Alexander

yeah I can't take credit for the finish unfortunately - that's how I bought it, in fact I scratched the **** out of it by dropping a pack of sandpaper on it, but it doesn't show up in the pics! It only cost me £30 anyway... 03 is looking like being a Kramer Beretta style thing with an OFR... Yum!

Hokay, so it's like this: I've successfully wired up a motherbucker in one of my guitars, following the instructions on the official wiring diagram: http://www.kentarmstrong.com/KA_Pickup_Wir...nstructions.pdf (at the very bottom of page 2) Now, it consists of two two-way switches and one 3 way switch (on-on-on in my case). All the switches work, and they all alter the sound of the guitar, but rather embarrassingly I don't know what they actually do. Could someone please tell me what switching each switch in that diagram will do, before someone asks me and I have to make something up?

Ha ha yeah thanks dude! It's a rare hot day here in blighty so it's a good idea to expose some flesh while you can.

OK so I know compared to the kind of artworks you guys produce this is pretty small beans, but this was my first ever build that I've just finished now (had to replace the neck). Some of you may remember my 02, well this is the 01! I'm going to post a lot of pics so apologies dial up users - bit like baby photos this innit? I actually gigged it last night, which is why it's looking a bit grufty. Tell you what - it was a proud moment walking on stage with a guitar I'd built myself. Specs: Warmoth neck (off ebay) - check out the flame! No-name strat copy body (off ebay) Kent Armstrong Motherbucker Schaller locking tuners

Man that's a sad story, but I think you're right to look at it the way you have - "I made mistakes, but I learned from them". At the end of the day you can read a hundred books but actually doing it is the best way to learn, until then it's all theory. IMO.

I just got some from this guy: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Portsmuthian-Store Not only does he have some great stuff, he's one of the friendliest guys I've ever dealt with on Ebay.

It's wierd, I've been playing for about 13 or so years, and I can't read music or even tab particularly well, but more often than not when I start reading about a technique I realise "Hey, I already do that, I just didn't know it had a name". It makes me wonder where I picked it all up from really...

Lucky1 - you're awesome man! I really appreciate your advice and support, and you're right - if I'm serious about building guitars (which I am), I'm going to have to learn about fretwork sooner or later, and let's face it - if I bugger up the neck all I have to do is buy another one, it won't trash the entire guitar will it? So after sleeping on the problem, you're right - before I started I doubted I could even wire up a pickup, let alone build a guitar that plays at all! Me and the guitar are just going to have to get to know each other a bit better and I'll keep tweaking away. Oh and camcool - the tru-oil is great! Starting to get a little buckle rash in the back (and I take my belt off before playing, so that's probably from my jeans button through a t-shirt) so it's still a pretty soft finish, but it looks great and my study/studio/workshop STILL smells of it!

Yeah a shim just replicates the problem at a different string angle. I'm trying to avoid having it fret levelled as this sounds pricey, and what with it being a brand new neck I was kinda hoping it wouldn't be necessary. I understand a lot of players use high action and that it has it's benefits, but for the style and speed I like to play, I need a lower action. I'm just a bit worried that I've built a guitar I won't be able to happily play. Lucky1 - thanks for your in depth advice - it's all duly noted!

Well, I just tried a shim under the neck but it made no difference, other than I had to make the bridge higher to stop the fret buzz. I'm kind of at my wits end with it really, it just doesn't make sense?

That's brilliant, thanks again for all your help - you're a star!

Thanks! Like I say, I've adjusted the truss rod as per the tutorial on the PG homepage, and according to the guide there it's doing it's job... What material do you recommend using for the shim(s)?

I've got; Playable - 12 string acoustic, Gibson LP Jnr, Gordon Smith GS1, Aria Pro II bass, Ovation acoustic Kinda playable - New 02 guitar (in the tweaking stages to get the action down - see other thread ) In bits - 01 guitar, just waiting for my tuning machines to turn up, finish wiring the Motherbucker and it's good to go! I'm selling one of my guitars to try and pay for my new guitar building habit!

