First Build GS-7Z I think

Hi, I really wanted a diy guitar kit for Christmas, after all the ones I was really keen on were back ordered. I found this. A baritone 7 string and thought if I’m going to be doing something out of my comfort Zone I might as well make it completely out of my comfort zone.
I’m primarily a bassist who wants to learn guitar. I figured the 27” scale is close to my short scale Squier so might feel natural.

Anyway, I started work on it Christmas Day and have been trying to do a little bit each day. Here’s some
Progress shots.

I modelled the finish slightly after an old Ibanez bass I used to have that was a mahogany type on the back and dark front with the grain feeling through the finish.

I got a couple Feast Watson proof tints. Black and Jarrah and used the leftover Benchtop Clear we had from making our dining room table. I know none of those are the typical and conventional finishes used but I believe it’s turned out pretty nice so far considering it’s my first crack at this.

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Finish on the back

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Finish in the front, I really wanted to go for a light grey with the grain showing. But the mix I made was way too dark so I sanded it back and it left this really cool blacked grain almost burst like.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...31b1191c55.jpg
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Now I’ve glued the neck and left it clamped for a day, I’m starting on the hardware. Had to drill a bridge ground. Going from the control cavity to the rear post as I had already knocked the front ones in when I realised it didn’t have a hole for the bridge wire.

The fret work is going to be done later, I’m not super confident doing it and would like to get a proper file as I don’t trust myself haha
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You've done a great job, it looks great!

To add to the missing ground wire hole, none of the wiring diagrams are clear which wires from the pickups should go where. For me anyway. None of them that say 2 humbuckers, 2 pots and 3 way switch show where the 5 wires from each pickup need to go.

Perhaps something that needs to be updated?

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Hi Blocka,
the
Black is the hot wire,
Green (and bare (Shielding) wire) are the grounds.

also (the red and white (pre-soldered) join the coils - but do not need to be added to the circuit - they just need to be insulated (taped) so that they do not make contact with anything in the control cavity).

It is typical that the actual pup wire colours do not match the colours in the wiring diagrams. A bit annoying.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trevor Davies

Hi Blocka,
the
Black is the hot wire,
Green (and bare (Shielding) wire) are the grounds.

also (the red and white (pre-soldered) join the coils - but do not need to be added to the circuit - they just need to be insulated (taped) so that they do not make contact with anything in the control cavity).

It is typical that the actual pup wire colours do not match the colours in the wiring diagrams. A bit annoying.

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Thanks for all your help appreciate it
So the hot and grounds is there a specific spot for each of them to attach to the volume/switch?


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BTW - the body and top are looking good.

I've used FW stains on most of my builds and I'm very happy with the results. I normally use tru-oil for the top coats - but have used the FW wipe on poly. As long as it works and your happy with the end result it is all good.

The wiring diagram shows both the pup grounds going to the back of the volume pot. Literally soldered to the back.

The two hot wires go to the outside lugs of the switch.

The kit should have enough other wires to create the rest of the circuit.

Have you soldered before? If not it is a bit tricky to start with.

That's coming along nicely Blocka.

As for "typical and conventional finishes used", that's pretty true of mass-produced factory guitars, but for BYO and small production builders, the products you used are very common.
The Benchtop Clear is just a type of varnish, but Cabot's doesn't say whether it's a polyurethane or not. Doesn't really matter, it's just that polyurethane can be called "varnish" but not all varnish is polyurethane. (clear as mud, right?)

Edit:
Just inquiring about the tape in the pickup and control cavities. What's its intended purpose? Is it just protection whilst you're finishing, or is it meant to be shielding? It looks like insulating tape to me, not like any shielding material I've seen before.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

That's coming along nicely Blocka.

As for "typical and conventional finishes used", that's pretty true of mass-produced factory guitars, but for BYO and small production builders, the products you used are very common.
The Benchtop Clear is just a type of varnish, but Cabot's doesn't say whether it's a polyurethane or not. Doesn't really matter, it's just that polyurethane can be called "varnish" but not all varnish is polyurethane. (clear as mud, right?)

Edit:
Just inquiring about the tape in the pickup and control cavities. What's its intended purpose? Is it just protection whilst you're finishing, or is it meant to be shielding? It looks like insulating tape to me, not like any shielding material I've seen before.

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Thanks, honestly loved the result the benchtop clear had on our table and thought why change what’s not broken.
The tape is aluminium shielding. Used previously on cheap guitars with success. Another why buy copper when I’ve already got the aluminium.

