Project Summary . . .

I stated at the beginning of the Stagemaster Project that this blog would have a beginning and an end, and I guess this is the end. The Stagemaster is all back together and I have been playing the heck out of it. I have to say, without exaggeration, that it is the most beautiful sounding guitar I have ever owned.

What did I learn? Lots, and a lot more than I cared to learn regarding electronics. But if I had to stress the importance of one particular item, it would be shielding. I just cannot say this enough . . . if you are going to hot rod an electric guitar, I advise you to shield the electronics properly. I have owned several electric guitars over the years, including a Strat and a Les Paul, and they all made noise. Hum, buzz, feedback, microphonics, whatever. To varying degrees, every one of them made some type of annoying noise.

This Stagemaster, because of the pains I took to research how to properly shield electronics, makes no extraneous noise of any type whatsoever. I can crank it up to ear splitting volume levels, and there is no hum, no buzz, no feedback or anything else. The only sounds this guitar makes is pure, sweet electric guitar sounds. The total lack of electronic hum and buzz really takes some getting used to. A new experience for me.

And finally, I would like to thank those of you who have followed this blog from beginning to end. I know this is a highly specialized topic and not for everyone, but I know there are a handful of you out there who have read the whole thing, and I appreciated your kind words and encouragement when the going got tough. I felt like throwing the whole thing in the garbage on several occasions.

So I guess that's about it for this blog. If you would like to drop me a line from time to time, please do so. I'd like to hear from you.

Take care and keep playing those electric guitars.

Crispy

What Did It Cost?

Well I've collected all the receipts for the Stagemaster Project and it, of course, cost a lot more than I thought it was going to (the story of my life). Here is the breakdown:

1 Fender 5-way Superswitch - $21.80
1 DiMarzio DP213F pickup - $59.99
1 DiMarzio DP103 pickup - $59.99
1 DiMarzio DP217 pickup - $59.99
1 Strat Knob Set (black) - $6.99
1 Strat Switch Knob (black) - $3.99
1 Fender Standard 5-way Switch (not used) - $11.99
2 Gibson 500K Pots - $13.98
2 Fender 250K Pots (not used) - $9.90
2 Sheets Copper Foil - $20.00
1 Custom made Tortoise Pickguard - $80.00

Which comes to, I believe, an astounding $348.62! This is slightly more than I paid for the Stagemaster in the first place. So if any of you out there are contemplating a major overhaul like this one, be prepared for the costs to add up when you start buying quality parts.

Crispy

DiMarzio Responds

I had some time today so I thought I would drop DiMarzio a line explaining the problem with their wiring diagram. Be aware that their web site is not very user-friendly regarding tech support. Here is the exchange:

Me:

For your information, the wiring diagram PDF you have on your web site for the humbucker-single-humbucker (hum canceling) set up, is wrong and cannot work per your instructions. I am attaching an image to this e-mail that illustrates the error. The red and green wires in your diagram (indicated with blue arrows) are reversed and cannot work like that.

Thank you.

DiMarzio Tech:

Sorry, but you are incorrect. The diagram works perfectly well when used with the types pf pickups called for in the text. We have used it at our shop, and several guitar builders use it on their instruments.

Me:

The types of pickups make a difference? Don't they all have the same number of wires and colors of wires? All of my pickups are brand new DiMarizios and if wired according to your diagram, the bridge pickup does not work when the 5-way switch is in postions 4 and 5.

I think you are incorrect.

DiMarzio Tech (Steve Blucher):

Sorry, but I am not incorrect. We should be able to sort this out if you can tell us which pickups you have.

Me:

I have a DP103, a DP213F and a DP217, all brand new. Yes, please enlighten me. I am anxious to see how, with these pickups, you can make the bridge pickup work using your wiring diagram. The only way I could make it work was to swap the red and green wire connections for the bridge pickup.

DiMarzio Tech (Steve Blucher):

The diagram on the website calls for 2 standard humbuckers in the neck and bridge positions and a Virtual Vintage-style Strat-size pickup in the middle. The middle pickup has opposite polarity from the humbuckers, hence the color code in the diagram. Your setup has 3 standard humbuckers, for which the correct wiring diagram is attached above.

Me:

The DP217 is not a humbucker, is it?

DiMarzio Tech (Steve Blucher):

The DP217 is a stacked, humcancelling Strat-size pickup. If it is installed in the middle position, the diagram on the website shows the correct wiring. A different diagram is called for if it is not.

Me:

Then we disagree, I guess. It is definitely installed in the middle position and I had to swap the red and green wires on the bridge humbucker to get it to work. I know nothing of electronics; however, I am very good at following instructions and diagrams. After I installed my pickups and wired them up according to your diagram (precisely), the bridge position pickup did
nothing in switch positions 4 and 5. It worked only after I swapped the wires.

DiMarzio Tech:

All of our humbuckers are magnetized in the same direction (unless specified otherwise by the individual customer), so if the wiring functions correctly in positions 1&2 (neck & middle) it should function similarly in 4&5. The only possibility I can easily envision is that the bridge pickup was incorrectly magnetized in the wrong direction.

Me:

Well thank you for your time and I guess this issue will have to remain a mystery. And for whatever it's worth, after I swapped the wires and got the bridge pickup working, the guitar sounds fabulous. The pickups sound beautiful both singly and in combination with each other.

This has to be the best sounding arrangement of pickups that I have ever had. The DiMarzios completely exceeded my expectations.

DiMarzio Tech:

The mystery could be solved by returning the bridge pickup to us. You could also check the polarity of the humbuckers by holding a compass over the polepieces. The poles on the coil located over the cable exits on both pickups should read south.

Me:

Thanks, but the only way I would return pickup is if I had a replacement in hand. I have no intention of being without my guitar any longer than I already have been while fiddling with and researching this installation hassle. Not knowing anything about electronics I solved this installation issue by trial and error and it almost drove me nuts!

If you would care to send me a replacement I would be happy to send this pickup back to you with the receipt and original packing materials. The pickup was purchased at the Guitar Center in Tampa, FL in January or February, I think.

If you can't send me a replacement in advance, I'll make do with it the current pickup wrongly magnetized, or whatever. By the way, I don't have a compass readily available so I can't check the polarity.

