George

hehehe Im such an idiot .. i just loosened the screws and the neck slotted in the pocket better lol NO GAP .. well i shoulda tried that first before posting..i appologise. i just thought i would ask whilst i was at work and didnt have my gtr to try .. lol .. well i still did learn from all your advice .. thank you! .. G

after looking at my photo i noticed the neckpocket stain/mark on the neck, makes it look like the neck isnt in properly. .. maybe i didnt have the neck flush in the neck pocket in the first place when i screwed it in. I havent had a chance to look but i thought i would ask you guys. ill let you know how it goes.

No the neck doesnt move or shift that i can see .. its on tite!. I mean you play a note and use a bit of force at the head stock you can make the note sharp or flat but thats normal right and its not because the neck is moving at the screws/neckpocket. i might play with it some more (havent had a chance yet).. the gap is bothering me and i swear i didnt take that much off with the file etc.. also i want to learn to do my own guitar repairs and stuff. i have an ibanez rg750 which is great cept its just difficult to play and i know it needs to be setup and fretts levelled and all that. the action was hi and i couldnt lower the trem anymore without the strings buzzing.. so i read posts on neck shims .. so i put a piece of card in the neck pocket to make the neck run a bit more parallel to the strings etc.. whcih it did improve but at some fretts like 12th hi E when u bend the note it just fretts out and buzzes .. so i assume the fretts need to be levelled. anybody know of a tool kit that i could buy that has all the correct tools to do this sorta job? or do i have to purchase it separately or can i make my own tools? what does everyone in here do? G

ok coool i did that .. its hard to take the foto .. but have alook .. maybe i need to loosen the screws and see if i can shift the neck more twards the trem ?? but if i cant .. is there a way to fill the gap .. it looks dodgy ! im planning on getting some airbrushed graphics on there (will cost heaps!!) so you think it still can be fixed etc?? and a stable guitar? i dont wanna waste my money on now a lemon! .. http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/gbx78/DSCF0594.jpg

Yeah, i filed/sanded one side of the pocket to shift the neck over a tad but realised it wont move over until i sanded the adjoining side where the end of the neck sits against (where the neck pickup would be near). so i started to file that side bit by bit knowing to be careful but somehow it the gap is about 1mm and i swear i wouldnt have taken that much off.. it a visible gap .. hmmm the gap is where the neck pickup would be near .. not the sides but the back of the pocket... LOL its hard to describe.. if someone could tell me how to post a pic i will .. im not sure how to.. thanks! I get the feeling he tried to shift the neck over in the pocket by making the neck heel narrower? Is that right, George?

Hi All Once again, great site!. Just a question. I have a BC Rich Gunslinger guitar (i guess irrelavant) i had initial problems with neck alignment. i had issues with string alignment down near the 20th frett hence the strings running crooked. i tried adjusting the floydrose trem with no luck .. so ive read to adjust the neck but unscrewing and moving then tightening .. by doing this i noticed a small crack in the neck pocket closest to top horn of body. the repair guy said this is normal on bc rich and ibanez guitars and a simple glu fix will solve it and not to worry. ok so thats cool, not worried about it.. now to fix the neck alignment problem (high E was very close to edge of frettboard) i moved the neck as much i could without levering out the cracked piece and still nothing.. so i though might just need a little bit of a snad/file just to give a little more play for the neck to align correctly .. and now its better EXCEPT!!! i noticed at the heel of the neck where it sits in the neck pocket of the body there is a 1mm arc gap (( i musta taken too much away from the section and now i fear of tuning issues.. cause the guitar stays in tune but then for some reason pops out.. and i think its cause there is play in this section of the neckpocket when it should be flush up against the bodY!!... sooo what can i do to resolve this issue?? .. filler ?? i want to repaint this guitar and make it all look good but now im thinking no point if the thing is gunna be unstable if you know what i mean? any help from the gurus would be appreciated.. thanks George

thanks guys .. sorry about the language .. i didnt think it was bad and was only kidding around ..

