Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2014 16:20:13 GMT -5
Banjo, there are two types of pup being not parallel to the body : a) only two screws per pup, most probably your issue with your firebird and my issue on more than one guitars : some wire is pulling one way or uneven springs b) a really screwed up situation, read further
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2014 16:28:59 GMT -5
Greek - First question: How is the fit on the neck in the pocket? Second question: Can you make the pickup rock back and forth with your finger? Does it rock both ways? (fore and aft?) The saddle issue wasn't something they were going to fix anyway, right? Over the years I've seen some amazing engineering fiasos. If they got the neck right, and you like the feel, the rest of this stuff can be worked out...probably without much wailing and gnashing of teeth. If you've given up on Ibanez warranty service, I'm almost certain you can turn this guitar into a first class player. Keep the faith. You're a metal guy with a 7 string guitar. If nothing else it looks kickass in the mirror... Happy Trails Cynical One haha! thanx Cyn1, an 45 old family man who comes home late at night to bring some food on the table is not the sexiest metal object of worship, be it with a 7-string or without. I just feel I wasted some lovely euros that we might spend with wife somewhere in Spain. But she has done worse so, we move on Answer to the first question : Not bad, but not good either. Stability is OK-ish, Some creeks, and krkrkrs when I push down the trem all the way and then all up. I can definitely feel there is something moving over there. (as you will see yourself below) Answer to the second question : with the guitar being in neutral position (tremolo arm), or of course with tremolo pushed back, the pup cannot move at all (you will see below). And now some pics, and a video : The intonation screws had to go way back, (by the official ibanez service) No clearance between heel and neck pup: Bridge plate almost touches pickguard: neck pup angle : worse than ever : Far right screw in the pick, not as recessed as should be: And last a video showing that the gap between neck heel and neck pickup is variable and dependes on the tension applied on the neck :
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 3, 2014 20:25:15 GMT -5
Yep, that's pretty snug. Since we've already seen what Ibanez can do, how willing are you to do some surgery? Before you grab the tools, just a few thoughts. First, is there enough meat on the bobbin to gently file a bit away? It's tight, but it doesn't look like you've got to hack away a lot to gain a millimeter or so. Second thought is, do you have a good file set to trim a bit off the heel of the neck. You could use a Dremel tool, or the European equivalent, but that takes a bit more of a steady hand. As far as stabilizing the neck pickup, I don't use springs, I use surgical tubing. Just a preference. If you can wind your way down to the home improvement store you can buy some pipe insulation designed for water pipes. It looks like this: It's round, but cutting it into little rectangles and putting them under your pickup as needed will take care of that nasty list...once the physical obstructions are removed. Another thing I like to use is the foam used in packing computers and servers...but the pipe stuff is easier to find for most folks. Nice guitar, by the way. Happy Trails Cynical One
|
|
|
Post by newey on Dec 3, 2014 22:02:18 GMT -5
Cyn turned me on to this on the last Strat build I did, and I'll heartily agree. Far preferable to the springs.
I have also (once) screwed the pups directly into the wood, a la EVH. You have to add some wood under the pickup to get the height you want, since there's no adjustment afterwards. But it (allegedly) adds sustain.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2014 2:10:21 GMT -5
Yep, that's pretty snug. Since we've already seen what Ibanez can do, how willing are you to do some surgery? Before you grab the tools, just a few thoughts. First, is there enough meat on the bobbin to gently file a bit away? It's tight, but it doesn't look like you've got to hack away a lot to gain a millimeter or so. Second thought is, do you have a good file set to trim a bit off the heel of the neck. You could use a Dremel tool, or the European equivalent, but that takes a bit more of a steady hand. As far as stabilizing the neck pickup, I don't use springs, I use surgical tubing. Just a preference. If you can wind your way down to the home improvement store you can buy some pipe insulation designed for water pipes. It looks like this: It's round, but cutting it into little rectangles and putting them under your pickup as needed will take care of that nasty list...once the physical obstructions are removed. Another thing I like to use is the foam used in packing computers and servers...but the pipe stuff is easier to find for most folks. Nice guitar, by the way. Happy Trails Cynical One Thanx Cyn1, all those are nice workarounds but do not treat the main problem which is the neck squeezing everything to the right towards the bridge. (btw I dont know about the meat on the pup's bobbin, but regarding the filing of the end of neck heel, wouldn't sanding work? this is only theoretical). For the moment it seems that Thomann is somewhat concerned about this, since they did not reply yet with anything substantial. I am unwilling to touch the guitar for the moment, not even play it, not to mention that hitting the tools seem like a far away idea for the moment. I will see what the seller says, and also what the European Consumer Center replies to me. I think the law is on my side. There is another hint here : I had bought this guitar about 300 EUR (370 USD) cheaper than the market price. I had asked Thomann if it was maybe a used or defective item, and the replied no. Then I asked them why was it so cheap, and they said they don't know, that is the price that the distributor had set. Hmmmm... So why would Ibanez.de would want to lose 300 EUR? Maybe they *knew* it had the problem, maybe they got already refunded by Hoshino.co.jp and they tried to make some fast bucks? Anyway, I am not in hurry, my moves (in any direction) are gonna be slow. Haste has proven a bad adviser. Act in haste, repent in leisure, right!
