Spotty fretwork :: Allen Eden 335-style [8.1 lbs]

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An import 335 style semi-hollow in for some setup tweaks.  Mediocre fretwork is often par for the course on imports with uneven frets and sharp ends.  We decided to tap down the high frets and dress the ends to improve fretting up the neck.  The player uses this guitar for chord-melody style (ie Joe Pass) and strings it with flats

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Custom Bartolini pickguard mount :: 2009 Eastman Pagelli PG2 [5.1 lbs]

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A noisy pickup was found to be the cause of a loud buzz / hum while playing unless the tone was rolled completely down.  The pickup was both screwed and glued to the pickguard, so heat was required to remove the pickup.  The player chose to replace the Kent Armstrong pickup with a Bartolini 5J.  Unfortunately, Bartolini only offers a fingerboard mount so I needed to make a custom pickguard mounting bracket out of brass.

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The fret ends were sharp in the cutaway so they were dressed and the guitar strung up with flats.

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Lowell George setup :: 2001 Fender Stratocaster [7.5 lbs]

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A 70's style Strat back in the shop to complete it's Lowell George-esque setup with a Tele bridge pickup and Alembic Blastor preamp.  Above the body is being routed out for a Seymour Duncan Tele bridge pickup.  I forgot to photo the method used to enlarge the bridge in the pickguard (yes, a Tele bridge pickup is bigger than a Strat pickup).  What I did was to take a Tele bridge, double-stick taped it to the pickguard and used a violin knife to pare away the excess.  It worked fairly well.

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The owner found a NOS original Blastor from the 1970's (not the newer Blaster / Strat-o-Blaster).  Pictured above is the back of the body is being routed out to accept a 9V battery box to power the Alembic preamp. A battery box is not required, but it's nice to have easy access.  You can install the battery under the pickguard but it can be a pain having to take off the pickguard for each battery change.  I would not install a battery box on a vintage instrument.  Also note that we ended up lowering the action at the nut considerably from last time it was in.

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Half round setup :: Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 [9.2 lbs]

The player wanted to try a new set of strings on his 5 string bass.  He decided to go with a set of Ken Smith Slick Round [44-62-84-106-130].  These strings are similar to flat wounds but still retain more of the brightness found with regular round wound strings.  These strings are also known as half rounds.  Check them out, they're a really cool mix between flats and rounds.

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Uneven frets :: 2015 Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Pro/NA [6.9 lbs]

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This Epiphone archtop came in for a setup along with a full fret level.  The fixed-top archtop bridge also needed to be properly compensated to keep the flatwound strings playing in tune.  During the final setup I found this annoying B note sympathetic vibration that was tracked down to the bridge tone cap physically vibrating against the pot.  This was a first for me!  Just glad I figured it out as rattles can drive you insane.