How to build your Pit Bull Electric guitar

In this thread, Dingobass and Gavmeister will be sharing with you the step by step process to building your guitar. To maintain the structure of the thread we ask that you refrain from posting any comments on the thread so that those who seek help with their build can follow each step without having to page through hundreds of posts. It is our intention that this thread will serve as a definitive "how to"! If you do want to post encouragement or suggestions on the thread, you can do so, but please don't be offended when the moderators clear these from the thread!

Welcome to Pit Bull Guitars!

https://youtu.be/KtHlAL3mtl8

Tools You'll Need For Building An Electric Guitar
We thought it might be helpful to list the tools you'll need for building a Pit Bull Guitar Kit. DB and I have divided the list into Three categories, which are What you can get away with, Nice to Have and Really Nice to Have.

:) What you can get away with tools

You can build one of these kits with a few basic tools

file or fine rasp
Pit Bull Sandpaper (180 grit to 240 grit)
Steel wool
Drill
Drill bits, from 2mm and 3mm
Clamps, G type or Irwin Quick Grip
Pit Bull Wood glue (for set neck kits)
Screw drivers, both phillips and flat head
Long straightedge (600mm rule) and tape measure
Soldering iron
Electronic solder
Clean rags
Pencil
Eye protection
Wire cutters
Small allen keys for bridge
Tuner

If it is your intention to only build one or two kits with the most basic of tools and without outlaying funds on specialist tools then skip forward to the next section on this thread.
However, if you want to get the absolute best out of your kit, and particularly if you want to turn this into a hobby you might want to acquire the following:

:) Nice to have:

Random orbital sander
Drill press
1" x 2" sanding drum
Helping hands alligator clamps
Portable clamping workbench
Clamp lamp
Digital callipers
Multi meter
StewMac string rule for nut building

;) Really nice to have

12" Radius sanding block
Fret crowning file
Set of nut files
4" x 36" bench top belt sander
Oscillating spindle sander
Dust extraction system
Buffing station
Large workbench with a vice for holding small parts

Beginning and managing your Build
If you keep the following in mind from the start you will be less likely to encounter issues that will delay you finishing your build. This is true no matter which kit you ultimately decide on, which finish you opt for (Pit Bull Guitars recommend Wudtone) or your choice of hardware and other components.

1. :) Unpack the kit and check that you have the correct guitar, correct parts and item quantities. Importantly, noting which screws go with each component or part of the guitar as this is a common mistake for first time builders.

2. :) Prepare a mock build of your new kit, testing all the major components like the neck fitting into the body neck cavity and placing the bridge into its position. Check the pick guard, pickups, and the tuners will fit properly!

3. :) DB's mantra is Sand, sand, sand again. When you think you have sanded enough, sand it some more:)

4. :) Finish the body and neck wood surfaces first and allow the Wudtone or other paint to cure and harden properly before finally assembling the guitar. This is a process that if you are patient will reap the reward of a sensational finish.

5. :) Do the shielding of the pickup cavities, switch, volume and tone control cavities as applicable.

6. :) install the neck, tuners and bridge first, only then proceed to wiring up the electronic components. Install the pick guard. Ensure you install grounding wires from the bridge to the pots, between the pots, switch (only if necessary) and the output Jack.

7. :) the final step being to put on the strings and set up and adjust string heights, intonation, action, pickup heights and refining of the nut.

Body Preparation

With the body of the guitar it is vitally important if you would like to obtain a great result that the body is prepared with due care and patience.

If you rush any stage of the preparation it will show up in your finish either as scratches in the wood because you did not sand properly or as swirls because you forgot to use steel wool at the appropriate time.

Additional things to watch out for particularly if your guitar has binding but also if your kit has a cap are glue spots.
These can be a bit of a pain to get rid of, but the job is made a lot easier if you follow our suggestions in this thread.

Also be aware that wood fibres compress and expand and sometimes, by sandpapering over a particular spot you can create area where you will have over polished spots.
These compressed wood fibre spots will refuse to take a stain finish.

The best way to discover these spots is to use a damp rag (water) and wipe the guitar body.
Not only is this a great idea to get rid of fluffy fibres with Basswood but it will highlight any glue or polished issues BEFORE you start applying the finish to your guitar.
If you discover these polished areas, a gentle scrub with a small wire brush will loosen the fibres and allow the finish to penetrate.

:) Solving issues with Glue and with over polishing
http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=1838

:) Sanding your body and neck of the guitar

Pit Bull do not recommend Generic Hardware Store Sandpaper, it is generally of poor quality for sanding guitar bodies.
You can get professional grade sandpaper from Pit Bull Guitars here http://pitbullguitars.com/?product=p...lity-sandpaper

If you have a basswood body, wet it with a damp cloth before sanding.
This raises the uneven fluffy wood fibres and while these are raised cut them down with your 180 grit sandpaper. Repeat this process with each grade of sand paper.

Other bodies, skip this damp cloth step.

Start your sanding with 180 grit and go over the body and neck thoroughly checking regularly to make sure you are getting rid of any scratches or swirls.

