Franky bodies out there

[vanhalen5150]

And...in keeping with the amp forum...note the Metroamp 12000 there which I made from a kit 2 years ago now. All original parts from the kit just a Velvet George use to send. Even the Mullard tubes. About 300 hrs on it....no problems. First large amp I ever built. If I and Strat78, YMI5150 can do it...you can too.

George has 12000 chassis is stock, Valvestorm has everything for the electronics. Mojo has the exact headbox.

You guys need to build one of these. The cost of your Frankie guitars isnt much less than what you could build an amp for and learn along the way as your doing it. Boatloads of help at Metroamp...a few of us build these exact amps in the 12000 Metroamp section. It's the basement of this site. Few have been down there apparenly. It's not scary, really it's not.

[vanhalen5150]

I also hit golf balls and grilled yesterday. Both having nothing to do with anything we talk about here.

[vanhalen5150]

O yeah, one more thing. KNE does the pocket correctly.I can't speak for the Musikraft. Maybe someone else can. There is a wider base at the route that gives you that thin outer sliver like on the original. But, the pocket is not over sized. It's just the way the outside edge is routed. I often see people say the "pocket " is oversized. It's not. The outside edge is. The actuall neck route sits inside the outside route.

[Tone Slinger]

Man that is a SWEET looking Warmoth neck. So you can keep her in tune (let me know if U cant ) ?

What pu you got in that thing ?

If I ever do another Ash strat, then its gonna be swamp ash. The heavy stuff just doesnt consistantly sound very good. I made ALOT of statements about Northern hard Ash due to my '06 Warmoth build. It is just a GREAT sounding 'w' pattern two piece hard ash body. My other attempts fell well short.

Alder is my favorite strat body wood. Leo lucked into that I guess (cheaper, easier on the machinery, AND sounded good,etc). I'll try the swamp ash again. Last time I had a swamp ash strat I was exclusivly using single coils. Boy did the bridge position need a hb'er.

[vanhalen5150]

I haven't used the trem much, but I need some new pivot screws. I think I'll get them from Callahan. Once I stretched the strings a bit, I only had to retune slightly after about an hour with a lot of bending. The lightness of the swamp ash is a great benefit as I rarely sit to play or even practice anything.
You know, if those pivot screws had a graphite sleeve around them, or if the base screw holes did....

[vanhalen5150]

PU is a 12k StewMac. Just grabbed the first black one I had laying in sight. I was going to reshape the headstock a little but why bother, It looks good I think. I really like the feel of the maple. Feels really smooth compared to the birds eye stuff I've used in the past. It seems to take the Tru oil a little different. The SS 6105 frets are dreamy.....sort of come up to point. Harmonics are effortless with the intonation done correctly.

[YMI5150?]

nice shrimp Shannon

I'm a big advocate of MK and working directly with Scott. He knows his stuff and yes, they do flat and angled pockets. its something you need to specify. to be accurate, you need to add a pick (shim) for a floyd build and keep the pocket flat, dispite tonal differences.

i've worked with both companies recently and IMO, neither of them have really nailed the sliver on the right side of the pocket. both are still rather subtle. its there but not pronouced enough. the only one that really nailed that was Divebomb. dont divert...

I think olympic white is a great choice for a red aged franky build but a tad too tinted for a fresh white or say 79 era red build. i'm working on a 79 now and will post when complete, along with a new super lead build to keep on point with the forum.

[vanhalen5150]

Really, I just threw on paint I had. Even with the sliver thing I wouldn't even consider it relevant to myself anymore. Just for the guys that want the 100% accuracy thing.
I've had a Divebomb body. Copied from the Fender version. The Fender version follows the current Charvel outline very closely. The arm cut away on a Charvel doesn't cross the centerline of the body and neither does the Fender Frank body. A Azuza crosses the center line and is placed lower on the body as well. It's seen in a few of the old photo's were the lighting is just right. Again, it's small details for those that would like the info.

I'm shrimp'd out.

[rgorke]

nice shrimp Shannon

I'm a big advocate of MK and working directly with Scott. He knows his stuff and yes, they do flat and angled pockets. its something you need to specify. to be accurate, you need to add a pick (shim) for a floyd build and keep the pocket flat, dispite tonal differences.

i've worked with both companies recently and IMO, neither of them have really nailed the sliver on the right side of the pocket. both are still rather subtle. its there but not pronouced enough. the only one that really nailed that was Divebomb. dont divert...

I think olympic white is a great choice for a red aged franky build but a tad too tinted for a fresh white or say 79 era red build. i'm working on a 79 now and will post when complete, along with a new super lead build to keep on point with the forum.

I am doing the relicing on my circa '79 right now before I paint red. I didn't fill any of the ash and I kind of like the wood showing through. I'm not looking forward to doing the tape for the red.

Shannon, is that a CBS neck? I have wondered about the Warmoth showcase necks. Sounds like they are good to go.

