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Scott that will look cool.
Thanks for the description as have seen the tool on stewmac and been keen to bind a headstock or two to match bodies.
So now will have a crack.
As far as Zen raking pebbles get plenty of that from a dog that is trying to become a mid tier open cut coal miner in the backyard.
Update on Fitting Hardware to the GR-1SF ...
After a query from Adam, I did a quick check and found that the p/up cut-outs on the current model are bit misleading - when you measure the width and length of the cut-outs it'll look like they'll fit any pick-up of the same size ... but it aint necessarily so.
I'll be putting traditional Filtertron-style pickups on this baby and I found that while they should fit ... the actually don't - almost but not quite.
While the pick-ups are up to a couple of mm smaller in both directions than the cut-outs for them (so you'd think they'd fit nicely), the problem actually lies in the corners ... the corners of the pick-up covers are quite square (with a radius of around 2-3mm) but the cut-outs have a corner radius of about 6mm which end up fouling on the corner of the pick-ups. Its a pretty simple fix and quickly done - a minute of two with a small round file will knock off the bare mm or so of the cut-out that the p/ups will need to fit in.
I don't think this'd be a problem if you're using uncovered pickups as you wont have the square corners to worry about (in fact it looks as though the cut-outs were actually measured against, and cut for, an uncovered pick-up)
At least if he's digging for burying bones, think of all the great nut's you'll be able to cut from them once they've cured! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by vh2580
Nice work on the binding channel Scott!! I have contemplated binding myself a few times and am still too scared to attempt it, even with a router or dremel. With your success I'm a step closer to seriously considering it :) . Your build is looking more awesome by the post!
cheers,
Gav.
A quick question Scott, what is the difference between traditional Filtertron pickups and standard humbuckers? I've never been able to work it out. Looked at TV Jones before and they have so many mounting options it makes my head spin. Any idea? Sorry for the noob question.
cheers,
Gav.
Scott, this is coming along nicely and great work with the binding thingamajig. Do you think this tool would work well around a guitar body? I have a scratch tele body laying around that I use for experimentation purposes - it is calling out for some binding!
Even without any finishing on the body and neck, the guitar looks nice, I got the chance to play a Gr*tsch with a Bigsby trem on it last year while at uni, the uni's contemporary music department had one amongst all their other guitars, it was black with silver hardware and shaped somewhat like a Les Paul, at the time I was giving it a bit of a checkout after fixing some tuning issues due to some seized string-saddle rollers, Gr*tsch guitars have a certain tone that I'm actually starting to appreciate.
In all reality, power tools aside this method has to be the safest way to achieve your end goal. No chip outs or gouging, 99% less chance of death.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott J.
I love it actually. this is my kind of tool and it looks like you're getting really sweet results.
Very cool!
This is coming along real nice Scott. That tool is at carbatec for over $80 so you got a good deal.
I'm working on an ES-1gt and have found the same problems you have with an asymmetric headstock, bridge post holes leaning back and pickup routes not quite the right size for the tonerider pups I'm using. Some plugging and redrilling taking place to be followed by some sanding, sanding, sanding and more sanding. The zen comment makes a lot of sense. I see these slow jobs as a chance to listen to some tunes when I'm not distracted by the cricket.
Looking forward to seeing this finished for sure!
Cheers,
Dennis.
You know, Gav, that’s certainly not a “noob” question, it’s a damn good one! … Easy answer? There isn’t one!Quote:
Originally Posted by gavinturner
To be honest I don’t know the difference in specs between them but they DO produce such different tones!
I’ve invariably heard the differences described as …
FILTERTRONS
Thinner, tigher, brighter, more clarity, “jangley/twangy” more punchier bottom end … they seem to handle distortion more like a single coil … arguably the best p/up for rock rhythm guitar … think of the sounds of Brian Setzer, Malcolm Young (AC/DC), Chris Cheney (Living End), Rev Horton Heat … even Chet Atkins! :D
(PAF) HUMBUCKERS
Darker, thicker, fuzzier, “flute-y/violin-ey”, greater sustain … arguably the best p/up for rock lead guitar … think of the sounds of Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, Tony Iommi, Slash, etc. etc.
… I’m sure the above hasn’t helped much if at all … but I think they look really cool and just love the sound of ‘em … and absolutely nothing suits a Gretsch-style axe better than ‘trons!
Absolutely! (its designed for both) ... actually, it'd be a hell of a lot easier working it on a body than on a headstock ... easier, wider curves on the body than the tight little suckers of the curves on the headstock!Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewdosborne
@Gav, @Dr N, @Bargie, @Andrew, @djdubya, @Tony ...
Thanks for the kind words guys ... so far so good, I only hope she keeps shapin' up as well as she has so far.