If you have binding or a cap (flamed maple, spalted maple, for example) be extra careful that you do not sand the cap away at the edges where the cap is thinnest.

Further, be careful with binding as it is plastic and will scratch easily and is also capable of being sanded too thin very quickly.

After the 180 grit Pit Bull Guitars highly recommend giving the body a good sand with the 220 and 240 grit making sure to check that any major scratches are removed as you proceed.
Then go over the body again with Super Fine '0000' steel wool.

This will prepare the body nicely to absorb the finish, particularly if you are using Dingotone and your finish has a stain colour coat, this needs to be applied before applying the intensifying coat.

Always make sure you follow the instructions to the letter with your application of Wudtone giving each coat plenty of curing time between coats and where required always make sure you use the steel wool to get rid of dust particles that decide to stick to your finish whilst it was wet, as well as any swirls.

The rubbing with steel wool also has the effect of keying the surface to give it teeth for the next coat of Dingotone to adhere to.

Additional comments from DB
"As for the fluffing up after damp ragging, that is normal and if you were preparing for a French Polish would be desirable, but for Dingotone not so...

I have found on the kits that I have done that 400 grit is more than enough, you need to leave a reasonable tooth for the Dingotone to grip.

I start my sanding process with 220 then 320 followed by 400.
This gives me a nice surface without any deep scratches.

As Gavin said, super fine steel wool between each coat to remove any streaks or swirls and to create a key for the next coat".

:) Preparing the Binding BEFORE applying Dingotone
If your guitar has binding you will spend ages removing paint from a 'keyed' binding surface if you do not prepare the binding before painting.

I learned this trick from my good mate and fellow author on this thread DB, here is his trick for keeping the binding clean..

After sanding, grab some 400 wet and dry and VERY carefully give the bindings a polish.
Then break out the 600 and repeat.(If you don't have 600 grit, you can polish the binding with steel wool) Then let the Dingotoning begin!

When you have let each coat dry, a light and VERY careful rub with the steel wool will remove any Dingotone and add to the polish on the binding.

Do this after each coat and by the time you are at the final coat stage, you wont have to worry as the binding will be as smooth and shiny as a *censored, censored*..... you get the idea!

Shaping the Headstock

If you are planning on shaping a headstock, PabloPepper did a great thread with explanations and other contributions right here. Certainly worth a read.
http://pitbullguitars.com/?page_id=4...viewtopic&t=30
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...5-11.38.52.jpg

There are Fender style Templates here
http://pdfcast.org/pdf/fender-headstocks

Gibson style headstock template
http://www.mondocatto.pwp.blueyonder...tock6-2004.pdf

Fender Style Fonts here
http://fontmeme.com/fender-font/

The way to shape your headstock using a template from the above library is to print it out on your printer. Be mindful that you may have to enlarge or reduce your print size to line up with the tuners on the actual headstock shape. Bear in mind that the shape of the headstock when viewed from above does differ from the shape when viewed from below.

Shielding
I want to acknowledge StewMac as the source for this great article on shielding
www.stewmac.com

Shielding allows you to substantially reduce all unwanted interference and hum.

Basic skills required
Unless you feel completely competent in soldering, desoldering, and a basic understanding of guitar wiring, you should take your instrument to a qualified luthier or repairperson. If you wish to learn more about guitar wiring and electronics, we recommend #0548 "Guitar Electronics For Musicians" by Donald Brosnac and #0570 "The Guitar Player Repair Guide" by Dan Erlewine. Any shop doing guitar wiring and setup should have these books in its reference library.

Tools required
Notepad and pencils
Permanent marker
Heat-shrink tubing and/or black tape
Masking tape
Sharp scissors
Hobby knife and/or wire stripers
Soldering Pencil (25-40 watt)
60/40 Flux core solder (thin)
Window cleaner
Lint free rag
Adjustable jaw wrench, socket set, or nut drivers
Pliers (needle nose and regular)
Volt/Ohm meter

Overview
If you have already installed all your Pitbull Guitar electronic components to now completely shield your guitar you will have to dismantle and desolder a majority of the guitar's components. It is highly recommended that you make detailed notes on how every component was wired, as well as marking specific wires and solder points with tape labels to help in rewiring the instrument. Be very thorough. One mislabeled or unlabeled wire could cause a great deal of confusion when you are rewiring the system.

All of the shielding must be in contact with ground. There are several ways to apply a ground to a shielding network; when dealing with copper shielding foils, the ground wire can be soldered directly to it. If your volume pot housing is in contact with the foil, a ground jumper is not necessary.

Shielding paint can alsobe useful for shielding control cavities, pickup routs, and drilled holes. The paint is very easy to apply in small, tight areas. A shortcoming of the self-adhesive foils.

Applying ground to a Strat type guitar is very simple. Bring the foil over the top of the body in the area that would be under the pickguard and around the pickguard screw below the bottom tone pot. The foil on the pickguard should surround this screw hole so, when the pickguard is screwed into place, the grounded foil on the pickguard will come in contact with the cavity shielding.

