First Kit Build LP1

Took me a while to decide to do this but now really excited. The kit arrived yesterday and got onto sanding straight away.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...z-P6160508.JPG

Hey there Peter, welcome aboard. You've made an excellent choice deciding to go ahead with a build. :)

I must warn you though, prepare yourself for a long-time hobby: guitar building is addictive.

What are your plans for the build?

Welcome Peter!

Looks like a great kit you've got there. Very interested to see what you do with it. Are you planning Wudtone, stain, solid colour?

cheers,
Gav.

Welcome Peter,
good move to build a kit and LP-1 is a very popular model. Let us know what plans you have regarding stains. There's plenty of help on the forum so don't be shy to ask questions.
Take your time and enjoy the ride.
Good luck fighting the addiction of building more guitars !

Thanks for the warm welcome. First build so keeping it simple. Going with Wudtone Flamenco Cherry on body and neck. Will post a pic of stain coat soon. Thinking about shaping the headstock but not certain how to do it. Fret saw perhaps? I don't have many tools and band saw out of question.

On the guitar front. I used to own a cherry red LP Studio (about 1997 model. It was a pig of a guitar to play. Needless to say sold it but still hanker after a LP. So.... went for a kit and hopefully save a lot of $$ The kit looks almost as well made as the Gibson I owned (a bit lighter but not such a bad thing the LP was a heavy mother). Also get the satisfaction of playing guitar I have made (well mostly)

If you are looking for something different in a pick guard for your "strat or tele" have a look at this. Got one on my USA made Highway 1 and it looks great. I am not associated with this business just a customer.
http://www.prosteelpickguards.com/

sounds like a great plan Peter, cherry flamenco will look great.
Thanks for the custom pickguard link, looks pretty good the brief time I saw the site.
Wonder why your 1997 LP studio was a pig of a guitar, did it sound bad or wasn't set up correctly ?

LP set up not so good but it annoyed me enough in other ways to get moved on before I really got it set up properly. I was living fairly remotely so no guitar techs around to help with set up. My experience with LPs very limited. Also it was tail end heavy and that made it a nuisance when practising with it on your knee. Probably should have given the LP more of a chance but such is life. Not certain if custom pick guards will fit Pitbull kits they fit the genuine article just fine.

Silly question, how do I make more posts to my diary? Not talking about 'quick replies"

yer ok the LP's are pretty heavy, you should play it standing up.
You mean you want to reply and attach photos ? Hit the 'Reply' blue button and 3 choose file buttons come up where you can attach photos

First deep stain applied but can't upload photo. My version of this post only has "quick replay" box. Can anyone help?

what device you trying to upload from Peter ? tablet/PC/mobile ?
In the top right corner there should be a blue button that says 'Reply Subscribe RSS feed'

Hit the word Reply and it should come up with a blank text box with 3 buttons saying 'choose file', hit these

Hey Pete.

On your window you should have a page that looks like the first image. After clicking the reply it will take you to another window that looks like the second image.

If not, to upload an image, try putting it on imgur first (http://imgur.com/) and then pasting the link in between the brackets brought up by this button in the toolbar http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...es/bbc/img.png.

Good luck, cause I'm keen to see how this build goes. :)

http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...Bull-Reply.JPG
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...ll-Reply-2.JPG

Thanks Adam for advice on how to use this forum.

So applied deep tint coat flamenco cherry. Here is a pic.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...Small-size.jpg

Still got a few glue spots because I found sanding them was not getting anywhere fast and there is a danger of sanding through binding. Found post about wire brushing them a bit too late. We live and learn and it is a hand made instrument so get some quirks.

Since writing first bit decided to do something about glue spots. Got wire brush from $2 shop and gave them a lite brushing. Got rid of the more obvious ones. Little rub with the stain and bingo. Was careful not to sand off too much colour and it worked. So the glue spot you can see in lower waist of guitar has gone.

