# NGD - Fan fret Baritone 6 string! (Charcoal burst)



## lewis (Dec 8, 2017)

First things first I found this as "Bstock" on Thomann. Its considered as last years discontinued stock and it was £48 cheaper because of the Bstock status so at a total of £200 incl shipping I snapped it up as I need something exactly like this for my band!.

Shipping was odd. 2 days in the tracker told me it has been damaged and needed to be repackaged :O
I was expecting the worse. Anyway when it showed up, it was a loose bubblewrapped guitar, flapping around inside a larger hollow box...

and amazingly..it arrived flawless. A little dusty in places but no dents, no scratches, no chips, no marks, no sharp fret ends and good action and playability right away!?!?.
Dont ask me how I lucked out like that but there we go. It will need thicker strings for my tuning but its actually great.

*PICS*

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*SPECS*
Basswood body
Flamed Maple Veneer
Roseacer fretboard (Treated Maple)
27 inch - 25.5 inch scale length
5 piece maple/nato neck (lovely and smooth)
Monorail bridge
Graphite nut

*PLANNED MODS*
Locking tuners (stock ones are garbage)
EMGs
Fishman Recharge kit If I can get it to fit


so there we go!. Guitar is really really resonant and sounds massive unplugged. The stock pickups really let it down. But it really does not need massive changes to get it to be amazing. It is as solid and as much of a brilliant mod platform as the 8 string fan fret model from them I also have!.


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## NickS (Dec 8, 2017)

HNGD!! Looks great for the price, and as you said after a few mods it should be ready for anything you want! Good find


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## lewis (Dec 8, 2017)

NickS said:


> HNGD!! Looks great for the price, and as you said after a few mods it should be ready for anything you want! Good find


thanks dude!! 

actually tempted to try something coil splittable in the neck too!.


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## bostjan (Dec 8, 2017)

Happy NGD!

It looks amazing for that kind of money. Hopefully the EMGs will give it the sound you're trying to get out of it.


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## lewis (Dec 8, 2017)

bostjan said:


> Happy NGD!
> 
> It looks amazing for that kind of money. Hopefully the EMGs will give it the sound you're trying to get out of it.


Thanks @bostjan !!

Im hopeful just because my favourite band sound is from a band that uses 81-7's and Kempers 
haha

i just like the juice and snarl actives give me


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## zarg (Dec 8, 2017)

very nice! I love my seven string version of it. Do you experience nut binding as well?


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## lewis (Dec 8, 2017)

zarg said:


> very nice! I love my seven string version of it. Do you experience nut binding as well?


cant say I have noticed that yet. I may well do though when I restring it for the first time.
Did you have to smooth your one out a bit with a file or something?


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## zarg (Dec 8, 2017)

lewis said:


> cant say I have noticed that yet. I may well do though when I restring it for the first time.
> Did you have to smooth your one out a bit with a file or something?



not yet but I will do this soon since the D string seems to bind in the nut a lot, while tuning and bending.


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## lewis (Dec 9, 2017)

thinking of making the EMGs white!///??

whos with me? haha


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## zarg (Dec 9, 2017)

lewis said:


> thinking of making the EMGs white!///??
> 
> whos with me? haha



or maybe red ones?


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## Zhysick (Dec 9, 2017)

I've been thinking in one of this since I fell in love with my FF7 but I have a question for you... are the pups as bad as the 8 version? Because the neck pup is not even usable in parallel mode... muddy! Always muddy! If the 6string version is that bad also I would probably pass because I don't need a 6 now specially FF so no reason to buy one and spend money in swapping the pups while I haven't done it to the 7String yet...


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## lewis (Dec 9, 2017)

Zhysick said:


> I've been thinking in one of this since I fell in love with my FF7 but I have a question for you... are the pups as bad as the 8 version? Because the neck pup is not even usable in parallel mode... muddy! Always muddy! If the 6string version is that bad also I would probably pass because I don't need a 6 now specially FF so no reason to buy one and spend money in swapping the pups while I haven't done it to the 7String yet...


I would say so yes. They do seem similar or the same as the stock 8 string pickups sadly.
Trash.


