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Scott J.
02-08-2013, 12:23 PM
The First Build!

Yeee Haaa!!! ... the big day's finally come and the postie had a box with a big PitBull Guitar label on it (lucky for him it wasn't for anyone else!).

Within about 30 seconds there was a blizzard of packing paper all over the place and amid a growing "pool of drool" I was assembling all the constituent parts for a stock-take ... ah it was all there! (who says I've ever grown up? ... or plan to! :D )

Time for some serious scrutiny and the long awaited dry-build ... nah, to hell with it! fun before business - the dry build then the scrutineering.

Ah 'twas lovely seeing it all come together, a thing of beauty 8-) .. and then realising it would many,many hours of work over the next several weeks 8O before I saw it in the same shape again :(

Went together a treat - a superbly tight fit on the neck and nearly all the bits fit just as one would expect them to (I'll get to the minor offenders later) ... it was just shame to have to take it apart (but then I'm sure we've all had the same experience on our first build! :D )

http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ax8l0-Its-Here.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/8r358-Before-the-mess.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/xy530-Dry-Build.jpg

Brendan
02-08-2013, 12:45 PM
Scott - great to see - know that feeling when you get home and there's a brown cardboard box waiting for you... hope for many fun hours and that you've got a fault free guitar. Looks like it all goes together nicely.

Rock on!

Scott J.
02-08-2013, 12:58 PM
The Plan:

This will be an almost completely stock build to begin with ... the only immediate change will be the nut (it'll be swapped-out for bone).

Initially it was to be in Carmine Gypsy but after conversations with the Guru (DB) I decided on as rich a Flamenco Cherry as I can get it for both body and neck ... and hopefully a nice ebony cap for the face of the headstock

... other than that it'll be "as it came" (with a p/up upgrade sometime in the future if I think it needs it)

But now its here and in my grubby little hands, we're rolling ... on with the scrutiny.

The Scrutiny:

Very surprised at the condition of the body especially after reading some of the stories of "worm holes" and great gobs of filler! Needless to say I was more than happy that this one had no holes and no filler. The grain was fairly well regimented and defect free - "straight and clean" as they say. The only imperfections were two pin-head sized dings on the lower edge of the body no more than 0.25mm deep (which'll disappear with the second wipe of the sandpaper!)

The neck was little less perfect unfortunately but certainly nothing too much to worry about - maybe just some brain-time to figure out how to work it.

As the pictures show, there's ...
- a small amount of filler in the lower edge of the fret-board (easily dealt with)
- a bit of messy gluing around the nut and 9th fret (from the MoP dot inlay I guess)
- and (of most concern)is some quite noticeable scratching (with the grain) around 8th & 9th fret and a little across the grain on the 1st and 9th frets ... and some less concerning machining marks running almost the length of fret board

... however the rest of the neck and head was as clean and straight as the body.

I'll just need to figure out "how to/if I can" deal with the fret-board scratching without having to remove the frets ... anyone got suggestions!

Other than that there was only a slightly too-tight fit on the neck p/up cavity (1-2mm from the tail end of the cavity needs removing - no biggy!).

All-in-all a VERY happy camper who's already lodging an application with the "Committee of Ways & Means" (the missus) for the next kit (an EX-1 ... unless Adam brings in a "Ricky 4" - "who said Rickenbacker!! :D )

More pics and descriptions to come over the next few weeks.


http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1o04s-Filled-Fretboard-Edge.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/5gop2-Messy-Nut.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pe1yz-Fretboard-Scratches.jpg

Tim
02-08-2013, 12:59 PM
Nice one Scott, The cherry flamenco is a great colour ,I used the cherry on my SG twin neck looks sweet, enjoy the build..

Tim

Scott J.
02-08-2013, 01:06 PM
last scrutineering pic ... bit of a messy 1st fret
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/u45uh-Glued-and-scratched-1st-fret.jpg

Brendan
02-08-2013, 01:09 PM
From memory, DB posted some tips on sanding fretboards recently... Guess if you go up the grits you should be relatively fine - risk would be how thick the inlay dots are, though Tim has recently replaced his when he defretted the neck (check his recent posts)! Sure Gav and DB will be around soon to give the full blow by blow though so it'd be worth waiting. Make a start on the body!

