OOOOhhhkay. Went both guitar stores in town and compared with a stack of different nuts. The one from the JMA kit is exactly unlike any of them. Even the flat bottom strat variant is a lot shorter. I'm going to work with the new one I have for now, but I can see some nut files and blanks in my future.
I normally end up filing off the ends of new replacement bone nuts. I'd prefer them to be slightly too long than too short. All you can do is measure the width at the nut and get a nut that's the right size. I ignore any nuts that don't give dimensions.
Yeah, too long is a better problem to have than too short. I think it will work out OK.
Lots of sanding, sanding, sanding going on. Not much of anything else. I had a bunch of tools and shielding tape arrive. I've accepted defeat on doing the mica finish on the paint. Must be the TAVO in me but for the quantity I want the price and messing around with the gun isn't worth it on this build. I've found a very nice solid/clear version for a fraction of the price, in a rattle can, so I'm going with that this time round.
I had the same problem with the tusq nut. Ordered the strat one but it is too small. I just stuck with the plastic one from the kit for now, so am keen to see how you go with this.
While waiting for undercoat to dry I decided to do some more refining of the pick guard. The hum bucker was a bit of a tight fit and the whole thing was bulging in the middle. So I removed the pickups and switch and carefully filed and sanded the edges. To this point I've left the protective plastic on- although I could see a few places where there were dings through it from the factory. The materials handling in the factory needs some serious work - everything in my kit looks like its been shaken up in a box of rocks.
Anyway, I decided to pull the film off to inspect it more carefully and get a better look at the edges. As soon as I did I saw the laminate had lifted along the bottom edge of the humbucker.
I can only assume this is from the PU being shoved into the too small hole. I was careful to work front to back and gently for exactly this reason.
After a bit of cursing I decided to try and fix it. I blew the dust out from under the laminate with the air compressor. Then I gently heated it up with a hair dryer. Just as I saw the edge start to curl I pushed it down. It seems to have mostly worked, probably not noticeable unless you know its there. So I guess that will do. I want to change the switching arrangement eventually, so I might make a whole new plate then. Otherwise, I have some hum bucker surrounds that look like they will fit, so I might just trim around it with one of those. I will see.
Body is coming along well. I probably focused a bit too much on the flat areas, so the radius is a bit off in places, I think it will look OK. With some good weather today I might get a top coat on. Will see how I go.
Very much thinking the next build will be a semi scratch with just neck and hardware purchased. That way I've only got to fight my own poor workmanship
mmm Fathers Day free time (Happy Fathers day to the rest of the breeders on here
Super exciting times as I've moved onto the top coats now. I ended up with about 8 primer/ hi fill coats before I called it 'good enough'. I'm very happy with the colour and the general finish straight out of the can. Despite my best efforts with the tack cloth and air compressor I have for two very small dust specks on it, which is to be expected I suppose. It's very windy here today so I've moved into the shed for spraying, which isn't the most dust free environment really. Also super hard to get a good photo with my phone!
Anyway, I'm really happy with the first squirt. I may not even go to clear after this - the product I have lays down very thick without running so I might get away with just buffing it. I will see in a week after its properly cured.
Otherwise, I moved onto the back plate. I didn't take a before pic, but it had that corse plastic finish on it, which just looked a bit cheap to me. I screwed it onto some scrap and sanded down from 400 to 1500, then hit it with my electric buffer and cut compound. Its come up pretty well, I think with some finishing polish it will look really neat.
Killing time waiting to cut back and buff the body. I did a bit of the shielding today.
With the plate that has the pots on it (as in the second pic), should I do that as well? My thinking is the cavity below will be shielded with an overlap that will contact the plate, surely there is enough conductivity there to form a cage? Not a big deal if the consensus is I should copper it- obviously trying to use that stuff as economically as possible as I'd like to get a few builds out of the roll.
Also waiting for the waterside paper to arrive so I can get moving on the neck. Its all prepped ready for finishing.
Hey Sonic,
I wouldn't worry about shielding the control plate.
Current Builds and status
scratch end grain pine tele - first clear coat on !
JBA-4 - assembled - final tweaks
Telemonster double scale tele - finish tobacco burst on body and sand neck
Completed builds
scratch oak.rose gum Jazzmaster - assembled needs setup
MK-2 Mosrite - assembled - play in
Ash tele with Baritone neck - neck pup wiring tweaks and play in
Originally Posted by wokkaboy
haha no worries Sonic, that pic is from Terminator 1 ?
Current Builds and status
scratch end grain pine tele - first clear coat on !
JBA-4 - assembled - final tweaks
Telemonster double scale tele - finish tobacco burst on body and sand neck
Completed builds
scratch oak.rose gum Jazzmaster - assembled needs setup
MK-2 Mosrite - assembled - play in
Ash tele with Baritone neck - neck pup wiring tweaks and play in
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
