What’s on *YOUR* workbench?

jimilee said:
Do you think this will effect the tone and resonance?
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Oh boy. Short answer, nope.

Long answer,

The claim that polyurethane (poly) finishes have a detrimental effect on tone is often rooted in tradition, perception, and the marketing of vintage instruments. Here's why these claims persist despite the lack of solid evidence from double-blind studies:

Historical Context: Many guitarists idolize vintage instruments, which often had nitrocellulose finishes. Nitro finishes are thinner and have been associated with a more "open" or "resonant" tone, though this is largely subjective. When polyurethane finishes became more common in the 1970s, some players perceived a difference in tone, which led to the belief that poly finishes were inferior.

Marketing and Tradition: Guitar manufacturers, especially those producing high-end or vintage-inspired instruments, often appeal to tradition. They market nitro finishes as superior based on historical usage and perceived tonal benefits. This creates a narrative that poly finishes are "worse" for tone, even if the actual tonal difference is minimal or non-existent.

Physical Differences: While there is a physical difference between poly and nitro finishes—polyurethane tends to be thicker and more durable—whether this has a significant impact on tone is debatable. Some believe that the thicker poly finish can dampen vibrations and reduce resonance, but this hasn't been definitively proven in controlled studies.

Subjective Experience: Tone is highly subjective, and guitarists often believe they hear differences based on factors like finish type, even if those differences aren't measurable. This creates a feedback loop where the belief in tonal differences reinforces itself.


The claim that poly finishes are detrimental to tone is more about perception and tradition than scientific evidence. It's a belief that has persisted in the guitar community, but without rigorous, controlled studies to back it up, it remains largely anecdotal.
jwin615 said:
Come on Jimi. The toan is in the strings and the resonance is in the gain pot.
In all seriousness, wiith neck through, I bet it sustains very well. :)
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The neck is glued in, so set neck, not neck through 🙃.
 
GizzWizzKing said:
Good Tayda colors today. Drilling the 1590b by hand is a fun exercise in not mucking it up.
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is that the Orange Sand coating? I have the darker, red sand enclosure about ready. I screwed up the "print" I was trying to do with the laser engraver deal, so I'll probably either repaint and light sanding, or ...something.


Forgot to post, but a week or so ago I got a big order in. This Candy Copper is the perfect shade of BROWN for the Promenade (bass balls) I'll hopefully have completed soon.

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jessenator said:
is that the Orange Sand coating? I have the darker, red sand enclosure about ready. I screwed up the "print" I was trying to do with the laser engraver deal, so I'll probably either repaint and light sanding, or ...something
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It is indeed. I am curious as to how a graphic will adhere. I think my initially purchased black sand from Tayda was much more gritty but this one seems to be much less textured. I recall that I purchased this for a phaser but mistakenly got the 1590B by accident. So now it will be my own limited edition Distortion +

Embrace the mistakes. It's he only way forward.
 
GizzWizzKing said:
I am curious as to how a graphic will adhere. I think my initially purchased black sand from Tayda was much more gritty but this one seems to be much less textured.
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Heh, it kinda does from the pic. I was a bit skeptical when I had Tayda do the print so I doubled up on the white. Came out really nice.

GizzWizzKing said:
Embrace the mistakes. It's he only way forward.
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The next couple I'm hoping to do non-UV, so that'll be an adventure 😬


I actually did a test to just make a mask and laser cut it. The first few tests came out really ...weird. The adhesive on the paper-backed vinyl transfer tape didn't burn away. Took me a couple more tries to test a theory: the bare aluminum was interfering/deflecting/etc the laser so it just wouldn't burn properly. Tried some progressively more powerful passes as well:

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Hard to tell from a scanner, but at the right angle you'll see a shine—the adhesive is still there. I thought, okay, I'll also do some cross-hatch/second burn next time, and on a coated surface to see if I was right. Some of the more powerful burn-ins could be taken care of with some oil, but it also fouled the rest of the paper, but I had a feeling it was indeed something else.

Good thing I did the experiment on an enclosure that I already borked… The boxes here (and @ symbols on the red one) are the same progressive laser power/speed settings steps, and it's very dramatic the difference a coating makes. Also tells me I don't need to go that slowly… I think by the end it was 550mm/minute at 100%. Granted it's a 5W diode laser.

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After a bit of iso alcohol it cleaned up well:

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Cleaned out a bit more of the "@" with a toothpick on the last one. During the etch I got a whiff of the same VOC (probably) odor from when I attempted paint/coating etching last year, but didn't think it was stronk enough to go through the powder coating.

I was not intending this to be an actual burn-through on this run, just a cut of the paper. It's definitely progress, though.

If anything it proves another point I'd seen elsewhere about laser cutting: the tape helps prevent burned marks on the wood (in the example case in the video I watched). Might be doing the same thing here with the powder coat.
 
First thing I've built from a schematic, and first project on a breadboard, and it actually works, doesn't sound great yet, but it works. Hybrid Si/Ge Meathead Dark. I think I just need to swap some bias resistors/trimmers and find good values and it'll be pretty good. Using low/mid gain 2n2369 and MP38a.
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