fanthomaz Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Hi Guys, Here is a little project I just finished... As you may know Optek, the company who makes the Fretlight guitars are really horrible people, their led system is totally incompatible with magnetic pickups: the multiplexed voltage system they use to save on wiring produces an unbearable whining noise interference when used in conjunction with ANY magnetics pickups. You would have thought, after 30 years of using that technology, that they would have produced a piezo equipped guitar but no, they prefer to keep on duping their customers as they have always done... Anyway, I still think it's a valuable learning tool for visually oriented people so I came up with this little idea: I started with a second hand JTV69, I fitted a second hand fretlight neck, not a straightforward swap, lots of routing involved here, I found a way to fit the fretlight electronics in the already busy variax body, upgraded the pickups, fitted a cool decal and presto, here is the FRETLIGHTVARIAXOCASTER! The neck was slightly reshaped and is actually very comfortable, a million times better than the original neck, and, to my surprise, the guitar sounds really, really good with the magnetic pickups, it is on par with the best superstrats out there, with the added bonus of the variax sounds... I researched the old interweb a bit before i did this and found no other mention of a similar project so this might be the only in existence :-) Let me know what you think, and I'd be happy to assist anyone embarking in a similar project! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanthomaz Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 I would like to post some more pictures but is seems I am limited to 4 megs... :-/ http://www.snapagogo.com/image/Ly50z http://www.snapagogo.com/image/LybZs http://www.snapagogo.com/image/LyyIw http://www.snapagogo.com/image/LyAKX http://www.snapagogo.com/image/Lyh1T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnmx Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 That's pretty cool. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanthomaz Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Thanks! The pickups are a custom set from a local maker here in Belgium called Heartbreaker, basically they are 60's style strat single coils with a custom, paf style, humbucker. I highly recommend them to any JTV69 owners, they are a huge improvement over the originals and mix very well with the variax sounds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aleclee Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Color me impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 I hate people like you. You're so much more ambitious than I am. Very impressive work! Love the headstock decals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 A project like this requires time, patience, and skill. I have all but three of those, lol. ;) Nice job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanthomaz Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 Thanks for the compliments! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanthomaz Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanMichael Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 This is a very cool project. Wow! :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseyboy Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I have both Optek and Variax guitars but not combined. This is cool and very well done.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbreeks Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Fredes, fantastic work. I watched your youtube video and left a message but here is probably better. I will build the same guitar. Buying a JTV69 this week, and then looking for a second hand Fretlight which might take some time, who would buy one? If you have any helpful tips then please let me know. I have built several guitars (standard items) so am not frightened to pull a guitar apart so would just view this as another project. I can't for the life of me wonder why Fretlight haven't done what you have done. It has a certain inbuilt market resistance anyway, (guitarist being a conservative lot), but a sound issue built into the design, is crazy. I have seen Fretlights answer to your criticism in other youtube videos, but it doesn't answer why build such a flawed design? Hopefully you will find this enquiry in the fullness of time. Best wishes Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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