Swanny's GR-1SF

[FrankenWashie]

Getting the heat into the braid helps, if you have a small soldering iron it'll be a difficult job. I used a soldering station from Jaycar, they no longer sell this model, but it did the job well.

I have a similar soldering station (Also Jaycar) and i found that the standard fine point tip struggled to heat parts to allow good solder flow. They sell a wider surfaced tip which works a hell of a lot better.

[Swanny]

By using the side of the tip against the joint, I had no problems, even soldering braid onto the back of the pot only took a few seconds.

[FrankenWashie]

yeah I did try it that way as well, but it didn't seem to do much more. Possibly a dud tip? Probably dud soldering technique has a part in that as well. I must go back and review Doc's tutorials!

Anyway with the change of tip it goes a hell of a lot better. I am just about to re-pot the FrankenWashie so its going to be fired up and pressed into service in the next couple of days.

[Swanny]

I found Doc's tutorial:

Doc's Hot Tips

[Swanny]

Decided to progress onto fitting the wiring today, so that means the X Brace for the Tonewood amp as well.




Can’t forget to earth the bridge before pounding in the bridge supports...




I used silicon tubing to pull the components through...






Test fit before I go find some glue...




The amp sticks on the back now.




Getting closer!

[Sonic Mountain]

Such a cool build. I hope we get a demo video.

[Brownsworthy]

That's brilliant Swanny, love the stain and finish and the tonewood is an excellent touch. I also love the Sierra, I run a little supercharged FX ZS Corolla, have always loved them since the 80's passed up a sky blue v6 one in the mid nineties and still kick myself.

[Swanny]

That's brilliant Swanny, love the stain and finish and the tonewood is an excellent touch. I also love the Sierra, I run a little supercharged FX ZS Corolla, have always loved them since the 80's passed up a sky blue v6 one in the mid nineties and still kick myself.

You'll fit right in here!

Of course, nothing goes to plan... the bridge post didn't hold the earth wire firmly enough. Now to find another earth - maybe where the Bigsby screws to the front?

[Swanny]

I got dragged out to a work Christmas dinner by my wife, and since I didn't really know anyone (this is a group that meets every year, though my wife left there 4 years ago, doesn't miss the job, but misses the people), I'm sitting there smiling, thinking, "What's the best way to earth the strings, without pulling the bridge post, and wrecking the veneer?"

I've come up with this plan.... the Bigsby style tailpiece is held on by three screws at the base. If I unscrew that, and drill a hole into the base of the guitar body inside the triangle created by the three screw holes, and feed a wire through the hole to inside the guitar and solder to an earth. The bit of wire outside the body, I'll strip that, tin it with solder to give it some substance, maybe in a small loop shape, and then mount the tailpiece with one of the screws going through the loop, clamping the earth wire between the tail piece and the body.

[Marcel]

I got dragged out to a work Christmas dinner by my wife, and since I didn't really know anyone (this is a group that meets every year, though my wife left there 4 years ago, doesn't miss the job, but misses the people), I'm sitting there smiling, thinking, "What's the best way to earth the strings, without pulling the bridge post, and wrecking the veneer?"

I've come up with this plan.... the Bigsby style tailpiece is held on by three screws at the base. If I unscrew that, and drill a hole into the base of the guitar body inside the triangle created by the three screw holes, and feed a wire through the hole to inside the guitar and solder to an earth. The bit of wire outside the body, I'll strip that, tin it with solder to give it some substance, maybe in a small loop shape, and then mount the tailpiece with one of the screws going through the loop, clamping the earth wire between the tail piece and the body.

Different, but should work. Biggest issue will be is how much wood is behind where that tail piece goes... you may have to drill at an angle or to one side to get into the body cavity more easily.