Rich's AGJM-1 Build

[Simon Barden]

I'd go with 500k pots. Bareknuckle's wiring diagram for two P90s shows 500k, and that's what Gibson use. And with the higher DCR of the 'Pig 90, you want 500k to get as much brightness as you can, otherwise with 250k pots it could get quite muddy sounding.

https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk...sp_bd4beb2.pdf

[Richy17]

I'd go with 500k pots. Bareknuckle's wiring diagram for two P90s shows 500k, and that's what Gibson use. And with the higher DCR of the 'Pig 90, you want 500k to get as much brightness as you can, otherwise with 250k pots it could get quite muddy sounding.

https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk...sp_bd4beb2.pdf

I'm definitely leaning that way. I read somewhere that Gibson used a 500k volume and a 250k tone pot (or vice versa) back on the early ones. Atleast its really basic wiring so it won't be such a big deal to swap parts in and out. I guess i could use some wires with alligator clips to trial things?

[Simon Barden]

You can, though grounding the pots themselves is harder on a temporary basis. If it were me, I'd go for 500k to start with, then if things were sounding too bright (which I doubt), then swap to a 250k for the tone first, then if still bright, then 250k for the volume after that. Or with the 500k pots in place, wiring a 470k ohm resistor across each pot (the two outer tags on the pots) with clips will simulate 250k pots without having to fit them first to see if the change is better or worse.

[Richy17]

You can, though grounding the pots themselves is harder on a temporary basis. If it were me, I'd go for 500k to start with, then if things were sounding too bright (which I doubt), then swap to a 250k for the tone first, then if still bright, then 250k for the volume after that. Or with the 500k pots in place, wiring a 470k ohm resistor across each pot (the two outer tags on the pots) with clips will simulate 250k pots without having to fit them first to see if the change is better or worse.

Sounds like a great plan. Really appreciate your input mate !

[Richy17]

Long time between updates but here is where I'm up to now.

Finally got the chance to go and mix some Pelham blue and was fully set on starting the painting process, Previously I'd ordered some Stunning Stains Shots from Crimson Guitars in the UK for another project (I will make a build diary for this one soon) and decided that since I'm going to be painting the AG i may as well play around with some stains to see how they go on. I mixed a few of the stains(which i think is more like a dye) together and ended up with this deep teal colour. I really liked how it was looking so the Pelham Blue is shelved for now.

After the initial wipe on



I liked how it was highlighting the grain but it lacked the depth i wanted so i ended up mixing some of the dye in with my nitro clear and applied a few coats.



The colour is hard to capture under the fluro lights in the booth.

This is after about 5 days of twice a day clear sessions with a block back in between. Im just about there with the clear stage now so it'll hang up for about a month before i give it its final knock back and buff. I really could have just used Polyurethane Clear on this and been done in a day but wheres the fun in that



Now onto making the scratch plate and trying to work out what to put on the headstock

[wazkelly]

Nice & shiny.

[phrozin]

just been reading your clearing process thought id chime in so others can take on board, with certain wood (specialy hollow body ply bass mapel ext) if you want a deeper colour some tight grain woods dont except dye's and stains very well they end up looking washed out, the problem is sanding the wood to fine if your wanting to get that real deep look dont sand the body any finer than 180grit i dont go any finer than 120grit what it does is leaves the pours open enough to let the dye soak, down side is clearing over a 120grit surface i lay 6 to 8 coats of clear leaving it 2 days then wet sanding with 800grit w&d. then another 6 coats then the usual polishing, hollow bodys are terrible for leaving a half baked look to them i have done this the last 5 builds i have done and im in the middle of a hollow body thats looking real nice

I know you have done your clearing but if you have put a bit of dye in the clear make sure you go over it with only straight clear other wise when polishing can open you up to a streaky looking clear coat as you will never sand it equaly, i do the same thing if im not quite happy with the colour

not trying to hijack your thread i dont post very much and figured you may have had a similar problem with the stain and clear

[Richy17]

just been reading your clearing process thought id chime in so others can take on board, with certain wood (specialy hollow body ply bass mapel ext) if you want a deeper colour some tight grain woods dont except dye's and stains very well they end up looking washed out, the problem is sanding the wood to fine if your wanting to get that real deep look dont sand the body any finer than 180grit i dont go any finer than 120grit what it does is leaves the pours open enough to let the dye soak, down side is clearing over a 120grit surface i lay 6 to 8 coats of clear leaving it 2 days then wet sanding with 800grit w&d. then another 6 coats then the usual polishing, hollow bodys are terrible for leaving a half baked look to them i have done this the last 5 builds i have done and im in the middle of a hollow body thats looking real nice

I know you have done your clearing but if you have put a bit of dye in the clear make sure you go over it with only straight clear other wise when polishing can open you up to a streaky looking clear coat as you will never sand it equaly, i do the same thing if im not quite happy with the colour

not trying to hijack your thread i dont post very much and figured you may have had a similar problem with the stain and clear

All good mate

The tinted coats are under at least 10 coats of clear. I’ve been slowly adding coats between other jobs at work for nearly two weeks

[Richy17]

A little update on where I'm currently at with this build:

Made a template for the pick guard out of MDF. Hadn't finished the shaping when this photo was taken as i decided to remake it with some thicker MDF (and of course i forgot to take a photo of that)



My initial plan for this guitar was 3 ply B/W/B but for some reason i decided to make a pearloid guard just to see and also to test out my method of shaping it. Still not sure on the combo but will probably finish making it incase i feel like a little change down the road.





I prefer it with the 3 ply black. This was about the point i realised that id slightly melted the edges with the dremel trying to polish where i put a 45 on it



A little bit of careful blocking to fix the edge and also drilled and beveled the screw holes

[Richy17]

This whole time I've been building this guitar I've been racking my brain trying to come up with something to call it. Didn't really want to use my surname due to there being a guitar builder out there with the same name. (not that I'm planning on going into business anytime soon lol)

But anyway since i have two small kids and work 65+ hours every week i decided that this fitted well.





And a couple more coats of clear to bury the logo



Also added this to the back of the headstock



How she currently sits. Another week till i can start the polishing process.