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## Ethenmar (Dec 13, 2017)

The look and quality of the new HB guitars is amazing. Posibly, the best european alternative to have an Agile.


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## lewis (Dec 13, 2017)

Ethenmar said:


> The look and quality of the new HB guitars is amazing. Posibly, the best european alternative to have an Agile.


completely agree. Massively underrated.


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## sezna (Dec 13, 2017)

Look at that headstock. This must be the company doing Tosin’s new sig. 





/s


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## lewis (Dec 18, 2017)

little jam through of the rhythm sections of one of my bands songs -


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## xzacx (Dec 18, 2017)

Funny that a guitar this low priced was able to do a fanned fret headstock without the ugly extra fretboard triangle, but far more expensive ones can't.


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## lewis (Dec 18, 2017)

xzacx said:


> Funny that a guitar this low priced was able to do a fanned fret headstock without the ugly extra fretboard triangle, but far more expensive ones can't.


agreed.
I cant stand the look of that really. Its odd and as proven, unnecessary.


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## lewis (Jan 16, 2018)

Dirty, brown baked maple.....







and now 2 coats of Fiebings black leather dye.....










Going to leave it like this now for 24 hours, then use steel wool to buff and give it 1 more coat.


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## lewis (Jan 16, 2018)

EDIT: Im going to swap out the stock dot inlays because it appears 2 or 3 of them, higher up were either not installed properly or have cracked, so the dye has seeped under and into them meaning that those ones didnt just wipe off properly and half are not visible now etc.

So Im thinking like a blue/purple or a more standard abalone dots for the fretboard, and then some Luminlay side dots by drilling out the stock ones.

Also, I know there will be alot of bleed as this painters tape is nowhere near as good as I expected.

Im going to call it a day at 4 coats on the board max. And If I cant get the bleed out on the neck, Im thinking about taking the neck off, lightly sanding the whole thing and staining the neck too with this same leather dye.
1 small bottle of Fiebings goes an amazingly long way. 2 tiny dips of a foam brush has now done 3 full and generous coats on the fretboard. This bottle would easily get the neck done too if need be.


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## KnightBrolaire (Jan 16, 2018)

lewis said:


> EDIT: Im going to swap out the stock dot inlays because it appears 2 or 3 of them, higher up were either not installed properly or have cracked, so the dye has seeped under and into them meaning that those ones didnt just wipe off properly and half are not visible now etc.
> 
> So Im thinking like a blue/purple or a more standard abalone dots for the fretboard, and then some Luminlay side dots by drilling out the stock ones.
> 
> ...


don't know if they carry frog brand painter's tape over in the UK but it's the best painter's tape I've ever used. I've gotten maybe one bleed on one body out of the 4 I'm working on right now, and that was more due to me not taping the area as well as I could have.


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## lewis (Jan 16, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> don't know if they carry frog brand painter's tape over in the UK but it's the best painter's tape I've ever used. I've gotten maybe one bleed on one body out of the 4 I'm working on right now, and that was more due to me not taping the area as well as I could have.


I will look for that brand specifically next time thanks for the heads up.
I did get Painters tape But I think it was just unbranded. It doesnt appear to be very sticky at all and just peeled badly.


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## indreku (Jan 17, 2018)

Happy to see other HB 6 string FF users,
Have also mine(use to have actually 2 of them, but sold the second to fund an ew gutiar), thou now it is a back-up as, I got an ormsby FF 6 stringer.
I upgraded mine with Lace Deathbuckers and installed an LED killswitch to it. They are a really good instruments for the money and as I've owned 2 saw that there was not much of a quality drop. The second one was more lighter in paint job, so it was more greenish than the main one.

One day I would like to get the 2018 version for home practice.


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## downburst82 (Jan 17, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> don't know if they carry frog brand painter's tape over in the UK but it's the best painter's tape I've ever used. I've gotten maybe one bleed on one body out of the 4 I'm working on right now, and that was more due to me not taping the area as well as I could have.



