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Post by snakehips on May 22, 2024 22:07:55 GMT
Hi Ken, The centre screw in my resonator pan looked just like that. I filed the height of the head down - enough that the slot was still deep enough for a screwdriver to work, but as reduced as I could. By doing this, I was able to use a thinner washer around the screwhead than I had originally planned to use. I've got small metal files - so I placed the washer around the taller screw head - then filed the screw head until the washer was getting scratched/filed around all of it - ie. until the top of the flattened screwhead was totally flush with the washer. Wish I'd taken a photo of that ! Then I glued the washer onto the pan. The pickup magnet holds the pickup strongly enough to the steel washer (I already removed the sticky pad from under the pickup - and that gave more more pickup clearance. Removing the double-sided sticky pad from the metal detector plate, was quite difficult, as the sticky pad is very strongly sticky ! I worried I was going to bend the metal plate, trying to pull off the sticky pad. So, I glues the other side of the pad to the underside of the T-Bar. Once the glue was set, THEN I pulled off the sticky pad (having the whole T-bar to hold, while I peeled off the sticky pad. For glue, I used Loctite 60-seconds Multi-Purpose glue. Worked a treat and sets really fast. I didn't need to use very much, it's clear/translucent, and easy to use. : By removing the sticky pads from the underside of the pickup AND from the metal detector, wee square sheet, I gained a few mm's of gap between the pickup polepiece and the metal detector plate that I really needed. Attachments:
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Post by ken1953clark on May 23, 2024 10:55:51 GMT
Thanks Snakehips,
I’ll probably replace the screw with a flat head one rather than destroy an original. Then I can use a much thinner washer, or even none at all. That will give me some more space.
I mean it sounds good as it is, maybe it’ll sound better with a larger gap, who knows? Unfortunately I couldn’t find my feeler gauges until I put it all back together. Will measure next week and make a few tweaks and see where that leads me. I can always add height if it doesn’t improve things.
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Post by Bottleneck John on May 27, 2024 17:59:07 GMT
And so it begins... I'm on it now people! Hoping to finish the T-bug thing by tomorrow evening. I'll be back with pics, thoughts and one or more videoclips with tone and pickup stuff! Initial thoughts are that it's very, very easy to install!! The pickup's magnet almost holds it in place on a steel well, the double sided tape will work ok to keep it permanently positioned! However the tape might be slightly to thick so I'll check that out and remove some material from the T-bar or glue the pickup down and gain around 2 millimeter.. Gonna string the thing up so I can pinpoint the proper location under the T-bar after final intonation. Usually I'd solder the wires but since we're testing the items supplied I used the screw socket(don't know what that thing is called in English, in Sweden we call them sugar cubes) Looking forward! Sorry about the large photos, they just turned out like this and I don't know how to re-size..
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Post by snakehips on May 27, 2024 20:40:32 GMT
I suppose the adhesive strip under the pickup could be cut perhaps into a “Polo Mint” shape - ie. with a hole in the middle ?? That way, any/most centre pan screw head heights could compensated for, hit the adhesive strip inly sitting around the screw head ?
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Post by Bottleneck John on May 27, 2024 20:47:34 GMT
I suppose the adhesive strip under the pickup could be cut perhaps into a “Polo Mint” shape - ie. with a hole in the middle ?? That way, any/most centre pan screw head heights could compensated for, hit the adhesive strip inly sitting around the screw head ? That’s a good idea! On mine however the screw’s flat enough to not be a problem. I suspect that the tape itself is too thick, will check it tomorrow. 👍🏼
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Post by elmar on May 28, 2024 4:52:35 GMT
And so it begins... I'm on it now people! Hoping to finish the T-bug thing by tomorrow evening. I'll be back with pics, thoughts and one or more videoclips with tone and pickup stuff! Initial thoughts are that it's very, very easy to install!! The pickup's magnet almost holds it in place on a steel well, the double sided tape will work ok to keep it permanently positioned! However the tape might be slightly to thick so I'll check that out and remove some material from the T-bar or glue the pickup down and gain around 2 millimeter.. Gonna string the thing up so I can pinpoint the proper location under the T-bar after final intonation. Usually I'd solder the wires but since we're testing the items supplied I used the screw socket(don't know what that thing is called in English, in Sweden we call them sugar cubes) Looking forward! Sorry about the large photos, they just turned out like this and I don't know how to re-size.. Hello Johan, looking forward to hearing your opinion regarding the mount. And especially regarding the sound :-) Would you please check whether the white hot wire connects to red at the sugar cube junction box? For future kits I have already unified that, following Bonzo's proposal.
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Post by Bottleneck John on May 28, 2024 5:00:15 GMT
[/quote]Hello Johan, looking forward to hearing your opinion regarding the mount. And especially regarding the sound :-) Would you please check whether the white hot wire connects to red at the sugar cube junction box? For future kits I have already unified that, following Bonzo's proposal.[/quote]
Ok! I had no idea which wire to go where, haha! Red to white then. 😄 First live gig on Saturday with the T-bug if all goes well!
