SV-1 build

[Buchanfarmer]

Hi folks, just received my new SV-1 kit today. I guess a Christmas present to self. The cat & dog got food.
This will add to my collection of a Yamaha APX-6A acoustic/electric which I bought in Germany about 19 years ago and my Aria fender start copy crafted by Merve Cargill about 40 years ago. That has very very fast action. Many have tried it and wanted to buy it, but it's not for sale.

I learnt a lot watching Merve working on many guitars like for Ross Wilson and others.
While working in Germany, I joined a group making a small guitar. I could only do the theory as all my tools were at home. Still haven't made it yet. Yesterday I looked at the timber and said after the SV-1 then maybe just maybe.

So, the kit arrived today in good packaging. The neck was numbered the same as the body, so it is a match. Now am checking out the parts to make sure everything is there. This kit come with the pickups and switch already mounted on the scratch plate. This is not a worry as I was in electronics for over 45 years.

So maybe tomorrow I can start work to build this.

Will keep posted with pics if I can remember.

Doug.

[WeirdBits]

Welcome Doug, good luck with the build.

[Andyxlh]

Welcome Doug! I recently finished that guitar. I like it a lot. I replaced the Allen bolts that pinch the strings on the bridge, and also the locking nut as they both had soft bolts, but otherwise it all works well.
I took everything off the scratch plate and shielded it with copper tape as it wasn't there, as well as the cavity in the body of course.
If I was to do it again I'd be tempted to reprofile the neck a little to better resemble the wizard Jem neck, but I'd only be brave enough to take off a little!
I quite like the ceramic pickups, the centre one turns heads at rehearsals when suddenly a clean Fender twang comes out of the pointy beast!
The wiring is not Jem correct, it should coil tap the humbucker sin the out of phase position, but it sounds good as it is.
I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

[christodav]

Good old Merve Cargil hey? My father used to get work done by him going back to the 60's. I think James his son worked on my Fender Jaguar 20-30 years ago, as Merve was pretty much retired back then and James, (probably in his 20's) was well and truly into it. I haven't been there for that long, but I still actually can picture the pathway leading to the workshop at the back of his Seaford home. Gosh, it must have been 40 years ago when I first went there when I was about 5 years old. You have brought back fond memories of my spending time with my dear old Dad who left the earth about 8 years ago now.

Good Luck with this build and have a Merry Christmas ans a Happy New Year mate.

Chris

[Fretworn]

Welcome Doug

[Andy40]

Welcome to the forum Doug, look forward to seeing how it works out

[Buchanfarmer]

Yes please Merve was in his shed always when I come there. Sometimes I had to knock on the door and his wife said "he'll be there soon".
Yes I walked that path many times just to sit and watch and chat. His son I thought was doing acoustic guitars but I am not sure.
I bought a few guitars from Merve and he also did up a Fender bass I had which the paint was cracked on delivery. He did the warranty work on it. As you can guess, I did not know how long it would take to clean and respray etc.

I just want this one, the SV-1 build, to go well which I was asking how far do I bang in these posts.

Doug.

[Buchanfarmer]

Hi, thanks for your welcome. Please may I ask about the bridge mounts. Adam's video says hammer them level, and I guess that is the top of the screw heads to the body.
But on my guitar body, the mounts are already at the level of the routed out area and the screw heads are still about 5mm proud of the body surface.
Is this an issue?
Doug.

[Buchanfarmer]

Ok. Done with sanding sanding and more sanding. Went down to 1000. Thought it was looking good, but I rememberedsome advice from Mr. Alan Wookey, my woodwork teacher as well as Bill Bassett a fine furniture maker who used to work restoring things for Library Victoria - ok sand it and again etc until you see no scratches. Then a very very light coat of shellac. This will highlight the marks do you can sand again.
I did that and now am in process of first coatings - I love natural wood grain so it is an oil first coat. Yes then polish. Then another and polish.
Oh you just got to love polish & sanding.
Now 1000 grade again. The sheen is getting better but I can still see some scratches - these will fill with more oil and buffing I hope.

Hang in sun to cure today while I work.

[Buchanfarmer]

Thanks Scott