1984 Ibanez DT 555 Destroyer Replica Build:

Could you have a compound radius board???
!2" morphing into 14" at or around the 11th or so fret perhaps
Like some Jacksons and other shredder guitars.
Compound radius gets flatter up the neck.
Makes for easier bending and lower action.
 
Hackmaster said:
Could you have a compound radius board???
!2" morphing into 14" at or around the 11th or so fret perhaps
Like some Jacksons and other shredder guitars.
Compound radius gets flatter up the neck.
Makes for easier bending and lower action.
Click to expand...

Good catch....but if that was the case, I should have hit the center of the frets and not the edges first in this area...No???
 
Robert Herndon said:
Good catch....but if that was the case, I should have hit the center of the frets and not the edges first in this area...No???
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Ahhh, correct. As usual I'm thinking backwards.
Good catch on your part, Sir.

I blame it on the 12 pack for lunch.
 
WOW!!!!!

I restrung tonight after the fret level and I was SHOCKED at how different the guitar sounded!!! My wife, who never pays musical stuff much attention, commented and asked me what I did!!! NOTHING was changed but the fret level and crown and I didn't even re-set the intonation yet!!!! I mean, this operation completely transformed the guitar's tone to something bell-like and vibrant. Each and every note is clear all the way up the neck. I left the 2nd fret action at .010" (fretted at he 1st) and actually RAISED the 12th fret unfretted action from .050" bass side / /040" treble side to .060" on both sides and it's just PHENOMENAL!!!

I've paid for fret levels and crowns before, but I NEVER experienced anything like this....UNREAL!!!
 
Pulled the bridge pickup tonight out of curiosity. The baseplate is a silver color and it is marked with an "HMV" stamping and also an "N," so it looks like I got a neck spaced pickup in the bridge!!! LOL!!!

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No worries....I got a set of Von Herndon Supre Sonics (with 12 adjustable allen pole pieces) to go in it with a 52mm bridge at 17.12k and a pair of 50mm's with 15.88k.

This thing may catch fire!!!!
 
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Tremolo spring reliefs.....

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I also moved the ground wire, used (4) genuine Fender (smallest diameter) springs and a Tremolo Stop was later installed (in the middle) for easy string changes.
 
Still cannot believe I have one after all these years...and to think that, in 53 days, it went from a few scraps of wood to this monster... :)

DT555 First Cuts.jpg

DT555 At Home.jpg
 
Alpha 500k Mini Pots arrived yesterday, as did the black oxide humbucker adjustment screws and a .022uf K40Y tone capacitor.

I am now ready to make the final modifications to the Destroyer - installing my custom wound Ibanez V2 clones (17.12k bridge and 15.88k middle/neck) and putting all the covers back on...

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Time to pull these 12k/12k/6.8k HMV Double Slugs out...

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Rolling out of Las Vegas this morning...planning on installing the new Alpha mini pots and custom humbuckers when we get back home today.

That's the last of the modifications....then its finished and ready to enjoy...
 
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Ok. Tone is good... pickup balance is good....but I got a ground problem...got that dreaded buzz that goes away when you touch the bridge, selector switch tip or strings...i got a good ground on the claw too...wonder what I missed???

Too tired tonight.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Ok. Tone is good... pickup balance is good....but I got a ground problem...got that dreaded buzz that goes away when you touch the bridge, selector switch tip or strings...i got a good ground on the claw too...wonder what I missed???

Too tired tonight.
Click to expand...
You must check all the grounds in your wiring, which sucks. You may want to start by checking the solder joint on your output jack. Then head for the control cavity. A poor solder joint is often the culprit.
 
Alot of my guitars do this and theres nothing wrong with any of them.Especially the P90 ones with everything cranked up. Even my brand new Gibson P90 Lester JR does this some what. Im not a fanatic about hum unless its something thats really haywire. some of my guitars have shielding some dont.
 
RVA said:
You must check all the grounds in your wiring, which sucks. You may want to start by checking the solder joint on your output jack. Then head for the control cavity. A poor solder joint is often the culprit.
Click to expand...

Good Morning!

I was thinking about that early this morning. The "buzz" is common to all pickup positions. Even the brass selector switch tip is energized, so this is a big ground issue...
 
JohnnyGoo said:
Alot of my guitars do this and theres nothing wrong with any of them.Especially the P90 ones with everything cranked up. Even my brand new Gibson P90 Lester JR does this some what. Im not a fanatic about hum unless its something thats really haywire. some of my guitars have shielding some dont.
Click to expand...

Wow! Really? None of my guitars do this and neither did the Destroyer....until I worked on it...LOL

Only my 1987 Stratocaster Squire is dead silent....my other guitars are acceptably quiet, but not silent...
 
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Tell you what has always kind of pissed me off...my old 1987 Squire with the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Solo 10k (stacked humbucker) bridge pickup....totally DEAD SILENT at full gain...quieter than any other guitar I own and much quieter than even mom's 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom with original T-tops.

Wish I could get this level of noiseless operation out of all my guitars...
 
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