A Day in the Life of a Wannabe Guitar Tech | Backlog Vlog #1

Hey everyone! Little bit different of a video today! Lately I've had a few too many projects piling up that life has gotten in the way of. So I thought it'd be a good idea to knock out as many as I can in one day to try to break out the procrastination prison that I've been stuck in for the past couple months. Typically, my normal videos take all day to film even one project, so this time, we're doing away with the lights, the scripts, and even the camera person to get back to what I do best - working on instruments. This is a day in my life!
Background music @ nisebelle.bandcamp.com/album/... (Tracks 29-32)
00:00 A Day in the Life of a Wanna be Guitar Tech
01:33 What are we working on?
02:30 Setting up my mustang (Cali) for 12's
03:40 Ambient Trash Jazzmaster Mods
05:23 Lunch Break!
05:59 Overhauling my bass's (Bie) Electronics
07:21 Thanks For Watching!
Instagram: @_nisebelle
Filmed, Edited, and scored by @nisebelle
Thanks for watching!
#guitarmods
#guitartech
#vlog

[@JasonTMays]

TEAM NISEBELLE SQUAD UP!!!! ❤

[@nisebelle]

Thanks for providing my lunch time entertainment with your Jupiter video!

[@JasonTMays]

@@nisebelle Awe shucks! YOU are the best! Hope all is well.

[@GC-ji3ye]

Up up up!!

[@ambienttrash5234]

thank youuuu , the JM setup is like getting glasses when I didn't even know I needed them 😅

[@nisebelle]

Haha anytime!! Let me know if you need any of your other other guitars worked on! This definitely left me wanting my own set of Black Mass wide range humbuckers haha

[@malfunction5448]

I can so relate to leaving the small, simple tasks for a long, long time, and then wonder, "why didn't I just do this earlier?" when I finally get around to them!

[@conorfowler]

"All I wanna do is drink my beer and go to sleep" Most relatable KZbinr ever 🤣

[@rokusen8135]

This quality of content deserves way more subscribers

[@fermi7776]

when you went to clean your desk and then started playing the jazz. me too

[@robinleebraun7739]

You always brighten my day. Remember to eat, Kid.

[@haveafuzzyday]

This channel has become my favorite guitar channel, even though I know very little about guitar modifications

[@Radm0bile]

Oh, I'd totally watch motorcycle repair vids, too! Just sayin

[@nisebelle]

Haha if I ever do anything more ambitious than my routine maintenance I might try to film it!

[@thejuggernaut5327]

I respect that you start your day with a shot of straight moonshine 🎉

[@frida5680]

"As all you fellow procrastionators out there probably already know.." haha I got called out, I'm actually procrastinating rn on my master's thesis. Great vid!

[@PedalPlayhouse]

Backlog is the biggest bane of my life! It always starts with coffee tho as well haha! Always love the way you interweave B roll. ❤

[@progpogs]

Love your stuff Nis every vid is a vibe, and good choice on the Lollars.

[@jesussablan5557]

As much as I love this as my comfort/hidden gem channel, I'd love for you to get huge one day. Your videos are really something special Nisebelle, so glad I subscribed 👍

[@jesussablan5557]

Also does anyone else know what happened to her Epiphone les paul/bocchi video? Did it get taken down?

[@MichaelBCoats]

Great video! I really love Cali, your Mustang! I have to say, I will have to agree to disagree about changing the pickups and (gulp) putting a hardtail on the JM JM. I surf with mine, and can't imagine changing those things! I do like how you took your dream Bass from perfect to "perfect for me." Keep rockin', Nisebelle! I admire your skills and knowledge! Much love and God's blessings to you! ❤

[@tcase101]

Productive day! Great job!!!

[@dskim5848]

Attention to detail and listening/watching the player, the feel and playability). No doubt you will excel! Rock on!

[@josephdahl4561]

I loved this video nisebelle. Put some confidence into me to someday do my own modding projects. Thank you.

[@aricarends1660]

I got scared how confidently you threw that straw into an espresso tonic! Ive had explosions just looking at it wrong! Great choice though!

[@nisebelle]

Haha it’s one of my favorite drinks, but yeah I’ve definitely wiped more than a few off my counter during a fast paced morning!

