Build #1: DTL-1 (American Ash body)

[craig747400]

The undersize of neck bolt holes in the body is very useful for marking the hole positions in the neck. With the neck clamped in position you can either use a drill that fits the hole to mark the neck (be very careful not to cut into the body hole wall) or gently tighten the screws until they just mark the surface of the neck. In either case use a drill press (if available) or great care drill the "tapping" holes in the neck (make sure you don't make those holes too deep), and the clearance holes in the body - these two sets of holes will be different sizes, I think it's 3.5mm in the neck and 4.5 in the body.

Great idea to know, but this kit has the body holes predrilled.

[McCreed]

Great idea to know, but this kit has the body holes predrilled.

robsmith is talking about using the predrilled holes in the body to mark out and drill the holes required in the heel of the neck.
TTBOMK none of the kits come with holes in the heel predrilled. He also reiterates what I posted about appropriately enlarging the mounting holes in the body to allow the screws to pass through without resistance.

[craig747400]

robsmith is talking about using the predrilled holes in the body to mark out and drill the holes required in the heel of the neck.
TTBOMK none of the kits come with holes in the heel predrilled. He also reiterates what I posted about appropriately enlarging the mounting holes in the body to allow the screws to pass through without resistance.

Picture tells a thousand words.

[McCreed]

Sorry, I stand corrected. That's the first time I've seen that.
Hopefully they've been drilled correctly.

[robsmith]

McCreed - You're not the only one that hopes those holes are in the right place. I've heard first hand the mutterings from someone who found that kit drilled holes were neither the right distance from the nut, nor on the right spacing for the pre-drilled holes in the body, and were also clearance diameter for the screws. You can imagine the utterances and the amount of work needed to resolve the problems - basically carefully enlarge the neck holes, plug them with hardwood dowels then drill them in the right places. I only got involved in the job because I have a small pillar drill which was essential for this job.
(nb.This was not a PBG kit, but from a no brand source on the internet, which "vanished" as soon as questions were asked....)

[jonwhitear]

Hopefully they've been drilled correctly.

Agreed, though I'd be surprised if they are. I find that necks usually need the corners of the heel rounded off to make them seat in the pocket nicely. If that's the case here, then even if the neck holes were drilled to match the body, they'll end up in the wrong place.

It's not such a big deal to drill and dowel the holes in the body - I tend to do it as a matter of course so that I can get better alignment, and make sure that the neck plate is square. I haven't had to do this for the neck, as none of my necks have come pre-drilled.

[McCreed]

Agreed, though I'd be surprised if they are. I find that necks usually need the corners of the heel rounded off to make them seat in the pocket nicely. If that's the case here, then even if the neck holes were drilled to match the body, they'll end up in the wrong place.

It's not such a big deal to drill and dowel the holes in the body - I tend to do it as a matter of course so that I can get better alignment, and make sure that the neck plate is square. I haven't had to do this for the neck, as none of my necks have come pre-drilled.

I have done the plug & redrill with neck heels, and it's not any more work or difficulty than doing the body holes. However a drill press makes that sort of job easier (which I'm fortunate to have).

[craig747400]

Supplies have arrived whilst I was in London town. Still awaiting my ferrules.



50th birthday gift.



Cat loved the gift box.



PS: her name is Polly, because she is the colour of Polly Waffle, chocolate, marshmallow and wafer.

[craig747400]

I measured my JV Strat, to get the scale length/saddle positions as a reference. Confirmed: low E = 652mm, high E = 648mm.

[craig747400]

Note to self: the saddle screws of the aftermarket items, were significantly shorter than the screws in the kit’s bridge, so they are not a direct swap. The screws are the same thread, so I swapped the kit’s screws into the new brass saddles. The wrong length screws would muck-up the intonation if they were swapped later on.