Haven't tried it with guitars but im a handyman who does alot of painting and frogtape is all I will use anymore. It works far better than everything else ive tried. Only thing that sucks is it is the most expensive. I was able to order a bunch a few years ago at an amazing price but reccently ran out and haven't been able to find where I ordered from before.

TLDR: Frogtape is good stuff.


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## lewis (Jan 17, 2018)

anyone got any advice on removing the bleed on the side/back of the neck that has happened.
Its bad enough that I want to get rid, but not bad enough that I want to tackle the "remove neck and sand and stain the entire thing black" thing.

Is there a cleaning agent?. Does those "magic sponges" work?. Pencil erasers?. Will I have to lightly sand?.


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## KnightBrolaire (Jan 17, 2018)

lewis said:


> anyone got any advice on removing the bleed on the side/back of the neck that has happened.
> Its bad enough that I want to get rid, but not bad enough that I want to tackle the "remove neck and sand and stain the entire thing black" thing.
> 
> Is there a cleaning agent?. Does those "magic sponges" work?. Pencil erasers?. Will I have to lightly sand?.


try some 0000 steel wool or some denatured alcohol.


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## lewis (Jan 17, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> try some *0000 steel wool* or some denatured alcohol.



I have a huge bag of this stuff so I will give that a go today. Thank you!


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## lewis (Jan 17, 2018)

EDIT:

Steel Wool worked like a damn charm! Thanks alot @KnightBrolaire


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## gujukal (Jan 17, 2018)

Looks nice! I dunno why but i would make that finish matte if i owned it, probably with some steel wool.


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## lewis (Jan 17, 2018)

gujukal said:


> Looks nice! I dunno why but i would make that finish matte if i owned it, probably with some steel wool.


funny you say that, the brand new 2018 version of these guitars IS Satin finish!


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## lewis (Jan 17, 2018)

Got finished and got the guitar cleaned up and restrung.

Got to say, this came out so so well. I have ordered some Osmo PolyX Black Oil stain for next re-string to "Seal" the fretboard and protect it so it remains BLACK!!!!!














































REMOVED ALL BLEED!. Really chuffed the Steel Wool suggestion worked this well!! /\






/\ Here you can see the issue wit the dot Inlays. Clearly they cracked 2 on install which is why the dye has completely blacked out half of them and wiping wouldnt work, and the last fret dot they installed and sunk it in too low so the board is actually higher than the dot inlay. Meaning the dye got in and around it.

Ive changed my plan for this. Im going to buy the 12 pack of white (that glow green) Luminlay inlay dots!!

*Mods still to do:*
White EMGs
81 bridge 89R Neck (Volume pot is push/pull)
thinking the new EMG Killswitch button instead of tone (then swap the positions around)
Possibly white pearloid tuner buttons
white strap
Graphtech String Saver Saddles


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## gingerman (Jan 21, 2018)

Looks really good, congrats!
I'm now off to see the full line of guitars HB offer...


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## lewis (Jan 28, 2018)

edit:
Still not dark enough for me personally. Going to get the Minwax ebony pen to do the sides of the fretboard and another coat or 2 on the top (and this time leave to dry overnight) then seal it with the OSMO Oil tint (which I now have)
my new green Luminlay dot inlays are on the way too.


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## lewis (Feb 1, 2018)

Luminlay green glow dot inlays have arrived!
Will be installing them real soon.


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## Dcm81 (Feb 1, 2018)

Really glad you got a usable guitar! Unbeatable at that price......IF it's playable.
I ordered the 7-string version, which they had in their "QC departement" for 2 weeks (although marked as in stock) and when it arrived the action was higher than Cheech & Chong and there were chips all over the fretboard - completely acceptable at that price point I thought - exept about 10-15 dead frets spread all over making it completely unplayable. After trying to fight my way through the piss-taking hell that is their non-existent customer service, I told them to go fuck themselves and keep their shit and got a SLAT7-FF instead


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## lewis (Feb 1, 2018)

Dcm81 said:


> Really glad you got a usable guitar! Unbeatable at that price......IF it's playable.
> I ordered the 7-string version, which they had in their "QC departement" for 2 weeks (although marked as in stock) and when it arrived the action was higher than Cheech & Chong and there were chips all over the fretboard - completely acceptable at that price point I thought - exept about 10-15 dead frets spread all over making it completely unplayable. After trying to fight my way through the piss-taking hell that is their non-existent customer service, I told them to go fuck themselves and keep their shit and got a SLAT7-FF instead


haha that blows man. normally their customer service is great and you can just keep getting unlimited replacements until you get one with the card that says it was QC inspected before being shipped.

