# The Peart



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

After a bit of a hiatus (Covid) I'm starting back up with a new build. I do this to help gain exposure for my daughter Amanda Lynn who creates the art.
This one is commissioned and I hope to have it completed within a month or so.

The next main task is to prep for clear coating.

I'm also in the parts selection phase.

Body is white ash crafted by Nathan Nieman.

Hardware will be a Gotoh FL (chrome).

Neck TBD, but of course it must be machined to accept a FR nut.

PUPs are still being decided on but chrome and covered, H-S-S.

Tuners TBD but non locking is more than adequate.

Think I'll use foil to shield the cavities.

By the way, Amanda in respect of the late great Neil Peart named the body, the Peart.

More to follow.


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## Fred Gifford (Sep 2, 2019)

Milkman said:


> After a bit of a hiatus (Covid) I'm starting back up with a new build. I do this to help gain exposure for my daughter Amanda Lynn who creates the art.
> This one is commissioned and I hope to have it completed within a month or so.
> 
> The next main task is to prep for clear coating.
> ...


that paint job is a masterpiece ... awesome !!!


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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

Ima not gonna follow this thread, Ima wait for the reveal.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Just one question: What are you going to do for the light-show when you play the Fillmore West?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Just one question: What are you going to do for the light-show when you play the Fillmore West?


This one comes with a smoke machine and a motorized laser.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Fred Gifford said:


> that paint job is a masterpiece ... awesome !!!


Thank you. I agree. 

I think any number of people could take the same steps and follow the same process and nobody would come up with what we have here except Amanda.

What looks like randomness is actually a very carefully manipulated set of conditions.

If that sounds a bit hyperbolic and boastful...well. I stand by it.

I mean, even if you made wall clocks out of these, to my eye they are spell binding.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Very nice job, look better than "old" Fender splatter Strats


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Latole said:


> Very nice job, look better than "old" Fender splatter Strats
> 
> View attachment 346357


you didn't like these? I thought they were kinda cool, hokey but someone put effort in at least


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

vadsy said:


> someone put effort in at least


yeah, let it spin on a turntable and drop paint on it. lol


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

laristotle said:


> yeah, let it spin on a turntable and drop paint on it. lol


ouch. given the thread

surprised the OP gave you a like


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

vadsy said:


> you didn't like these? I thought they were kinda cool, hokey but someone put effort in at least



I did say I don't like these, I say I like more Milkman job.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Latole said:


> Milkman job


milkdaughter actually. 😉


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

laristotle said:


> milkdaughter actually. 😉


Correct.

I am merely a sponsor and facilitator.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Well, my spray gun bit the big one so I bought a new one on Amazon.

It's cheap but seems up to the task so far.

I went over to the old office early this morning and managed to get a good first coat of poly on the two bodies. They're hanging now and I can go over later today, sand and apply a second coat.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

those look fantastic!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Funny, but somehow when I look at these bodies, I hear Robin Trower playing Bridge of Sighs.

Ordering the Gotoh FR for the Peart today. The neck will have similar / complimentary artwork on the face of the peghead.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Wet sanding poly today.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I made a little jig. I'm doing a few little touch ups but it's looking better all the time. Sanded to 1500 grit here.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow, what a bridge.

I've tried a lot of variations on the OG Floyd, and so far this is by far the best from my chair.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

And of course, the set of metric bits I have goes up to 10mm.

I need an 11mm. Family Day here so everything's closed.

No, 7/16ths isn't close enough.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Milkman said:


> And of course, the set of metric bits I have goes up to 10mm.
> 
> I need an 11mm. Family Day here so everything's closed.
> 
> No, 7/16ths isn't close enough.


Reminds me of the time I tore the shingles off my roof on Thanksgiving Weekend only to discover that I needed to replace three sheets of plywood.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

7/16 is .437 11mm is .433. Close enough


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

knight_yyz said:


> 7/16 is .437 11mm is .433. Close enough


Maybe, but in my experience it's generally easier to remove more wood than to add it back.

If I feel 11mm is too tight, I can always move up to 7/16ths.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Oh Canada eh?

The local Canadian Tire and Home Hardware stores only carry imperial sizes.

They were magnanimous enough to include the closest metric size on the package.

So you can get 3/8 (9.525mm) or 7/16 oversize (11.13mm).

I know, it's close, but something about this bugs me. It's a reminder of how insignificant we are (even to ourselves).

I had to order an 11 mm bit on Amazon. It will arrive tomorrow.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Ok, a little status update on this one. I discovered that my 8" drill press does not have enough workable range (throw?) to properly drill out and press in the bridge posts.

Fortunately I have friends with a very capable machine shop and I had them ream out the holes and press in the inserts.

I spent some time on the weekend buffing out the finish. Now I'm just waiting for the neck and other parts to begin the assembly.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I don't know how much impact this has but I'm of the opinion that at very least, it does no harm. Am I overshielding?


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

I don`t think there is a "over shielding" category, but I could be wrong... The goal, as I understand it, is to create a faraday cage around your electronics, or otherwise it`s just pretty copper tape, if that`s not the goal.

