-
A new Epi jpe style box I acquired is near-perfect in dimensions for me, but has some horrible feedback (worse than nearly any archtop I've played). I've also come to almost prefer the tone of semi-hollows anyway and have thoroughly enjoyed the floating toneblock hollowbody types before.
I have an assortment of clamps, gouges, various small cutting scraping tools, titebond iii.
I'm creative enough to come up with something, though that doesn't mean it will be effective...
-
10-10-2020 02:13 PM
-
try inserting a sound post under the bridge area...by connecting the arched top to the back, you are changing the vibrations of the body...if the feedback you are getting is from the body design, and not the pickups (being microphonic) then you should notice a marked difference...without getting too intrusive with your mods
luck
cheers
-
Awesome. Thank you so much Nea!
Originally Posted by neatomic
-
Yup, sound post! I think it will solve 90% of your problems.
Here’s some inspiration - the sound posts in my guitars:
ES-330/Casino kit guitar:
Soundpost in my 1950 ES-125:
Soundpost inside my ES-175 copy:
And the best one is the one in my Furch G-1. This guitar was very prone to feedback, but with the sound post it’s gone in ‘normal’ situations:
-
I'd suggest a balsa block or dowel, of a size depending on your own tonal preferences. Balsa does not add much mass, is tonally inert and easy to work with. It is structurally strong. Cedar or Spruce or Port Orford Cedar-really a cypress- would be on my list, too.
Gibson's Chromyte is nothing more than balsa.
-
i like round sound posts...type of wood??... depends on what you want to do...softer gives some flex...harder keeps it stressed...diameter/size as well...not as straightforward as it may seem! hah..what is?
cheers
ps- classic violin style
-
Originally Posted by neatomic
-
^ hah...500 years of luthiery tech reduced to a d#%k joke!
cheers
-
Seems to have done the trick.
-
And? How do you like it?
-
Originally Posted by Little Jay
As for the guitar itself, maybe a different story....
Slightly off topic:
Having difficulty getting the sound I'm after. Playing it through my Yamaha G50 112 mk-II and trying to get more Herb Ellis polytone sound but it's really kind of bright, chimy and fender-ish Kenny Burrell (which isn't anything bad either) even with the mids cranked and bass/treble on low.
I'm hoping my 80s orange Roland Cube 60 (I left at my friend's house for rehearsal purposes (last year!)) will help with that when I get it back.
Thank you for the helpful pics. I've seen/heard a few of your modifications and they're always cool.
-
Originally Posted by arielcee
It's an everlasting ongoing tone quest... so many variables in the chain from pick to speaker... but I am starting to discover some ways to steer the sound in the direction I want....
-
^ its bright and chimey, because you killed too much tone out of top and back...too big a block or too tight a fit...all it takes is a little round sound post to connect from top and back..that will kill feedback vibrations without killing tone..as long as top and back are connected...
a big heavy block..and maybe too tight..will kill a lot of essential vibrating i.e. tone
cheers
-
Originally Posted by neatomic;[URL="tel:1068648"
with an externally controllable length sound post under the floating bridge ....
then one could find the sweet spot
ive no idea how this might be physically done tho
(answers on the back of an envelope)
(or post em here !)
-
Originally Posted by neatomic
I did do a sound post in my Furch that does has bracings, but that sound post is small with little wood surface touching the top and back. I didn’t notice that guitar sounding brighter after installing the sound post.
So to TS: did the guitar get brighter after installing the sound post or was it already bright before?Last edited by Little Jay; 10-19-2020 at 10:37 AM.
Ibanez archtop with 0.010 Thomastik strings and...
Today, 05:27 AM in The Builder's Bench