Guitaraxz Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 4 hours ago, 2.5itim said: Im not sure about this bridge pickup distance from the bridge, hopefully it's not to close! IMO as long as the bridge is at the right distance everything else is just a matter of taste. The bridge distance, from the nut, is what matters (in relation to the frets). To me a pickup close to the bridge sounds brighter, youre worried of it beeing too bright, but I have run into some that are too far which made getting pinch harmonics difficult. If it sounds too bright you cn use a 250K volume pot instead of a 500K and that would probably tame the high end. You can also swap the mag of the humbucker and put a UO Alnico 2 which has more mids and less treble than any other mag. I have a Seymour Eclair humbucker with a UOA2 in it, that pup has a beutifull sweet singing voice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 @Guitaraxz that's exactly what I'm worried about is being to bright, I'm thinking it's going to have a lot of treble once I get it finished up. I measured against all of my Sabres, les Paul's, and ibanez sz and all of them from the break point on the high e of the bridge to the first pole position of the pickup are around 1.25-1.375" distance, all of them have different type bridges than I am using here but I don't think that will make much difference. This one that I'm building now the distance is about .875" so quite a bit closer. The other guitar that I'm building the distance is 1.25" so I guess once I get them finished I will decide on which sound I like better and go from there in the future, if it is to trebly I will take your advice and swap the pot out to a lower rating or swap the magnet in whatever pickup I decide to go with which will probably be some sort of bareknuckle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 This guitar has been nothing but a nightmare! I am going to have to walk away from it for a couple days and go work on something else. I pilot drilled my bridge screw holes and test mounted my bridge, everything went smoothly until... I decided to take the bridge back off, I went to unscrew the first screw and snap the screw breaks, 2nd screw snap same thing, 3rd screw snap same thing. So after lots and lots of cussing I'm moving on and when I can stand to look at it again I will take it up to work to put it on the Bridgeport, cut a slot out with a 1/4" endmill and glue in a replacement block of wood then start all over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitaraxz Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 Aaargh! I know what that's like, it once happened to me on an already finished guitar. I went for this gadget http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Bits/Guitar_Screw_Rescue_Kit.html It also works to make fret board markers with a diferent wood speicies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 You probably already know this, however it's a good idea to lubricate your threads with a bit of soap or stearine (paraffin wax) from a candle. They hang up really nicely in woods with hard grain like Ash. Whilst it's great for knowing your bridge is well-seated they're a PITA when the head strips out from it being cheese-grade Chinesium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 You're having some of the same sorts of first-build issues that @Chris G was having; the first one is a crucible for developing skills and experiences you take to the second, and then the fifteenth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 35 minutes ago, Prostheta said: You're having some of the same sorts of first-build issues that @Chris G was having; the first one is a crucible for developing skills and experiences you take to the second, and then the fifteenth. I just log into the site for the first time in a few weeks. I have been moving all my servers to a new system and taking a ton of my time. Give me a few and I will look through the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Thanks pros, I will remember the soap thing for when I need to redrill these! It's driving me crazy because the other build I have going on that is farther along than this one has gone sooo smoothly, im going to go try to find some stainless wood screws when I get off work today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 4 hours ago, Chris G said: I just log into the site for the first time in a few weeks. I have been moving all my servers to a new system and taking a ton of my time. Give me a few and I will look through the build. I was more referring to how you had some hiccups along the way, but everything won out in the end....and you're itching for the next build. 1 hour ago, 2.5itim said: Thanks pros, I will remember the soap thing for when I need to redrill these! It's driving me crazy because the other build I have going on that is farther along than this one has gone sooo smoothly, im going to go try to find some stainless wood screws when I get off work today. I hope they remove themselves uneventfully. In problematic woods I use sacrificial screws to established the thread, remove and bin them before using the final screws. Its always been a personal irritation, having screws with chowdered up heads. A bit of wax works wonders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 So let's try this again! I think that I've given this guitar enough time with its nose in the corner and we are gonna hope that it has learned its lesson! I took the body to work and put it on the Bridgeport, cut all the metal out and just cut a 3" long slot with the 1/4" carbide endmill. After that I cut a piece of ash on my table saw at .260" wide and 3" long and then sanded the radius on the end and glued it all up. I went and bought 100 wood screws so I think I will have plenty now, I'm going to go ahead and get the pilot holes drilled and of course use a little wax this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 So I go into the house and take a chunk out of the candle the girlfriend just bought yesterday, and I have to say she wasn't happy in the slightest but I do believe she will get over it lol. But anyways pros, the wax worked great, thank you for that idea. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightroExpress Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hahaha I've done the exact same thing with one of my wife's margarita-scented (almost said flavored, haha) candles. She was bothered, but on the plus side my screws have a delightfully tropical air about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Yeah, I'm usually wound up to hell about the whole screw smell. Have you ever noticed that Chinese packing grease all smells the same? Sticks to cardboard like hell and for some reason is required to the slathered outside of ziplock bags as well as over the contents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Oh yeah my screw do smell fantastic now for sure lol. Yep I absolutely hate the smell of packing grease, we deal with it at work a lot and it is terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 This evening I got the string block cavity routed, pore filled the top and side of the ash, finish sanded and sprayed the primer for the top. I will spray my color coat tomorrow morning. I had a few spots that didn't pore fill so well but I think after the black color coat and lacquer you won't be able to see them, I originally was planning on using Shellac on the ash instead of a primer but I didn't know how the paint would react to the shellac so just went with what I knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMpleONe89 Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 So did you decide on a solid black? What about a gold top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 I have used spray primer purely as a guide coat and "prover" to highlight any areas that need more pore filling. Horrendously wasteful, but sometimes more convenient than discovering a few pores that your final finish just continues to sink into. Primer rarely provides the best sealer against the final coats sinking into the pores. They really need working on so you have a guarantee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Looks great!! I had a ton of mistakes on my first build, was able to fix them. I had the same clamping problem you did with the top and body. I did not have enough clamps and had some gaps. I was able to route out the gaps for the binding and ones the body was routed there was no gaps it was only on the surface. Keep chucking along!! I cannot wait to start my next build, but my wife is not wanting me to do one for a bit since she is getting ready to start a very demanding semester for her Masters degree. I am trying to acquire some nice timbers from a guy how sells firewood. I have seen some of his cut firewood that has some awesome AAAAA type of flame Maple, black walnut, box elder and much more. If I can acquire some nice timbers from him I may start one secretly too. The current Project is a pinebox derby car for my daughter. Race day is today. Next project will my wife's approval is redoing the cabinets and kitchen counter top. I am going to do a reclaim barn wood counter top. At least it woodworking and continuing my learning in woodworking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Simpleone89, it will be black. Gold would look cool, I might have to think about that on a future one but the guy I'm making this for only wants black. Pros, I was afraid someone was going to say that. I will go ahead and sand back the primer, re pore fill and then prime again today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Thanks chrisG!! Yeah this one has definitely been a learning experience, since I was so much farther ahead on my other build I figure I would be fine to start on another but on the first build I really had no mistakes where as this one it seemed like every time I turned around. Pine box derby that sounds like a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMpleONe89 Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 (edited) 41 minutes ago, 2.5itim said: Simpleone89, it will be black. Gold would look cool, I might have to think about that on a future one but the guy I'm making this for only wants black. Pros, I was afraid someone was going to say that. I will go ahead and sand back the primer, re pore fill and then prime again today. Yes best to redo now and fill it right than keep adding on finish next time to compensate for the sinking lacquer. I learned it the hard way. Should've spent more time grain filling and preparing the surface before spraying. Edited April 24, 2016 by SIMpleONe89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 I ended up taking yalls advice, I got it all sanded down, redid the pore filler, resprayed the primer and shot the black. As soon as I get paid I'll go get some nitro since I used all of mine on the other build and get this body finished up. These are the best pics I have right now but I'll get more once the paint dries and I can open up the shop doors for better light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Also, you know what I completely forgot to do? I forgot to drill my holes for my bridge ground... I'm gonna have to figure something else out, maybe drill a little piece of metal into the control cavity to ground to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Nah, drill it when you're done. Just make sure you're prepared for that and do it safely. Protect the finish. You'd be surprised the number of stellar builders that we've seen here that do a lot of the drilling after finishing. Try not to provide yourself with additional problems during the finishing otherwise you'll end up juggling. At least, that's what I do....juggle that is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Wow ok, I figured I would probably screw it up. So just do it after the nitro fully cures? Heres a better pic, it's not 100% because I have found that it is extremely hard to keep ash completely level in the carved areas due to the "open pored" areas wanting to carve out much faster than the close pored areas but I am happy with it. I don't think it will be very noticeable after the lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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