last update : 9 Februari 2000
The plan
The plan was based on the Joe Satriani model from Ibanez. The so called
JS
Series show characteristic round curves which feel very natural to
your body. However some modifications were to be made :
[1] The JS100 neck provides only 22 frets, which is just a little
bit too less, if you are looking for the full 4 Octaves. So my guitar got
24 frets, and a deeper cutaway so the frets will be easy in reach.
The place where body and neck meet has been shaped in a special form so the
hand will be supported when playing these upper frets.
[2] The neck will be a through body one. This will inprove sustain and
stability.
[3] Ibanez uses their own pick-ups as were Joe uses DiMarzio pick-ups. I
decided to install DiMazzio's PAF-PRO pickups for a warmer (fatter) sound.
The wiring will also be al lot more versatile using the
Steward MacDonalds MEGA switch.
[4] I am personally not very fond of locking tremolos, so they got of, and a
standard Strat tremolo got on.
[5] No inlays (you got to keep somethings for the future :)), but a vine will
be painted as on the
YEM series.
The work
The guitar was commissioned in the summer of 1998 after a professional fret job. The
fretboard was made a bit too small. It allows very fast playing as planned, but also
easily leads to damping of strings that should have ringed !
There is still some buzz which should not be there, but it can only be noticed on
recordings; hence whenever i record something i filter the noise off and make her
sound perfectly clean.
So far i am quite astonished by the shape and the sound, it turned out to be a
wonderfull instrument with a unique sound. Main problem is the weight. Mahog has a
great sustain, but is very heavy.
Some pic's are available and will be uploaded in the near future
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