Another Guild Starfire Alembicized

[wisconsindeadd]

Shank Hall is a great venue.
Pretty sure I will be in Irma that whole week. :-(

Did you start a thread in the Community section for when you are gigging?  Would love to meet up sometime.

I will get around to it. Check out our facebook page for events updates too. Give me a heads up for when you'll be around.

Im curious, (if you don't mind the sharing) what was used to cut the hole in the back? Will you use the dropout piece to go back? I'm trying to decide on how to do this on mine, and haven't settled on a final plan yet.


Incidentally, I have Guild Starfire II BA-1407, a 1967. I'm doing the Alembic mods to a nearly identical Newark Street reissue though.

Awesome. He used a Dremel with a very small bit. It works well but can be difficult to get a template onto that arched back.

[wisconsindeadd]

Here is a shot of the pickup cavity with the threaded inserts and a shot of the preamp inside the body. The backplate still needs some binding or gasket of some type. We're still not sure what way to go. And I still need the pickup rings done. But I wanted to give it a spin for a recent gig and an upcoming one so I took it back for the time being.

[edwardofhuncote]

Binding is an interesting idea... I did something like that once before in a slightly different application. You should be able to source some that would match that three-layered style on the Starfire, or simply use a thick black boltaron strip. Good work. 

[cozmik_cowboy]

Looking good - but you might want to shield those cavities.

Peter

[wisconsindeadd]

Looking good - but you might want to shield those cavities.

Peter

Yea I need to make that happen. Would shielding remove interference from things like my cellphone when it is near the pickups? There is definitely some base noise, but it isn't too bad as is.

Binding is an interesting idea... I did something like that once before in a slightly different application. You should be able to source some that would match that three-layered style on the Starfire, or simply use a thick black boltaron strip. Good work. 

Hmm, boltaron, never heard of it. I'm not sure what is the best material to use. Ideally some sort of oval shaped hollow rubber-ish material seems like it would be best. Something that will compress a bit and fill in the void well. Not sure exactly what fits that description though.

[soflbass]

Possibly something like the black spline that is used to hold window screens on the frame may work if you can find some that's flexible enough. Just an idea I've never tried it for this purpose. They sell different sizes at Home Depot and Lowe's.

[mica]

You're stuck with stupid cell phone pings - but you shouldn't be wearing your phone when you're playing anywho! Shielding will get rid of low frequency hum and also serves to ground the electronics by the rivets that hold the pots together contacting the shield.

[wisconsindeadd]

You're stuck with stupid cell phone pings - but you shouldn't be wearing your phone when you're playing anywho! Shielding will get rid of low frequency hum and also serves to ground the electronics by the rivets that hold the pots together contacting the shield.

Thanks Mica. I can't help but text and jam at the same time!! Just kidding...

Should I ground the bridge/strings to the shielding? Currently I just have the ground wire from the bridge hanging loose. It doesn't seem to be causing an issues thus far. I plan on painting the entire inside of the cavity.

Possibly something like the black spline that is used to hold window screens on the frame may work if you can find some that's flexible enough. Just an idea I've never tried it for this purpose. They sell different sizes at Home Depot and Lowe's.

Very interesting idea! I'm going to see if perhaps that could work.

[edwardofhuncote]

Here's a couple links for ya'...


https://www.lmii.com/plastic-binding/1427-binding-black-boltaron.html


https://www.lmii.com/33-bindings-purflings-backstrips


 

[wisconsindeadd]

Here's a couple links for ya'...


https://www.lmii.com/plastic-binding/1427-binding-black-boltaron.html


https://www.lmii.com/33-bindings-purflings-backstrips


 

Thanks Edward

[edwin]

You should definitely shield the cavity. When we did mine, the f-hole was covered with a piece of black plastic so that there would be complete coverage.


Cellphones still get picked up when they are close, similarly computers and other electronics that emit a lot of noise. Not much to do about that.


Looking great!

[wisconsindeadd]

You should definitely shield the cavity. When we did mine, the f-hole was covered with a piece of black plastic so that there would be complete coverage.


Cellphones still get picked up when they are close, similarly computers and other electronics that emit a lot of noise. Not much to do about that.


Looking great!

Edwin, Do you have to ground that shielding to something? If so where do you ground it? I am unfamiliar with active electronics and grounding.

[edwin]

You should definitely shield the cavity. When we did mine, the f-hole was covered with a piece of black plastic so that there would be complete coverage.


Cellphones still get picked up when they are close, similarly computers and other electronics that emit a lot of noise. Not much to do about that.


Looking great!

Edwin, Do you have to ground that shielding to something? If so where do you ground it? I am unfamiliar with active electronics and grounding.

It's grounded through the ground wire to the DS-5. I don't think it's wired to the strings.

[wisconsindeadd]

It's grounded through the ground wire to the DS-5. I don't think it's wired to the strings.

Currently I have the inside just shielded but the shielding is not grounded to anything. I also have a single wire going from the bridge that isn't connected to anything. Should I ground the strings and the shielding to something? If so, how?

Here are some pics. Did the same thing as Edwin, covered the F-hole with some black cardboard and closed off part of the inside because it currently is unoccupied. Figured same myself the hassle, kind of difficult to get in that upper horn.

[cozmik_cowboy]

You need to shield your back door, as well, and extend the cavity foil up over the screw holes so it contacts the door foil.  And connect the bridge ground to the foil, as well.

Peter