Some pics straight out of the box and into its case. Kit looks to be solid! no real issues as far as I can tell. Gonna do a mock (dry) build with a couple of strings first and then... sanding begins.
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Some pics straight out of the box and into its case. Kit looks to be solid! no real issues as far as I can tell. Gonna do a mock (dry) build with a couple of strings first and then... sanding begins.
Good news!
I found the neck profile on my EX-1 quite chunky and wished I'd sanded it down a bit on the sides of the neck before I'd sprayed it. I may well sand and respray the neck this summer.
Looks great - every time I see someone's new kit I think that's what I'm going to build next!
How does the control layout work out? Vol, switch, Tone?
Hey Simom,
Yeh I actually had the same thought, I saw one guy online reshape it to resemble a parker fly headstock?! looked a little odd but got me thinking about my options. Hey just out of interest... what did you do about the pickups and wiring, pots, switch etc. Did you upgrade or use what was in the box? If you did use the standard electronics what's the quality like?
Cheers Mark
Hey Groovyman, it looks the biz! its a lot chunkier than I thought it was gonna be too.
I think that's how the layout goes yeh? This'll be my first time even playing an explorer! its one of the few shapes I don't own haha
I never use the kit electrics or hardware. All the kit hardware and pickups work OK, but they aren't anything special. If I am putting a lot of effort into finishing the guitar, then for me, I might as well get better hardware and pickups to get the most out of it as I can. I'm of an age where I've got a reasonable amount of disposable income so I don't have to think about budgeting for the upgrades (though I don't go mad).
I will tend to fit Iron Gear pickups, CTS pots, Kluson or NorthWest Guitars machine heads. Because I wanted a proper Explorer look, on the EX, I routed my body out for a lower horn selector switch and fitted three pots in the control location. The EX got fitted with Iron Gear Metal Machine pickups, which are certainly not very subtle or suitable for blues!
I was talking about the neck profile, rather than the headstock shape (which is a bit rounder than a real Explorer). The neck (on mine at least) has a very chunky 50s Gibson LP profile. Not uncomfortable, but quite a handful and not what you'd normally find on a hard rock/metal guitar. I'll probably sand the sides of the neck down to create more of a modern C profile.
Aghhhhh.... sorry my bad, now you mention it mines the same, it does feel a lot chunkier than the necks am used to (ibanez) I may have a go at reshaping it a little but I'm a bit apprehensive to go at it being my first one... will see how i get on sanding the body.
Thanks for the advise re hardware. I'd added the upgraded grover hardware that pitbull offered, so will use all of that on this build. Will defo look at upgraded pick ups though... those seymour duncan invader pups looks pretty sweet!
Oh wow... just had a look at this Iron Gear pickups! they have a set that look just like the invaders but half the price and then some!
Iron Gears are very good pickups. Generally very similar to Toneriders in terms of sound and quality. Both very good lower-cost but quality pickups. Don't expect them to sound exactly like the SD invaders, but they'll be very similar.
I'd avoid taking any wood of the very back of the neck (you don't want to sand trough to the truss rod or make the wood too thin so that adjusting the truss rod cracks the neck), but you can certainly trim the 'shoulders' down from what I'd call a 'D' to a 'C' shape. That can make the neck feel a lot more comfortable in the hand.
Oh cool - I actually prefer a chunky neck - I have a couple of PRS with the old wide fat profile that I really love.Quote:
Originally Posted by ACZLoOn
Looks like a great kit, and idea what colour scheme you are going to go with? As a big Metallica fan I love the Explorer.
Nice. This was the first pbg kit I built as well, you would be okay with a minor shave of the neck, they use a fairly standard profile dual action rod that sits in a channel about 10mm deep and 6mm wide. I did some fairly hectic reshaping on mine around the neck tenon and the heel area.
Ive found the neck comfortable whilst being chunkier, I play a mix of g style, f style, ibanez style necks and it feels bigger, but not baseball bat ridiculous.
Hey Chris, I'm undecided haha... I know I want to stain it a darker colour, whether its similar to the Hetfield dark wood colour... or walnut, or dark cherry or even black? Am not sure! Am just sanding at the mo while I mull it over.Quote:
Originally Posted by project_chris
Hey Frankenwashie, thanks for the heads up re the neck! much appreciated. I tried to find some pics of your explorer but finding this site a bit difficult to navigate. Is there a way to see members individual projects? Would love to see how yours turned out!Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenWashie
So far so good.. I think? The neck is really straight and only the 2nd fret seems to be a little high. I had to prop up the saddle a little to check the string height was the same up and down the neck (I started to put the saddle posts in but panicked that they'd get stuck).
So far sanded all over on 180 and 240 (by hand).
You really shouldn't put any posts inserts in at this time. You can get them out if you know the right tricks, but each time you do that, they fit a little looser. (Also, don't forget to fit the bridge grounding wire before you fit the top E side bridge insert for good). If you fit the bridge and stop tail inserts now, you can't sand around them or polish the finish properly in that area.
Hey Simon, to be honest... I did think that. I was following the guidance in the pitbull manual and it states to wrap tape around the post threads, but I knew if I did that I wouldn't be able to inset it at all. Then looking at the picture on page 12 it looks like they just did what I did? Anyway, I got them out gently with some wood blocks and a little leverage without marking the body. I spotted the pre drilled hole for the grounding wire and made a mental note hahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
Sounds like you did it right then. :) The posts themselves wrapped in tape are fine, it's the post inserts that the posts screw into (with the fluted sides) that push into the body that should be fitted right at the end.
So much depends on everyone using and understanding the same terminology, and this is one area where even seasoned builders will differ in their terms for the parts, so it's easy to misunderstand.
I hope you realise you are slowly becoming my guru right hahaha... makes perfect sense now you've said it... (face palm)Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Barden
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Finished my explorer a while ago but didnt get around to posted pictures! Her she is. Sounds and play fantastic, really happy!
Nasty! (Can't really say 'nice' ;) ).
What pickups have you got fitted?
Went with the iron gear metal machines you recommended! I was pleasantly surprised at how good they are!! Thanks so much for the heads up on them 👊🏻
I was quite surprised as well. They aren't too dull sounding for high output pickups when used clean, and I may well try a 1 Meg ohm pot at some time as well to see what that does to the clean tone.
That is a bold design choice, but congratulations on pulling it off. It looks great! I'm impressed with the detail of dyeing the nut and fret markers as well.
Is love to see a close up of the headstock to see what is going on up there if you have the time to post one.
Congrats again on the one of a kind axe!
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wow that looks great! So you play in an ABBA cover band then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxwNVyZ-FoQuote:
Originally Posted by Andyxlh
that's awesome!Quote:
Originally Posted by m0j0
That's awesome!
\m/
HAHAAA!!! That dude is funny... and providing the only way id be listening to any abba :D
Let me know how that pans out if you ever do it! :cool:
Aw Cheers dude! tbh i was pretty stoked with how its turned out! I've started to use it in my band and it sounds better than the really nice (and costly) ibanez I've been using for years!! now all I wanna do is build more haha