Good luck...

Scott J.
02-08-2013, 01:13 PM
Yep, just couldn't help myself ... have already started sanding ... to the tune of the "Volga Boatmen" :D (if any recall that old working tune!)

keloooe
02-08-2013, 08:59 PM
Hey Scott, I remember when my LP-1 arrived here in the Pest Cave, I was at school when my mum said it was here so I was thinking about it for the next 90 minutes..... Got home, grabbed a knife, sliced the tape, then there was a mess on my bed, a big one....

Gavin1393
02-08-2013, 10:11 PM
This was discussed in a thread just two days ago by DB and myself. Here is a synopsis of that discussion. :)

Give the "scratched" section a gentle rub with '0000' steel wool. If it doesn't solve the scratches issue, then proceed as DB suggests below:

You can get rid of those scratches by wrapping some sand paper around a six inch steel rule and carefully sand, following the radius.
Work your way up from 240 to 800grit then polish with fine steel wool.
You will end up with a super smooth fingerboard.

My suggestion for the smaller frets is to attach or wrap sandpaper around a Popsicle stick as opposed to the steel rule.
This should sort it out for you.

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 02:35 AM
Well, after stealing away any spare hours from my studying to work on the SG, I thought it was about time to give an update ... and its coming along REALLY nicely! :D

After a total of 10-12 hours of sanding ... the body work was done ...
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/h7cq5-Bodywork.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 02:39 AM
( :o ... as if! ... :D )

As I was saying, with the body work done ... and a few mods performed (like removing the plastic nut) ...
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/503dk-Ready-to-Start-Colour-1.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 02:55 AM
... it was time start on the Wudtone ... with applicator in trembling hand I got the first deep colour coat down (and I hadn't been so nervous in a LONG time as I was putting down the first colour!)

... then I noticed that the timber didn't seem to be "sucking it up like sponge" like it was suggested it should - so I went back to re-read the instruction and re-watch the videos and realised what I'd done ... for some reason (and don't ask me why I ended up thinking what I did) I sanded it too smooth! ... down to 400-grit 8O rather than the recommended 230-grit

(DB - there is such a thing as too much sanding! :D )

Not wanting to take the risk of it coming out blotchy by not completely sanding out all of the colour I'd applied in the first coat ... and certainly not wanting to even contemplate doing that ...

... as was once said, "damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead", so I just kept at it with fingers-crossed. In the end it seemed to be slowly building up colour as I went along so I kept on and after three coats of Deep Colour it started looking ok (although forever after I guess I'll be wondering how dark it would have turned out if I hadn't sanded it down to 400-grit in the first place!)

After 3 coats of Deep Colour ...
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/h35cd-After-3-coats-of-Deep-Colour-Coat-2.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 02:57 AM
But then with the start of the First Base coat things started coming around more noticeably.

After 3 coats of First Base Coat ...


http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/92s1r-After-3-coats-of-First-Base-Coat-1.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 02:59 AM
... and after 3 coats of Second Base coat ...

http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/57f23-After-3-coats-of-Second-Base-Coat-2.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 03:08 AM
... and after 5 coats of Second Base coat it was looking as rich and lustrous as I could hope.


http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/4ar7a-After-5-coats-of-Second-Base-Coat.jpg

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 03:22 AM
Actually the photo's really don't do the colour and luster any justice at all - the colour distortion between reality and phone-camera and web-site is quite huge! :(

... so I'll be photographing the finished piece with a proper camera but until then updates will still be taken with my Box Brownie!

