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Photos...done at last, nearly. The Pine guitar.

Hi, I can't believe that I posted about this project back in 2019, and it's still not finished. It's been twenty years or so since I started this build. I could not work out the wiring for the active pickup set I had, so I replaced them with regular Strat pickups and wiring.

It's a bit of a Frankenstein-type of build, a mix of everything: black and white, chrome and gold, Fender and Gibson style pickguards, with a pine neck and body.

A few minor jobs and it's done. I don't like the pine as it marks too easily.
Taff

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 14, 2023 at 6:14pm

Hi Paul, it was the set of "REds" active pickups, I could not get them all to switch properly. I tried three different five-way switches with different selection capabilities but no joy. I think not knowing how to wire in the preamp was the problem. Not like the EMG actives that I have wired up in the past.

Thanks for asking.
Taff

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Permalink Reply by Fantacone Box Works on January 17, 2023 at 6:48am

Looks great, nice grain

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on January 23, 2023 at 12:58pm

I've found all kinds of wiring on Google for the Red EMG Pickups, but not any for the GFS Redactive Pickups. Only thing I found for the GFS Redactive pickups was a discussion and a layout for the GFS Redactives - H/H and a S/S/H on The Gear Page.

GFS seems to be trying to make their customers buy all their components instead of mix matching.

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 23, 2023 at 7:08pm

Paul, I think he’s talking about the Reds active pickups made by Reflex in the later 80’s-90’s? They were UK made & not so many dealers carried them here in the states? But if they’re the Reflex brand I’m thinking of, then they came with a specialized preamp to make them play nice with your signal chain? If they are, then I have a photo of the wiring diagram Taff?

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 23, 2023 at 7:40pm

Hi thanks for input Paul and Brian. Yes dead right Brian, I bought six or so sets,humbuckers, bass, and strat single coils from a shop that was closing down in the late 90s. I had used some but over the years box’s got opened and some how there are no selector switches. I do have the original wiring diagrams. I believe the EMGs had the pre amps built into them, The Reflex p ups have a seperate unit.
Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on February 1, 2023 at 11:55am

Can you use a Gitty Pre-amp with those pickups?

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 1, 2023 at 12:24pm

Hi Paul, I do appreciate your help and advice. The pre-amp supplied has the seven wires potted into the case so I do not know what is what. I have a number of preamps here but none that would receive seven wires, five really as two are for the battery.

If you lived in Aussie you could have them, maybe one day I may find the time to sort it out, but at the moment I'd sooner get wood shavings to grow than solder to flow. Ha ha.
Cheers Taff