Peter, 1st coat looking pretty good, glad you got the glue spots out. Beware these flame maple caps are only about half a mm thick and very easy to sand through. Doubt you will sand through the binding.
For future reference wipe a damp cloth over the body before you start any staining and any machine marks or glue should be more obvious.
Are you going to shape the headstock before you do any more stain coats?
Also try not to stain the neck heel which will be glued to the neck pocket. The glue needs to adhere to raw timber.
Also you have missed staining the curved part of the neck heel will be visible. Fit it into the neck pocket to see how much it protudes, its not much

Wokka

In two minds about shaping head stock as not certain how to cut it. Hacksaw?

I would go a coping saw if you are looking to do it by hand.

Cut out your rough shape with that, then do the finer adjustments with a rasp and sandpaper.

Also, as Wokka said, don't forget to stain the front part of your neck heel.

hi Peter,
I use a jigsaw to rough the headstock shape out, then a half round bastard file to finish off the shaping. 80 grit paper smooths out the edges ready for finishing with finer grades.

cheers,
Gav.

Not looking too bad. Couple of base coats and shaped head stock. Now I remember why I never liked hand held fret/coping/jig saws.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...7-P6180510.JPG

Thanks to Wokka for picking up the missed stain on curved part of head stock. Fixed.

Looking good.... Colour is great.

Decided not to show intermediate steps as they looked similar but here is pic of build after first top coat.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...-WP_000488.jpg

Neck on ready for electronics. And photo of cigar box uke side project
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...t-P6300575.JPG
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...e-P6290574.JPG

Looking great Peter! Love the colour. Kind of a Gretschy shade? Looks like it in the photo anyway. Nice!

cheers,
Gav.

Looks damn nice Pete.

PK

great result Pete, looks good!

Very happy. Soldered wiring and it worked first go. Only casualty, burnt hole in fav jumper. It is old and adds some character. Bit of a gripe. Had to "move" hole for 3 way switch a bit as it was not drilled in centre of rebate. Otherwise over the moon.

Looking very tidy. Jeez, the cherry flamenco sure looks orange in that last pic. How does the cbg uke sound? I've had all the bits to build one for months now, just need to find the time.

Pablopeppe

CGB uke sounds great even though only part finished (no sound holes yet). Was worried it would be dull cause box is covered in short haired shiny material. It stays in tune great and solid as. You need to brace box top a bit to hold tension and away you go. Waiting for piezo pickup and sound hole cover.

Tried to upload some pics but looks like it was too much for the system. Here is pic of finished product. Final wiring assembly knocked out front PUP but found dry solder and couple of shorts and bingo. Guitar works, now for the set-up. 4th fret could be high will adjust neck profile and see what happens. Had to put 3 way switch in at 90 degrees to real LP because hole for toggle not in center of rebate.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...8-P7010579.JPG

Going to leave pick guard off. Had real LP some years ago and PG was wrattley rubbish plus they look cool without PG I reckon

Here's a tip for the younger player. Check 3 way switch fits in rebate nicely before soldering on wires. My kit had hole for toggle off centre in rebate. If you need to fiddle with 3 way to make it fit while wires soldered on they will break off heaps. So fiddle with 3 way without wires attached until it fits and handle it is little as possible when wires soldered on. Make sure wires in cavity neatly before fitting cover as pushing down wires blind may break one or more off.

Had to admit defeat on setup as guitar needs nut filing and has some high/low frets that need dressing. So off the friendly guitar tech. He will also set action and intonation.

first build? excellent result, turned out really well - get in for a late entry into July GOTM, or get in first for August

My LP kit doesnt even have the toggle hole drilled - cavity is there, just no hole

Your LP has come out beautifully. Definitely should enter for GOTM August. Really well done!

cheers,
Gav.

Looks very nice. Well done on your first build.
With uploading pics, you need to reduce the size down to 700 x 1000ish.
They should then upload without any dramas :)

Thanks for all the kind comments. Guitar at techs' shop cause it had problems with set up I couldn't fix with limited tools. Needs fret dress and nut file.

LP finally back from guitar doctor. Fret dress to get rid of some unevenness and reduce height at nut etc. Plays good now and sounds great. Has nicer neck than a real LP I owned a while ago. Definitely leaving off pick guard.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...7-P7170665.JPG

great result!