Voodoods

Need to me more specific. Photo would help. If this gap is where it's causing the edge of the nut to be about 1/16" further from the 1st fret than it should be, then yeah, "factory second" would be a nice way of putting it. The gap is the result of the 'shim' not extending the entire width of the neck behind (or underneath) the nut. The nut is flush to the top of the fingerboard- the gap is 'behind' the nut or underneath it (between the nut and the what the nut is screwed to- the neck/headstock. Hope this helps. I'll post pics if its too confusing Actually upon closer inspection (I was taking photos to post to the site) the gap is the result of a poor 'cut'; when they removed rosewood to place the nut, they cut unevenly, taking more material from the high-E side than the low-E side; that caused the gap. So just sloppy; not sure I really need to fix that but if I need to I can probably wedge something in there, though I'm not sure its going to be a problem. The truss rod still bothers me though. I've still not gotten good enough to sight down the neck and see things like uneven frets or stuff - so I can't tell you what the relief is, and my straight edge isn't where I am currently, so I can't measure gaps etc. I've just never seen one look quite like this: http://a580.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/image...dc710fe441b.jpg the stuff that looks like rust is either mahogany or rosewood dust lol. Its hard to see, but its resting in the corner of the truss rod space- there is space to the left. and above it, but its flush to the right and back of that hole. here are other pics to show the gap etc. http://a433.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/image...f51f31feef0.jpg http://a66.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images...28e4a4c1fe9.jpg I spent nearly 200.00 for this which is sad... I should just return it and get an OLP MM1 or a Jay Turser strat or something...

Need to me more specific. Photo would help. If this gap is where it's causing the edge of the nut to be about 1/16" further from the 1st fret than it should be, then yeah, "factory second" would be a nice way of putting it. The gap is the result of the 'shim' not extending the entire width of the neck behind (or underneath) the nut. The nut is flush to the top of the fingerboard- the gap is 'behind' the nut or underneath it (between the nut and the what the nut is screwed to- the neck/headstock. Hope this helps. I'll post pics if its too confusing

Ok so I thought I was doing the smart thing by buying a cheap guitar on ebay... I sent the first one back because it was nearly impossible to get the strings out - they sent me a new one and the licenced by Floyd (same as last guitar) has the same issue - I found that by using a sewing needle and needle nose pliers I can remove the strings. Which is a pain but this guitar they sent me could have other issues. I'm pretty much a tech newbie so I dont know what to look for. Unfortunately I have to leave on a trip and I wont be able to send it out to a tech before I leave so I want to describe what I am seeing and you tell me if its a problem. 1. The locking nut: Its shimmed, and not very well. I noticed the low-E action seemed very high and while the bridge looked pretty low, closer inspection at the nut end shows me that they removed a bit of the fingerboard to make room for the nut, but it looks like they then shimmed bits of the rosewood back behind the nut. That I can live with providing its done ok, but at this point I'm not sure I trust these jokers to know what they are doing. I look over on the high-E side and sure enough - I have maybe a 1/16 gap behind that side of the nut. When I take off the retainers (to look at what needs to be done to perhaps repair/replace the nut or at least shove a shim in on that side, I see that they have stripped a screw on the nut - I will probably have to really wrestle with it if I were to try to mess with int. So first question - will that gap cause me trouble? I assume yes, but I have no idea. It sort of looks like crap but its a cheap guitar I intend to travel with so I don't care quite as much. But replacing that nut seems like its going to be a pain. 2. The truss rod - when I remove the truss rod cover and I am looking into the hole, (its a square) the rod is down into the back-right corner of that hole. I expected to see it dead center, but again, I don't know enough to know whether that's a 'nice to have' with truss rods, or if that position indicates poor fitment or a larger issue. Does that position and the fact that it is not centered on the hole mean I have an issue, or isn't it that simple? I really just want to send the thing back but I feel like I need to have a solid technical reason. Its a cheap guitar so I'm not even commenting on the finish, or rough fret ends or anything like that- that's to be expected, but jeesh, it seems this thing is going to have issues. I'm going to have my wife drop it off to be looked at, but I wanted to post here to see what anyone thinks.