In the meantime, taking a leaf out of another PBG builder's book, here's a snap of my custom drying rack and hanging closet (while the SG is under construction all my clothes are neatly hanging on the floor! :D ) ... although I didn't use Bic's, I personally prefer the hard plastic chopsticks - damn strong enough and perfect fir the potentiometer holes

To all those with a permanent man-cave - Oh, how I envy you! In a 2-bedroom unit (with no garage) my man-cave's more of a "temporary overhang" 8O ... when the missus is out I get to commandeer the dining table (altho any sanding is done on the balcony) :D

Necessity is always the mother if invention!
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/cf7pm-Custom-Drying-Closet-2.jpg

WeirdBits
23-08-2013, 04:56 AM
The colour has come up nicely, even if it is some distortion of reality it's still looking great. Just be careful with traces of Wudtone on the neck heel's contact patch, as it looks like some have progressively appeared with the coats, as the glue won't take to it.

Tim
23-08-2013, 05:57 AM
Looking good Scott and as weridbits said just check your neck heel as the glub wont adhere to wudtone. But looking great , look forward to the final product

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 06:23 AM
Yep, quite happy with the way the colour's come up after all (despite initially "burnishing" the wood with 400-grit!)

After a total of 11 coats of Wudtone I did "cross the line" a little bit (literally), didn't I :-D ... but just a smidgen, tho' I'll certainly be sure to get it sanded back for gluing purposes.

Scott J.
23-08-2013, 06:49 AM
Now working on a couple of the finer details before primary assembly and while it's still to be top-coated ...

Here's the "capped" headstock (unvarnished as yet) - just couldn't build my first SG without going the whole "black head" route - the "cap" is 0.5mm Teak veneer that I "ebonised" ... the couple of mock-ups I did before this one came up lovely in the Wudtone clear.

... and new nut blank all ready for shaping to size - this is a Graphtec TUSQ nut (very good stuff - great tone and nice to work with)

Now all I need is to get a white decal for the (soon to be infamous) name ... working on this at present (see my recent post under Headstock Decals forum)

Oh the name? ... well, the name's been inspired by two primary factors ...
- the "gear heads" that I've come across who seem to think that you've only got credibility if your playing something like an original '56 Gold Top or '62 strat through a Marshall stack ... we've all met them (i.e. wankers)
- and the most common phrase heard when building anything (like a guitar) and something goes wrong

... the name? ... Pharquew 8O , ... of course :D
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/6b90q-Capped-Headstock-New-Nut.jpg

DanMade
23-08-2013, 08:11 AM
That ebonised headstock looks great. I like the cheeky name. F.R.Q

stan
23-08-2013, 09:03 AM
the colours look really nice, it will be great to see the finished product

gavinturner
24-08-2013, 08:48 AM
Scott, the colour is really awesome.
Very interested to see what the cherry ends up looking like with the finishing coats on.
Great work with the headstock veneer as well! This SG is gong to be superb!

Cheers,
Gavin.

goatis 1
02-09-2013, 01:54 PM
nice stuff , thinking about an SG kit myself down the track , but please if you ever make a kit and do a "relic" job on it , please call it Fubar to match FRQ :D

Scott J.
03-09-2013, 09:38 AM
Ah, of course! ... FUBAR! ... I love it! :D ... it just can't not be done!

Forget the "Custom Shop", it'll be the Pharquew FUBAR shop - (Finishes Undone Beyond Any Restoration)

"Where you pay extra for only the finest of screw-ups"

:D

Scott J.
03-09-2013, 10:03 AM
Anyway ... status update ...

Well the Wudtone-ing is all but finshed (I'm REALLY loving the way the timber comes up under it especially considering it just basswood) ... and the new Tusq nut is shaped (but not yet slotted), so we're currently onto some of the more important "mechanics" ...

The neck's currently having a fret-job done on it - doing this before setting it into the body as it makes it heaps easier to work on (despite my impatience to see the axe in one piece I've become a master of restraint in my old age!) and of course getting the electronics wired up.

Once the neck's finished and set (with its "name" and top sealer) and the last of the hardware is attached, we'll get the new nut fixed in position and then its onto the home straight of set-up (intonation, etc.).

Hopefully another fortnight will see it done and dusted and "p*ssing off" the neighbours! (not that they aren't already! 8O )

With a bit of luck it might even get in for Guitar Of The Month in October? ... but stay tuned, pics to follow soon.

Scott J.
13-09-2013, 07:41 AM
Well, the SG's finally taking shape in a major way ... with the neck finally glued in place and the majority of the wiring done it must be only a "hop, skip and jump" to it playing it's first power chord!

It took almost a week of dry-setting the neck, measuring, re-setting, re-measuring etc, etc. ... and with some sagely guidance from Sensei DingoBass I finally got it set ... after many tense moments of "is it square?", "is it level?", "is it flat?" 8O ... I know we've all been there (or about to go there again for either the first of umpteenth time!) so I know you all know what I mean! A good carpenter knows the "measure twice, cut once" rule and I guess I just experienced the luthier's rule of "set and check multiple times and glue once" :D

The one minor problem that sprung up was with the neck and the angle it was sitting in relation to the body (fore-and-aft) ... even with the bridge bottoming out as far as it would go I still had about 6mm action height at 12th fret! 8O ... confirmed after the 10th reset and re-measure!!!

Some testing confirmed that the body-end of the heel need to come up by about 1.5mm to make the action just right and with some ability to adjust either way, so under guidance from Sensei (DB) we got it wedged to the perfect height and successfully glued in position (THANKS HEAPS, DB!!! ... you deserve more money! :D )

To take away from the stress of worrying about the gluing - which has to be the most worrisome part of the whole build ... I decided on some electro-therapy - wiring up all the components (maybe shock-therapy might even been less intimidating! :D ) ... Surprisingly all the soldering came up preyty neat (especially for a non-electrician!) ... but the proof will be once its installed and I can see if it all works or not, but confidence levels are high!

(I thoroughly recommend utilising a "Third Hand Tool with Magnifying glass" - a a little metal base and stand with adjustable alligator clips and magnifier - great for those of with "older eyes"! ... makes holding and seeing everything that much easier when soldering - available from Jaycar for about $15 and quite good quality ... worth its weight!)

Anyway the couple of pics show it the neck and body glued and the main control components all wired ... now its just a matter of installation and the pick-ups ...
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/5bb3h-Glued-wiring-front-flash.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/468k8-Glued-wiring-back-flash.jpg

Tim
13-09-2013, 07:48 AM
Looking good Scott

wokkaboy
13-09-2013, 07:55 AM
wow Scott that looks fantastic, can't wait to see the finished product. Yes glueing a neck is probably the most nervous part of a set neck kit ! Good luck with the last part of the build. Love the colour !

stan
13-09-2013, 08:43 AM
The cherry flamenco looks great - just how dark can it get? I want a really deep red for my LP kit

Scott J.
13-09-2013, 09:14 AM
I think it'd be a push to get it much darker (alright, I sanded it a bit too fine before the deep base coat which means it didn't take quite as much colour as it would if I'd stopped at 240-grade ... but I don't think there'd be much difference in it).

I think if you wanted a REALLY dark red you might have to mix it with a walnut-brown or something similar ... DB would be the one provide guidance on that ... I was after initially after a really dark red myself but after seeing the almost "antique violin" finish that I've ended up with I'm really quite happy with it

stan
13-09-2013, 11:07 AM
I think you are right Scott, it would be a mix that gets it really deep.
Yours looks pretty good though

gavinturner
13-09-2013, 11:29 AM
Looks freakin awesome Scott. Can't wait to see it fully assembled. Great job!

Cheers,
Gavin.

Scott J.
22-10-2013, 01:15 AM
Well, it finally time to unveil the finished product of my first PitBull build ... and must say that I'm pretty happy with it! :)

As one of the most under-acknowledged guitars in Rock 'n' Roll I felt it warranted a salute even if only by me ... after all its the "Tele's", "Strat's" and Les Paul's that get all the exposure. Even though icons such as Hendrix, Clapton, Harrison, Townshend has played an SG at some stage and some greats such as Zappa, Iommi and our own Angus Young have adopted it as there primary axe, it still seems to always be considered the "poor cousin". Such was my reasoning for doing the SG build first - and I'm really glad I did.

