How much does adding LEDs affect a Jem's construction?

[ejmirror]

Greetings,
I'm picking up my first Jem77BRMR tomorrow and can't wait. I've been a Jem & Vai fan ever since Jack Butler and finally decided f*ck it. Great website and forum by the way. In this day & age of MTV, it's so freshing to come across talented people that enjoy great music & musicians.
I was wondering how much adding LEDs changes the stock contruction of the Jem? I love the look of those babies, especially the purple ones, and thought maybe down the road I'd get a set (great for the stage, or at home in the dark). Thanks,

ej

[Andelusion]

How do you mean stock construction? Like is there any visable alteration (apart from the glowing dots lol) to the guitar/neck?

[ejmirror]

I did some more research on the Sims site and found out about the battery position. But how do the LEDs get power from the battery? Remotely? And I wondered if adding these and the battery affected the sound in anyway.

ej

[kent k]

It will definately change the guitar. The way Sims used to do it, and probably still do is that the hot and ground wires from the battery are fed through the pickup routes to the neck joint. The fingerboard is cut very thinly on the side along the length of the neck and the LED's and wires are placed inside under the new fret markers. The fingerboard is filled back in with the hot and ground connections placed at the heel of the neck to mate up with the connections from the battery, and viola!

You'll probably need a mini switch in your pickguard to turn it on and off, and you're set. Definately changes the "construction" of the guitar, but if you want the effect, that's how it's done. Sims do a great job, and I'd think it would only increase the value of your new guitar as well as making it more like Steve's.

Good luck, and welcome to Jemsite.

[ejmirror]

Thanks for the info. Not to copy Vai, but the mirror finish really lends itself to the LEDs. I'm looking for a GMC as well, to play out with for a different sound (warmer pick-ups). Hopefully the vine doesn't throw my playing off (get lost on the neck). Vine lit with LEDs, mmmm.