Another method is using a solder lug screwed into the cavity's side wall. Make the solder lug out of a scrap of brass and use a small wood screw to affix it to a cavity's side wall. Just solder a wire from the volume pot's casing to this lug for a good ground.

Single coils
A great deal of the hum and buzz associated with single coil pickups can be eliminated by using shielding as you will shield the coil as well as the output wire. The shielding of the output wire also allows you to switch the phase of the pickup (swap hot for ground) while still maintaining your shielding network. There is more on this on the StewMac website but this is enough infor for our purposes.


Humbuckers
Depending upon the type of humbucker(s) in the instrument, you may not need to do any additional shielding. For example, Gibson-type humbuckers with their metal covers in place do not require any extra shielding. A Precision bass which uses a split humbucker and plastic covers could benefit from additional shielding.

P-bass pickups generally do not have a shielded output wire, so you will want to replace it the same as outlined in the single coil instructions. Most other humbuckers have a shielded output wire, so the only additional shielding will be around the coils and/or in the covers. If you have a Gibson type humbucker without a cover, you may want to obtain metal or plastic covers for them. The metal covers are soldered in place to the frame or base plate of the humbucker. Plastic covers require the same treatment a Strat type single cover would get.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...d-IMGP2342.JPG

Control cavities
Before shielding the instrument's cavities, remove all of the electrical components, pickups, pots, switches, jacks, etc. Be sure to make notes on how these parts were oriented and hooked up. Start by applying some of the copper foil to the bottom of the cavity. To size the piece, lay the foil on top of the cavity and drag your finger around the edge of the rout. This will crease the foil and give you a guideline for cutting a properly sized piece. Cut the foil 1/4" outside your crease mark. This will give you some foil that will extend up the sides of the cavity and will be overlapped by the foil applied to the sidewalls. Make several cuts from the outside edge of the foil to the crease mark in the areas that will be in corners or curved portions of the rout. They will allow the foil to go down smoothly on both the bottom and the sidewalls. Before you stick the foil down, remove any excess dust or debris from the rout with compressed air and/or a clean rag and window cleaner.

After you apply the bottom foil, you are ready to affix foil to the sidewalls. Use the 1/2" wide copper foil on the walls of the rout. Three strips is usually enough to cover the sidewalls and be sure to slightly overlap the strips so that the shield is complete. Lightly solder the overlapped areas at a few points to insure a total shield. We also carry a 2' wide copper foil (#0028, sold separately) that is very useful for shielding. Make sure the copper foil overlaps the 1/4" of copper on the sidewalls. Check for continuity between the copper and the copper when you have finished. If you do not get a good reading, press the copper down against the copper again to make the contact complete. Bring some 1/4" wide tabs of copper foil over the top edge of the rout in control cavity areas to come into contact with the cover plate or pickguard. If the shielding is in a pickup rout, be sure to connect it with ground.

Cover plates & pickguards
Use the self-adhesive copper foil on the back of control cavity covers and pickguards. Be sure the foil on your cover plate or pickguard will come in contact with the shielding applied in the cavity it covers. When shielding pickguards, the foil only needs to be applied in the area of the control cavity.

Reassembly
Check your notes frequently so that everything gets wired correctly and use caution when soldering to pots and switches. It is easy to get them too hot which would cause a malfunction. Be sure that no hot connections come in contact with your shielding as this would cause a short circuit and there would be no output. Heat-shrink tubing or black tape will protect hot connections from touching the shielding.

Rout and solder the hookup wires neatly as this will aid in replacing pickguards or tracing faults. Do not make the wires too short. A little slack aids in making other connections and troubleshooting. Run a string ground unless you are using active pickups.

Notes on pickup adjustments
Pickups shouldn't be adjusted too close to the strings. For single-coils, there should be about a 3,2mm gap between the top of the low E pole piece and the bottom of the low E string fretted at the highest (21st or 22nd) fret, and 2.4mm for the high E. Humbuckers can be adjusted closer (2.4mm-1.6mm), since they don't have as much focused magnetic pull as single-coils.

Adjusting pickups any closer (especially with single-coils) can cause false notes or "wolf-tones." If you've ever played a Strat that sounded like you were getting two notes from one string (usually the wound strings) in the upper registers, you have witnessed this anomaly. It is most often referred to as "Strat-itis" and can cause a lot of head scratching unless you know what is happening. To cure the problem, simply back the bass-side of the neck and middle pickups further away from the strings.

Levelling the Frets

There is an entire "How To" tutorial thread on levelling your fretboard here with the reasons why and benefits of doing this exercise.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=1775&highlight=Levelling+frets

Installing the Bolt-on neck

We acknowledge the contribution of one of our past Forum members in this post.

Perhaps the most important part of building your Pit Bull guitar kit is getting the neck centred and correctly aligned. It can seem to be a daunting task; with the right knowledge, some patience, and a bit of string, it is a snap.
As with all aspects of building a guitar, attention to detail is essential. The more attention to detail, the better the guitar will be.
Many people don’t realise that the neck has to be right in three dimensions- back and forward to get the right scale length, side to side to get the right alignment, and up and down to get the inclination to give the right action, and bridge and pickup relationships.

