So I Butchered a COW7 (56k fired up the barbecue, I mean router)

wannabguitarist · 02-09-2009, 03:32 PM

I'm pretty sure a lot of you have seen this already because of these threads: Question About Jackson COW 7 String, and Neck Pickup in a COW7 but here are some good pictures of the guitar:

(those silver screws are starting to bother me)

(aww it's my kitty

)

The new route is actually cleaner and tighter fitting (by a small margin) than the factory one

Control Cavity

I got the idea of routing for a neck pickup idea after owning the guitar for about a month and really missing the neck pickup and a tone knob. My main guitar is a LP so I'm used to having lots of knobs to fiddle with and every time I try not having a neck pickup I get tired of the lack of versatility (imo) after a few weeks. I ended up paying a local luthier (Skip's Music

) to do the work because I couldn't trust myself and I would have no way of repairing the finish if I screwed up. In the end the total cost of the guitar came to less than what a Hellraiser would have cost and I got what I feel is a far superior guitar. Also if anyone is on the fence about switching their EMGs to Blackouts I say do it if you can find a set of Blackouts used of if you know you can get a decent amount for the EMGs when you sell them. The Blackouts sound "better" to my ears but I don't know if it's a $175 "better." I'm using a BO neck and a BO bridge in their respective places.

And for Sebastian

:

Rick · 02-09-2009, 03:34 PM

I think it looks pretty damn good!

Elysian · 02-09-2009, 03:35 PM

looks great, who did the work?

Thin_Ice_77 · 02-09-2009, 03:47 PM

Butchered? Majorly improved. Looks better, more versatile... very nice job!

sworth9411 · 02-09-2009, 03:53 PM

This looks tits......amazing nice clean work.....Jackson should have offered this to begin with as well....bravo.

Sebastian · 02-09-2009, 03:53 PM

Looks "original"

Really great man ! awesome job !

caughtinamosh · 02-09-2009, 03:56 PM

I think guitars with only neck pickups look slightly better, but are obviously lacking in versatility. This, however, is still one sexy COW. You are a very lucky guy

.

EDIT - I meant "with only bridge pickups."

you Ramsay

.

Ramsay777 · 02-09-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caughtinamosh

I think guitars with only neck pickups look slightly better, but are obviously lacking in versatility. This, however, is still one sexy COW. You are a very lucky guy

.

Like, for example... a Jazz guitar?

turmoil · 02-09-2009, 04:08 PM

excellent man! looks super clean.
i've always thought COW7's looked cool but i just don't think i can live with one bridge pickup. i need some kind of neck pickup, whether it be a single or hum.

AeonSolus · 02-09-2009, 04:15 PM

Wooow!! a COW never looked better!

EDIT: i was about to suggest the 18V mod but i see you got Blackies fitted in, way to go man

Bleak · 02-09-2009, 04:21 PM

How much did the routing job run you, roughly?
Also, is there a reason you didn't get the neck pickup close to flush with the fretboard?

Ruins · 02-09-2009, 04:22 PM

very well done dude it looks absolutely great!
now if it only had a trem.....

(trem lover, i am guilty) any thought on future butchering..?

Sebastian · 02-09-2009, 04:31 PM

I should neg rep you all
*shakes fists and says some not nice words in polish

thedonutman · 02-09-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleak

How much did the routing job run you, roughly?
Also, is there a reason you didn't get the neck pickup close to flush with the fretboard?

+1

Exactly the two questions I wanted to ask.

I really want a COW, and the only thing really stopping me is the lack of a neck pickup.

wannabguitarist · 02-09-2009, 04:41 PM

Thanks for the kind words

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruins

very well done dude it looks absolutely great!
now if it only had a trem.....

(trem lover, i am guilty) any thought on future butchering..?

A trem would be great but I'm not that crazy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elysian

looks great, who did the work?

Michael Gardner, he works for Skip's Music in Sacramento. I don't know if he's built any guitars but his repair work looks great. I assume you can't say you're a luthier unless you've done the proper schooling right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleak

How much did the routing job run you, roughly?
Also, is there a reason you didn't get the neck pickup close to flush with the fretboard?

