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I have often pondered how a stock PBG kit would sound....and I have often thought that a Bass kit would be the one to try it with.
This one that has appeared on the list interests me.
https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...itar-kit-copy/
I am thinking maybe a golden teak centre stain and jarrah around the edges.
Maybe a natural finish to the neck with a Tru Oil finish on the face of the headstock.
Hmmmm....budget checking.
Ya gotta love how you (we) finish a build... and immediately begin contemplating the next one!!!!
It's a sickness... and worse than your average garden variety G.A.S.!
Am quite impressed with the tone of my PBA-4 build. Used the kit pickups, and got the bone nut supplied with the kit, so the only real upgrade was a set of Wilkinson tuners that I already had on hand. In some ways replacing the pick guard was almost a downgrade.
The pickups in that kit are same ones in EX-5 where specs look good but I found they sounded a bit dull and low on output. They need to be raised up close to strings to get any decent sound out of them but way cheaper than buying EMG, SD, Bartolini, etc to fit the rather large cavities. Worth having a go to see what you think before spending money on upgrade PUP's. My Custom Bensons cost about AUD$240 a few years back and compared to USD exchange rate now they would be nearer to AUD$300 for the pair.
Or better. 😎Quote:
Originally Posted by McCreed
Honestly building has given me a new calmness in my life. I had a number of rather violence and high stress related jobs early in life and as I got older the mental issues from those choices came home to roost.
In 7 years I have gone from no musical instruments....to building over 50 and having 32 in my presence. One ukulele and one acoustic and one keyboard.
The support I get and feel here...even just from reading other threads and posts...without having to feel to comment most of the time is amazing.
I play bass a lot....like nearly every day...and I intend to now drop my fat short fingers onto my recently completed Stratocaster.
But, the building is my saving grace. I enjoy the process of sanding...filling...staining....and I love the electronics wiring options that guys here (like weirdly...thank you) suggest and I make. I enjoy the solution finding to setup the guitars and basses to meet good playing standards.
I don’t sell them...have made a number as gifts...and have made a couple FOR people who paid for the parts...and not my time.
To me...this is PTSD therapy done the right way.
Thank you all. 😎🎸🎵🎶🎼
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozzbike
An almost similar story for me, building guitars has literally been a life saver.
Late in 2016 I collapsed and went into hospital. They diagnosed that I had a PE (a Pulmonary Embolism) between my heart and my lungs, and they gave me drugs to get rid of it which I now have to take for the rest of my life, and the caveat that I should do some mild form of activity such as play an instrument while the PE clears.
As a guitar player since the age of 14 and still having those old Axes I dug out the old Ason Strat copy and two acoustics from the dusty wardrobe in the back room knowing instantly that after near 40 years of being idle they needed a lot of work. The journey of finding parts for them took me past this site and a few other kit guitar sites. A few repairs and 15 odd kits later and here we are, I'm still alive, the PE is gone and I have found a new love to pass my free time....
I'm not a good guitar player, nor a good finisher by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know gear and how to do a decent setup and how to get good tone.... and for me that is enough.
Great stories.
I can attest to the sanity preserving benefits of becoming fully engrossed in kit building. It helps to evaporate many day to day mundane or stressful things that we all encounter.
Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
Home now....decided to choose the Black Hardware option....added $19.00 at checkout.
Order 37648 is in.
Insert Big Smile for number 33. :)
That's almost a record.
cheers, Mark.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by king casey
Wait 'till he's done 45. He'll certainly be a single man by then.
Oh you guys have little faith......I am already single.....ha ha. The significant other lives in her own place.
Just got a PBG email....order complete.....tracking number for delivery supplied. On its way....yes yes yes.
I am expecting the kit to arrive Mon or Tue next week.
I actually enjoy the sanding and staining etc. But this time I am tempted to either do a Jarrah and Golden Teak burst after pore filling with Timbermate.
Or...
Timbermate and then no stain and just do many coats of the Feast Watson Fine Buffing oil and then cabintetmakers wax and carnauba polish.
My question is:-
I normally sand the Timbermate off with 240 grit and then do 2 to 4 coats of Fine Buffing Oil applied with 0000 steel wool.
Could I start the Fine Buffing Oil after the 240 grit....and do a couple of coats and then a light sand at 320....then 400...then 600...then 800...to 1200 1500 2000. Coats in between...I normally change from fine buffing oil applied with steel wool to cloth at third coat.
Or I am better sanding through to 2000 and then just using a cloth to wipe the buffing oil on. The oil does not build like paint, poly, or tru oil...it initially soaks in and then the waxes in it just cover the surface to a low gloss.
I suppose I could just try.
I am just wondering if really fine sanding will close the wood off and no oil or wax will penetrate.
You have to love the efforts of some Aussie Post parcel people. My bloke delivered my IB-4 kit at 6.25 p.m. tonight. So very nice.
I had to look closely, return and revisit the advertisement, compare to older Basses and guitars I have....but this kit has an actual Rosewood fretboard not a newer Blackwood or Blackwood II fretboard.
The body is four piece nicely figured Ash. There is one mark on the headstock and one mark on the back of the body.
I asked for the Black Hardware pack and it appears to all be there. Not going to count screws, but the big things are there.
The pots are tiny....wow. The pickups in this kit are heavy and huge and have chunks of wax hanging out of them...which is a nice touch.....and hopefully means they are potted and less micro-phonic.
Tomorrow is out with the sandpaper time.....still have no decided what to do with finish and how to do it.....sand really smooth and then oil or normally to 240 and then sand fine with an oil and wax finish.
The fretboard looks remarkably level and the frets are a medium jumbo size. The nut is black plastic but sits flush and level.
This is really nice kit out of the box.
Well this is it. No extras on this one. I want to see how it goes together with stock fittings, and how it sounds with no upgrades.
Just another five shots of her in the rawwwwww.
From reading some IB-5 build threads.....particularly yours Frankenwashie...I have also found that the end of the neck does not really line up well enough with the neck pocket. I have looked around the net and Ibanez is not much better themselves.
I do like the rasping and filing Frankie did....may have to seriously consider that.
Here is his neck job...
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...?t=9735&page=4
The control cavity cover is not recessed into the body. In fact it just seems that it will be perched over the top of the wood with no screw holes having been bored to aid in alignment.
I like the work you did on yours Frankie....but I have seen some other options on the net and may have to find a middle ground. I am thinking about cutting down to a ledge to allow the cover to sit down into the body. I am thinking about using some heat to bend the cover and thus have it follow the body curve. I don't know if a router is really needed for this....but I have one...I think I also will follow Frankie with the use of some chisels around a knife marked outline.
Here is Frankies post on the control cover....
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...?t=9735&page=3
Sanding day tomorrow.....maybe have to consider the neck and the control cavity as well....hmmmm.
Gotta say I love a new build. :)
That looks like it should come up really nice with one of your natural finishes.
I have been thinking that myself Waz. 😎Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
The stock pups are 4 wire, yes? In keeping with your ‘no upgrades’ policy you could try a spin-a-split layout on the stock tone pots. Tone at 10 splits the pup, ~8 gives full humbucker, and then conventional tone down to 0.
Just to satisfy that upgrading itch...
Yeah, a wiring change isn't a hardware upgrade.... I'd 2nd Weirdy's suggestion.
I have already posted how to do split coils with push pulls on these PUP's and very simple to do.
Factory did a great job on that body, it seems like it is only a 2 piece, the grain structure really matches up well.
I look forward to seeing where yours ends up! I'm still trying to manufacture a wider than normal radius block for the fretboard!
Nice idea....how do I do that?Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
I soldered up the pots and capacitors yesterday....using the included wire and solder...but can do it again.
Actually they are five wire pickups....black...green and bare together...red and white together. So a total of five wires as two pairs and a single.
It is actually four piece...but really well done.Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
I have filed out the jack socket so the barrel actually fits....but mine is not long enough to really put the nut on...may have to do something else.
My effort at the control cavity cover recess is not as smooth as yours....but it does the job.
I made my neck joint a lot more gradual and tapered than the sudden change at the neck joint.
Bit embarrassed at my finish at the moment....hmmmm....letting it hang whilst I go back to work.
Will see what I have when get back home.
Golden teak inner...jarrah around the edge and mahogany stain inside the jarrah between that and the golden teak.
Due to the heat here today...the body has had four coats of Fine Buffing Oil and is bone dry....wow.
I have done one coat of Tru Oil on the neck....will put the decals on after working week is done. Then decide if I continue with Tru Oil or do the neck with Buffing Oil and wax.