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 4, 2014 12:21:21 GMT -5
Amen to that, Brother GreekDude...
Good luck with the guitar intrigue. Makes me appreciate pawn shops even more...
HTC1
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2014 16:16:50 GMT -5
Thomann makes me sick. thomann : So those ppl try to deviate from the problem.... My answer : Clearly the neck violates the pick up cavity. And the problem could not be revealed and proven unless the user/buyer/defenceless consumer unscrewed something (in this case pickguard). I cannot imagine any court that would favor the seller. Cause I am so p d off that I am gonna sue their butt to the end. I was ready to accept an apology, and I would gladly give this to some pro tech, or do the repair myself. But to read about "pole pieces" after 50 emails and over 20 photos, this is smth I cannot swallow.
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 5, 2014 17:09:06 GMT -5
Hence the sadness at the loss of the local music shop. This is the direct result of price-point driven manufacturing and retailing. Essentially, most of these big guitar retailers are just fulfillment centers with a slick website. Most of the people you're in contact with were probably working at the cell phone store last week.
Good luck suing them. Once the neck and the pickguard came off the warranty, and your claim for compensation, went out the proverbial window. Someone with more experience in the EU going after hack retailers may correct me, and I hope I'm wrong on this one.
Seems the easiest way to fix this issue is to shave the heel of the neck. Even a bandsaw would make an improvement here.
That really is a major oversight in their design. That's too bad, as Ibanez has spent a good deal of time and money to carve a name for themselves. Amateur hour stuff like this will kill them if they don't get a handle on it. They need to learn a lesson from Motorola and IBM...arrogance due to your size will reflect upon your bottom line in the end.
HTC1
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2014 23:15:17 GMT -5
Cyn1, here are the terms of the Thomann warranty : Didn't breach any of them. In fact, there is no way to truly prove the problem unless someone unscrews the pickguard. Now, what if I go to the local Ibanez service here in Athens, and tell them to give a certificate that the guitar is defective from the factory and then head directly to www.synigoroskatanaloti.gr/index_ecc_en.html ? The guitar might become a "frozen conflict" for some months but eventually they will take their lesson.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 0:12:11 GMT -5
Hence the sadness at the loss of the local music shop. This is the direct result of price-point driven manufacturing and retailing. Essentially, most of these big guitar retailers are just fulfillment centers with a slick website. Most of the people you're in contact with were probably working at the cell phone store last week. Good luck suing them. Once the neck and the pickguard came off the warranty, and your claim for compensation, went out the proverbial window. Someone with more experience in the EU going after hack retailers may correct me, and I hope I'm wrong on this one. Seems the easiest way to fix this issue is to shave the heel of the neck. Even a bandsaw would make an improvement here. That really is a major oversight in their design. That's too bad, as Ibanez has spent a good deal of time and money to carve a name for themselves. Amateur hour stuff like this will kill them if they don't get a handle on it. They need to learn a lesson from Motorola and IBM...arrogance due to your size will reflect upon your bottom line in the end. HTC1 Most of the names I talk too are females from Czech rep and Romania. I wouldn't be surprised if they are all housewives living in some country house and answering emails for Thomann for 200 EUR/mo when they are not cooking or helping their kids in school. Apparently this is more cost effective than investing in writing the software to have an automated robot software mimicking human (support ppl) behavior. Now back to lutherie talk (which is eventually what will happen). I do not like the bandsaw idea, neither trimming the neck. I would like neck to remain intact. Neck is maybe this guitar's greatest feature, I dont feel like messing with it this way. Now Cyn1, pls listen to my strategy : - I measure exactly where the neck should exactly be, I may ask from some friends in jemsite to post their exact clearances in mm , some has already done and we have 1 mm of difference. But there is also the visual way. Neck heel must stop just on the border with the pick up cavity and not invade it. By measuring and double measuring I place the neck exactly where it has to be. - I clamp the neck in place, I also mark on neck/body border with a pencil, just in case - I mark for the new holes. I re-asses the situation to see how off the current holes are. Most probably all will have to plugged and re-drilled - I plug and glue, I leave overnight - I carefully cut the excess wood and sand slightly and very carefully flat - I erase the old marks, put the outer strings on to align, and mark again very carefully this time - I drill