ES-1GL (newbie build!)

Got my ES-1GL started...the bridge holes were actually drilled for righty, so after talking with Adam I decided to fill in all 4, and am going to get a trapeze stop tail and do a floating bridge.

I got the 4 holes filled with hardwood dowels, got them sanded down smoother than a baby's butt...my only concern is that the dowels are going to take the stain. I'm going to do a sunburst with wudtone...amber inner burst and mahogany outer...neck in mahogany with aging high gloss.

I guess with that finish I'm just going to see at least 2 of the 4 holes.

Or anyone have any recommendations?
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...u-es-1gl-1.jpg

Welcome to the forum. Bold move plugging the holes on your first build... I like it.

Unless you use a solid colour the plugs are always going to be visible to some degree. I guess you could try a double 'burst and go from Mahogany to Amber and then blend back to some more Mahogany around the plugs... but I doubt that would really work to obscure them. Or, if you're feeling game, you could try to hide/minimise the plugs with maple veneer caps. That would involve drilling out about 1mm from the top of the plugs and then glueing in circular pieces of maple veneer. I've never tried it, but If done with care and precision I think it could work. There will still be a grain/flame difference and, at the very least, the outline of the circles, but the maple veneers should take the stain/Wudtone similar to the rest of the cap. Just an idea.

Good luck with the build... and what is it with all the left handers at the moment?

Hmmmm....hadn't thought of trying to do a veneer on top, that might be a little beyond my skill level...but...wonder if there's a basswood veneer out there? I may just have to resolve to the fact with the color I want to do, I am always going to see the holes, and just be fine with that.

and South Paws are gunning up for a revolution!

So, first coat of the mahogany deep color coat is done on the back, sides, and neck. I'm pretty pleased with the color so far, seems to be getting richer and darker as it dries...but I am a little hesitant to start the burst on the front.

I need to find a scrap piece to practice the burst on and make sure I don't screw it up. I really want a very gentle fade into the center (like this http://gregboyd.com/instrument_detai...rument_key=330)...I've watched the video on how to do it, but it seems to be more hard lines. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get a gentle fade? Was thinking to do the outer, and the center, then mix the mahogany stain with a bit of water to fade it in, but have no idea if that would work or not?


http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...14-01-07-1.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...14-01-07-2.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...2014-01-07.jpg

not that an easy fade that one.
wonder if its possible to spray a watered down wudtone

The grain on the back looks fantastic! Nice work mcgrawaw

McGrawaw, with the gentle fade of the burst you could try rubbing a reducer onto the area you want to lighten the colour. I've used this on my ash strat --> http://www.feastwatson.com.au/consum...t-details/1541
it is very effective but I'd recommend practicing first as it is as effective as an eraser at lightening colours, as long as the colours haven't fully dried.
It took me a few goes to get the burst looking like a smooth transition of colours. You will need a separate rag for mahogany and amber to darken where you used too much reducer. It's all experimentation and practice what I've seen so far.
The back/sides and neck have come up great in mahogany, I built an ES and did the body back/sides the same colour, it suits these body shapes well

Hi Mcgrawaw, i'm a lefty with the same kit, same issues.

Havent built mine yet.
2 solutions - make a feature of it, or hide it.
I'm going to do a rectangular ebony insert and redrill - will look a bit like a thin box behind the bridge pup.
Other solutions I have thought of are:
plug and use discs under the bridge posts (like a switch plate on a Les Paul) to cover the difference between plugged holes and new.
Go a solid colour.
My solution.
Wierdys solution
Your solution - if you handmake your floating bridge, you could make the parts in contact with the body wide enough to cover a plugged repair. My solution is a bit like this - an inset plate, drilled, with the TOM bridge on top

Good luck, and welcome, I will be watching with interest

Hey Stan - the floating bridge I have (rosewood) will cover the top holes (or should cover 90% of them). I ordered a trapeze tailpiece to go on it, but I doubt that go up to cover the bottom plugs...so it's just going to be there. I really wanted to get a Bigsby B70...but the only ones I could find for a lefty were around 200. That'll be a future upgrade I guess!

For the fade...would the reducer essentially be the same as mixing the stain with water? Like, if I 4 mixes...one straight mahogany, one with a touch of water, one with a little more water, and then the amber? Do you guys think that would work?

Thanks guys!

Andy

Mcgrawaw - welcome along - looking nice - sounds like you've put some thought into the build - should be a cracker!

Very brave taking on a 335 as a first build. Don't forget to check out the thread on installing the pots with tubing......or Wokka, DB. And I will see you in our therapy classes....

