Coodercaster Build UPDATE PG 6, AUDIO PG 8

[StevenO]

Okay, well not quite, but it's a Strat with Harmony/Silvertone pickups.

Here's what I have so far...

Ash Protone Series Squier body in Polar White
Musikraft Neck - Rosewood board, chunky V-C profile, 9.5 radius, bigger frets, Graphtech nut, Kluson tuners
Harmony Hershey Bar pickup (May 9th 1956, probably out of an H44, or similar) - Thanks Chris!
Silvertone Silverfoil/Diamond Grill pickup (from a Silvertone Silhouette)
1 meg volume and tone pots
3-way Tele switch

What I need...

Custom made 1-ply white pick guard

Not sure about...

Pickup orientation
Knobs

HERES WHERE YOU COME IN!

The pickups are both roughly the same volume despite the Hershey Bar pickup being about 3.2k vs the Silverfoil being 9.5k, so I'm not really sure which should go in the neck or bridge. Right off the bat, the Hershey Bar sounds better to my ears, a bit clearer and sweeter sounding, but both sound quite similar in the same guitar. The Hershey Bar is also a tad longer in length, though they're about the same width. What do you think I should do? I wish I could do a quick mockup in photoshop but I lack those skills.

Should the bridge pickup be slanted like a typical Strat bridge pickup?

Other than that, what knobs would look dandy on a guitar like this?

[Con-Tiki!]

i'll get photos later, but here are some suggestions.
i have a strat pickguard blank, 3-ply parchment, that you could use.
Does your printer make copies?
I've slapped pickups, and bigsbys, and trems on my copier, cut them out, moved them around for ideas.

Ry's guitars had lapsteel pickups in the bridge, very hot usually, and close to saddles. Those Japanese goldfoils he uses in the neck position are lower output 4-6k.
basically, you have the setup already.
My other ideas will be more useful when i have a pic.
I may have some weird knobs around as well. I bought lots of old Valco knobs when i was losing my mind over the Supro gear. (the correct knobs are always missing)
c
this guy is the man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIIpIpIBbYU

[StevenO]

Good ideas! Curious about those knobs, too.

Here's what it looks like currently. I found a foam sanding/polishing block that is the exact same dimensions as the humbucker routes, so I've been uisng that as a bit of a test bed for pickups in this guitar.

I think if I can make it work, I might do Silverfoil in the neck and Hershey Bar in the bridge. Still not sure about that though. I'll do a paper mock up after.

Here's what it looks like currently:

[Con-Tiki!]

here's mine. It started out as a '91 US Squier. Funny that it is also white. The guard i mentioned is the same as this one, but sans holes.


the pickup is an early Supro. The guitar is wired like an esquire with better cap values in the bass position. I've built a ton of 1-pickup guitars, this is the first one I've been really happy with.
I have it open-tuned, and have been experimenting a little. It's going to be months before everything's healed and working properly...

I'll round up some weird knobs, and see if there's anything you like. Normally, i wouldn't be willing to part with them, but this is a worthy project.

I found these cool burgundy Valco knobs from a vintage radio supply shop. I'm sure i have two more somewhere. There are probably others in my stash...

[Con-Tiki!]

the cool thing is, the pickups are so thin you could actually wire them up, tape them in place and see what works.

[StevenO]

You are a champ! That's a great looking guitar. That's essentially what I've been thinking of doing for my guitar, just with two pickups. I hadn't really considered the 3 ply guard, but that does look good! For some reason, I've always preferred 1 ply white guards and 3 ply mint guards for Strats.

That pickup and those knobs. Boy howdy.

[marqueemoon]

the cool thing is, the pickups are so thin you could actually wire them up, tape them in place and see what works.

I'd like to do this with a cheap Strat and a pancake pickup eventually.

[antisymmetric]

Does your printer make copies?
I've slapped pickups, and bigsbys, and trems on my copier, cut them out, moved them around for ideas.

*smacks self in forehead for not thinking of this*

This is a great thread/ project, will be watching.

[StevenO]

I put the sponge pickup mount that I've been using in the bridge position with the Silverfoil. Damn, sounds great in that position too. Now I'm really not sure where to put each pickup.

I guess I can't go wrong with either. I'll try to find or make another sponge, or even wood, pickup mount so that I can have both pickups wired up and figured out for the guitar.

I have to say, this is a really, really great guitar! I'm not a "strat guy" so to have the body shape and feel that I love but with a different sound really has me eager to just keep on playing.

[Ursa Minor]

MY gut reaction from a bit of limited experience with Silverfoils is that they make great bridge pickups but are kinda boomy in the neck. I'd try the hershey in the neck first. Is the middle position also an option in case putting a pickup that far up is too much.

[Ursa Minor]

Knobs:

a) Oxblood Dakaware Pointer knobs
b) Brownface Fender barrel style amp knobs
c) Heavily knurled tele knobs
d) Old radio knobs - assuming they will work with newer pots....

[StevenO]

Honestly, right off the bat, I was thinking burgundy/oxblood knobs like what's on a Klon or like what Chris posted. I think that colour looks fantastic and would look super nice on a white guard/guitar, and probably quite nice next to the cream barrel switch tips I found today at an electronic surplus store. I'll see what I can find in Oxblood, in any case because I love that colour so much.

I definitely don't really want too much of a middle pickup thing going on. I want definite bridge and neck pickups. I have to say, though, as I was playing with the Silverfoil pickup in the neck a lot today, it sounded really, really good. I expected boomy, and it was pretty tame in that regard. I think the Hershey Bar might be a tad boomier actually!

But none the less, such a great sounding and playing guitar. GUH!

[Ursa Minor]

I think oxblood is always a classy choice.

No idea which pickup would be better, i only have assumptions. Just have to try them out as you're doing to decide whats right. Love that there's not really a wrong way to do this.

[StevenO]

Me too... Kinda.

[StevenO]

Made a pickguard template out of cardstock and laid out some pickups and knobs. Not sure about using a white guard now... Looks a bit boring... A bit Jeff Beck-ish. Hmm... Mint? Also, should I stick with silver for the "foil" or go with something different, like black?

Blarg: