JohnH's WL-1 (Slightly pre-emptive)

[JohnH]

It may work, it may not. Just can't tell without the measurements. The WL-1 kit has a 24 fret neck as standard, so the end of the neck pocket is already that bit nearer the bridge than with a 21- or 22-fret neck.

Yeah, for sure. There's no real drama if it doesn't work out - happy to have a low-tuned standard scale guitar too. Glad you put me onto it though; possible crises are always best considered early rather than later.

[Simon Barden]

That's why we're here! We can't always bring good news, but it's better to be forewarned than disappointed.

[Simon Barden]

I suddenly realised that I could tell you how far back the bridge would have to be from the last frets using the StewMac fret calculator.

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

With the PBG 30" 20 fret bass neck, the bridge would have to be around 3.37" / 8.56cm further away from the 20th fret than the current bridge position. As this is over half the current 24th fret to bridge position, a quick guestimate (looking at a picture of the body) would certainly put at least part of any bridge over the cutout. And the 'bridge' pickup would be along way from the bridge as a result.

Working backwards using the fret calculator, you'd need a 28-fret neck (or equivalent neck with less frets and more empty fretboard to the neck heel) to keep the bridge in the same place. A 25-fret neck (or equivalent length with fewer frets) if you moved the bridge back 1" /2.54 cm, the maximum I'd think practical.

A standard bass neck could be made to work with a slight adjustment of the bridge position i.e. get a standard fretless neck fretted for 30" scale, but I then feel that such a long neck would certainly make the guitar very neck heavy indeed. Yes, you can certainly cut down the paddle headstock to a much smaller shape, which will help; but I don't know if that would be enough.

[JohnH]

Yeah, I think you're right Simon. I did a quick mock up last night using photoshop and the fret calculator at FretFind 2D (http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/). Definitely too neck heavy, and the bridge is problematic to say the least.

That's ok, I should have thought about it more carefully to start with lol. Guess I'll have to go back to my original plan of a low tuned standard!

[JohnH]

Well, the kit’s ordered! Should be here in the May/June shipment, so I’ve got some time to look at electronics and hardware.

Final modifications are as follows:

- No bevel on front of body
- No control cavity or tremolo route
- No holes drilled for volume or tone knobs
- Paddle headstock for six in line style, no tuner holes drilled

Can’t wait to get my teeth into it

[JohnH]

Kit just came in the mail!



Doing a quick run through now to see what's what. Bit tricky with both kids trying to 'help' lol

[Sonic Mountain]

Pointy guitars are so silly. I love them.

[JohnH]

Pointy guitars are so silly. I love them.

Ha ha ha, 100%.

[wazkelly]

Kit just came in the mail!



Doing a quick run through now to see what's what. Bit tricky with both kids trying to 'help' lol

Looks like a locking nut that comes with a floyd trem but no trem on the body?

[Fretworn]

Pointy guitars are so silly. I love them.

Is this where we quote Paul Westerberg from The Replacements? ("Pointy guitars give you VD")