Oh Boy....
Possible Upcoming Jackson Mods
- Thread starter smitty_p
- Start date
ivan H
Ambassador of Tubes & Grooves
Ok, Smitty has inspired me to at least look to how I can sort my Jackson's controls, so I made a template of the cavity. Mine has a "3 screw" cover so doesn't have that bit along the straight edge of the cavity that Smitty intends to remove. Anyway, using the cavity template & the old circuit board from my SG, I have found that I can (just) fit the normal Gibson control arrangement in using full sized pots. Of course the 3 way switch will need to be repositioned, but there's plenty of room in the cavity to place it like an SG switch. My next thing is to work out where this will place the controls on the front of the guitar, but I'm hoping it will be ok. I'll get back on this. Cheers
Edit: I just roughly positioned the template on the front of the guitar & am sure it'll be fine. Now I just gotta order the pots & knobs,,, & work up the nerve to plug the existing holes & drill new ones. Cheers
Edit 2: Mine also has the short "Les Paul" type 3 way switch, not the "Strat" type blade switch that Smitty's has. So I've got 3 holes to plug, then make the cavity floor a flush surface before drilling the 5 new holes. This is a major step in guitar modifying for me so I'll give it due consideration while waiting for the pots & knobs to arrive,,, then I'll hack into it. Cheers
Edit: I just roughly positioned the template on the front of the guitar & am sure it'll be fine. Now I just gotta order the pots & knobs,,, & work up the nerve to plug the existing holes & drill new ones. Cheers
Edit 2: Mine also has the short "Les Paul" type 3 way switch, not the "Strat" type blade switch that Smitty's has. So I've got 3 holes to plug, then make the cavity floor a flush surface before drilling the 5 new holes. This is a major step in guitar modifying for me so I'll give it due consideration while waiting for the pots & knobs to arrive,,, then I'll hack into it. Cheers
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OP
Cool!
One other thing I’ve noticed on mine is that the cavity I create for the new switch in the upper horn will overlap part of the contouring on the backside of the guitar.
So, I’ll need to make a switch cavity cover that matches that contour.
Fun times ahead!
One other thing I’ve noticed on mine is that the cavity I create for the new switch in the upper horn will overlap part of the contouring on the backside of the guitar.
So, I’ll need to make a switch cavity cover that matches that contour.
Fun times ahead!
ivan H
Ambassador of Tubes & Grooves
How do you intend to approach this, heat & form a suitable material or use a flat piece & something like plastic putty (bondo) to shape it to form? Cheers
OP
A lot will depend on how much clearance I have after the switch is installed.
Right now, my thought is to make the cover from wood, and form it to match the contour. I know I won’t be able to match the gloss of the body, so I’ll probably paint it a flat black. I may even paint the other covers the same so they all match. I’ll apply some copper tape to the underside for shielding.
Use copper.
OP
You mean, form the whole cover from a piece of copper?
I have considered that. It actually isn’t a bad idea, if I could form it properly. I even have some aluminum flat stock I may be able to use. A lot really depends on how much material I have to remove from the guitar.
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OP
Were you intending to refinish the guitar after you plug and redrill?
ivan H
Ambassador of Tubes & Grooves
I was talking about that with a jamming buddy yesterday afternoon. It definitely would look better to do that so is a consideration, though just touching up the area of the 3 holes would be easier. I'm still undecided at the moment. Cheers
OP
Buckle up, boys and girls.
This is gonna be a long one.
Prepare yourselves for a pictorial presentation of a guitar undergoing massive surgery.
************
Well, it's too late to turn back now!
Today, I began the process of "Les Paul-izing" my Jackson!
Witness the horror below:
Here's the patient immediately before surgery.
Front:
Back:
So far, so good...
For my first installment, I decided to get the control cavity prepared for the additional pots.
Here is the part I need to remove to make room for what will be the neck volume control.
