TC Guitar Project

TomCat

Now that My amp is up and running, it's now time to turn my attention to building a guitar.

I've always liked the look and tone of the Musicman Luke signature guitar.
I'm also a fan of Steven Lukather so why not look at doing something along the lines of the Luke.

Here is my first drawing. this is strongly based on the Luke, but with a few differences.
1. Ash Body instead of Alder
2. Different Headstock design with a few cues from both Musicman and Fender.

Some Stats:
1. HSS: Bridge:EMG 85. Middle & Neck SLV. All active
2. 22 fret neck, Maple three piece, Fender Scale length, 12" radius
3. Body: Swamp Ash
4. Bridge (for now): Wilkinson / Gotoh Vintage Trem

Thanks to MikeM and Wantchas for sending through drawings and info. Really appreciate it.

inflames

Looks great! Now to start designing that Tom Cat logo for the headstock!

singemonkey

It looks cool, TC. A total hybrid. Now how about a carved top on that puppy? ?

AlanRatcliffe

Looks great! I've always liked a 4+2 headstock (unfortunately trademarked by EB/MM). Also make sure you can get the tuners you want in a 4+2 config. Are you keeping the very rounded sides of the Luke too? and the Luke 5 bolt neck joint?

Are you sure you'll like the EMGs? You don't want to have to change the single-coil routs if you go to other single-coils later.

Gearhead

+1 on the pup choice leading to routing you can't go back on, you've not drawn a pickguard. If that means you want to back route or you want to rout+glue back (which would be my preference), then you're going to be stuck with these pups. Also get the pups first since EMGs have very big plugs these days, you may need some space in the rout for them. Then, why the 85 and not an 89? Same bucker sound but also a single coil à la SA in the thing.

TomCat

@ Alan and Gearhead

Some very valid points there and def. need to keep those in mind. Thanks for the input

Why I went for the EMG is that these are what is used on the MM Luke and is available as a set from EMG as the SL-20.....AKA Steve Lukather set either with a strat type pickguard or with no pickguard.

However.....the option of using a pickguard may not be a bad idea as it allows for easier PUP changes later if desired. Hmmm lot to think about...

@ Alan....Yes I want to go the rounded finish on the body as per the Luke guitar and go as close to the MM construction as possible.
I also like the 4+2 arrangement and decided not to copy the MM shape but rather create a hybrid MM/Fender look to the headstock.
I've also wondered about the availability of 4+2 combination for tuners.
I also wanted to keep the strings through the nut to the tuners as straight a possible to help the trem.

@ Gearhead....The 89 is also a strong contender as it allows for the single coil tap as another tone option on the guitar....I also want to get all the hardware first before I get timber and start building etc. Don't want to commit myself to a build/design only to find that I have to change/start again because of hardware.....

TomCat

A quick PUP question....... ???

What are the main differences regarding tone/sustain etc between PUP's fixed to a pickguard (Strat) and PUPs mounted directly to the body.

I presume the vibration transfer of directly mounted PUPs would be higher.

I could also mount the PUP's directly onto the body and cover then with a suitable pickguard.

AlanRatcliffe

I have my Strat headstocks made so there is a straight string run through the nut. ?

Schaller, Gotoh, Grover, et. al. all make 4+2 sets, but you have to find someone who stocks them. I've seen them sold singly somewhere too (Warmoth methinks), so you can make up a set. Sperzel locking tuners were reversible last time I looked, so you can buy a 6-in line and swap two over (the 6+0 sets are also staggered).

If you use EMGs, you won't hear a difference between pickguard or body mounted. It's subtle with most pickups anyway, but direct to wood gives you a bit more focus with a little more of a "woody" tone and also a bit more sustain/feedback. If you want a rear rout with a pickguard, you have to drill the control holes for both at the same time to get them to line up and you lose the advantages of having a pickguard (bar looks). IMO, certain guitars (like Strats and Teles look "wrong" without a pickguard unless it's a carved top.

Gearhead

If you go for EMGs, keep in mind that they want to be mounted as close to the strings as possible, so that the string vibration just misses them. They are low gauss but also low pickup, so you don't get the tone you are looking for if not close. So when mounting to the body while missing the pickguard, keep in mind you do want to adjust.
The whole issue of tone from vibration of the pup imho is about a very small amount of tone, the vibration of a solidbody is very small compared to that of the strings. Large energy but small motion. I guess it would matter a lot more in lightly potted pups since they allow for vibration of the coil relative to the magnetic field, tapping from small motion but large energy. EMGs are cast solid so imho the mounting is not going to matter.

TomCat

Noted on the PUP heights....I was having a good look around the EMG forum yesterday and the issue of PUP height and being close to the strings came up quite often.

Seems like closer the better...there is no issue with string pull with these PUP's.

I was thinking that if I go the pickguard route I'll mount the PUP's to the pickguard for easy PUP height adjustment.

Gearhead

One more thing on the 89: it is not a coil tap (which are rare) but also not a coil split (the thing almost all 4-wire or 3-wire humbuckers have). The 89 is actually three coils: two above each other for the SA tone and one on one side that combines with the top of the stack for 85 tone. If you're looking to buy a set, also compare prices with 3x separate items; I have found in the past that they don't differ much with EMG.

TomCat

Here is the design including a pickguard. Same body design. I have tried to not make it look too strat like.....

@ Gearhead....That EMG 89 is looking more attractive.

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah - that's looking good. Then you can rout the body for H-S-H, which will let you change to anything you want (H-H, H-S-S or S-S-S) later with a simple pickup and pickguard change.

I like low gauss pickups too (Kinmans and DiMarzio's Air series are both low gauss) - I like the way the strings ring without excessive magnetic pull. However, I don't like the way EMGs have to be so close to the strings - I need a bit of clearance for my fingers. Judging by the plectrum wear you often see on older EMGs, some plectrum players struggle with it a bit too.