[@MikeSwimm]

Love your videos! This one has inspired me to finally put in the Lollars I bought for my 94 MIJ Jazzmaster nearly a year ago.

[@MondoMoeTacoma]

Excellent work!

[@PowerToolRaptor]

I've been a fan for a while now and your vids are such a breath of fresh air for the music side of KZbin. Keep up the great work :)

[@daanprins6730]

You're awesome ! Also love the little honda

[@deztruct0823]

I love the tones you get on your mustang!

[@saxophool]

You had me at coffee and tonic water but when I saw my Ikea rocker, I lost it! I have seen that rocker in nearly every country that I've visited including Cambodia!😂

[@nisebelle]

No way!!!! I absolutely love this chair haha! Glad to hear I’m not alone!

[@skatermaid]

These videos always give me life ✨💖

[@SquirrelDarling1]

Eyeing that replacement switch that needs to go on the Toronado..

[@68halfcab]

Nisebelle, my dream girl!!! Thank You for another video!

[@ezzo18]

Great vid as always! Big love for the Aerodyne, I borrowed on for a recording 12 years ago and I've been looking for one at a good price ever since (they're rare in the UK!).

[@IgnatzMausEsq]

Tonic water and coffee? I have to try that now! Thanks for the great video. The Fender AJB is now at the top of my short list. 🎵

[@jacksonfrancis3990]

Team Espresso-Tonic rise up!!!!

[@ericinthekitchen]

Thank you ! I’m so late on my projects and I still need to work on 2 jaguars and a Jazzmaster for a friend. Tomorrow , I’l do it because you gave me inspiration ! ❤

[@JB-ru2zb]

I solder two guitars yesterday and I wake up to a tech video 😂!!!!

[@danielilaw7819]

I love your videos ! Keep it up! I hope that I can meet you someday! and jam along! hehe

[@craniel0]

i just found your channel through this video and i loved it! keep up the backlog work, i know i have to...

[@j-pastel-yellow]

i don’t know if anyone else caught it, but i was so freaked out by that little blob of solder that went flying during the jazzmaster disassembly, only to harmlessly land on the back of the pickguard at 3:57. genuinely had a mini heart attack

[@thetimberowlsband]

Heck yeah! Way to tackle 3 projects in one day. Super inspiring! If I can get through 1 project in 3 months I feel like I've accomplished something. 😂

[@nisebelle]

Haha the pressure of the camera definitely helps speed up my timeline! Stoked to hear about what you ended up doing with that Les Paul!

[@analogemma]

Ugh I totally get you on client procrastination pressure; it's all fun and games until you realize you haven't made progress on their instrument in a month LOL. Better yet, they found you made a video on it haha

[@ThatMattGoodMusic]

SO many backlogged that I can't get to because of gigs, work, and fixing up our house! - Finish rebuilding my mates smashed Jagmaster with hardtail Bridge... just have to glue the block I'm installing in the trem cavity, paint, install Bridge, and set up! - finish stitching a squier jm neck onto a 70s Kay SG copy body... then install all the hardware and make a pickguard... - refinish a strat neck and put a new nut on another friends guitar - refret my #1 homemade guitar - address setup issues on nearly all my other guitars, fix electronics issues - the list is endless!

[@thefrogger6507]

A 3-way switch on a jazz bass feels so fundamentally wrong to me but frankly I have yet to try it and the different vibes of an Aerodyne kind of suit it. Fantastic bass.

[@jakehollomon3676]

Love to see it!

[@Elektronijaenis]

Coffee with tonic water? I don't have an espresso machine, but I have to try something like that with my mocha pot. When I started playing bass I got a cheap Tokai J-bass and it had the regular two volumes and master tone control layout. Pretty soon I foung it to be a bit annoying because if you want to fade out at the end of a song or just mute the instrument, you have to fumble with two controls. That will also erase the tone you have carefully set, altough that's a lesser problem. In a band context it probably didn't differ too much from what you get from either one of the pickups on their own or both fully on. So... Pretty early on, I changed it to pickup selector, master volume and master tone. At some point I also made the volume a push pull that puts the pickups in series, but I rarely use that, although I consider it more usefull than the micro adjustments with the two volumes. Now the wiring has been the same for probably 15 years. It's still my only bass and I paly it regularly.