To ensure a straight cut, I clamped a piece of MDF onto the guitar. (You don't see it here, but I have a heavy piece of dense padding on the other side of the guitar to ensure the clamps don't leave a dent in the top.)
The MDF will serve as a smooth, flat base for my router and it will also serve as a guide for the bearing bit I used.
Here's the BRAND NEW bearing bit I bought just for this job:
This was pretty easy and the bit did its job well. Here is the cavity after routing and a bit of sanding:
So far, everything's gone okay.
Now, it's time to drill for the new controls.
I made a template from cardboard, laying out where I wanted the controls to be. I marked the point where I wanted the center to be for the new pots.
This is where things went kind of fast. Before I actually drilled for the controls. I used a Forstner bit to drill for the control recesses. Once the recesses were at the depth I wanted, I drilled an 1/8" hole from the cavity side, to make sort of a pilot hole. Then, from the front of the guitar, I drilled the control holes to the desired diameter for the pots I bought.
However, there is a terminal tab on the pots, so the recess has to be shaped to allow for that. To do that, I used a wood cutting bit in my Dremel, shown below:
Here are the recesses formed for the pots:
Aaaaand finally, here's the front with the additional holes drilled:
That's it for today!
This is gonna be a long one.
Prepare yourselves for a pictorial presentation of a guitar undergoing massive surgery.
************
Well, it's too late to turn back now!
Today, I began the process of "Les Paul-izing" my Jackson!
Witness the horror below:
Here's the patient immediately before surgery.
Front:
Back:
So far, so good...
For my first installment, I decided to get the control cavity prepared for the additional pots.
Here is the part I need to remove to make room for what will be the neck volume control.
To ensure a straight cut, I clamped a piece of MDF onto the guitar. (You don't see it here, but I have a heavy piece of dense padding on the other side of the guitar to ensure the clamps don't leave a dent in the top.)
The MDF will serve as a smooth, flat base for my router and it will also serve as a guide for the bearing bit I used.
Here's the BRAND NEW bearing bit I bought just for this job:
This was pretty easy and the bit did its job well. Here is the cavity after routing and a bit of sanding:
So far, everything's gone okay.
Now, it's time to drill for the new controls.
I made a template from cardboard, laying out where I wanted the controls to be. I marked the point where I wanted the center to be for the new pots.
This is where things went kind of fast. Before I actually drilled for the controls. I used a Forstner bit to drill for the control recesses. Once the recesses were at the depth I wanted, I drilled an 1/8" hole from the cavity side, to make sort of a pilot hole. Then, from the front of the guitar, I drilled the control holes to the desired diameter for the pots I bought.
However, there is a terminal tab on the pots, so the recess has to be shaped to allow for that. To do that, I used a wood cutting bit in my Dremel, shown below:
Here are the recesses formed for the pots:
Aaaaand finally, here's the front with the additional holes drilled:
That's it for today!
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OP
I will definitely restore the shielding.
Paint would be easier, but I have a full roll of copper tape in my parts drawer.
I'll probably use the copper I have on hand.
But, I reserve the right to be fickle and change my mind without notice!
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ivan H
Ambassador of Tubes & Grooves
Nice work thus far. Do you have shielding paint to touch up where it has been removed, or will you use copper foil? Looking forward to the rest of the surgery. Chee
Lol, I like that answer. Cheers
Lol, I like that answer. Cheers
OP
WOW -- this is REALLY HAPPENING!?!?!?!??! oh Im
Oh, yes.
It is happening!
That last pic up there in post #51 pretty much seals the deal that we are past the point of no return.
(Kansas reference, for those who are paying attention!)
It's do or die from this point forward!
There will be a short pause in the action, though, as I thought of a couple of tools to make the next steps easier. Once they arrive, the patient will be put back under sedation and the operation will resume.
Right now, the patient is resting comfortably in the recovery room.
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That's pretty good....
OP
I think I may be fickle and use the shielding paint, instead.
Part of me really wants to give it a shot.