5150 build.

Andy Eagle said:
They are not identical the NOS one is really a 5150 with Wolfgang speck. It has a flat 16" radius, stainless 6105 size frets and a vintage rod. Wolfgang pickup, modern German Floyd and a Basswood body. I can't prove one way or another at the moment what the real 5150 body was but I would say on probability Basswood.

The 86/7 Relic is swamp ash with all vintage hardware and pickup from the era. Yes I need an original Hanson Floyd FRT5 but they are insanely expensive (£1/2k). A Duncan CCJ (a known Fav of EVH ) not the damaged JBJ on the original. A 10" radius with 6100 (stainless to my taste) not the 6150 in the original. The floyd on here is the first version German FRT5 with the spring plate and retainer removed then fitted with a repro steel block and prototype arm to be as close as possible to the original without the said Hanson built bridge. It also has a two way truss rod because that is all Locke Custom Guitars use. I need the old Charvel thing tree but the repro is out of stock.
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Both are very cool, and watching/reading the journey was fun...

But the real question is this: which one do to prefer to play?
 
unix-guy said:
Both are very cool, and watching/reading the journey was fun...

But the real question is this: which one do to prefer to play?
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I deliberately made them a bit different to avoid just playing one which always happens when I try to make two identical. For playing VH stuff I like the relic and for my own things the NOS. I way prefer flatter fingerboards.
 
How high have you been setting the pickup heights on these builds so far? Wood mounting can be unforgiving with adjustment. 4/64” bass and 5/64” treble? Measured from bobbin or screw pole?
 
Hellbat said:
It I had to choose between the two on looks alone, I’d pick the freshie. With artist relic guitars I‘d always prefer to see it with my own wear patterns on it. But other than the fact I’m a bit clumsy, I only age nickel and gold hardware. My finishes don’t see much wear.
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I'm the same way. I baby my guitars and give them a quick wipe down often, but those metal surfaces just don't cooperate.
 
Andy Eagle said:
I deliberately made them a bit different to avoid just playing one which always happens when I try to make two identical. For playing VH stuff I like the relic and for my own things the NOS. I way prefer flatter fingerboards.
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Andy, it's nice to hear you're mortal. :)

When I had two PRS DGTs, the old, beat-up Goldtop, and the perfect Cherryburst, it made me crazy trying to decide which to play out, and inevitably the Goldtop would win because it didn't really matter if, somehow, I added another divot. I finally solved the problem by giving the Cherryburst to my son-in-law.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
I'm the same way. I baby my guitars and give them a quick wipe down often, but those metal surfaces just don't cooperate.
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I'm opposite, All my hardwire stays chrome a shiny, but I got pick wear and and forearm wear and all the fret board wear you could imagine haha.
 
bruzanhd said:
How high have you been setting the pickup heights on these builds so far? Wood mounting can be unforgiving with adjustment. 4/64” bass and 5/64” treble? Measured from bobbin or screw pole?
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It's really not that critical with a humbucker. I get these to my taste with a washer under the pickup leg (or custom made spacer if needed) to preserve the pickup screwed directly to the body contact. The NOS one is actually direct and gives me just under 4mm and the other is set the same with washers. I have sometimes cut wooden blocks slightly under the size of the pickup that set the exact hight and sometimes slight angle I want. Either way I'm not convinced you can hear the difference.
 
I was away for a bit, just saw the finished two. Awesome work and they look so cool. I like them both. It’s been a fun journey. Thanks for taking us along.
 
I took a couple of shots of mine as it stands now probably not finished. Please remember that it is meant to be earlier so the wear is a but different but there are no pics of this quality from 86/8 which is what I really wanted to work from;
IMG_2970.jpeg
IMG_2971.jpeg
Also this red never looks the same in two pictures.
Mine also has no cigarette burns or additional holes by choice.
 
bruzanhd said:
Almost looks like the one in photo of the original has been changed to a modern style threaded arm ala 1984 edition Floyd.
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I see why you suggest this but you can't fit another style bar on the old FRT5 floyd. If you look closely the bar is still the original. I just made my prototype replica bar too long.
IMG_2375.JPG
Here is a better shot of the bushing. its actually just a threaded bar with a regular nut and nylon washer on top with another nylon washer and lock nut underneath. Ed liked it very loose with a lot of play.
IMG_2261.jpg
 
Andy Eagle said:
I see why you suggest this but you can't fit another style bar on the old FRT5 floyd. If you look closely the bar is still the original. I just made my prototype replica bar too long.
View attachment 115387
Here is a better shot of the bushing. its actually just a threaded bar with a regular nut and nylon washer on top with another nylon washer and lock nut underneath. Ed liked it very loose with a lot of play.
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Yes, but the angle in the bar on the more recent picture looks to be more prominent. I recall that at some point they replaced saddles (so functional mods were not off limits) and since they clearly had they bridge off to change the spring arrangement that maybe they did a retrofit by drilling out the APM Floyd baseplate or something. Because in some of the old photos and LWAN the bar on the 5150 looks more like the one you fabricated, where as now it look more like a standard one (could just be photo angle of course).

Also, as an aside, not sure if you’ve used the Gotoh 1996t but the bar on that bridge seems to be shaped more like the APM on the 5150, might have something to do with Ed’s input on the Musicman bridge back in the day.

Edit to add: also that set of two newer pictures shows a very prominent rounding on the tip of the bar, much like the newer ones.
 
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bruzanhd said:
Yes, but the angle in the bar on the more recent picture looks to be more prominent. I recall that at some point they replaced saddles (so functional mods were not off limits) and since they clearly had they bridge off to change the spring arrangement that maybe they did a retrofit by drilling out the APM Floyd baseplate or something. Because in some of the old photos and LWAN the bar on the 5150 looks more like the one you fabricated, where as now it look more like a standard one (could just be photo angle of course).

Also, as an aside, not sure if you’ve used the Gotoh 1996t but the bar on that bridge seems to be shaped more like the APM on the 5150, might have something to do with Ed’s input on the Musicman bridge back in the day.

Edit to add: also that set of two newer pictures shows a very prominent rounding on the tip of the bar, much like the newer ones.
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AMP didn't make the FRT5 it was Hanson Metalworks. I have communicated with Mike.
The bar is the original one;
IMG_2972.jpg
This is long after retirement and has the three Schaller saddles.
Ed never used a 1996 it was the original 1988 and he had nothing to do with the design at all.
Here is a pic of 5150 basically new with the same bar.
IMG_2474.jpg
 
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