Modding the Morton

[Newc]

Before:




After (well, During, I should say):




Mods so far:

• Changed the knobs to Abalone-topped chrome knobs
• Changed Gotoh bridge to Schaller/L.R.Baggs T-Bridge (piezos around the saddles)
• Replaced one 2-way On/On Coil Tap/Split switch with a 3-position On/On/On
• Partially installed a piezo soundboard transducer (disc-type) in the toggle-switch cavity

The original idea was to put 3 disc-type transducers inside the body - one by the toggle, one in the control cavity, and one down by the lower horn, since the inside is completely hollow except for the neck tenon.

The first thing I had to do, however, was have Dave make me a set of bridge posts, because the Gotoh has those huge threads and thick posts, and the L.R. Baggs uses those smaller skinny ones.

Stewart-MacDonald used to carry Conversion Posts for just such a problem, but dropped them.

Anyhoo, Dave did an excellent job:

Before:



During:



After:



Dave's The Man


Anyhoo, I almost have the transducers where I want them except for one important factor: I need to make a mounting bracket that will hold them in place, because they get their best sound when slight (and I mean SLIGHT) pressure is applied to the back of the disc.

I've got some brass and steel shimstock that I can make the bracket out of, but I've got to come up with some sort of adjustable thing so I can set the pressure on the discs just right. I had one design that kinda worked, but the area of pressure was too small and it got more of a National/Lap Steel/Resonator tone (than banjo-type thing, only with sustain :ROTF: )

Anyway, once I scrounge up all the parts I need and figure out how/where to mount them on the inside so they don't bump loose, I'll be set.

I'm also going to replace the other On/On mini-toggle with another On/On/On mini-toggle.

The 3-way On/On/On switches will be wired thusly:

Switch #1: Humbuckers only / Hums + Piezos / Piezos only

Switch #2: T-bridge only / T-bridge + discs / discs only


The T-Bridge is ok - I might have to get the preamp for it because it's not getting the volume. My soldering work probably has something to do with it, as you have to solder each saddle lead to this little pad on this little circuit board. It's not shorting itself out, though (that I can tell), but since it's an unpowered circuit I may just sum the leads without the board and see what I get before buying the preamp.

The installation instructions for the T-bridge say to drill a hole for the wires into the control cavity.
Uh-huh. Yeah.

I nipped a bit of the back bottom edge of the bridge pickup bezel and fed the wires through there. Worked like a charm. Yeah they're visible on top, but not as visible as any holes I'd try to drill :ROTF:

Since the coil-tap/split switches are coming out, I'm probably going to put a couple of Push/Pull Volume knobs in it for that purpose.

[Robert Burns]

Man those changes look great !

[sonicsamurai]

i thought the kobs looed better beforehand tbh

[Sunbane]

The knobs go well with the inlays though. I say good call.

[Newc]

i thought the kobs looed better beforehand tbh

The filter effect on that first pic makes them look like worn brass, which would be cool, but they're really highly reflective chrome. It matched the rest of the hardware, but the hardware is grouped down at the body, with the pearloid/MOTO tuner keys trying to match the MOP and Abalone inlays. The Abalone knobs bridge the chasm between the shiny chrome hardware of the body and the organic/figured inlays and tuners.

Plus, the $150 India models have shiny chrome knobs - it looks cheap on a figured-top instrument.

[toejam]

Wow. Can't believe I missed this thread. Looking good!

[Newc]

Thanks, Toe

Looks like I will be getting the preamp after all. I'm going to upgrade to the Barcus-Berry DISQOS transducers as well. I had one before that I stuck under the edge of an OFR and it picked up perfectly, but these little Schatten transducers are too small in diameter, and I can't build a bracket system to mount them with the pressure I need on them.

The transducer is about the size of a dime, but the actual piezo area is half of that. The Barcus-Berry's have a thick piezo layer on a disc about the size of a quarter. Of course they're about $40 each

I really want this to come out right because the theoretical tonal possibilities are astounding. Once I add the GK-3 driver I'll be able to blend natural AND synthetic acoustic tones as well as magnetic pickup tones.

And if I find a way to jam some Variax guts in there......

[toejam]

Sweet! Let us know how it goes. I'd love to hear how it sounds.