Oops... I did it again...

[fender3x]

LOL! Good one Trevor!

I hadn’t thought of that. I can give it to my wife just like the socket and wrench set she received for Christmas one year!!!
Thanks

In psychology this is called "one-trial learning."

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[McCreed]

OK... finished...

Quick review of parts and specs:

• Poplar body w/ polyurethane sunburst finish
• Fully shielded cavities
• Modified white pearloid pickguard and back plate (stainless steel pickguard screws)
• Wilkinson Vibrato bridge w/ solid steel block saddles & push-in bar
• Duncan Designed single coil Alnico 5 pickups (modded - see previous posts)
• Switchcraft jack
• CRL 5-way switch
• PTB circuit for tone control w/ Alpha pots (all cloth insulated push-back wire)
• Maple neck/fb w/ 9.5"R, 22 medium jumbo frets, satin poly finish
• Chrome ferrules for neck screws in lieu of mounting plate
• TUSQ nut
• Gotoh SG381 tuners
• Roller string tree x 1

I'm pretty happy with the pickups and it set up easily. I initially had a set of locking tuners installed,
but they weren't staggered and created problems with the nut on the E-G strings (basically zero break angle).
I could have added another string tree on the D & G strings, but even the E & A were a problem. I also could have
gone with a string retainer bar (like for a locking nut) but I wasn't crazy about that idea either.
In the end, none of my other guitars have locking tuners and I'm completely happy with them, so off came the lockers.

Now with the Gotoh's, a good set up and a properly working nut, it plays and sounds great!
It weighs in at a very comfortable 3.54kg

[Bakersdozen]

Nice work! How much do you reckon you put into it in the end?

[McCreed]

Thanks BD!

I had nearly all of the parts on hand that I have acquired over the past few years, but that said, you just got me to do a quick tally... best estimate is about $375-400.

[Simon Barden]

Well done.

Locking tuners aren't all the same and you do need to check the hole height (hard to do if it's not given). Sounds like your original tuners were similar to the Korean lockers I originally tried to fit on my Hexacaster build. The hole heights on all the tuners were the same height as the extra-long post Gotoh tuners, which is a strange design choice for the manufacturer to make. A couple of mm lower and they would have worked. I first fitted them on the EX-1, which has an angled headstock, so I didn't notice anything odd. It was only when I tried them on the flat Strat headstock that I realised they weren't going to work so switched to the staggered locking Gotohs like yourself.

[McCreed]

Thanks Simon!

The hole heights on all the tuners were the same height as the extra-long post Gotoh tuners, which is a strange design choice for the manufacturer to make. A couple of mm lower and they would have worked.

Exactly!
I half entertained trying to modify them but decided it wasn't worth it when I had a brand new set of standard Gotoh's sitting there. Maybe a project for another project!

I just spent a good hour+ sitting here playing this thing... I don't want to hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back, but... jeez it plays nice!!!

[XP Rider]

They don't come any prettier from the factory, man. Beautiful job.

[McCreed]

Thanks XP!

[dozymuppet]

Nice work mate. Gotta love it when after all the work it's fun to play.

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[McCreed]

Nice work mate. Gotta love it when after all the work it's fun to play.

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Thanks dozy!

There was short time when I thought I might have ended up with an absolute tone turd. When I still had the locking tuners on there and I just couldn't get the nut to work, despite really careful filing. I had major above-nut resonance happening and that was causing all kinds of sonic weirdness. Once I figured out the lockers were never going to work, and swapped to the standard Gotohs, it all came together as the Tone Gods intended.