I was charged $150 for the routing, installation, wiring, and quick setup. I bought the Blackouts for around $110 and the guitar with case and locking tuners for $550 off the classifieds here. There's a gap between the neck and fretboard in case I ever wanted to put passives in the guitar. The rings would have to clear the bevel in the lower horn.

Thin_Ice_77 · 02-09-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebastian

I should neg rep you all
*shakes fists and says some not nice words in polish

You like COW7's, we get it.

Shinto · 02-09-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedonutman

+1

Exactly the two questions I wanted to ask.

I really want a COW, and the only thing really stopping me is the lack of a neck pickup.

+1. I'll get over the fact that the neck is painted if Jackson ever made a H-H COW7.

yellowv · 02-09-2009, 05:36 PM

Man thats a clean route job.

TimSE · 02-09-2009, 05:41 PM

i approve

7 Dying Trees · 02-09-2009, 05:44 PM

Nice work man

leonardo7 · 02-09-2009, 05:50 PM

I have a DK7. Yours is better. Nice.

canuck brian · 02-09-2009, 05:50 PM

super super clean work there! I'd like to see one of the camo ones done like that now...

Elysian · 02-09-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabguitarist

Michael Gardner, he works for Skip's Music in Sacramento. I don't know if he's built any guitars but his repair work looks great. I assume you can't say you're a luthier unless you've done the proper schooling right?

in my opinion anyone who works on guitars/basses in any professional sense(repair, building, refinishing, etc) could be considered a "luthier", who needs schooling anyways? its all stuff that can be learned on your own if you have the drive. mike sherman wasn't schooled, he's one of the best builders out there

mikernaut · 02-09-2009, 06:10 PM

Looks great. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about having that done to my Custom Shop neckthru COW 7. But I'd have to hand it over to someone I can totally trust to do it.

Although I suppose Sebastian would want to kill me. hahaha

mat091285 · 02-09-2009, 08:21 PM

Looks great! haha

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02-09-2009, 03:32 PM	#1
wannabguitarist SS Contributor Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: San Diego/El Dorado Hills CA Posts: 4,163 Thanked: 50 Feedback Score: 9 reviews	So I Butchered a COW7 (56k fired up the barbecue, I mean router) I'm pretty sure a lot of you have seen this already because of these threads: Question About Jackson COW 7 String, and Neck Pickup in a COW7 but here are some good pictures of the guitar: (those silver screws are starting to bother me) (aww it's my kitty ) The new route is actually cleaner and tighter fitting (by a small margin) than the factory one Control Cavity I got the idea of routing for a neck pickup idea after owning the guitar for about a month and really missing the neck pickup and a tone knob. My main guitar is a LP so I'm used to having lots of knobs to fiddle with and every time I try not having a neck pickup I get tired of the lack of versatility (imo) after a few weeks. I ended up paying a local luthier (Skip's Music) to do the work because I couldn't trust myself and I would have no way of repairing the finish if I screwed up. In the end the total cost of the guitar came to less than what a Hellraiser would have cost and I got what I feel is a far superior guitar. Also if anyone is on the fence about switching their EMGs to Blackouts I say do it if you can find a set of Blackouts used of if you know you can get a decent amount for the EMGs when you sell them. The Blackouts sound "better" to my ears but I don't know if it's a $175 "better." I'm using a BO neck and a BO bridge in their respective places. And for Sebastian:

02-09-2009, 03:34 PM	#2
Rick SENSUAL CAPTAIN Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 16,106 Thanked: 101 Feedback Score: 6 reviews	I think it looks pretty damn good! Head of Agile Gestapo Line 6 XDS95-->Line 6 POD X3 Pro-->Matrix GT800FX-->Line 6 Spidervalve 4x12 cabinet https://www.facebook.com/thealphaandtheomegamusic

02-09-2009, 03:47 PM	#4
Thin_Ice_77 You'll never make it Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 1,956 Thanked: 58 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Butchered? Majorly improved. Looks better, more versatile... very nice job! Visit Beneath The Surface on: Myspace Music Reverbnation

02-09-2009, 03:53 PM	#6
Sebastian Poland CEO / RHLC © Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cracow, Poland Posts: 8,359 Thanked: 100 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Looks "original" Really great man ! awesome job ! FF

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02-09-2009, 03:35 PM	#3
Elysian Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 6,629 Thanked: 43 Feedback Score: 22 reviews	looks great, who did the work?