:P The steps:
TIP: You don’t need to use a tape measure to measure- a piece of fishing line or wool or string is all you need (except maybe for Step 1, but that’s up to you). You are comparing one measurement against another.
We’ll discuss the steps to getting your neck pointed- literally- in the right direction. I would suggest that you do this, or at least do a dry run, before any painting on the body or neck. That way that way, if you put a scrape on the guitar it can be fixed when finishing. Scraping an already finished guitar- well, not a good thought, is it.
:) Setting the Scale Length
Don’t assume that by jamming the neck as far as it goes into the body the scale length will be correct.
Measure the distance from the edge of the nut to the high point (the crown) of the 12th fret. Wind all the saddles as far forward (towards the pickups) as they will go. The distance from the edge of the pickup side of the saddles (on the bridge) to the crown of the 12th fret should be the same distance. Most times though, you may find that the second measurement from the saddles to the crown of the 12th fret is approximately 3mm longer. This s called compensation and is quite normal.

:) String Compensation
If measuring the full scale length (i.e. the full length – not just to the 12th fret as mentioned in the shortcut-tip above) we usually measure at the top-E string. That’s because this string is the thinnest and requires the least amount of string compensation. This string is, therefore, closer to the actual scale length of the instrument. The other strings are generally compensated which means they’re actually slightly longer than the scale length.

:) What is compensation?

When you fret a string somewhere along the fretboard, you actually sharpen that string’s pitch by a tiny amount. To compensate for this, each string is made a little bit longer than the instrument’s actual scale length, thereby ‘flattening’ its pitch. The amount that each string is made longer (flattened) depends on that strings size – thin strings not much and getting progressively more as the strings get thicker. Clever, eh?

To nicely illustrate it, this is why acoustic saddles are angled – the sounding length of the thicker, wound strings is actually longer than that of the thinner strings.

Many guitars have adjustable bridges and/or string saddles to allow each string’s compensation be accurately set. Setting the compensation is referred to as ‘intonating‘ the instrument and the compensation overall can be called ‘intonation‘. .

How you work out the measuring point on the saddles will be different, depending on what sort of bridge you are using. You may have to move the bridge or neck slightly to get it right. Be wary of any gaps in the neck/body join, though. You need a tight fit for a good transfer.

:) Square the Neck
The first step to having a square neck is to identify some points of reference on the neck and body of the guitar. You are looking for a couple of points that are square to the centreline of the body, and equally on either side of the centreline. It might be the nust slot on the neck; it might be a pickup rout on the body; it might be the string through-body holes on a Tele, or pivot screws on a Strat or Floyd. They must be square- for example, the bridge on a LP style body won’t be any good because it’s at an angle.
This is crucial. Again, attention to detail is paramount!
Here’s one I prepared earlier… Ignore that this guitar is finished.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...076-setup1.jpg

There are four points we will refer to. Let's call them A and B on either side of the nut, and Y and Z on either side of the pickup rout in this case- maybe a corner of the rout. It has to be a small point because you are trying to be precise, as you will see. I stick in pins at the points I want to use to measure.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...bhm-setup2.jpg
The first measurement we take is A to Y, and B to Z. If they are the same, the neck is at the correct angle compared to the body. If they are not, then the neck is pointed towards the measured shorter side.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...j93-setup3.jpg
The next measurements taken are A to Z and B to Y. If these are the same, then the neck is on the body centreline. If they are not, then the neck is straight out from the body, but not on centre. The neck needs to be moved- if A to Z is shorter, the neck needs to be moved to the A-Y side. The other reason that these measurements might be out is that the neck is twisted, but that is not going to happen with a Pit Bull kit.

:D Setting the Neck Angle (or Inclination)
There is nothing worse than playing a guitar with the wrong inclination- the angle that the neck meets the body, when that angle suits the bridge that is being used. In this case, close enough is good enough because you have a few adjustments that can be made after the guitar is finished. These adjustments include the truss rod, the bridge and the nut.

So, how to do it? It is as simple as the other steps. Set the neck in the body, install the bridge with the saddles about half height, and the pickups (or pickguard if the pickups are mounted in it).
Run your now favourite piece of string from both e-string slots on the nut to the saddles on the bridge. Check out the gaps between string and fretboard at the 12th fret and at the last fret. There should be a reasonable gap. Remember though that the string tension and truss rod will affect the finished neck. Remember, this is one of the rare cases a case where near enough is good enough.

If the inclination is too shallow, the action will be too high; if it is too steep, the strings will be rubbing across the frets. In both cases, it is worthwhile taking time to get a reasonably good angle set up now, to reduce the adjustment required later.

IMPORTANT!!! This goes for most things in life- do not use up all your adjustment during the initial setup! To do so means you have a really, REALLY bad setup.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT!!! Don’t go hacking at your new guitar to get everything right. If the neck angle seems wrong, it probably isn’t. Stop, have your favourite non-alcoholic beverage, watch the football, and come back later.

