# The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 31, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172 "2010-01-31T23:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 94
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1862 "2011-07-26T05:19:22Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Don’t use the wool on the wood unless you know what you’re aiming for. Masking tape between the frets, rub the fretwire smoothly and firmly. I assure you, you can use 0000 gauge steel wool directly on the fingerboard with no ill effects. ETA: I mean on the guitar in question. I wouldn’t use any grade steel wool on finished maple fingerboards. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1863 "2011-07-27T09:22:47Z")
> **[My hotel-room guitar kit is complete! What do \*you\* travel with?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=617867)** > > I’m stoked! I don’t want to miss days of practicing while on the road for business, so I have been slowly figuring out what the best “road kit” would be for me. Here it is I bought the Traveler Guitarlast year, and have been quite pleased with it.... Minor7flat5 set up a travelling guitar kit. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1864 "2011-07-27T20:17:10Z")
Woot! I got the Uke back today. It sounds great! The luthier tightened up the tuners and fingerboard and restrung it. Bought myself a hard case, and am learning to play it! [Here’s](http://www.flickr.com/photos/clockworkjackal/5981969323)a pic. (Ok, looks pretty much the same, only it has strings now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1865 "2011-07-27T20:20:22Z")
> [@Clockwork\_Jackal](#): > > Woot! I got the Uke back today. It sounds great! The luthier tightened up the tuners and fingerboard and restrung it. Bought myself a hard case, and am learning to play it! [Here’s](http://www.flickr.com/photos/clockworkjackal/5981969323)a pic. (Ok, looks pretty much the same, only it has strings now. 🙂 How can that be anything other than cool?! Congrats! You have to get a cool hipster straw stingy-brim hat to wear when you play it. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1866 "2011-07-28T00:01:57Z")
Actually, the wood looks better. Did they oil it? And what you really need is a 1950s bowling shirt with flames on it or something. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1867 "2011-07-28T10:36:55Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Actually, the wood looks better. Did they oil it? He cleaned it with something, I don’t know what. > [@](#): > > And what you really need is a 1950s bowling shirt with flames on it or something. Ha! ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1868 "2011-07-29T12:42:13Z")
Is it at all possible to contract Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome? Is that a real disease? Because I think I’ve got it. I saw a tenor ukulele for sale on Kijiji and I’m _this_ close to buying it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1869 "2011-07-29T12:45:32Z")
> [@Clockwork\_Jackal](#): > > Is it at all possible to contract Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome? Is that a real disease? Because I think I’ve got it. I saw a tenor ukulele for sale on Kijiji and I’m _this_ close to buying it. Did I mention that my mom has over 40 ukes? It is indeed a condition - and the only treatment is more ukelele. This one is my favorite of my mom’s (not a photo of her’s specifically): [a Harold Teen Uke](http://www.hakes.com/item.asp?AuctionItemID=17498), made in the 20’s at the height of the jazz craze - a solid player; not a flimsy toy at all… ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1870 "2011-07-29T20:45:47Z")
> **[The Firefly: amazing new banjo uke | Boing Boing](https://boingboing.net/2011/07/28/the-firefly-amazing-new-banjo-uke.html)** > > \[Video Link\] Above: A video David found of someone playing the Firefly. UPDATE: Dale Webb, the designer of the Firefly has provided additional information about this instrument: The action is adjus… Check this out. $179 Banjo Uke. Looks nice, too. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1871 "2011-07-29T21:11:01Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > This one is my favorite of my mom’s (not a photo of her’s specifically): [a Harold Teen Uke](http://www.hakes.com/item.asp?AuctionItemID=17498), made in the 20’s at the height of the jazz craze - a solid player; not a flimsy toy at all… OMG, that’s awesome. I’d love to own something like that!! (well, maybe not at $261, but still.) ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1872 "2011-07-30T02:35:02Z")
You all need to stop making me want to buy more ukes! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1873 "2011-07-30T03:51:07Z")
Did you check out that uke songbook also in the boingboing link? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1874 "2011-07-30T10:38:57Z")
> [@Clockwork\_Jackal](#): > > You all need to stop making me want to buy more ukes! Yeah - you thought we were a bunch of helpful question-answerers?! Nah - we’re G.A.S. enablers!! MWA-Ha-Ha-Ha!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1875 "2011-07-30T11:42:07Z")
An old voice student of mine is busking with a ukulele player who has an electric instrument, a crate amp and a Line 6 pedal board. They’re making a ton of coin because of the uniqueness of the duo, and some really clever arrangements. U2, REM, Neil Young and some fake Renaissance music. They’re also getting welcome approaches from paramours of their preferred genders on an hourly basis… I’m sorry, what were you saying about enabling? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1876 "2011-08-01T05:11:47Z")