DiMarzio Tech:

If the diagnosis is correct, there is no reason to disassemble the guitar and return the pickup to us, since its performance is not negatively affected by having reverse polarity. In hindsight, it might have saved you some time (and sanity) if you had contacted us as soon as you encountered the problem.

Me:

I had considered contacting you, but I wasn't confident of a solution based on your web site's "Contact" page. The "Technical Support" link merely goes to a series of FAQs that didn't help, and I wasn't sure the "General Info" was for--web site issues or technical issues. I sent my comments to "General Info" on a whim and as a courtesy.

Anyway, I don't know how common wrongly magnetized pickups are, but if it is something you produce fairly often, you may want to mention it in your installation docs.

Michael Altilio (DiMarzio):

Your question will be answered by one of our techs, but I wanted to comment on a side issue. The Contact Tech Support function on the website takes you to the FAQ page, which answers many questions without contacting us. The final option on the FAQ page is "Ask a question", where you are prompted to email us. Perhaps this isn't as obvious as we would like it to be.

We often make pickups with reverse polarity at the customer's request for special switching configurations. It's possible that there was a mixup where we put a reverse magnet pickup in standard packaging.

The good news is that your problem is solved. Sorry for the grief.

DiMarzio is Wrong!

As I explained in my previous post, there was one final headache involved in completing this project, and it is DiMarzio's fault. Please take a look at the 2 illustrations, and keep in mind I am no technical writer.

The red box in Fig. 1 is an area I would like to bring your attention to and more specifically, to where the bridge pickup connects to the 5 way switch and volume pot.

Fig. 2 is a "blow up" of this area. The problem with DiMarzio's schematic is that the red and green wires are reversed. I have indicated the "reversed" wires with blue arrows.

If this is wired up per DiMarzio's instructions, the bridge pickup will not work at all. I suspected something was wrong with DiMarzio's diagram and my suspicions were confirmed when I had an electronics guy check it out for me.

Connected per DiMarzio's instructions, the bridge pickup will not work with the 5-way switch in either position 4 or 5.

To correctly wire this up, the green wire goes to the 5-way switch and red wire is grounded to the volume pot housing. The "ass-backwards" red and green wires threw me off and caused a lot of experimenting where none was needed had the schematic been correct.

I am considering writing a letter to DiMarzio regarding this incorrect schematic. Maybe I can save some other chump out there some aggravation.

Crispy

The Final Product

The Stagemaster is finished, and here it is. Isn't she beautiful? I had time today to put it all back together and I'm happy to say it went off without a hitch--which is not to say that there wasn't a final hitch regarding the electronics. But please allow me to describe the bad parts in a later post.

What I would like to do today is enjoy the moment. The Stagemaster is back together and it sounds . . . well, it sounds like I hoped it would. What more could I ask for, really? I expected and hoped it would sound a certain way, and it has exceeded my expectations.

The new DiMarzio pickups sound sublimely beautiful singly, and in combination with one another. The neck position pickup is a powerhouse with a huge, big fat sound and the single coil in the middle position is as clean sounding of a pickup that I have ever heard.

But the main feature, it turns out, is the f-spaced pickup in the bridge position. This is an ass-kicking pickup that almost sounds like it has an overdrive built in. The power is indescribable.

And finally, the shielding. Going to the trouble of shielding the electronics properly has paid off in a big way. I have never owned a guitar, until now, that is completely noise free. No hum, no buzz no nothing. Complete, beautiful silence.

So what is left to do? Nothing as far as the Stagemaster goes, but what I would like to do for you is to summarize the project in the next series of posts. There were several mystifying developments at the end of the project which you should be aware of if you try something like this on your own. I will describe these to you in detail.

I would also like to summarize what this project cost. I have a feeling that it may have cost more than the guitar itself cost, but we'll see. I haven't added it up yet.

But for now, the Stagemaster is done and I am enjoying my "new" guitar.

Crispy

Big News!

A lot of new news coming soon regarding the Stagemaster project. DiMarzio's wiring diagram is wrong! Wrong I tell you! More on this soon.

Crispy!

Galactic Purple on eBay

I'm not a huge fan of the color purple, but look what I found for sale on eBay. It is the Galactic Purple version of the Stagemaster and there are some good photos of it on eBay, just click on the photo to go to the sale (sale expired, link removed). Now this is purple!

Please note that it is described on eBay as a "Squire Stagemaster Stratocaster by Fender," which is incorrect. For one, it is not a Stratocaster at all, and Squier is misspelled.

I would like to know where they got that hardshell case. I may have to drop them a line.

Crispy

The Work Continues

I finally had some time this morning to take the Stagemaster back apart. I didn't want to trash the brand new set of strings I put on so I had to figure out a way to avoid taking them completely off, and this is what I came up with.

All I did was unlock the "locking nut" and loosened the strings until they were real baggy. Then I taped them to the neck with some masking tape as shown where they would stay put and not get bent up. Then it was a simple matter of releasing the strings from the Floyd Rose bridge.

I removed the pickguard again, for the umpteenth time, and unsoldered all of the connections to the two 250k pots and installed the Gibson 500k pots that I bought earlier. I had to ream out the holes in the pickguard just a tad to get the Gibson pots to fit, but they are now mounted on the pickguard.

That's about as far as I got today. All I have to do is reconnect everything to the new pots and I should be finally good to go (crossing fingers). Unfortunately, this is no small job. There is a lot of soldering and reconnecting still to be done.

Crispy

Galactic Purple

Not much to report on the project right now. I've been very busy with work lately and have not had the time to take the Stagemaster back apart and swap out the pots. I am hoping to have some time maybe this afternoon or tomorrow perhaps. I am anxious to get on with this and get the guitar back in order.

On another topic though, I found a photo of a "Galactic Purple" HSH Stagemaster. Along with the Arctic White one, I've never actually seen a purple one in real life. I don't know if the color is accurately represented in this photo or not, but I think not. For some reason, I got the impression that "Galactic Purple" would be more purple than this. Anyone ever seen a purple one?

Crispy

I Hate Electronics!