carefully using all the known best practices - I attach the neck by the screws, to verify that the neck is in the correct position. I make sure that all the screws are all the way down the recessed holes of the body, and truly firm. - (optional step) string up the guitar to check its strength and tonal characteristics - now comes the heel pocket part. Unscrew the neck and cover the neck heel with masking tape. Put something like wood epoxy (kwikwood), into the heel pocket and try to emulate the shape of those stoppers that are simply either not there or severely damaged. Pushed the masked neck in place and screw fast. Work on the neck heel's end to prettify the shape also making sure that no material gets into the pup cavity. Attach the pickguard to make sure that the pup is not obstructed by the new material, although it should be visible by bare eye. - wait one day for the epoxy to fully cure. Then unscrew the neck, take off the masking tape and screw again. - re-do the intonation, and setup - String the guitar, and wail away!
|
|
|
Post by b4nj0 on Dec 6, 2014 6:23:27 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 8:30:24 GMT -5
Same in Greece, unless you print the law and rub it in their face they'll pretend they don't know. But I started sympathizing with all those Czech and Polish housewives. If someone gets punished from Thomann it will surely be one of them. I don't want that. It's a good guitar I can work it out my self (I hope). I am really tired beating on a dead horse by going the legal way.
|
|
|
Post by lunaalta on Dec 6, 2014 9:24:10 GMT -5
I would certainly ask Ibanez, Athens, if they considered the guitar to be up to their normal quality standards and, if not, ask if they would be prepared to deal with the problem, on your behalf. They would make a very good ally. I'm pretty sure that Eu regulations stipulate that warranties must 'at least' comply with EU regulations and be 'fair'. The days of sellers writing their own rules are over.... LOL. A product must be fit for it's purpose when it is sold. I think that contacting Ibanez would be a good idea. Since Thomann are acting as Ibanez agents/representatives by selling their products. They have the right to stop supplying their agents, if they are not happy with their behaviour, regarding handling Ibanez product and reputation. I'm sure they will not be too satisfied with Thomann's way of handling this problem. Although, it might depend on the size of their orders........ Contacting Ibanez should also clear up any possibilities of a 'second quality' product being sold (now, that could open a can of worms). I don't see removing the scratch plate as a breach of any warranty, unless access is restricted (painted screw seal) or clearly indicated as a breach, by way of a sticker or warning tag, etc. I always loosen scratch plates (and sometimes remove the neck) when I'm giving an axe a 'serious' clean, along with knobs, etc.
|
|
|
Post by b4nj0 on Dec 6, 2014 10:55:38 GMT -5
In some slight defence of Thomann, they do have an exemplary returns and customer service set up- I write from personal experience. All organisations will have a procedure to prevent their business model from being usurped by dishonest customers, they exist to survive after all's said and done and Thomann cannot be considered to be an exception. Organisations have no human traits of their own other than an insatiable desire to survive and make a profit. The problem you have with Messrs Thomann is one of not being able to speak to the correct human being within an enormous infrastructure. The bottom line here is that they made a profit from the sale of this guitar to you and it behoves them to see that you are satisfied with your purchase, otherwise they are taking money from you under false pretences. From the images that you have posted, it seems to me that the issue with your guitar (assuming correct intonation) is more one of the routed position of the neck pick up cavity, and this implies mutually exclusive requirements or a fundamental design error. I can clearly see those little lugs of timber that are intended to prevent the neck from being dragged under string tension into the area reserved for the neck pick up. I find it hard to imagine the profile of a neck attachment screw shank that has allowed its charge to drift so far south that it has impeded upon the neck pick up in this way, it has to be the neck pick up rout that is incorrect? This seems to me to be an unavoidable product of the optimum position of the neck pick up and the quest for a two octave neck isn't it? Sure I've probably got the wrong end of the stick because you have the advantage of having the whole sorry state in front of you and none of us have that privilege. I think that right is on your side with this one and stubborn assertiveness is your best friend. Having used litigation myself in the past, I well understand your reticence. I have matured sufficiently to realise that any solution that I can realise easily by my own efforts is preferable to that route! If there's an easy fix that you can effect, it's probably better for your mental well-being in the final analysis. I'm on your side here GD, even if what I've written comes across otherwise...
