Exm-1 explorer guitar build

[Sachin]

Hi all,

Really excited to get this build underway... have no experience or much knowledge of the guitar building experience, so please excuse any noob questions . My first question is that I have a bolt on neck which has a nice tight push fit but it does not sit flush with the guitar and sticks out of the neck pocket. See attachment. The neck heel thickness is 24mm, while the neck pocket depth at the very edge is 20mm. I know the manual says not the sand the neck pocket due to the break angle, but I can’t see any other way to get the neck to fit flush. Any solutions?

[FrankenWashie]

Hi Sachin, welcome aboard!

first up, you need to look at how your fretboard lines up with the bridge.
Clamp your neck in place, pop the bridge roughly in place, use masking tape or rubber tube to loosely mount the bridge posts.
You don’t want to insert the anchor inserts until you’ve got most of your finishing work done.
Then just pop the bridge on the posts, take a straight edge or some string lines and run it across the nut down to the corresponding saddle on the bridge.
If you run both the e string positions it should give you a feel for how the string action and the angle are going to be, before you make any drastic changes to the neck heel.

if the strings hit the tail end of the fretboard with the bridge in a moderate or low position then you’ve got an issue.
If the bridge is sitting low and there is still a huge gap between strings and the fretboard, you also have an issue.

if th bridge is in a middle position (not slammed to the guitar top, and not way up off the top), and you have a moderate string action then there is probably no real adjustment needed to the neck heel or pocket.

Im assuming your kit is a bolt on neck not a set neck, which means the neck might sit higher, but 4 mm doesn’t sound excessive. I’d check your bridge height and such first.

Edit: just reviewed the EXM page and it is shown as a set neck, unusual to see the board overhang like that with them though?
Normally the board and the neck heel end square as it drops down to the neck tenon? Can we get a top view of that heel/neck pocket area?


hope this helps!

[Sachin]

Hi Mate,

Thanks for the reply. I’m yet to test the strings on the neck to the bridge, but regardless, I have never seen or played a guitar with either a set or bolt on neck that has its neck sitting so high... the fretboards are always flush and touching the body of the guitar.

As you requested, I have attached closer photos of the neck pocket and heel. I’m looking to overcome this hurdle soon as it’s holding back my measurements for scale length and the rest of the test fit. Otherwise I’ll lose my patience and just sand the neck socket .

Once again, any responses are greatly appreciated.

[FrankenWashie]

Hi Mate,

Thanks for the reply. I’m yet to test the strings on the neck to the bridge, but regardless, I have never seen or played a guitar with either a set or bolt on neck that has its neck sitting so high... the fretboards are always flush and touching the body of the guitar.

As you requested, I have attached closer photos of the neck pocket and heel. I’m looking to overcome this hurdle soon as it’s holding back my measurements for scale length and the rest of the test fit. Otherwise I’ll lose my patience and just sand the neck socket .

Once again, any responses are greatly appreciated.

Mate that is looking all kinds of odd.
I would strongly recommend getting a Kwik clamp or a C clamp and test setting the neck, then run the E strings or fishing line to your bridge to check the break angle and action BEFORE you do anything drastic.

With the neck clamped in place you can verify your scale length at the same time as you do the other checks.

I get what you are saying about the height proud of the body, but the Tune O Matic style bridge on that kit should give you ample adjustment.

Also check the pickup rings that came with the kit. If you drop the neck further in to the body you might create fouling issues with those.

If it still all looks wrong, then adjusting the neck pocket will work but you are better off using a router than trying to evenly sand out 2-3 mm. You can get a little palm type router with a guide bearing bit to do this, or depending on where you are, one of the other forum members might be in a position to assist you with that.

I have to say that whole thing looks rough especially the veneer top around the neck pup position. The front of the pocket normally is fairly square up and down but that one looks quoted wobbly?

I’d pop some photos back to Adam at Pitbull for review as, to me at least, that doesn’t look up to the normal PBG standard.

Hope this helps,




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[Sachin]

Hey FrankenWashie,

Thanks for the quick reply. I think we’re on different pages here. Where I say the neck is sitting too high, I don’t mean jutting out too far onto the body and therefore neck pickup isn’t a problem. I’m referring to depth, as in, the neck pocket is too shallow, that I can’t clamp down the neck entirely. Sorry if I misunderstood, but right now I can’t test fit the neck because it won’t go down any further.

[FrankenWashie]

Hey FrankenWashie,

Thanks for the quick reply. I think we’re on different pages here. Where I say the neck is sitting too high, I don’t mean jutting out too far onto the body and therefore neck pickup isn’t a problem. I’m referring to depth, as in, the neck pocket is too shallow, that I can’t clamp down the neck entirely. Sorry if I misunderstood, but right now I can’t test fit the neck because it won’t go down any further.

Oh okay, I was envisaging it was all the way in and looked too high!

Check the squareness of the neck heel sides, then the sides of the neck pocket.

You might also see is there are any witness marks in the pocket where the neck is binding up, you can carefully dress these out with a file or sand paper stuck to a stiff backer board.

Take a look at the radii in the corners of the pocket as these are quite often an issue.

From the photo the back end of the neck heel looks kind of irregular, that may also be a binding point stopping it seating correctly.

The key is small adjustments, with careful checks in between.

Some use chalk or pencil lead on one component to highlight high spots where there is hard contact.

Also look for any obvious irregularities especially in the corners at the base of the pocket.


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[FrankenWashie]

It’s the EX design that requires the angle. On a lot of bolt ons, there isn’t any appreciable angle.

[Sachin]

Thanks FrankenWashie, also the factory forgot to include the neckplate and screws... can I still still the holes in the neck without them or is it better to wait till they arrive. And what size drill bit to use?

[FrankenWashie]

Hi Sachin,

you can find the neck plates etc on ebay, or via Australian Luthiers Supplies or real parts etc. they tend to be a fairly standard size.

https://luthiersupplies.com.au/guita...ar-neck-plates

They also do the Screws:

https://luthiersupplies.com.au/neck-attachment-screws

you may find cheaper options on eBay, but in terms of quality, they might prove more a liability.

The typical screw size is 4mm (3/16" in the imperial/us standard). I'd use a 4.5 mm or 5mm bit to do the body holes, this allows for the screws to go through but not bind up in the body holes.
You want the screws to bite into the neck heel only.
IN terms of the hole into the neck itself, the recommended guide hole is 3.3mm, but this is based on tapping threads into metal. A 3mm drill should do if you run it in and out once or twice.
When you go to install the screws or test fit them, make sure you lubricate the threads with wax, or with soap, just rub the threads with a piece of candle wax or a bar of soap before you try screwing them in.

I would wait until you have a suitable sized neck plate, then plan your holes on the body according to that screw pattern.
Once you've got the body holes drilled you can align the neck and clamp it in place then use the body holes to mark the screw hole location for the neck.

Hope this helps!

[Sachin]

Hi Everyone

Had to wait a lot the past week to receive the neck plate and screws, but finally with the holes drilled in the neck and also in the body for my LED killswitch, and the wiring tunnels made large enough to fit a 9V battery snap, I moved onto painting the back and sides. Staining the quilt maple top. Finished the 2nd round of primer today, so all in all 6 coats of primer overall. Is that enough to move onto the colour, or a couple more? Any specific dry try for the solvents beforehand?