tonyw JR-1M Comprehensive Build Diary

[tonyw]

My comprehensive build diary and critique of the JR-1MDC LP jnr PBG kit

Lets cut to to the chase

Today i purchased the JR-1M LP jnr kit, a painless job in itself $189 via paypal, my intention is to utilize P.B.G and DB Dingotone as suppliers and luthiers for the whole build, to see what we have got here for guitar kit building and finishing, and how easy is it if you have no skills at all.

Looking at it more from a novice point of view, says me who wants to do everything himself, Dingobass has himself been commissioned to do a complete neck rework and cut a bone nut, this can save a builder many many hours of heartache, and the expensive purchase of alot of tools. I know i can spend hours leveling, crowning frets, radiusing a neck to get it just right. and i have been doing them for many moons, and its not my favorite job, matter of fact i hate it. For pricing on this sort of job send Dingobass a message, he will gladly help you out.

I will be BETA testing Dingotone MKII kit on this guitar, i am thinking Outback Sunset, Bush fire Sunrise or Coolangatta Gold (i am wide open to suggestion on this), to see if we can pop the mahogany a bit and keep some vintage colour about it other than Mahogany or Cherry Red.

My thought on the rest of the guitar build so far.

Assemble it with stock parts, tuners, strings, pots, Dog ear pickup etc and sound test it, then reload it with my own wiring harness, my own P90 to vintage spec, vintage tuners, bridge and do comparison sound samples.

Alot of upgrades are available from P.B.G on ordering, but sometimes stock maybe good enough for you, sound and tone are a subjective thing, but quality wins everyday, think it over, upgrade or wait and see, your decision.

I have been asked to be honest with this build, comprehensive and a critique, this shows the integrity of the company you are dealing with, that will ask for constructive criticism if necessary.

Looking forward to this, and i have my P90 parts on their way from the U.S.A

[Tweaky]

I'll be keeping a watch on this.

Probably unlike most of Pitbulls customers, I'm in my mid 50's and have played a lot of guitars from the 'Golden Era' , a lot of which I bought secondhand in the 70's, and now wish I hadn't sold on...[ both for reasons of quality of some of the build's back then, and their obvious monetary value now to collectors ]

I too am embarking on my first Pitbull builds [ES-3 & ES1 ] more as a test session to possible future scratch builds.

Unlike the situation with a lot of builders here, I imagine my situation is different to most, I do own quite a few Fender & Gibson guitars, so I can immediately compare both construction differences and quality of the kit's.

Be under no illusion, you are NOT going to get either Fender USA or Gibson USA quality with a Pitbull kit.....but in saying that, if you have a original model of a specific guitar to compare it against, you can trick these kits out so they SOUND the SAME ...they won't feel exactly the same [As Pitbull has to change spec's to stop copyright issues], but no reasoh you can't get a really good guitar out of your build...take it SLOWLY !

[Andy40]

Looking forward to seeing the build and hearing the demo differences Tonyw

[Tweaky]

The test I'm waiting on is if Tony does a simple switch out between ther stock KIT provided pickups using the KIT wiring/pots, and then using his own pickups.

Then swapping the wiring POT's / Cap's to upgraded ones......and Visa Versa [use the KIT pickups with the new wiring harness]

I think most of the differences [improvements] in this very simple build, will be most noticeable here.

[tonyw]

I'll be keeping a watch on this.

Probably unlike most of Pitbulls customers, I'm in my mid 50's and have played a lot of guitars from the 'Golden Era' , a lot of which I bought secondhand in the 70's, and now wish I hadn't sold on...[ both for reasons of quality of some of the build's back then, and their obvious monetary value now to collectors ]

I too am embarking on my first Pitbull builds [ES-3 & ES1 ] more as a test session to possible future scratch builds.

Unlike the situation with a lot of builders here, I imagine my situation is different to most, I do own quite a few Fender & Gibson guitars, so I can immediately compare both construction differences and quality of the kit's.

Be under no illusion, you are NOT going to get either Fender USA or Gibson USA quality with a Pitbull kit.....but in saying that, if you have a original model of a specific guitar to compare it against, you can trick these kits out so they SOUND the SAME ...they won't feel exactly the same [As Pitbull has to change spec's to stop copyright issues], but no reasoh you can't get a really good guitar out of your build...take it SLOWLY !

I have 27 guitars in my rack and cases, dont ask about mandolins lap steels resonators and acoustics, all mostly vintage, to spec 52 telecaster bodies in the shed, and i mean to spec, replicated off one that was in my mates shop, and i have been playing since 1960. I might be able to dig some early jnr sounds out of this, its more about the pickups with me. My 57-62 strat i put together is a better sounding guitar than my mates 57, hes rather glum about it, early Fenders were very hit and miss anyway and i was never a Gibson man except for the LP junior.


Anyway its more about putting a guitar together that replicates somewhat the look of guitars people may want, but could never afford, its not about replicating a Les Paul etc its about the fun of having your 1st or 20th crack at making something that 1: is constructive and 2: is musical. 3: you did it yourself.

The kits are what they are...

[tonyw]

Looking forward to seeing the build and hearing the demo differences Tonyw

Yes Andy that what i am going to be after, might even change the original pickups magnets for A2 or something

[tonyw]

The test I'm waiting on is if Tony does a simple switch out between ther stock KIT provided pickups using the KIT wiring/pots, and then using his own pickups.

Then swapping the wiring POT's / Cap's to upgraded ones......and Visa Versa [use the KIT pickups with the new wiring harness]

I think most of the differences [improvements] in this very simple build, will be most noticeable here.

I am 100% pickups and wiring man and thats where i believe the magic will lay.

Lots of tests on this kit for sure

[tonyw]

The stain so far has been decided on as Outback Sunset

[Andy40]

Yes Andy that what i am going to be after, might even change the original pickups magnets for A2 or something

If you do, I don't suppose you could do a bit of a tute to see whats involved?

[Tweaky]

I hear you Tony !

A lot of those 50's / 60's guitar were good, but not that good, you had some horror guitars as well.

How anybody can play a Strat with a 57 'V' neck is beyond me, and the body on those era Strats were chaffered so thin they dug into your ribs.

What is considered 'General Knowledge ' concerning both guitar setup and guitar upkeep was generally unknown back then, a lot of those guitars from that era suffered from that ignorance, as you probably know....god I've come across some horror guitars that people want a fortune for just because of their age.

I remember Jimmy Barnes buying a 52 Tele that had a neck on it that was so narrow even KEEF would had trouble using it as a 5 string... horrible, plus the fretboard was all dried out, and he had it re- finished in some thick poly Gun Metal gray.

Martin Plaza from the Mentals had a 68 Paisely Tele thinline that's neck was so bowed... well if you threw it away I think it would have come back as it was like a boomerang.

Funny stuff muso's put up with back then