Mine is extremely playable and had literally no damage anywhere despite being listed as B stock... so I got quite lucky. Even the way it was packaged was atrocious compared to their normal standards. Not sure how it wasnt snapped in half upon delivery.

I just need to adjust my truss rod now because I will be putting thicker strings on it. Ive already swapped out the tuners to lockers.
Once this fretboard/dot inlay mod is done and sealed with oil to stop it from leaving the board, I will then get the electronics all done.

p.s man the Slat FF is awesome!. Love that colour too. I have the non fan fret Slatt slime green with maple board 7. Lovely guitar.


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## Dcm81 (Feb 1, 2018)

It was basically just their utter complacency to the huge delays that made me give up on it. I was otherwise well impressed with the guitar for that price and liked the feel of it. I really wanted a replacement but after their attitude to the situation there was no way I was giving them a penny. As it’s their own brand though, I can’t get one elsewhere. The whole thing really bummed me out but I ended up with the Jackson so all for the best I think The neck and upper fret access is insane and the finish is great irl - the metallic flakes really pop - love it!

I like the way you upgrade/diy your cheaper guitars like the „Strandberg“ you recently got. Keep it up man!


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## lewis (Feb 1, 2018)

Dcm81 said:


> It was basically just their utter complacency to the huge delays that made me give up on it. I was otherwise well impressed with the guitar for that price and liked the feel of it. I really wanted a replacement but after their attitude to the situation there was no way I was giving them a penny. As it’s their own brand though, I can’t get one elsewhere. The whole thing really bummed me out but I ended up with the Jackson so all for the best I think The neck and upper fret access is insane and the finish is great irl - the metallic flakes really pop - love it!
> 
> I like the way you upgrade/diy your cheaper guitars like the „Strandberg“ you recently got. Keep it up man!


thanks dude!. Appreciate that. And will do. I try to be honest too. If something I get is shit, I will point out its flaws to help others.

For the money I just cant complain about these Harley Benton axes.


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## lewis (Feb 1, 2018)

ran through 2 of my bands songs earlier (tight rhythms only)
1 take wonder style 

0011000...000..1100....0111...11111...000
Downpicks for days





chain is
Fan Fret 6 > Line 6 G10 wireless > Kemper > Randall Thrasher profile > Randall T2 for Power > Line 6 4x12 with V30 + K100 x Pattern


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## lewis (Feb 2, 2018)

"Ebonized" the sides of the fretboard each side, and taped off/sanded back any bleed for a nice straight finish.

Got the stock dot inlays out ready for the green Luminlay's to go in, but first. A coat of OSMO Polyx ebony tint to help seal the stain in!!!.

The tiny "test" sachets of this stuff is more than enough to cover probably 2 fretboards for anyone that is interested.
(Excuse shit Samsung S4 camera pics)
-













(yep tool marks /\ it is the first time Ive ever tried this so excuse my sloppiness. I did carefully drill into them, then screwed a screw into them until they fractured, then used a tiny flat screwdriver to dig them out. I guess I angled the screwdriver too much and levered into the sides in places. Oh well. Will try and do a better job next time





perfectly straight, ebony looking sides!

once everything is dry and the dots are in. Im them going to tape everything up and polish the frets!.

still got to get String saver saddles, white pickups and pearloid tuner buttons left to buy. Im also considering getting a white pearloid sheet and cut out a new truss rod cover.


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## lewis (Feb 2, 2018)

some better pics.

Nearly dried now (you can still see some wet areas) and after this 1st layer of the Onyx coloured oil tint, Im going to do 1 more and call it a day.















