8 Ball Tele

[mayfly]

Hey Folks,

Well I've got all the bits for the 8-ball tele.  Now let's put them together.

Starting with the Canary/Canary neck, I did the usual and installed threaded inserts:

This is the 5 th neck that I've done this to - it's rapidly becoming a ho-hum affair.

Now let's go onto the tuners.  These are a little different:

These are the new Sperzel "sound lock" tuners.  These use kind of a friction lock instead of the usual thumbwheel.  They are also the lightest tuners you can find today.  I had purchased a couple of sets for another guitar, but that project is slow to get going for a number of reasons.  I decided to give them a try here, and if I liked them I could get another set for the original project.  If I didn't, well then I figured that I could always get the trim lock versions and be happy. 

Anyway, Sperzel tuners use posts instead of screws.  i decided to play it safe and get a funky post-hole drilling template thingy from Stu-Mac:

Let's give this thing a try!

 

[Mor Paul]

Yes, let's.

 

[mayfly]

Max!  Do you live beside your computer? 

 

[D-rock]

Cool, Can't wait to see the rest of the build... how did you install the threads? and how are they working out for you?

 

[Mor Paul]

Max!  Do you live beside your computer? 

No, it's a laptop. It lives on me.
And it's Saturday. All I've got now is guitar, emailing the former gf and browsing the internet, mostly this forum.

 

[mayfly]

Well, here we go with the install.  The stu-mac gizmo bolts into the usual tuner hole, and has a conical washer on one side to ensure it's perfectly centered. Then I used a square to make sure it was perfectly, er, square:

Then I ran into the first problem.  The stu-mac jig works with a #38 drill bit, which created a hole compatible with the old-style Sperzels.  The new sperzels have a bigger post, wich requires a #36 bit.  I decided to drill all the holes using a #38, then enlarge them.  

If you don't know what I'm doing here, you should not be building a guitar!

So - here's the first hole. I used the jig and a #38, then enlarged it step by step using a #37, then a #36.

Then I blasted through the rest of them:

This technique created a perfect fit between tuner and headstock, with no slop or movement whatsoever.  Screw style tuners that I had installed in the past always had a bit of movement, but these guys are solid and don't move even when the nut is loose!

They look pretty cool as well, and they are lined up nicely.  So far I'm impressed with Sperzel!

 

[mayfly]

Cool, Can't wait to see the rest of the build... how did you install the threads? and how are they working out for you?

Thanks man.  Here's a link to a thread showing how I did it for kashmir.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=7465.135

BTW, the inserts I'm very very happy with.

 

[DslDwg]

So the question is the tool worth the money?

I installed the same tuners on my first build and just did the layout by hand. Wondering if I spring for the tool.

I love those tuners - already ordered another set for build #2 and will use for build #3 as soon as I decide on colors.

I think you will really love them - light weight very easy to string with no locking mechanism to mess with - great tuners.

 

[DangerousR6]

So where's the rest of the thread....Trevor....

 

[Finch]

i was wondering the same thing, here he is getting us all hot and bothered with sexy guitar building goodness and he just ups and walks away. Its like a stripper quiting in the middle of a lapdance to go take a smoke break...

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

If you don't know what I'm doing here, you should not be building a guitar!

That's the most confrontational I've ever seen him.  I knew it.  He really is Ice-T. 

 

[blue313]

If you don't know what I'm doing here, you should not be building a guitar!

That's the most confrontational I've ever seen him.  I knew it.  He really is Ice-T. 

Nah, he's just getting psyched up for the P-90 goodness.  :evil4:

 

[mayfly]

folks,

patience, patience.

it's xmas, and i've got a three year old as well as a 4 month old.  a little busy at the moment  :tard:

besides, isn't the slow love the love that lasts rather than the quick and easy thrills?  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[blue313]

folks,

patience, patience.

it's xmas, and i've got a three year old as well as a 4 month old.  a little busy at the moment  :tard:

besides, isn't the slow love the love that lasts rather than the quick and easy thrills?  :icon_jokercolor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq_5QZDpY1Y

 

[mayfly]

So, I got the body all wired up, and put on the neck.  Here it is:

and here's a shot of Doug's work:

 

[DangerousR6]

saaaaaaaweeeeet, love that neck.... :headbang1:

 

[Finch]

yeah thats looking so freaking sweet, im green with envy  :icon_biggrin:

 

[DangerousR6]

Would have that tuxedo-esque look with the area around the 8 ball painted white.... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Finch]

Would have that tuxedo-esque look with the area around the 8 ball painted white.... :icon_biggrin:

i dont know that i would fill the entire thing in with white, i like the brushed metal look around the 8 ball, but some white enamel around the 8 would make it pop!

 

[DangerousR6]

Would have that tuxedo-esque look with the area around the 8 ball painted white.... :icon_biggrin:

i dont know that i would fill the entire thing in with white, i like the brushed metal look around the 8 ball, but some white enamel around the 8 would make it pop!

Ya, on second thought, you're probably right. Taking a look at them sid by side...