davidquirke1 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 hey guys,just joined the forum and find it very helpful! I have my sherry a couple of months now,bought it on impulse and have fallen in love with it! it now has replaced my usual choice of a reissue of the 50's tele i was using for gigs! However iv decided to change the pickups to a "gibson classic 57 plus" in the bridge and a "gibson classic 57" in the neck in the hope of improving sound quality,however iv also read that changing the pots and pu switch is also necessary... I'm just wondering how necessary this is and if i shoud do the same and if so,to which kind of pots...cheers!! Dave Epiphone sheraton ii (Bought in Germany) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hi David I also recently bought a Sheraton and I will use the same company who made the assembly for my Emperor II. Great service if you want a ready made assembly you can just fit yourself. (It is not easy, you need a lot of patience and plan things a little make sure you have all the right tools etc) There is a standard assembly but if you e-mail David he will tailor things to exactly how you want it. When I changed out the wiring in my Emperor I was shocked at the difference the new assembly and pickups made, the stock wiring was pretty flimsy. I am researching 50's and 60's wiring at the moment, virtually made my choice for pickups will have minis, so I am drawing up my spec at the moment and will have the assembly made in the spring. This video shows the ready made assembly and how to install it. This is one of many options. I am sure people on the forum will suggest others. But I am sure most people will say if you are changing your pickups, best to have a solid assembly behind them. [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 If you have soldering skills the a pre wired harness isn't necessary. The only hard part about the job is wrestling everything back into place. If you are spending money for new pups, you would be well served to change the whole kit and kaboodle. As I said, the hard part is the install, and you (in most cases) have to remove the entire harness to swap pups. As far as the kind of stuff to use, Alpha pots serve me and my clients just fine, are durable, and sound just as good as CTS, at about half the cost. Use high quality shielded wire, switchcraft jacks and switches, and take your time. Test everything before you put it back in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidquirke1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Cheers joe,video was very helpful,think il go ahead with that,il let ya know how i get on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Good luck David I wish I could take a little course on soldering (just never done it before), I would ideally love to research and make my own assemblies. It would be cheaper and would give much satisfaction to do all the work on your lonesome and then listen to the finished item chime out. I am sure there would be hiccups along the way. I feel the same about bone nuts, I would love to be shown how to do those. I don't have a Luthier close neither, so I have to throw money at these things....which is a bummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 It would be cheaper and would give much satisfaction to do all the work on your lonesome and then listen to the finished item chime out. I am sure there would be hiccups along the way. I feel the same about bone nuts' date=' I would love to be shown how to do those. [/quote'] Here ya go Joe...how to replace a nut: Nut Replacement Video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hey Strumbone I have seen that video, as David at Mojotone is very helpful and suggested it earlier to me. Still feel the fine tuning of a pre-cut nut is best done with the proper tools. I don't have them. I have weighed up buying the files, (only option is a good set and they cost) but because I only have three guitars not cost effective. My only option is: http://www.guitarlabs.se/ in Stockholm 3 hour round trip for me. they charge 1900 Swedish Krona $267 for a total PLEK set up including good quality bone nut. it is 500 Swedish Krona $70 for just a bone nut and a PLEK readout that pinpoints where any problems are All three of my guitars "need" (ideally, all playable at the minute) new bone nuts. I think I will get my vintage Levin and total PLEK and get the new nuts and assessments for my Emperor and Sherri and try to do the rest of the setups myself........ Just wish Twang or Musikron lived close by, would much rather give those guys the money....:-) Strumbone, who made your assembly for your Sherri and what pickups did you finally go for....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Joe: Either Twang, or Musikron, or some other member mentioned a source for pre-cut nuts that fit our Epi's. By that, I mean the string spacing, depth of cut, radius, etc. will work, and only minor sanding on the bottom is required for proper height. Heck, even I could do that! Speaking of David at Mojotone, they are only two hours from me, and I went there to get some tolex for my amp head to match the speaker cab. They have a large 'net presence, but I assure you they are not set up for retail walk in customers. However, David is very nice and we got the deal done. I can also tell you that as I was looking around while waiting for the warehouse to get my order, I saw a BUNCH of vintage guitars and amplifiers around their central office. I didn't see any tags or identification marks, so I don't think these were customers projects...anyway, I was impressed with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hi Strumbone Always replies to e-mail, mega helpful, David has been first rate. When I wanted the assembly for the Emperor he carefully explained to me exactly how to get all the information he needed then went to work and it was here in no time. Even helped me by e-mail when I was having a little difficulty putting my assembly in the guitar....great service....that's what makes me want to give the job for my Sherri to him. Re: Nuts..........I was going to get a Tusq precut graphite that is made to fit the Sherri and JP but again, I may be wrong but surely to get it spot on, is more than just sanding a bit off the the bottom of the nut....Or maybe it is that simple. Point me at those nuts....:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 The thing with just sanding the bottom of the nut, is nuts are tapered. As you sand material off the bottom you are thinning the part of the nut that contacts the neck, and transfers tone. You wind up with a worse fit. Not to mention the fact that you won't have the ability to fine tune your slot spacing, and can't compensate for string gauges in the spread. Plus, every neck is slightly different, and what if you want to improve from the feel of the stock nut? Can't do that wit a pre slotted one. The bone blanks are pretty cheap, ($5ish) the files are kinda pricey. You can make your own files with lengths of gauge guitar strings glued to craft sticks. They will cut slow (good for noobs) and won't last forever. BUt you only have three guitars, and it'll let you play around and learn some new skills. I have also heard of people using feeler gauges and scoring little grooves on them to act as teeth. Again, this will be slow, but you aren't doing it for a living, and you