AliExpress floral neck, scalloped from 12th to 24th fret (finally ended building a new guitar from parts)

Already rockin'!
01.jpg

Tuning is stable
No intonation issues
Truss rod is functional
The trem can flutter
I forgot how much I like the Gravity Storm


The only issue is that fretboard pos#10 is unplayable. Fret #11 needs some leveling
And they forgot to drill the hole for the ground cable to the trem
 
Well done. Now a full fret dress as it is unlikely that only one fret is out and the rest are perfect . Spot correcting one fret is almost never the way because a fret rocker only tells you the fret in the middle is not in line with the other two but that may be the other two are not in line with the theoretical perfect. Never trust a fret rocker without looking at the rest first. A fret rocker will find you a total dog of a fret but you would be able to see it easily. Damn you started me on the fret rocker.:tearsofjoy:
 
Thank you!

I have a retainer bar to install.

I've just ordered a fret leveling kit like this one, but if it takes too long to arrive I will bring it to a luthier

BTW: no dead spots!! :D That consolidates my theory that I am condemned to have dead notes at the expensive guitars only :eek:
 
Piing said:
Already rockin'!
View attachment 87568

Tuning is stable
No intonation issues
Truss rod is functional
The trem can flutter
I forgot how much I like the Gravity Storm


The only issue is that fretboard pos#10 is unplayable. Fret #11 needs some leveling
And they forgot to drill the hole for the ground cable to the trem
Click to expand...
Looks real close to the Ibanez poison pumpkin color just a touch lighter. I dig it
 
After leveling the frets, I am very happy with the guitar. It has a great resonance and sustain, and the Harmonic Design Z90 at the neck is sweet and powerful.

It deserves a pickup in the middle. Which one would you recommend?

I have searched the forums, and the most recommended single-coil-sized Mid pickup to combine with a P90 are:

Harmonic Design Super 90
Fralin SP-42
Fralin SP-43
BG S90
Vintage Vibe T90
Rio Grande Dirty Harry
Kinman big 90

Given my positive experience with Harmonic Design I would love to try the Super90. However, these are expensive boutique pickups. And I would have to add the extra shipping expenses, Import Duties and VAT. So it better be a Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan, or a known brand that I could buy here in Thailand.

Any suggestions?

20210905_161702.jpg
 
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For a start I wouldn't go on anything other than what you want. I would think what I would use it for. Do you want a good stand alone first and foremost or one that combines well. Or do you want one that matches output because they will all be different. A low output true single coil will combine to give you a more different position 2/4 but a drop in output if you use 3. Also you can use one as a way of making the combinations hum canceling. Guthrie Govern has no single coil option on his original wiring because of this .
 
That's a good advice. This guitar will never have any resell value, no matter how many expensive parts I put on it (unless I become a post mortem celebrity :p ). It is only for my enjoyment. So, I have decided to not to set limits and go for the Harmonic Design Super 90. However, they say that after months of Covid/Hospital they have a backlog of at least 3 months. I have cancelled the order and I will have to search for another option
 
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bellawatson492 said:
How was your progress did you complete your guitar?
Click to expand...

It is not 100% finished. Pending middle pickup, tone pots, and some small parts. But it already works.

Here is a quick test:


p.s.: the flaws are product of my sloppy playing, don't blame the guitar :D

I am very happy with this guitar. I love the scalloped neck, and I cannot find any flaw. Good playability, great resonance and sustain, no dead-spots, good tuning stability after abusing the whammy bar.

Longer sustain at several notes than the Suhr you can see at the picture above! :eek:
 
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Hey there @Piing

What is the advantage for a scaloped neck instead of a "normal" neck?

Your guitar turned out great man, really good sounding piece of wood you build :)

Cheers
 
Axelman8 said:
Hey there @Piing

What is the advantage for a scaloped neck instead of a "normal" neck?

Your guitar turned out great man, really good sounding piece of wood you build :)

Cheers
Click to expand...

You don't feel the fretboard under the fingers. That facilitates bendings and vibrato, since there is no friction.

The sensation is strange at first, but I got used to it very fast. Now I don't like when I play a guitar with anything smaller than jumbo frets

It requires a light touch when playing chords, because the notes will be slightly sharp if you press too hard. That is helpful to re-evaluate your technique when you are using more stress on your fingers than what is actually needed
 
Piing said:
You don't feel the fretboard under the fingers. That facilitates bendings and vibrato, since there is no friction.

The sensation is strange at first, but I got used to it very fast. Now I don't like when I play a guitar with anything smaller than jumbo frets

It requires a light touch when playing chords, because the notes will be slightly sharp if you press too hard. That is helpful to re-evaluate your technique when you are using more stress on your fingers than what is actually needed
Click to expand...
This is the problem I have with scalloped necks . When you get used to them they sort of work better then anything else. You end up playing it all the time and the issue gets worse. I've been playing my Blackmore strat I refretted way too much lately.
 
Piing said:
You don't feel the fretboard under the fingers. That facilitates bendings and vibrato, since there is no friction.

The sensation is strange at first, but I got used to it very fast. Now I don't like when I play a guitar with anything smaller than jumbo frets

It requires a light touch when playing chords, because the notes will be slightly sharp if you press too hard. That is helpful to re-evaluate your technique when you are using more stress on your fingers than what is actually needed
Click to expand...
you are goat :) :D
 
My guitar tech has been buying those Chinese/Canadian maple Strat necks you see pop up for $30. He was working on my JEM a few months back and told me to pick up a partscaster he threw together. While he’s OUTSTANDING at what he does and put some work into it, he said he just needed a light level and it was perfect. I was pretty blown away with how well it felt!

At some point I want to delve into the scallop thing a little more. I’m getting further and further away from having a death grip on my guitars and that would certainly go a long way in getting me to lighten my touch a bit. I’ve tried Yngwie Strats for years and could never play a single thing on them without sounding completely out of tune, but the last time I picked one up, after I re-setup all my guitars with lower action/less tension, I finally was able to play one and it didn’t sound like ass. My JEM has the last 4-frets scalloped but there’s such a small space that I don’t really notice it. I can definitely see the benefits of it.

The Blackmore Strat has less depth to the scallop than the YJM Strats, doesn’t it @Andy Eagle? I know Vai had a few necks made with a light scallop and that seems like it’d work out to my benefit a little more than the full scallop.
 
RevDrucifer said:
My guitar tech has been buying those Chinese/Canadian maple Strat necks you see pop up for $30. He was working on my JEM a few months back and told me to pick up a partscaster he threw together. While he’s OUTSTANDING at what he does and put some work into it, he said he just needed a light level and it was perfect. I was pretty blown away with how well it felt!

At some point I want to delve into the scallop thing a little more. I’m getting further and further away from having a death grip on my guitars and that would certainly go a long way in getting me to lighten my touch a bit. I’ve tried Yngwie Strats for years and could never play a single thing on them without sounding completely out of tune, but the last time I picked one up, after I re-setup all my guitars with lower action/less tension, I finally was able to play one and it didn’t sound like ass. My JEM has the last 4-frets scalloped but there’s such a small space that I don’t really notice it. I can definitely see the benefits of it.

The Blackmore Strat has less depth to the scallop than the YJM Strats, doesn’t it @Andy Eagle? I know Vai had a few necks made with a light scallop and that seems like it’d work out to my benefit a little more than the full scallop.
Click to expand...
Yes the Blackmore normally has less but I refretted mine with huge wire so it feels the same. Either way you have to get used to not feeling the fingerboard ,weird at first but when you get used to it the control you have is second to none.
 
Piing said:
It is not 100% finished. Pending middle pickup, tone pots, and some small parts. But it already works.

Here is a quick test:


p.s.: the flaws are product of my sloppy playing, don't blame the guitar :D

I am very happy with this guitar. I love the scalloped neck, and I cannot find any flaw. Good playability, great resonance and sustain, no dead-spots, good tuning stability after abusing the whammy bar.

Longer sustain at several notes than the Suhr you can see at the picture above! :eek:
Click to expand...

Very nice!
 
It is curious how certain gear and tone evokes you to play something new and unexpected. The first day I connected this recently built guitar with the P90 neck pickup to the Axe-FX, using a preset with the FAS LEAD 1 amp, I unintentionally started playing this Vai melody, even though I have never played or tried to play it before, and I didn't heard it for ages. Not even when I had the JEM7V this melody came to my mind.

So, now I am starting to learn it.

 
Piing said:
It is curious how certain gear and tone evokes you to play something new and unexpected. The first day I connected this recently built guitar with the P90 neck pickup to the Axe-FX, using a preset with the FAS LEAD 1 amp, I unintentionally started playing this Vai melody, even though I have never played or tried to play it before, and I didn't heard it for ages. Not even when I had the JEM7V this melody came to my mind.
Click to expand...
Dude, its the neck, it has great Vaibes
 
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