Questions - FS-1 Kit

Hi guys,

I'm starting the assembly of my FS-1, and I have the following questions/concerns:

1. In setting the neck position, I measure 313.5 mm from the body side of the nut to the centre of the 12th fret wire, which is about what the books say you should have. Trouble is, at that neck position, there is no room for the neck side of the pick-up surround...in other words, the neck pickup will not fit as it conflicts with the fretboard binding by about 2mm. Should I relieve the body or the neck? Moving the pickup surround back might mean it doesn't hide the pickup hole entirely. Releiving the neck ruins the binding across the end of the fretboard. Thoughts? I guess what I'm saying is that I think the neck is in the right position, but could have actually been even further toward the bridge, making this conflict worse.

2. The trapeze bridge mounting bracket - when the bracket is flush up against the side of the guitar, it is at a distinct angle, the side is not at all symmetrical at the center line. In order to get the bracket flush to the side, and the trapeze stops lined up with the bridge, the trapeze is at a big angle to the bridge...is this normal?

Anyone have a photo of the proper arrangement?

Finally, there is a small hole in the bottom bridge post hole, presumably for a grounding wire. How do you do this? Anything soldered to the bridge post would be ripped off in the act of driving the post into the hole. Do I need to but a slot from the hole down to the bottom of the post hole?

Thanks

Hey Moose,

With the bridge post grounding wire, simply take some wire and strip back the insulation from a good 2cm of wire. Splay it out slightly and then put a right-angle bend in it where the insulation ends. Now insert the other end into the hole and push it in so that the splayed ends of the wire point down into the post hole and the wire sits against the side of the post hole when the wire is inserted up to the end of the insulatio. Now push the post into the hole and you should get a good connection.

For bridge/neck position, use the stewmac fret position calculator for tune-o-matic bridges. Have a look what it says the bridge post positions should be with respect to distance from the fretboard side of the nut. It is very precise and will tell you immediately if there is a problem.

https://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

Hope this helps.

cheers,
Gav.

Here's the concern with the trapeze fitting:

Attachment 4148


Thank you, I'll check those measurements again....

Ok, with 22frets, a scale length of 2x313.5mm=627mm, I should be 628.5mm from nut to centre of treble post...and I am, within 1/2mm.

I guess I'll just have to relieve the humbucker rout a bit.

Not sure what to do with the trapeze.

Thank you for the grounding tip, seems too easy!

Any thoughts? Do I need to fabricate some sort of shim? Has one of these models ever been built with the trapeze?

Thanks.

Hi Moose,
send a PM to Ihasmario is building a FS-1 kit. Check whether he has the same issues with the trapeze.
Looks like the trapeze hinge piece needs to be curved and it looks straight in the photo

Might be easier to shape the trapeze end to suit the base of the body..
The trapeze metal is quite soft so with a heavy rubber mallet and a chunk of timber for an "anvil" you should be able to tap it into shape.
Should only need a few light whacks to get it to shape.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dingobass

...
Should only need a few light whacks to get it to shape.

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As my Dad says "Don't hit harder, get a bigger hammer".

:)

I hear what you're saying regarding shaping it to fit, but the entire face that attaches to the guitar side must be curved, and this face reaches all the way up to the binding. If I start shaping it where indicated by the red arrow, it will buckle the top face (the face on the guitar's top) either up or down, that metal has to go somewhere.

Attachment 4204

Possibly, being made from mystery metal it may be doable though.
I will have a rat through my collection of goodies and pull one out and try it.
Sometimes a background in metal fabrication comes in handy :)

I reckon you could tweak the back of it with pliers enough to put a slight curve into it.

I'd be making a wooden template to match the required shape and then work it to shape with a soft faced hammer, this should remove any risk of kinking

I'll give it a go, if it looks like it's going to warp the top face, I'll fabricate a shim that blends in with the black sides. I'll have to be careful not to pop the gold plating off. I'll keep you posted.