[@joshprice7436]

Bravo!

[@asharpbflat7179]

That was AWESOME!!!!!! - That bass sound 🤤🤤🤤🤤 very inspiring video to also get going again, with what's been planned last... er... summer 😬🫣🙃🤓

[@rotosound_uk]

Brill video! Thanks for using Rotosound strings 🧡

[@TheSupart91]

Why is ur voice and smile so addicting

[@gargantuangooners]

The 12s sound awesome You’re not an idiot I died a little inside when you said you were replacing the vibrato with a hard tail 😂 PS: your videos were helpful to inspire me to do the mods I’ve done to my 2 Squier Jags. If I lived close to Puisheen, I would get into his queue, but since I don’t I’m stuck with me. That said, they turned out pretty great. Thank you!

[@SoundSymbiotic]

Everytime I see you mod a guitar it boosts my confidence that I can do a little work on a couple of my own. Then I see how complex your coffee making process is and realize we are not the same... LOL

[@timvanboening9432]

Nice! I am in the middle of my project backlog of one guitar. I have been fixing up my ‘96 MIM Strat that I got in 2000 for my 19th birthday. I painted it back then over what I thought then was Torino Red with sky blue Home Depot road striping paint I passed off as Daphne Blue. As time passed the Krylon clear coat yellowed and brown where my skin touched and it began looking super ugly. So I decided to strip it and do a nice Dakota Red nitro finish. I also refretted the neck and will install a PureTone jack and proper shielding tape (I used heavy duty aluminum foil with spray adhesive back in 2008, which actually worked). Anyway, I had left the trem cavity the original red when I painted it back in 2000. I had remasked it when I started repainting it to preserve the color still. I was wet sanding the finish today and peeled off the painters tape to compare the Torino Red and Dakota Red, and saw that my Strat was actually Dakota Red and now a dead match for the nitro I was wet sanding. So I simply restored my Strat to its former glory and I am happy with that. That’s my project backlog story for the day.

[@armchairzen]

Well done.

[@richardhadley8214]

It's always the small things that take the longest, especially the mustang and the way the bridge is designed. It's only playable with beefier strings, or you’ll be tinkering around with it for eternity 😅

[@alfayamansyah3734]

🎸🎸🎸

[@simeon.g]

Your video has inspired and/or shamed me into finally installing the single coil that's been sitting unopened on my bench for two months. Thanks, I guess. :)

[@mikewithers299]

Nisebelle i dont feel so bad now. My projects pile isnt going down to fast, but like you, customers first then my own gear. Ive always hear the expression "empty desk, empty mind". I cant remember the last time i didnt have projects stacked up, even though im always working on something. Love your Aerodyne and your channel. Just subscribed ❤️❤️

[@changestrangers]

Nice choice of beer!

[@paintnamer6403]

I make my coffee in an old percolator, I NEED it NOW!! FeverTree tonic water is great for my gin & tonics.

[@ribs_repeat]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@notemanoel]

Very nice coffee setup

[@tonyevans9999]

I have spent the best part of a day "researching" old japanese humbuckers to put into an 80's Burny RLC60 instead of putting a pickup I know I like straight in and then... oh, I dunno... playing it? The struggle is real, and I did need this kick in the pants. Coffee up!

[@Anna-hb8mo]

I loved this video

[@reneebear3641]

You should do a video on your writing process & influences !

[@AudiomoMusic]

This is really good stuff. I love the production and one of your other videos with the Jag pushed me over the edge to want to finally buy tools to do my own fretwork! Keep it up! also at 4:33 are you playing Uverworld?????????

[@csharp57]

Thanks for the content. The tough journey of finding a reliable tech I like is forcing me to learn how to set up my stringed instruments. Either they don’t return calls or they are swamped with work. That’s ok. Maybe it’s just time to do it myself

[@graymie]

This is such a great video concept C: --a fellow procrastinator lol

[@jdselders8010]

Great video as always, and I thought the editing in this one was particularly excellent! I'm also super interested in your espresso setup, do you mind commenting what equipment you're using?

[@nisebelle]

Thanks! I was definitely a bit nervous about trying out this new style so glad you enjoyed it! For my espresso set up: the machine is a Flair 58, the grinder is a DF64V, and the scale is an Acaia Lunar. It’s a great little setup if you don’t mind a manual lever machine and don’t need a steam wand!