Andy, the back, sides and neck have turned out great, really nice looking colour. Just be careful with getting Wudtone on the neck heel where it will sit (and be glued into) the body, as you need bare wood to ensure a good bond. In the photo you posted it looks like a bit of Mahogany is starting to creep onto the contact patch (maybe?).
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...2014-01-07.jpg

Just check where the edge of the body will sit around the neck heel, measure about 5-6mm further in to ensure no bare wood will show, and then carefully use some 80 grit sandpaper to remove any Wudtone from the contact patch of the heel.

As far using water, Wudtone is an oil and wax based finish so I'm not sure water would be your best choice. But, DB and Gav are probably the best people to advise you about this. Sunbursts with Wudtone are a bit of a black art, either it works really easily like in the demo videos or you have to really work at it to get a good result. Colour choice, deep colour and base coat combos, plus wood type all have an impact. Super fine (0000) steel wool can help a lot in getting your colour transition to work. You normally use it to lightly 'sand' the Wudtone between coats, but with a bit of careful rubbing you can help the colour blend/transition, particularly rubbing back the darker colour. But, like I said, it's a black art so your experience and results may vary. Best to experiment if you can, but understand that you will get different results on different woods.

"Was thinking to do the outer, and the center, then mix the mahogany stain with a bit of water to fade it in, but have no idea if that would work or not?"


You were WHAT?????

No water....you are dealing with a solvent based paint. You can use water on water based stains and water based paint. For solvent based paint like Wudtone, you use Shellite aka Lighter Fluid!

Hey Andy, you can still use a stop tailpiece with the floating bridge - I'll be doing this mine. That way you don't have to fix any holes.
Now I'll have to look at floating bridges as a solution as well, if I can find a wide one!

Just another option if you decide not to use the trapeze.

See Gavin, this is why I post stupid questions! Wait...there are no stupid questions, only stupid people!

and Stan, I looked at the floating bride with the stop tail, but I didn't like the look. My other option is to redrill the holes in the correct positions, but I think I'm a little nervous of doing that.

I had put these in the wudtone thread as well, but figured I'd add back in to my build diary to show the progress. After struggling with glue spots on the front, I've gotten those taken care of, but have a few other issues now with lines and light spots...always something I guess!

I've also decided to replace the standard hardware (with the exception of the pickups...that's for a later day), and did a little mock up of what I've got so far.

I'm looking forward to getting the damn finishing done so I can start putting this bad boy together!


http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...123_190714.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...123_193757.jpg

Nice! Very nice! I'm always a sucker for a trapeze tailpiece, it turns any semi-hollow into a masterpiece. Got one lined up for my florentine as well. You've done an outstanding job with the finish - especially the burst. An amazing first effort dude!

cheers,
Gav.

Hey McGrawaw, firstly, that is an amazing finish, you've really brought out the best of that veneer. Looks amazing.

I think I've had a bit of communication with you, or your partner, about the incorrectly drilled bridge post holes on these kits. I see you have plugged them, which is what we recommended. But, looking at your photos, they look to be on the right angle?? I'm just curious, did you check the holes as they came with the kit? Were they wrong?

Beautiful colour McGrawaw. Done a nice job on this one!

Adam, if it is the same as mine - the tail piece holes are square, so it is fine, but the bridge is drilled for a right hander.
You can see the top hole just under the top of the floating bridge

Hey Stan, yes, I can see it now, it is clearly drilled for a right hander. I was looking at the photos from a right hand perspective.

For what it's worth, we did let the factory know about this issue and the next lot of left hand ES-1G kits will be drilled correctly.

Adam...yeah I did check it before I started plugging, but even if it were drilled right, I think I would have gone with this style anyway. I like the trapeze style and rosewood bridge better anyway!

Question though...once I get the finish completed (I'm hoping this weekend), is it better to get the hardware and electronics done first, or glue the neck in? I've watched your tutorial on how to glue a neck, as well as others on youtube...you're the only one I've seen that puts the strings on to make sure the neck is aligned properly...the rest really just throw it on and glue it, or at the most, measure from the nut to the 12th fret, and then from the 12th fret to the bridge. (how do I do that on a floating bridge?)

I'll be honest, I'm having a bit of anxiety on gluing the neck in place...seems like that would be a hard one to recover from!

You need to get the neck on and aligned otherwise you may find that the neck isnt on straight and the strings will 'fall off" the fretboard when you try to fret a note.
Since you are using a floating bridge, if you YOUTUBE intonating a floating bridge, there are some good videos there on how it is done.

