NGD - Venus

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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F15hface
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NGD - Venus

Post by F15hface » Thu May 09, 2024 4:26 pm

I’m meant to be downsizing but this Venus thats’s been around forever finally started coming down in price, so I made an offer that got accepted and here we are.

Image

As you can see, it’s been modified. DiMarzio DP404 in the neck and DP192 in the bridge. The 404 is humbucking but sounds plenty single-coil like to me. The outputs are pretty balanced, though the middle position seems to be out of phase and almost unusable without a Rat.

The added tone control doesn’t work. At zero its a kill switch, just above that it’s crackly, and anything above like three is silent. While the positioning does not match the Venus XII it is better placed than I thought.

Between the phase mis-match, non-functional tone control, and tiny pots, this will be getting rewired. The main question is if that will involve a new pickguard to revert it to volume only - my preferred layout. I can’t find any for sale apart from a black 8-hole from Greece, so if anyone has a line on an original guard please let me know.

It could also do with some shielding.

I do seem to be amassing a Vista collection:

Image

The necks on the XII and 6 string seem to be the same apart from the headstock. Wide, somewhat flat but not too shallow or shouldered. Decently comfy.

I’d like a Musicmaster bass but am unconcerned about Supersonics or Jagmasters.

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Pacafeliz
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by Pacafeliz » Thu May 09, 2024 9:36 pm

:-* tell me about hoarding... :ph34r:
Image
(But I'm currently selling the green XII and a black 6)

So yesterday i wanted to try out something...
Image
Yes the necks fit, but i think the radius is/was way off, and i didn't want to screw around with it too much. So now it's back to normal.
Bad thing is i apparently wasted a new set of strings for the experiment... :fp:
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.

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F15hface
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by F15hface » Fri May 10, 2024 12:41 am

Pacafeliz wrote:
Thu May 09, 2024 9:36 pm
:-* tell me about hoarding... :ph34r:
Image
(But I'm currently selling the green XII and a black 6)

So yesterday i wanted to try out something...
Image
Yes the necks fit, but i think the radius is/was way off, and i didn't want to screw around with it too much. So now it's back to normal.
Bad thing is i apparently wasted a new set of strings for the experiment... :fp:
Crikey! I knew you had a few but didn’t realise it had reached 5! From a collecting perspective it’ll be a shame to lose a colour.

I never notice fretboard radius but a difference definitely makes sense. You’d assume the 6 is 12” and the XII is 7.25” based on the bridges, though accommodating the radius of the bridge isnt a very fender thing to do. How did it sound? I don’t think I’m a fan of the stock XII pickups tbh.

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tdksa90
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by tdksa90 » Fri May 10, 2024 5:15 am

I stupidly sold my Venus in the early 00s. It's one of my (many) gear regrets. I had the Surf Green model, but I really wanted a black one. The prices have been higher than I want to pay, but it's on my want-list.

This one looks great, and the wiring is an easy fix! Keep us posted on your progress.
My Music: https://keithhanlon.bandcamp.com/

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ludobag1
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by ludobag1 » Fri May 10, 2024 10:23 am

don't know why i always love the twelve but the six is not my cup of tea ;)
i think is the coronado headstock that don't work for me

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javier-san
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by javier-san » Fri May 10, 2024 7:56 pm

I traded my 12-string sea-foam green for a wonderful MIJ jazzmaster (thanks @HNB!), but I am on a forever hunt for the six string version...just not at the ridiculous prices!

Great guitar.

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F15hface
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by F15hface » Sat May 11, 2024 1:45 am

ludobag1 wrote:
Fri May 10, 2024 10:23 am
don't know why i always love the twelve but the six is not my cup of tea ;)
i think is the coronado headstock that don't work for me
I really like the Coronado style headstock, but can see why it might look a bit off with it being narrow and the body so wide.
javier-san wrote:
Fri May 10, 2024 7:56 pm
I traded my 12-string sea-foam green for a wonderful MIJ jazzmaster (thanks @HNB!), but I am on a forever hunt for the six string version...just not at the ridiculous prices!

Great guitar.
They really have gotten a bit mental! I must’ve seen this one first appear 8 months ago and eventually the price started creeping down. I definitely got a good price but knowing how nice they are would probably be willing to pay a bit closer to what people are asking if I wanted a perfect one. Really solid guitars, as I’m sure you know from having a XII.

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Pacafeliz
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by Pacafeliz » Sat May 11, 2024 2:38 am

I'm selling mine on Reverb for a rather high price but people can send offers.

Btw, the weight of these is all over the place!
The Black one I'm selling is half a Kilo heavier than the other one!

Btw, the serial of my two XIIs is only 4 numbers apart!
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.

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F15hface
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by F15hface » Sat May 11, 2024 3:48 am

Pacafeliz wrote:
Sat May 11, 2024 2:38 am
I'm selling mine on Reverb for a rather high price but people can send offers.

Btw, the weight of these is all over the place!
The Black one I'm selling is half a Kilo heavier than the other one!

Btw, the serial of my two XIIs is only 4 numbers apart!
I had noticed the discrepancy between your OSG and reverb prices :D . OSG price seems pretty reasonable after seeing what they've sold for elsewhere.

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RockStarNick
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by RockStarNick » Mon May 13, 2024 10:56 am

Pacafeliz that is quite the collection! amazing. What a wacky unique guitar shape. Love it.

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javier-san
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by javier-san » Mon May 13, 2024 9:20 pm

F15hface wrote:
Sat May 11, 2024 1:45 am
ludobag1 wrote:
Fri May 10, 2024 10:23 am
don't know why i always love the twelve but the six is not my cup of tea ;)
i think is the coronado headstock that don't work for me
I really like the Coronado style headstock, but can see why it might look a bit off with it being narrow and the body so wide.
javier-san wrote:
Fri May 10, 2024 7:56 pm
I traded my 12-string sea-foam green for a wonderful MIJ jazzmaster (thanks @HNB!), but I am on a forever hunt for the six string version...just not at the ridiculous prices!

Great guitar.
They really have gotten a bit mental! I must’ve seen this one first appear 8 months ago and eventually the price started creeping down. I definitely got a good price but knowing how nice they are would probably be willing to pay a bit closer to what people are asking if I wanted a perfect one. Really solid guitars, as I’m sure you know from having a XII.
I bought my 12 string at the very beginning of the pandemic for what I thought was too much, but the prices really exploded after!

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F15hface
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Re: NGD - Venus

Post by F15hface » Tue May 14, 2024 5:25 pm

So I think the specifics of the rewiring plan are 500k volume, no load tone. 0.022uf cap, switchcraft output jack, and a load of copper shielding. 50s style wiring.

The main question I have is what’s the best choice for the switch. It currently has a box toggle which feels way too sloppy.
Are they all like this? If they are, I suppose a short hosco three way toggle should fit, feel better, and be a sensible price.

Other upgrades I would like to do are American tuners, possibly a slightly hotter bridge pickup, and maybe a replacement bridge. I’ve read a lot of very positive things about Faber and figure at some point it’ll be worth a go?

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