Ha! I **finally** have that Xavie e back together. And it even hums less! Yay! OK, I’m not completely done. When wiring the bridge pickup, one of my $18(!) oil-n-paper caps had a lead bust off right at the housing, so I salvaged the old cap that had been there until I could get a replacement. And I still have several other problems - I think the .022 caps I bought are too bright or something. Half the wiring sites say to use .022’s with a P-90, the other half say .047, big help they are. Inspecting the old caps reveals no obvious value, just a part number, but I think they must have been .047s so I’ll switch tot that. The bridge pickup ended up far too low; I can stick my thumb between the strings and that pickup now. I’d thought earlier that it was much too high, so I replaced the padding behind the pickup with something less bulky, oops. The volume difference compared to the neck pickup is considerable now. Ah well – these projects are never really done, are they? It is nice to have the strings on this guitar and play it again, tinny or not. This is such a fun guitar to play. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1877 "2011-08-01T09:05:22Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Ha! I **finally** have that Xavie e back together. And it even hums less! Yay! Yay! Congrats. > [@squeegee](#): > > Ah well – these projects are never really done, are they? 😃 P-90s usually have the same cap value as 'buckers, .047. I’ve had the padding problem, too, unfortunately the laborious take-apart-adjust-reassemble-check-repeat process is the only way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1878 "2011-08-01T11:58:16Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Ha! I **finally** have that Xavie e back together. And it even hums less! Yay! > > OK, I’m not completely done. When wiring the bridge pickup, one of my $18(!) oil-n-paper caps had a lead bust off right at the housing, so I salvaged the old cap that had been there until I could get a replacement. And I still have several other problems - I think the .022 caps I bought are too bright or something. Half the wiring sites say to use .022’s with a P-90, the other half say .047, big help they are. Inspecting the old caps reveals no obvious value, just a part number, but I think they must have been .047s so I’ll switch tot that. > > The bridge pickup ended up far too low; I can stick my thumb between the strings and that pickup now. I’d thought earlier that it was much too high, so I replaced the padding behind the pickup with something less bulky, oops. The volume difference compared to the neck pickup is considerable now. Ah well – these projects are never really done, are they? > > It is nice to have the strings on this guitar and play it again, tinny or not. This is such a fun guitar to play. I think I swapped in a .47, too; I certainly used pots for 'buckers (500K, not 250k IIRC) so it would make sense to make the caps to the spec’s for a humbucker, too. Additional memory flash: when I first got my Les Paul Custom with the P-90, it squealed too much when the Volume was on 10. In searching online, someone offered a tip that you stick a Matchbox-box-sized piece of foam (like for a seat cushion) underneath the pickup. I did that - and not only did it position the pickup better, but the squeal was eliminated. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1879 "2011-08-01T14:22:11Z")
[Link to thread showing a fun edited clip of Black Dog performances](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=618512)… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1880 "2011-08-01T18:09:15Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I think I swapped in a .47, too; I certainly used pots for 'buckers (500K, not 250k IIRC) so it would make sense to make the caps to the spec’s for a humbucker, too. Like I said, the wiring diagrams are all over the place on this for P90s. The ones I’ve seen seem to all have 500k pots, but some spec .022’s, some spec .047s. Shrug. I’ll swap in .047s and see how I like it. > [@](#): > > Additional memory flash: when I first got my Les Paul Custom with the P-90, it squealed too much when the Volume was on 10. In searching online, someone offered a tip that you stick a Matchbox-box-sized piece of foam (like for a seat cushion) underneath the pickup. I did that - and not only did it position the pickup better, but the squeal was eliminated. Interesting – the Xavie e pickups had little foam pads under them. I ended up replacing those with similar pads that I scrounged after the originals lost their squishiness, but I didn’t use tall enough foam under the bridge pickup. Shouldn’t be a big deal to fix, except the heads on the screws that hold down the bridge pickup are nearly stripped, and god knows where I’d find similar ones (skinny wood screws with a round top and about an inch of unthreaded shank), so I hope I don’t strip them further. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/1881 "2011-08-02T01:42:28Z")
Congratulations on getting Mr. E back together, Squeegee. I was concerned. Guitarfetish has some nice cheap caps. And any hardware store can get the right screws… don’t worry about the unthreaded shank. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=93) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=95)