White GR-1SF Build

ahhh Paul, the joys of non symmetrical headstocks...

You'll do it justice mate

Just hope the fine motor skills hold up. just got to loose a few micro millimeters

Hi Guys, just a quick heads up, I'm building a GR-1sf at the moment as well, and from my mock build measurements it looks like the bridge (with the saddles all the way forward) might be too far back from the neck (even allowing for compensation). I wouldn't be game to say the holes are in the wrong spot just yet, I reckon there may be a couple of other factors. 1st it looks like the holes are drilled on a slight angle so that when installed the bridge does look like it angles away from the neck. Maybe it's a visual trick sorta thing with the bridge being the only straight up and down on a curvy guitar, but to me the angle does look to be there. The second factor could be the routing on the neck heel where it joins the body. On mine it's a bit curvy, sanding it straight (though still angled for proper neck angle) might allow the neck to sit a couple mm further into the body. I know you guys are talking floating bridges, but if you're hoping for the bridge base to hide the plugged TOM holes (as I am) then if they are in the wrong spot there could be issues. This is my first set neck/TOM build (first was a TL) so maybe I'm making a rookie mistake, but if there is an issue I guess it would be best to give Adam the heads up. Cheers Guys (and sorry for the Hijack)

Thanks for that Patto, I haven't measured mine, But with mine I have a trapese tail piece and an archtop bridge

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/231360646...84.m1497.l2649

so I'll be filling the bridge post holes, as soon as I can find some hardwood dowel the right size. Failing that I have a 12mm plug cutter I can use to make some plugs with.

I am painting mine a solid white so as long as I sand it smoothe the holes shouldn't be visible.

Cheers PK

Dude, sounds awesome. Look forward to seeing it finished.

Hey guys, I'm keen to hear how this pans out. Remember, the factory made these kits at our request, so you're all in "Guinea Pig" territory I'm afraid. We are the only kit supplier in the world who offers these GR-1SF kits.

Bear in mind that, generally, they do know what they are doing, so any mock build issues need to be tempered with "it all works out in the wash".

Keep me informed. If you have any solid, constructive feedback for the factory, let me know.

Hi Guys

My bridge holes seem to be a too far back. the scale measures at 627, and this is at the front edge of the hi 'E' side post hole.
My Understanding is the centre of the post hole should be at scale + a couple of mm. But I'll defer that to the real luthiers as to how far back the centre of the post hole should be(DB, Gav, JC).
If I am right, based on the scale length my post holes are 4-5mm too far back. If I was using a posted bridge I would have to fill them and move them forward.
As I am using a archtop bridge. I'll be filling and painting. My Plan is to locate the bridge position with a little rough intonations, mark it off with low tak tape and then glue it down with some Tite-bond

With the neck alignment I haven't checked that yet. It does look pretty good to me to the naked eye

I'll snap and post some pics when my phone is charged up

This may be a few days as I am off in a couple of hours to Aireys Inlet for a few days.


Cheers PK

The build starts here.

Today I reshaped the hedstock and plugged the headstock.
I used Dowel as these holes will be filled and painted. so the sloppy fit of dowel should not be an issue

I could have bought a 10mm hole plug and made my own. I already have a 12mm plug cutter and will use that for the bridge holes.


PK

PFFFFTT

Had to plug up a fourth hole as it was 2mm out, just a bit too much for my liking.

PK

Yep, feelin' your pain, Kells ... I just went ahead plugged all 6 right from the start (basically because I couldn't have been bothered figurin' out which one of the 6 was the only one that wasn't out of position! :D)

I'm not sure whether it's an "upside" or "downside" having to plug the tuner holes, but ... from this point on, we'll never be able play our GR's "unplugged" ... (ba-doom-tish! :D ... :rolleyes: ... ok, I'll go an stand in the corner for that one! :D

worth the effort PK, no point building an axe you aren't happy with.
Looks like a good fix mate

Hi Scott n Wokka

I've drilled out 3 of the 4 holes and by the time I got to the full drill depth what was left of the plugs came straight out. only the low E hole stayed put but it was more askew than the others. So basically I've successfully made two of the holes oval shaped.
Give they are under the tuners no one will know. the last one to be drilled will be the G string turner. that a cpl of mm out. SO I might give that one more than 24 hours for the glue to set.