If it turns out that the neck is not sitting right, DO NOT GO HACKING AT THE GUITAR! A small amount of hack will have a huge change at the business end of the guitar. If you are convinced that there needs to be a physical change, use a shim to make the change. To make the shim, I recommend a sheet of paper and some spray-on epoxy. Spray the paper until it is wet through, LET IT DRY COMPLETELY so it doesn’t stick to the neck and is as hard as it can be so you don’t squash it. Squashing it sort of defeats the point of it.

Cut a piece or two as wide as the neck pocket and 12-20mm long. If the neck is too shallow, put it at the body end of the neck pocket. If it is too steep, put it at the nut end. If that is not enough to fix it, then you have bad or mismatched components. Of course, one of the advantages to a Pitbull guitar is that it is made to fit together well!

In summary, every time you move the neck, you need to redo all three measurements. You’ll find, however, that you’ll quickly pick up the groove, and it will only take three or four processes to get the neck right. And lastly, don’t be afraid to pencil the neck to give some guidance to get it back into the same spot after the body is finished.

Video: Attaching a Bolt-on neck
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-azQ5FMzeXA[/embed]
Video: Glueing a set-neck
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCj2AaLIa-E[/embed]

Installing Tuners to the Headstock

You’ll want to install all of the tuners in the holes and align them to be as straight as possible

Hand-tighten all the nuts on the top of the headstock so the tuners hold in place.

Now we’ll need to pre-drill a hold for the tuner screws. This is important as screws typically break at just the wrong moment and can be really difficult to remove without the right tools and know-how.

Now all the screws can be installed. Do this carefully and remember that slow and solid does the trick. I’d recommend a manual screwdriver over a drill – you don’t want anything stripped out at this point.

With a lot of tuners you will now be ready to check all the nuts and screws and make sure they’re tight. Once you’re done with this and have the bridge on, you can put your strings on.

Fitting 3-a-Side Tuners / Machine Heads

Video:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwqpHIuKoDo[/embed]
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ4XYxzurZ4[/embed]

Fitting In-Line Tuners / Machine Heads

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d7VCoM798c[/embed]

Grounding the Bridge

Video:
Preparing a channel for Grounding the Bridge
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxS4b52yFNE[/embed]


Installing the Bridge / Tremolo

Fitting the Bridge to a TL-1
Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJnIlMXiI4c[/embed]

Fitting the Bridge to a SV-1
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty_kiI8GbOg[/embed]


Scale Length Compensation

Wiring Up the Electronic Components

Introduction to Soldering

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ievAbBV0Alc[/embed]

Soldering Pickups to a TL-1

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj3NLscxD0U[/embed]

Soldering Pickups to LP-1 or MB-1

Video
Part 1
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCpawqfHnL0[/embed]
Part 2
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4DojdpYIzI[/embed]
Part 3
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVnyJx6Oo4o[/embed]

Soldering Pickups to an EX-1

Video
Part 1
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSIEMUUjAA[/embed]
Part 2
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRt1ney2nxc[/embed]
Part 3
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOYtEiM2f0A[/embed]

Soldering Pickups to a SV-1

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z07NgBhaIc[/embed]

Soldering Pickups to SG-1

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E71a4PXZ0Ck[/embed]

Wiring up an ES-1G or ES-1GT (Gibson 335 style kit)

There is a very comprehensive tutorial here which will save you time and stress if you read this before attempting to wire up your 335!

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ghlight=tubing

Wiring up the OUTPUT Jack

Jacks on guitars are usually either mono or stereo. Most being mono and this is the case with the Pit Bull guitars. The jack is usually referred to as a female phone jack.The wiring is pretty simple and straight forward.


The tip is the part that touches the pointy tip of the plug on the cord and is the hot signal or positive +. The ground or sheild is the part that touches the shaft of the plug and is the ground or negative -. On stereo jacks there are two tips. If you look at a stereo plug, there is a seperation on the shaft right below the tip. This is the part that touches the second signal on the plug. It can be used as a hot + to send out a signal to two seperate amplifiers are in the case of active pickups like the EMG it's used to collect voltage from the battery.

Always double check that tou have connected the output jack correctly. It is a common mistake when you get loads of hum and poor sound that you have soldered the output jack in reverse.

:) Stereo
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...6c15-image.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...w5ob-image.jpg
:) Mono
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...b3o8-image.jpg
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...441r-image.jpg

Grounding (Volume and tone)Pots and Switches

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Pickguard, Switches and knobs, and Strap Button Installation

Should you wish to make your own pick guard or scratch plate, you can follow the detailed guide put together by forum member Weirdbits (Scott). You will find his thread here.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/?page_...0#postid-16751


/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Fitting pickups, bridge and Parts to a ST-1

Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11hqPf3_rDY[/embed]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Fitting Pickups, bridge and Parts to a TL-1
Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laydhFzTAQM[/embed]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Fitting the Scratch Plate and Hardware - TL-1
Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUNkloMOggY[/embed]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Fitting the Strap Buttons
Video
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EhrP5O6G5U[/embed]

Choosing and refining the nut (including Locking Nuts)

The kits come with a plastic nut.
These nuts are occasionally a little too tall and this can lead to intonation problems, most often manifested as a "G" note that is mysteriously sharp on lower "E".

