Blasphemy? Advice on Steve Morse model mods please and thanks.

[I like Rush]

Hi.

I have a beautiful, original spec Steve Morse model that is a case queen because I simply just can't get used to playing it, no matter how much I try. Right hand hates volume knob location, which is always getting in the way.

I have tried selling or trading it, but there just doesn't seem to be a market for this particular axe where I live (Toronto area). Rather than have it sit around, I wondered about modifying it to suit me better. I was going to remove the original pickguard with electronics intact, in case I want to restore to original spec later on, and get a new one cut in either HH or HSH config. I have a few questions about doing that for those who are in the know about this model.

1) Is there enough room "under the hood" to allow me to move the volume knob a bit further back towards the bridge, or do you think some routing will be required? I like the position of the knob on my Axis, or my old Silo.

2) If I want to try an HH configuration and wire it like the Albert Lee model, do I have to select the pickups carefully in order to achieve hum cancellation with the split coil combinations in positions 2 and 4? I'm not sure if this is fairly standard between pickup manufacturers, but I suspect there must be some variation.

3) Not aware of any other poplar bodied guitars so I don't know what pickup options would work well with that particular wood (aside from what's already there). I have some Suhr Adrich pickups and a JB/Jazz set I was thinking of trying. Also have been loving a Bill & Becky L-500L in the bridge in one of my strats. Basically looking for a straight ahead rock axe that will deliver different tones than my axis and R7 and it would also be ideal if I could get some chime/spank from the in between, split coil positions. Any ideas?

4) I've been GASsing for a MM90 equipped model lately. Any thoughts on just getting some of those and sticking them in instead? (not even sure if you can buy MM90 pickups separately). If so, would you do 3 pickups like AL or 2 like Axis Sport?

Thanks in advance for any ideas or comments.

 

[beej]

Hey there-

The Morse is sometimes hard to bond with, but there's a lot you can do to customize it.

1) The cavity is routed for each pickup, but it's open where the switches & pots are, so you can move things around in that area. If you want to move the volume knob, you could put it where the tone knob it and move the tone to the 3-way selector. Or you could always get a new pickguard that's set up more to your liking.

2) Pretty much anything with symmetrical coils (which is most humbuckers) will give you hum-cancelling combinations. So you could definitely do it like that.

Btw- Rather than just go that route, one easy mod is to make it more like the Y2D- remove the neck single pickup so i'ts HSH, and use a 5-way lever rather than a 3. Much more intuitive, and you still get the benefit of how the Morse is wired up.

3) Tons of options ... it comes down to what kind of sound you want. For the record I have some Lawrence L90s in my Morse right now and they are great. Though I don't have them wired up to be split. (I've had L500s as well.)

4) You could definitely do that- there are HB sized P90s out there. If you like Bill Lawrence, he used to have something that was close (L610), though I don't know if they're still making it.

I often say if you don't like the guitar, trade it and get something you do (provided the price is right). But if you like the neck, etc. and it's just the configuration holding you back, that's something that's easily fixed.

Btw are you in Toronto proper? You're welcome to have a look at my Morse & Axis Sport MM90 sometime if that would help. I've modded my Morse quite a bit, and the pickups/switching are totally different.

 

[Gio_Force_One]

I had jb / Jazz in my y2d for awhile and it sounded great. Now I have humbuckers from an Albert lee in my y2d and it sounds great too. I experimented with a ton of pickups and it has all down to which Morse it is . My pdn Morse I kept stock and it sounds awesome . My floyd rose Morse pdn model like I said has Albert lee pickups in it . My dark lord that I had I out Lindy frailins in it which worked really well in that guitar .

Unfortuatly all you can do is keep trying till you find the right ones . It's a fun journey ta just time consuming and can get expensive . If you are looking for pickups let me now I have a bunch around we could work something out . Good luck

 

[kestrou]

I'm a pretty big Morse fan, but don't think it would be blasphemy at all for you to mod your guitar - that's exactly how Steve got to where he was happy.

Now break out that Dremel tool and get yourself happy!

Kevin

 

[I like Rush]

Btw are you in Toronto proper? You're welcome to have a look at my Morse & Axis Sport MM90 sometime if that would help. I've modded my Morse quite a bit, and the pickups/switching are totally different.

Thanks for the helpful tips. I'm in Sudbury, actually, but often come to Toronto so it's up for sale there too. Maybe I'll give you a buzz if I get a chance.

 

[Samoht]

I've toyed with mods since I bought mine. I've got a mahogany body/maple neck & fretboard. I started out trying to shoehorn mine into being a strat and tele. Now, I've built a tele/strat to fill that gap, so I'm back to wanting to mod the Morse into a dual humbucker platform that works for me. Subject to change tomorrow, but I'm looking hard at putting a Duncan '78 in the bridge position. I'm not crazy about neck humbuckers in general, so I'll probably use my Dimarzio Bluesbucker in the neck position to get more of a single coil/P90 sound. I bought a set of Albert Lee single coils from a fellow forum member, so will probably put those in the middle two single positions.

For me, the hardest thing was/is to determine what base tones you want. You could certainly route under the pickguard and make any pickup combination imaginable work, or you could make it a single bridge humbucker Frankenstein. I LOVE the neck on mine, and as beej says, that's a pretty big deal.

A couple of mods that I think everyone should consider for versatility would be some sort of split or series/split/parallel switching for both humbuckers, and changing the wiring to standard 5 way with the existing add bridge switch and a three way for middle two pickups (neck single/both/bridge single).

So in summary, my current Morse mod plans are:

1. White pickguard with all white pickups
2. Duncan '78 humbucker in the bridge position
3. Two Albert Lee Duncan single coils in the middle two positions
4. Dimarzio Bluesbucker in the neck position
5. A single 3-way toggle for both humbuckers for series/split/parallel
6. A standard 5-way lever switch for bridge, bridge/middle, middle, middle/neck, neck
7. Add bridge on/off toggle
8. Middle pickup 3-way toggle for neck single/both/bridge single

I enjoy thinking about this stuff. Planning mods of my Morse launched my guitar building hobby. The Morse is my white whale...I doubt I'll ever harpoon it, but I'm looking forward to the journey.

 

[BUC]

Yeah, it's not a real Morse until you've taken a hand grinder to the neck joint.

I'm only sayin that I've actually held the real #1 and it's one of the most beat up looking garage experiments of a guitar ever.

(I will also say that I have a Morse and while I love playing it in the studio, I will not play it live because the pickup switching distracts me enough to effect my playing. However, unlike the OP, I LOVE the vol/tone knob placement. I haven't had the guts to change the 3 way to a 5 way yet though.)

 

[kestrou]

Yeah, it's not a real Morse until you've taken a hand grinder to the neck joint.

Cracking me up here!

I haven't had the guts to change the 3 way to a 5 way yet though.)

Me either, but I've changed a 5-way on a Y2D into a 3-way (and added an "add bridge" toggle) - does that count?

Kevin