I've plugged the bridge post holes. I had to get 12mm dowel. I put it in the drill press and used a file to machine it down to 11.5 mm or a perfect fit.

I've started light sanding . I am about to grain fill but am in two minds of using Timber-Mate or the tined variety of grain filler from the Big 'G' shed., it's too far to go to the Blue shed. I've got a tin of grain filler but it's sort of opaque, not clear. So I am thinking it has gone off in the cpl of years since it was last opened.

Cheers PK

Building the 6 pos rotary switch. so far just the three caps, and 5 burnt fingers.

caps ar .047, .023 and .01uf. need to put two more in. .006 and .003.

PK

nice soldering PK, I have trouble with 1 cap but 5 in a small area, wow thats keen !

Yeah, gotta agree with Woks on that one ... I couldn't do it without my magnifying glass and even then it'd be pinch in such a small area!

... but great stuff Kells, keen to see what see ends up sounding like with the variety of caps ... what p/ups are you putting on her? staying standard or going something special?

Came across this "capacitor comparison" on Seymour Duncan's site some time ago when doing some research ... don't know if you've seen it but it gives a good idea of what different tones can be achieved, although of course the biggest factor is the p/ups that one runs

http://www.seymourduncan.com/tonefie...ize-your-caps/

I'm glad I'm not the one having to feed that through an F hole...... good luck!

@Scott @Wok @fretty

the trick was to put schink wrap over the leads that cross over. this is actually build 2. build 1 was like a spiders web of little wires everywhere.
The in out is a bit sneaky as I am using a length of shielded push back, covered in shrink wrap. the caps will out to earth, while the input comes from the Vol pot via the cotton covered inner.

Putting it in will be easy as long as I do it before I glue the neck on. but pretty sure it will fit through the pup holes as these builds are true hollow body, unlike the 175 and 335 type kits.

Cheers PK

good to see some progress PK

Grain filling completed.

I used a mix of watered down timber mate with some water based Black and Jarah colouring. it brought the mix down to a lovely chocolate brown colour. I applied this with a paint brush applying up and down and across the grain.

This kit has a quite nice grain patern, but has such a large amount of glue overrun that it would be near impossible to clean it out.
So it will get sprayed white.

Cheers PK

U used some Timbermate mixed with water and colour and applied this all over.
Several hours of sanding and there is a grain pattern where before there was nothing to see.

I've done a 1500 sand and applied a layer of tung oil to seal the grain ever further.

The pattern does look nice enough to save but would need to be done witha tobacco burst or similar to hide the glue over run from the binding.

easy way is to go ahead with solid white.

PK

Nice grain PK! Almost a shame to spray white over the top, but there's nothing nicer than a spanking white GR hollowbody! :)

cheers,
Gav.

you could do natural back and sides with a white top...

Nope she's still not white. put in a lot of hours bringing up a suble burst on the tail edge to hide the glue overrun, and even if I have to say so myself I think it's coming along real fine.

Now the reson for doing this is two part. No one else has seen this yet but the neck has a nice subtle burl in the maple. and It would be a shame to hide that too.



Cheers PK

Sometimes in life when you plan something, it may not come out as you thought. Always look at what you have and think of what you can do with it before you make a choice that cannot be reversed.

Not sure if it came out as well as it does to the naked eye.

nice one PK, what is the stain colour you used ? Some nice grain indeed. Might as well not hide the grain

The First colour is in the filler Stain, U-Beaut colour. mixed with timbermate. 1 part Black to 4 parts cedar. applied all over including the neck. then rubbed back.
Then it has been Tung oiled(oops NR). the burst area has been rubbed back as far as possible as it has a glue filled grain. I've applied several layers of filler. after that the area is rubbed back a bit and U-Beaut colour Cedar applied Neat to the area then wiped back with a wet rag, as the U-Beaut Colour is water based. I did this a few times to build up a tapered burst aver the area.

I know I am mixing water and oil based colours here but need to get the penetration into the grain first.
Cheers PK

sounds good PK, all the preparation will pay off

the thread has moved as I can't rename it. It is now at http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=3507

nice change of direction PK