dBb’s JRM-1

Got the kit for Xmas and beginning the build today.

First thing I’m confused at is the scale length and the stop piece bridge. From inside of nut to centre of 12th fret is 31.1 cm’s but from centre of 12th fret to the nearest raised bridge section is something like 31.6cm’s and the furthest being almost 32,With the only adjustment available being to make this distance larger.

This is with the hooks on the tailpiece facing towards the neck, which is how I believe this should be from looking at other lp junior type guitars. If I reverse it and have the hooks on the tail piece facing away from the neck then the scale lengths match much closer.

Am I just getting this whole scale length thing wrong or what? Should I give up on this bridge and buy one with adjustable tailpieces? Or should I start making the neck pocket deeper?

Any ideas?

Welcome decibel boy,

If you could post photos it would be a lot easier for us to see what you mean, and I haven't made one of these so I not sure of issues that others may have had with this. (Someone who has made a JR kit might chime in with their scale measurements.) Having said this the distance from 12th fret to bridge will usually end up slightly longer than nut to 12th fret to achieve intonation, 5mm seems a bit much though.

I have an Epiphone Junior which measures 31cm to 12th fret and 31.2 to where the high E sits on the bridge.

cheers, Mark.

Thanks for the replies. I can’t seem to post pictures direct from my iPad, but will take some and upload on a computer later.

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Originally Posted by decibelboy

Thanks for the replies. I can’t seem to post pictures direct from my iPad, but will take some and upload on a computer later.

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The base photo size from IOS will be too big to post, unless you have an app to resize it. If you use the Tapatalk app, it should give the option to resize before posting.

I think this is similar issue to another current Jr build (Edit: actually it was a PRS-1G). I'll mention it to Adam as there might be a factory problem here (without access to some kits it's difficult to know if this is OK or not).

Before I do that, can you tell me if you've got the adjustable bridge shown in the kit picture,

Attachment 24108

Or a different type with fixed saddles, something like this?

Attachment 24109

Hello Simon,

I have a fixed bridge, although I think I will be receiving an adjustable one from Adam as I emailed him yesterday about the measurements.

As for the measurements, I went and bought an accurate straight edge as I didn’t trust the tape measure I was using. Nut to centre of 12th is 312.5 mm Attachment 24119and 12th to bridge is between 314 and 317mm depending on which of the fixed points you use, (see pic) so I reckon it’s close enough for jazz. Obviously the adjustable tail piece will make this even better.

No idea why that posted that pic in the middle of my writing. Ah well, I'll get the hang of it eventually!

Some of the sanded body and then the first coat of the dingo stain bushfire sunset. I'm not sure I should have done the face of the headstock as I think it might impact on later paint layers (I haven't actually decided on the headstock idea yet, currently musing on some kind of paint splatter / drip thing, definitely not a Gibson style finish that's for sure.)

This is my first time really playing with sanding wood etc and I am amazed at how much detail of the grain comes out as you move through the finer paper grain sizes and then how well the stain picks out the detail again. I am using the sandpaper kit supplied by Pitbull guitars and it has been great so far, especially with the access to the videos on Youtube etc.

I think I am going to leave the stain at this level of darkness, I don't want to go any darker. It's pretty cool and breezy in Sydney today, so will leave until Tuesday to put the first intensifier coat on. More pics to follow once I've done that. Then it is on to the fret work, which I am both looking forward to and also a bit fearful of. Need to buy some tools too next paycheck...

Attachment 24120
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Quote:

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Originally Posted by decibelboy

Some of the sanded body and then the first coat of the dingo stain bushfire sunset. I'm not sure I should have done the face of the headstock as I think it might impact on later paint layers (I haven't actually decided on the headstock idea yet, currently musing on some kind of paint splatter / drip thing, definitely not a Gibson style finish that's for sure.)

This is my first time really playing with sanding wood etc and I am amazed at how much detail of the grain comes out as you move through the finer paper grain sizes and then how well the stain picks out the detail again. I am using the sandpaper kit supplied by Pitbull guitars and it has been great so far, especially with the access to the videos on Youtube etc.

I think I am going to leave the stain at this level of darkness, I don't want to go any darker. It's pretty cool and breezy in Sydney today, so will leave until Tuesday to put the first intensifier coat on. More pics to follow once I've done that. Then it is on to the fret work, which I am both looking forward to and also a bit fearful of. Need to buy some tools too next paycheck...

Attachment 24120
Attachment 24121
Attachment 24122
Attachment 24123
Attachment 24124

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You didn’t contemplate a mod to the headstock? The colour is coming up really nice

The top E string 'saddle' is the important one here. You should find the adjustable bridge will get your intonation sorted.

I agree with FW, it will look a lot better if you add some shape to the top of the headstock. Douen't have to be fancy, but it will make the guitar look better.

To be honest, I hadn't even looked at the headstock! Thanks for pointing it out.

Although now I need a coping saw. And a vice. And a bigger credit card.

This is looking really cool. You could shape the headstock with a cheap jigsaw, but use a decent fine, curve cutting blade.

