abutton

Thanks Guys,

I think you're right - I wanted to try and get the black in there as well but worried its going to be a bit much.

If I keep the darker colors to the outside it might work alright

I will try a couple more trials - I will attach more pics

Thanks heaps for your advice

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Guys,

I have tried out some blending methods

Tried blending the black and ochre at the same time - which sort of worked but the black tended to dominate

I will try and sand these back to see if it lightens everything up

I laid down the colors very lightly on another template to see if I can blend them by sanding and then build up the color in layers?

And I laid down just a solid black to see how much sanding is needed to get it back to a lighter shade.

Not real happy with any of the results yet but might come good with sanding - I don't want to have to sand too much on the cap because I have already accidentally sanded it and the cap is so thin....

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated

Thanks,

Alan

I am still struggling with attaching photos

Hopefully they are attached?

Attachment 1657Attachment 1658Attachment 1659

Attachment 2020Attachment 2021Attachment 2022

Hi Guys - haven't touched base for a while - I have just been concentrating on trying to get the best result staining my guitar.

The second picture is where I am now - the outback sunset and nullabhor ochre were too yellow and red to begin with

I put eyes on it! - not sure that is accepted practice but I am a bit of an "artist" at heart and couldn't help it.

My daughter painted a series of paintings of Kurt Cobain and I took the eyes of this painting

I am up to the enhancer staining stage - just wondering if you put the different stains over the area of the color that you used.

I ended up having to blend some colors by adding different stains over the top of different colors, sanding back and at times I actually mixed the stains together so it is a bit of a mishmash of colors now.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - haven't done the back or neck yet.

Thanks,

Alan

Attachment 2178

Hi Guys just another update - all intensifying coats done and just applied the finishing coat on the cap and neck

Looking at finishing off the back and headstock this week then heading into soldering the electrics

I noticed that the neck is bent away at the top end (put a level on the frets and progressive gaps at top end

I am going to try and adjust the screw in the headstock to straighten it - hopefully that will help level it up?

Getting there one way or the other ha!

Hey Alan,
thats an original cool idea with the eyes and mouth, the cap is looking good with clear coats. Good luck with the rest of the build clearing the back and neck.
Don't touch the truss rod yet, wait till you have string tension on the neck and it may straighten up.

Let us know when you are ready to glue the neck, that is an important stage of the build !

Hey that burst ain't too shabby man for a first attempt, I'm really diggin' the added artwork too, what a great personal touch.

That's come up very nicely, good to see a burst on an SG. How did you do the eyes, are they transfers? Very effective and good original idea

Sent from my GT-I9506 using Tapatalk

Hi Guys - thanks - it isnt as good as yours Andrew or Wokkaboys but it is sort of alright.

I have learnt alot about guitars by trying to build one and watching all of the video guides which was the objective so all good.

I just painted the eyes on with the black stain but I put too much pressure when I traced thru the tracing paper and it has marked the wood but, again a good learning curve.

I want to add some sort of sparkley thing in the white dot in the left eye.

You have done a great job of your SG Andrew - sorry I should comment on your page - still not exactly confident of mixing it with you guys because everybody seems to know what they are talking about.

But I am learning so its all good

Thanks again for your kind comments guys

Hey Alan everyone learns a heap from their first build and I think your attempt is cool and original. You know your next build will be better and we all started at build one and have improved with each build. Keep at it I think this build will look great with clear coats and bling on

dont worry about mixing it with us mate, just talk you mind, be positive and join in. Most of us just talk crap anyway, haha

Ha! thanks Stan I'll definitely try

Attachment 2454

Hi Guys,

I have gone as far as I can with the staining and clear finishing.

I thought the soldering of the electrics was the next step but I watched the Guitar Build guide and they said that the neck is attached first.

Is this right and, if so, could I get a couple of hints?

I have watched the Attaching the neck guide but I watched another one and it added strings diagonally and measured the distances and the mid point etc.

The other video guide just says to locate the neck and install the 2 E strings and make sure they are parallel and aligned and to the neck and check the measurement to the twelfth thret from the nut and bridge (I think!)