I did a shieling job on my tele that worked out great. As long as all the chambers are connected, and you don`t create grounding loops you are most of the way there.
The only thing i would question in the above photo is that I don`t see any copper tab above the rim of the chambers to bond the copper backing on the pick guard to the rest of the shielding....an easy fix.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Hey Mike, you may get ground loop hum with the harness i sold you. If that is the case just desolder the twisted ground wire between the two pots.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

knight_yyz said:


> Hey Mike, you may get ground loop hum with the harness i sold you. If that is the case just desolder the twisted ground wire between the two pots.


Ok, duly noted thank you. That harness is in the other guitar, but I shieded both in the same fashion.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

A few more parts arrived, allowing me to complete a few more little tasks on this one. Pickups, switch and output jack mounted.

I just laid a few of the other components on top to get a glimpse of the eventual appearance.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Damn I love a FR HSS strat!

Can't find the pu specs in thread?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Pickups are Lace Sensor Silver Bullets.

Far and away the most massively built pick ups I have ever handled.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Check out the difference in appearance and quality (what you can see at least) in these two components.

One is a standard Fender five way Switch. The other is a Schaller five way.

Fender









Schaller









Fender









Schaller


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

With any project, there's a critical path to completion. For this one, the necks were very slow in coming. Now, having said that, I must also say that I have never seen higher quality of materials and craftsmanship in any necks I have used.

These necks are gorgeous in every detail.

So, the necks finally arrived and I'm working to a May 15 deadline to complete (if possible).

The headstock of this one will be painted to match the body. It's now on my bench for wiring.

I say this about all of these I guess, but I really love this one.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Is the fretboard purpleheart?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Yes. It's a purpleheart fretboard on flame maple neck. Jumbo stainless steel frets. Features the Gotoh side adjuster.

Cream coloured clay dots.

CBS style peghead.

Will receive Schaller non locking tuners.

The purpleheart matches the body colours pretty nicely.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Over spraying the pegheads.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Pretty decent match I'd say. Should look cool assembled.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Ok, I'm finally to the stage of doing some final assembly. This will be a 55th birthday gift for a dear friend and fellow forum mate who is studiously avoiding this thread until he has seen the guitar. I'm sure this thread will provide some interesting information about his new guitar when he does go back and read through it.

The Schaller tuners went in nicely, albeit with some persuasion as usual. I like to use a little straight edge to get them all lined up square and a little hand soap on the anti-rotation screws so I don't screw up the phillips heads.

I also installed the retainer (a common source of tuning problems even with a Floyd) and screwed the neck to the body.

A little later I'll actually start stringing it up for the first time.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Beauties!!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

This one makes me wish I was a much better player. Just got it back from my Trusty Set up man, Steve Blundon.

The wiring is interesting and very flexible.

Here's how it works.

Master Volume, Master Tone on the outside two pots. The tone pot is push / pull split for the humbucker.

The switch is wired to the neck and middle pickups (three way switch).

The center pot is a blend pot which adds the humbucker (whether tapped or flat out).


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

I believe that it would receive much attention, if exhibited at an art gallery...a very attractive piece.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> I believe that it would receive much attention, if exhibited at an art gallery...a very attractive piece.


Thank you. That's kind of you to say. My dream would be that the right player takes an interest and we can get a little exposure and that might lead to a few more.

In the meantime, I'm having more fun than I deserve.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Well, this was a happy ending, and not the kind you pay extra for during a massage.

Yesterday I was thrilled to present the Peart to a good friend and colleague to commemorate his double nickel birthday.

This build was a no compromise commissioned piece. I say no compromise, because every component was chosen based on getting the best potential result.

The specs are posted somewhere in this thread, but suffice to say that assembling a guitar from components at that level of quality makes a great outcome much more likely.

As always, the core of the project is Amanda's art.

The canvas pictured below is a companion piece created almost as a pseudo-COA, signed and dated along with the name of the guitar.

Please pardon the prison yard like background. Maybe a little ivy....

Thanks Buddy. It was a privilege.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

And, I might add, thanks for the god damned ear worm.

I had to get up out of a sound sleep and purchase and download a copy of Ringo Star's Photograph thanks to you. Frigging 1:30 AM....


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## wraub (May 21, 2021)

That may be the coolest (and best) looking dipped guitar I've ever seen.
Very well done.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

wraub said:


> That may be the coolest (and best) looking dipped guitar I've ever seen.
> Very well done.


Thanks very much. I'll pass that on to my daughter who does the art.

BUT, it's not a dip / swirl tank process. It's a series of "pours" of various colours of acrylic paint, then manipulated by Amanda with chemistry, compressed air, fire and maybe a little alchemy.


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## wraub (May 21, 2021)

That makes it even more remarkable, imo.
Very creative and very well executed.



Milkman said:


> Thanks very much. I'll pass that on to my daughter who does the art.
> 
> BUT, it's not a dip / swirl tank process. It's a series of "pours" of various colours of acrylic paint, then manipulated by Amanda with chemistry, compressed air, fire and maybe a little alchemy.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

This is Amanda tweaking another guitar, one in fact on its way to a forum member in Saskatchewan.


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## barryc (Dec 3, 2010)

Very cool


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