SG - "Solid Guitar", "Seriously Great", "Scott's Guitar" (or even my initials - Scott Gould! :D ) it is all those things and, as it turned out when I'd finally completed this "little lady" with the very "antique violin" look to the colour and finish that she ended up with, the SG could even stanad for "Stradivarius Guitar" (referring the colour and finish, not necessarily the quality of craftsmanship! :D ).

So she's now rockin' the neighbourhood and although the quality of my playing may leave something to be desired, the level of enjoyment and satisfaction she has brought, and continues to bring, leaves nothing wanting! ... my sincere thanks to Adam, Pitbull, DingoBass and every one of the PBG clan members - you've all helped and made this, the first of many, not only possible but a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Her sound? ... well, even though its only going through my little Roland Cube, I'd like to think that even Angus himself would enjoy some of the grunty, gnarly tones she's capable of putting out ... and she really is a joy to play with a lovely smooth and low action, she just flows under the fingers like silk.

Anyway the details are:
PitBull Model: SG-1
Branded: Pharquew SG's-1
Colour/Finish:
- Wudtone Flamenco Cherry (body & neck)
- Wudtone Antique-aged Gloss top coat (body and neck)
- Wudtone Neck Finish (neck)
Headstock: capped with teak veneer (0.5mm), "ebonised" - means I stained in black! :D
Hardware: all standard PitBull hardware and fittings supplied with kit, except;
- Custom truss rod cover
- Pot indicator rings
- Graphtech Tusq nut
- Pickup selector "Rhythm/Treble" ring
- CTS pots (only because I screwed up the soldering on the original ones that badly!)
- Vintage cloth-covered wiring
- Strap-lock system pins
- Elixir-brand strings
- Custom "brand" water-slide decal
Modifications:
- removed chrome pick-up covers

... and here's some pics of the finished miss!
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/j022f-SGsSG-Finished-Front-angled.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ip4f8-SGsSG-Finished-Back-angled.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/x10fu-SGsSG-Finished-Front.jpg

Scott J.
22-10-2013, 01:18 AM
and a couple of close-up's of the headstock and finishing
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/60p6c-SGsSG-Finished-Headstock.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/k559m-SGsSG-Finished-Headstock-finish.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/p0o7v-SGsSG-Finished-Back-finsih.jpg

Scott J.
22-10-2013, 01:25 AM
P.S. After seeing Andy's absolutely superb Cherry ES-1 already entered in this months GOTM, I was going to hold off when the competition might not have been as stiff :D ... but what the hell, even being in the running against such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship as his ES-1 is an honour!

wokkaboy
22-10-2013, 01:55 AM
well done Scott, the finish and upgrades on your 1st build look excellent, an axe to be proud of. If the axe plays as well as it looks you must be happy.
Yes the standard of the GOTM blows me away, no point holding your entry back a month because the builds for December GOTM won't be any worse !

WeirdBits
22-10-2013, 03:53 AM
Classic, and a worthy entry for any GOTM.

gavinturner
22-10-2013, 10:07 AM
Great result Scott - looks a million dollars. You forgot Blackie from the Hard-Ons in your SG users list ;). Rock on.

Cheers,
Gavin.

Tim
22-10-2013, 11:29 AM
sweet axe Scott really nice build..

adam
22-10-2013, 11:35 AM
You're right Scott, it's going to be very tight judging next month's Guitar of the Month. This one is a beauty. You could almost hang this as a work of art. It's going straight to the pool room...

Andyport
22-10-2013, 11:51 AM
She looks superb Scott...beautiful overall look.
We all know how proud you must be feeling right now.
Finishing that first build is a special moment.
Really well done.

Fretworn
23-10-2013, 12:48 AM
Nice job.