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks,

Alan

hey Alan,
yes glue the neck next before the electronics. Clamp the neck and neck pickup in place and measure the distance nut to centre of 12th fret and centre of 12th fret to both E bridge saddles with the saddles wound forward. Please post these distances before you proceed to make sure you will be able to intonate the guitar ok.
Best way to glue the neck in place is install both E strings and glue the neck heel and pocket and then clamp the neck so string to edge of fingerboard distances are about the same. Wipe off any excess glue as soon as possible with a clean rag. Make sure you use titebond glue. Let the glue dry for minimum 24 hours before you put any string tension on the neck

Don't worry Alan, first builds are never the best, I learned so much from my first kit that my second kit is now my main go-to guitar! Really digging that first burst attempt and eyes!

Al - love the headstock - well worth the effort!

Thanks allot Guys,

I really appreciate your encouragement.

And thanks heaps Wokkaboy - you really work hard at helping everybody - I owe you a beer or something after all of this!

I am just not sure clamping the neck pickup will be a bit awkward (2 seperate clamps?) - I thought I would just clamp the neck in the socket where the Pick Up goes but I will give it a go and give you a yell if I cant work it out

Thanks heaps again

Alan

getting the neck right is pretty key Alan, so take your time, get it right, and ask as many questions as you need to.

looking great Alan! Hope all goes well with the neck. you can't go wrong with the bridge installed and the two e-strings running up the neck. Just make sure that the strings are touching the last fret when the bridge is at its lowest adjustment height. If they arent touching you might need to adjust the angle.

cheers,
Gav.

Looking good Alan, custom headstock and custom staining, a true "custom" guitar. I remember building my first guitar and the stress levels were through the roof. Judging by how well you've done so far I'm sure you will be fine with the neck.

Cheers
rob

Nice one Alan, this is coming along nicely. With the neck fitting measurements - check, check then check again then maybe one more time for luck! Post any questions with pictures and I'm sure we can solve!

Alan, I fit the neck pickup mainly to make sure it fits with the neck clamped in place. Imagine if you glued the neck and the neck pickup didn't fit !
Also Gav T. had a good point, check the action of the strings with the bridge wound down, the strings should touch or almost touch the 22nd fret. Do a mock test before you apply the glue.
Take your time and if you are still unsure post some photos and ask questions

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gavinturner

looking great Alan! Hope all goes well with the neck. you can't go wrong with the bridge installed and the two e-strings running up the neck. Just make sure that the strings are touching the last fret when the bridge is at its lowest adjustment height. If they arent touching you might need to adjust the angle.

cheers,
Gav.

---

+1 on that

Thanks guys,

Great advice - if I can make this thing play I will be over the moon.

I have almost resigned myself to it probably just being a nice momento on the wall - but who knows.....

I burnt the shit out of my finger and thumb when I accidentally grabbed the soldering iron when practicing on an old stereo I had

What a dill!

And stopped me from playing because the blisters were exactly where I hold the pick

And in between my soldering looked awful but that is something I can work on

Thanks again everybody

Alan

no worries Alan we are here to help. Just take your time. Be more careful with soldering irons !

Attachment 2504Attachment 2505Attachment 2506Attachment 2507Attachment 2508
Hi Guys - in a bit of trouble
Fitted the pick up but couldn't clamp it in with the neck clamped but fitted O.K.
Measurements
Top E string middle of 12 fret to front edge of nut 313mm
Bottom E string middle of 12 fret to front edge of nut 313mm
Top E string middle of 12 fret to front edge of bridge adjuster 319mm
Bottom E string middle of 12 fret to front edge of bridge adjuster 312mm
The top E string to the bridge is way too long but the bridge in on an angle - so not sure?? - can't make it any shorter??
Other problem is that the strings are about 1/8th of an inch above the 22nd fret????
The bridge is wound down as far as it can go
Also the strings are way inside the edges of the neck - doesn't look right
Not sure which way the bridge faces - tried both ways and the measurements were the same (with adjusters wound all the forward)
Not sure where to go to from here?
Any help would be appreciated
Alan

hi Alan,

The action issue I can't help you with. The neck may have required an angle adjustment at gluing time. Hopefully it is still playable.