Please take a look at the image to the left. This is, according to DiMarzio, how the volume pot in my "hum-canceling" pickup configuration should be wired up. They recommend 500K pots and a capacitor and resistor on the volume pot lugs as pictured. The recommended values for the capacitor and resistor are 560 pf and 300K respectively. The capacitor and resistor, according to DiMarzio, are optional and only serve to "restore the treble response that is sometimes lost when the volume control is turned down."

Well, I didn't use 500K pots, nor did I install the "optional" capacitor and resistor. This, apparently, was a mistake on my part because the Stagemaster does not sound the way I expected it to sound. The sound is unacceptable, so the Stagemaster has to come apart again.

So here is where I get confused. While DiMarzio recommends specific capacitor and resistor values (see above) for this set up, these values, come to find out are widely argued amongst people who know a lot more about guitar electronics than I ever will. These values aren't chiseled in stone and everyone, it seems, has an opinion on the matter. Some argue that they are a needless headache and shouldn't be used at all and they even offer up alternatives, which I'll get to soon. I will now give you 2 examples of completely differing opinions out of the dozens I found:

Example #1:

This mod will keep the sound a little brighter as you turn down the volume, and it won't get so muddy/muffled. Worth doing, IMHO.

The cap and/or cap- resistor are added between the hot of the volume pot (the terminal connecting to the switch) and the center lugs. The third terminal of the volume pot is ground, and is probably bent over and soldered right to the bottom of the pot.

There are several ways to do this. I've only tried a couple.

a) Cap only.
b) Cap and resistor in parallel. (This is what I have now on my Clapton.)
c) Cap and resistor in series. (I haven't tried this one.)
d) Cap and resistor in series, with another cap in parallel with those. (I haven't tried this one, either.)

The value of your volume pot will determine what values to use here. If your volume pot is a 250K, then I'd recommend starting with example "b" and using a 220K resistor with a 680pf capacitor. Any wattage resistor (1/4 watt is fine) and any rating of cap (50v ceramic disc) is more than OK. For more information go to the websites for Kinman pickups, Acme guitar works, or Seymour Duncan.

If your volume pot is a 500K, then multiply the resistor by two and divide the cap by two. (Approximately 470K resistor and 330pf to 500pf.)

FWIW, on Strats with volume pots of 250K, for the cap only method (a) I have used anywhere from 330pf to 800pf. Try about 500-600pf for starters.

Example #2:

I've used the cap/ resistor method, and another one that's free and works better:

There's a wire that goes from the outside lug of the volume pot to the tone pot. Simply move the wire from the outside lug of the volume pot to the middle lug.

That's it. Try it. I did and found it to be less nasally, more natural sounding, and no screwing with different value caps.

So there you have it, and because I am a huge fan of simplicity, I think I am going to toss the 250K pots and go back to 500K's, and try Example #2 first. The reason for this is that stuffed up and "nasally" sounding is exactly what the Stagemaster has going on right now.

My next step will be to unstring the Stagemaster, take the pickguard back off and try a different set up. I'll keep you up to date.

Crispy

Houston, we have a problem...

I'm not happy. Well, I strung up the Stagemaster last night just for a test run, plugged her in, and didn't like what I heard. I'm not sure if it is the 250 k pots I used or what, but I don't like the way she sounds. Don't like it at all. It was said that the 250 k pots would produce a slightly warmer tone, but this is a little too warm . . . no, way too warm for my liking. Be prepared for a lengthy read next entry. I have lots to report, a few ideas, a lot of conjecture and personal opinion mixed in with some other people's ideas I've read on the web which may solve the problem.

I only attached the pickguard with 3 screws, but taking the Stagemaster back apart and unstringing this thing is a depressing thought, but I'm afraid it has to be done.

Crispy

P.S. The good news is that tortoise shell looks sweet on gloss black paint. : )

P.P.S. The copper foil shielding works perfectly. The Stagemaster is virtually silent no matter how it is waved around. No static, no hum, no buzz, no microphonics whatsoever.

Success!

Today I am happy to report that after installing the new Fender Superswitch I bought, all of the new pickups seem to be working in accordance with the switch settings. All 5 positions are working when the are supposed to be working, and not working when they are not supposed to be working.

I took me at least an hour and a half to uninstall the standard 5-way switch I bought earlier and to install and wire up the new Superswitch. Again, if you are interested in looking at the wiring diagram, click here to view the PDF from DiMarzio. I wired everything up exactly as instructed, and it was no piece of cake.

I do not have an ohm meter (or whatever they're called), so after I loosely attached the pickguard back onto the guitar with a couple of screws, I tested the pickups by plugging the guitar into my amp and tapping on each of the pickups with a small screwdriver. After I moved the switch through all 5 positions and tapping on each pickup respectively, I determined that they are all active when they are supposed to be. According to DiMarzio, this is the reasoning behind a "hum-canceling" configuration such as this:

"One reason the 3-pickup humbucker-single-humbucker setup is popular is because of the Stratlike sound of the 2nd and 4th switch positions. Because these positions utilize 1 coil from the neck or bridge humbucker and the single-coil in the center, they are humcancelling. If there is also a humcancelling pickup like a Virtual Vintage® model in the middle position, it becomes necessary to turn off the bottom coil of the middle pickup as well as one coil from the outside humbucker. This can't be accomplished with a standard 5-way selector switch. The diagram shows how to do this with a multipole 5-way (EP1112). Observe the positioning of the humbuckers: the neck pickup is installed in the opposite direction from the bridge pickup. This was done so that the coil closest to the middle pickup remains on in the 2 & 4 positions. This produces the most "quack". If the humbuckers are turned around, the result is a less hollow, more Tele-like sound."

At this point, all I can tell you is that all of the pickups are working. I won't have any idea of what the Stagemaster actually sounds like until I put it all back together and put some strings on it--which will be the next step.

And regarding strings, this guitar has been jostled around a lot in the course of this mod. I hope to heck it hasn't developed any intonation problems as a result of all of the handling. Intonation problems, I know from experience, can be a real headache.

Not too much longer now . . .

Crispy

Minor Update

I received my Fender Superswitch Saturday so I should be able to continue on with the project very soon. This is the biggest switch I have ever seen for a guitar and I sure hope it fits in the electronics cavity. I haven't actually fitted it yet, but I can see where some guitars might require routing in order to fit this switch. Just eye-balling things the switch looks like it will fit, but before I wire this thing up I will definitely do a test fit. More on this soon.