e&oe
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 12:55:37 GMT -5
Hola Lunalta! Dealing with the greek dealer and adding him to the mix would create an explosive combination of confusion! NO WAY! Banjo, Thanks for your comment ... ARGHHH I already started speaking like the Czech housewives!! They always begin their (completely irrelevant) text with "Thank you for your email"!! The problem is neither the pup cavity nor the pickguard. At some incarnation, before I sent it back, I had managed to screw the neck and make the neck pup look like this : Needless to say the neck was unstable as hell. The problem is that the whole neck is shifted 1.5mm right, towards the neck side. The lack of the neck heel stoppers are not the main reason for this happening, but it surely helped those workers in the plant in Indonesia to miss this 1.5mm and drill the neck wrong. The fact that it is screwed wrong is also manifested (besides the photos) with the measurement of the distances versus good known UV70p's by members on the jemsite.
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 7, 2014 20:40:06 GMT -5
...Now Cyn1, pls listen to my strategy : My reputation appears to have preceded me here. I want you to know, I read this a couple times before I responded. I was going to go point by point, but that could get disjointed and redundant. Considering Ibanez lives in a CNC world, taking measurements from other guitars has its merits, but what's important is the scale measurement on YOUR guitar. Which, according to the Ibanez site, is a 648mm (25.5") scale. So, from the 12th fret to scale is 324mm (12.75"). That's the ONLY dimension that really matters in all of this. Once this dimension is established, and you evaluate your neck placement accordingly, you'll know exactly WHAT needs to move, and where it needs to move to. I'd have to try and steer you away from the "epoxy filler as a structural member" theory. If it were me, I wouldn't worry about the "stops" at the neck heel, I'd go for the inserts on the neck option. You already have your pilot holes drilled for you. I've taken some time to look at as many pictures of this model guitar as I can, and it definitely looks like something is off in the construction of your particular guitar. Something needs to be done, but with the inherent complexity of Floydish trems you're really going to want to preserve the relationship to scale in determining where, or if, the neck needs to move. Hell it might just be a wanky placement, or poor cut, of the pickguard. I am glad to see you're looking more patiently at guitar surgery. Just like the locking nut episode, this too shall be resolved. Happy Trails Cynical One
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 0:21:16 GMT -5
Hello Cyn1, Scale length is correct (25.5"), at the expense of course (since neck is moved 1mm to the right) of the saddles moved to the right as well, in order to preserve correct intonation. By having a friend at jemsite measure exactly his bridge plate -> neck heel distance, as well as the clearance between neck heel and neck pup, I am confident that the whole problem is just 1mm off. But also, the other problem is that even like this, not all screws seem to go all the way in. There is a problem with at least one of them. Smth went slightly off when drilling. Maybe inadequate service maintenance of the CNC machine in Indonesia Ibanez plant? IMO, pickguard is not the problem, it is obvious that with the neck heel is occupying 1.5-2mm of the pup cavity, the dimarzio blaze has no place really. Now, about epoxy 2-part putty. I know it is just an extra, maybe needless measure. Problem with truly grasping the theory against it is that I built a similar shape using the below product on some scrap wood and IMHO it would be a nice "home" for the neck heel. I am not sure if this thing is strong as wood, but I didn't manage to break it without a hammer. And we are talking about 3mm of height here. A similar stopper would be 5cm long (height of the heel) and 3mm tall (the "lug" - "stopper" part). I doubt that glued wood would be any stronger. I am talking about this product :
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 4:12:46 GMT -5
Cyn1, I will come back with some interesting pics, later at night.
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 8, 2014 9:40:09 GMT -5
Time to drag the dead horse out again. From everything detailed so far, the biggest problem with the guitar is the neck moving. Like you said, it could be a bad CNC setup, glitch with the machine, glitch with the software, gremlins...whatever... The solution is a more secure attachment.
