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thanks todd,

one correction to my process is that i use 3mm birch ply, not 1.5 as i stated above. you probably saw that in the picture.

you really should give it a try. it's relatively little work for a great feel and a unique hand built guitar touch.

and i never answered your question about the wavelength. for the most part, i think they're great. they are very straightforward to install. they have all the headroom that the advertising boasts of. and the volume/tone control is handy and none invasive. all good stuff. that said, it's still an under saddle transducer and still emphasizes the attack portion of a guitars sound. not as quacky as most ust's, but it's still there. the other thing i've noticed with my guitars (and probably with most hand built guitars that lean towards lighter bracing and a round bass sound when not amplified) is that all the tone control needs to roll off all the bass when plugged in. this, though, is the challenge/nature or amplifying instruments that are built to maximize their unamplified performance.

all that said, when you plug it in and stand in front of a monitor, the thing roars, and a smile comes to your face. and that is part of the thrill that i'm trying to give the people who own my instruments - the sense that when they drape the strap over their shoulder and plug in, that they are in the drivers seat of a hot rod with their foot on the gas and crazy horse power under the hood. again, this has it's pitfalls. the horsepower and low end are great for the singer that accompanies themself or only plays with one or two other instruments. but in a full band setting, this kind of sound just takes up way to much sonic space and needs to be reigned way back so that it doesn't clog up the mix . . . but now i'm into what should be a totally different thread.

phil

phil

Phil - That bevel is awesome! Where do you get the 3 mm baltic birch plywood?

i get the baltic birch from a speciatly plywood store an hour away. it's sold in 5'x5' sheets, but the store will also sell quarter or half sheets.
phil