Exquisite..!!
I'm just green with envy...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Jeff: what was the ultimate decision for the neck on that black Strat Plus you posted about some time ago. Perhaps he'd like to see a pic of that? The red bordered guard set that off just right.

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"Another day in paradise!"

We were drinking a domestic beer carrying the BB King moniker. We were in Lucilles Lounge on 42 St, along with his missus, having a light supper and attempting conversation in the midst of what was a fairly decent, but overbearingly loud blues set, such that we were ultimately oibliged to relocate to the far rear of the room so we could hear each other think. That room begs a more reasonable sound level for entertainment. Wasted precious conversation. Next time around, if providence provides, we will seek a quieter venue.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Put together with Ceri's post, you've got the best of both right there.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I can't locate my good picts of that one right off.....too tired this am. But I have these of another one I build some time back!

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

There is something to be said about an understated color theme. Just enough to catch your eye and subtly coerce you into returning for another look-see.
Very Nice Indeed

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

I see that he went with the rosewood. Personally, I would have gone with the solid maple. Like the contrast as opposed to the monotone. If you haven't yet visited his website and viewed his collection, you're in for a treat. Jeff's our Strat Plus Guru.
Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Hey ZZ, your way too nice. I am just a hick from the back woods of Idaho.... Anyhow those picts where not the actual guitar. See below for the finished produce. I never posted these on the Forum so here they are!






Drat, I was just in my guitar shop and no more complete parts to build another custom Strat. Guess I will break into a few really nice stock ones and mutilate them.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

Hey Xhefri,

A quick (for now) question about those Lace Sensors. How do they compare to the Samarium Cobalt Noiseless
For my next build, I was thinking about a different configuration on the SCN's, but I may rethink and go with a completely different set-up.
Thanks

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

.......yeah, I know, just a hick from the back woods of Idaho, and James Marshall Hendrix was just a hick from the back woods of Washington State. Each to his own gifts. I've marveled at the many guitars on your website in the past. So what happens to a piece like that after you've done with it??

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"Another day in paradise!"

He sends that beauty to his good friend fhopkins!!

For a backwoods kinfolk price of course!!

Jeff will give you his take on it, but here's my offering. I've had two EC's with gold lace sensors, one built for me on the EC platform, by the CS, with SCN's, a VG Deluxe and a '57VHR with SCN's. I once owned a '93 Tele-Plus which I totally regret swapping out. That guitar had a blue Lace at the neck and a red dually at the bridge, with three-way switch and a coil-splitting micro switch. My over all impression of th gold Lace Sensors, notwithstanding the fact that they were represented to be 'vintage' in tone, is that they are actually 'darker and thicker.' The SCN's are really great and were touted to be as close to vintage as one could get. They worked very well with the 25db midboost, better I feel, that the Vintage Noiseless fo You can find a complete treatment of the SCN project on Bill Lawrence's website along with a letter from Dan Smith, and a copy of the patent. Niki loves 'em
The blue is proported to be PAF in tone quality. The red duals are hot and loud. The Tele=Plus with that circuitry was no manner shape or form a country guitar. It was a full tilt boogie rock and roller and I swapped it out for a Clapton, long before I became part of this forum and learned more about it. It was a natural finish and I obtained it for an incredibly low price. Easy come, easy go. Some time in the dim future I may get to load video of me playing it. That's my two bits. Looking forward to Jeff's commentary.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Yo Litenin: I know where your coming from. It's the spillover from the Gilmour. PRS has a new NF done in black with a white maple neck that has the same esthetic for me. Personally, I'd go for the look of that piece you'd like to have sent down home, done as a modified Clapton with a white maple neck, the blue, silver, and red Laces with black covers and the red bordered black guard. A real double take axe, and I like the 'thicker' sound of the Laces. I've play the Pluses, Deluxe Pluses, and the Ultra's. On Fender Strats, it's always been the necks as the issue with me. Presently the Clapton, '57VHR, VG Deluxe, and Gilmour, suit my preference in that order.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Well considering my strong expostulation micros-phonic scintillating foibles of the Vintage Noiseless, it is intricate to analogize the parity to the Lace Sensors.

Putting aside all that nonsense, LOL!, I have only used the Vintage Noiseless and have not used any of the SCN family pickups. As I was explaining to Nikki a while back on one thread, I had such a bad experience with the Vintage Noiseless pickups (too glassy and bright) that it turned me off to all the Fender Noiseless pickups (except on a 52 Tele I have right now and I am not sure which they are). (So I am bias and not fair at all). What I do like about Lace pickups is that they come in so many "flavors", if I can call them that. From 50s Golds to fat and hot Reds and everything in between.

The Lace Sensor pickups use a radiant field barrier system that surrounds both the coil and magnets, eliminating annoying 60-cycle hum and along with the new design of the Micro Matrix Combs that replace traditional bobbins, the sale picts is that it yielding a wider tonal range and better string balance than traditional pickups. This means you can get the strings as close as you want to the pickup without that magnetic pulling that can cause your strings to do weird things.

Truth is, some people love them and some people hate them. I like the fact they are "noiseless." But then so are the SCNs. I guess it bothers me that Don Lace came up with this design and as soon as the contract with Fender ran out, Fender dumped the Lace pickup on all their Signature and Custom shop models for their own "inhouse" Noiseless pickups. So I have stuck with the "originals" and if i want to venture out into the other pickup lines, I use Seymore Duncan, DiMarzio, EMG, Bill Lawrence, Van Zant, and a host of other makers. I could say more but this is a fender Forum so how far should one going at dissing a Fender product, or the politics behind it? Anyhow, the best thing to do is try. If ya like them, ya like them. And if ya don't, ya don't!!!

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

I hear and understand what you're saying Doc!! Personally I've played nothing like my DG but my comparing has been limited for sure. I've never played a lace based guitar.