Check string height at the nut.
To check the height of the nut, start at the low E string, and fret it on the third fret (a “G” note).
The string should be sitting on the first fret, or close enough just to see some light through the gap between the string and the fret.

Try holding the string down on the third fret and "tap" the string above the first fret, kind of like checking the neck relief.
You should be able to press the string down just ever so slightly onto the first fret.

Try this procedure for all of the strings.
If there is a big gap, your nut needs some work.

Can you fix this? You can if you use an old set of strings to file the slots deeper.

Hold the string the same way as you hold a piece of dental floss and file the slot, angling down towards the headstock.

Alternatively, you can remove the nut by gently tapping it with a plastic faced mallet.
Then clean up the glue residue from the nut and nut slot.

Next you can sand the bottom of the nut down by attaching a piece of 180 grit paper to a flat surface and rubbing it back and forth.

Be careful to only take a little off each time and check to see how the height is going.
This method does take some time but it is very effective.

The height at the nut is critical to a good playing guitar.
If it is too high, the string will be too low at the 12th fret, probably causing a nasty buzz and intonation problems.

Most folk prefer a nut made from bone.

Making a Bone Nut from Scratch

For those of us who prefer bone nuts on our Guitars and Basses, the Stewmac String spacing rule is a very handy tool too have.

This easy to use rule gives a compensated string spacing layout.

What this means is the bottom end strings are spaced apart slightly wider than the top end, thus compensating for the thickness of the strings.

This gives a more even feel to your set up.

How this rule works is very simple.
First, mark the position of the two outside strings ( Guitars,usually 3- 5 mm, depending on gauge and personal preference, Bass 4- 6 mm).

Then take the rule and slide it along the two marks until you can see them through the slots on the rule.
You will notice that there are two series of slots, one close to the edge and the other set back.

It is important to ensure that when you are lining up the rule that you are sighting through the same series of slots, if you don’t, you will end up with a very funky spacing! :D

Remember, Bone for Tone! 8-)
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...i-IMG_1610.JPG

Putting on the Strings



Fixing String Guides

Video:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEC4RC-W6LY[/embed]

Fitting Strings on a SV-1

Video:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-Ct77KhUbI[/embed]

Setting up and Adjusting String height for great action

Video:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad4Xs8h6gwk[/embed]

Setting up and adjusting Pickup Height

Attaching a Decal
http://pitbullguitars.com/?page_id=36

Video:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsNpclOXf8M[/embed]

Setting up your Intonation

When you have your guitar strung up and tuned, you need to check the curvature of the neck.
You may see on other websites that a gap of 1/64” (0.4mm) - 1/32” (0.8mm) is required…so what does that look like, especially if you don’t have an engineers rule or other measuring device?
A standard credit card is about 0.65mm and standard business card is about 0.3mm. You can probably find these two things in your wallet or purse.
Get them out and have them handy.

Pick up your guitar and hold it in the playing position.
Put a capo or small clamp on the first fret (closest to the nut) to hold the string down.
The string needs to be contacting the first metal fret.
You can also have a friend hold down the low E string.
Next, with your picking hand, hold down the low E string at the 17th fret.
As you should see, the string forms a straight edge between the first and 17th frets.

There should be a slight gap between the E string and the 9th fret.
If not, your neck has “back bow”, which we’ll address later.
Still holding the string down, use your free hand and try to slide the business card under the E string right on top of the 9th fret.
If it slides under the string without contact, try the credit card.
If the credit card slides in without contact, try the two cards together.
If this doesn’t make contact, your neck needs some work!
Ideally, the business card should clear the string, but the credit card shouldn’t.
If the credit card clears the fret and string with ease, we have some “bow”, or relief in the neck.

On most guitars, the same rule for truss rods holds true: Right is tight, left is loose.(Pit Bull Guitars have a two way truss rod)
Looking at the truss rod adjustment on top of the neck near the tuners, the right/left arrangement is from the top of the neck looking toward the body of the guitar.
If you have back bow, you need to loosen the truss rod, or turn the nut on the truss rod left.
If you have bow, you need to tighten the truss rod, or turn the nut on the truss rod to the right.

As a technique, It is a good thing to always loosen the truss rod before adjustment.
If you start cranking the truss rod down, and it is already pretty tight, you may break it, and this is something you won't be able to fix at home in an afternoon.

There are generally two types of adjusters on truss rods: A nut for Gibson style truss rods, and a hex-head screw for just about everything else.

The hex-head is type is used on Pit Bull guitars.
Make sure the hex-head driver that came with your guitar is well seated – you don’t want to strip it out, or again your have trouble on your hands.
Generally about a ¼ turn is enough to move the neck.
If you move it more than a full turn, you may have an issue.

Step Three: Check string height at the nut.

To check the height of the nut, start at the low E string, and fret it on the third fret (a “G” note).
The string should be sitting on the first fret, or just above it, close enough just to see some light through the gap between the string and the fret.
Try holding the string down on the third fret and "tap" the string above the first fret, kind of like checking the neck relief.
You should be able to press the string down just ever so slightly onto the first fret.

