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#290181 - 29/11/11 11:16 PM
Re: Ibanez spruce up!
[Re: Mark P]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Cheers Mark - actually I tend to agree with you regarding overly complicated circuits despite how it looks! I did the switching system some time ago, and having already put all the switches in I may as well stick with it now. It does operate in a pretty intuitive, logical way at least. For each pickup there are 2 switches where:
1. both switches down = both coils series (normal humbucking mode)
2. both swiches up = both coils in parallel (kind of P90/lighter humbucker sounding)
3. just one switch down (2 possibilities) gives the corresponding single coil.
Then there is another bank of 2 switches which works in the same way, but applied to the overall pickup selection i.e. both pickups in series, both in parallel or either pickup individually.
Plus a phase reverse switch, and the final switch below the tone control now acts to bypass the volume setting, so you can flip between full volume and a reduced setting (I did have it set to switch between 2 different value tone capacitors before, but frankly not worth bothering with).
I'm deliberately vague about my fret work as I don't use the "correct" approach i.e. no radius blocks and no special fret-crowning files. Instead I use a milled level with sandpaper attached to the flat, followed by crowning done just by hand with 600 grit paper. Then 1000 grit, 0000 wire wool and chrome polish to finish once the fret is shaped. Well there you go, some detail after all! But just to say I'm not recommending this method, all I claim is that it produces results that I am happy with. If in doubt take your guitar to a professional folks!
I'm interested to find out what the new pickups are like too - hope they work out, high output ones for a change  but I'm optimistic about these particular ones. They should give better sounds in parallel and coil tapped mode I think. Cheers for taking an interest though Mark, I'm just trying to provide a bit of entertainment really! 
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#290201 - 30/11/11 06:38 PM
Re: Ibanez spruce up!
[Re: Megi]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Pretty much got the job done now, the new jack socket arrived in the post so was able to get things put back together and get it up and running. A bit of time spent adjusting the spring tension on the trem and also setting the action/truss rod/intonation. It is playing like silk now, with the string height just under 2 mil on the bass E string, and not much more than a mil on the treble E, measured at the 12th fret. I've strung with a set of 11-48 gauge strings.
As to the pickups, I've not had chance to really try a lot, but have had a quick blast through my Roland Cube 80XL. Also I used the same amp settings on my Shine guitar which has lower output PAF type humbuckers (Alnico 2) as a comparison. I'm pretty pleased with the Entwistle HDNs, they are definitely brighter sounding than the PAF types, and very much a strong positive sounding pickup. I wouldn't call them harsh though - just different. In fact they have a very "honest" kind of sound I think - even sounding, and what you play is what you get. By comparison, the PAFs are warmer and more rounded, with probably a bit more bass response - more of a "coloured" sound to me. One huge benefit is that the Entwistles are absolutely great when coil-tapped or put into parallel coil wiring - distinctive bright single-coil-ish pickup are produced, and also the difference between coil-tapped and parallel wiring is more pronounced, so that each pickup can yield several different sounds. They work great with effects like chorus/delay etc. too.
I'm not massively keen on using the Roland for overdriven sounds, though I did just have a quick play through the various amp models with the Entwistles. Suffice to say there is more than enough output to generate very heavily overdriven sounds if you want them. I will have to dust off my pedal board before long though, as I alway preferred to use pedals for distortion and tone-shaping - I feel fairly confident they will work well with the fx pedals.
Trying to describe sounds with pickups is really hard!
Edited by Megi (30/11/11 06:40 PM)
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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