LH EX-1

[siziemm]

Hello,

I'm currently in the relatively early stages of putting together a left handed EX1 (see attached Photo).

It's the first time since I was a schoolboy that I've attempted to self-build a guitar (that one was a disaster as the plan that came in a magazine had a neck with no truss rod and, in my complete state of ignorance about guitars, when I put it together, I was disappointed to find the neck warping off towards one side).

I really wanted to do this for two reasons - mainly because I have a modest collection of guitars, (a Fender Standard Strat, 72 Reissue Telecaster Custom, 93 Gibson LP Standard, '73 CSL LP Custom, Line6 Variax, Ovation Balladeer, Takamine Mini, Squier P-Bass, and a couple of others) but I really know and appreciate very little of what really makes a guitar work, so if something needs doing I don't really know where to start and I figure building my own guitar will help "demystify" guitars for me a little....

Also, I love the Explorer shape but Gibson only made them in left handed form for a very few years and they are incredibly rare and unbelievably expensive, so love the prospect of owning a guitar of that shape.

I play in a grown-ups-who-should-know-better band called HOWL (also pictured - I'm second from the left - the left hander), which is largely made up of parents of kids who are at the same London music school (The Rhythm Studio) and you can check us out on facebook : https://www.facebook.com/howlontheprowl - we gig in London pubs.

Am enjoying my build so far, but keep thinking that at any stage I could go horribly and irreversably wrong... so will probably be asking for lots of help and support (most of which, I expect, will make many of you cringe in horror about how anyone could be so stupid) so please bear with me.

More photos and, no doubt requests for help, to come.....

Cheers folks and a happy 2014 to you all!

[wokkaboy]

Hi Siziemm, welcome to the forum and think you are the first Pit Bull builder from the UK !
Sounds like you have quite a large collection of guitars and a bass.
The EX-1L looks fantastic, is that carmine gypsy wudtone on the body and a vintage yellow neck stain ?
Ask as many questions as you like regarding the build, the only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask !

Maybe you can start a build diary and people can answer questions there. Post lots of photos and enjoy the build ! Don't rush it, thats when people make mistakes !

[Gavin1393]

Nah Woks! We were flogging some other poor English cricket fan two weeks ago!

But we are a polite bunch, so we won't mention the 5-0 whitewash too many times since we want you to feel welcome Siziemm.

[Fretworn]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from siziemm on January 6, 2014, 05:58
Hello,

I have a modest collection of guitars, (a Fender Standard Strat, 72 Reissue Telecaster Custom, 93 Gibson LP Standard, '73 CSL LP Custom, Line6 Variax, Ovation Balladeer, Takamine Mini, Squier P-Bass, and a couple of others)

If this is a "modest" collection, I have some more ammunition in discussions with my wife.....

[WeirdBits]

Welcome to the forum Simon, it's great that you can build the EX you've always wanted.

One thing I noticed in your pic is the neck heel. The EX-1 is a set neck so you need some bare wood on the neck heel so you get a good bond when you glue in the neck... otherwise you could have 'catapulting neck syndrome' once the string tension goes on. Sit the neck in-place in the neck pocket and use some low-tack masking tape to mark where the body edge sits around the neck heel. Remove the neck and move the masking tape in around 1/4" (to make sure no bare wood will show) and then use some 80 grit sandpaper to carefully remove the Wudtone from the contact patch of the neck heel. Ideally, you want the heel to look something like this:



One of the benefits of build diaries is that extra sets of eyes may spot a potential issue before it becomes a problem (the above image is from Bass Guy's lefty EX build diary).

[gavinturner]

Welcome Simon,

Looking good! Hope you enjoy your build. Start a build thread and keep us all up to date with progress!

cheers,
Gav.

[stan]

always good to see another lefty Simon, welcome!

[Gavin1393]

Scott! Your eye for detail never ceases to astound me. Well spotted on the neck! Simon, Scott is correct! You need to get that paint off the spot where the glue adheres to the neck pocket and the neck, otherwise you will end up black and blue when that neck raises off the pitch like a Mitchell Johnson bouncer!

[siziemm]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from wokkaboy on January 6, 2014, 09:30
Hi Siziemm, welcome to the forum and think you are the first Pit Bull builder from the UK !
Sounds like you have quite a large collection of guitars and a bass.
The EX-1L looks fantastic, is that carmine gypsy wudtone on the body and a vintage yellow neck stain ?
Ask as many questions as you like regarding the build, the only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask !

Maybe you can start a build diary and people can answer questions there. Post lots of photos and enjoy the build ! Don't rush it, thats when people make mistakes !

Hi,
Could be the flash on the camera making things look lighter, but it should be Cherry Flamenco and you are quite correct, it is the vintage yellow neck stain.

[siziemm]

Hi,
Could be the flash on the camera making things look lighter, but it should be Cherry Flamenco and you are quite correct, it is the vintage yellow neck stain.