NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Re: NGD: Not A Mystery Guitar Anymore!

Post by Maggieo » Sat Nov 04, 2017 7:39 am

Boy, these Regals are like no other pickup I've played. They're...like, always "loud" and treble-y in a weird way. Now, mind you, I've only played them straight into my PRRI.

Any Lollar Regal (or Zaftig) tips?
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Re: NGD: Not A Mystery Guitar Anymore!

Post by Gavanti » Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:55 am

Maggieo wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 7:39 am
Boy, these Regals are like no other pickup I've played. They're...like, always "loud" and treble-y in a weird way. Now, mind you, I've only played them straight into my PRRI.

Any Lollar Regal (or Zaftig) tips?
The Regals can be strident, and the Zaftig's resonance likely magnifies that quality. In my experience Regals are clear, bright, and very forward. I had to mess around with all sorts of setting to get mine to sound "right." They're definitely tone sensitive to pickup height, and you can drop the neck pretty far down if you need to balance the bridge. I also tended to scoop my EQ a bit, even on a Fender voiced amp. If the pots in there aren't the usual BilT 500k, I definitely preferred that to 1M with the Regals. The blustery howl of the neck pickup was perfect in a Zaftig for me (oddly, I didn't like it nearly as much in my Relevator). I'm not certain I ever got my bridge pickup to sound the way I wanted, but eventually I came to like the way it sounded.

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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Embenny » Sat Nov 04, 2017 1:41 pm

Love that colour combo. Surprised you don't see it more often.

Can't help with the Regals, but congrats on the NGD and I hope you find the tone you're looking to get from it!
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Re: NGD: Not A Mystery Guitar Anymore!

Post by Maggieo » Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:15 pm

Gavanti wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:55 am
Maggieo wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 7:39 am
Boy, these Regals are like no other pickup I've played. They're...like, always "loud" and treble-y in a weird way. Now, mind you, I've only played them straight into my PRRI.

Any Lollar Regal (or Zaftig) tips?
The Regals can be strident, and the Zaftig's resonance likely magnifies that quality. In my experience Regals are clear, bright, and very forward. I had to mess around with all sorts of setting to get mine to sound "right." They're definitely tone sensitive to pickup height, and you can drop the neck pretty far down if you need to balance the bridge. I also tended to scoop my EQ a bit, even on a Fender voiced amp. If the pots in there aren't the usual BilT 500k, I definitely preferred that to 1M with the Regals. The blustery howl of the neck pickup was perfect in a Zaftig for me (oddly, I didn't like it nearly as much in my Relevator). I'm not certain I ever got my bridge pickup to sound the way I wanted, but eventually I came to like the way it sounded.
OK! Thanks.

I think I'll try it with my J. Rockett IKON, with the treble rolled off a bit first and then just mess around some more.

I suppose I could always get ahold of the guys at Built and have them put Jazzmaster pickups in it or something, if I can't get the Regals to work.
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I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.

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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Maggieo » Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:16 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 1:41 pm
Love that colour combo. Surprised you don't see it more often.

Can't help with the Regals, but congrats on the NGD and I hope you find the tone you're looking to get from it!
Thank you!

Yeah, it's a great color combination and one I wouldn't have thought of, since most pastel-y colors get paired with white or pearl.
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Re: NGD: Not A Mystery Guitar Anymore!

Post by Gavanti » Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:40 pm

Maggieo wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:15 pm
I suppose I could always get ahold of the guys at Built and have them put Jazzmaster pickups in it or something, if I can't get the Regals to work.
If you get to that point, it's about $75 for a new guard and $75/hour for wiring (definitely worth it: Tim does insanely clean and secure wiring). If you're close enough to Des Moines to drop it off, it's fun to check out the workshop, and Bill and Tim are good people. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Regals (and the Zaftig, of course) over time.

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Re: NGD: Not A Mystery Guitar Anymore!

Post by Maggieo » Sat Nov 04, 2017 7:23 pm

Gavanti wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:40 pm
Maggieo wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:15 pm
I suppose I could always get ahold of the guys at Built and have them put Jazzmaster pickups in it or something, if I can't get the Regals to work.
If you get to that point, it's about $75 for a new guard and $75/hour for wiring (definitely worth it: Tim does insanely clean and secure wiring). If you're close enough to Des Moines to drop it off, it's fun to check out the workshop, and Bill and Tim are good people. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Regals (and the Zaftig, of course) over time.
I'll keep that in mind. I'm just over in Lincoln, NE.
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Maggieo » Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:19 am

So, this video from CME is pretty much the exact setup I've been using for the last day and it shows that crazy treble bite that, to me, seems really unbalanced.

Oddly enough, my Zaftig originally had Lollar Goldfoils in it. Wish he hadn't changed them, because, to my ears, the Goldfoils sound perfect.
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Embenny » Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:48 am

Maggieo wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:19 am
So, this video from CME is pretty much the exact setup I've been using for the last day and it shows that crazy treble bite that, to me, seems really unbalanced.

Oddly enough, my Zaftig originally had Lollar Goldfoils in it. Wish he hadn't changed them, because, to my ears, the Goldfoils sound perfect.
Yeah, there is a "spikey" quality to the attack in that CME video. Sounds like it would handle heavy fuzz well, but needs some compression on the clean tone to tame that attack.

