Astracaster First Build FS-1

[fender3x]

Hopefully it will come with a trapeze tailpiece. If everything lines up as well with the new kit as with this one, it should be great.

The measurement sounds about right. Gibson necks use a 24.75" scale length. That would be 628.65 mm, so your measurement is pretty close. If you want 628 on the high E, mark make sure that you glue the neck in so that the distance from where the string comes off the nut to the point where it comes off the saddle is at least 628mm. Even if this means doing a little work on the pickup cavity to make sure the neck pickup fits. Much easier to move the neck a little close to the bridge than to drill new holes for the bridge...especially if it is that close. In your dryfit, it certainly looks like the strings line up well with the neck, bridge and pickups.

[Trevor Davies]

I'm glad you have had this sorted out!

[Drashkum]

Few more updates
Mr. Adam had mailed me with pictures of the new replacement body.









Looks like the body has a very tight neck fit, even tighter than the body I got. He had mailed me saying I may need to sand the sides of the neck pocket to make the neck fit into the body.
And also it has a dark weird grain pattern on the back of the neck and looks like a few glue spots (or inconsistent grain pattern) near the tail piece /bridge pickup.




Meanwhile I got the shipment of the piezo pickup and the Artec MB-1 master blender from Alegree.co.uk. That was super fast. It was shipped from UK to India only 5 days before. It has been a pleasure to buy from Alexander green. He clarified all my doubt and shipped it fast. He even promised me schematics for electronics if I need something special. I would recommend visiting his site to have a look. He has his own pickups and other things too.

Some pics




And the manual
http://artecsound.com/acou/images/et...er-blender.pdf

Looks like I am sorted wrt the electronics. I have a fair idea on what I want.

I am buying the SD triple shot rings so that i can chose coil split and phase of mag. Pickups at the humbucker ring which will be wired to 3 way pickup selector switch, which In turn will go to blender module where i can chose to blend with piezo or not or choose only piezo, which in turn goes to output jack.

Only thing is that i have to find a way either through the F hole or create a back cavity.


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[Drashkum]

I am planning to procure all the things this time and be ready to start the build gungho when the body reaches me this time. I have a lot of questions

1. I am buying 2 x F clamps for the neck gluing. There are 3 types available. One is twist and tight and other is one with quick release. I am not sure which can give me more / adequate pressure to clamp the neck. Would. Like to know which one do u guys prefer. Also what size to get? There are ones that are wider and there are ones that open out bigger. Not sure which one to buy

2. Masking and fine Line tapes. Again what sizes?
Fine lines are available at 4mm/6mm/10mm width
Masking tapes at 12mm/ 18mm/ 24mm

3. Do I need any file to alter the neck pocket in the replacement body. Can you guys post a picture of file that you have please?

I am trying to finalise the colour to stain the body this week. Getting a few weird leather colours. Will soon post pictures

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[fender3x]

It looks great! I especially like the look of the back. The electronics look interesting as well.

An F clamp should be fine, but I prefer a one handed clamp like this:



It will allow you to hold the neck and body together with one hand and clamp with the other. It's possible to do that with an F clamp, but you don't have to be as well coordinated with the other type ;-)

I will be very interested in how you mount the electronic components. I have never tried to install a pre or battery box on a semi hollow, so please take this FWIW...which may be nothing at all ;-)

If the pre is small enough, you might be able to fit it through the hole you would need to make for a battery box like this one:

battery box

If that works it would minimize cutting on the back of the guitar. YMMV, but I have not been able to get even a full sized pot through the F-hole on my ES4-B. If the F-hole is the same size I don't think the battery would fit through even if there was a place to mount it. That said, the forum has often shown me that there are more possibilities than the ones I have thought of, and I will be interested to see what you come up with!

[Drashkum]

It looks great! I especially like the look of the back. The electronics look interesting as well.

An F clamp should be fine, but I prefer a one handed clamp like this:



It will allow you to hold the neck and body together with one hand and clamp with the other. It's possible to do that with an F clamp, but you don't have to be as well coordinated with the other type ;-)

I will be very interested in how you mount the electronic components. I have never tried to install a pre or battery box on a semi hollow, so please take this FWIW...which may be nothing at all ;-)

If the pre is small enough, you might be able to fit it through the hole you would need to make for a battery box like this one:

battery box

If that works it would minimize cutting on the back of the guitar. YMMV, but I have not been able to get even a full sized pot through the F-hole on my ES4-B. If the F-hole is the same size I don't think the battery would fit through even if there was a place to mount it. That said, the forum has often shown me that there are more possibilities than the ones I have thought of, and I will be interested to see what you come up with!

It looks great! I especially like the look of the back. The electronics look interesting as well.

An F clamp should be fine, but I prefer a one handed clamp like this:



It will allow you to hold the neck and body together with one hand and clamp with the other. It's possible to do that with an F clamp, but you don't have to be as well coordinated with the other type ;-)

I will be very interested in how you mount the electronic components. I have never tried to install a pre or battery box on a semi hollow, so please take this FWIW...which may be nothing at all ;-)

If the pre is small enough, you might be able to fit it through the hole you would need to make for a battery box like this one:

battery box

If that works it would minimize cutting on the back of the guitar. YMMV, but I have not been able to get even a full sized pot through the F-hole on my ES4-B. If the F-hole is the same size I don't think the battery would fit through even if there was a place to mount it. That said, the forum has often shown me that there are more possibilities than the ones I have thought of, and I will be interested to see what you come up with!

I saw a build here where someone cut a battery cavity in a Hollowbody. I think Trevor shared it. I am taking a cue from it and am going to try doing it.

As for the preamp it is small enough and it does go in through F hole. But i think it will show up through the F hole and will Look ugly. I really have to make up my mid to cut a cavity



Have ordered a F Clamp and a single handed clamp as well..

Measured the binding yesterday. The bindings on sides are 5mm and the binding on F hole is 4mm

Have ordered 6mm and 4mm fine line tapes as well for masking. I really hope that it doesn't bleed through the masking tapes.

Read an article on using fountain pen Ink as stain in guitar
https://www.projectguitar.com/forums...ntain-pen-ink/

I tried one of those fountain pen inks on scrap wood and I liked the colour. I am planning to get a purple and pink too and try



Now I have got 3 shades of green. I am not sure if this will fade over time but the article says it doesn't fade much.

The replacement body and neck has departed from Australia and is on transit. Keeping my fingers crossed



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[fender3x]

Looking good and wishing you a speedy delivery. Sound's like you'll be prepared.

As for the preamp it is small enough and it does go in through F hole. But i think it will show up through the F hole and will Look ugly. I really have to make up my mid to cut a cavity

It's not getting the pre through the F hole that I think would be the problem. It's attaching it to the center block or something else. It looks like it's designed to be mounted with screws. I was thinking that if you put a battery box near the side of the center block you could use the opening to screw the preamp to the center block.

I can see cutting an access hole in the back, but I don't think I'd be skillful enough to do it without making a mess of it.

I am sure there are other, and probably better, ways to do it though!

[Drashkum]

Got a few dye based fountainpen inks to try out on scrap wood. I wanted to try this pink, violet, turquoise blue. Will try it out tomorrow and see if it looks good.



Got a single handed clamp and a 40 inch ruler too. Waiting for the masking tape and fine line tape.

The replacement body is in transit. Not yet reached india. I asked Mr. Adam whether to send old kit back. He hasn't replied. Looks like he is busy with new freight from China. I'm not sure if I should send it back. But shipping from india to Australia costs almost 75% of kit cost here.

Wanted to know one more thing. How do u guys fill up the f holes before staining to prevent stain dripping inside?

Thank you all for all the help

Drashkum

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[fender3x]

I love my one-handed clamps. They get more use than almost anything else in my toolbox. Easily in my top 4 most used tools.

Wanted to know one more thing. How do u guys fill up the f holes before staining to prevent stain dripping inside?

What a timely reminder. I was about to start putting the final finish on an ES project I was finishing and had completely forgotten about that.

I have done it two ways. On my first build, I didn't use anything, and so the inside of the f-hole was about the same color as the outside. Not recommended.

Attachment 32447

Second go-round, I stuffed it with some old newspaper, which worked reasonably well ;-)

[Drashkum]

I love my one-handed clamps. They get more use than almost anything else in my toolbox. Easily in my top 4 most used tools.



What a timely reminder. I was about to start putting the final finish on an ES project I was finishing and had completely forgotten about that.

I have done it two ways. On my first build, I didn't use anything, and so the inside of the f-hole was about the same color as the outside. Not recommended.

Attachment 32447

Second go-round, I stuffed it with some old newspaper, which worked reasonably well ;-)

Thank you... I shall stuff the f hole with newspaper or sponge and then stain after masking the binding.

Today tried staining scrap wood with dye based fountain pen ink and got some amazing colours



I am Inching to use these in the guitar. I have to find a way to dilute these. Have asked the makers if this is water based or alcohol based. Exciting times ahead.

Which of these do u guys like?



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