should take your time anyways. Add some home made files with a .010" guaged saw, and you'll be ready to tackle your first nut. Google home made nut file and see what comes up. And ORDER EXTRA BLANKS!!! You will mess up your first few more than likely. Order extras, they're cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hi Musikron Firstly, thanks for the encouragement. I really want to do this stuff myself. I do have a lot of patience and I am pretty thorough. As you say if the blanks are not too expensive I am not going to go far wrong. I have three guitars all could ideally do with good bone nuts. The price of just getting one nut made and fitted here is 350 Swedish Krona (that is just labour excluding the price of the nut) so I would want that X 3 = 1050sek ($150) I found these for $85.50cents that is with postage to my door here in Sweden Fleabay nut files Need your advice Musikron, are these files worth the money, are they decent enough files. Say, between now, and when I kick the bucket, I successfully make 10 nuts with these, would they be up to doing that. Just need to know if they are OK quality. Because, if they are at that price, I think it may be worth having a crack at this myself. In the end over three nuts, I will not have saved much money, but as you say, I will have learned a skill, and if they work out. I am going to have a lot more connection to these three guitars, knowing I have changed these nuts myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Joe: Musikron is correct, in that to get the absolute best fit, a custom made nut is best. This is the route I would take for my '83 HD-28 acoustic, but for a (relatively) inexpensive electric, I would go with precut/preslotted, etc. Ron is also correct in that the top of the nut is tapered for the radius, but the bottom is flat, and is sanded, if necessary, on a flat surface. Here's a step by step link: StewMac How To Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Great link Strumbone thanks. I never, jump before I know the depth of the water, and things are, slowly, becoming clearer.....:-) But in saying that, why should I treat my vintage Levin any better than my Epi's.......just because it was handmade and is a peach....my little Korean peaches need....those bone, tone givers as well. I think, I will treat them all, equally, after all, I only have three guitars and they all are "my babies" what one gets, they all get......:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 HA! I know that guy, his name is John Marshall. He runs the worst shop in town. Why? He runs a school out of it (luthiers international) and has students perform work on paying customers guitars. Did I also mention the students pay him? The guy is raping folks on both sides of the stick. But it makes me happy, I get to come along and clean up after their shoddy work all the time. And after the client has my work as a contrast the theirs, I have a customer for life. But to answer your question, those will be fine, but they may be used. As I said, the guys a crook. Lemme see if I can source you something that will ship over there reasonably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Appreciate that Musikron you see the figures I need something that will do the job at a reasonable price.. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Seeing as you don't need that full set ( are you doing bass nuts too?) then StewMac ships over there. You could just get the few files you'll need. You can always rock them bad=ck and forth as you file to get a wider slot. I'll keep looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Just the best quality bone I can find. If it makes it any easier, my three guitars....the Levin is a jazz project... so when I put the floating neck pickup on it will have Thomastik 13's on there (has acoustic strings at the moment). The Emperor and Sherri I usually use 11's. Is that useful wen it comes to choosing files..... I have not got a clue..... Is it as simple as I would need files .011-.014-.018-.030-.042-.052 for the MEDTOP/HEAVYBOTTOM D'Addario's I have on the Emperor at the moment.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Those file gauges would work for you. As far as the best bone, go with "unbleached" or "vintage" bone. It is basically bone in its natural shape. It is easier to work, polishes batter, and looks better. I think it sounds slightly better as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Yes sir, I've heard that bleaching not only makes them whiter, but also more brittle and easier to crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 It does, thats what I meant about it being easier to work. Its actually harder so it cuts a little slower, but less chances of chinking it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hey StrumboneJust wish Twang or Musikron lived close by' date=' would much rather give those guys the money....:-) Strumbone, who made your assembly for your Sherri and what pickups did you finally go for....? [/quote'] Joe, sorry I missed this question before, Twang is assembling an upgrade pkg for me with a new nut, bridge, tailpiece, pots, switch, jack, etc., but there are some issues with the parts he's getting from the supplier. For the pups, I got a set of SD antiquities. I can't wait to get all the upgrades done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hi Strumbone Sounds like a nice set of specs do you mean the antiquity minis (you know I am obsessed with minis) From the Seymour Duncan website about the antiquity minis: I always liked this pickup. I'll never forget a guy named Glenn Schwartz who played in the early James Gang and Pacific Gas & Electric. He had an old Epiphone® Sheraton™ fitted with mini-humbuckers that got such a huge tone. With this pickup, I set out to capture that same tone. This pickup fits into the P-90 soapbar cover-style mounting ring and has adjustable pole pieces. When I put the Mean 90's in my Emperor that means I will have set of Seymour Duncan Jazz/JB hotrodded lying spare may try them in the Sheraton. They are hotter than the PAF's I would ideally like, but I can't let them sit around not being used. Also, I really liked the clarity of the pickups in this example of them being used in a Sheraton. Sheraton with Seymour Duncan Jazz neck / JB Bridge [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hi Strumbone Sounds like a nice set of specs do you mean the antiquity minis (you know I am obsessed with minis) No sir...full size. Local guy got a new guitar for Christmas that came stock with the SD antiquities, but he had a set of custom wound pups that he installed the day after. I got the SD antiquities from him for $150...still have the protective plastic on 'em.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 That is a nice catch Strumbome I starting to find out with and objective of owning 5 guitars. Things can become expensive, great when bargains come along. That is why I can't pass up this other "Epiphone by Gibson" (guitar no 4) Samick Sheraton for $380 and my SD's will be lying on the table. So if those team up that should be sweet sounding guitar for $380 dollars. Post some photos when all the work is done on your Sherri... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 OK Joe, I can do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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