[@stephencook7720]

Yea, I had a put-off forever project recently completed, a destroyed 1970's Czech Jolana Iris bass. Got through so much in the first couple months - parts find as half the HW was gone or busted (a buddy in Greece came through), removed marker and pale green paint from the severely checked finish (thanks Simichrome), patched 2 1 inch diameter 1/2 inch deep holes in the body, ground the rust off the chrome harness plate, paint matched the gradient redburst paint where patched from holes and gouges. Then 2 things hung me up; first, the blasted jack, jack pocket, and wiring to the jack was a nightmare, broke 3 times on install, ticked me off. The other thing was where do you find a cover for a weird size pickup? Sat in pieces for 6 months, and I gave thought to just trashing it. Finally, modeled and 3D printed a replacement pickup cover, used an acoustic barrel jack (no joke, the strap button nut is the spacer inside the body, old jack nut is on the outside on the jack plate) with heat shrink wrap sleeve to lock in the wiring, found and fixed the busted wire on the 8 way rotary switch, shimmed and set the action on the neck, buttoned up, strings and setup, oiled and polished. That was work over about 2 weeks. The bass went from a bust to a beast. Ugly but usable and unique. I do have top notch gear for gigs, I just like doing rebuilds of crazy stuff for the fun of it. The Iris was somewhat less than fun. I am now trying a full new build of a reliced 51 P bass, except with 2 51P pickups, and modern gold HW, probably weeks of work to go.

[@nisebelle]

That sounds like a beast of a project!! So glad to hear that it ended up coming together but that definitely sounds like a ton of work! I need to look more into 3D printing since I also have a few projects that need some specialized parts that I can’t find. Thanks for sharing!

[@LUCIDARIAN]

the honda cub omg

[@nisebelle]

Love my cub! Best way to get around the city!

[@frankiechan9651]

Me: Side-eyes the 2 gig bags holding projects in the corner - that are hiding a 3rd project behind them. Was your Mustang the super-short scale, 22.5",,or the 24"? Either way, 12's is pretty thick - but if that is what it needs. Interesting take on "perfect bass" to"perfect for me" - subtle, but profound difference - and subject to change too. I think I spent way too much time paused on the coffee though - I'm going to have to see if I can get my hands on some Hamasho locally. I love Ethiopian coffees and have 3 different varieties at home currently (I buy green and roast them myself) A friend introduced me to an Indian microlot today - smelled/tasted of fruit loops and bubblegum - unexpectedly amazing. Never tried an espresso shot over tonic water though - maybe when the weather turns hot again in Australia.

[@nisebelle]

She’s a 24”! The 12s are definitely thicker than I’m used to (never played a wound 3rd before!), but the string tension feels so much better now! For the espresso tonic, definitely recommend trying it with a lighter fruity roast!

[@Cerberuselite]

oh my days the missing vibrato arm thing hit me personally haha, cannot count the amount of times ive done that on my strat!

[@cjkenney]

espresso and tonic water? that looks like it slaps

[@zacharyjones7370]

TIL coffee tonic is a thing!

[@carianoff]

So many people shit on the Aerodyne bass'. Fender couldn't give them away the last year you can pick them up for half the price now. Shame they are actually really cool in the right color.

[@crystalskyes815]

I wish I would have gotten the Aerodyne when I got my first bass. They are so nice. (and the one I did get was a bit of a dog.)

[@luistijerina]

I love your videos and your tracks! When you go up a string gauge do you always reslot the nut? Which tools do you use? Do you swap the nut for a different material?

[@nisebelle]

Thank you so much! I reslot the nut of the current slots are catching on the new strings. For the JMJM the slots were wide enough for the 11s, but for my mustang, I had to widen them a bit. I use the a set of files from Uo-chikyu and they’re great!

[@lifewithoutera]

Woah that jazzmaster wiring setup is very cool. Any chance you got a wiring diagram or can do another video specific on that?

[@nisebelle]

It was a fun one! My wiring diagram I drafted that day had a ton of errors so I’ll draft up a new cleaned up version and let you know once it’s posted!

[@JNathanielBerke]

Whoa wait - tonic water in coffee? I've never heard of such a thing and must try!