Trying to only use kit items on this build...no upgrades.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Read your thread....nicely done.
I think I shall. I have asked for weirdies guidance. Nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcel
Short on time, so I hope a quick sketch will do...
Attachment 33835
Dotted line is the ground link between the pots, if you’re not connecting them via shielding. And, of course, you will still need a ground wire to your bridge (make certain the black bridge coating is conductive).
Let me know if anything is unclear.
The way it works is when the tone is on 10 it shorts the red/white series link to ground, giving you a single coil. As you turn it down to ~8 it increases the resistance between the series link and ground and gives you full humbucker (both coils). Then as you turn it down further it’s giving you a conventional tone control. Essentially, single coil should give you the ‘brightest’ most treble sound, then humbucker, then the normal tone taking out the treble down to zero..
They are still referred to as 4-wire pickups. The braided screen isn't carrying a signal, whilst the other 4 wires are.Quote:
Originally Posted by ozzbike
Which doesn't really tie-in with the humbucker single conductor/single wire + screen pickup connection, as the screen is then carrying a signal.
But that's the way the conventions go.
Black = Hot
Green & Bare = Earth
Red & White paired but can be separated to do coil splits or other funky things
Once again...thank you. Nice idea....I think I will give it a try.Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
I have never thought about checking the conductivity of the bridge.
If I just gave it a smack with some sandpaper in the area it will contact the wire I would hope I would be good to go.
Back home tomorrow night.
I did not like the colours....going to sand back and just try Jarrah all over....may sneak some Mahogany highlights along the bevel and edge angle changes.
I have already made the wiring harness...and did chop the leads off the capacitors...may have to dig in the box of unused ones.
Cool project, waiting to see the results
I came home after work days.....nope the stain burst sucked...back with the 80 girt.
Sanded through the grades again and Timbermate has been on and dried.
Right now it is sanded to 240 grit...one coat of Jarrah Stain and left to dry yesterday.
Right now has had two coats with steel wool of the Fine Buffing Oil. I think that is enough of the steel wool as it has dragged enough of the colour out of the finish.
I will do two with a cloth wiping the oil on. Then let it hang whilst I am back at work again.
The ash body is so light....really amazing.
I have done the body with sanding, filling, stain, and Fine Buffing Oil. I think six coats of FBO...first two with steel wool, and the rest wiped on with a cloth.
The logos on the headstock and it has a couple of Tru Oil coats over the decals. When I get back...the neck with get the FBO treatment.
Then it will be time to redo the wiring harness.
The body has had many fine buffing oil coats....four wax coats...and two carnauba polish coats...all applied by hand and buffed off by hand.
The headstock has had four coats of Tru Oil, including the last one as a tru oil wet sand at 600 grit. Logos on this morning, they appear to have something to grip on to now.
The body will get the control cavity taped with copper. Then it shall wait until the neck and the modified wiring is done.
Headstock will get at least another six coats of Tru Oil to try and cover the decals and produce at least a semi gloss.
Then the neck will get a number of steel wool Fine Buffing Oil coats, then wax and then polish.....hmmm polish.
Back at work again. Just before I left I put the updated wiring harness....thanks weirdy for the drawing...into the body.
I plugged it in and man the noise out of it was amazing.
I am not certain whether it is the barrel shapped jack socket.....or that the pots are really tiny and they may be bottoming out onto my carefully applied copper tape.
I had put one nylon washer on each pot...and the thread made it through the guitar top and the nut and washer locked the pots in place.
Maybe I will pull the wiring out and try it on the bench and see if it is much quieter.
I also noted that the pickups really don't go down that far into the pickup routing holes. Maybe I will have to get the green shed version of the a dremel out and ream out a track down the side of both pickup routing holes and see if I can encourage the wiring to stay in there.
I did try to fit the supplied capacitors into the new wiring diagram but I had trimmed them to suit the basic wiring diagram and the leads were too small. So I have broken the mould.....I have used two orange drop caps across the volume to tone pots.
Maybe I may have to grind out the control cavity to ensure that none of the connection lugs on the pots are anywhere near the copper tape......really just the two sections between each volume and tone pot recess.
I always add some insulating tape on top of the copper where the pots lugs will sit, just in case.
