Steampunk Guitar

Pickups, wiring schemes, switch techniques and onboard active electronics for guitars and basses
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GuitarlCarl
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my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
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Post by GuitarlCarl »

Image
It's a work in progress... but it debuted this past weekend at a local music festival. Was a hit, I was amazed at how many people saw it and said "Whoa a steampunk guitar!" I didn't think many folks heard of steampunk.
It's a 77' Ibanez boltneck modded to a triple pup. Has the original Super 70 in the mid position now. Bridge and neck pups wired stock, and the mini switch shunts the mid pup to either rhythm or lead, nice spank when all three are on...
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

Love the steampunk approach! Even when some times steampunkers tend to be too barroque.
I like the way you keep it simple, useful and good looking. :applause:

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GuitarlCarl
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Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
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Post by GuitarlCarl »

Duckman wrote:Love the steampunk approach! Even when some times steampunkers tend to be too barroque.
I like the way you keep it simple, useful and good looking. :applause:
Thank you. Won a bid on a copper tailpiece and bridge from a Washburn that'll be going on soon as it arrives... and I am searching for the perfect vintage gauge to attach to the forearm rest. I get my steampunk sense from Jules Verne... :blackeye

I'd like to rebox an amp to match next.... It's old news but Google "Rush Steampunk Stage"
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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skylark44
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Post by skylark44 »

Cool guitar...Carl, I like it :wink: ! You don't see many "Steampunk" guitars anymore...I don't know why, I've always thought they were cool...especially the "clockwork" type (with all the gears, etc.). Nice job (especially, since that era "Ibby" might even be a Matsumoku built Ibanez! :wink: ). :mrgreen:

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GuitarlCarl
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Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
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Post by GuitarlCarl »

Oh it definitely was a Matsumoku. But it was also a basket case when I got it. The body was poorly stripped, and missing alot of hardware... The neck is original but has a chipped and cracking finish, yellowed white. The original build was good though, and she still plays very nicely. The copper parts came today, and I have a little more design work to do... more pictures later on. I also have an Electra 2253w "Rock N' Soul" from Matsumoku, a nice Tele Custom copy that also plays incredibly well.
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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skylark44
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Post by skylark44 »

Yep...those "Uncle Mat's" play great, and are built like tanks...and the Electra's definately were cool looking, in general...I've always liked 'em. :mrgreen:

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

I'm sure you guys know Tony Cochran's work. If not, you should take a look.
You need one of those to play Riven 8)
http://www.tonycochranguitars.com/

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GuitarlCarl
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my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
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Post by GuitarlCarl »

That guitar was one of my inspirations... The next one I do will be sectioned / spliced... couldn't do it to this one, she's not a solid solidbody... There's another one out there called the Nautilus...
http://www.thundereagleguitars.com/nautilus.htm
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

Wow! That plasma ball is such a detail!

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DavidRavenMoon
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Post by DavidRavenMoon »

GuitarlCarl wrote:There's another one out there called the Nautilus...
http://www.thundereagleguitars.com/nautilus.htm
That's Jeff Ritzmann's guitars. I know Jeff, he's a good guy.

I like this one:

http://www.thundereagleguitars.com/villanizer.htm

Hey I like the Chiana avatar. I forgot all about that show...
"You give a better performance if you skip the eyes" - Raymond Scott
--
Coney Island Guitars

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GuitarlCarl
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Posts: 614
Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
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Post by GuitarlCarl »

Yeah I like that one too... I've been looking for a gauge about that size to put on mine...
Farscape rocked...
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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GuitarlCarl
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Posts: 614
Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
Has thanked: 54 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Post by GuitarlCarl »

My Ibanez is as done as any guitar is... always subject to more mods, but here's the latest pic.

Image

I've also started a Steampunk styled JazzBass...

Image
Image

I'm also rebuilding an 61 Epiphone Olympic basketcase, no electrics, banged up and stripped. I've made an air coil / X2N coil humbucker for it and I'm putting an Electra booster inside, activated with a pushpull pot. Should be cool...
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

Nice! That empty pick-up space will be perfect for some kind of coil, tube... or a clock machinery! :thumbsup

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devastator
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Post by devastator »

You may like this one

Image

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

Nice one! Maybe I like more trashy stuff attached... all that nonsense pieces/tubing/cable misterious interconections always catch my imagination, but gears?... definetly, gears attract me a lot!
Good piece... you did it?

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devastator
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Post by devastator »

nope, not mine . That was made by them :

http://wildcustomguitars.com/

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pmac7565
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Post by pmac7565 »

I really like what you have done with this guitar. I have been thinking of steampunking one of the bodies I have around the shop. Nice wnter project. Thanks for the pictire.

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GuitarlCarl
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Posts: 614
Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
Has thanked: 54 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Post by GuitarlCarl »

I do like that one...
Here's my latest, a 61 Epiphone Olympic husk, steampunked.
Also has an Electra in it as a booster activated by pulling up the tone knob.
I hung it on the wall at my friends music store.

Image
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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Duckman
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Post by Duckman »

Wrench vibrato? :applause: :applause: :applause:

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GuitarlCarl
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Posts: 614
Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:14
my favorite amplifier: anything tube
Completed builds: Ds-1 mods, SD-1 mods, Small Clone mods, Muff build, Axis build, various other transistor booster builds... I can build a badaxe harmonic perc, but I can't get a fuzzface to sound worth a crap!
Location: Smellinoiz
Has thanked: 54 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Post by GuitarlCarl »

Yep, I just twisted a mixed set of wrenches 1/4" to 3/4" for my sons 13th birthday. Just ordered an adjustable intonation bridge for that Epi too... Got a couple of acoustic's to steam up too... Plans are in my head for now. :blackeye
I want it to sound like bees buzzing around in a 55 gallon drum...

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