Crispy

Red Stagemaster on eBay

If you are interested, there is a red Stagemaster for sale on eBay right now. The person selling it obviously doesn't know anything about the guitar (or guitars in general for that matter). This Stagemaster certainly isn't one year old. If you are interested in a red HSS, here is your chance. I kind of like the red ones; however, the Arctic White Stagemaster is still my holy grail.

Crispy

P.S. I'm still waiting on the "Superswitch" I ordered last week. Once I get it, I'll continue on the project. And also, this eBay sale is over so I removed the link.

Stewart-MacDonald

I'm a new fan of the Stewart-MacDonald web site. I hadn't actually heard of these people until I started this project, but they have a remarkable web site that not only has any part you can think of, but what I really like, is they tell you how to use the parts.

Furthermore, the design of their web site is excellent (take it from me, I was in the web design business for almost 10 years). It is easy to navigate and the overall design usability is outstanding. If you are looking for guitar accessories and parts, I highly recommend Stewart-MacDonald. It was reading the descriptions of switches on their web site that finally made it clear to me which switch I needed to finish the Stagemaster project. Bravo, Stewart-MacDonald, bravo!

Crispy

Switching Gears

After researching wiring information on the web until about about 1:00 am this morning, I have decided and ordered. In order to achieve this wiring configuration (pdf), I need a 5-way "Superswitch" (pictured left). Not a "Megaswitch" or any other kind of switch, a "Superswitch."

To quote from the Stewart-MacDonald web site:

"Unlike standard 2-pole lever switches, this 4-pole switch has 24 solder lugs, which allows for virtually limitless wiring options."

And because my middle pickup is the 4 conductor type (pdf), this switch is what I need to make the whole thing come together.

The best price I could find on a Superswitch was at GuitarElectronics.com for $17.95, which is a couple of bucks cheaper than anyone else, and it is Fender OEM.

Sheeeesh! And to think that before I ever started this project I had never even heard of a "Superswitch!"

Crispy

Guess what? More on wiring...

Well, I have found out why my current wiring set up doesn't work. It seems that the DiMarizio single coil (YJM) pickup I bought for the middle position is a 4 conductor, hum canceling pickup (pdf). Which isn't a bad thing, but I wasn't planning on the pickup having more than 2 wires. In this case, it has 5 (1 white, 1 black, 1 red, 1 green, 1 ground).

The wiring diagram from DiMarzio that I was trying to use assumed that a standard single coil pickup (2 wires) would be used. Take a look at this diagram (pdf).

As I understand things, if I want to use the new YJM I bought and make it do what I want it to do, I can't use a standard 5 way switch. I have to use a multipole 5-way switch (sometimes called a Megaswitch) that will facilitate the desired, hum-canceling hookup. Please take a look at this diagram (pdf) and you can see how the YJM is hooked up to the switch. Obviously, this setup cannot be accomplished with a standard 5-way switch.

I have found the switch I need at Stewart-McDonald, take a look here. So it looks like I am going to have to order up and wait for it to get here.

If any of you have any input regarding this wiring issue, I'd sure like to hear it.

Crispy

Wiring Disaster

Sigh . . . the rewiring job has turned into a nightmare. After wiring up the Stagemaster, I loosely attached the pickguard and plugged the guitar in to see if everything was working. I tested the pickups by simply tapping on them to see if they were all working. Wired up like the DiMarzio diagram, nothing happens when the 5 way switch is in position 4 or 5 (or the bottom two positions). It appears like in positions 1, 2 and 3, all of the pickups are on, however. I have checked and rechecked all of the connections and it appears like everything is right, but two positions don't seem to work at all. I don't know if the diagram is wrong or I have a bad 5 way switch. Back to researching . . .

Crispy

Finished Wiring

Okay then, with the exception of the 3 wires that are attached to the Stagmaster's body (the ground to the spring bridge and the 2 wires that come from the output jack), the wiring is done. Here is a photo of the finished product.

After I found the wiring diagram on Dimarzio's web site, everything fell into place. Here is the most interesting thing of all, in my opinion (taken from DiMarzio's own wiring diagram):

"Observe the positioning of the humbuckers: the neck pickup is installed in the opposite direction from the bridge pickup. This is done so that the coil closest to the middle pickup remains “on” in the 2 and 4 positions. This produces the most "quack". If the humbuckers are turned around, the result is a less hollow, more Tele-like sound."

So this told me that it does indeed matter which direction the pickups are mounted. It doesn't necessarily affect an individual pickup's sound, but it does affect the overall sound when the 3 pickups are used in combination with each other.

That being the case, I had to remove the bridge pickup and flip it over where it would be opposite of the neck pickup per the instructions. I know it sounds confusing, but it makes sense to me when I think about it.

And finally for today, as nice as the new tortoise shell pickguard is, I discovered to my dismay that none of the screw holes were counter sunk. I hadn't noticed this until today. Luckily I had a counter sinking drill bit that took care of the matter. No big deal, but it was an annoyance.

Crispy

Wiring Woes

Much to my surprise, the wiring diagram for the Stagemaster which I downloaded from the Squier web site, does not match up with the way the guitar is actually wired. Furthermore, the DiMarzio pickups I bought have more wires than that original pickups. The original pickups have 3 wires, red/white/ground. The DiMarzios have 5 wires, red/white/black/green/ground.

If this wasn't confusing enough, the instructions that came with the DiMarzio pickups are not what I would call "user-friendly" at all.

I was totally confused as to how to proceed, so it was necessary to get on the web and do some research. Interestingly enough, I found some completely "user-friendly" wiring diagrams right on the DiMarzio web site--you just have to dig around for them. Why this information isn't included with the pickups is beyond me.

I decided to go with this set up (pdf). This is the diagram and a complete description of the sound that is likely to be achieved. I have now finished the wiring and will post a photo in the next entry.

Crispy

P.S. And come to find out, it DOES matter which way the pickups are facing. More on that later...

