I feel no need to install the string trees, seeing it all together.
When filing the nut, the v-shaped slots of the nut files were too wide at the bottom. So, second time round, I started the slots with the ‘correct’ file for the string, but finished the bottom of the slot with a file 2 sizes smaller, and a carving knife to finish the bottom of the high-E string slot. Using the nut files, meant the strings wobbled in their slot, so I started again with a new nut.
The shielding works. When plugging in the Strat, it hummed under the fluoro in my Dad’s workshop, but this guitar did not hum!
The Hot Classic pickups are quite overwound compared to a standard Tele pickup set. More winds = more inductance, and more inductance moves the pickup's resonant peak don the frequency range, so you lose some treble but gain more mids and a higher output.
Inductance for the Hot Classics is 2.7H and 4.2H vs 1.9H and 3.0H for the Vintage Plus.
I fitted a SD Hot Strat (neck) and Hot Tele (bridge) to one of my Teles and then swapped to more vintage spec pickups after a while as they were just a bit too too dull for clean work. If you are using a lot of overdrive and distortion, then the hot pickups work well, but for clean, I don't find them that good at all.
If you do a lot of nut work, then it really is wort investing in a good set of nut files. I don't regret the money spent on my Hosco nut file set as I've set up loads of friend's guitars now and got them playing far better than they ever have been.
Note that 'factory spec' set-up values are designed to make the guitars playable in the store without any buzzes, as it's likely the necks will either flatten or bow more depending on the temperature and humidity changes they've seen, and it's unlikely a music store will set up each guitar and adjust the truss rod before putting it on the wall (ideally they would, but it rarely happens). This is a far from optimum set-up if you like a really low action.
Second thoughts on the string trees: I’ve installed them, because the D, G, B strings tend to have a bit of a wiggle, and the string tree has stopped that from occurring (which causes a ‘tink’ noise when doing string bendsj.
More pics to come … off to MEL tonight, LAX tomorrow, so catch up when I get home.
The struggle is real. Finishing a nut is giving me hassle!
Good videos of Dan Erlewine on YouTube.
Last edited by craig747400; 03-06-2022 at 08:18 AM.
G'day Craig, one of your photos just confirmed for me that TL-1 kit bridge plates come drilled with both top loading & through body screws, correct? Didn't the kit come with string ferrules though?
I can tell you that the kits do not include string ferrules. You'll need to purchase separately form another supplier. (the PBG ferrules are out of stock)Originally Posted by guitalias
Also, I'm not sure that is a kit bridge. I've not seen compensated brass saddles included in any PBG kit bridges.
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
I know that the saddles were bought separately from reading the build diary.
No, I bought the string ferrules and had to drill the holes.
Last edited by craig747400; 14-06-2022 at 05:43 PM.
I bought compensated saddles, and added them to the kit’s bridge.
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