(un edited pictures)


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## oniduder (Feb 2, 2018)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ha+ha


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## lewis (Feb 2, 2018)

oniduder said:


> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ha+ha


??? what


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## oniduder (Feb 2, 2018)

messed up oh well


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## lewis (Feb 2, 2018)

oniduder said:


> messed up oh well


haha shame. Happens to the best of us dude.
Stay strong, you must rebuild.....


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## lewis (Feb 4, 2018)

got the fretboard all done and luminlay inlays in on the front.
Nice and black and the dots glow brilliantly.
Need a tiny sand in place to be completely flush but they dont stick out enough to catch on anything and everything still plays smoothly!. They look so so good in the dark. I cant really capture it properly for some reason. Pics look trash showing them. I need to try and get better shots at some point.

Plays brilliantly now.
Next up, white Pear shaped pearloid tuner buttons!.

*Before*









*After*















Looks unbelievably better and plays amazing now!. Fitted with the Ernie Ball Baritone set 72. on bottom. Adjusted the Truss rod!. Plays great with no buzzes.


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## lewis (Feb 7, 2018)

thinking of upgrading the mono rail saddles to ABM ones?
anyone think its worth the upgrade?. (and if they would fit/lineup?)


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## indreku (Feb 8, 2018)

lewis said:


> thinking of upgrading the mono rail saddles to ABM ones?
> anyone think its worth the upgrade?. (and if they would fit/lineup?)


I think there might be a height difference as this seems to be a higher in measurements

I'd go for hipshot ones. they are really create.




or if you want to replace just the saddles, go with
https://www.thomann.de/gb/graph_tech_stringsaver_gt8fo.htm?ref=search_rslt_string+saver_175417_7

they should be really good or order separate hipshot saddles(2 shorter ones for the low strings and 4 standards for higher)


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## gujukal (Feb 8, 2018)

lewis said:


> thinking of upgrading the mono rail saddles to ABM ones?
> anyone think its worth the upgrade?. (and if they would fit/lineup?)


Had those on my Skervesen and they were amazing. Rather expensive to buy though, like €35 each?


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## lewis (Feb 11, 2018)

got some outdoor pictures today with some new white pearloid tuner buttons on.
Im going to order Grover kidney bean style white ones instead because these dont quite fit properly (they dont tigthen enough basically - a few are loose'ish) But I will wait until the next restring to make 100% sure. Still got to wood fill around and sand the inlay dots for a more smooth finish around them.


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## lewis (Feb 11, 2018)

done a mockup of what I want to achieve from this -







So when i am done, what we will have is:-

Locking tuners
White pearloid tuner buttons
Graphite nut (stock)
Graphtech string saver saddles (still to buy)
White Toggle switch tip
White Rubber strap washers
EMG HX and HAX in white (single coils in humbucker housing - still to buy)
EMG TKO Solderless killswitch (Just released still to buy)

then Im going to spray paint the truss rod cover white too.


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## indreku (Feb 12, 2018)

Found these,
GRAPH TECH TUSQ SADDLES, up the game of white.
Also why no white button.

I love the concept of white pick-ups with active look, but I really myself don't like the tone of EMG, I would spill out little bit more with the similar looking white Bareknuckle Blackhawks, impulse set.
and just install a standard white momentary button as a kill-switch(if you want to go fancy get a LED one)


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## lewis (Feb 12, 2018)

indreku said:


> Found these,
> GRAPH TECH TUSQ SADDLES, up the game of white.
> Also why no white button.
> 
> ...



ooh nice!. Will defo grab some of those. Thanks

Also, EMG are making solderless killswitch buttons now but as far as I know only do them black.
I could always try and paint it or cover with a sticker or something to get that white button look.
Have you tried the EMG S and SA pickups? (The single coil ones) because they are actually really really nice sounding single coils. In this instance I have no problem getting them in this (but in humbucker casing). Bareknuckle are obviously incredible, but just out of my price range for what I want to achieve with this.


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## indreku (Feb 12, 2018)

I've tried some EMG's, but not these ones, but never was happy with them, I always liked the SD blackouts more - but at the moment I am a fully passive guy. I have put myself Lace Deathbuckers in this guitar and they work, but hope that I can upgrade them with Blackhawks down the line, to have bit more body to them - they are quite identical in a way to EMG's that is why I recommended them.