[motrock]

O yeah, one more thing. KNE does the pocket correctly.I can't speak for the Musikraft. Maybe someone else can. There is a wider base at the route that gives you that thin outer sliver like on the original. But, the pocket is not over sized. It's just the way the outside edge is routed. I often see people say the "pocket " is oversized. It's not. The outside edge is. The actuall neck route sits inside the outside route.

Well Shannon, if I can go with KNE and not have to worry about using a shim, thats all I care about. I want to be able to have my strings as low as I can go without fret buzz. And I do have to agree with you on the heavier Ash body. I just like them better. I know they are totally solid!

I may order the KNE body.

Now, its time to find someone on here that will paint it for me. I am not willing, and will not paint a guitar body at this time. I don't have the money to screw up on it. I just want it to be as professional as possible and done right. I can learn down the road when my money situation is better! So my painting a Franky body is out of the question.

So who on here can paint Franky bodies really well?

[vanhalen5150]

nice shrimp Shannon

I'm a big advocate of MK and working directly with Scott. He knows his stuff and yes, they do flat and angled pockets. its something you need to specify. to be accurate, you need to add a pick (shim) for a floyd build and keep the pocket flat, dispite tonal differences.

i've worked with both companies recently and IMO, neither of them have really nailed the sliver on the right side of the pocket. both are still rather subtle. its there but not pronouced enough. the only one that really nailed that was Divebomb. dont divert...

I think olympic white is a great choice for a red aged franky build but a tad too tinted for a fresh white or say 79 era red build. i'm working on a 79 now and will post when complete, along with a new super lead build to keep on point with the forum.

I am doing the relicing on my circa '79 right now before I paint red. I didn't fill any of the ash and I kind of like the wood showing through. I'm not looking forward to doing the tape for the red.
Yeah, just the CBS Warmouth. They have lots of them pre made. Shipped in a day or 2.

Shannon, is that a CBS neck? I have wondered about the Warmoth showcase necks. Sounds like they are good to go.

[vanhalen5150]

O yeah, one more thing. KNE does the pocket correctly.I can't speak for the Musikraft. Maybe someone else can. There is a wider base at the route that gives you that thin outer sliver like on the original. But, the pocket is not over sized. It's just the way the outside edge is routed. I often see people say the "pocket " is oversized. It's not. The outside edge is. The actuall neck route sits inside the outside route.

Well Shannon, if I can go with KNE and not have to worry about using a shim, thats all I care about. I want to be able to have my strings as low as I can go without fret buzz. And I do have to agree with you on the heavier Ash body. I just like them better. I know they are totally solid!

I may order the KNE body.

Now, its time to find someone on here that will paint it for me. I am not willing, and will not paint a guitar body at this time. I don't have the money to screw up on it. I just want it to be as professional as possible and done right. I can learn down the road when my money situation is better! So my painting a Franky body is out of the question.

So who on here can paint Franky bodies really well?

Well with a Floyd there will always be a variance because you cant adjust the saddles. There are so many variables with those I think its pretty tough to get an exact fit to get the strings just right for your own liking.

[vanhalen5150]

.

[motrock]

O yeah, one more thing. KNE does the pocket correctly.I can't speak for the Musikraft. Maybe someone else can. There is a wider base at the route that gives you that thin outer sliver like on the original. But, the pocket is not over sized. It's just the way the outside edge is routed. I often see people say the "pocket " is oversized. It's not. The outside edge is. The actuall neck route sits inside the outside route.

Well Shannon, if I can go with KNE and not have to worry about using a shim, thats all I care about. I want to be able to have my strings as low as I can go without fret buzz. And I do have to agree with you on the heavier Ash body. I just like them better. I know they are totally solid!

I may order the KNE body.

Now, its time to find someone on here that will paint it for me. I am not willing, and will not paint a guitar body at this time. I don't have the money to screw up on it. I just want it to be as professional as possible and done right. I can learn down the road when my money situation is better! So my painting a Franky body is out of the question.

So who on here can paint Franky bodies really well?

Well with a Floyd there will always be a variance because you cant adjust the saddles. There are so many variables with those I think its pretty tough to get an exact fit to get the strings just right for your own liking.

Well, I like them low, so I guess I am going to have to talk to KNE. Do they have an actual phone number so I can call them? I hate doing things on email. I liking talking to a real person! Easier to convey what I want. I have a 1.14mm pick in the neck pocket of my franky now.

[Tone Slinger]

What fretboard radius are you gonna use Motrock ? The original style floyds are a '10 radius on the bridge. Most go with a straight '10 radius or a compound from '10 to '16. If the necks radius at the 1st fret is like a '16 radius, you will get some fret buzz on the low and high E (as well as the B) if you go for real low action.

You can order spare floyd saddles to cure this, and use a flat straight radius though. Put a A and B floyd saddle in the high E and Low E saddles place. This will 'flatten' the bridge radius. The nut radius is flat/level.

Shannon, nice looking neck. I love my Warmoth's '10 to '16 radius. Very comfortable.