Gone to Pot

The new Fender pots arrived today and they, of course, fit the holes in the pickguard perfectly. I have attached all of the parts to the pickguard and here are a couple of photos of the progress. I haven't done any wiring yet as I ran out of time today to work on the project. Speaking of wiring, I guess I am going to have to refer to the Stagemaster wiring diagram from the Squier web site (pdf) after all. In handling the old electronics over and over, a couple of the wires have unattached and I can't remember what they were attached to. The soldering was inferior in the first place, so the wires just came right off. Even though I'm not that good at reading wiring diagrams, this doesn't look too tough.

I do have a mystery to solve though. Take a look at the pickup in the neck position (top photo). Can you see how it has screw-type pole pieces on the top and solid pole pieces on the bottom? I can't tell if I have it in upside down or not. If anyone has any input on this dilemma, I'd sure like to hear it before I put the pickguard back on. I've never had a humbucker like this one so I don't which side is up. I suspect that I may have it right, but would like to know for sure.

At any rate, I finally have everything I need to finish this thing. I hope to do some wiring tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

Crispy

Floyd Rose

I had no idea that there was a Wikipedia entry for Floyd Rose. Ever wondered how you would like a Floyd Rose tremolo? Check out this page for everything you ever wanted to know about Floyd Rose tremolos including how they work, how to adjust them, advantages, disadvantages, parts, etc. Since the Stagemaster employs a Floyd Rose, I thought this information might be appropriate here. The page also includes some really interesting diagrams and photos. Here is the actual url, if you need it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Rose

This is the most informative page I have found on the web regarding this remarkable tremolo system. Check it out before you buy a Floyd Rose for yourself. Although I love mine, it took some getting used to and I can see why it wouldn't be for everyone. Changing strings for the first time was a real adventure in cluelessness on my part.

Crispy

F-Spaced Pickups Revisited

Remember in a way earlier post when I described the importance of having an f-spaced pickup at the bridge? Take a look at this photo which I found on the web somewhere--I believe it may have been a pawn shop web site or something. This is an HH Stagemaster and you can plainly see that the bridge pickup's pole pieces don't even come close to lining up under the strings. This is a much better example photo than the one I posted of my guitar, and this one is as bad, if not worse, than mine was.

Take a look a your own guitar. If the bridge pickup's pole pieces don't line up precisely under the strings, you need to get f-spaced.

Crispy

Pickguard Shielding

While I am waiting for the Fender pots to get here, I went ahead and shielded the tortoise pickguard with the copper foil. As you can see, I added a generous amount of foil to completely cover all of the electronics cavities in the Stagemaster's body. The pickups, pots and other electronics will be completely encased in grounded copper foil. If all goes well, this guitar should produce no electronic noise or hum whatsoever. We'll see!

Crispy

Problem Solved!

Because Guitar Center is about 35 miles from my house and so far they have had to order everything I've needed anyway, I decided to solve the "pots" issue by buying a set off of eBay. I ended up buying 2 Fender 250 k split shaft pots, which includes capacitors. With shipping they cost slightly more than the 2 Gibsons I was sold at Guitar Center, but who cares. I just want to get on with this.

This solves a couple of issues. First off, I wanted to try 250 k pots in the first place, but Guitar Center didn't have any so I settled for the (Gibson) 500 k pots--the original pots, as you may recall, were 500s and I wanted to try something different. According to what I've read, 250 k pots produce a significantly "warmer" tone than 500's. We'll see what they sound like, but I am into "warmer" tones.

Secondly, I think I will receive these Fender pots sooner via eBay than I would have if I had ordered them through Guitar Center. So I ended up getting what I wanted to start with.

So, I have ended up with 2 Gibson short shaft 500 k pots. If anyone is interested in them, let me know. Maybe we can work something out. They look like they would fit a Les Paul perfectly.

Crispy

Another Delay...

Crap! I finally got caught up with business matters and had an entire evening to myself to work on the Stagemaster. I get all of the stuff together, get my soldering iron hot and get comfy only to find out that the new pots don't fit through the pickguard! They are short, split shaft pots all right, but the threaded housing that fits through the pickguard is too big around.

I even asked the doofus at Guitar Center about these pots (which are Gibsons) before I paid for them. When he handed me Gibson pots, I specifically asked this indifferent know-it-all if he was sure they would fit through a Fender pickguard. "Oh yeah, " he said, "they're all pretty much generic size-wise." So, of course, the idiot didn't know what he was talking about. I should have known.

Well anyway, I'm on my way back to Guitar Center to trade these Gibson pots in for some that will fit through the pickguard holes, and this time I am taking the old ones with me to make sure. Sheeesh!

Crispy

Pickguard Time . . . Finally!

I came home from St. Augustine today to find that the custom pickguard still hadn't arrived. I immediately got on the horn to Pickguards.com to find out what the hold up was. Of course no one picked up, so I steamed about it for a while then went about my business. About 7:30 tonight a UPS guy showed up at my door with a package and guess what it was?

Here are a couple of photos of the pickguard, but I must say, they don't do it justice. It is absolutely gorgeous! It looks like someone took it right off a genuine '50s Strat and sent it to me. It has a beautiful aged appearance and exceeds by far what I had expected. I propped it up on the body where you can get an idea of how nicely it goes with that gloss black paint job.

Furthermore, it fits perfectly and every single screw hole lines up perfectly with the holes in the body. The material, however, is much different than the original white plastic pickguard. It seems to be much more dense and significantly heavier. It is the same thickness though, so no problems. I guess it too is some type of plastic but of a higher quality.

I am very pleased with the new pickguard and can't wait to start putting the whole thing back together again. Since I was away for most of the week, I have a bunch of real estate business to get caught up on so I don't know if I'll get to it this weekend or not. But I now have all of the parts, I just need to make some time to put the whole thing together.

Crispy

Project Video

Hello all, I'm posting this update from St. Augustine, FL. I've had some time to kill, so I started browsing the web for articles that describe how to post a video to a web site. I've never actually done it, but I have digital video camera and I've been giving some thought to posting a video of the finished guitar (complete with sound) to this blog when this project is completed.

I thought it might be kind of cool for you all to see the finished product in action, and more importantly, how it sounds.

From what I can tell it doesn't look that complicated and I already have all the necessary gear to make a video. I'm going to keep reading up on the topic since I'll have more time to kill, but it sounds like fun. I'd like to play some sample riffs for you hear with the guitar adjusted to different settings.