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## lewis (Feb 12, 2018)

indreku said:


> I've tried some EMG's, but not these ones, but never was happy with them, I always liked the SD blackouts more - but at the moment I am a fully passive guy. I have put myself Lace Deathbuckers in this guitar and they work, but hope that I can upgrade them with Blackhawks down the line, to have bit more body to them - they are quite identical in a way to EMG's that is why I recommended them.


ooh nice. Got any pics of the Laces in this guitar?
I tried the Deathbar in an old 8 string and I didnt like it personally. The Xbar would have been better for me in Bridge. 


Also -


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## indreku (Feb 12, 2018)

I will soon do a full post of my guitar, I need to put the neck one back as currently have a replacement there, that will go to my tele.

The button I meant more like :


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## lewis (Feb 20, 2018)

New phone means better night time pictures.


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## Dcm81 (Feb 20, 2018)

Lookin good man! I agree with indreku that a white volume knob would look great. IMO the white saddles look out of place. And you should do the truss rod cover out of Perloid culluloid like you originally planned - would look much better than spraying the existing cover IMO.
Great bloody job with the luminlay dots - fantastic!


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## lewis (Feb 20, 2018)

Dcm81 said:


> Lookin good man! I agree with indreku that a white volume knob would look great. IMO the white saddles look out of place. And you should do the truss rod cover out of Perloid culluloid like you originally planned - would look much better than spraying the existing cover IMO.
> Great bloody job with the luminlay dots - fantastic!



yeah I will do the Pearloid truss rod cover. I found a company that sell much smaller sheets perfect for a few truss rod covers etc. Rather than the larger ones ideal for whole pickguards and being left with loads of leftovers.
I will buy some White knobs and see 

about the tusq saddles, I know..Im so undecided about it. ive hovered over the buy button a few times.
Not sure whether to play safe and buy the black versions instead.
hmmm decisions haha.

thanks for the comments about the dots. Im trying to do a few things to neaten up parts of the job I was abit sloppy with. Today I sanded some of them smooth that were slightly raised. And Im going to buy a black wax filler stick to rub in around the dots where I made some small gauges by mistake getting the stock dots out.
one thing that did annoy me is one of the stock dots, on the 24th fret, was drilled down deeper than the others. So installing the replacement meant it "sunk" into the fretboard too much. Does not affect playability but is slightly annoying. The fretboard is higher than that particular dot.

Im waiting on some razor blades to arrive to scrape off some excess glue from the factory fret install.

I then need to do a top up coat of the Polyx oil tint on parts of the board that some sanding happened on to top up the black and the protection and then the board is done. Ive had NO stain go onto my fingers since I applied some coats of the Oil tint. It completely protects the board and seals it. Winner.

Ive enjoyed every minute of this particular mod and will certainly be doing my other guitars when I get around to it.
I wish there was a great luthier around my area. I would get some Stainless Steel frets installed.


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## indreku (Feb 20, 2018)

maybe thou white bone/tusq nut as well


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## lewis (Feb 20, 2018)

indreku said:


> maybe thou white bone/tusq nut as well


i was going to try that. I would need to buy a blank and some files and make my own though

maybe the last mod later down the line


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## Dcm81 (Feb 21, 2018)

lewis said:


> I wish there was a great luthier around my area. I would get some Stainless Steel frets installed.



Sorry that my UK geography isn't up to par (just remember norfolk being pretty far south) but is London not relatively close? I would have thought there were a few there.......also Crimson Guitars is in Dorset - which might still be far away, I just know it's also far south


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## lewis (Mar 8, 2018)

White emg H arrived and sounds great!
Will get some proper pics next restring.


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## luislais (Mar 10, 2018)

Good looking guitar! And an awesome work on it!!! Congrats man!


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## manu80 (Mar 14, 2018)

which size of luminlay did you take ?


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## lewis (Mar 14, 2018)

manu80 said:


> which size of luminlay did you take ?


6mm diameter dude.