Hi I have an Ibanez RG770 that has the Edge trem .. whilst its in ok condition.. it doesnt look like its brand spanking new!! and EDIT i want it to look new! .. anybody repainted them? or know what i could do .. i was going to get a paint pen and just touch up scratches and chips .. but i thought what about repainting the lot! .. anybody? G Language Brother, watch the language.......BP

Ok thanks guys .. here is a really stupid question .. where is the download area?? It says on the main site .. its in the advanced section of the forum .. where the hell is that +1. Cad files can be of great help in build process......but taking net-(found/given) cad file and converting them to proper Cam files and let the machine have a go....is whole different matter. Can the files be trusted? Are they absolutely correct, or artist impression of model. Is location of trem and trem posts correct.....how about neck pocket....etc, etc. Like I said.......Cad files are great help when making templates.......but I wouldn't take a Cad file of the net and blindly CNC body out of quality type wood. ←

Hi All I have a friend who has a friend who does CNC machining. I was told to supply a CAD drawing of the guitar body and they can put it through the machine.. which is great except!!! i dont have a CAD drawing. I am after an Ibanez RG. Does CNC machining do routing and the right depths and all that .. or does it just do the basic outline of the whole body? Anybody know where i can get a cad drawing like what i might need.. i know nothing about CAD or CNC soo the above may not make sense .. let me know!!! oh gurus out there.. Thanks G

yeah sorry .. i only just realised there was an edit button and i should have used that ..

from my previous post .. im looking for an RG 750 760 770 .. but what about even though korean made the ibanez RG370DXBK ?? be about the same price but this ones new ..?? should i just stick with trying to find an 7xx series? i just want the neck pickups and trem system and all the screws and bits and pieces .. then im gunna use the body as my template .. my project is basically making my own custom body with 1 pickup route at the bridge .. so i will still need all the other bits and pieces which is why its cheaper to buy a whole guitar and use it for parts than it is to buy it all separately .. i still need a body as a template anyway ! suggestions oh gurus .. thanks

oh in case i wasnt clear .. any from overseas let me know too . Thanks

Hi Anybody in australia have an Ibanez RG 750 760 or 770 for sale? or want to sell. Sharktooth inlays balck edge trem system and the rest?? they go pretty cheap on ebay and seen a few in Oz for sale .. neck has to be in excellent condition .. body not so worried if it has some scratches and dings...(but if its in mint condition then even better) Trem system has to be working and in good nick .. i want one for a project guitar .. Im in brisbane. Please let me know george_b302@hotmail.com .. any pics too .. Thanks G

Hey !!! THanks bro .. thats only about 20mins from me ... i will go take a look .. how do i ask for it though .. were those offcuts? does the wood need to be "dried" or pretty much off the shelf should do the trick? Thanks again !!! big help

Hey Thanks for that Basswood is only about AU$70 anyway .. so i might start with this with a friend and see what i come up with... but yeah if you are coming to brissy and its convenient for both yeah show us what you have done .. that would be good. I dont think i will try the pickup cavity fill option as yet .. i really want to try my own body .. Thanks G

im pretty sure basswood!

hi guys what sort of primer/sealer would i use before painting if i did my own body ?? i mean because its a guitar is it special or its all wood and you can go to your local hardware store and buy wood primer and sealer?? Thanks again .. By discussing with you guys is giving me the confidence to do this my self!!!! that could be dangerous.. like one said .. its an addiction.. you make one then you have to make another and another and argh!!!!!!! .. thats good for me by the way why not have a collection .. G

Hi all!!! You guys are awesome .... sooooo freakin helpfull.. Thanks alot. I will keep that in mind. Im just exploring all my options. Personally i would prefer to make a new body but typical me wants things NOW and i dont have the $$$ so im looking for cheaper options!! .. what sort of wood would i use to fill the cavites? Also to the other response.. silky oak?? is that a light wood ? what sort of sound will that give?? easy to work with? wanna pass one my way so i can practice ? Thanks again G

hmmm what about this stuff to fill in the pickup holes?? opinions? http://www.minwax.com/products/woodmaint/wood-filler.cfm

Hi Just had a thought ... what about an RG guitar with a scratch plate?? ok ..so its got H - S- H ... now i make or buy a custom scratch plate that has only the one humbucker at the bridge routed/cut out???? that way i get the custom graphic painted on the scratch plate and rest of the body ... reckon that would look silly?? or will that sound weird being that there will be 2 holes under the new scratch plate?? This i assume would be a cheaper option but can anyone see any problems with this idea ... ???? so if i found an old RG550 or RG750 or something one with a scratchplate and sharktooth inlays etc. and get a custom scratchplate made that only has the bridge pickup hole ... ??? Anyone??? Thanks G

