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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 13
| greetings all - a few weeks ago, I bought a Tornado, then found this place. I'm returning to playing after several years away.
My Tornado was in need of some TLC, so I started by replacing the tuners and removing a home-made pickguard. Eventually I may replace it with something closer to original. I was really prepared to dislike the bridge - looks pretty cheesy, but it actually serves quite well.
I do have a few questions -
1. where can I find the serial number?
2. What gauge strings are recommended for this model? I currently have 9-42 on it, but prefer 10-46. The neck looks awfully thin, and I've never seen bolt-on necks secured with such small screws.
3. The pickups are microphonic - is that common with the Tornado ? Is there a remedy? Does wax-potting work for this type of pickup, and is it as simple as it sounds?
Thanks - I'm looking forward to spending more time her, and eventually may add another Ovation. I don't have a 12-string yet ....... |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7232
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Hello and welcome.
I guess the first question is to ask if you know all the parts (like the pickups) are original. If you have a picture you can post that would help unless you already know. I have noticed the Tornado pickups to be very microphonic as you put it.
The serial number should be on the label that sais Tornado. It may be handwritten, it may be in red. I was surprised about the wood screws too. Makes a neck replacement almost impossible without major work as no two were exactly alike. The switched later to regular machine screws or neck screws. Sound like you have an early one. |
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Joined:
September 2002
Posts: 153
| Regarding the serial number, if the original label is missing, on most early Tornados and Thunderheads that I have seen, the serial number is also etched in the wood underneath the four-bolt plastic neck plate. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | If you want to wax the pickups yourself be sure not to get the wax too hot (it can damage the insulation on the wire [more of a problem on old pickups than new ones]). To hot is 180 degrees or more. Normally wax will melt at a much lower temperature. Use bee's wax. Melt it in a pan or tin then put the pickup in the melted wax. Leave it there for awhile (you want the wax to get into the windings). Remove the pickup from the wax. Set it aside for an hour or so then wipe the wax off the outside. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | OOPS: I forgot; also remove any plastic and/or nylon parts before putting it in the wax. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | WolfPapa took apart his axe,
And dipped a pickup in some wax,
When the job was nicely done,
He went & dipped the other one!
Hahahaha! I crack myself up!
Sorry I "waxed poetic"!
Hoo Eeee! There I go again! Welcome aboard WolfPapa :)
Nils |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | BruDev is correct, the wax should be beeswax but it should be mixed with parrafin, in a ratio of about 70% parrafin to 30% beeswax. Beeswax by itself is too viscous to penetrate the windings thoroughly. He's also right about the temperature which should be just hot enough (around a constant 60 degrees centigrade) to make the wax flow freely, and melt any existing wax in the pickup. Don't use direct heat to melt the mixture. Use a water bath, like you would for melting cooking chocolate. The guy who did mine uses an old electric slow-cooker for pickup potting. It's easy to get this wrong & ruin the pickups, so either practice on junk pickups or pay someone to do it, it's not an expensive job. I had the pickups on my tornado potted & it helped a lot. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 13
| thanks for the replies. I thought a double- boiler arrangement would work (like used for melting chocolate)to melt the wax.
What about string size? Can the neck, and neck/body joint, handle medium guage strings? |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If by medium you mean "electric" medium (i.e with a .010 or .011 1st string) then both the neck & neck joint will be fine. |
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another new member