[@GitShiddy]

Do I relate to the procrastination & forgot to eat parts. I just did exactly this with a pedalboard build that I put off for weeks only to have to do the build, shoot the video, record the tracks, edit & upload in a day. Never doing that again. (he says knowing it'll happen again.)

[@mrNobody100]

tonic water in coffee? never heard of that before, i guess i should look that up on the internet.... also, you got 3 projects done in a day, it took me 5 fucking hours to correct a master tone knob on a strat yesterday...and i forgot to fix a killswitch on another guitar while i had my makeshift workstation set up. oh well.... party on.

[@mortusdominus]

Espresso...and tonic water? That works well?

[@Lomoholga2]

Wannabe? Lol. Its charming to see someone with obvious ability being humble If I had a dollar for every ‘guitar tech’ that worked on my guitars over the years and made blatant mistakes I’d be able to buy a Squier Jaguar by now

[@brentkendrick814]

Hi, I'm wondering if you can help, I'm building 2 HHH Jazz guitar's using a stratocaster, I will be using Lace fusion jazz 251 in the neck and bridge location with a 10 way switch, any suggestions on a Humbucker for the middle position, or if you created a Humbucker that I can place in the middle position, I wouldn't mind purchasing them from you.the Lace fusion jazz 251 Humbucker set, 5.0k & 6.1k, awaiting your feed back, Nisebelle

[@jameskim7266]

Nice, pagliacci pizza! I was wondering if I can get some tips on becoming a guitar tech. I just rekindled my love for music and starting playing the guitar again after a 15 year hiatus and my current 9-5 is a bit shaky and most likely will not be working for long. What would be the first steps for me to learn about being a guitar tech and how can I build a strong foundation and fundamentals to get a job as a guitar tech?

[@nisebelle]

Hey! I might be the wrong person to ask about this since I’m not a professional, but I can definitely point you to some resources that have helped me! The first is a book called “Guitar player repair guide” by Dan Erlewine. This book covers a really wide breadth of all things guitar maintenance from setups to refinishing. The other resource I’d check out is @puisheen’s channel if you haven’t already. His “Refit & Restore” series covers restoring a vintage Jazzmaster and has a ton of useful information. And finally, StewMac’s KZbin channel also has a bunch of great tutorials for anything you’re looking for. Hope this helps!

[@jameskim7266]

Awesome, thank you so much for the resources!

[@dominicijavier1575]

I'm not familiar with jaguars. is that really how you string them? like a wrap under?

[@nisebelle]

Yeah they’re super weird! But that is in fact the correct way to string them!

[@zidanechanmusic]

All these while I thought you are a full time luthier. 😮

[@ilovejapanesemusic3858]

I've never heard of drinking tonic water with coffee what do you call that?😮

[@nisebelle]

It’s called an espresso tonic! It’s great with light roasted coffees and definitely one of my favorite drinks especially once the weather starts warming up!

[@fraenkiboii]

Which office chair do you have? I’m currently looking for one with removable or flipable armrests for playing guitar and … the nerd that you are 🖤 I’m guessing that chair has magic armrests ☺️

[@nisebelle]

The chair is the Steelcase Series 1 and while I absolutely love this chair, the arms unfortunately still get in the way when playing! You can actually order this chair without the arms entirely, but since I work about half the week from home, I decided to run with the less than optimal playing posture haha. I’m still searching for that perfect task chair with disappearing arms!

[@fraenkiboii]

@@nisebelle Thank you! Yeah I've got the same problem. I basically need the armrests for my everyday job as a software engineer but after hours I need the option to flip them up to jam :) I found an option from the gaming realms, it's from Germany tho. Look up Backforce one plus. Also: I love the fact that we both use the same (ish) coffee grinder. I'm using a DF64. People with the same coffee grinder are automatically friends

[@nisebelle]

I’ll have to check out that chair thanks for the heads up! Also hell yeah DF64 gang! I’m thinking about swapping the burrs on mine once I run out of guitars to work on haha

[@yakfishin4912]

What movie was on during your pizza break?

[@nisebelle]

It was actually Jason May’s review of the Harmony Thinline Jupiter! I’d definitely rec checking out his channel if you haven’t already!

[@sludgebob5961]

Does anyone know what she plays at 6:54