@Gav, @Andrew ... @anyone else in the Sydney-or-surrounds area
Now that's she's done her first job and wont be needed again in the immediate future (at least not until I've completed this kit and got another one! :D) ... anyone who's wanting to do some binding and interested in trying out the "binding-channel-cutter-thingamajiggy" before they buy one is more than welcome to borrow it and give it whirl.
Well the binding phase is complete … and if I’d thought cutting the trough was a worrisome a undertaking, then I had little idea of the problems that lay ahead in the bending and gluing of the binding (but it’s only banding and then gluing the bloody stuff on, right? … if only! :D )
… as rewarding as it is to gaze on the end result, the process itself ain’t for the faint of heart!
There’s many great instructional guitar binding videos on “YouBube” (the StewMac ones especially) and without going into the trials and tribulations of my experimentations, it’s probably easier to illustrate by what I learned from my first foray into this mysterious art.
- adding a single-layer binding to a guitar is MUCH easier than a compound (i.e. multi-layer) binding
- bend/shape each layer individually before gluing them together
- Use a form/jig to bend the binding strips rather than the actual guitar – it makes it a lot easier for cutting the mitres at the corners/angles
- Heat-guns make a far quicker job of bending the binding but are also easier to get away from you (picture a molten gob of ABS plastic! :D) - the missus’ hairdryer is good alternative … and boiling works well too, just takes a bit longer
- Once the binding’s installed, forget sanding or filing to bring the height of the binding down to the face of the head (or body) – a sharp-edged cabinet scraper is by far the easiest and safest way to trim down the binding height and gives a damn nice finish (a fresh Stanley-knife blade works just as well)
Anyway, with the binding installed, trimmed and scraped down to height all that’s left now is a final sanding (primarily to finish off the timber on the face of the headstock) to bring her all up to ready-to-varnish.
Attachment 1434 Attachment 1435
nice job on the binding on the headstock Scott, looks awsome. Really gives it a classy look. Is that one of 2 pieces of binding ?
So were your tuner holes not symmetrical ? Looks like you plugged the holes
Hey Wokks,
No, that was two pieces the join is in the valley of the "vee" ... couldn't figure out how to bend the binding around a sharp corner and maintain it's sharpness"! :D (I console myself with the thought that it can't be done! :D)
... yes, I thought the "un-bound" headstock just looked a little too plain and "out of step" in contrast to the bound body ... it would've been even nicer to find a way to bind the shoulders (that I've left plain) and have them meet in nicely with the binding of the fingerboard but the way the neck-to-head profile had been shaped it didn't permit it (not without creating an obvious "step" joint between the two bindings which would've looked ugly and given it a shitty "tacked on" appearance)
Yep, the tuner holes (and the original headstock shape) were all out of square (well, all but one of the holes was out of square but I couldn't decide which one! ... ba-doom-tish! :D), so I plugged the lot of them to start with a "blank canvas"
nice one Scott. Yeah I thought you would have to use 2 pieces of binding.
Should look great once the tuner holes are drilled and it gets a coat of paint.
Is this build going to be white paint ?
Nope, the thought of a solid white had crossed my mind but I just couldn't tear myself away from the look of the orange varnish on the original Gretsch 6120's
... so I've asked Dingobass to mix me up the identical colour in Dingotone ... (Gretsch orange - I guess you could call it "Grorange" :D)
... although the last I'd heard from DB about it was after I'd been mentioning nitro finishes in another thread and he'd threatened to mix up the colour so that it faded to a nice pink! :eek:
yeah Scott I'd say DB is mixing a nice fluro pink for you after mentioning the N word !
:eek: ... Ah, you're a cruel man, Woks! :D ... now I'll be having nightmares for the rest of my life (at least until it the varnish starts to fade) expecting to end up with a "lollipop" :D
Still if worse comes to worst, I guess I could consider getting a matching Cadillac to go with it ... (Pink Cadillac, of course! :D)
haha yeah, I just know DB is serious about rehabilitating anyone who uses naughty products !
You could borrow Gavmiesters pink cadillac !
love the headstock binding Scott, great work.
I don't think I'll attempt it even though I do have both Dremel binding jigs. Just too awkward around the ends.
I am about to go off to the big shed and get some Timber mate to grain fill. After watching a Vid the other day. I might put some dark brown in it and pop the grain to see just what's there.
PK
All the blood sweat and tears were definitely worth it, binding came up a bloody treat!
@bargie, @kels ... thanks guys, yeah even though there's a couple of small flaws (so it ain't "perfect"), they're not overly noticeable ... and especially as its a first effort I'm pretty stoked with it :cool:
So, apart from just having to drill a couple of holes, the next phase is giving her some colour ... so now its just a wait for the custom-mix "Grorange-that'll-fade-to-pink-when-you're-least-expecting-it" Dingotone from DB ... :D (Geez, I really hope he wasn't serious! :eek: )
Scott, great job on the binding. It really helps define the headstock.