TL-1HA first build

[Groovyman32]

Hi all,

I'm super stoked to receive my kit today. I've opened the box and checked it over for redbacks and wombats I think everyting is order. This is my first build.

The neck seems to be straight and have a very slight back bow. It fits the pocket snugley but there is a mm or so gap at the front - I think that's okay? There's a slight lip on the south side but from all other angles it seems to be pretty good.

I think my first job will be to locate the bridge position - I've had a very quick and rough measure up it seems to look okay.

I'm planning to string through but I don't have access to a drill press. I've seend some vids of that shows how to do it with a power drill and a drill guide. Anyone attempted this approach?

[Groovyman32]

I've just encountered my first issue.

The hole for the bridge grounding wire pops out the body exactly where the holes are in the bottom of the bridge for the string through.

So there's some filling and redrilling required. Any suggestions what I can use to fill? My initial plan was match sticks and super glue?

[Sonic Mountain]

Yep that'll do the trick.

[jonwhitear]

That kit looks good.

You could round of the corners of the heel of the neck to address the gap between neck and body.

If the grounding wire hole isn't going to be seen or re-drilled, I'd just use wood filler - that's what I did on my TL. Having said that, if the filled hole is going to get in the way of the string through holes, and make it more difficult to drill them straight (because the filler might cause your drill bit to wander, given that it's softer) you could drill it out to make it big enough to dowel and glue.

With this model, you will presumably nee to re-drill the ground wire hole somewhere more convenient, as you will need to ground the bridge.

[Edit: Sonic beat me to it.]

[Groovyman32]

Thanks,

Yeah my concern is anything I do to fill the hole will make drilling the string holes straight more difficult. Especially as I’ll be using a hand drill. I guess taking it easy without taking too much at a time is the way. I might have some small dowel in stock otherwise matchsticks it is.

Yeah my plan is drill a new hole from under the bridge into the bridge pup cavity.

If I did shape the heel of the neck to fit the front of the pocket, that would push the bridge backwards a few mm. And that might be enough to miss the existing bridge grounding wire hole.... 🤔

[Groovyman32]

I did a bit work filling the hole under the bridge with match sticks and super glue. I drilled a new grounding wire hole and mixed in the dust from that hole with the glue to fill the surface. Sanded flat it looks okay - time will tell I guess when I try to drill the string holes.

I then worked on locating the bridge. I marked out where I thought the centre line of the body is and got the rough scale length. Then I tried to centre the bridge using the two Es. However when the strings were centred on the fret board the bridge was about 2mm north of my centre line.

To double check I loaded the pups into the pick guard and rested it on the body where I though it should be - the guard has long edge that buts up to the neck so its easy to locate. It seems like either my centre line is off or the neck is pocket is not quite straight in the body, but the poles of the pups seem to line up prefectly.

I took my centre line using the neck pocket, the pup cavities and the largest width of the body. So it's more than likely I'm off with my measurments.

If someone can take a look at the pics attached and let me know if I'm missing something obvious? But it looks good to me?

[OliSam]

nice kit!
i have recently fallen back in love with mine and it is getting a great work-out!

[jonwhitear]

I marked out where I thought the centre line of the body is and got the rough scale length. Then I tried to centre the bridge using the two Es. However when the strings were centred on the fret board the bridge was about 2mm north of my centre line.

To double check I loaded the pups into the pick guard and rested it on the body where I though it should be - the guard has long edge that buts up to the neck so its easy to locate. It seems like either my centre line is off or the neck is pocket is not quite straight in the body, but the poles of the pups seem to line up prefectly.

I took my centre line using the neck pocket, the pup cavities and the largest width of the body. So it's more than likely I'm off with my measurments.

As your strings line up with the neck nicely, and with the pole pieces, I think you're good.

When I'm marking up the bridge position, I find the centre line by placing a steel rule on either side of the neck, and drawing a line along the body, so that you have two lines that effectively extend the lines down the sides of the neck. Measuring along these from the nut, the scale length gives you your bridge position. Draw a line to join those points, and you should have a line parallel to the nut, and the scale length away from it. Then mark half way along that line to find the centre.

I also check this by putting some masking tape next to the nut and last fret, and measuring the fretboard width at those points, and marking the centre. A piece of fishing line stretched along the length of the guitar should run through the two marks on the neck, and the mark on the bridge line.

[Groovyman32]

As your strings line up with the neck nicely, and with the pole pieces, I think you're good.

When I'm marking up the bridge position, I find the centre line by placing a steel rule on either side of the neck, and drawing a line along the body, so that you have two lines that effectively extend the lines down the sides of the neck. Measuring along these from the nut, the scale length gives you your bridge position. Draw a line to join those points, and you should have a line parallel to the nut, and the scale length away from it. Then mark half way along that line to find the centre.

I also check this by putting some masking tape next to the nut and last fret, and measuring the fretboard width at those points, and marking the centre. A piece of fishing line stretched along the length of the guitar should run through the two marks on the neck, and the mark on the bridge line.

Brilliant! - thank you for the advice - All sounds logical. I’ll check it again tomorrow before I start drilling

[Groovyman32]

nice kit!
i have recently fallen back in love with mine and it is getting a great work-out!

I’ve been checking out your build - it looks great! Congrats!

If mine works out well then I’m planning an electronics upgrade and some SD phat cats 😊