Build #1 ST1-M (Vorpal)

[Simdingo]

I opted for an ST1 with a maple fret-board, black hardware and a red pearloid pick-guard. I wanted something simple but useful.
I have sanded the neck to 600 glass paper and 1200 carbon paper. It feels amazing. I am planning to leave it naked, in time if it seems necessary I'll do something more to finish it.
I put silver paper on the bottom of the new red pick-guard like the factory one had. I have been advised that with three single coils in this configuration a Faraday cage would be of no effect so at the moment I won't shield the body cavity.
I plan to fit the neck and bolt it then jiggle the pick-guard and bridge, screw in the bridge and the jiggle the pick-guard for a best fit and then screw it off. Then disassemble it to paint the body.
Have I got a workable plan or should I alter it please anyone? I'm open to suggestions.

[Chuck]

Hi simdingo, that plan should work fine, although I do take a different approach with my builds. Once I'm happy the neck fits nicely, I just go for it on getting the body painted. Once it's all finished I just mount everything. I know there is a school of thought that says getting all your drilling done before painting is the go, but I just take it very carefully, generally using a nail punch to mark locations, a manual drill to do pilot holes, and then a drill press to finish them off. I just feel it gives me a bit more flexibility if I need to do any mods to the pickguard, and also in getting the bridge position spot on.

[Simdingo]

Thanks for your reply Chuck, I get what you're saying, by the way, any hints on how to get the bridge spot on?

[Chuck]

Probably the best way is to get your high and low e strings on and then you can check the alignment of the bridge - I'll use bits of tape to mark where the edges of the bridge should be. Then I get the fore/aft adjustment done by simply measuring scale length. I think there's a video in the guides section about it.

I also have another technique where I get two pieces of 20mm aluminium angle and hold those against each side of the neck, kind of like the string technique but a little easier to my mind. im not sure I'm describing either technique that we'll - hopefully one of the cleverer forumites will come and make it a bit more obvious!

[Simon Barden]

Basically what Chick said. I'd first measure the bridge and mark on it the centreline. Bolt the neck on, and run string from the two E slots down the neck to the bridge. You can fit the two E tuners on to help hold the string. The trem block on the bridge will limit the bridge placement anyway, so it can't go too much fore and aft or sideways.

Move the bridge sideways until the two strings are running nice and parallel to the edges of the neck, then mark the two sides of the bridge and the centreline lightly onto the body with a pencil. I'd then position the bridge fore and aft so the trem block is in the middle of the trem cutaway. Again mark this on the body and then measure the scale length from the fretboard side of the nut at the high E slot to the high E saddle. The official scale length is 648mm and with the high E saddle adjusted fairly well forwards (but not quite all the way, you should measure 648mm. A little bit either way is OK as you will fine tune the saddle position when you finally get to intonate the guitar. The other saddles should end up 'behind' the High E saddle as they need slightly longer string lengths to intonate properly.

If you can do this with no issues, then mark the bridge screw hole positions onto the body. If you are unsure, come back to us with some photos and your measurements.

[wokkaboy]

haha Simon has Chuck had a sex change and is now Chick ? ahhahah all good just a simple typo

[Simon Barden]

Ha! Sorry Chuck (I must have thought it was still the weekend )

[Chuck]

Ha! Sorry Chuck (I must have thought it was still the weekend )

Ha! You can do worse with typos on my name than that!!

[Simdingo]

Thanks Chuck, Chick and Simon, just what I needed. Back to the drawing board! Also with my super strength I managed , in my exuberance, to twist the head off a machine head screw. I think the wood has a bit of swirly tight grain at that point. Should I worry about it? Is there anything else I can do apart from replace the neck?

[wokkaboy]

haha Simdingo sounds like we have an imaginary forum member called Chick !

Please post a photo of the stripped screw head there are ways to remove it. Is any of the screw head or shaft exposed ?