It is always worth investing in tools. Good ones are expensive, its true. But I don't think I have ever regretted a tool purchase in the long run. They end up paying for themselves over and over if you are doing stuff like this.

I've watched your builds Sonic and they are well impressive. I also notice you have some workshop space. (which I am also very jealous of!) I have basically a balcony and my dining room table (which I have to bargain with my wife to use, so buying more power tools other than the LiIon hand drill I have (not to mention the space to use them) is difficult. Maybe some rough shaping with a hand jigsaw would work? But where do one find one of those? Ah the joys of living in central Sydney!

Did a scrape back with steel wool tonight and another coat with the intensifier layer. Going to do another two coats of the intensifier then start on the top see through finish layer.

Attachment 24229Attachment 24230

Questions I have. What should I polish back the final coat with other that steel wool do get it shiny shiny? Do I need to get some fine sand paper? If so, how fine like 1200 - 1400? I'm aiming to finish the body completely before starting the neck. I've got a fret flattening file, some fret shaping files and a fret end shaping tool coming at the beginning of Feb (Birthday), so that should make that easier or actually doable. Then on with soldering and final setup....

Buy a coping saw. Can get them relatively cheap from a hardware / tool shop. Plusy you will need something to clamp the neck down while you saw the headstock

Yeah I appreciate that it can be a challenge in some spaces. I promise you I've been there, its taken a good 17+ years to get to what I have now and along the way I've done my share of kitchen table workshops :)

A little coping saw is not a bad idea, with a clamp (and something solid to hold it to) you could do it out on the balcony to minimise dust. It is fun to be able to add a truly personal custom touch to the guitar.

I can't help you with the finish because I've never used these products. I'm hoping to have a crack in the not to distant future, but some one who knows will be along to answer that question.

Had been thinking over the weekend what to do with the headstock, as I didn't want to just mimic a gibson style. SO...

My surname is Vincent, so why not, I thought, cut a V in the headstock.

Behold...

Attachment 24367

Obviously in doing this I then ended up cutting into my existing finely sanded and stained head, banged the back of the neck and generally funked up my so far great (if I do say so myself) handiwork. However, another half hour of sanding sorted most of these and once I re-applied the stain it covered up what looked the worse. (and anyway who looks at the very top end of the guitar anyway, they'll all be looking at my fast (pffft) fingers.

Lessons learned for the next time I build a guitar and that is why I bought a cheaper kit for my first try. Every day is a school day.

And whilst I have all your attentions. I'm looking for advice. I would like to upgrade the stock p90, as I am sure there are better p90's out there. Anyone got any suggestions. I have googled, but there are just bazillions of choices so I'm a bit lost!

Nice work on the headstock, I quite like it. Its' amazing how a small change can really lift things.

I can't help you on the pickups- to be honest, I've just been buying and trying them, like building the guitars its all learning by doing. It would be hard to go wrong with one of the upgrade options from Pitbull. Apart from anything else you'll get the PBG service, which will help negate any possible issues.

I've just fitted an IronGear P90 into a USA Hamer (in the neck neck position) to replace a Seymour Duncan made P90 that was a bit too powerful and 'thick' sounding and I'm really pleased with it. Not expensive at all. http://www.irongear.co.uk/irongear_pickups_010.htm

But I'd guess that the Tonerider P90s will be of similar quality and sound. http://www.tonerider.com/p90

Of course you can pay a lot more if you want to get that 10% of extra tone (and I will do for my ES330 build), but there are a lot out there and I'm just as confused as you about what to get when I look around.

I'm looking at P90s for my Double Cut Junior

I'm really keen on either Lollar or Fralin P90s - maybe an overwound one - I want a rock machine. But these are some of the more expensive ones. Another option is BareKnuckles.

Some makers don't seem to have dogear P90s, which is obviously what you want for a Jr.

At the end of the day the key aspects are probably price point and sound. Worth checking the numerous YouTube reviews etc

To start with I will use the stick PUP, and then work out exactly what I want. I wil probably then redo all of the electronics - new pots / caps etc

A friend whom I trust explicitly in these matters said (a few years ago now) that the Lollars were the best P90 that he'd ever heard (and apart from being in various Cambridge UK bands with Dave Gilmour and Syd Barrett, he also spent 15 years in Nashville). But things change all the time and there seem to be more pickup makers out there than ever. But the Lollars are certainly very good.

You can simply get a dog-ear cover and replacement backplate to turn a 'normal' P-90 into a dog-ear, but it is nicer to buy a complete unit. Because the ES-1 kit has a curved top, it's a bit harder to source suitable dog-ears, Flat bottoms are easy, Actually the neck location on the ES-1 is almost flat, the bridge has a definite curve. Shims are an option (and are the only workable method of getting the pickup nearer the strings for a dog-ear), but on my ES-1, the neck position won't have enough height to fit one.

Also note that a quick search for 'dog-ear P90 dimensions' turned up a whole mixture of dog-ear cover sizes, whilst the 'standard' P-90 does seem to be a standard size.

Quick update....

I finished the build. Pictures and a little build diary to come.