Jon's 4th build: SSCM-1E

[McCreed]

C1M pots may be the issue - looks like Tayda have them, but I might be waiting a while.

That's where I got mine. Unfortunately they're only available in the 16mm size, but they're good quality and work just fine.
Believe me, I scoured the globe looking for 24mm ones but couldn't find any. IIRC, I found some but they were either stupid expensive or had a minimum 1000 order.

Every time I've ordered from Tayda, I get my package within 3 days! They do DHL Express for $10US. Also I just checked and they have 577 pieces in stock.

1M Ohm Anti-Log Taper Pot

Since you're using the PTB in a 4 pot configuration, I think I have a schematic (or link) for a version that uses all 500k pots (or maybe 1 x 1M linear pot). If I can find it, I'll send it to you.

[jonwhitear]

Well, I'm still learning the hard way.

I've installed the control and switch covers, which look really good, as they're "colour matched" to the body finish. Unfortunately, the finish on the body had a "lip" on the edge of the cavity, so the cover fits rather snuggly, and when I popped it out again, it took out a couple of small chips from the body finish. Let's just say I was disappointed ;-) I have now sanded back the lip from the edge of the cavities, so the covers fit better. For now, I've just painted a little lacquer into the chips to obscure them. I can't face refinishing the back of the guitar.

That brings me onto a question - there are still a number of things to do on this guitar, and I'd like to get through them with the least chance of damaging the finish further. First off is installing the bridge post inserts. I wrapped some sandpaper around a drill bit and gently sanded away any lip on the post holes, but I'm worried the finish is going to crack when I push the inserts in. Any hints on doing this safely? I couldn't find much on google, although I did find a suggestion of slightly countersinking the holes.

[McCreed]

Bummer about the chipped finish.
As for the post holes (and any hole you may have for other hardware) you're on the right track with countersinking.
However, I think of it as more of a slight bevel around the top of the hole. "Countersinking" sounds more extreme to me, but it probably is the right word technically speaking. The main thing is just to eliminate the sharp 90° edge of the finish.

There are numerous ways to achieve the same result. From DIY like the sandpaper/drill bit to tapered reamers.
One approach I have employed on larger holes like for posts or cavities, is just a round (or oval) jeweller's file. Just work your way around the top of the hole at a slight angle, but only file "into" the hole (not back & forth like sawing). It's possible to pull the finish up on the backstroke, which is exactly what you're trying to prevent.

Another option is a drill bit slightly larger than the hole diameter and just twisting it anti-clockwise with your fingers. It doesn't require a great deal of downward pressure, just use judgement to see how much is enough.

I also have a small tapered engraving bit for a dremel that I use this way on pickguard screw holes. I've done it with just my fingers as well as in an old school "egg beater" hand drill. Whatever works!

[jonwhitear]

Thanks McCreed - I'll see if I can find something conical to wrap sandpaper around. I also have one of those dremel bits. To be honest, I find using the dremel in situations like this is the nuclear option (which is another lesson learnt the hard way ;-) but I hadn't thought of just using that bit and doing it by hand.

[jonwhitear]

A few more steps forward, along with the obligatory couple of steps backwards.

I had planned on using a two-screw truss rod cover, and had "filled" the top of the truss rod channel at the headstock. Unfortunately the truss rod's very close to the fret board at this point, so the sliver of wood was very shallow too. It didn't survive my adjusting the truss rod. Back to the three-screw TRC.



I've installed most of the electronics - I ended up just taking everything out of my AG1, as I'll go for a more simple configuration when I re-do that guitar. This gives me coil split and tone bypass on each pickup, which will do for now. I spent ages getting the pickups properly lined up to the strings, and still don't have them in line with each other - I suspect in pre-drilling the screw holes the bridge pickup twisted out of place.



I've done an initial setup. My least favourite part of these builds is fret levelling. In this case, I managed to get the fretboard pretty flat through truss rod adjustment, but at the first two frets, there's still a little bow, i.e. the notched straight edge parts ways with the board between the second fret and the nut. The result is that the first fret is lower than all the others. First time round I didn't fix that properly, so there's still a lot of buzz when strings are fretted at the first fret. The only way to resolve this that I can see is to keep sanding all the frets until they're all level, but I worry that I'll be taking quite a lot of material off. Any other ideas?

[Simon Barden]

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

If the fretboard is flat (have you checked the edge of your notched straight edge against another straight edge to confirm that it hasn't got a bow in it?), then you'll just have to carry on sanding the frets down. With a flat neck, the frets should end up no lower than the 1st fret, which shouldn't be an issue.

Have you checked that you haven't simply got a single high fret at the 3rd fret by using a fret rocker?

And are you checking with a full straight edge along the top of the frets? You don't want to create a mini reverse 'ski-jump' by using uneven pressure of sanding amounts whereby he upper frets are lower than most of the the lower frets (apart from the first two frets). You obviously want all the frets the same height.

[jonwhitear]

Thanks Simon. My notched straight edge is flat - I checked it against another steel rule. The trouble is the fretboard isn't flat. It is (very close to) flat from the 3rd fret upwards, but still has a bow between the nut and the 3rd, which doesn't respond to truss rod adjustment.

I'll have another go this weekend. I haven't checked the frets with a straight edge yet, but will do. My sanding method is to mark the frets with a texta, and then sand side to side using a spirit level with 360 grit double-sided-sticky-taped to it. The length of the sandpaper strip is the same as a sheet, so the force should be reasonably well distributed.

[Simon Barden]

The headstock end of the truss rod should be fixed to the neck somewhere around the 1st fret, so you shouldn't see any variation between the 1st fret and the nut, so in theory it should be having some effect between the 1st and 3rd frets, but if the fretboard has a physical dip in it at that point, then there's not a lot the truss rod can do to fix that as the rest of the neck will be moving relative to it.

The full pro-level solution would be to remove the frets, level the fretboard and re-fret. But that's quite a task!

Use a straight edge and see how big a gap you've got between it and the first couple of frets,as that's how much the other frets will will need to come down; or at least the 3rd fret, with the others reducing in height reduction as you go up the neck. You want the tops of the frets level, but you can allow the fret height to vary (though this is not the ideal it is practical). In effect you want to draw a straight line between the first and last fret, and take the tops off the other frets until they reach that line, with the most coming off that 3rd fret. Easier said than done though without running up quite a complicated jig.

So you may want to sand or file down the 3rd fret on its own e.g. 20 rubs, then sand the 4th fret down a little bit less e.g. 19 rubs, the 5th a little bit less again etc. Then use an overall sand with the level to even things up as much as possible.

Or whatever works for you and you feel happy doing.

[McCreed]

My sanding method is to mark the frets with a texta, and then sand side to side using a spirit level with 360 grit double-sided-sticky-taped to it.

By "side to side" do you mean across the width of the fretboard?

If I'm interpreting that correctly, sanding lengthwise down the neck (or up) perpendicular to the frets, is the generally accepted practise. I'm not saying that can't work, but I've not known of anyone doing it that way and can see how it could lead to issues.

If I've interpreted that incorrectly... ignore this post!

[Trevor Davies]

The all black is looking very nice. Great work.