First Build - Ash TL

Hey All,

I've started building this kit. The mock build went well and the Wilkinson bridge installed in the correct position. Body is filled and sanded, head stock and neck shaped and finish sanded but I need to install the bone nut. I also need to do some slight adjusting to the pocket walls to allow for some finish tolerance between the neck and the wall. It is currently a slight interference fir which would bind if there was any finish in there. I'm thinking about 0.5mm off each side wall will be enough. The heel has a touch under 1mm clearance from the body as machined from the factory.

I have a question on fret leveling - How far do you go? I've got a couple up around 13th-15th and the odd one around 9th that still have texta on the outer 2-3mm of the top of the fret (just in from the bevel). Do I need to continue to level until it cuts the entire top to a uniform with of cut across the top of the fret? I made sure the neck/board was flat before I started and have been checking the tops with a long straight edge and the rocker. Don't want to over do it! I used a slotted straightedge to ensure the neck was flat and have the Pitbull radiused sanding block with 320grit on it.

I'll have to take some pics and post them up!

Hey BD,

This is where I went wrong on mine. After clamping the neck down I had pushed some of the frets more than the others. I just kept levelling and almost wrecked my neck. I had to take it to a luthier to salvage it.

I would tap the frets down with a very light plastic hammer. Making sure they are all seated properly.

Now the more experienced guys may give you a better solution.

Good luck.


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Thanks mate - After making sure the board was flat, I did give the high ones a tap with the mallet before taking the leveling block to it. I used a 600mm steel rule as a straight edge and the rocker to find the main offenders. I've re-crowned and polished them with 400, 600 then 0000 steel wool now so will need to give it a play check check once the neck can go back on the body.

I've made some progress on this build - I've gone with a cherry burst. The pick guard is pearloid white which contrasts well with the colours. I must say that I really like using the Nitro finishes - they are so forgiving to spray. Provided you use the correct PPE and ventilate the area it is all fine. I used Dartford Amber and Aged Cherry. 3 coats of Sanding Sealer first then the coloured finish.

The neck has 2 coats of amber. The headstock pic is under about 3 coats of clear nitro. It's a simple decal - Ace is my amp 'name' so I kept the theme running here. :D

The other pics show the burst process from the amber base and through to the cherry addition. The pic of the top is with x2 coats of clear on top. I think it has come out OK for a first go. I noticed there are a couple pin holes from incomplete grain filling I reckon. They have filled with the clear somewhat and I'm, hoping they'll fill some more with additional coats.

Let me know what you think!

Just noticed one small area on the front rear of the body that looks to have created a tiny (~1mm) bubble. What a pain!

I resprayed the area and pricked the bubble with a pin and it bubbled again :(. It looks like that might need attention after it has cured and sanding commences.

I’ve since had a whole bunch pop up in this area. Some are like pea sized. I must have laid it on a bit thick in that area and they formed as the lacquer was gassing off. Only thing I can do is wait, sand it off and re-do that whole zone. Live and learn!!

I've got this refinished now but have a question about the bone nut. What clearance specification between the underside of the strings and the first fret should I be aiming for? Assuming that it requires adjustment, should I sand the base of the nut or file the slots deeper?

Adjust the nut not the guitar, much easier and cheaper to fix stuff ups if they occur

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Originally Posted by dave.king1

Adjust the nut not the guitar, much easier and cheaper to fix stuff ups if they occur

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Thanks mate - Is it best to adjust the height by sanding the underside (flat edge) of the nut or cut the slots deeper? There seems to be a variety of approaches on the net where the action at the nut (string height) is set with around 0.020" clearance to the top of the first fret on low E and about 0.016-18 on the high E. Are those numbers appropriate for a telecaster? I've setup my own factory guitars and basses but have never had to adjust nuts before so this is a first for me. Sorry if this sounds like silly question!

Given that the kit nut slot is flat the underside of the nut is what i sanded down very carefully and not having nut files made the decision easy too.

I set my nut action by filing the slots in the nut [not the bottom.] You can individually adjust each strings height that way as well as ensure you get the correct break angle from the nut to the tuner post. [If the strings are too deep in the slots after cutting, I file down and re-shape the top of the nut to give me the right depths.]
I set mine with the string depressed at the 3rd fret. The measurements I typically aim for is .004" for E1 to G, and .008" for D to E6
(sometimes the D can go a bit lower). This is just my preferred method and what works for me.

[Tip: if you don't have feeler gauges, typical copy paper is about .004" thick. Just a 1 cm strip to slide under the depressed string. Then just fold it over (.008") for the heavier strings.]

Like with most things guitar, the numbers are not carved in stone. They're more of a reference point. Each instrument has it's own set of rules!

[edited to add more info]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

I set my nut action by filing the slots in the nut [not the bottom.] You can individually adjust each strings height that way as well as ensure you get the correct break angle from the nut to the tuner post. [If the strings are too deep in the slots after cutting, I file down and re-shape the top of the nut to give me the right depths.]
I set mine with the string depressed at the 3rd fret. The measurements I typically aim for is .004" for E1 to G, and .008" for D to E6
(sometimes the D can go a bit lower). This is just my preferred method and what works for me.

[Tip: if you don't have feeler gauges, typical copy paper is about .004" thick. Just a 1 cm strip to slide under the depressed string. Then just fold it over (.008") for the heavier strings.]

Like with most things guitar, the numbers are not carved in stone. They're more of a reference point. Each instrument has it's own set of rules!

[edited to add more info]

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Thank you so much for this mate - this is exactly what I was after! I have feeler gauges so no need to break out the paper. I'll take those clearances at the 1st fret with the strings depressed at the 3rd. The bone nut that I have has pre-cut slots so I guess I can use the current depth as a guide as to how much of the string protrudes above the slots.

Quote:

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Thank you so much for this mate - this is exactly what I was after! I have feeler gauges so no need to break out the paper. I'll take those clearances at the 1st fret with the strings depressed at the 3rd. The bone nut that I have has pre-cut slots so I guess I can use the current depth as a guide as to how much of the string protrudes above the slots.

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Since you have feeler gauges (and if you have a decent set of verniers*) another tip/trick for roughing in the nut slots is:

*NOTE: if you don't have verniers, you can measure the fret height with your feeler gauge this way -
Lay a straightedge across the first two frets and stack the leaves until they barely slide under the straightedge. That's your fret height. (this is done without any string on btw)

> measure the height of your first fret (from fretboard to crown)

> add .030" to that figure

> stack the feeler gauge leaves (blades) to whatever that total is

> lay the stacked leaves across the fretboard right up against the nut

> file the slot until the file just kisses the feeler gauge - stop

> move on to your next string/file size (rinse & repeat)

Now you can put the strings up on the nut and go back and fine tune each with the string depressed at the 3rd fret as laid out before.

Thanks - I have a good quality dial vernier. What does the 0.030" relate to? Just trying to understand the calculation

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigDaddy

Thanks - I have a good quality dial vernier. What does the 0.030" relate to? Just trying to understand the calculation

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0.030” imperial = 0.762mm, 0.8mm for a realistic measurement.
in this instance you want to have a rough clearance between underside of string/nut slot and top of first fret of roughly 0.8 mm. (Correct me if I’m wrong on that statement McCreed)

Quote:

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0.030” imperial = 0.762mm, 0.8mm for a realistic measurement.
in this instance you want to have a rough clearance between underside of string/nut slot and top of first fret of roughly 0.8 mm. (Correct me if I’m wrong on that statement McCreed)

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That's right FW.

Fret height (X) + .030" = (Y) string slot bottom

Fine tune from there.

Super - thanks fellas