Just ordered FH3TL kit waiting with a measure of excitement and fear about the build - pretty handy with stuff so hopefully no problems. I go to the local men’s shed lots advice and help if needed. Any pointers for a newbie?
Cheers graham
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Just ordered FH3TL kit waiting with a measure of excitement and fear about the build - pretty handy with stuff so hopefully no problems. I go to the local men’s shed lots advice and help if needed. Any pointers for a newbie?
Cheers graham
Sound's good! Welcome! I understand how you feel. My first was also a semihollow bass.
As far as advice, we usually recommend starting a build diary. Good place to get advice from members, and folks also like to watch the progress ;-)
Other advice: When you get the kit, do a dry-fit to make sure sure the neck fits in the pocket, that you have all the parts, and that you can get the bridge/scale-length/neck all to line up properly.
If you have any questions or are not sure about something, ask questions, post pics. The site has experienced builders as well as people who have minimal experience with tools. So no question is too small.
I envy you the "men's shed." Wish we had them here!
Thanks for the suggestions will keep the diary with pics and notes
Cheers
Hi and welcome graham.
+ 1 for starting a build diary and asking questions along the way. Good luck with the build.
I’ve been looking at stains and finishes - it looks like dingotone has gone so I’m looking at colortone and some sort of oil to finish, buying finishes from luthier supplies costs more than the kit.
Experiences and suggestions
Cheers
Graham
A lot will depend on the colour and finish you want, your work area, and your experience!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tgraham
For me, it would depend on the colour stain I want! Most times I try to get my stains from local hardware supplies. For browny tones I normally use Feast Watson stains. For red, orange, yellow, green , blue colours I use Ubeaut water-based dyes (which I get from Timbecon). I have also used Inks!
For the clear finishes, I have used Cabot's Polyurethane (water or oil based), rattle can clear, or Tru-oil.
I know a lot of forum members use oil finishes, others shellac, some spray clear lacquer or 2K.
Lots of options.
Thanks TrevorQuote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
What look are you aiming for?
Probably a bright ish colour thinking rich yellow kinda thing, I’ve ordered some u beaut stain from timbecon ( thanks for that) so I will experiment with those before I decide. Finish coat still undecided- haven’t got the kit I ordered yet so patience is required. Just doin some homework before kit arrives. I’ve got access to shellac at the local men’s shed so that might be an optionQuote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Kit arrived safely looks great have done a dry fit. Just making sure neck fits right it seems to be sitting too high and too much downward tilt towards the headstock, would love your advice.
Cheers
Graham
Having trouble uploading photos ggrrrr
Got photos uploaded - are the angles of tilt on the neck normal and are the gaps normal
Thank you
Graham
Hi Tgraham.
I have not done this kit, but I'm going to say that the gaps are not normal - so the neck may need some sanding so as to sit better in the neck pocket.
As far as the angle of the fretboard to the body, I think it does look a bit high! But saying that, if you have a look at the linked pictures of a GR1-sf kit (which is also a set neck, hollow body, curve top) they look to be very similar:
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post142731
and https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post209787.
Definitely do a mock build with the neck in place, and the bridge (with screw inserts) in place and check if the strings are a suitable height above the fretboard.
Thanks Trevor will do
Making progress getting the neck sitting better. Done some sanding and the wife wants it to be an orange guitar not a bad colour (I hope)
Now wondering how to fit bridge post bushes without to much violence, currently they are a very tight fit and I’m a bit concerned if I force them in it may damage some part of the guitar top.
Thank you
Graham
Hi Tgraham,
The bridge post inserts are a tight fit as they are held in place by friction.
Normally, on a solid body kit I hammer them in with a block of wood between the hammer and the insert. I'm not sure I would want to do this with a hollow body.
With the FH kit, I assume there must be a solid block of wood under the top where the posts go. Can you insert a clamp through the bridge pickup cavity and below the block? Then you could use the clamp to force the post into the hole!
Thanks once again Trevor, yes there is a block under where the bridge posts go so I will go with the clamp process I think.
Cheers
Graham
Hi Graham
I have done similar kits and the gaps where the neck fits to the body usually need a little finesse, yours is not a bad one.
Trevor has already posted a very good pic of how to mock up inserting the bridge posts for a TOM (tune o matic) type bridge ( go to #7)
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...ad.php?t=12645
If you move this to a new thread in the Build Diary section more people will see it and help where needed.
This gentlemanly G brand thinks orange is OK.
Attachment 45527
Grant
Nothing wrong with a bit of orange!
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post227078
The two oranges I like are Lone O'Ranger (Torana) and McLaren orange (Papaya) one of which will be the resprayed colour of the rebuilt race car and also the new one that I have been building for a while (Fisher Fury)
Thanks Grant yeah I feel pretty how the neck fits now and thanks to Trevor I used clamps to get the bridge posts in today - went really well. Love the orange
Cheers
Graham
Thanks Trevor got the bridge posts in today with g clamps today went really well. Have been looking at wiring diagram it shows earth wires going to what appears to be the back of the pots - am I seeing this right? Bit concerned the heat of iron might damage the pots, there’s no soldier point on the back of the pots either.
Thanks for all the help
Graham
Also how to wrap shielding around pick ups in a hollow body ?
Ta
Graham
Glad the g-clamp worked. Just checking though, have you stained and finished the body? I would not add the bridge post before the finishing coats! Also, did you add (is there meant to be?) a ground wire to the bridge post? Was there a small hole from the post hole leading back into the body cavity?
For the soldering to the back of the pots - yes, ground/earth wires would link to the back of the pots. I have not had any problems with damage to the pots. And anywhere on the back of the pot should be fine. See link for an example: https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...l=1#post203343
Are you using the Pitbull wiring diagrams for 2 Hum, 4 pots and a 3-way switch?
For shielding - The pups are not shielded. This came up a short while ago, I think you can shield the wires from the pups and to the switch.
Hi Trevor,
In the midst of the men’s shed I forgot the ground wire damn - no worries I will make a puller and remove posts. I haven’t done any finish coats I was just going to cover and plug the bushes before any coating. But seeing I’m pulling one bush out I will do both and then some apply some stain then top coats.
Yes using that diagram it’s pretty straightforward I’ve made a few hi fi systems over the years.
Once again many thanks
Graham
You could possibly ground the tailpiece similar to the way the tele bridges are ground! Just thinking!
It may also be time to start a thread in the Build diary area.
This is the most common way of grounding the strings when the guitar has a floating bridge. It's the way my old Fender Coronado is grounded, since the bridge (although metal) "floats" on top of the finish rather than on posts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
Attachment 45536
All good bushes out successfully used my time today starting to stain - happy so far but there’s always a twist
How do I move this thread to build diary I cannot see how to do that?
Cheers
Graham
Hi Tgraham.
Just start a new thread in the Diary section, and then I "may" be able to move some of these posts!
You will need to start a new thread in the My Build Diary section the same way you did here in the Welcome section,
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=56
Click on post new thread and go from there. Poor choice of words when I said move it.
I have some wiring pics which may help, but will do that in your Diary thread.
Love the Coronado in Antigua finish, F3x, very nice.
Grant
Trevor beat me to it.
IRL the finish is not in very good shape. LOTS of crazing and cracks. Not all of them, but most of them, were already there when I acquired the guitar in the mid-1970's. It was made in 1968 and had a hard life before landing in the pawn shop where I bought it. I don't think I was even in high school yet. You either think it's ugly, or you love it, or you love it because it's ugly. It's not helped by the yellowing over time of the clear coat which makes it look all of the various colors of snot ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by neverwas