My Brownie - Blender Partscaster Project

[ShortBuSX]

Id bought a set of Keystones bout a month ago, but then couldnt decide which of my Strats were gonna get em...I really like them both equally with their stock pickups, but had to try a set of Keystones(theyre just so affordable!).

So I bought this body here on the forum from DanP...and for a few bucks more he through in a Jimmy Vaughan tremolo.(another great deal):


Id considered an Allparts neck, but then stumbled upon a "relic'd JV neck" for $110...with tuners too!:

Im a smoker, so I dont mind the cigarette burn...but the rest of the fret board was kinda scorched like the used a torch to "relic" it:

Fortunately I was able to wet sand most of the scorched look to where its livable.

The last of my parts arrived on Friday...so everythings ready to go.


So I spent most of yesterday puttin it all together...pretty much all thats left to do is finish this up(and strings)

[warren0728]

that's looking great....a very cool project indeed!

can't wait to see it all assembled!

[M29]

Oh man I love this stuff!!!!! That baby is lookin good. Nice grain pattern on the body and the maple neck, pickups and quality parts will make her sing for ya. Awesome project congrats

M

[Andy]

coming along nicely!

[mrmudcat]

Looking good.I am awaiting the tone report on the keystones for sure!!!

[ShortBuSX]

Looking good.I am awaiting the tone report on the keystones for sure!!!

Well so far(without being hooked up) they are very unique in that they have no bobbin on the bottom...everything is crammed inside the cover, the cover is now the pickup(there doesnt appear to be any disassembly) and they are very snug mounted into the pickguard holes...BTW, Im not complaining, just explaining...I cant wait to get the soldering done!

Im planning on using this wiring diagram from Acmeguitarworks...Ive got a Fender No-Load tone pot for the job, but I might just make my own instead, or later depending on how the FNLTpot works out...just seems kinda funny that it clicks out at 10, seems like 0 would be more appropriate...so I may mod a regular 250k to get the results Im looking for...I dunno, Im not totally familiar with using a blender but really like the idea, so here I am!
Now to do a lil more research before firing up the iron!

[oldguy]

Get 'er done.........and post us some pics and clips........we wanna see and hear it when your finished. Gonna look awesome I think.

[ShortBuSX]

Could somebody answer a dumb question for me?

In that wiring diaram its got an "optional ground to the cavity shield"...Im assuming this is if I didnt have a trem claw to ground it to.
But this body obviously has a place thats been used for this purpose...and heres my question:
The painted on shielding, it apparently has a void, where it looks like it may have had a sticker there, painted with the shielding paint, then it was removed and then cleared...so there is a void in the shield, and if thats the case can I really ground to this spot in the cavity?(right there in the humbucker route)

Heres the pic again:

[Bloozcat]

Could somebody answer a dumb question for me?

In that wiring diaram its got an "optional ground to the cavity shield"...Im assuming this is if I didnt have a trem claw to ground it to.
But this body obviously has a place thats been used for this purpose...and heres my question:
The painted on shielding, it apparently has a void, where it looks like it may have had a sticker there, painted with the shielding paint, then it was removed and then cleared...so there is a void in the shield, and if thats the case can I really ground to this spot in the cavity?(right there in the humbucker route)

The shield ground isn't necessary...

Generally, you'd ground to the shield if you had a complete cavity shield, or a "Faraday" cage shielding. That's where the complete cavity is shielded, and the pickguard as well. When the pickguard is installed and touching the cavity shielding, it forms a contiguous ground all around the electronics parts. Even without the shield ground, all the grounds would run to the shielding through the shell on the grounded pots anyway. I've used the star grounding method where all the circuit grounds are run to a single point (a wire eyelet), and then grounded to the shield ground. Even though this is a more correct method of grounding (eliminating ground loops), the mini-voltage in a guitar circuit isn't enough where you can hear a difference.

As long as all your components are grounded through the output jack ground, it'll be ok. Of course, if you had completely shielded the cavity and pickguard, it would tame the 60 cycle hum a lot better.

[sunvalleylaw]

Looks great SBX! I like your projects. I have seen you do some great cavity shielding stuff with special foil before. Did you consider doing that again here?

[Ch0jin]

Of course, if you had completely shielded the cavity and pickguard, it would tame the 60 cycle hum a lot better.

I was wondering why you elected not to throw some shielding tape in the mix too. You're going to a lot of effort with some really cool parts, it'd be a shame to have to put up with 60Hz hum for the sake of $5 worth of copper or aluminium tape.

I have a few pics of the process, based on when I upgraded my Squier if you are curious.

[ShortBuSX]

I was more than anxious to get home yesterday!

I got some new tips(for my soldering irons) after work, ran home and fired up the 30watt and began cutting wire...30 minutes later(record time for me) I finished the pickguard and then took a break for a beer and a smoke


Heres another angle(Im kinda proud)


All that was left was the ground from the trem claw and the leads from the output jack...I put a couple screws in the pickguard and then ran into to test out the pickups, pots and switch on my amp.



After plugging it in I began to kick myself...for wasting all that time that I could have been shielding the body!:
I hadnt planned on shielding this one, after all it already had a pretty fancy shield paintin...and the Keystones are supposed to be pretty quiet. Plus my MIJ isnt shielded and its got mojo.
But with the blender...this one needs as much help(in the quiet department) it can get....so shielded it.
BTW, where were you "why havent you sheilded it yet" guys at yesterday before I logged off???

[bigoldron]

She's looking mighty good! Can't wait to see the finished product! Of course, clips make it legit!

[ShortBuSX]

She's looking mighty good! Can't wait to see the finished product!

Like Id be able to sleep, leaving it as is?
After getting so much done????
No way!!!(sorry, got busy @ work)



With strings even!


:
I dunno how long the neck went without tension...but its taking a minute for it to set up.
It still needs some intonation and 2 more springs for the trem claw.

But it should be playable this evening!

[sunvalleylaw]

Looks great! I like it a lot.

[ShortBuSX]

Thanks SVL...youre always so supportive:

I was a lil worried bout the faux relic'ing...but I think it turned out alright.

[Katastrophe]

Guitar looks great, man!

Just tell folks that you can take "burnin' up the fretboard" to a whole new level!

[oldguy]

It's lookin' good, the relic job gives it some mojo, especially considering you didn't have to pay mega-bucks for it.:

[hubberjub***]

That looks great. Can't wait to hear it. I've been eying those Keystones.