This was handy advice:
https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-id...-instructions/
This was handy advice:
https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-id...-instructions/
Last edited by craig747400; 23-03-2022 at 04:11 PM.
Found this resource of information:
https://www.pdfdrive.com/building-el...e10181792.html
Measured the ferrules: 10mm rim, 8mm shaft, 9mm depth.
Taped the drill bit, and set the drill press depth, and made a template for drilling the ferrule holes. End result = a little wonky (without a CNC machine, I reckon this job is always going to be a difficult one, getting all the ferrule holes to line up … any suggestions for anyone else viewing my build thread?). I’m not worried, as it’s on the back of the guitar, and still functions the way I want it to.
It took a lot of time sanding out the machine marks from the factory, especially in difficult spots, and the fretboard extension (progress pics).
I used a butter knife to cradle the decal into position, and lined it up using a clear ruler with parallel reference lines to align the decal with the top of the headstock.
A jeweller’s screwdriver helped get sawdust out of the fret grooves, before putting clearcoat on the neck. The decal is setting for the meantime.
Using the suggestion of wiping off excess Timbermate whilst it’s still setting, was a very helpful piece of advice. I used the advice of using a ‘washcoat’ before using the Timbermate, then dried, sanded and cleaned it with Shellite before putting on the first coat of stain. The washcoat really made the grain stand up (fluffy), which was removed with light sanding. The grain popped a little bit better afterwards, and the surface is significantly flatter (pores filled in).
That would have been wood filler, not saw dust. It's supposed to be there.A jeweller’s screwdriver helped get sawdust out of the fret grooves, before putting clearcoat on the neck. The decal is setting for the meantime.
When frets are installed, the tang is cut back slightly short of the fretboard edge, then the end of the slot is filled.
It will take a very significant amount of clear coat to make those even with fretboard edge again. Especially if you're doing a hand applied finish vs a sprayed one. I would suggest filling them with Timbermate. That's what I use when I do a re-fret or replacement.
If you have a look at factory produced guitars with unbound fretboards, you will see the slot ends are filled as I've described.
As for the string ferrule holes, their alignment looks to be pretty good, it's mostly the centre to centre spacing that's a bit skew-whiff.
If you have a rotary tool (eg: Dremel) and an appropriate bit, you may be able to adjust the "sides" of the holes enough to even them out. You only have .5 of "lip" on the ferrule, so it could involve some creative filling (I have done it with wooden veneer) but I think you have enough to work with there and make it look just fine.
Last edited by McCreed; 25-03-2022 at 09:52 AM.
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
You can buy a plate that has the ferrules built into it and are much easier to mount and they don't have sharps edges that mark surfaces like my hard tail guitars. I got mine from Amazon when I searched for ferrules, they are a little bit more expensive but are easier to mount and I have seen someone on the forums use them.
Before I found the plates, which I haven't used yet, I found a way of drilling the holes that line up the holes easy but it takes a little bit of material to make the jig and it can be reused. You will need either a thick piece of wood panel or 2 thin pieces of around 12 - 16mm but I used an old bench top made out of oak that was around 30mm thickness. It has to be big enough to allow you to clamp the guitar to it while you drill the holes. You will also need 2 drills the same size or if you have access and the skill to use a lathe then only 1 drill is needed. You also need to have mounted the bridge to give you the correct spacing.
Mount the bridge and drill the holes with a drill that fits neatly into the holes that the strings pass through. The holes only have to be 15mm deep as you can finish them off later. Mount the wooden plate onto the drill press and use some bolts or screws from the under side to hold the plate firmly to the machine. Drill a hole using the same drill you used with the string through holes and drill a hole deep enough to put a pin in. If you can turn a pin then you don't need a second drill but I found it easier to just cut a shank off a spare drill. The shank on a drill is soft and can be cut with a hacksaw although most people on this forum like some sort of a grinder, you do you. Cut it long enough so when you put this pin into the hole you just drilled into the plate mounted to the drill press it leaves about 10mm sitting proud of the plate. Make sure the hole in the guitar is deep enough to allow the guitar to sit flat on the mounted plate and not sitting on the pin. Once you have cut the drill put it into a drill and use a file to put a small chamfer on each end as this will make it easier to use later.
Take the guitar with the bridge removed and turn it over so the holes for the through strings are facing the pin in the jig. Align the hole with the pin, can be a little bit fiddly, and press it down so it is sitting flat on the plate and using some clamps clamp it in place. You can drill without a clamp but just to be on the safe side. Drill the holes required to mount the ferrules and then move over to the next hole and you will find they are perfectly aligned with the holes in the bridge. Take the plate off the press and then finish the holes through the body that you drilled earlier.
The hardest part is setting the height on the drill press so it is high enough between the chuck and the mounted plate to allow you to drill the small hole to put the pin in and then have enough space between the guitar and the chuck to get the bigger drill that use to drill the holes for the ferrules because once you have the pin hole drilled you can not increase the height to get the ferrule drill in. Other wise you will have to start again with a new hole.
Have used this method on 9 of my guitars and it aligns the holes perfectly to the holes in the bridge. You can measure the holes in the bridge to make sure they are right as if they are not then you will only replicate the incorrect space holes from the bridge.
Builds :
# 1 - Non PBG ES-335
# 2 - Non PBG Tele Thin line
# 3 - Non PBG LP
# 4 - Non PBG SG
# 5 - RC-1
# 6 - TL-1
# 7 - ST-1 Custom
# 8 - SGB-30 + Non PBG SG
# 9 - Custom JRM-1DC 12 String
#10 - Custom ST-1 with P90's
#11 - Custom TL-1 with 27" Bari Neck
#12 - Custom JZ-6 Jazzmaster
#13 - AG-1 Factory Second
#14 - Custom JZ-6 Bass vi
#15 - EX-1R Factory Second
#16 - AGM-1
#17 - EXA-7
Progress.
Tru Oil going on the neck.
Beginning the application of the nitrocellulose.
Got my Dad and I to initial and date the neck to commemorate my 50th.
The decal has lifted slightly, so I was planning to visit a hobby shop for some decal fixative. Any other suggestions?
Looking good.
Signing and dating is a nice touch. But IMO you should sign and date the back of the headstock for all to see when it is built. I have been trialing using punch lettering and have recently been putting contrasting timbermate into the dents before sanding.
PitBull Builds: FVB-4, LP-1SS, FBM-1, AG-2, TB-4, SSCM-1, TLA-1, TL-1TB, STA-1HT, DSCM-1 Truckster, ST-1, STA-1, MBM-1.
Scratch Builds: Pine Explorer, Axe Bass, Mr Scary, Scratchy Tele's.
The little voices in my head keep telling me "build more guitars"
Saw this good idea on Instagram (as discussed above).
Seriously. Guitarists complaining about the price of strings! Don't ever take up bass guitar!! :-POriginally Posted by McCreed
Peter
Ashton AB-1505
Ibanez Musician
PBG HB-4 The Hobbit
Godin A5 Ultra SA (fretless)
fEARful 15/6/1-tube with True3way X-over
Ampeg PF-500
Yes, but it means using another decal. Always put a decal onto a surface that's got some finish on already. a) They aren't designed to stick to a rough surface like wood and b) with clear coat over the top, you'll get a different look to the transparent areas of the decal because they've got a matt wood surface underneath that reflects light in a different way.
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