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Blacktop Project "X" finally underway

radioscooter

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
698
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radioscooter

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
698
ta da

Forgive the delay, I had to put on the knobs, vc pickguard, poker chip etc. And sorry these are the best shots I can do today. I will do better ones on the weekend.

Let's recap the work done & parts:

• Vintage NOS Nickel Grovers
• Vintage '50's Switch Tip
• Vintage '60 Knurled Nut
• Fatboy (VC) aged Poker Chip
• Fatboy (VC) aged Pickguard & Hardware
• "Across The Pond" M69 pickup rings
• '58/9 PAF Pup in Bridge Position
• '63 Pat No. Pup in Neck Position
• Aged DMC pickup covers
• Pigtail wireless ABR1
• Pigtail Tailpiece and studs
• Vintage '60 pointers
• Vintage '60 wiring harness incl. pots, caps
• Fatboy Aged ‘50s gold tophat knobs


HM upgrades (Package A)
Brazilian fretboard, new frets, vintage cut cellulose inlays, vintage style truss rod, neck reshape, blacktop and deep cherry back, aged by DJ.
Let me also begin to thank Kim and Dave for making me EXACTLY the guitar of my dreams!


Home from a whirlwind tour of the Pacific Northwest, may I present to you in her first public appearance:
(811429 HMBT-A)
"Black Cherry"

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Sean French

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
4,181
:wow :wow :wow
A STUNNER for sure!!!:headbange
Dave does the most impressive work.A true master.
Enjoy Black Cherry.:salude
 

Zoomer

Active member
Joined
Feb 1, 2005
Messages
2,357
Re: ta da

nice job !!

that board is to die for !!!

awesome !!! :wow :wow :wow

Zoom
 

thin sissy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
2,691
Black and cherry turned out to be a great combination! How do you like the neck reshape?
 

czarivan

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
325
FANTASTIC!!!! it's been a good couple days in the HM world eh? I love that black / cherry combo.
 

radioscooter

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
698
how about a shot of the back

You got it. Some of these were taken by Dave. Note - most of these are making the back look lighter/pinker than it is. It is a deep, dark maroon-ish red.

Now all I need are a better TRC and jackplate. Any suggestions?

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buyusfear

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
2,951
Spectacular. Just one badass guitar, thats all.

Ain't nothing wrong with that.
 

chasbo

New member
Joined
May 28, 2006
Messages
452
Did the changes you had done affect the tone or playability of the guitar?

Visually, it is far better looking than I had imagined. I think that cherry back really looks good with that blacktop. he aging seems excellent as well. Overall, a nice looking historic!
 

radioscooter

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
698
Did the changes you had done affect the tone or playability of the guitar?

Visually, it is far better looking than I had imagined. I think that cherry back really looks good with that blacktop. he aging seems excellent as well. Overall, a nice looking historic!

In a word, yes and yes.

First off, clearly dropping a PAF and a Pat# in affected the tone immensely. As did the vintage bumblebees and pots and 50's wiring. I played it a lot today at my buddy's music store through several amps and man - THAT TONE!

I am guessing you mean OTHER than the electronics though.

The answer to the playability is - absolutely. A new guitar feels like new shoes to me. This now feels and plays like comfortable, worn in shoes (with a lot of tread left)

The fretboard feels different on my fingers. The reshaped/rolled neck feels infinitely better. The vintage pots roll and feel different. (and better, to my hands)

As far as actual instrument tone - it would be hard to tell because I changed SO many things on the guitar. But I picked this guitar as a donor specifically because I liked its tone. I don't expect a big difference in the actual wood tone as such. But certainly the bone nut, the pigtail hardware all affect the tone a little bit. Unable to say for sure or how much yet. But I can't put the damn thing down.
 
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