Discovered the switch hole needed to be drilled out more this morning and I’m missing or misplaced the screws for the back cavity cover. Never mind have plenty of screws around.

Anyway, I have soldered before, will be giving the iron a clean and attempting the wiring later today/this week


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Quote:

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The tape is aluminium shielding. Used previously on cheap guitars with success. Another why buy copper when I’ve already got the aluminium.

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That's cool. Having a second look I see it now. It's just not as shiny as other aluminium tape I've seen, hence my mistaking it for insulating tape.

Couple extra piccies because I’m so excited. Going to hopefully solder up and get the bridge on tonight but we’ll see.

Not excited to do the fret work. The polishing and recrowning seems so finicky and easy to stuff up

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That's looking very cool \m/

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+1, yes very nice.

I’ve been having issues getting the setup right, the bridge saddle piece is that tight on the posts that they aren’t budging when I try and screw them down and hence the action is so crazy high

Any pointers would be most helpful as it makes it so hard to play anything higher than about the 5th fret

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When you remove the bridge (strings off) do the posts turn freely into the bushes?

With the bridge off and posts removed, can you turn the posts in the post holes of the bridge piece without resistance?

I ask these questions because the bushes may not be perpendicular to the bridge/pickups/fretboard IYKWIM. If the holes in the body weren't drilled straight, the bushes won't be straight therefore the posts may be sort of splayed outwards and not mating properly with the post holes in the bridge.

Note: if the posts turn hard into the bushes, it just might be the threads need a bit of cleaning up.

You may need to sand/file the holes in the bridge to accommodate the leaning posts. This is made more difficult with black hardware, because you run the risk of chipping it in places that may be visible. I'm sure there are ways of touching it up though I 've never done it. I'm not a fan of black or gold hardware personally.
I have done the hole modification on nickel hardware but that's a bit more forgiving and harder to see if the finish is minorly damaged.

I'm sure there are some here that have worked with black hardware and can offer advice, as well as offer other ideas on the fitting issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

When you remove the bridge (strings off) do the posts turn freely into the bushes?

With the bridge off and posts removed, can you turn the posts in the post holes of the bridge piece without resistance?

I ask these questions because the bushes may not be perpendicular to the bridge/pickups/fretboard IYKWIM. If the holes in the body weren't drilled straight, the bushes won't be straight therefore the posts may be sort of splayed outwards and not mating properly with the post holes in the bridge.

Note: if the posts turn hard into the bushes, it just might be the threads need a bit of cleaning up.

You may need to sand/file the holes in the bridge to accommodate the leaning posts. This is made more difficult with black hardware, because you run the risk of chipping it in places that may be visible. I'm sure there are ways of touching it up though I 've never done it. I'm not a fan of black or gold hardware personally.
I have done the hole modification on nickel hardware but that's a bit more forgiving and harder to see if the finish is minorly damaged.

I'm sure there are some here that have worked with black hardware and can offer advice, as well as offer other ideas on the fitting issue.

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I think the holes must be off because it was quite stiff to get the bridge piece onto the posts. But being my first experience I didn’t really know any better. I guess I gotta take the strings off and open the holes up a bit. I wonder if a tapered file might be the way to go? Go from both sides. I’d rather have it playing properly with some chipped black paint than not be fun to play.
Can always get some hobby paint and just touch up a little bit


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The post holes often follow the curve of the top when being drilled (though they shouldn't).

If so in this case, it means that the posts splay outwards. Loosen the strings, take the bridge off and screw the posts right down. The tops of the posts should now be a bit closer together, which should allow you to put the bridge on and increase its height if necessary.

If the posts are basically parallel and upright, and just drilled that bit too far apart, then drilling out the holes in the bridge with a drill just a bit bigger than the current hole should help (a 0.5 mm step up or possibly an imperial size if it's smaller and you have one) Drill slowly from the bottom and you should be able to stop just below the top, which will partially hide the drilling.

I'd probably use a black Sharpie to colour the bare metal rather than try and paint it. I find a black Sharpie works wonders on touching up scratches on all black hardware.

If the posts are angled inwards then the posts will get tighter on the outside/end edges of the holes as the saddle is screwed down. Just widening the bottom of the pots holes may be enough. You could drill, but I might try using one of the thin conical sharpening stone bits that normally come with a Dremel to just widen the outside edges at the bottom.

You want to keep any widening as minimal as possible as you don't want the saddle too loose on the posts.