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Some test placing of the aluminium pickup surrounds and the steel bridge.
Attachment 26844
I could measure the angle of the strings and was pleased to find that the strings lined up with the bridge and gave an acceptable starting height. Phew doesn't cover it!
Attachment 26845
You can perhaps see that the bridge is already slightly recessed, in the end I took it down another 1.5 mm. It is now on the original surface of the guitar body.
Here there be Daemons...
It was very hard to know how thick the Spalted maple top was, so carefully recessing the controls was trial and error.
Attachment 26846
If you look carefully you can see that on two holes I went through the Spalted Maple top to the wood below, I seem to have a habit of doing that... Oh well (Hmmm Fleetwood Mac!)
Attachment 26847
The other thing worth noting is that this had by now a coat or two of guitar oil on the top, it started to really standout, so the small problem of the control recessing was now forgotten.
Finally got these in place...
Attachment 26848
Attachment 26849
Decided to work in aluminium as it is a soft easy to work metal. I am very pleased with the neck pickup surround, it looks right. The bridge pickup surround is two pieces, it should have been one. I might also replace them with steel if I get the time...
It's amazing what can be done with a file, a drill and a small hammer...
Attachment 26850
I think this was 1.5mm ali, cut out of an old computer front panel! I used the same material for the bottom half of the bridge pickup surround.
Almost complete and by now quite playable. Although I could quite happily just sit and look at the Spalted Maple top.
Attachment 26851
Note we were still waiting for some knobs!!
And finally...
Attachment 26852
Fully oiled, polished and with knobs on.
How does it play now? Hopefully much better.
Looks great.
Impressive! Great job.
Nice work Viv.
Thanks wazkelly, I have the action down where I want it, and it does play very nicely. I left it for 6 months to see if the neck would move at all. As far as I can tell it hasn't budged. I learned a lot from this kit. I am really badly bitten by the need to build another guitar, it is highly addictive!Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fretworn