Latest conversion
In this last part of customizing my ‘Spartanocaster’ (as I use to call it), I will talk about it’s latest conversion. Once I decided to put back the original humbucker, which didn’t sound that bad in the first place, I decided to check out putting the mustache goldfoil in neck position to get a smoother warm tone option as well. Because of the narrow distance between the magnet pole pieces of this original goldfoil pickup, it’s new neck position was fitting much better, considering the string distance at this point. And finally, instead of having the usual toggle switch, I added a second pot for blending the 2 different pickups here, which worked out quite well.
Frankenstein
I had to reinforce the bridge piece once again by putting a set of heavy brass rings underneath. Since this is really the weak spot on this guitar as for design, it has problems keeping itself in the right position, due to the heavy gauge strings I use for slide. So at this point I’m sure this guitar will get nominated for being added to the list of real ‘Frankenstein’ guitars. Anyway, while still according to the original plan of being an experimental guitar in the first place, it’s not that bad after all. In fact, I quite like the looks of it now, no matter what…
check out this last video with this it’s latest configuration:
Conclusion
Whatever I did to this guitar by adding different hardware, it basically still sounds the very same as when I first picked it up. So in other words, the heart of the matter, sound wise, is the guitar itself next to the one who plays it. The choice of pickups to me is a highly overrated issue anyway. In fact I am about to go back again to the original 1940’s lapsteel specs, just one pickup at the bridge and a single volume knob. All the rest is just a good piece of tone wood en some skills to play…