The epoxy is a one-time to get it right method, or spent the next several hours fixing it...or tearing it out...potential damaging what does exist with the neck pocket. This still doesn't solve the weak attachment with the existing screws issue. It's a band-aid on a hemorrhage.
Go back and look at Sonosammy's post on threaded inserts again. Therein lies your solution. It takes less time to do it right than it does to do it twice.
HTC1
|
|
|
Post by sumgai on Dec 8, 2014 10:29:29 GMT -5
It takes less time to do it right than it does to do it twice. HTC1 Or to state it correctly; If you don't have the time to do it right in the first place, where are you going to find the time to do it again? Always did like that one.
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 8, 2014 13:08:09 GMT -5
Or to state it correctly; If you don't have the time to do it right in the first place, where are you going to find the time to do it again? I see Captain Phonics rides again... Aside from that, I guess my point here is that certain problems have a tried and trusted method to resolve them. I have no problems with innovation, but sometimes you have to fix a bad design, or bad execution of a valid design. Ibanez is a big company with many different disciplines at work to produce a finished product. Sometimes these divergent disciplines work, sometimes it's just Karma... HTC1
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 14:27:08 GMT -5
lol, anyways, here are the pics! Perfect UV70p : My UV70p : There is 2/32 " = 1/16 " ~ 1.5 mm difference
|
|
|
Post by sumgai on Dec 8, 2014 16:57:45 GMT -5
As I see it, my original suspicion is confirmed - all three pickups are further from the bridge on yours, gd, than on the allegedly perfect version. This speaks more to previous queries about the pickguard itself, rather than the neck placement. As already stated, if the distance from the fret nut to the 12th fret is X, then the distance from the 12th fret to the high-E saddle had better be the same - your images can't show me that, so I'll trust you on this point. (Although any issue with the pickugard doesn't address the neck stability, I'll grant you that.)
Under c1's theory of "multitude of disciplines", it's obvious that someone was very undisciplined, on the day that your unit was assembled. Like you, I'd just fix it myself, regardless of how much the product was unfit for service as advertised. (The current American criteria for determining if a product can be returned for a full refund, regardless of what a company says. But going this far usually involves a lawyer, so....)
HTH
sumgai
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 9, 2014 0:32:49 GMT -5
I don't have both guitars in front of me, and it's two different tape measures, but I gotta go with SG on this. It sure looks like the pickguard is cut wrong, or it's the wrong pickguard.
OK, humor me with this one. Remove the pickguard, keep the strings slack, tighten the neck in it's original holes. Measure the scale out to probably the B string saddle, and see how far you're off from scale...if you're off at all...
If you're lucky, it's just a trim on the bridge side of the pickguard. Fill the old holes, drill some new holes and the difference probably won't even show under the pickguard...and if it doesn't, it's nothing a little black nail polish can't hide.
I'd still beef up the neck connection with some inserts, or some significantly bigger screws. If it were my guitar, I'd grab the Forstner bit, a drill bit, a single ferrule and put a 5th screw in there.
Ain't this fun.
