The company that makes sustainiac is not accepting installations this time as they are booked and MAYBE they will do some in summer.

This really blows. Ive been wanting to do this for a while and just when I’m ready for it. I asked if they can at least put people on a waiting list even if it means paying a deposit and they don’t seem to want to do that.

I don’t know anyone who can install this sustainer kits for me. I need to have it installed by them. Most techs here don’t even know how to do a proper setup. I don’t trust them with this installation.

Where is “here”?

If I was going to have a Sustaniac I would just do it myself and figure it out as I go along, but if I needed it done there are tonnes of people within reasonable driving distance who could easily do the job. If you live in a populated area you can surely find plenty of people capable and willing to do it, especially now during the pandemic when work is harder to come by. Having the sustaniac people themselves install it wouldn't even be an option for me living in Wales, I'm surprised that's something they do to begin with to be honest.

If people know where you live they could recommend techs. When I snapped the neck on my 7V I came here to Jemsite for luthier recommendations, someone recommended Rob Williams (Rob Williams Guitars, UK) and that's who I used, he did an amazing job.

I like my privacy.

maybe you underestimate how difficult that installation can be. I was told by Maniac Music that they always get calls and emails from techs and people who have no clue and have trouble doing this installation. Yes, they do the installation, but apparently, not as much anymore. I was told they would do some limited installs in the summer, that's like 4-6 months from now. They don't want to put me on a waiting list or accept a deposit, so basically, if I sleep or forget about it, I lose my chance. It shouldn't be like that.

Unless these forum people live in the same area that I do, their recommendation would be based purely off an internet search, which I have already done so countless times before. I'm very good with the internet and researching stuff. I have googled, yelped, Angie's list, and many other websites. That's how I found the techs I went to.

I chose those techs cause they have the best reviews and decades of experience in guitar tech, yet they couldn't set the angle and action of my guitar correctly. I had to do it myself after reading and being taught by some fellas here. I basically wasted my money on them.

This is my one and only guitar, I don't want to trust some random tech to do this installation and possibly mess something up.

I'm not in a hurry to do it so I'll just wait.

That's fair enough and I do to. That said, nobody is invading my privacy for example because they know I live among the other 60+ million people in the UK, or the 3+ million in Wales for that matter. But knowing I live in the UK/Wales allowed people to give recommendations. The website is global, we have people here from all over the world. Why are you making a thread asking for help if all you wanted to do was have a moan at imaginary problems again?

Sigh.

Na I'm pretty confident I could install a Sustainer system, I've done all my own work on my guitars over the years going back to when I was 15 and did my first pickup swap, or to when I took a chisel to my Strat to install a Floyd Rose. If it's something important and more risky I will take it to a luthier, like I did when I snapped my Jems neck. But I believe pretty strongly that a guitarist should to learn how to do their own maintenance work, modifications, wiring, general setup and fret levelling etc.

That doesn't mean it all goes smooth sailing, but that's how you learn. I'm very confident in setting up Floyd Rose guitars, and honestly I've not really met a tech that had trouble with it but I guess they exist if some tech hasn't spent any time working with them. Either way I don't really believe that you've managed to find all these techs and none of them can setup a Floyd Rose, it seems pretty farfetched. Anyway if you don't feel comfortable installing a sustainer then obviously don't do it, but I don't see why you'd struggle to find someone who can do the job. You can go to youtube and find countless vids of hobbyists installing their own.

I havent found any youtube video of someone installing this sustainer on their own tbh

if search sustainiac installation you'll see people reviewing guitars that already come with it like Schecters

the few "installations" dont actually show the installation itself

Fowleri, I think you overestimate how difficult the installation is. I'm not saying it's easy but nothing is impossible. If you have the tools and you're used to some woodworking and soldering it shouldn't be too hard. I get why one wants to have it done by a professional though - nothing wrong with that and the results will probably be much cleaner and less anxiety inducing. But as BigBazz says, you learn by doing (just like with your trem setup process) and I don't doubt his/her confidence.

With anything new, doing your research is the most important. Until you grasp what you will be doing I wouldn't attempt anything. The hardest part IMO for a sustainer install is the battery compartment routing. You can't just toss the battery in an electrical compartment, batteries cause interference. You would need a router and a template for the battery compartment. Whether you make the template... Or it's provided in the kit that is a must have. If you do wind up eventually finding all the info you need to do it... Hats off to you for attempting the install. It's definitely a ballsy project to undertake. Anytime you take a router to wood it's nerve wracking... Because once you cut, there's no going back. I wanted to do a sustainer install on my js100 custom guitar I put together. After reading about it I don't have the proper routing tools for the battery compartment. And once I learned I could not coil tap the sustainer humbucker... That was a deal breaker for me.

I want the cleanest install which means putting the sustainer kit behind the pickguard, so the switches will be in between the volume and tone knob and a battery compartment in the back

I don’t have the skills to do this. Id rather just pay extra and have it done by then and have peace of mind lol

@Fowleri , if you value your privacy so much you’re not prepared to add your location to your profile so that folks can make recommendations to help you out that is fine.

But, please, if that is the case, stop whining about not being able to find someone to do this task for you.

I understand this is your only guitar, I understand you don’t want to take risks with it, but at the same time, if you’re not prepared to either help yourself or to let others help you, stop expecting this site to care about your first world problems. As I said in another, very similarly toned thread, patience here is wearing thin and behaviour similar to that which you present here has got people banned in the past.

You could always save a little more cash and buy something like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184614449350

Then you can have 2 guitars... With different characteristics that you like. Unless you're a die-hard ibanez guy.

Or just get an ebow to mess about with: https://ebow.com/

Its a good option those Schecters, but I want my second guitar to have an evertune and more towards metal. I know this is a jem forum but I see no point in spending $3000 for something that isnt that much different from my Genesis that I got for $650

I could buy one tho I have like 20k in the bank, so is not a lack of money really, more about priorities lol I kind of a cheapskate, maybe cause I know what is like to be broke, either way this hobby is expensive, so many guitars and not enough money

I like this one. Titanium truss rod, stainless steel frets, evertune, roasted maple, all under 1k, of course, made in Indonesia

but if you like metal or even hard rock, these RGs and Jems don't really cut it, they dont have enough juice

https://www.solar-guitars.com/produc...-silver-matte/

Ehhh any guitar has the "juice". Guthrie Govan plays metal mixed in with his fusion style and his pickups are low output. But if you're after a certain character I get it... You know what you like. I get ya about the high cost. I am done with signature guitars. Once you make something your own... Nothing is as good.

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Sounds like you need to let loose of a little of that $20K and buy yourself some decent gear. You put an Evo in that turd and complain it doesn't have enough juice? Guaranteed that's not the guitars fault.

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