First post, first build! ES-1Q Neck fit issues

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13-01-2022, 02:25 PM
PorkyPig

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First post, first build! ES-1Q Neck fit issues

Hi Guys,

I've just taken receipt of my ES-1Q kit and in the process of part checking and doing the mock build I noticed that the neck is a really loose fit in the pocket. It's so loose that when I insert it there is absolutely no friction. Also, I can pull the neck out about 15mm which I though the joint taper would prevent. With neck installed, I can wiggle it side to side so much that the headstock moves around 20mm. Surely that can't be right? The quality of finish inside the neck pocket and on the neck joint itself is not great.

I'm thinking that I may have been sent an unmatched pair but can't be sure. The body is labelled "5" and the neck is labelled "4" if that means anything?

I've attached a few photos and posted a video (https://youtu.be/S99x_nS7ePM) to illustrate. I've sent an email to PBG to let them know and waiting to hear back from them. I just wondered if anybody had any similar experience or advice or is this body/neck combination a lost cause?

This is my first post and first build so go easy on me!

Thanks in advance,
Andy
13-01-2022, 02:37 PM
Trevor Davies

Hi and Welcome PorkyPig,

I have not done an ES kit but that looks very wrong. I have done an SSCM kit with a similar (same!) neck and pocket and it did not look like that.

Hopefully you will hear back from Pitbull soon with a good response.
13-01-2022, 02:39 PM
dbeltrami

If the numbers don't match then that's probably the issue. I'm no expert and I'm sure others will give you much better advice but the photo of neck heel and neck pocket shows some fairly shoddy work. None of that looks good to me.
13-01-2022, 02:43 PM
McCreed

Wow. That's by far the worst I've seen posted here.
I sure PBG will make it right, but that never should have left the warehouse. I hate to say it but there seems to a steady stream of crap kits coming out. I know things have been hard for everyone in manufacturing the past two years with COVID, but that's no excuse for making rubbish.
13-01-2022, 05:40 PM
Simon Barden

Definitely sounds like an unmatched neck and body. Those numbers have always matched on my set-neck kits.

And that kit's definitely getting replaced!

Also in case you haven't read other ES-1 build diaries, the neck angle is almost always too shallow on these kits, meaning that with the standard kit bridge at its lowest setting the strings still end up a long way from the fretboard.

If this is the case, you can shim the neck to increase the angle, but due to the style of neck joint, you'll either end up with some gaps that will need filling, or you'll need to get the chisel out and change the angle of some of those neck joins.

I found this out too late on my ES-1 kit and ended up fitting rimless bridge post hole inserts and getting a Goldo Lowrider bridge (which you'll probably need to source from Germany or somewhere in the EU). https://www.fredguitar.com/en/gibson...er-bridge.html. It is a good quality, very low profile bridge.

The kit bridge is very much the same size as the standard Gibson, Gotoh, Schaller or Tonepros bridges, so nothing inherently wrong with it. It's just the neck angle!
14-01-2022, 01:54 PM
PorkyPig

Hey guys. Thanks for al the replies.

I just heard back from PBG telling me to return the kit for a full refund. No explanations, apologies or excuses... just return it for a refund!! That's all well and good but I still want a guitar kit to build.
14-01-2022, 03:39 PM
Trevor Davies

Quote:

Originally Posted by PorkyPig

Hey guys. Thanks for al the replies.

I just heard back from PBG telling me to return the kit for a full refund. No explanations, apologies or excuses... just return it for a refund!! That's all well and good but I still want a guitar kit to build.

Oh - A shame about no apology! I know Pitbull are having lots of trouble getting stock and a lot of kits are not available. I just noticed no more ES-1Q kits available. Have you considered the ES-1F kit?
15-01-2022, 05:23 AM
PorkyPig

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor Davies

Oh - A shame about no apology! I know Pitbull are having lots of trouble getting stock and a lot of kits are not available. I just noticed no more ES-1Q kits available. Have you considered the ES-1F kit?

ES-1F looks nice. I'm just worried that I'll end up with the other pair of unmatched neck & body! That's what I reckon happened because of the different pencil numbers on each. I reckon they should be the same if matched.
15-01-2022, 06:00 AM
Trevor Davies

Maybe:
Email and let PitBull know you still want a kit but are worried about quality. Get them to take some photos of the neck and body. Also get them to give the kit a once over for quality.
15-01-2022, 07:03 AM
McCreed

Quote:

Also get them to give the kit a once over for quality.

I don't know why this isn't standard procedure. I understand there was a big backlog due to production issues, but with the number of defective kits coming out lately, you'd think PBG would be wary about just forwarding the boxes.
15-01-2022, 01:38 PM
PorkyPig

Agreed. They should do a quick visual inspection and a quick test fit of the body/neck joint for every kit they send out. It wouldn't take long. I ordered some additional parts and options at the same time so they must have opened up the box to put them in. It's a real shame that they didn't check it out before shipping. Now I have to send the entire kit back, order something else (ES-1Q is out of stock) and *hope* the new kit doesn't have same or similar issues.
15-01-2022, 05:02 PM
Simon Barden

Maybe they are realising that there received a lot of really bad quality kits from the factory in the last container load and they may be inundated with returns and are struggling to find and send out decent replacements. I'm sure they can return or get credit notes for the faulty kits from the factory, but it still leaves them short of kits they can sell until replacements arrive. Maybe PB will start checking the kits more thoroughly in future.

As McCreed says, email before ordering and insist on a decent check on the kit before it gets sent out.
21-01-2022, 01:35 PM
PorkyPig

Well.... Top marks to PBG for sending out another neck & body. It arrived today just a week after alerting them to the shocking fit of the original ES-1Q kit. It would seem as though the first kit did not have a matched neck & body (different numbers on each of them). This time the new neck & body DO have the same number marked on them - an encouraging sign! As they didn't have any more ES-1Q's in stock I agreed for them to send me an ES-1F body instead. I asked them to please do a test fit before sending out. They assured me the would. That's the good news. Now for the bad news....

The neck to body fit of the replacement is still crappy. If the first one was like a dick-in-a-shirt-sleeve then this one is like a slightly bigger dick! It's still really loose and I would have no confidence in a good glue joint.

I immediately got on the phone to PBG and told them but they insist that nothing should be wrong because it was inspected before shipping. Here's a link to a video of my test fit so judge for yourself....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6hcbbkbt_0

Am I expecting too much?
11-05-2023, 06:41 AM
Rockchimp

1 Attachment(s)

I just got my short scale bass AGB-30 kit and as the pic shows the neck is about 1/8th of an inch too wide for the neck slot in the guitar body. I am now conferring with a thread mentor and have not yet asked PBG waht to do, but I don't think trying to sand it to fit is a good idea. So you are not the only one with a neck fit issue, my problem is won't fit as opposed to loose fit!Attachment 44260