Excellent, you guys are the greatest! It's not buzzing at the low frets, it's around the 12th fret and higher - so you think if I shim the neck to angle back more, this will help? This is the guitar by the way: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=9920

It's on the fingerboard itself - I've got it plenty low at the nut, but it just gets higher as the fingerboard goes along, and I can't get it any lower without fret buzz...

Hi Guys, I've just recently finished my first build. but I'm having trouble getting the action low enough for it to be truly playable (by my standards - I like as low an action as possible). It's a Warmoth neck, brand new, and I would expect it to get pretty low without needing any fretwork, or am I being naive? The truss rod seems to be adjusted correctly, I've filed down the nut as low as I dare but still, it's pretty hard to play. Does anyone have any other tips for lowering action on a new guitar? It sounds amazing and I really want to use it as my first guitar, but as it stands I can play twice as fast on my Gordon Smith. Thanks in advance!

That's a wicked idea, Myka - props. Obviously my guitars aren't good enough to sell yet, but I only asked because I now have 7 guitars, two of which I've built and by anyone's reckoning that's really quite a few. I'm going to have to start selling some of them - but I could never part with my LP Jnr, so eventually I'll have to try and shift at least one of my own builds.

Hee hee, I play quite a lot like EVH (no idea why, never really listened to Van Halen as a youth) so I've been having fun divebombing and whatnot. The 02 is a decal that my local sign shop cut for me, for free I might add! It was kinda fiddly to put on but I hope it will stay there OK. I've not played it through my amp yet (72 fender twin reverb ) but it sounds good through my pod pro. Not sure about the clean sound of the EMG 81 - is this it's weak point? I'll keep an eye out for a VMC too. Currently the tone pot is still wired up inside the cavity - I might remove it altogether if I decide the sound needs brightening up some. Well, as for 03? I have a hankering to make a Beretta style thing with an OFR, banana headstock and what have you - but not in the EVH paintjob. Just trying to decide if I could pull off playing one onstage - I play kinda fast, melodic art-rock (bit like Muse or Mansun) so it can look a bit odd going on with a shredder's guitar! It'll be a while before my next build though - this and the 01 cost me a packet between them, so I think I'll save up some money and put what I've learned into something a bit more advanced next time - I'll definitely have a go at properly painting and finishing it as well, although I really like the tru-oil finish. Thanks a lot for all your interest and kind words! Six months ago I would have told you there would be no way I could build a working, playable guitar!

You just put on thin layers and it seals it, and actually leaves a pretty high gloss finish. I think I put about 10 layers on and it's got a kind of dull gloss to it. Dead easy really, if a bit messy and smelly.

No not at all! It's simply the second guitar I've built. I'll post pics of the 01 when I've got the new neck on it. If I build another, it'll have 03 on it! It's also a little bit of a homage to EVH as well, obviously.

I was thinking recently - what do you guys do with your project guitars when you've finished them? Do you use them on a regular basis as a gigging instrument, or do you sell them on? I was thinking that if I were ever to want to sell either of mine, I'm not sure I'd make the money back that I put into them on parts alone, because I'm not sure how much a guitar with no brand name on the headstock would be able to fetch? Your thoughts?

Thanks chaps - I made a load of mistakes and learned a hell of a lot. It goes to show - the best way to learn is to do! I was extremely impressed with the EMG - and the Wilkinson is very creamy! Now I just need to get the action down a touch and it'll be my dream guitar! WAY AWESOME DOOD.

Hi all, Well I thought I'd show you my first ever completed build - actually it's the second, but the first one I started is getting a new neck before I'm going to call it done and show it off. This is a Warmoth swamp ash body, tru-oiled by my good self and a warmoth neck. Graphite nut, Sperzels, EMG 81 and a Wilkinson Trem. Hope you like it, and a big thank you to everyone on the board for answering my stupid questions!

Kewl, thanks!

Hmm well, it's a rosewood fretboard, so I masked it off. The lacquer is just on the rest of the neck and headstock. I don't mind if it gets kinda shiny through use, it's the high-gloss finish on necks I don't really get on with.