We're talking 335 here, right ?? Well, simple is not necessarily easy... You'll need lot's of patience. In earlier 335 guitars the electronics went in through the f-holes. Later models had a some wood removed from the bridge pickup cavity comunicating it with the control's area. The electronics went in through the bridge cavity in these models. But there's a simple technic for removing, and more important, replacing the electronics in these guitars: Simply attach something to every piece of hardware "before" removing the nuts and letting them fall loose into the body. In this way you can later pull the thing back into it's hole. I use normal cotton strings for this, just tied to the pot post. Some people use surgical rubber tubing on the posts. When you're putting the pieces back in place you simply pull the string/tubing until you have the pot/switch close enough to guide it with your fingers through the f-holes into their holes. Then, while holding them from the back (through the f-holes), you attach the nuts back. First time you do it will take some time. By the third of fourth time you'll be pulling the electronics out and putting them back in in half an hour. I suppose the factory guys can do it in 15 mins.... OK that sounds like what I expected - the question was for a 335-type guitar, not necessarily a true-blue Gibson. I don't own one these sorts of guitars, I'm kind of window shopping and it had just occurred to me that it might be a pain to work on, but it sounds a little tedious but not overwhelming by any measure.

Its probably simple but I have no experience with these guitars - say a switch or knob goes loopy- how do you get the guts out? Through the f-hole perhaps? that's the only thing I can think of since there are no plates on the back. Dont have one just window shopping and it occurred to me. Likewise, how do you reposition the switch etc back into place? Do you need a special tool (thinking tongs or something lol)?

I posted a question over in hollowbody and didn't notice this forum. Take a peek and see if you have an answer! http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=32443

Trying to decide whether to get a guitar of this type and I notice it has scratches: How easy is something like this to fix? They look mostly superficial, so I doubt they affect sound; just curious

Fret Buzz Diagnosis Page: http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Te.../buzzintro.html Best resource for this sort of thing!

"Nothing like a good piece of hickory!" ---Preacher in Pale Rider after beating the tar out of some wild west thugs with an axe handle made of the same. http://www.amazon.com/Pale-Rider-Richard-D...6595&sr=1-1

Ok thanks - I'll try the wet-test when I get it back - when you say to polish - what would I use for that?

Ok so I bought a cheap-o guitar off of ebay to use as my hotrod project and travel guitar. Its fit and finish is pretty low-standard, but its neck seems pretty straight, and its a small solid mahogany body - kind of like a mini-Godin: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=110168985839 I was impressed with how good it sounds unplugged - very resonant and clear. The neck just sings in your hand. The pickups are almost too hot - and sort of nasally and shrill - I'm not an aficionado, so I'm probably not describing the sound properly but suffice to say they need replacing as I don't like the sound at all... I need a sweet clean jazz-blues neck pickup and then something hot but not mangy at the bridge. I have my shop setting it up for me and looking it over to make sure its not irreparably uneven- there was some pretty bad fret buzz all up and down the neck and even I could see the frets aren't really straight, so no super-low action for me =D. But overall, it should be a solid platform to use as a project. One thing I think I can personally handle for now is a little issue with the neck - either there is some manufacturing 'funk' on the back of it, or its an uneven sand-job or the finish (its either satin or raw) got some dust in it, as the upper 1/5 of the neck is slightly rough to the touch - not really rough, but enough to make it annoying and feel slower. So my questions are: 1. How can I tell if its actually a satin finish or if its raw? This is a cheap Chinese made guitar I think, so anything is possible. It feels pretty smooth overall, but not glossy. I've felt satin necks and this seems the same - but I haven't had a raw neck to compare. 2. My question above is related to how to deal with the roughness - if its finished, would going over it with super-fine steel wool screw up the finish? How do you address something like this on an already finished neck (if this is one) without messing it up? One other issue that I'm curious about - the edges of the frets feel rough to me and its annoying - How easy is it to smooth out those burrs? Does anyone have a link to a 'how to'? And lastly - since I really am kind of getting the bug to do some stuff on my own with guitars - what is the best begginer how-to book for working on electric guitars?? Thanks in advance!

