| Author | Message | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 338 Registered: 1-2003 |
I'm thinking about getting a Spectrum guitar - and was contemplating having made with 22 frets and the neck p/u where the 24th fret would be with the middle p/u half way between it and the bridge. Has Alembic made guitars with that positioning before? What's the impact, if any, on sound? Is the entire Strat world just a slave to tradition? David B. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 694 Registered: 9-2003 |
I spoke to my luthier last night during my lesson (he is also my instructor) about your query. He stated that the closer you are to the end of the fretboard, the richer in harmonic content the sound becomes along with the resultant rich, full-bodied sound (hence the reason many jazz boxes have a pick-up suspended or mounted at the end of the fingerboard). Conversely, the closer you get to the bridge, the less the harmonic content becomes with the resultant thinning of the sound. He also stated that pickups can be mounted anywhere between the bridge and neck, depending on your sound preferences, but that they are usually located at points where strong naturally occurring harmonics are present. He's had guitars he's made where the owners had him temporarily make the p/u's movable so that the preferred positions could be determined by playing and listening. Obviously, sonic beauty is in the ear of the beholder. The p/u spacing on a Strat isn't normally tampered with due to the magical interaction of out-of-phase magnetic fields that can result in that "magic" Strat bell-like tone. Garcia used to have plexi P/U plates on his "Alembics" in order to quick change them and for optional placement. If I'm not mistaken, Jack Casady had 'activators" on moving rails (tubing) so the p/u position could be varied (on Alembic #1?). My personal opinion is that if you want a warmer, less-trebly/harsh guitar tone, then go for it! | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 342 Registered: 1-2003 |
Thanks Kevin. So what I have ordered (maybe the thread needs to move to F2C) is a Spectrum guitar, burst finish, single sheet of flame maple for the top. Susan, I 'd like to confirm that I'd like 22 frets, with neck p/u in the position of the 24th fret. Can you advise the exact usual location of the middle p/u? Also not quite sure which burst finish to run with. You mentioned there might be some examples of new/different burst finishes somewhere. David B. | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 355 Registered: 1-2003 |
I haven't made my mind up on what kind of burst finish to get. I'm drawn to cherryburst - but I'm interested in other possibilities. Can anyone point me to other interesting examples? | ||
| hollis
Senior Member Username: hollis Post Number: 553 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hi David, I'll tell you that the Vintage Wineburst is jewel like. Every time I open my Skylark's case I'm blown away by its beauty. Any maple custom that I order will be in Vintage Wineburst.... There's an example of it on a Skylark in the guitar section. http://store.yahoo.com/alembic/skylvinwin.html Also, the Wineburst on Reid's bass "Pinot" is very nice. I think that's not Vintage Wineburst but rather simply Wineburst.... http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_pinot.html I'm sure you've already seen these, but they're worth a second look. Hope this helps you a little. I can hardly wait to see your Spectrum come together. That's such a sweet body style. I'm sure that whatever you choose will be amazing. | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 358 Registered: 1-2003 |
Thanks, Hollis - I do like the transition to black in the vintage wineburst. |
