The Jezz/Oil City Coronado build

OilCityPickups

Just picked up a neck to go with the Coronado style body I got from Jezz Woodroffe. The project is going slowly because the world and his missus seem to want pickups at the moment (I should complain!)

The neck is from CH guitars and was £69.00. I wanted to capture the 'spirit' of a Coronado rather than produce a replica, and I had some trouble finding a neck at a reasonable price. I could find bound Strat necks with dot inlays and unbound ones with block inlays ... but not a bound, block one for a reasonable price. The CH neck was a punt ... but not at all bad for the price. Okay so those who want a thick, chunky neck won't like it ... as it has a slim C profile. The neck itself is a nice piece of wood, the fingerboard is quite pretty, and the frets are at least neat and well seated. I expect a little work on a neck of this price (only Dr Parts necks have surprised me on that score to date) ... the frets are level, but their top surface is distinctly rough, and the fret ends on the higher end of the board are in need of a light dress. An hour's work and it'll be as good as Far Eastern import necks get.

Of course the usual 'reconstituted cheese' nut will have to go!


Jezz's body differs from a real Coronado in that there is a center block and that the top is bloody thick! However, with me, it will be played in pretty high gain situations, so that is more of a plus than a minus point.
The top carve will cause a slight problem with the fingerboard extension though. CH Guitars didn't do a block marked, 21 fret neck so 22 it had to be ... however the neck extension causes the neck to 'sit up' in the pocket at the body end by about 2mm ... therefore I will neatly 'dress away' the underside of the extension to match the 'belly' once I have the bridge in my hot little hands ... to see if the neck will need shimming for a sensible action.


Need to find a nice tailpiece now ... I wanted something heavy and cast ... like a short, Rickenbacker TP ... but all the ones I can find are intended for deeper bodied guitars, so the part that houses the mounting screws is too deep. Might have to settle for one of those spindly trapeze jobbies, but it won't be as nice.
Done some light sanding on the body ... it's not going to need much ... but I need to get some more paper.
Next installment soon.

rpr

Looking good Ash.

It isn't the best website, but anything here float yer boat tailpiece wise?

http://www.brandoniguitars.co.uk/bridges.asp

OilCityPickups

I love the slanted 'lyre' TP there  ... but every one I've looked at is too damn deep in the hinged mounting flap (ooooooer missus).

Jalapeno

Looking larvely !
B-)

rpr

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I love the slanted 'lyre' TP there  ... but every one I've looked at is too damn deep in the hinged mounting flap (ooooooer missus).

the answer is of of course- Bigsby

:P

OilCityPickups

I know this! Either of the bigsby (clones) on my Artcore Ibanez guitars would fit ... as would, no doubt the genuine article. Problem is I have two wobble equipped, hollow monsters already ... one more seems over egging the pudding   Plus the Rickenbacker styled bridge I've ordered from (Bugger)Allparts may not work too well with a wibble-lever.

Jalapeno

Don't know if it would match the colours you've got planned - but a nice bit of ebony .....

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ebony+tailpiece&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=BF&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=9m4HUrb7D4nG0QXC3oDADA&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1680&bih=891

OilCityPickups

Mmmmm tricky one ... I've narrowed it down to two possible colours of Wudtone: either the Cherry Flamenco ... or ... going completely hippy and using the Amaranthine (purple) as I've never had a purple guitar before.
I kinda had nickel/chrome in mind ... but I'm really not sure.

rpr

Would this do?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_non-trem_tailpieces/Thin_Body_Trapeze_Tailpiece.html

OilCityPickups

There are a fair few of those about on the flea bay and with Axesrus etc ... I may have to go for those in the ling run ... but the one I really like is this
think it's hinge plate's too long though ... mind you at £16 I might just suck it and see.

Jalapeno

Like it !

OilCityPickups

Well wrong or not I've bought it! I'll have to flog it on the flea bay if it's wrong

OilCityPickups

Humph ... damn thing is too long! Have to try another solution

WezV

how much too long... looking at the tailpiece i would be thinking about trimming the mounting tab slightly and adding a hole through the middle for a strap button.   just need to seal the cut edge to stop corrosion, I wouldnt worry about re-plating on such a small thin cut that's out the way

Lixarto

rpr said: the answer is of of course- Bigsby

:P

Have some Wisdom

OilCityPickups

WezV said:

how much too long... looking at the tailpiece i would be thinking about trimming the mounting tab slightly and adding a hole through the middle for a strap button.   just need to seal the cut edge to stop corrosion, I wouldnt worry about re-plating on such a small thin cut that's out the way

It did occur to me ... but it feels a bit of a bodge on what could end up as quite a looker. Tough call ... and yes the Bigsby devil is muttering in my ear Might try cutting it and see how it looks ... less than £20 riding on the tailpiece after all

FelineGuitars

I have a like new Dearmond Bigsby that would fit if you fancy swapping for some Pickups

OilCityPickups

Ooooo what are you after ... aside from any buckers we chatted about ... as I'm still awaiting news about the wire ?

OilCityPickups

Well the 'demo' Coronado has sat in a case for months while I have been hyper-busy making pickups for everyone.
Sadly I'm beginning to wonder if I shall have time to finish it properly ... and if it would not be better to pass it on to someone who could find time to do a proper job.
Unfortunately the Bigsby I got from @FelineGuitars is too long for the Coronado design ... not Jon's fault ... but the body is particularly short for a 'semi'. The tailpiece I bought is also wrong as the body is too shallow at 1 3/4 inches for a normal tailpiece. I waited five months for a rickenbacker bridge from 'BuggerAllparts' only to discover that it is too high for a bolt on neck!
The solution is to shim the neck end ... then either fit that bridge and a suitable tailpiece ... or perhaps an easier solution would be a top loading 'Cabronita' style bridge/tailpiece.
This will leave the issue of not being clearance to fit conventional humbucker rings ... I would have to use flat ones ... all solvable, but for me, possibly more problems than I need right now!

So ...
This project may well find it's way into the classifieds section

ThePrettyDamned

No!

That's a real shame. It'd look awesome in purple...

A shim of a mm or two won't hurt aesthetics And... And... And... It'll be well cool.

How about (slightly odd suggestion perhaps) a larger, prettier style of top mount bridge? Jooky quite likes the piano ones, and it would solve some issues (might require a shim for break angle though).

OilCityPickups

Time is a factor here ... I have umpteen pickup prototypes sitting on umpteen back burners ... and only one lifetime to do everything!!!
I'd considered a stopbar bridge ... but the carved top would mean I'd need to get some 'jigging' done to get the posts set right ...
I may be going through a January panic ... but there are occasions when I feel I may have more ambitions than time to fulfill them.
Seldom do you see a wobbly Weasel, but recent breakdowns of machinery have been irritating ... first my potting bath bought the big one, then yesterday I had to spend a half day putting a new 'sensor switch' in 'Gloria' my pickup winding machine. I've been left thinking I'm a bit 'time poor' at the moment and need to concentrate on the vital stuff