So next it needed some hardware and pickups.
I had saved a few of my favourite things and some parts that I wanted to try out.
Tuners - I chose the Graph Tech Ratio tuners - the ones where every string has a different ratio to ensure a more even winding rate - so no more twitchy winding experience on the G string and Low E.
Nut - as ever I went for the Earvana compensated tuning system nut (once you hear your guitar sound so much more in tune it's pretty hard to go back , and it requires nothing different from the player)
Bridge: a Tone Pros locking one (good experience with these, so happy to use again)
Tailpiece: a lightweight aluminium one (like I used on the 20th anniversary range - I feel it aids the top end clarity a lot)
Tailpiece studs: Some Tonepros split locking ones - holds the tailpiece 100% rigid - great resonance transfer in my opinion.
Electrics : some 500k CGE pots (like Gibson used to use - I usually use the BKP 550k ones but I still have a soft spot for these and these are the last ones I had as CGE have ceased production). The caps are Jensen oil and paper ones - a 0.022uF for the bridge and a 0.015uF for the neck tone. These were wired in 50s wiring.
Oh - and the speed knobs go up to 11!
Pickups: At last I hava home to try out my BKP 10th anniversary set in :)
Now to think about colour - I'm thinking of painting it the same colours as the blues and greens in the abalone. With all that quilting it should look like water on a tropical beach.