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## lewis (Mar 14, 2018)

I fit some new string saver saddles today. Love how they feel and sound but I did split one somehow on install. Think a screw cross threaded slightly and cracked the saddle.
At the moment it seems to still be working fine but I might order a couple more sets to get a few spare saddles and do my 8 string and replace this split one too at the same time.


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## manu80 (Mar 15, 2018)

thanks bro


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## lewis (Mar 15, 2018)

so over the last 2 days I have finished installing the String saver saddles, and making up the white pearloid truss rod covers. Truss rod cover is 2 layers of thin stuff that I stencilled from the stock one. Cut out, and glued everything together so its the stock cover, with 2 ply additional layers of white pearloid.

This is where Im at now -























Still left to order is a white neck pickup.
(Thinking either the HA so it pairs great with the H bridge pickup thats in there now or something like the 60. Anyone have any experience with single coil bridge, humbucker neck config ala Tele's? Any good?)
and the new TKO EMG Killswitch + Solderless toggle switch with white Tip.

Tone wise, thanks to the Single coil pickup in bridge, Im getting Tesseract - Polaris sounding rhythm tones. Very very cool.


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## lewis (Mar 15, 2018)




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## manu80 (Mar 15, 2018)

would have been even cooler with one pup


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## Isx (Mar 15, 2018)

Looks good mate! How did you manage to squeeze the battery into the cavity?


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## lewis (Mar 15, 2018)

manu80 said:


> would have been even cooler with one pup


I do normally like that myself haha. But I genuinely need more tonal options out of this guitar now my band are wanting to add huge ambience and solos in.
Plus how un earth would I fill that neck route? and blend in the top haha.

Ah well. In a way Im excited about getting a nice neck pickup in this.


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## lewis (Mar 15, 2018)

Isx said:


> Looks good mate! How did you manage to squeeze the battery into the cavity?


Well atm there is loads of room given the toggle switch and other knob is missing.
Im hoping that by sacrificing a knob, I will have enough room to make it all fit.

The plan is Toggle switch, Killswitch, 1 knob.

If the Killswitch takes up too much room, then I will just scrap that and go with 1 knob and just plug the empty hole with a blanking plug.
Im hoping I can squeeze everything in though.


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## bostjan (Mar 15, 2018)

The killswitch should be one of the smallest components. I've done a few jobs with pushbutton kill switches, and the one on my mockingbird is only about the size of the rubber at the end of a pencil. Many are larger, but you can get them even smaller than mine.


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## lewis (Mar 15, 2018)

bostjan said:


> The killswitch should be one of the smallest components. I've done a few jobs with pushbutton kill switches, and the one on my mockingbird is only about the size of the rubber at the end of a pencil. Many are larger, but you can get them even smaller than mine.


good to know!!. Cheers dude.
Hopefully then, it works out fine. As a cliche metal guitarist, "I never use tone knobs" so it makes sense to try something else.


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## indreku (Mar 15, 2018)

well one option is, what I use a lot, to put a push-pull pot, as a pickup selector: button down, bridge, pull it up, bridge, save some space and easy to use option, thou you do have only 2 options and you cannot use easy connectors


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## lewis (Mar 16, 2018)

Killswitch ordered.
EMG now offer their own solderless killswitch so figured I would try that to make installation a piece of cake.






Last thing to be ordered at some point will likely be either an HA or 60 neck pickup (maybe leaning towards he latter), and a solderless toggle switch to link it all together and its done.


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## manu80 (Mar 16, 2018)

do you keep everything solderless ? because solering the old way could get you some space in the cavity...


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## lewis (Mar 16, 2018)

manu80 said:


> do you keep everything solderless ? because solering the old way could get you some space in the cavity...


atm yeah. I dont own a soldering iron and until my "studio/office under the stairs cupboard space" gets finished. (Electrician has done half the wiring in there and installed power etc) I was going to sort out getting that etc once its all done as I then will have a proper, safe space to do this kind of thing. (I have a near 2 year old daughter running around so cant exactly solder in the middle of my living room and my house does not have a dining room either).

