Plastic Bits - Dumb Questions

Hi Guru's of the Guitar Building World,

A couple of dumb questions if I may?

I am building an LP-1M and the cavity covers have me stumped.

They are chamfered along the outside edge, which makes me think that that side faces out.

However, the countersink for the screws is on the opposite side to the chamfer - which means the cover goes on with the chamfer (and shiny side) facing inwards.

Which way do they go?

Secondly, the plastic bits which surround the pickups, there is a thin one and a thick one, which is neck and which is bridge?

For that matter as they are tapered which way should the taper run?

I feel like a goose for asking such dumb questions...

Hi Rabbitz

I'm not a guru but but the chamfered side usuallu goes up with the shiny side which is shielded with a removable thin plastic cover. Sounds like the counter sinking might have been made on the wrong side of your plastic. Can't tell without pics fo sure.

Can't comment on the pickup surrounds thought cause haven't build that particular kit.

It looks to me like the countersink is on the wrong side, except I would be surprised if the counter sink wasn't part of the die or mould...

The shiny sides are quite scuffed up (no protective plastic, which would have been a give away) so no great loss if I mount them backwards, but it would look better with the chamfered side outwards.

for the pickup surrounds the thick one is the bridge and the thin one is the neck.
They taper towards the neck.
Better to ask questions then get it wrong mate

Can' see the bits but it might look weird with plastic upside down. If you have enough plastic surrounding the screwholes, you could chamfer the edges yourself. Or at least round them up a bit so they would not stand out too much from the body surface. I used dremel with mine and it was surprisingly easy to chamfer edges.

You can polish the plastics too with the right stuff so you don't have to flip them. Someone living in your part of the world could maybe give some tips?

Thanks Stan.

Arzi, to be honest after thinking about it, I am not overly concerned as it is the back of the axe and the plastic looks quite soft so scuffing will inevitably happen.

Fair enough and true. Good luck with your build. :)

I thought the chamfered edge was so it would settle into a recess and so you didn't have a completely square contact with the edge of the recess that would make it difficult to lift out.

(is the non-shiny side, non-shiny because it has a layer of protective plastic on it? that would make it the outside side)

Hi Sam,

The non-shiny side is slightly textured. No plastic - I agree that would have been a give away.

I think I'll have to go with the screw hole countersinks (is countersinks a word?) as there isn't enough meat to countersink the other side.

True about the recess Sam. Did not think about that. So the sinks would be on the right side then.

The only dumb question you can ever ask is the question you dont ask :)

The countersinks are on the completely flat side which faces outward, as Sam said the rounded edge is so it sits easier.

Hi Rabbitz, as others have said the control cover chamfer should face down toward the recess and countersunk holes ontop. Sometimes the cover top is roughed up and the smooth side faces down which is probably an error in the factory.