Chuck Tweedy's adventure on the dark side

[Brian Evans]

That is a neat middle position. My Tele wiring has two single coils but in parallel in middle position, not in series. One side of both pickups is direct to ground. I've never thought of that series config before.

[Mark Swanson]

The middle tele position is traditionally in parallel. I like mine with a four or a five-position switch that will allow the series connection because it is great and very useful to me.

[Jason Rodgers]

So that neck-north-coil and bridge-south-coil combo in series has a little more power, yeah? I think most setups get at that split north+south combo through a typical neck+bridge parallel switching combo, with a switch or push/pull pot to cut coils. In other words, the split coil option is a secondary option. That's how I did it on my first 7-string: 3-way toggle for neck full, neck+bridge full in parallel, bridge full, then two mini switches to cut the south coil on the neck and the north coil on the bridge. It's a fairly simple schematic and gives 8 combinations of humbucker and single coil, but no series scenarios between neck and bridge.

[Chuck Tweedy]

My client originally wanted a single PUP instrument with a volume knob - and that's it. He then realized that would be too limiting, so this rather elegant solution is the compromise between puritanical austerity and an Alembic orgy.
that deserves a

I really need to invite myself over to this guys house so I can hear how it sounds played though his amp/system (which I've been told is impressive). As I've said before, I'm a noob in this domain, so I really struggle to evaluate sound, but I need to actually hear the full sound to educate myself. The amp I have is rally a POS, and I may have to buys something better if I get more of this work. then of course i'd need to learn how to play

Speaking of purchase justification!... This project could not have been accomplished without an oscillating spindle sander - which I did not have - BUT I DO NOW!!
I love my little Dalek! I have no idea how I ever got along without this little beauty. It's quiet, it's compact, it's versatile, and the dust collection works surprisingly well. The sides of the solid body, the headstock shape ... sure those are all the things you associate with this tool. But I'll tell you what, I can shape a bone nut in like 2 minutes with this thing - friggin' awesome!

[Dan Smith]

Very nice design style and features!
Really great looking guitar!

[Chuck Tweedy]

Thanks Dan.
Didn't you use a spindle sander to shape the contour cuts on an SG?

[Brian Evans]

I use a 3" drum in my drill press a lot. Every time I do, I think "oscillating spindle sander..." It simplifies my design process, every inside radius is 1.5"... Or ends up 1.5"...

[Chuck Tweedy]

By the way, I never showed the volute detail, that I could not have done so easily without the spindle sander.

[David King]

This body wood is probably brown ash which is known amongst the canoe makers of the north for it's light weight.

[Chuck Tweedy]

Hey people - The guitar has been in the customer's hands for a month now, and he's discovered a wolf note.
G string at 11th fret dies very fast - no other issues.
Same note, different sting (different position) no problems.
Holding onto the headstock while playing the wolf note improves the sustain.
Playing the note with the neck-side finger way up by the body also improves the sustain.

So, it appears to me that it is bar mode resonance - the neck waggs at that note, and the position of the fretting hand is reinforcing a node.

My proposed solution is to add mass to the headstock (as high up as possible) to control this. I would double-stick tape masses until I get good performance, and then create a plug of the right mass and inlay it into a hole on the backside of the headstock.

Opinions? ...

[Bob Francis]

I have an old Precision bass that deadens like that when the truss rod needs a tweak.

[Jason Rodgers]

Woa, how weird, and unfortunate!

Would swapping out the tuners for something a little heavier work?

[Mark Swanson]

To pick on you, isn't a "wolf note" something that ends up louder and overpowering, introducing some kind of off-key harmonic? What you have there is simply a dead note.
Make sure all your hardware is snug, bridge pieces, and make sure the trussrod is snug too. I am not so sure it isn't some other cause, simpler than the mass thing. But without messing with the guitar a bit, I am only guessing! Wish I could play it!

[Mark Swanson]

To pick on you, isn't a "wolf note" something that ends up louder and overpowering, introducing some kind of off-key harmonic? What you have there is simply a dead note.
Make sure all your hardware is snug, bridge pieces, and make sure the trussrod is snug too. I am not so sure it isn't some other cause, simpler than the mass thing. But without messing with the guitar a bit, I am only guessing! Wish I could play it!
Also, is this problem evident when the guitar is not plugged in and played acoustically? And are the pickups too close to the strings? Back them down a bit and see if there is a change.

[Chuck Tweedy]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.
I'll get the instrument into my shop and see if there's anything I can do.
Thinking back, I now wish that I'd put a couple carbon bars in the neck to avoid this. live and learn!
The first of any new model is going to have some issues - I knew that going in.

[Mark Swanson]

If that is the worst of it, I think you did really well Chuck!

[Chuck Tweedy]

Yea - it is a just one dead note. Thanks.

[Mark Swanson]

That usually does not happen, so I would think it has some kind of simple reason. Pay close attention to the pickups being too close to the strings. The G string is the one most easily pulled by the pickup magnets, the result would be a sound like you describe, and that position on the neck would also contribute.

[Chuck Tweedy]

Hey, so I got the guitar from the guy and checked it out a week ago or so.
There was not much I could do.
A few of the frets had some space under them (like 0.002"max) - so I filled all the frets with CA. Something I usually do but did not this time - lazy.
Re-adjusted the truss rod. that moves the dead spot around, but it needs to be at a specific tension, so everything comes back to the same spot.

Oh - yea
Its the truss rod that's causing the issue - forgot to say that.
It is a typical double acting rod with the turning rod suspended in space down the channel.
So ... if you play the guitar in your lap you can hear the rod buzzing on the wall (back-wall) at the dead note. When you hold the instrument normally it does not hit anything, but it sucks the power out of that note.
FLippin' stupid rod.
Normally I use a single action, compression rod constrained in a slot so it cant F U. But this one F'ed me. Only because it is shallower than my normal rod. So, if it ain't broke why the F did i try to fix it. dumb
I offered to remove the board and fix the rod permanent, but he does not want to do that. we'll see...

[Jason Rodgers]

Dude, bring it down a notch! This a respectable site, and don't put it past Charlie to call up Deb to order a "WHAP" strike.

So, what you're saying is you have a double-action truss rod, but it doesn't need any tension on it? What kind of rod? A Hot Rod? Can you put just a wee bit o tension on it?