Andyjr1515 Posted February 17, 2021 Author Share Posted February 17, 2021 I think this is what you might call Work In Progress But why is that middle switch not fixed in place? Ah...there's a bit of a story to that. What happens when you don't know your own strength? Well, to fix toggle switches like this, I use a socket without a handle. Because of how they are made, you can't tighten them up in the same way as you can potentiometers. And so I'm careful. But clearly not so nearly careful as I thought An email has gone to Martin at SimS confessing my sins and to order a replacement In the meantime, even with the inability to switch the options on that middle pickup, I could plug it in to make sure I'd got the basic wiring right. And it is VERY promising 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 19 hours ago, Pea Turgh said: I don’t know why two strap buttons like this isn’t more widespread. Makes so much sense. Had it on my Hohner Jack (maybe it’s just a headless thing?) In theory it's a smart idea, but then you can't replace them with locking strap buttons because the button with the strap attached to it will be taller/longer than the other, and your instrument is no longer stable when resting on them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 18, 2021 Author Share Posted February 18, 2021 No word yet from Martin at SimS about the replacement switch (I'll ring them later) but it actually won't hold anything up at the moment - I can still do most of the remaining stuff up to and including finishing the wiring, fitting the Status strings and doing the set up. So I'm expecting full LED gloriousness later today for the neck and bridge pickups which can be tested fully. For the middle pickup, I will just need to fit the new switch when it arrives and solder the three wires to it (ground, hot out and battery). I'll leave the hatch fixing decision until the replacement switch is in, but that should be pretty much the last thing on the build list 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slojo Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 (edited) I wonder who makes the plug-socket for the switch/pickup connection. Would be handy if they offered a right angled adapter. Edited February 18, 2021 by slojo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 18, 2021 Author Share Posted February 18, 2021 (edited) One of the jobs today was sorting the earth on the bridge. Nowadays, I use the shielding copper foil and use the drill-hole to hide the solder joint with the earth cable. I find this a much more certain way of getting a good earth contact without the danger of the bridge being lifted off the body by the splayed wires of the more traditional way of doing it. I solder the earth wire to a strip of sticky-backed copper first: I then just feed the wire through the drilled hole, peel off the backing paper and stick it in place: Lastly, after sanding the paint off the back of the bridge block, fix that and then do the all-important electrical continuity check: As I outlined in a previous post, the head block connects the other three strings to earth via this string saddle. I heard from Martin and have a set of switches on the way - I've ordered all three as they will have been overstressed the same amount as the one that failed (and, actually, while I was plugging and unplugging cables, a second one did the same thing). I gave him a call on a couple of things I wanted to check and came away wiser on two other things: - I'm an engineer (by qualification though, clearly, not by skill ). But I hadn't thought through "If you pop a nut on the switch shaft before you put the spring washer and switch in, then the outside nut is tightening up against the inside nut and so there's no stress on the shaft to switch joint and you can tighten up as much as you like". I think the fact that I hadn't thought that through confirms that you should never walk over a bridge that I've designed... - For many two pickup sets, the bridge is more powerful than the neck. For a guitar 3-pickup arrangement, the middle pickup is usually the same lower power than the neck. But it is also reverse polarity and reverse wound so that it humbucks with both the bridge and the neck pickup. So one of my question marks was how was this going to work with the Superquads, where I have a bridge and two identical neck pickups. Martin clarified - the Superquad bridge pickup is exactly the same power as the neck pickup. Therefore, to get the 'reverse polarity reverse wound' effect, then to put the bridge in the middle. So the bridge, middle, neck pickups will actually be neck, bridge, neck Superquads Finally, he confirmed that this - to his knowledge - is the first triple Superquad bass in the world Might be worth entering it into the US-based NoTreble ezine's 'Bass of the Week' comp - it would be pleasing to win that for the fifth time (he says with all due modesty ) Edited February 18, 2021 by Andyjr1515 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 It'll win 😉👌🏼 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 OK - good progress this morning. Martin at SimS sent me the new switches at super-quick time - and they're in - and they all work I still have to pop the front strap button on, put the fixing screws on the back hatch (yup - magnets aren't going to cut the mustard ) and do the final pickup height adjustment but, basically, it's done This is why it will need screws - the hatch actually stays shut (see below) but it would only want the wires to 'relax' a smidgen and it would pop a magnet hatch right off: Here are some shots to be getting on with: Here, the hatch is just pushed on and stays there fine even without magnets...but after, say, changing the battery, it only needs one of the 47 wires to shift a bit and even with magnets, it would be off By the way - although the LEDs light up as soon as the jack is plugged in (there is no option with the SimS switches for them to be turned off) the pickups don't actually need the battery to work. So if you wanted to me a little less colourful, you can just take the battery out and it will still play just as well. As always, thanks for the tremendous support along the way, folks. I always means a lot 22 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slojo Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Totally awesome 👏👏👏👏👏 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre_Passini Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Wow, amazing Andy, congratulations! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 What a lovely bass. Thanks for taking us along with you in it's creation. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Fantastic work as always! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoss32 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 phenomenal stuff andy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Looks incredible, thanks Andy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishman Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Fab – a lovely bit of wood! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Utterly superb, and for me - out of all of your creations Andy - this is now my No1 favourite👍🏼 I love a headless anyway, but the skill and design that went into this just edge it for me as your best. That control cavity is amazing too 😳 I just hope we get some sound clips because the variation from those pups is gonna be incredible😎 As usual, an awesome, and brilliantly catalogued build diary from one of Basschats favourite gurus 🤩 Fantastic, loved it all the way from the start - thanks for taking the time to share it on here 😉 Well done indeed Sir. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 👌🏼 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, BassTool said: I just hope we get some sound clips because the variation from those pups is gonna be incredible😎 I'll leave that to the owner I think @Jus Lukin has already twigged that his services might be required once we can get this to him 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 Before I run out of my quota of 'thanks' emojis, many thanks for the very encouraging comments and feedback, folks 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Fantastic work and a great thread to follow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 There is actually one small tweak I'm going to make, apart from the above jobs, before I declare it properly finished. I'll let you all guess what that might be. Usual prize - one cheesy grin emoji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Do you sign it in the cavity? You'll need a fine pen...🤭 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 8 minutes ago, BassTool said: Do you sign it in the cavity? You'll need a fine pen...🤭 Good point - I forgot to mention that. There will be a label on the back of the cover. But that's not the change Edited February 21, 2021 by Andyjr1515 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 To my eyes, this is the best one yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 Just now, DarkHeart said: To my eyes, this is the best one yet! You say the nicest things Thanks. I have to say, it's one of my favourites. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Superb looking fantastic bass and terrific job. Apart from the missing strap pin that you mentioned @Andyjr1515, I would say that the black washers for the switches are missing too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Wow @Andyjr1515 that is absolutely stunning! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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