And dang, I agree with you that those goldfoils sound perfect! Especially that bridge pickup. What a tone. No accounting for taste, though. Can't imagine taking those out of that guitar.
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:46 pm

That's beautiful Maggie!! I LOVE that Bilt makes the Zaftig with the "reverse" colored headstock. Perfect :w00t:

I think you definitely made out in that trade, but what made you want to sell the Atomic Space Tone? I thought you really dug it?
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Maggieo » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:29 pm

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:46 pm
That's beautiful Maggie!! I LOVE that Bilt makes the Zaftig with the "reverse" colored headstock. Perfect :w00t:

I think you definitely made out in that trade, but what made you want to sell the Atomic Space Tone? I thought you really dug it?
I do dig it, but since I got the PCI Secret Agent, I haven't really used it. So , I saw the opportunity and took it.
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:04 am

Maggieo wrote:
Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:29 pm
I do dig it, but since I got the PCI Secret Agent, I haven't really used it. So , I saw the opportunity and took it.
Were they similar in tone? I've had my eye on both, and if they are similar enough, that would make that decision easier ;D
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Maggieo » Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:24 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:04 am
Maggieo wrote:
Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:29 pm
I do dig it, but since I got the PCI Secret Agent, I haven't really used it. So , I saw the opportunity and took it.
Were they similar in tone? I've had my eye on both, and if they are similar enough, that would make that decision easier ;D
The Swart sounds like...well, an Atomic Space Tone. There's loads of demos of it.

The Secret Agent sounds like a brownface Princeton, but with a tube Fender Reverb attached to it. For my money (literally, heh), I prefer the the SA to the AST.

Even though the Swart is 20 watts and has a 12" speaker, the SA, with 15 watts and a 10" speaker, sounds less boxy, more open and has that wonderful brownface timbre that the Swart comes close to, but doesn't nail, because it's trying to be a Swart, not a Fender. Also, I just never got on with the AST's reverb. It'd kind of drop out if I turned the guitar down, whereas the SA's just keeps on chugging.

Ty's demo of his amp

My demo of the amp, which kind of sucks.

Ty's description of the SA:
After extensive R&D, I'm proud to offer the Secret Agent Amplifier from Pierce Custom Instruments! I've been working to combine the best Fender tones from the 1960s into one powerful grab-and-go combo, and I do believe I've succeeded...

The circuit starts with the Fender 6G2 Brownface Princeton - including the hallowed bias-vary tremolo from that era! - and adds in Blackface-styled reverb. Tone is then refined to tighten up the bass response, create a bit more clean headroom and add a Dwell control for additional tone shaping over the reverb signal.

Everything is handwired on fiberglass eyelet board with quality components. I use CTS pots and dual-covered wire (cloth over insulation) so these amps are built to withstand a gig at Bob's Country Bunker. This amp is built with vintage-spec carbon comp resistors in the signal path, and all the resistors in the power circuit are metal film for durability.

Output is around 14W into a 10" speaker with a cabinet that's slightly larger than a Princeton or Blues Junior, and it sports a full-size 17" reverb tank. The speaker is a Weber 10F150T, which is a great pairing for this circuit and adds a bit of volume over Alnico options.

The tone is incredible. Cleans are warm and full, and it winds up into overdrive beautifully. The uncluttered signal path of the 6G2 perfectly straddles the mid-heavy Tweeds and sparkling Blackface clean. It responds beautifully to your guitar's volume knob and your pick attack, and it will get flat-out mean when you cut it loose. Throwing a clean boost in front of it makes things even more fun, goosing the preamp into a tighter sound with more single-note definition.

The reverb is the ultimate addition. There's plenty of sproing on tap, but I've added the Dwell control lets you pull things back into a more tasteful space that's closer to a room/hall reverb than the typical Fender sound.

And the tremolo? Oh, the tremolo... I've owned the pedals that try to replicate this sound, and let me tell you that "try" is the operative word. This tremolo is not-to-be-believed. It makes Blackface trem sound like an on/off switch - Pure Duane Eddy, and I've wired it with plenty of sweep on both Speed and Depth controls to get whatever version of vibe or seasickness your ear desires.

Physical dimensions 20" wide X 18.25" high X 9.5" deep 35 pounds w/ a 10" speaker

For the cosmetics, I drew inspiration from the "Tuxedo" editions that existed between the Brownface and Blackface eras. I've always thought the Tuxedo 6G2 Princetons were handsome bastards, so the Secret Agent sports lacquered black tweed with wheat grill cloth, Cream knobs and a black leather handle.

Additionally, this amp is sporting an upgraded mix of NOS and current production glass. The tube complement is as follows:

Rectifier: NOS JAN 5U4GB
Power Tubes: Matched pair of NOS Sylvania 6V6s
Preamps: JJ 12AX7
Reverb Driver: JJ 12AT7
Phase Inverter: JJ 12DW7"
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:51 pm

I've read quite a bit about the AST and I think of love it, but I feel better about leaning more towards the Brownface Princeton. Thanks Maggie!
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Re: NGD: Bilt S.S. Zaftig

Post by Maggieo » Wed Nov 08, 2017 12:02 pm

You're welcome! I am in love with the brownface Princeston sound.

My not-so-loving relationship continues with the Lollar Regals. IMO, the bridge pickup is damn near unusable by itself. It works with fuzz, but even then, it's awfully spikey still.
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.

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