Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: gwEm on January 10, 2010, 01:24:53 PM

Title: guitars settling down
Post by: gwEm on January 10, 2010, 01:24:53 PM
my Jolly Roger strat sounded really good to start with, but I must say after about two months since initial assembly its noticeably getting better and better - more sustain, more harmonic content. is it the parts settling down into place? anyone else notice this with one of their parts-casters?
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: Philly Q on January 10, 2010, 01:26:24 PM
anyone else notice this with one of their parts-casters?

No, because I never get round to building mine in the first place.  :|  




:lol:
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: Twinfan on January 10, 2010, 02:05:14 PM
I noticed it with my Epiphone SG, there'll be an old thread about it...
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: tomjackson on January 10, 2010, 04:23:00 PM

A little, but probably more due to slight tweaks along the way than the wood settling.
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: Philly Q on January 10, 2010, 06:09:21 PM
I think there must be something in it because the parts are vibrating together (oo-er!) and getting used to being a guitar.

You'll have seen it before I expect, but Jonathan has mentioned how he simulates the settling-in process for new guitars.  Page 3 of this thread:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18294.msg261846#msg261846 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18294.msg261846#msg261846)
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: MDV on January 10, 2010, 06:39:08 PM
I think there must be something in it because the parts are vibrating together (oo-er!) and getting used to being a guitar.

You'll have seen it before I expect, but Jonathan has mentioned how he simulates the settling-in process for new guitars.  Page 3 of this thread:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18294.msg261846#msg261846 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18294.msg261846#msg261846)

My experiences of the same are on page 4.

I have little doubt that it happens.

They do say it takes 10 years for a piece of wood to realise its a guitar

(but this can be accelerated!)
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: gwEm on January 10, 2010, 06:49:47 PM
i wonder if fenders show greater improvements with their bolt-on construction. i guess 2 months of normal playing might not have had that much effect on the wood?

G
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: Afghan Dave on January 10, 2010, 06:59:43 PM
Funny you should say that...

I did the string tension + Torque tightening trick after talking about it on the forum the other day and I do think the joint is more alive.

Fenders are funny beasts.

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=19830.msg267741#msg267741
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: gwEm on January 10, 2010, 08:20:20 PM
Funny you should say that...

I did the string tension + Torque tightening trick after talking about it on the forum the other day and I do think the joint is more alive.

Fenders are funny beasts.

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=19830.msg267741#msg267741

thankyou for pointing me in the direction of this... i got a small but noticeable crack - i don't know about the tone, but the strings are a bit better lined up
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: Afghan Dave on January 10, 2010, 08:26:36 PM
We're crack addicts on this forum.

 PDT_003
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: shobet on January 10, 2010, 09:39:30 PM
So is there a specific order on which of the 4 bolts should be loosened first. Surely when it's got 3 screws loose it will pivot on that remaining screw due to the string tension? Does doing the 4th bring it back into line or something?
Title: Re: guitars settling down
Post by: AndyR on January 11, 2010, 01:33:12 PM
Oh dear, crack addicts, what did I start? (I assume it was my post...) :lol:

That's what I worried about shobet - on the first guitar I did 1/4 turns on opposite screws until it happened. Didn't really seem to matter that much what order I did it in. What I do now is loosen (and re-tighten) the "body end" screws first - one of our builders might be able to tell me whether this is a good or bad thing.

Main thing is, if the neck is going to move, it doesn't take much loosening at all. And I try to remember how many 1/4 turns for retightening afterwards - I have a history of over-tightening screws on anything :lol: