StewMac do nut spacing rulers, though you can get similar on Amazon for slightly less or often a more local supply if you aren’t in the US. A few videos on how to use them on the web. Always start cutting the slots with a thin saw or file to get a shallow mark, and then switch to the larger ones.
So I've built and unbuilt and rebuilt and re-unbuilt it a few times trying out different things. I drilled holes for the bass tuners and....rushed it. In typical fashion.
Looks sweet. It even held the strings and stayed in tune until I replaced the nut.
But the angle that the strings jut off into is causing a lot of problems. I was sure, against the advice of Simon, that the *one bend* in the path of the string would not cause issues.
But when there are 6 strings, high tension bass strings, tuggin' on that nut all in the same direction, well. It ain't great.
In better news, I also received the Warman pickups I ordered for it and they are great. Really, really great. Pick guard looks BAAF (not sure about swearing on this forum, I typically speak like a sailor) and I'm very happy with everything happening on the body right now.
Neck and up, not so much.
I am thoroughly disheartened that it's not working the way I had hoped, and disappointed in myself for rushing the process of making the head.
I ordered a paddle-top baritone neck on eBay and I'm going to try a different approach in a few weeks when it arrives. 3+3 on the tuners...actual math involved in sketching out the tuner placement. I will spend more time crafting the new nut.
And heck, maybe even in that time i will find a way to eliminate the trem bridge, because I don't really see myself using it. Might go with a LP style so I can go black.
Anyways. I'll post a pic of the pick guard when I get back to the workshop.
Looks very nice.
In terms of the trem, I picked up a rejected custom order on the specials page. It had the same trem as the JZ-6 - https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...t=11585&page=2
Problem was there was a fault with the trem and it would not return properly when used, jamming and throwing the tuning out. Being a lefty I could not find a replacement at the time. I finished up fitting a fixed tail plate. Found it on eBay when I searched for "Jazzmaster/Jaguar Hardtail Conversion Plate". Don't know if it would hold bass strings but might be worth a look if you don't want to use the trem. I don't use the trem so it worked well for me and gave me stable tuning and a lot more sustain.
Probably easier for you to get hold of in the US as well.
Most of the issues with nuts is that they are badly cut or still far too rough. The nut slot should slope back from the fretboard side of the nut to ensure the fulcrum point is o the front edge of the nut, and I'd rub the slot with P400 and P800 grit paper to smooth it off as much as possible. Graphite in the slots also helps. My Flying V nut has quite severe splayed string angles on the two E strings and that stays in tune happily. Splayed string angles can exacerbate bad nut slots, but unless extreme, they shouldn't be an issue if the slot is correctly cut and smooth.
Your main issue looks to be that all the strings are pulling the nut out of its slot towards the treble side, so it's going to need to be firmly glued in. Which is an issue as you'll probably want to remove it as some time in the future, so you don't want it too firmly glued in, or you'll never get it out again!
If it's not already in, I'd stick it in with Titebond without the strings fitted and let it dry well and see how that goes.
I have another tune-o-matic bridge en route to me right now, black. If I don't use it for this project, It'll get used, no doubts about that.
While I wait the 3 or so weeks for my Bass VI Neck Mk II to arrive, I've gone with the sacrilegious option
It ain't pretty, but at least the nut doesn't go flying off.
Simon - my thoughts exactly. I didnt want to glob the glue on, so I lightly super glued like I usually do and the tring tension pulling to the treble side ripped it off when I tried to adjust the tuning.
Gotta say, the ripping, cracking sound that happened when I tightened the E string was...not something I want to hear again. Thank the bass gods it was only the nut coming unglued. I thought perhaps my shoot-from-the-hip headstock was protesting it's very existence.
She looks good though
I'm proud I got the fender headstock style, not something that will easilty be reproducible with the 3-3 setup I'm planning. But maybe I will spend the next couple weeks thinking about that
Pickguard:
Proud of my wiring
Going very bare bones. I know the Warman G-rail hybrid I have in the neck position is a tremendously powerful and versatile pickup, but the way I'm wiring it is just straight into the 3-way switch so that position 1 will be full-bore neck, position 2 will be both, and position 3 will be full-bore bridge, which is the twin loco from Warman as well.
One master tone, one master volume.
And a heart-shaped thumbtack to plug the last hole.
I got a black control plate, so that'll get switched out...and then It's just waiting for the other neck I guess!
Wow. That's a pretty different approach than mine Especially with those tuning machines! Looking forward to hearing how it all goes once you get the new neck...
Finally got the new neck after tracking it all over Asia. Looks to be in good shape! I opted for the paddle type headstock so I could go a 3+3 orientation without stuffing it into a Fender style headstock area.
Bonus, this actually has a break angle at the nut! Which will solve another issue I was having.
I sketched out a better string path and made my holes. Already lookin good
Here's where I run into issues...
Obviously, the neck is not designed specifically for this kit.
So it is about 2.75mm thicker at the heel, and the shape of the heel does not quite match the pocket on the body.
I know what I want to do, but I thought I'd take the temp of the community to see.
Would you either:
1) trim the neck to fit the pocket
-or-
2) trim the pocket to fit the new neck
ps in the intervening weeks I purchased a router (big boy stuff I know) so with a combination of router, rasp, file, and sandpaper I would prefer to trim the heel of the neck.
‘It depends’ would be my answer. I’d really want to see it to get an idea of how it’s likely to fit together.
Firstly, what type of neck have you bought?
There are ‘true’ baritone necks with the same number of frets as the original guitar, to fit bodies where the bridge and pickups have been moved back compared to the standard guitar, so the extra scale length is shared between the neck and the body. That’s what the kit has.
Then there are ‘conversion’ necks designed to fit standard guitar bodies where all the extra length is in the neck. These normally have one or two extra frets compared to normal. If you try to fit that sort of neck on a baritone body, then the scale length won’t be correct; it will be too long and it won’t play in tune except on the open strings.
Especially with those tuning machines! Looking forward to hearing how it all goes once you get the new neck...
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