While I'm here, before you glue the neck in, please check the height of the floating bridge that the saddles will be above the soundboard of the guitar when in position with the saddles/ bridge fully wound down so that the metal of the saddle is touching the rosewood base. Compare this height with the supplied bridge. You want to be sure that there isn't a difference or that you can easily manipulate the floating bridge to operate in the same range as the supplied bridge. If this is not the case then you may have to reduce or build up your floating bridge or you will not be able to get your 'action' right because the strings are too high off the fretboard or too low off the fretboard ( in the latter case, they are ON the fretboard and you are unable to raise them off!)

Finally getting back to this...got the final finish completed, top coat done, binding meticulously scraped (ROYAL pain in the @$$....)

Neck is glued and clamped as of 10 minutes ago.

Pickups upgraded to Seymour Duncan Jazz Model Sh-2...will put nickel covers on it.

All I really have left is the electronics..."all"...this is going to get interesting.

Anyone know a good shrink?


http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...nal-finish.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...neck-glued.jpg

looks great, hope mine comes up as good!

Looking fantastic!
If you use the aquarium pipe method to install the wiring you'll only need therapy for a month. Highly recommended.

Cheers,
Gav.

Quote:

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/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from gavinturner on February 1, 2014, 09:38
Looking fantastic!
If you use the aquarium pipe method to install the wiring you'll only need therapy for a month. Highly recommended.

Cheers,
Gav.

---

Do you have a favourite, Gav?
;-)

Got the wiring and pots soldered...I think I got it right...(I hope!)

Though, I think I have the switch wired backward to the pots...

the picture is kind of hard to see, but does anyone see any glaring mistakes in how it's wired??

What's the best way to test this before I go put it in the body?


http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...wm3-wiring.jpg

Looks like you still need to connect the left-hand (in image) unused lugs of the two volume pots to ground on their respective casings (the volume pots each need a path to ground). Just gently push the lug back until it touches the casing and solder it in place, or if you prefer not to bend the lug you can solder a short length of wire from the lug to the back of the pot.

Also, it may pay to check both of your caps to make sure the leg that connects to the pot's middle lug doesn't touch, press against, or have some solder on, the pot casing (looks kinda close on the one nearest the output jack). If those lug side legs make contact with the casing you will essentially be bypassing the cap and sending the unfiltered signal to ground (which would be bad). In situations where a lead may short against something else you can either use heatshrink tubing, or slide some stripped plastic insulation onto the lead before you solder it, just to be safe.

If you have a multimeter it is a good idea to check continuity with your grounds and switch etc. And, if you have some alligator leads just clip a pickup onto a volume pot, connect a headphone amp to the output and gently tap the polepieces on the pickup with something metal like a screwdriver... that at least allows you to check for sound, volume etc, but won't tell you if it will sound good. Use a headphone amp if you can, as even at low volumes the tapping can be harsh on speakers.

Cool. Thanks Scott, totally missed that left hand lug!

Looking back at the diagram I was following...the capacitor on the tone pots isn't supposed to be touching the right hand lug is it, but it looks like it might in the diagram? Cause I didn't do that...

The tone pot typically has the wire connect to the middle lug and one leg of the cap connect to the left lug and the other leg to ground on the back of the pot (or the wire goes to the left lug and cap leg on the middle lug, like yours). As long as one leg of the cap is connected to the pot lug and the other end is grounded, then it will act as a filter like it's supposed to. The 'right' lug (in image) should not have a connection on a tone pot (in most cases).

Just wondering... do the Pit Bull 'L' kits (for the non-standard segment of society) have standard pots, or reverse log pots etc? Because the type of pot and the way you wire them willl impact how they function ie., clockwise on/off etc.

That's a good question...I'm assuming it does, but it never occurred to me that the wiring diagram was specific for a righty.

Crap.

Look for markings on your pots, there should be something like 500KA or A500K (where the A could be either A, B, or C). If they are marked with an A then they are 'right hander' log/audio taper. If they are B then they are linear taper (non-handed), and if they are C they should be reverse audio/anti-log taper 'left hander' pots. I'm hoping they are marked, but if not then you can use a multimeter to find out what they are. The tapers associated with A, B and C markings aren't necessarily standard, but the above are the most common for us. And, when I say 'right hander'/'left hander' I'm referring to the player, not the technical description of the taper slope.

The next issues are: how do you want your controls to function, and what are you used to? Do you want your max volume to be at clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation etc? How are your other lefty guitars wired, do you have a preference?