Well, veneer is usually 'solid', right? yes it is! It should be solid mahogany - there are other guitars by this same maker - exact same guitar, but natural finish and they are solid: natural finish Also if you look at the pic, the seams for the body (looks 3 piece) match front and back... so unless they are using a matching veneer front and back... This guy sells alot of acoustic guitars (most of his stock) so I think its a type-O

It is pretty nice looking in the photo, isn't it? I'm mostly concerned about when it starts to get a little tore up =D Its going to be a travel guitar and only in a soft-gigbag, so I have a feeling its going to get thumped a few times on those jets (going to try to carry it with me, but I may have to check it at the gate if they freak out. I'll have to see. I have an idea for a Duplicolor guitar ( http://www.duplicolor.com/products/mirage.html ) so I'm just trying to figure out what I'd need to do if I did want to strip it off. Now I just have to get my pocket Pod and I'll be a mobile rockstar hehe.

I just won an auction on one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=110169782576 It reminded me a good bit of an OLP/MM/Wolfgang so I pulled the trigger on one and I'll get in a week or so. Hopefully its a decent guitar - I sent emails to a couple of people that had won in the past and they love them so we'll see. If not, I'm not out too much hehe, and I'll just take it apart and rebuild it. I'm going to use this as my cheap-o travel guitar. Which brings me to my question. Its a see-thru blue - not sure if its paint or dye buy my question is this - if I wanted to repaint it, would I just rough up what's there, or would I need to strip it all down/sand it and go from there. Do paints and dyes have a different procedure? And also how can one tell the difference? Last but not least, body shielding with foil - I've heard of people doing this - why is it done and is there a how to? Thanks in advance

Agreed- MM1s or Axis are nice little axes. I am also looking for an OLP MM1, though many folks want to over-charge for them. I even looked into making one from Warmoth, but again, the body alone is $300.00-400.00. I've basically looked at OLP MM1s, Jay Turser Strats, Ibanez has a little cheap axe... what I need is an OLP Steinberger hehe. Or what is most likely is I'll get a Jay Turser for just over 100.00 or build a SAGA kit and if it gets squished I wont feel so bad. Its playable and I can hotrod it as time goes on (better neck, better hardware etc).

Now if they made one of those for a couple hundred I'd be in - I won't spend more than that because the risk of it getting crushed (even as carry on) is too great =D... But I'll keep my eye out for a used one, though they are discontinued, and people tend to jack the price at that point.

I wish I could find a smaller guitar to travel with... not smaller scale since its harder to switch back to a 'normal' scale when playing, so the benefit of using one of these for practice is limited. As it is, I'm looking at strat clones or any other guitar that's a good value. If there are smaller body/light guitars I'm open to suggestions

I'm curious whether anyone knows of a guitar that has the same shape as a fender toronado: while wiki says it shadows the jaguar and jazzmaster, those bodies look much larger... as a guitar I want to travel with, being compact is a consideration. I also know that Reverend Guitars has some that are similar, but they are more expensive then I am looking for. I'd love to even find a body and build out a kit. Thanks in advance!

excellent point - I'll check on that tomorrow

I am trying to pick a really cheap travel guitar (I'm on the road alot for my job and hate the idea of the airlines destroying anything better) so I am looking at these: http://www.jayturser.com/jt-300-qmt.php I like it except I am really looking for a an HSS setup... Is it fairly simple to rout the bridge out and replace the pickguard and bridge pup? Even though its going to be a cheapy, I want to try not to butcher it. Maybe it would be best to just drop a mini-bucker in there.... decisions decisions. Any insight would be appreciated.