Thanks for all the kind words y'all ...
Andy ... I have the "top" knob set for volume ... and the "bottom" knob set for tone ...
Paul ...
Can you tell me more about the A356 aluminum alloy that you use? I am familiar with AlMag35 which was used in the original Bigsby castings-that being alloy of 35% magnesium with the aluminum-Is the A356 all newly produced material or does it have any percentage of recycled content?
A356 aluminum alloy is the "premier"
sand casting alloy ...
It is essentially 93% aluminum and 7% silicon (and some trace elements that don't add up to 1%).
The reason it's usually the first choice among foundry men who sand cast ...
1) It's silicon content ... which allows for a smooth flow thru sprues, gates, etc.
2) It is T6 heat treatable ... giving it a strength similar to that of mild steel ... thus it combines exceptional mechanical strength, fatigue strength and machinability.
Thats for things like cylinder heads, etc.
My main reason for choosing this particular alloy ... aside from it being recommended by virtually every foundry man I spoke with ... stems form my personal knowledge of crystals.
Crystalline materials are much more resonant than amorphous materials.
Being 93% aluminum ... and using gravity/low pressure based sand casting ...
The aluminum is free to form one huge crystal (well, almost) ... free of most of the "stresses" associated with die casting or an extruded aluminum product.
Less "stress" = Truer crystal formation = Better resonance = More "musical".
As I've said many times here ... "better tools via material science".
Also I am glad to see that you are now using #38 wire on the pickups like old makers such as Bigsby and Rickenbacker used
Something really special about # 38 (in my opinion). I do all my "Potbellys" and Ricky rewinds (for friends only) ... with it.
I also see that you are using a 0.022 mfd cap for the tone control-most of the older guitars used an 0.050 tone cap which are no longer available and the closest usually to be found these days is 0.047-so I guess what I am asking is how did you settle on the 0.022 ca
My "Potbelly" pickup breaks almost every "Paradigm" in the pickup world ...
The main one being ... copious amounts of steel in the construction of the unit.
Most pickup makers won't even use metallic base plates or covers ... worrying about the production of "Eddy Currents".
I "embrace" eddy currents ...
...
In fact the only "Non Metal" components in the entire unit ... is the forbon top (needed for lead attachment) ... and the insulation on the magnet wire.
I get away with it because of the tremendous magnetic field my units produce ... therefore ...
My pot/cap choice ... was determined by trying every conceivable combination ... then picking the one that best suits the huge magnetic field of the "Belly" and the solid crystalline body of the Dustpan.
The combo of a 500 K pot and a 0.022 mfd cap ... gave it the nicest overall roll off pattern.
The whole "package" (steel & pup) ... is a "study" in modern material science.
I love the "old sound" ... that goes without saying ...
But there is no doubt in my mind ... the key to the sound that I've strived for ... has "little to nothing" to do with reproducing vintage units.
My excursion into that "arena" ... left a horrible taste in my mouth ...
So much so ... that I need daily infusions of
Sailor Jerry ... to get the taste out.
And Paul, I expect to do my best to eliminate that foul taste in Joliet ... and hope you will join me for a few
These are priceless. 