Let me know if you have any pointers regarding posting video to a web page.

Crispy

Waiting, Still Waiting . . .

Right now I am still waiting on the new pickguard so I have nothing new to post other than this status update. I had considered going ahead soldering all the electronic parts together, but I've decided that it would be simpler and they would be easier to manage if they were attached to and held in place by the pickguard. So now I wait.

I will be in St. Augustine, FL from this Tuesday afternoon through Friday afternoon on business, so this blog may not get updated until next weekend. If I have the pickguard by then, that is.

If the pickguard gets here tomorrow, I'll at least post some photos of it before I leave.

Crispy

New Squier Models for 1999

Wow! What a great find! Here is the description of the New Squier Models for 1999, and here is the Stagemaster description from the same page:

SQUIER STAGEMASTER MODELS

"This entirely new Squier Stagemaster, is made explicitly with the young rocker in mind. With its sleek body design, reverse headstock and drive-bombing, double-locking tremolo, the new Squier Stagemaster spells "flash" with every feature. Each guitar comes equipped with sleek hardwood body, maple neck, reverse Strat headstock, die-cast machine heads, Rosewood fingerboard (12.6" radius), 22 frets, master volume and tone controls, white/black/white pickguard and a Floyd Rose® licensed double-locking tremolo. The Stagemaster is available in three different pickup configurations. The Stagemaster HSS features a scorching humbucker in the bridge position and two hot single-coils in the middle and neck with 5-way switching. While the HH features dual humbuckers and 3-way switching, the HSH has dual humbuckers and one single-coil pickup in the middle. In addition to Black, all new colors are available, including: Frost Red, Polar White, Cobalt Blue Metallic and Galactic Purple."

Finally! I now know ALL of the colors that were available for this guitar. "Galactic Purple?!" I'd just love to see one of those. Also on this page is a photo of a red HSH.

Crispy

Seeing Red

Here is another unusual find, for your interest. A red Stagemaster, although this time an HSS. Not as nice as the white one I posted earlier, but kind of sharp nonetheless. I don't know about the 2 single coil pickup arrangement though--it might sound too much like a Strat (not that there's anything wrong with that); however, if I wanted it to sound like a Strat, I would buy a Strat.

I found this Stagemaster out for bid on eBay.

Crispy

Foiled!

Alrighty then! Back to the project after a slight pause to make a living. I received the copper foil sheets with which I am shielding the project guitar's electronics. Received was two 12x12 sheets of conductive, adhesive backed copper foil. This photo, after the application of the copper foil in the body cavities, should illustrate that this is going to be one well-shielded and hum-free guitar.

The next step is to apply the copper foil to the back of the new pickguard (after I get it, that is). Since I ordered too much copper foil, I am thinking of covering the entire back of the pickguard, not just the section over the body cavities.

The trick to this whole thing is to make sure the foil in the cavities comes in direct contact with the foil on the back of the pickguard (hence the slight overlap of the foil in the cavities onto the top of the guitar body). This is how grounding comes into play. Because the electronics are grounded, the copper foil is likewise grounded as it is in direct contact with common, grounded points--the volume and tone pots when you screw them onto the foiled back of the pickguard. In essence, all of the copper foil then becomes one continuous, grounded field that cancels out hum and noise. A quote from someone else:

"Performing these modifications will in no way change the tone of your guitar, other than it may sound a bit richer because some of the faint harmonics that were previously buried in hum and noise will now be audible."

This is the concept of shielding guitar electronics as I understand it. If I have it wrong, someone please let me know. By the way, the foil was very simple to apply. It is about the same consistency of Reynolds Wrap and molds very easily into the body cavities.

Crispy

Parts Update

Okay then, I now have all the parts right here on my desk. With the exception of the custom pickguard and the copper shielding foil, I am ready to start building. Wow! Do these new DiMarzio pickups look sweet! Just by looking at them, you can tell the quality is there--especially if you compare them to the junky original pickups that came out of the Stagemaster. I can't wait to hear what this new set up sounds like.

By the way, the guy at pickguards.com told me that I should have the new tortoise pickguard in about a week and half.

I'll take some pics of the new parts and post them here as soon as I can.

Crispy

Parts & Pickguard

Great news! I just got the word from the Guitar Center that *all* of my parts are in and ready to be picked up. Again, the parts list includes 3 DiMarzio pickups (black), 1 volume and 1 tone pot, a set of Strat style knobs (black), 5 way pickup selector and a selector switch knob (also black). I hope to pick all of this stuff up tomorrow.

Also, I was contacted by Pickguards.com this afternoon and the new tortoise shell pickguard will cost $80. I've decided that I'm going with them. I still have to call them back and give the go ahead, so I don't know how long it will take them to get the pickguard to me. I'll keep you posted.

Crispy

More Words on Shielding

An excellent "how to" article on shielding from the Stewart-MacDonald web site where you can buy an entire shielding kit:

"Shielding allows you to substantially reduce all unwanted interference and hum. This kit is even beneficial for most production instruments as it lets you completely encase all of the pickups and controls with a grounded foil. Also included is a special wire for shielding non-shielded pickup leads. This allows you to eliminate unnecessary interference, as well as being able to switch the phase of a shielded pickup independently from its grounded shield."

Crispy

P.S. UPDATE: I ended up buying my copper foil for the shielding project online at Superior Sound Designs. I had forgotten what a pain it was to find adhesive-backed copper foil locally. Thank god for the internet!

We have DiMarzios!

Good news! Out of all the stuff for this project I ordered from Guitar Center (see earlier entry), I found out today that at least the pickups have came in. All 3 pickups have arrived so I think I'm going to go ahead and pick them up. I still haven't done the shielding yet as my work schedule hasn't permitted it.

No word from pickguards.com yet on my special order. I'll post some pics of the new DiMarzios soon.

Crispy

White Stagemaster

I thought I would post this for general interest. This white Stagemaster is quite rare, I think. In fact, I have never seen one and didn't even know they existed until I found this photo by accident while looking for something else.

I knew the old type Stagemaster came in red, black, white and purple, but I had never seen a white one until today. Do any of you know anyone who owns one of these?

