So I haven’t done much in ways of recreating this guitar yet. I’m mostly waiting for school to finish and for me to go home where working on it will be much easier. And I’m still trying to understand this circuit set up, which is proving to be fairly complex.

I have, however, found myself playing my non-destroyed guitar a lot more as of late. I play an LTD EX-400BD, which I love but am also looking at replacing. The EMGs give a great sound and the neck is incredibly fast, however the explorer shape is just not what I’m looking for at the moment. The Strat style guitar is also not what I’m looking for; however as a first guitar project, I had no intentions of taking apart a guitar of real value.

And though not entirely surprised by this outcome, I have noticed an extreme difference in how well each guitar plays. Of course, the craftsmanship of the LTD is expected to be greater than the JT, but the playing ability of the LTD stands out far more than the JT; and they’re hardly comparable. Along with its superior craftsmanship, the LTD also seems to give me a confidence that isn’t felt when playing the JT. Just the known difference in value is enough to cause great discrepancy in playing ability. It is often said that “it’s not the guitar, but the guitarist”, however this guitar proves that there is an extent to which this phrase is not entirely true. Alas, I practice daily with my lovely LTD.

Currently, I am trying to learn a collection of songs by Protest the Hero, a five-person group of drunkards that will melt your face off with insane guitar licks, bass riffs, drum beats, and vocal mastery. Their latest album, Fortress, has been a guideline for what I am attempting to learn. I have so far worked my way through Bloodmeat and The Dissentience (the first two tracks), neither of which I can perfectly master yet. But I continue to practice daily, hoping that one day, I will get better.

-- Mike

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