However in terms of the scale length:

I consulted the stewmac fret position calculator and for a scale length of 626mm.
(2* distance from nut to middle of 12th fret = 2* 313 = 626mm)
it gives the following:

Tune-o-matic style bridges https://www.stewmac.com/images/1.gif 627.534mm (± 0.5mm) from nut to center of treble-side post. Mount bass-side post 1.5mm - 3mm further from the nut.

On the treble E string, the middle of the bridge post should be 627.534mm (± 0.5mm) from the nut.
I'm not sure what the width of your bridge post is, but your measurement of 313+312 = 625mm looks quite OK assuming a bridge post with radius approx 2-5mm.

On the bass E string, the middle of the bridge post should be a further 1.5mm - 3mm more than the treble side.
Your measurement of 313+319 = 632mm also looks OK.

Sounds to me like your bridge is in a position that will allow your instrument to be correctly intonated.
It is quite normal for the bridge to be slanted as it gives more compensation to the thicker strings.

Hope this helps.

cheers,
Gav.

Be more careful with a soldering iron, they are a lot hotter than you think! i use one of those cheap holders from Altronics when I'm not holding it myself, cheap but very nice to have right next to me and I wont burn anything!

Thanks Keloooe

I definitely shouldn't touch the hot end of a soldering iron - hopefully that wont happen again!

Thanks Gav

You have put a huge effort into analysing and checking my measurements - good to hear it might be 'intonatable' (not sure that is a word?)

The only options I can see with the action problem is to either grind the base of the bridge down or pack the neck and maybe add bolts to it?

I can't do much about the strings being so far inside the edge of the neck but maybe that can just be a unique feature of the guitar?

If I can get any thoughts during the week because I was hoping I could use the long weekend to connect the neck so I can get onto the electrics

Thanks,

Alan

Hi Alan, as for the bridge: you'll notice adjustment screws along one side. With the bridge on they face inwards i.e. towards the neck.
Looks great mate, you're doing a nice job

Thanks Stan,

Good to know I will have to turn it around - it makes sense - that way you can adjust the screws easier

Thanks for the encouragement it means allot coming from real guitar builders like yourself

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Guys,

Wondering if anybody has any ideas on my action problem.

The strings are about 1/8th of an inch above the 22nd fret and the bridge is wound down to its lowest setting (see post above)

Is there anything I can do with this or will it play anyway?

I am hoping to glue the neck at Easter so hoping for some hints as soon as possible

Thanks heaps,

Alan

Hi Alan,

Sorry, I thought you had glued the neck already! It sounds like you will need to shim the neck when you glue it so that the neck is angled back further. You can cut a thin sliver of wood to put in there and glue it first before moving on to the neck. Make sure you trial your shim before gluing it to make sure you get the strings just touching the 22nd fret with the bridge all the way down.

hope this helps.

cheers,
Gav.

Fantastic, thanks so much Gav.

I will give it a go

Being less skilled than I would prefer I have become a master of improvisation ha!

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Alan

fight on Alan, you are being careful and asking heaps of questions: you will come up with a great guitar

Thanks Stan,

I really appreciate your encouragement

Hopefully it will come up alright - its incredible how attached you get to it when your'e trying to work out how to complete the next step or overcome your last stuff up - ha!

Thanks again

Alan

Hi Guys another question - is there a brand name Titebond glue that Wokkaboy suggested or is it just PVA Aquadhere glue?

Or is there Titebond PVA glue?

Have cut a few slithers of wood for the neck and will be gluing the shim in tomorrow if all goes well!

Thanks again,

Alan

Don't try to use Aquadhere etc type PVA, it's just not strong enough and will eventually let go... very bad.

Titebond is what you want, it comes in several variants but Original is the one to use.
https://www.masters.com.au/media/MAS...9831248163.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WeirdBits

Don't try to use Aquadhere etc type PVA, it's just not strong enough and will eventually let go... very bad.

Titebond is what you want, it comes in several variants but Original is the one to use.
https://www.masters.com.au/media/MAS...9831248163.jpg

---

you can get Titebond from Masters

Thanks allot guys really appreciate your help again

Wish I could help you guys somehow - hopefully I can repay the favours some time

Cheers,

Alan