I like it. I want one.

Crispy

A Word on Shielding

As you can see, the Stagemaster's electronics weren't shielded very well. In fact, other than the wimpy piece of aluminum foil stuck to the back of the pickguard (second photo), there is no shielding at all! Note the unshielded body cavities in the first photo.

It's no wonder that this guitar made the most horrible feedback, screeching and hum you've ever heard when it was cranked up. With the crappy pickups and the lack of shielding, I'm surprised it didn't sound a lot worse than it did. Be that as it may, the next step is to get everything properly shielded before the new electronics go in.

There are all sorts of opinions on how to best shield the electronics; however, I have decided that I will use adhesive backed copper foil for the job. I used this technique successfully on my old Strat and my Les Paul, so I'll do the same here.

Why is shielding the electronics so important? To quote from another web site:

"Electrostatic hum and buzz entering a system from your instrument can be totally eliminated by 100% shielding of the pickups and control cavities. Usually, somewhat less than 100% will do an adequate job in guitars, which are inherently hard to shield; but the more complete the job, the better the results. The whole idea behind shielding is to completely surround all circuit "hot" leads with a low resistance conductive cage which intercepts electrostatic fields and grounds them out."

I am no electronics expert, for sure, and I don't know anything about "electrostatics," but I can tell you that after I shielded my old Les Paul, the noise was completely eliminated.

The job now is to line all of the body cavities with copper foil. Some people also say that the output jack cavity should also be shielded, but I think that might be overkill. I'll skip that step for now. If it becomes an issue, I'll fix it later. After I get the copper foil in, I'll post some photos.

Crispy

A Squier? Me?

Someone just reminded me via e-mail that in a previous post I would disclose how I ended up with a Fender Squire after owning Stratocasters and Les Pauls.

It is kind of a long story but I'll try to boil it down. First off let me say that I just turned 51 years old and I have been playing guitar since I was 15. This Silvertone (amp in case) was the first guitar I ever owned. By the time I was 17 I could play the entire Santana Abraxas album verbatim. Ever listen to Alice Cooper's "Killer" album? I could also that entire album note-for-note by the time I was 16 or 17. These are only a couple that I remember, but suffice it to say I've been involved with guitars for most of my life (I even have them tattooed on my body). My first serious guitar was a '73 Strat with a maple neck.

About the only kind of band that I haven't played in would be a jazz group. I've pretty much played everything else; country, disco, top 40, all genres of rock almost, funk, etc.

I quit playing in groups when it got to be a job. What turned me off to bands completely was when I got on the hotel/lounge circuit. After doing this for a number of years, playing Top 40 guitar became a job . . . a job that I didn't like so much any more. So after all that, I sold everything. I sold my guitars, amps and all the other miscellaneous equipment that I owned. I was sick of bands, and I was sick of playing guitar.

I didn't even own a guitar for several years. Back in 1999, or so, I felt the urge to play returning. I didn't go out and buy a guitar immediately and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to get back into it. Finally in 2ooo, I went shopping around for a lower end guitar. I didn't want to spend a fortune because I wasn't sure I would keep playing.

So off I went to Mars Music in Tampa. I originally settled on a Washburn Billy T, which seemed to be a nice playing cheap guitar. I played this one for about a month until one of the pickups died. When I took it back, they didn't have a replacement available so the store manager offered to trade me the Stagemaster instead straight across, which was a significantly more expensive guitar. I tried it out and have been playing it every since.

If I ever decide to go out and buy an expensive guitar, I can tell you right now that it will most definitely be an original Les Paul Gold Top. I used to have a '69.

Right now I am playing through a Fender Frontman amp (25 watts, older model) and the only other guitar I have is a Fernandes Nomad Deluxe, which is a great travel guitar. It has a built in amp, speaker and effect package that will make a gazillion sounds. I also have a Korg AX1000G ToneWorks.

There you have it.

Crispy

Pickguard Tracing

After I removed the hardware from the old white pickguard, I made the tracing as specified by Pickguards.com. Here is a photo of the tracing that, amazingly, fit on a single sheet of 8.5x11 printer paper (but barely). I used a mechanical pencil with a very fine lead to trace the old pickguard as I wanted the new pickguard to be as precisely sized as possible. The tracing went in this morning's mail, so now I wait. If an agreeable price does not come back for the job, I have several other resources to try. One way or another, this Stagemaster will have a tortoise shell pickguard.

Crispy

Disassembly Begins

I found some time last night to start taking the Stagemaster apart. Quite simple really, all I had to do was remove the strings then the 9 screws that holds the pickguard on. Here is picture of the bottom side of the pickguard with the electronics still attached. No surprises here; however, I'm almost sure I'm going to be using 250k pots instead of the 500k pots currently installed (the current crappy volume pot doesn't work anyway). I used 250k pots in my Strat and Les Paul so I'm thinking they will serve the purpose here just as well. If not, I'll put 5ook's back in.

The second photo is the electronics after removal. Kind of puts me to mind of the entrails of a gutted catfish. Removal is very simple, all you have to do is unattach everything from the pickguard and remove 3 wires, which actually attach to the guitar body itself. 2 of the wires (black and white) come from the output jack. The black wire (ground) is soldered to the housing of the volume pot, and the white is soldered to the middle pole of the volume pot.

The 3rd wire (black), is also a ground wire soldered to the volume pot's housing. The other end of the wire is fed through the guitar's body and is soldered to the tremolo's spring assembly--you have to take the guitar's back plate off to see where it is actually attached. I simply removed the solders at the volume pot where I could take the guts out.

This is all of the disassembly that is going to take place for this project. All of the electronics you see here are getting tossed. As soon as I get the new parts and pickguard, reassembly will begin. I have decided that I am not going to add a Strat style 2nd tone control. After all, this is not a Strat and I am not trying to make it into one. I will retain the original 1 volume and 1 tone control, so rewiring everything will be a breeze (I hope).

Crispy

Stagemaster Pickguards?

There ain't none! I can't find anyone who has a ready-made pickguard available for this guitar. So that means a custom job and the cost is an unknown right now. I have decided to go through Pickguards.com, but it depends on their price. I can see the finished Stagemaster in my mind, and what I am seeing is tortoise shell. That's right, tortoise shell.