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...2&d=1488123519
That way if it stops working when you install it you know it can’t be a lug shorting.
Also, if it is the stock barrel socket they can be a little tricky, the lugs don’t typically connect the expected way. There are a couple of threads on it from a ways back.
Loads of noise normally means the ground and signal connections on the output jack are swapped over. Best to insert a guitar lead and use a multimeter to check the connections.
If all the pots have insulating nylon washers between them and the shielding, then double check that there is a proper ground link somewhere to the shielding.
I have taken all four pots out....put two layers of insulation tape on the copper tape...then an extra piece on top of the connection lugs.
I have reconnected everything and still screaming. I then removed the harness from the guitar and still screaming.
I then trolled the net and saw that these barrel jack sockets do not come with a golden history. So The long of the three lugs is universally listed as the ground connector and the shortest as the hot connector, the third one is for a battery.
I have removed this thing.....soldered the two leads I have into all three lugs and the six possible connections.....and still squealing.
I am having a break now so the workshop does not get damaged with a flying guitar body.
I am tempted to solder in a standard switchcraft jack socket and see if that helps.....but not right now.
Standard is good, standard is simple for numpties like me to put together. Ibanez and others do some weird stuff.
I also soldered in a wire from the volume pot to the copper tape to ground everything. I even hooked an alligator clip to the bridge earth wire and back to the volume pot....no difference.
Before I began to launch things I dragged out the multi-meter, and the warnings from people above above the connectivity on the bridge was spot on.
Unless I touch the tips of my red and black probe leads to each other.....there is no place on this bridge that offers connectivity.
Wow. I would never have suspected that. Makes me think about some of more noisier guitars.
I am thinking a dremeling I shall go.....I think the holes where the ball ends of the strings will sit at the rear and hidden under a little ledge on top of the bridge is good. Then also in a location where the bridge earth wire will contact the bridge.....or just grind a whack off and put some copper tape down and let the wire connect to the tape.
Neck is keeping me calm. It is looking really nice. Ripped the logos off....they were terrible. Got some new ones on....and three coats of Fine Buffing Oil on the back of the neck now....so smooth and minimal gloss. The headstock has about ten coats of Tru-Oil in total and only one wet sand at 600 grit. It will get no more and will get wax and carnauba polish with the rest of the neck.
Usually with the PBG barrels it's the two short lugs as your hot and ground, as in, non-standard. It's easiest just to plug in a lead, set your multimeter to resistance/continuity, put one probe on the tip of the other end of the lead and then probe the lugs until you get signal/min resistance. Then repeat with the sleeve to test for the ground lug.
It may also pay to try the multimeter directly onto the lug pairs with a lead plugged in, just to make sure you're not getting any shorts within the jack. If all else fails swap the barrel out for a standard jack just to test, that way you'll know if it's the jack or the circuit. Also, run a knife/flat head screwdriver between the lugs on the pots just to make certain there are no stray wire strands or damn near invisible solder threads causing a partial short... they're infuriatingly easy to miss sometimes.
Just because it was you weirdy I tried the multi-meter....again.Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits
Do you realise how much of a dumb a@# I feel. Without a lead in position no circuit was created. See how being stressed makes you do dumb things.
Anyway. The PBG barrel connector is indeed wired internally differently.
The really long lead is the BATTERY connector. The shortest lead is the HOT/TIP connector, and the medium lead is the GROUND/SHAFT connector.
I even tried soldering in a standard switchcraft socket.....so quiet...so quiet. The wiring diagram, as always, of yours worked great...Thank You...again. :)
I have now soldered in the PBG barrel socket...noisier than the switchcraft standard socket...but all things work.
The body is done now.....maybe a couple more coats of carnauba wax polish to come....but otherwise she is done.
(***I have not got the dremel out to deepen the wiring channel yet. I will wait and see what happens when the bridge goes on with the neck and strings.***)
(****Oops, I hate the plastic coated wire, and due to the inability to get any sound, I stripped out the kit wiring as much as possible, started again, and substituted vintage push back wire. Went in so easy and solders so well and holds with strength. Love that stuff.
So only changes at this stage.....vintage wire instead of kit wires...two orange drop caps.****)
That internal cavity is smooth.....mine has four recesses for the pots....not wide enough....so the pots hit the wood.....but tape and positioning may have things going well now. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by WeirdBits