Hi Jason Thanks for that and no you didnt go and on .. its good to see people can still take the time typing to help others out .. it does all sound exciting .. and when i think about it .. if i made one and it was good i would probably make more!! .. after the investment for tools (by the way when you say tools are you referring to routers and all that?? i noticed thats all thats really need plus clamps and jigs but other than that??) its just all wood really which is cheap i guess... and when i think how many different custom models i could make to how i want and show that "I" made them .. that would be pretty cool!! .. What i was wanting to do is not destroy my current RG470 as its my baby .. i would source a second hand complete guitar (body condition didnt matter) as this would be cheaper than getting all the different parts i would need (trem, pickups, neck etc..) it would be like a guitar transfusion! .. im just toying with the idea at the moment .. but your right i should get a cheap piece of wood and try and make the body, not as the final result, but for practice and see if i can make the body i want and just for practice before i get the real thing .. that way i would find out what i need and make templates etc.. on the way ... I did a quote on the Jackson website for a jackson guitar with my specs (love them too) and it worked out well lets say i never have seen that sort of money before!!! but seriously im sure its a ultimately quality guitar BUT since ive looked at this website ... did i mention how good it was!!!! .. it looks like a lot of fun to try one myself ...!!! and the satisfaction of "I made it" Anyhooo im off but will check again later for any more discussion Thanks all!!!!! G

Ohhh and just to add .. the guy that was most helpfull was Perry from Ormsby Guitars in Perth .. I can mention that name as its a good comment and i noticed he is on here too!!! .. i wont mention the other names ...

Hi All I must say projectguitar.com is the best site i have ever been on!!! .. most of the examples used were exactly what i wanted to do!!! You may have seen my post on the ibanez forum requesting help but i thought i would ask everyones opinion here.. I live in Brisbane Australia so hi to all from everywhere in the world! I have a Japanese model RG470FM which i love to death well i know there are more higher end guitars out there but as it stands i love the feel shape style everything! .. but what i want is the same guitar but with only 1 humbucker in the bridge .. so i can have an airbrushed graphic on the rest of the body .. and no i dont want to paint the pickup.. some say fill in the pickup routes i dont want (middle and neck) and some say no the wood will move eventually and will crack .. then others say no if its done properly it wont and is much cheaper than other options.. to me i would rather a new replicated body with 1 routed pickup hole at least i will never be wondering whether it will crack one day specially after spending an arm and a leg on the airbrushed artwork! Anyway .. 1 guitar maker here in australia said go get a body from warmoth in the states ..its cheaper and they do it all the time .. but i checked their site and they dont have an exact RG style (they have a jackson soloist shape) with an AANJ. I told the guy what i wanted and he bad mouthed ibanez all the way from their necks to their bodys .. way to go to break my spirit .. wont mention any names .. rather than just listen to what i wanted he raved on and on about i dont know as i tuned out .. others have quoted me the price of an off the shelf ibanez or jackson to completely replicate the body ready for painting .. others have been cheaper and others criticize that their work might not be good! .. I noticed woods can range from AU$88 (basswood) to AU$160 (Alder) and i thought i could give it a crack using the tutorials on this website .. it looks like a lot of work but its not rocket science and yes you can make mistakes but you dont need to be an engineer!! .. so most of the cost people quote me must be labour .. as the woods seem cheap enough.. One guitar maker said if he did it he would need the neck that i wanted (wizard neck from the base RG470) so he can get all the geometry right , angling of neck pocket etc.. now thats what scared me .. if i was to try and do it myself and got it exactly the same as the original body (but only 1 route for the pickup) .. would i get the guitar to stay in tune??? will i have constant tuning problems!! because i havent done something right or something is slightly out!!! .. do you think i will have major problems or can anyone do this with the right guidance (ie.. these tutorials) .. im happy to spend $100 on wood and practice but i dont want to waste my time and money if in the long run its gunna be a guitar that wont stay in tune because "I" built the body .. oh and any advantages or disadvantages on a 1piece blank or 2 piece blank .. which one is better?? any opinions and suggestions .. ??? i appreciate anything .. i will try and check the forum otherwise im at george_b302@hotmail.com Thanks guys and congrats on this website .. oh my god how resourceful and step by step with photos everything is!!! .. George!!!!