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Post by snakehips on May 28, 2024 9:56:32 GMT
Hi Elmar,
I'd like to strongly recommend you keep the junction box thing - AND pre-tin each free end of copper cable, so that each terminal screw has something better to grip onto, instead of just bare, thin copper wires.
Being able to un-attach ANY of the wires from the junction box is REALLY useful. For the barrel-type jack socket that I have used, it was necessary to solder wires to the jack socket terminals , THEN feed the cable through the tricone grills (from out, to inside the guitar). I wasn't sure if the plastic junction box thing would fit through the grill holes, so it was helpful to be able to unscrew the cables inside the guitar to do it the way I did.
I think you could offer two options :
1. a simple jack socket - for those customers planning on using a hole drilled into the side of the guitar, and 2. a barrel-type socket, like I have used, for mounting in the tricone grill, perhaps for a few (ten ?) Euro/Pound/Dollars more
The ONLY problem with the barrel type socket I have used, is that the nut you tighten, is on the INSIDE of the guitar, not the outside.
Oh !! I just remembered WHY I had to unscrew the jack socket cable from the junction box - I needed to feed the cable through the washer AND nut that screws onto the socket, INSIDE the guitar.
It does give a very tidy, cosmetic appearance BUT you really need it tightened quite well - as if it were to loosen, over some years of constant use, you do have to open up the guitar to access the nut inside to tighten again.
The barrel sockets I have seen that have a nut that tightens on the outside, tend to be the combi end-pin/strap-pin/jack socket type, and these are usually for wooden guitars - and the portion that sticks out of the guitar will be too long - and so they stick up/out too far of the guitar to look nice. That is why I went for the barrel-socket that I have used.
For mounting the pickup to the pan, it would be useful if the adhesive pad was in "Polo-mint" / rubber-ring shape - ie. a hole in the middle, cut out of the pad. This would be to accomodate space for the centre pan screw that many tricones have.
I think you have a great product there - and these little suggestions are what can make a great pickup easier to install, and thus have more people inclined to want to try them, knowing they won't have to modify things to make it work for their guitar.
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Post by Michael Messer on May 28, 2024 10:32:36 GMT
Richard, these are all very helpful points. Thank you
Shine On Michael
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Post by snakehips on May 28, 2024 11:00:05 GMT
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Post by elmar on May 28, 2024 12:31:20 GMT
Hello, Thank you for you various advices and suggestions. So far I modified the kit as follows. Please note that it's ab ongoing project and Michael and me will decide on the final characteristics. So far, the preliminary modifications are as follows: * T-strip detector plate broader, 15x20mm- ok. * new easy mount junction-box as per photo below - ok. * unmarked blank bottle cap for transport - ok. * pairs of connection wires in matching colours - ok. * "bugfoot" washer mount as per photo below. Inner hole, 2mm in height - under discussion Thanks all, looking forward to come up with a finished product soon :-)
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Post by bonzo on May 28, 2024 14:38:05 GMT
Hi Elmar good stuff. The quick release cable holder is a really good idea. Not a problem but maybe something to think about is the gap between the pup and plate. My gap ended up just under 3mm using the supplied adhesive tape. I'm getting strong response across all strings and am happy with the tone through my acoustic amp. It might be good if we all noted the gap after using various washers, spacers adhesive tape or glue and what we think of the results. This might enable you guys to have some idea of an optimal gap you could then recommend. Michael had mentioned earlier that the pup would need to 'breath' so hopefully any additional spacers won't reduce the gap too much. Or maybe it will be fine 🙂! Hence the note keeping suggestion. My installation went very smoothly using only what was supplied, and the spacers suggested here seem to have been effective. Well done 👏 👍🎸
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Post by elmar on May 28, 2024 16:04:16 GMT
Thank you Bonzo for this advice! Yes, in your case it went well and it would also be my preferred solution to stick it on and that's it.
However, in this early phase we are trying to find a solution also including those screw heads that are not level with the pan. The "bugfoot" washer is another attempt to make it fit.
Compared to your sole tape mount of 1mm in height, the washer+tape has a height of 2mm. The gap is 1mm less than in your case. On the other hand, it allows a protruding screw head of 2mm in height.
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Post by bonzo on May 28, 2024 16:45:42 GMT
Hi Elmar. The reduced gap might not be a problem at all. Until you get more feedback about the gap (big or small) and it's effect you won't have an optimum gap to recommend. This might not even be necessary, the pup has got enough power that it will be suitable for many heights in the gapping. In most cases and on most tricones it will be a fit and forget installation as supplied. You already have a handle on any minor modifications that may be necessary to some guitars. So as long as there is some gap hopefully there won't be any problems. I hope you will be surprised and pleased with the positive feedback I'm sure you'll get!
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Post by Michael Messer on May 28, 2024 17:42:12 GMT
This is fantastic feedback (no pun intended!) and is very much appreciated. We really could not do this without you guys.
I think that Snakehips' comment about "tinning" the ends of the leads is a really good idea. There is nothing worse that straggly bits of wire on this type of thing. I'm all for doing this.
There are two more testers to hear from and then we will be ready to go!
...Oops...THREE more testers!
Thank you very much for all this.
Shine On Michael
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