Teamjeffo's first build! FS-1

[teamjeffo]

Salutations fellow kitters.

Well I'm equal parts excited and terrified about my first build.

I've overcome my first hurdle which was a neck heel that was WAY too tight by sanding back the four contact surfaces.

I'm a fraction worried about the back now, as on the high side there is a gap (see pics). Do I just keep sanding the under side of the heel until it sits flush?

Can someone shed some light on where the neck should be set too? If I'm sanding and shaping, I want to know that I'm doing it to the right position. If I was a hack, I'd place the pickup in the body, and assume that where the PUP cover ends is where the neck should start. But I'm smart enough to know that there's probably a lot I don't know.

Thanks in advance all. I'm really looking forward to this, and perhaps it turning into another hobby to hide from my lovely wife!!

Jeff.

[teamjeffo]

[Simon Barden]

The neck placement is going to be determined by the scale length. The quoted scale length is 628mm, so you should measure 314mm from the fretboard side of the nut to the crown of the 12th fret (it may be very slightly out). The scale length is double this distance but the distance from the nut to the saddle has to be very slightly longer than this in order for the intonation to be correct.

Either fit some plastic tube (if you have any handy) or wrap tape around the screw-in part of the bridge posts so that they fit nicely in the two bridge post holes, then put the bridge on.

The StewMac fretboard and bridge position calculator http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator says that the centre of the treble side bridge post should be 629.5mm from the nut. Note that this distance needs to be measured perpendicular to the nut, not at an angle, so you'll probably need to project a line out from the fretboard face of the nut to do this. Make sure it's the treble side post, as the bridge is angled and the bass side post is further away from the nut. As the bridge position is determined by the pre-drilled holes, to get the distance right, you'll need to adjust the position of the neck in the pocket. Mark the position with a pencil and you're done. A very slight variation in distance should be fine, as you've got adjustment in the bridge saddles, but try and keep it as precise as possible.

Hopefully this position means that the pickup and pickup ring still fits in the pickup rout, but some people have had to enlarge the pocket backwards slightly in order to get the pickup to fit well. A small sander drum on a Dremel tool is a good way to do this if necessary.

[teamjeffo]

I took your advice Simon and worked out that the scale length is 313mm to the twelfth fret, and the online calculator told me 627.5mm just like you predicted.

My worry now lies in that I need to make the cavity about 8mm wider on the bridge side to accommodate the pickup! Surely this can't be right? These kits must be mass produced, and I find it hard to believe that they keep pumping them out with this as a common mistake?

Finishing will also be an issue with a hole being visible above the corner of the neck, where the existing cavity is remaining unfilled/uncovered. Jeez I hope there is a simple thing I've overlooked which means I don't have to hack at the body. Please feel free to make my day and point out that I'm an idiot for some reason!!

First picture shows where I reckon the neck wants to be with the PUP in place (neck not in the PUP cavity), next one is the scale length, third is the minimum overall length without modifying, and last is where the neck should be via the Stewmac calculator, but inside the PUP cavity.

[neverwas]

Hi Jeff, we're both building the same kit and I'm only a little further along than you. Took some pics of mine to hopefully help you with yours.
Scale length is the same, slightly under 313mm to 12th fret which is a G type scale even though this is based on a F type guitar.

I use 8mm nylon tubing to hold the bridge posts in place.

When you check the scale length, measure straight down the centre line of the neck, not down the edge and if you can get a long steel rule instead of using a tape measure it removes that bit of play that all tape measures have with the end piece/tab/hook and you may be adding a mm with the thickness of the tape end piece.
Next, wind the saddles all the way forward (towards the nut) and then take your measurement. I'm using a Gotoh bridge, they're a bit 'wider' and give a bit more adjustment for intonation.

With the neck in place for the scale length, it basically forms the last wall of the neck pup cavity. I'm using Filtertron style pups in mine with wider dress rings and needed to take roughly 3mm out of the bridge side of the cavity. Even with a humbucker and kit mounting ring, the tab on the side of the HB is hard against the notch in the cavity. The only finished build diary I've seen is by islandmoose (check it out if you haven't already) and there wasn't any mention of the neck pup being a tight fit, from memory.

Hopefully this is some help and after double and triple checking your measurements all is good.

Grant

[teamjeffo]

Thanks Grant! I did see Moose's diary, and was hoping for enlightenment there.

By shifting back the neck pup, aren't we rendering the pick guard useless?


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[neverwas]

I ordered mine without hardware and that means no pick guard came with it as well. It should be fairly easy to file/adjust the pick guard if you feel the need to cover that lovely flamed maple. Other options are to leave it off or make your own, or PM pablopepper and ask him to make one for you, whatever suits you.

Grant

[teamjeffo]

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[teamjeffo]

First coat. Great to see a significant change!!


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[chrissyinbkk]

Very nice colour