Try this procedure for all of the strings.
If there is a big gap, your nut needs some work.
Can you fix this? You can if you have some nut files.
You can also use a set of old strings as they will act like files.
Hold them the same way you would hold a piece of dental floss and file the slot, always angling down towards the headstock.

Alternatively, you can remove the nut by gently tapping it with a plastic faced hammer.
Then clean away the glue residue from the nut and slot with a small file.
Next, fix a piece of 180 grit sand paper to a flat surface and rub the base of the nut.
Take your time, checking the string height regularly until you have achieved the correct height.

The height at the nut is critical to a good playing guitar.
If it is too high, the string will be too low at the 12th fret, probably causing a nasty buzz and intonation problems.

Before you continue, take a look at your bridge -- we're heading there next.
If you look at both bridges pictured below, you can see that the saddles on both are arranged similarly, with an adjustable saddle for each string.

Gibson-style Bridge

This bridge has six individually-adjustable saddles which are adjusted using the screws you can see at the bottom of the bridge facing the stop tailpiece.
The screws have a slot head, requiring a flat-head screwdriver.

On some guitars these screws face the other way (usually on the older or replica models).
If you have to adjust a saddle, place a soft cloth below where you're going to insert the tip of the screwdriver. This will help you avoid gouging the top of your guitar if you slip.

Turn the screw clockwise to move the saddle back and counterclockwise to move it forward.
Make small turns because a little turn can make a lot of difference.
After every adjustment to the position of the saddle, re tune the string to pitch and compare the 12th fret note and the open string.
Repeat the operation until the string has the correct intonation, then move on to the next string.

Fender-style Bridge

Although the Fender bridge looks different, the principles of setting the intonation are exactly the same as a Gibson bridge.

You move the saddles with an adjustment screw (in this case, a Phillips head screw) until the note at the 12th fret and the open string are the same.
Note: If these saddles are in a straight line, the guitar is probably not set up properly!

Step Four: Set the approximate positions of the string saddles on the bridge.

First, determine the scale of your guitar.
Measure from the body-side of the nut to precisely over the 12th Fret.
If you double this measurement, you have the scale of your guitar.

Using the distance from the nut to the 12th fret (we’ll call this measurement “x”), measure from the 12th fret to the bridge.
Using the screws on the back of the saddle, set the individual saddles to the following specs:

Note: It is easier to make the initial adjustments with the strings loosened.
Once you set the saddles, tune the guitar back to pitch.

Low E:
1/8” or 3.2mm longer than X
A:
1/16” or 1.6mm longer than X
D:
1/32” or0.8mm longer than X
G:
1/8” or 3.2mm longer than X
B:
1/16” or 1.6mm longer than X
High E:
1/32” or 0.8mm longer than X

We get the final settings once we get our saddle height, but this will get us close.

Step Five: Set string height at saddles.

Measure at the twelfth fret and set saddles so the height between the bottom of the low E string and the top of the twelfth fret is about 1/16" or 1.6mm.
The High E should set just at 1/16” or 1.6mm, this is about two credit card widths above the 12th fret (we know you have at least two credit cards!).

The other strings should be the same height, following the radius of the fretboard.
This is easy with the Gibson bridge -- just crank it up and down, and the shape of the bridge conforms to the fingerboard in most cases.
The Fender-style bridge has more adjustment range, and it may take a little more time to set it up.

Remember – This is a starting point to get your saddles set.
Your playing style may make you either raise or lower the saddles. We’re just trying to get in the ballpark.

When you complete this, the saddles on your bridge should be somewhere in the middle of their adjustment range.
If they are sitting flush on the body, or maxed out, your neck angle needs to be adjusted.
This can be done by using shims in the neck pocket.

To make a shim, get some photocopy paper and spray it with some epoxy type paint.
Let this dry and then cut to the shape of the neck pocket.
Next, cut it in half (width ways).
If your neck needs to slope back more, place the shim at the body end of the neck pocket. If it needs to come forward, at the open end of the pocket.
Bolt the neck back on and test the angle, repeat if needed.

Step Six: Fine tune the intonation setting with a tuner.

What we are going to do here is actually adjust the length of each string. This is the only way to make sure your guitar will play in tune all the way up the neck. You’ll need an electronic tuner for this job. You’ll need some small screwdrivers --flat tip or Phillips, depending on your bridge.

Follow these steps:
1. Hold the guitar in the playing position.
2. Hook up the electronic tuner and put it in a position where you can see it clearly.
3. Tune the entire guitar. Make sure you take your time and get it as precise as possible.
4. Start with the low E string. Play the string with a pick, and make sure it is in tune. Next, fret the string at the 12th fret, play the string, and check the tuning. It should show an E in tune.
5. If the note played at the 12th Fret is in tune like the open string, the string is properly intonated. If is isn’t continue to step 6.
6. If the note played at the 12th Fret is flat (below E), take your screwdriver and move the saddle toward the pickups. If the note was sharp (Above E), move the saddle away from the pickups. The General Rule: Flat = Forward
7. Continue this process until the open string and that same string fretted at the 12th fret are in perfect tune with each other.
8. Continue this process for all strings, and keep going back and checking the settings for each one.