Plus, I dont mind having a drawer filled with spare EMG stuff if I end up not using this killswitch because of say, lack of room in this cavity etc haha.
I will take some shots when I get it, of inside the cavity etc


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## bostjan (Mar 16, 2018)

I approve of the solderless stuff as long as you keep posting here. I'm sure a lot of other users would consider it and having an extra data point on how well/poorly the system works would be a plus for the community. Since you already were the proverbial guinea pig for so many other pieces of gear, I fugured it was a given that we'd get some feedback from you.


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## lewis (Mar 16, 2018)

bostjan said:


> I approve of the solderless stuff as long as you keep posting here. I'm sure a lot of other users would consider it and having an extra data point on how well/poorly the system works would be a plus for the community. Since you already were the proverbial guinea pig for so many other pieces of gear, I fugured it was a given that we'd get some feedback from you.


haha you know me too well.
Yeah, I always love posting my findings either way.
Like I said about my headless build its surprisingly decent and whilst the bridge holes tune ok, I dont like It and Ive ordered a hipshot for it etc.
I do try and be impartial even if its my money etc. A spade is a spade as far as Im concerned.


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## Geraldo7 (Apr 14, 2018)

Incredible good thread! Good work, thanx for that. 
I do own the 2018 edition and it is different. The PUs are uncovered and i presume the angle of the PU baseplate was changed. What PUs are now in your guitar. Have you replaced the tuners with lockers? Sad i cannot see the pics, cu n thx


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## lewis (Apr 14, 2018)

Geraldo7 said:


> Incredible good thread! Good work, thanx for that.
> I do own the 2018 edition and it is different. The PUs are uncovered and i presume the angle of the PU baseplate was changed. What PUs are now in your guitar. Have you replaced the tuners with lockers? Sad i cannot see the pics, cu n thx


yeah the website Postimage that HAS been fine all these years, is now down or something so images have all broken.
Regards to them changing the 2018 models to slanted open coil pickups...thats EXACTLY why I bought all the 2017 versions instead. Your only option is to take the stock pickups out, take them to bits and KEEP the standard metal base plates. Then either buy new pickups, take them to bits and re-use the stock pickup base plates and re-assemble OR, send the stock base plates to someone like Bareknuckle and get them to make up new pickups for you using that base plate etc.

PICS:












just need to buy a 1/2 inch blanking plug to cover one of the knob holes (I just go with 1 volume)
and get the toggle switch sorted etc.


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## Geraldo7 (Apr 14, 2018)

Thank you oh so much, @lewis . I think i will order the juggernaut in the form support of bareknuckles suggested, with a ten degree base plate and if things go downhill change the pickup to the old baseplate. should work. does it not? 

While we are at it, what is your final solution for the tuner replacements? thx again!


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## lewis (Apr 14, 2018)

Geraldo7 said:


> Thank you oh so much, @lewis . I think i will order the juggernaut in the form support of bareknuckles suggested, with a ten degree base plate and if things go downhill change the pickup to the old baseplate. should work. does it not?
> 
> While we are at it, what is your final solution for the tuner replacements? thx again!


sounds a great plan dude. I cant see how that would not work.

Locking tuners? yeah i bought some UK ones from a company called Vanson. Direct replacements, cheap and work great.

Pearloid buttons came from china.


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## Geraldo7 (Apr 15, 2018)

lewis said:


> sounds a great plan dude. I cant see how that would not work.
> 
> Locking tuners? yeah i bought some UK ones from a company called Vanson. Direct replacements, cheap and work great.
> 
> Pearloid buttons came from china.



Thanks for the encouragement! I have ordered now *Planet Waves PWAT-332L* as replacement, because i always wanted them. Going to put them in on tuesday. Do you think it is of interest if i document the improvements in a vid? thx, cu


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## lewis (Apr 15, 2018)

Geraldo7 said:


> Thanks for the encouragement! I have ordered now *Planet Waves PWAT-332L* as replacement, because i always wanted them. Going to put them in on tuesday. Do you think it is of interest if i document the improvements in a vid? thx, cu


Do it!!
I always enjoy watching vids of mods dude.


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