Happy Trails
Cynical One
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 0:34:38 GMT -5
Good Morning SG! As I see it, my original suspicion is confirmed - all three pickups are further from the bridge on yours, gd, than on the allegedly perfect version. This speaks more to previous queries about the pickguard itself, rather than the neck placement. Hmmm sorry, I don't see it. In both pics : - Bridge pup ends at 1 7/32 " - Mid pup ends at 3 5/32 " - Neck pup ends at .... well here is the trick, and this is the quite the opposite from your theory : - Good UV70p neck pup ends at : 5 7/32 - My UV70p neck pup ends at : 5 6/32 Am I seeing smth wrong? Under c1's theory of "multitude of disciplines", it's obvious that someone was very undisciplined, on the day that your unit was assembled. Like you, I'd just fix it myself, regardless of how much the product was unfit for service as advertised. (The current American criteria for determining if a product can be returned for a full refund, regardless of what a company says. But going this far usually involves a lawyer, so....) Fixing is the fun part!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 0:46:32 GMT -5
I don't have both guitars in front of me, and it's two different tape measures, but I gotta go with SG on this. It sure looks like the pickguard is cut wrong, or it's the wrong pickguard. OK, humor me with this one. Remove the pickguard, keep the strings slack, tighten the neck in it's original holes. Measure the scale out to probably the B string saddle, and see how far you're off from scale...if you're off at all... If you're lucky, it's just a trim on the bridge side of the pickguard. Fill the old holes, drill some new holes and the difference probably won't even show under the pickguard...and if it doesn't, it's nothing a little black nail polish can't hide. I'd still beef up the neck connection with some inserts, or some significantly bigger screws. If it were my guitar, I'd grab the Forstner bit, a drill bit, a single ferrule and put a 5th screw in there. Ain't this fun. Happy Trails Cynical One Hello Cyn1, are you telling me that I am the only person who sees that : Good_UV70p_neck_heel_to_bridge_plate_distance = 5 9/32 " My_UV70p_neck_heel_to_bridge_plate_distance = 5 7/32 " ? About the pickguard, also, I fail to see where it is cut wrong. Its not even made in the same factory. It writes Made in Japan, on the back. Not that it tells anything by itself. By looking at the offsets of e.g. the bridge and mid pup in both guitars, I get the feeling that the pickguards are exactly the same. e.g. random measurement : 1st coil of bridge pup ends at 1 1/32 " in both guitars. If you measure anywhere you'll find that the pickguards are identical.
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Dec 9, 2014 1:23:36 GMT -5
are you telling me that I am the only person who sees that : Good_UV70p_neck_heel_to_bridge_plate_distance = 5 9/32 " My_UV70p_neck_heel_to_bridge_plate_distance = 5 7/32 " No. I'm just telling you that you're the only person here who feels that dimension is relevant. I'm trying to help, but I'm not entirely certain what problem to fix. If your measurements on an unstressed mounted neck do not shake out like this: ...then you have a neck location issue. Once you have a confirmed dimension unstressed, then it's time to string it up, tune it, hit the whammy bar a few times and measure it again. This confirms an attachment issue. Until this is empirically confirmed we're all just punching at shadows, Greek. Happy Trails Cynical One
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 3:04:29 GMT -5
Hi Cyn1
Of course this is relevant, since this is the issue causing the neck pup to slant like a sinking boat. This 1mm of neck moving to the right is easily compensated by moving the whole set of saddles 1mm to the right. Which is exactly what the service shop in Germany did. The intonation is correctly set this way.
So, the guitar has two (not big) problems :
1) The 1mm (or maybe up to 1.5) by which the neck invades the neck pup cavity makes the neck pup slant, and this looks ugly + maybe the sound is not as full as it might be 2) The 2 neck screws (the back ones, the ones towards the bridge) are not as deep as they should be.
The 1) could be fixed by trimming a little bit the pup's plastic base (bobin) and a little bit from the neck heel. (as you suggested). But I am not sure I wanna eat wood (and plastic) away to do just a hack.
|
|
|
Post by newey on Dec 9, 2014 7:24:16 GMT -5
As sg and Cyn1 said, it's hard to tell from the two pix, the tape measures are run on opposite sides, on the good photo it looks like the tape is butted up to the edge of the pickup covers, while on the photo of yours, the tape seems to sit on top of the pickup covers a bit. Any slight angulation of the tape will confuse the issues.
But it sure looks to me, too, as if all three are off. I see your mid pup ending at 3 5/32, the good one looks like 3 7/32.
Look at where the 1" mark falls in both photos. On the good one, the 1" mark looks like it falls exactly between the two coils of the bridge pup. Not so on yours.
In any event, I'm not sure that the mounting points for the pickups are so precisely done anyway.
In any event, if the intonation is correct now (even if via compensation at the bridge), trimming the pickguard would be the way to go. I guess I'm not seeing what other solution there would be.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 8:17:54 GMT -5
Newey, thanx, You noticed very correct! (This is the contrary to what SG sees). What you see is because the neck heel pushes the whole pickguard via the neck pup towards the bridge. So when I unscrew/re-screw the pickguard it is natural to fall behind by 1mm or so, in comparison to the good guitar. If I had screwed the pickguard without the neck, and then attached the neck, we would see the exact same distances with the other guitar, but an even more slanted neck pup.
Why are you guys against, gluing, plugging, re-drilling ? And solving 2 problems with one shot?
Anyways, the thomann ppl will answer me tomorrow (I am thrilled to hear their next ....... creative ....... answer)
|
|