Video - Setting up your Intonation
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nZD_9SY1dI[/embed]

Entering GOTM (Guitar Of The Month)

Pit Bull Guitars encourage you to enter your finished guitar in the Guitar of the Month competition.
It is a bit of fun and gives you the opportunity to show off your hard work.

To enter Pit Bull Guitar of The Month, you need at least 4 shots of your finished guitar:

:) Full guitar shot from the front
:) close up on the body (get right in there)
:) close up of the headstock
:) A shot of the back of the guitar

Use a good camera with good lighting to highlight the finish of your guitar.
Pit Bull Guitars encourages you to use your own logo on the headstock to show you are proud of your work!

A bit of a story line on your build is also appreciated and can make the difference in the competition.

Hi i carnt seem to find Information on how to install my turnomatic brige on my LP 1 can you please drict me to the right area thanks shelly

Hi Shelly, which part of installing the tunomatic bridge do you need to know ? You should paint/stain finish the body before you knock in the bridge and tailpiece bushes into the body. Don't forget to run an earth wire so the bare wire touches the bridge post bush and runs to the control cavity then knock the bush in making sure it makes good contact with the bare wire.
Once all 4 bushes are in flush with the body thread the anchor screws and bridge height screws in and slot the tailpiece and bridge ontop, most people face the bridge saddle screws to the neck/pickups but that's a personal preference.
here's a quick Stewart MacDonald tutorial on the subject
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Repa...ed/i-4557.html

how do you install the bridge on an rc-1 , i can't find how to do any ones like it either ?

Hi SB,
I've not built an RC-1 kit but looking at the picture on the site its a standard tune-o-matic bridge that will be screwed into the bridge bush posts (these will be hammered into the 2 holes south of the bridge pup) and the trapeze tailpiece must screw into the bottom side where the strap pin is located (I am only guessing here)
I know DingoBass has built an RC-1 and Brendan and Gav Turner are currently building one so they should be able to shed more light.

Wokka.... BWAHHHH Hammered bridge posts... If you have a drill press use that to press the posts in. Hammering 9 times out of 10 will result in some damage to the body, because u you missed the damned post... and how do I know this... experience.. :D

The RC-1 bridge screws onto the body of the guitar at the guitar strap point. The bridge is connected at the position where the bridge posts have been pre-drilled.

If you dont have access to a drill p[ress to push the bushings in, use a scrap piece of timber between the bushing and your hammer... this will save you marking or damaging the bush and it also absorbes the shock of the hammer blow, converting it to a push rather than a whack!

yes I didn't explain myself very well with the use of the word hammering. I don't have a drill press but I use a piece of scrap wood with flat edges to knock the bushes in.
Touch wood I haven't done any damage to guitar bodies...............yet !

okey dokey , thanks guys

Re: pressing vs whacking in tuner bushes - has anyone tried using a F-style quick clamp as the press? (If not, I will give it a crack anyway at let you know how it goes)

Works well, if you have one big enough to reach :)

Cheers DB - they're only about an inch in from the edge, so "how hard can it be?"...

If you have a vertical drill press, use that. I use mine all the time as a press for small jobs

A drill press as a press, huh? I had never thought of that. Amazing how stupid you can feel when someone points out the bleedin' obvious.

Hey guys, quick question.

Do I install the bridge prior to figuring out the seating of a bolt on neck?

I'm building an STA-1M kit and I don't want to lock myself in with the bridge to figure out after drilling that it needs to be moved to compensate for the neck.

Is there much room to move anyway with a tremelo?

Cheers.

Nick - clamp the neck on with a quick grip & then string her up - will give you a chance to move things around before the commit with drilling and screws.

Here's DB setting up a P Bass bridge - I know the ST bridges are kinda fixed, but will help with the way to set up the neck... http://www.pitbullguitars.com/commun...wtopic&t=280.1

Hey, Gavin just had a birthday recently that my mates got me and they got me a jk-2 model. Is there a video for sanding?
I would be happy to sand lots. Also is there a different way to sand different models of guitars
thanks for your time

S_Rat - try this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRXXvkN2Tc0 - has our one and only Gavmeister himself on the intricacies of sanding. Ultimately in terms of guitars and different ways - really comes down to - sand with the grain. Different shapes make this more fun, but the principles are the same.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by S_RAT_

Hey, Gavin just had a birthday recently that my mates got me and they got me a jk-2 model. Is there a video for sanding?
I would be happy to sand lots. Also is there a different way to sand different models of guitars
thanks for your time

---

Sand in the direction of the grain, start with 180 and work your way up to 400.
Use each grit until all the marks from the previous grit have been removed.
On a flat surfaced Guitar, it helps to use a sanding block so you dont end up with dips and other gremlins :)

With the sides, sand in the direction of the rings or lines in the timber, that will enable you to remove any machining marks.

My rule of thumb when sanding is Sand, sand and sand. Then sand it again and when you are sick of sanding give it to your wife/ partner to sand :p