02-09-2009, 03:53 PM	#5
sworth9411 Banned Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: .. Posts: 1,608 Thanked: 25 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	This looks tits......amazing nice clean work.....Jackson should have offered this to begin with as well....bravo.

02-09-2009, 03:56 PM	#7
caughtinamosh Linguist Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,775 Thanked: 55 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	I think guitars with only neck pickups look slightly better, but are obviously lacking in versatility. This, however, is still one sexy COW. You are a very lucky guy . EDIT - I meant "with only bridge pickups." you Ramsay . Find me under the same username on www.metalguitarist.org

02-09-2009, 04:08 PM	#9
turmoil l0rd of teh shr3d Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,262 Thanked: 27 Feedback Score: 17 reviews	excellent man! looks super clean. i've always thought COW7's looked cool but i just don't think i can live with one bridge pickup. i need some kind of neck pickup, whether it be a single or hum.

02-09-2009, 04:15 PM	#10
AeonSolus DO CEO / RHLC © Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Dominican Republic Posts: 1,783 Thanked: 81 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Wooow!! a COW never looked better! EDIT: i was about to suggest the 18V mod but i see you got Blackies fitted in, way to go man Products of my boreness: http://www.soundclick.com/luisangelcompres

02-09-2009, 04:21 PM	#11
Bleak SS.org Regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 628 Thanked: 11 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	How much did the routing job run you, roughly? Also, is there a reason you didn't get the neck pickup close to flush with the fretboard?

02-09-2009, 04:22 PM	#12
Ruins Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 2,061 Thanked: 18 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	very well done dude it looks absolutely great! now if it only had a trem..... (trem lover, i am guilty) any thought on future butchering..?

02-09-2009, 04:31 PM	#13
Sebastian Poland CEO / RHLC © Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cracow, Poland Posts: 8,359 Thanked: 100 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I should neg rep you all *shakes fists and says some not nice words in polish FF

02-09-2009, 05:36 PM	#18
yellowv Turd Ferguson Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: S. Florida Posts: 7,091 Thanked: 220 Feedback Score: 19 reviews	Man thats a clean route job.

02-09-2009, 05:41 PM	#19
TimSE SS Contributor Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 4,162 Thanked: 140 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	i approve www.facebook.com/tempusfusionband http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/to-...ll/id507292058

02-09-2009, 05:44 PM	#20
7 Dying Trees Sarcy English Twat Join Date: May 2004 Location: 7th Ethereal Plane of interstellar hell, Innit Bruv, Safe, London, UK Posts: 8,869 Thanked: 139 Feedback Score: 41 reviews	Nice work man The Chaos has come: www.chaosanct.com

02-09-2009, 05:50 PM	#21
leonardo7 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,422 Thanked: 108 Feedback Score: 20 reviews	I have a DK7. Yours is better. Nice.

02-09-2009, 05:50 PM	#22
canuck brian Bowes Guitars Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,612 Thanked: 42 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	super super clean work there! I'd like to see one of the camo ones done like that now... www.bowesguitars.com Bowes Guitars - Builds In Progress

02-09-2009, 06:10 PM	#24
mikernaut pixel pusher Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Madison WI Posts: 2,384 Thanked: 80 Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Looks great. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about having that done to my Custom Shop neckthru COW 7. But I'd have to hand it over to someone I can totally trust to do it. Although I suppose Sebastian would want to kill me. hahaha

02-09-2009, 08:21 PM	#25
mat091285 SS.org Regular Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,191 Thanked: 18 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Looks great! haha

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