonation was spot on, the nut is highish but good enough - I'm not going to do anything with it, the saddles were a bit high but that's a personal preference. The stock strings that come with these PB-Shorty's are crap, replaced them immediately after I finished this conversion job. I'm still using the output jack and the volume and tone pot that came with this bass, only replaced the capacitor with a 'orange drop' and added a balance pot.
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Post by JAC on Jul 20, 2015 7:09:19 GMT
Each is even more beautiful than the last!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2015 10:10:08 GMT
blablas, all I can say is; I wish you were my neighbor, I would be often dropping by with a 6-pack of cold beer and bring you my guitars for some DIY modding
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Post by doofus on Jul 23, 2015 20:06:53 GMT
Great job, the Green pick guard on black looks fantastic.
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