Fortunately for me, Pickguards.com has the precise color tortoise shell that I can see in my mind. Above is a photo of a sample Strat pickguard taken directly from their web site. Go to this page and look for the "05 Tortoise Shell" description. It is EXACTLY the shade I want. It will look wicked against that beautiful gloss black.

You may be asking yourself, "the Stagemaster is basically a Strat copy, so why do you need to have a custom pickguard made? Why not just modify the pickup holes on a stock Strat pickguard to accommodate an HSH configuration?"

Simple, the Strat pickguard has 11 screws holding it onto the body, the Stagemaster has 9 and I am doubtful if any of the holes line up. Plus, the stock Strat pickguard will not fit around the Floyd Rose tremolo, I don't think. It sure doesn't look like it would to me.

So what is the procedure to have Pickguards.com make a pickguard? Here you go (straight from the horse's mouth):

Custom Pickguard Tracing Instructions

1) Please use only a clean, sharp-pointed writing instrument such as a pencil, pen, or fine tip roller pen. Do NOT use magic markers or anything with a wide tip.

2) Please trace carefully, top side up, on a piece of paper (standard printier/copier paper is recommended. Do NOT use napkins, tracing paper, corrugated cardboard, etc. Also, faxes and photocopies are not acceptable.

3) Please do NOT cut out the tracing once completed.

REMEMBER:

•Your custom guard can only be as good as your tracing, so take your time and follow the above instructions, as custom pickguards are NOT returnable.

•Please remember to indicate the color of the pickguard that you're requesting and provide contact information for yourself so that we may notify you of the cost of your custom guard.

Send tracings to:
WD Music Products, Inc.
Pickguard Dept.
4070 Mayflower Rd.
Fort Myers, FL 33916

So there you have it. As soon as I start taking the Stagemaster apart, which will probably be tomorrow night if time permits, the first priority will be to trace the pickguard and send the tracing to Pickguards.com for an estimate. I will post a photo or two of the finished tracing.

Crispy

The Cost to Date

So, how much is all of this going to cost? Well, I went shopping the other day and here is the total so far:

3 DiMarzio Pickups - $59.99 each
Fender Strat Knob Set (Black) - $6.99
Fender Pickup Selector Knob (Black) - $3.99
Shipping - $8.00

Total Including Sales Tax - $212.32

I know, I know, I could have gotten this stuff cheaper if I had ordered it off the web; however, I had a gift certificate for $150 at the Guitar Center in Tampa, and I couldn't use the card online. I know for a fact that I could have this stuff cheaper had I been able to shop around.

There are a few things I still have to buy, for one, the 5 way selector switch which I forgot to buy while I was at the store. The volume and tone pots, which the guy at the store forgot to charge me for. I am going to have the pickguard I want custom made because I know of no one anywhere who has a stock Stagemaster pickguard available. I don't know how much this will cost, but the white pickguard has to go. More on the pickguard in the next entry.

Assorted other stuff will be needed as well, i.e., all new screws (possibly black or gold) for the pickups and pickguard, etc., and other assorted hardware and wiring. Of course, things change and some other stuff might be required. If so, I'll pass along the details.

Crispy

Regarding F-Spaced Pickups

Remember the f-spacing issue I mentioned in an earlier entry? It is very important to get this right and I am surprised at the number of guitar players who don't even know what an f-spaced pickup is or why it is important. At any rate, I am posting a picture of my Squier's bridge pickup (please forgive the photo quality, my camera doesn't take very good closeups). You should be able to see that the strings do not line up over the pickup's pole pieces. In fact, they are not even close! This is a major problem and an f-spaced pickup compensates for this alignment issue at the bridge. The f-spaced DP213 will line up perfectly under the strings and the dimensions of the pickup are the same as a standard pickup so no modification to the pickguard is needed--although this white pickguard is not staying.

Crispy

Picking Pickups

After quite a bit of thought, I have decided to go with DiMarzio pickups for this project. I have used DiMarzios in the past (in my Les Paul Deluxe and my '73 Strat); however, I haven't used any of the models I have chosen for this project. Here are the pickups I am going with and some descriptions from the manufacturer:

Neck position, the DiMarzio PAF DP103 (Black):

Classic vintage tone without microphonic squeal.

It has a smooth, almost voice-like quality and that intangible swell to the notes after attack. It possesses vintage output and breathes freely with an open, warm character. Played flat-out through a non-master volume tube amp, the PAF re-creates the deep character of the great plug-in, turn-up and wail school of tone. Modern potting techniques and tight, consistent winding eliminates squeal and microphonics common to the originals. Here is solid tone for both neck and bridge positions.

Middle position, DiMarzio DP217 YJM (Black):

Output: 93 millivolts. DC Resistance: 23.50K. Recommended for all positions.

Bridge position, the DiMarzio PAF Joe Satriani Pickup (F-Spaced, Black)

Joe wanted a neck position humbucker that combined the best qualities of the DiMarzio PAF Pro with those of a late '50s Gibson humbucker. Joe described this tone as being "tubular". Through the use of Virtual Vintage technology, clear-sounding low frequencies are blended with warm-sounding mids and high frequencies, which makes the PAF Joe equally good for chords and single notes. It was first used by Joe throughout the 2003 G3 tour. Recommended for all positions, solid, semi-solid and hollowbody electric guitars.

Tech Talk: What does "tubular" mean? In this case, it means making low notes "speak" more clearly while giving high notes a rounder voicing. This accomplishes 2 goals: chords have better definition, and single notes at higher fret positions remain warm sounding rather than getting thinner. The PAF Joe has slightly less power than the PAF Pro does. It balances well with bridge pickups like the PAF Pro, Fred, Breed neck model, Air Norton, and Norton.

Because I have chosen pickups that I have never used before, I am going largely on the DiMarizio's descriptions of them and my positive experiences with the brand in the past. I have also exchanged e-mails with Steve from Steve's Music Center in New York who also recommended them. I have ordered the pickups from the Guitar Center on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, FL and it will take a least a couple of weeks to get them.

There you have it. As a side note, I have decided to go with black pickups. I will explain the reasoning behind the color choice in a later entry.

Crispy