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It’s getting there, it’s quite chunky and baseball bat like, but it feels right for the neck if you know what I mean?
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The next step will be to put some machine head holes in it.
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I got a bit nervous that I was putting together this collection of random internet and home made parts and had no idea if it would all work out.
So after laying everything out I thought I should check my eBay trem and FrankenLab neck and see if it all lined up.
I measured and then drilled the neck mounting holes, then put it together to (pleasingly) see this:
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The Center of the nut position through the Center of the heel of the guitar runs more or less true through the Center of the trem. Winning!
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Looking pretty cool so far Frankenwashie, so is it going to be a pretty standard Strat, or is it going to be hot-rodded a bit?, that neck is looking pretty nice, is it going to be clear-coated or tru-oiled?
Not sure yet Doc, it has pretty much been a bitzer, all the parts are stuff I had lying around Bar the Trem and tuners. I’m toying with the idea of taking the kit pups from the Korean ST kit and plonking them in, then getting Andy40 to custom wind something overwound and hefty for the Korean Kit.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNomis_44
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Nice work FW. Don't forget that you're planning to play this right-handed, so fit a normal nut!
Where do you plan to fit the neck strap button?
Yeah I’ve got some Graphtec blanks, so I’ll pattern a nut off the TLA-TH one I’d already made. I was thinking I might put the strap button of one of the neck plate screws but that might get in the way. I’m loathe to put another strap button mount on the lower (now upper) horn but I might have to go that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
It's a lot further back that the normal horn, so will probably affect the balance slightly. On the neck plate is probably the best place as you can remove it and fit one on the normal horn if you sell it on as a leftie. But the neck plate is further back still, so you'd have more of a balance problem.
You could possibly rig up a combined neck plate with an extension arm that ran up to where the upper horn should be if the guitar was a rightie, and put a button on that. Will look a little odd, but it's easily replaceable without having to fill holes and touch up the paintwork.
The combined plate is probably the easiest done, I’ve access to all manner of metal working gear.
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So we are off into fretting, the headstock tuner holes are done, slight miscalculation in that the template spacing is set up for RH tuners.
Will assess but it's going to bug me so I'll likely plug and veneer then try again[emoji35]
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Could you get some of the 'flipped' tuners that are used on 3+3 headstocks - so they would mount backwards, but still turn the right direction?
I hadn't considered that Sonic, but I'll look into it. At worst they'll just look a little too far along the headstock, and to be fair they'll be on the freaking bottom anyway. I might just mock it all up and see what it looks like. if it offends me too much I'll do something about it.
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Getting there, frets in just need to dress the ends and level
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Coming along nicely. Can't see the boo boo any more.
To get a straight string pull, the tuner hole positions are pretty much pre-defined by the geometry of the headstock shape. You couldn't have spaced the tuners any differently without the strings sloping off at an angle. So don't blame yourself and don't fill and re-drill. You just need to use LH 6-in-line tuners.
That’s a good point Simon, I have a set of LH SG381 Chrome Gotohs for this with typical Fenderish buttons, it looks okay and they’ll be under the headstock while I play so I’m Not going to get too fussed now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
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Looking really neat Franken
Cheers mate, I need to tidy up a couple of fret ends and give the fretboard edge a little roll, but pretty happy with how it’s turned out. I need to figure out if the ironwood is going to be okay with lemon oil, it’s pretty dry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain
Wow those are brutally large frets!
I like big frets 😁🤪Quote:
Originally Posted by Fretworn
There's some advantages with big frets, they'll take longer to wear out, when they do wear down you still have a lot of meat left for re-crowning, they'll also help when doing string-bends, and personally I think they look cool anyway.
I’ve never known anything but jumbo frets on my electrics tbh, my semis are slightly thinner but not by much.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNomis_44
I seem to have a preference for lower frets on my guitars. I like to feel the fretboard and not have the string suspended in mid-air. Scalloped frets are certainly not for me!
I can't see why Ironwood wouldn't work with lemon oil. It's not going to harm it at all and can only benefit it.
and i cannot lieQuote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
LOLOL very good Churchie!Quote:
Originally Posted by churchie
Wow Frankie, you and Igor have been busy in my absence. Great job with the neck mate. That's as professional as they come.
Now to search for the "silent guitar".
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Very little progress, just working through the sanding, now up to 240, though the headstock shows evidence of hasty routing,
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Pretty happy with how the fretboard has come up after fretting,
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Just need to sort the nut slot and make a nut for it.
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Still looks good though mate despite the routing marks.
Factory made Vs FrankenLab made!
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I'm pretty happy with that effort and I'm calling the S.M.ST neck done bar the finish.
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I reckon the Frankenlab neck wins hands down, it's all hand-made and that gives it extra points in my book, never tried doing anything like that myself though.
Nice effort there mate gotta be happy with that.[emoji106]
Cheers Doc!Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNomis_44
Yep pretty happy Grubsta, it’s the first F style neck I’ve tried so it was all very experimental. Here’s hoping it plays well!Quote:
Originally Posted by Grubsta
Well your 1 F style neck up on me there. I hope to be able to do this myself eventually.Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
Have a bash Grubsta, if you’re scared of buggering up good wood, buy some straightish pine or similar from the Big Green shed, laminate three strips together about an inch thick and three inches wide and call it a neck blank experiment. Or do a robin and recycle some ply (though possibly not the local Vicars pulpit) as a central core and add the pine on either side.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grubsta
There’s a ton of web resource for doing it, as well as reams of plans for free online. You can get all the raw timber online via eBay and the rest can be sourced through ALS, StewMac, realparts or one of the other web stores.
I’m lucky in that I have the FrankenLab, but Robin does all his builds on the back porch with manual hand tools and methodical MacGuyvering.
You’ve all the support in the world through this forum, as in my experience everyone gets on board for these scratch projects and out of the box experimental builds and advice and good ideas and suggestions flow along with that support.
No worries thanks for the tips im keen to give it a try. I think having a play around with some cheaper timbers is good way to start. I only have a basic tool set up but im lucky enough to have my father who seems to have an endless stash of tools that i can borrow. Your right about the support i had plenty of help with my first build its nice to be a part of such a positive forum other non-guitar related forums I've been a member of in the past are nowhere near as helpful as this one.Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
Definitely inspired me to have a go at it.
We started it on the DT neck finish tonight, pics tomorrow once it’s dried a bit.
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At least this one seems to be going to plan.
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Nice neck there FW