Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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ThePearDream
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Re: Double header build: BMM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by ThePearDream » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:39 am

Absolutely beautiful. BMM is such an underrated color. This makes me miss my old BMM Classic 60s Strat.
Doug
@dpcannafax

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windmill
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Re: Double header build: BMM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by windmill » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:28 pm

wproffitt wrote:
Tue Aug 14, 2018 4:35 am

Good question!
My scientific determination is that this is close enough for rock n roll, but let me give you some numbers. I normally use 11s with a wound third, but right now, the guitar is strung with 11s with a plain 3rd. Assuming that the strings are in tune with a strobe tuner (or annoyingly close!), here’s what I have at the 12th fret:

E 6.3 cents sharp
A 4.3 cents sharp
D 1.8 cents flat
G 1.6 cents sharp
B .9 cents sharp
e 1.6 cents flat

On my TC Polytune, the only one that is not “in tune” at the 12th fret is the low E. I have yet to play this particular guitar in a band setting, but none of my band mates grimace when I play my other Compton equipped guitars. Then again, we’re not professionals (except for the bass player and Saxophone player) so maybe our needs are different. Let me know what you think about those intonation numbers. I’m curious to see what people who do this professionally prefer.
I'm no professional ( but I did get paid once :) )

All would be ok except the Low E
If you were playing solo lines on that you might be able to hear it.

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wproffitt
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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by wproffitt » Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:43 am

Thanks for weighing in, Windmill! I’ll check my other Compton equipped guitars against the tuner today or tomorrow and see if they’re the same.
This is definitely a bridge that was intended for use on Gretsches and the like, where the floating bridge would allow some adjustment. I guess I just decided that I liked what it did for my sound more than I disliked what it did for my tuning. I wonder if string gauge or type would affect this?

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kingmedicine
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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by kingmedicine » Thu Aug 23, 2018 8:37 am

:? Whoa, that looks great! The BMM finish is awesome!

Just curious, did you have to enlarge the thimble holes or do any sort of messing with the routing on the GuitarMill body when you were installing everything? I'm waiting on a finished JM body from them (in BMM actually) and am wondering what extra work might be required (I have an MJT body as well that I had to widen the thimble holes on and the rhythm circuit cavity is a little tight).

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wproffitt
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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by wproffitt » Thu Aug 23, 2018 11:52 am

I actually ordered mine without holes for the bridge. Since the bridge I used is not adjustable for anything except height, I had a luthier install the thimbles so that I'd know it would be in exactly the right spot or at least I’d have someone to yell at if it wasn’t. ;D
I didn’t have to do anything to the body to get the other components to go in, though. The neck fit in a way that was quite snug, but not in a way that was hard to negotiate when doing final assembly.

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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by parry » Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:19 am

Subscribed.
Thanks for sharing the info on those Compton bridges!

Also... hi-fives for sharing a mutual love of button tuners 8)
Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity.

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wproffitt
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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by wproffitt » Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:05 am

Sometimes I think I'm alone on the white button tuners, but it's good to know there are others out there who like this look!

Okay,
Here’s what I have for the intonation at the twelfth fret of all three of my Compton equipped guitars. This is VERY unscientific as I have only used the strobe app on my phone (very finicky) and the Polyune tuner on my board. With the strobe app, I’ve taken the number I see most consistently. The polytune thinks all strings are in tune at the 12th fret, btw, with exception of the low E on the BMM, which it regards as a teansie bit sharp. Same strings on all guitars, BTW:

BMM JM with brass Compton:

E 6.3 cents sharp
A 4.3 cents sharp
D 1.8 cents flat
G 1.6 cents sharp
B .9 cents sharp
e 1.6 cents flat

CP JM with Stainless Compton:
E 5.2 cents sharp
A 1.4 cents sharp
D 3.2 cents flat
G 6.3 cents sharp
B 1.2 cents sharp
e 1.4 cents sharp

Yamaha SA30t with aluminum Compton:
E 1.9 cents sharp
A 3.8 cents sharp
D 1.8 cents flat
G 1.9 cents sharp
B 5.3 cents sharp
e 1.1 cents flat

It should be noted that neither of the JMs have a had a proper luthier setup since I’ve installed these bridges. Also, I definitely don’t hear this stuff when I’m playing! For me, the tonal benefits of each of these bridges far outweigh the fact that I can't dial in the intonation to perfection. I may take the JMs to my luthier to see what kind of intonation magic he can work with a file, however. I'd only do that because I'm always tinkering and can never leave well enough alone, even if I'm totally happy with the way something is working. :D

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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by thirtydirtybirds » Sun Jan 12, 2020 3:45 pm

Necro bumping this thread for curiosity.

How are you liking the Compton bridge a year and some months on? Still a winner or has some issue presented itself?

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wproffitt
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Re: Double header build: BMM JM Build and CP Renovation! (All done!)

Post by wproffitt » Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:07 pm

Thanks for asking! I’ve actually swapped the brass and steel bridges between the black and BMM JMs. Somehow, the brass works better on the black guitar, with its gold foil and JM pickup combo and the steel one works better on the BMM with its telecaster and PAF pickup set. I’ve currently got the Compton bottomed out on the BMM with about .75 degrees of shim on the neck to get the action right and am loving it.

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