New horn (Wright Quad)

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 28 Sep 2012 4:02 am

Bill,
Please keep us posted on how it's coming...

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 28 Sep 2012 5:34 am

Absolutely, my friend. Hope I don't drive you nuts with questions!

And on that note, do you have any info on these pickups? There were only two with the guitar so I'm going to have to wind a handful. I haven't ohmed them out yet to see if they're good. I'd rather not tear into them if I can avoid it.

Thanks

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 28 Sep 2012 4:39 pm

All I can tell you is Dad wound them... )))) wish I knew more...

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 28 Sep 2012 5:30 pm

No worries. Turns out both of them test open. I went ahead and pulled one apart. Multiple breaks in the coil windings. Very basic, very stout construction.

Once I identify the wire gauge and find the resistance specs, hopefully I can get real close winding my own.

Lee Jeffriess · Post by **Lee Jeffriess** » 30 Sep 2012 4:38 pm

Bill, I have two blade type Pu's on my Wright/Sierra and they are both around 3.4 K ohms thats (roughly) about 6000 turns of 40 AWG.
Are yours the fixed pole piece ones ?
I bet Todd Clinesmith could help you with specs, he has a variety of Wright Pu's.
BTW are you gonna use the Sierra pedal rack ?
Lee

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 1 Oct 2012 3:00 am

Lee - Thanks. Yes, they have fixed poles. Eight 1" long, 3/16" diameter AlNiCo 2 magnets glued into the top and bottom plates. No bobbin, just wire wrapped straight over the magnets.

40 gauge, huh? I have 42 and was only able to source 3/4" AlNiCos. Since I don't have a live pickup with which to compare, I'm kinda shootin' in the dark. I know the sound I want to hear though. I'll will certainly contact Mr. Clinesmith for advice, thanks.

Yes, I had planned on modifying the Sierra rack to fit this guitar. Are you in need of one? If you could help me source six appropriate pedals for this thing, I'll fab a new rack. I'd be honored to send you this one.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 1 Oct 2012 7:31 am

Pickup:

Rack:

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 1 Oct 2012 8:59 am

Master Magnetics has one inch alnico rods. They have many lengths so you can stagger the magnets on the underside if you wish -- like on a Fender 400.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 2 Oct 2012 6:33 am

Thanks Chris.

By the way, anyone interested in the old push-button selector switches like the one in this guitar and in old Bigsbys, check these out:

http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/2 ... -%203-536/

I just ordered a handful, but they have a ton in stock. I'll report back once I have 'em in my hand, but the measurements they list seem to match up (2.5" mounting hole centers).

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 3 Oct 2012 3:20 pm

New triple end plates. 'Tis nice to have friends with big machines:

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 4 Oct 2012 1:43 pm

Got one hogged out and spent some time playing around with various polishing compounds. Man, I've made a lot of aluminum chips...

I'm intentionally adding some random waviness and imperfection to the outer surfaces to mimic a sand casting rather than a milled surface.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 10 Oct 2012 2:40 am

up date??

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 10 Oct 2012 3:28 am

Hey David! I had to go out of town for a few days. Got back last night.

- Second triple end plate almost completed

- I had a sign shop scan and print fingerboards. Got a call Friday that they are ready. I'll pick them up today.

- Original aluminum parts all stripped down and awaiting their turn on the polishing wheels.

- Still awaiting 38-gauge wire for pickup winding.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 10 Oct 2012 3:32 am

Thanks Bill !!!!

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 10 Oct 2012 3:52 am

Bill,
Here's a couple of guitars from that time...

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 10 Oct 2012 7:51 am

David, this quad has a number 15 stamped along the skinny bottom edge of an endplate.

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 10 Oct 2012 12:14 pm

Be sure and wear your kidney belt and bend at the knees.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 10 Oct 2012 9:57 pm

That Bud Fuller guitar must have all plunger changers as I don't see any changers at the bridge ends, wow!!

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 11 Oct 2012 3:56 am

David - Wow thanks for the Bud Fuller guitar pic. I'm sending the Sierra rack I have out to Lee and am going to fabricate a rack to fit. The Fuller pic answers a lot of questions for me.

Jussi - Is that what your rack looked like behind the maple, or was the maple a structural piece?

Thanks!

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 11 Oct 2012 4:09 am

Bill, when I got the guitar the original pedal rack and legs wer gone. The rack that came with it was wood with with those clamps for the legs and parts that attached the pedals to the wood rack. I have no idea where those originally came from. The original non-Wright wood rack wasn't too stiff and it didn't even fit very well. I had seen late 50's Wrights with wood racks, so instead of trying to get a metal rack done I chose the easy way with wood rack. A local luthier made it, as well as refinished the guitar. Here you can see how the pedals attach:

Note the extra long pedals with the pivot, not sure if those are originals either. This guitar originally had six pedals like the Fuller guitar.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 11 Oct 2012 8:20 am

COOL!! That picture tells me everything I need to know. Thanks Jussi.

Guys, I'm a little under the weather right now so things are going slow. Haven't picked up the fingerboards nor gotten back into the machine shop.

I do have my impregnated linen plates for building my pickups, have a bunch of AlNiCo2 magnets to play with, have gauge 42 wire on hand and some 38 on the way.

Lee Jeffreiss and I had a nice conversation the other day. He's given me some terrific ideas on pickups. Definitely got some experimenting to do.

Todd Clinesmith has offered to give me technical advice as well. I'll be giving him a call later today.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 11 Oct 2012 8:25 am

Oh, got those switches the other day. Almost identical width between buttons, although the baseplate is wider. Not as much throw either, but will suffice for now!

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 11 Oct 2012 9:13 am

Bill, I sent you the early cast Sierra rack for its pedals and to use the ends -- the leg clamps -- to use with a new maple rack and also so you could use the cast axle supports too.

Did you get the impregnated linen sheets for the pickup tops?

Chris

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 11 Oct 2012 9:36 am

Chris - I'm going to keep the pedals and send Lee the rack. Gonna fab new leg clamps.

Yes, got the fiber plates! Thanks!

Jerome Hawkes · Post by **Jerome Hawkes** » 11 Oct 2012 1:36 pm

Can't wait to see this one finished - I love to see stuff like this restored. Drop me a pm when it's done - i'll take my Clinesmith T-8 down there and we can do some pickin & slidin. I'm just up the river in Fayetteville - went to school at UNC-W - miss it.