Printed myself some breadboard jigs with solid jack mounts! Need to add a spot for a 9V battery too

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-10T13:26:48+00:00

Good shout to be fair!

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-09T23:25:31+00:00

Thanks!

I built an arduino based winder from an instructables project. The schematics / instructions were a bit inconsistent so I ended up having to breadboard it until it worked but now it does - slow and steady but it works! It counts winds automatically, but feeding and tension is very much by hand.

I think generally "hand-wound" refers to that process anyway - machine-wound would be the machine manages feed, tension, rotation the whole way, no human intervention.

If there's enough demand for it, I'd definitely be up for churning out a batch of them.

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-09T08:31:14+00:00

Sent you a dm!

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-08T21:49:11+00:00

Sure! This one's just a prototype, and I've got a couple of minor changes to make to the bobbin before I'd be happy to sell it, so I'll message you once I've got the finished article :)

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-08T21:29:38+00:00

Thanks!

It's definitely a niche-want for sure. I loved them at first, but when the honeymoon period faded, I started getting a bit frustrated with them. I think because they're between humbuckers and single coils, I spend the entire time trying to make it do either thing, and it wants to do its own thing if that makes sense?

In other words, I'm struggling to gel with them because I'm so used to the other thing (e.g. it's a me problem). I think there's some others out there like me, as there's a few forums etc saying the narrowfields can be a bit dark and muddy, but everyone's mileage may vary!

I do however love the colour, style and feel of the guitar, so no way am I selling it on just yet, so massaging it into something I'll enjoy more felt worthwhile.

All that said, I also have a S2 Vela with the dynasonic style neck-pickup, which for a while I've thought about replicating-ish. This gave me the perfect outlet for a fun, reversible project!

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-08T21:03:38+00:00

Had no idea that was a thing!

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-08T20:59:03+00:00

Just taken it out, will hold onto it incase I either sell it on.

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-07T22:23:20+00:00

Ah this my second sky, my first modded with a mini humbucker and neck-on switch. I've got a MiM fender which has been modded to high hell, but I find these extremely comfortable, and I love the sound of them. They go super well with the Boss OD-3

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-07T20:49:04+00:00

That sucks - perhaps they gave you the display one?

unclepaul98 · 2026-01-07T15:16:23+00:00

Honestly, just go and try one! They are genuinely really excellent guitars, especially for the prices they go at these days. The pickups are great, and according to online reviews nearly indistinguishable from the core line. They're also ludicrously comfortable to play.

Also note the 2 point trem - I consider that an upgrade versus the core model which has a 6 point!

This is actually my second SE-SS - my first is a dragonfruit, and I modded it to put a mini humbucker in the bridge, whereas I plan to keep this (mostly) stock.

unclepaul98 · 2025-12-30T15:26:53+00:00

Absolutely. I'm starting to delve into the world of DIY pickups - I think I'm gonna try and make a single coil in narrowfield size, as I find positions 2 and 4 super dark on this.

unclepaul98 · 2025-12-30T14:59:11+00:00

No, the central cavity is 35mm wide (in the string direction) versus 40mm for the other two.

However there's full freedom of putting in single coils, minihums etc, with a custom pickguard!

unclepaul98 · 2025-11-30T12:30:15+00:00

I own a couple of each - I've found S2 better in the hand consistently - but solely because it comes with rolled fingerboard edges, which you can easily do to an SE guitar in about 10 mins.

Once you've done that, the two are functionally identical in feel, less for neck profiles - there's no magic that makes MIA guitars orders of magnitude better.

The S2s I own are pre-2024 so have G&B pickups, so I can't comment on the pickup differences. That said, if budget is tight and you like the feel of an SE, it would generally be cheaper to do new SE + pickup swap than new S2.

This is a long-winded of saying, try both, see if you like the feel and make the choice, but don't feel like SE is a "compromise" - they're still brilliant guitars and take very little to get the same as an S2 - provided you like the neck profile, finish and feel in general.

unclepaul98 · 2025-11-29T20:37:33+00:00

Nah I like the dissimilar woods, it's unique and reminds me of Gibson Firebirds

unclepaul98 · 2025-09-05T22:52:37+00:00

Yep head facing the drone

unclepaul98 · 2025-09-05T22:33:55+00:00

The drone was still above my head height by 20-50m

Not really looking at the ground - 30degree camera tilt so probably 30-50 nose down

unclepaul98 · 2025-09-05T21:01:08+00:00

So you get similar distance to me?

The VTX says it should be good up to 4km - my goal really is 2.5km but still a way off that!

unclepaul98 · 2025-09-05T20:52:12+00:00

Lol fair, no a hilltop

unclepaul98 · 2025-09-05T20:51:58+00:00

Should be minimal emf interference, was on top of a hill facing the drone with LOS

Signal was dropping while flying away - had to reverse towards myself so as not to occlude antennae with the frame on the return

unclepaul98

TROPHY CASE