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Install in J-35 Vintage Collector Edition


duluthdan

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Took less than 12 seconds to drill out the half-inch jack hole with the Uni-Bit - about $9 at the hardware store. I tape the location with a small opening rather than just covering the whole site - this avoids getting masking tape gummed up in the drill bit and I get to do the whole thing with a sharp bit throughout - actually probably took 5 seconds.

 

Installing the trance mono took about 2 1/2 hours total time. Its a rather putty process, made a bit tougher without feeling in my left hand - drop a lot of little things, its a pain, but I muddle through. There are instructions on the trance website for the install - creating a template and pretty good step by step instructions, until you get to the end, you have to figure it out a bit to get the preamp thru the jack hole, run the wires and clips, mount the volume control etc. But it went ok. This is my 2nd one. I highly recommend following the instructions and accomplishing the temporary install and giving very thing a listen. Yeah, you get to undo the temporary and then repeat the process to get the permanent install done, but doing the temporary will give you all sorts of chances to undo any mistakes, and learn from doing, so on the second and permanent install you have a better chance of avoiding those a'oh-nuts" moments.

 

I will say this - the turnbuckle clamp is too short to do its thing in my J35 as it was in the martin d35 - probably work fine in a shallow body guitar. Had to throw a small wood block in to allow them to work.

 

I have a great new appreciation for guitar techs and luthiers every time I try to do everything with one hand, through a sound hole, blind. It ain't easy.

 

The lenses are clamped and are going to stay so for about 8 hours before I string this up and plug-er-in.

 

By the way - this J-35 Vintage Collectors Edition with its thermally cured top, and beefier neck, is without question the best guitar I have ever played. Hands-down. Hope I didn't screw it up by installing a pickup - sounded fine at the temporary test stage, but that was with quite a few pieces not yet inside the guitar.

 

KEEP YER FINGERS CROSSED FOR ME.

This guitar will make the Bozeman trip next week.

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Nice! Congrats. FYI, when I called Trance about the install process, they mentioned you can take the cover off the box and 1) it will sit over the top of the back brace if it is in the way or 2) you can use it like you did your wood block to take up the additional space for the clamps to reach.

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Those turnbuckle clamps look just like the gizmos Stewmac sells as brace jacks.

 

Nice job. But you are a braver soul than I. Every time I work on a guitar I swear it will be the last time. Looking at the photos you posted though made me realize how lucky I was that all I needed to do to my last guitar was repair a broken headstock. That seems like a breeze compared to installing that pickup.

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Kudos Brother Dan...

Yeah... ima not ever do this. Can’t wait to hear this guitar. I still love that dropped D clip from your buddy playing your JB.

See the wee little silver trailer in the center? Powder, two guitars and a trailer may be heading your way. Making our way thru the Rockies towards Bozeman, and plan to dash east from there. Depending on how long our patience and gas money hold out, we may make it to New York, Ashville, Nashville, Louisville. I'll give you a shout. This guitar is in the truck.

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