Biggest building pain in the butt?

[tfarny]

+1 the solder-to-ferrule trick. No problemo.

Pains:
grain filling swamp ash.
soon-to-be pain: removing lacquer from frets

But, NOTHING warmoth will ever be such a pain as stripping that Fender American strat that had 19 different colors on it!

 

[stubhead]

I'm going to measure the diameter of the ferrule with my calipers, then find the matching drill bit.  Then drill out the hole with my power drill to the depth of the ferrule.  Am I missing something?

Measure? You mean we're supposed to measure? :dontknow:

But seriously, I don't understand how people expect to assemble this stuff without having any tools - like calipers, straight edges, nut & fret files etc. It's not a $9.99 model airplane kit, professional techs charge $300 to do what you want to do in an afternoon - they use tools to do it too, that and experience is why they're technicians. (?)

To place tuning pegs perfectly every time, mark the hole for one, then use a straight edge ruler to draw a line parallel to all the tuners. Then use your carpenter's square (it's a tool) to draw perpendicular intersecting lines at equidistant points, then mark the hole location with your awl (it's a tool...) The equidistant points are like, equally distant, but I don't know how far, I'd have to friggin' measure.... :icon_scratch:

Here's the rule: your first guitar is an excuse to buy $200 worth of tools, your second guitar is an excuse to buy $150 worth of tools, your third & fourth ones are an excuse to buy  $100 worth of tools each, then you have to start getting serious - drill presses, bandsaws, table planers, a woodchipper for the FUBARS, etc.

 

[Soloshchenko]

I still have issues getting solder to stick to pots.

I agree 100%. THIS IS THE MOST ANNOYING THING IN THE WORLD. WHEN WILL GUITAR COMPANIES MOVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND MANFACTURE POTS THAT ACTUALLY TAKE SOLDER EASILY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Orpheo]

I still have issues getting solder to stick to pots.

I agree 100%. THIS IS THE MOST ANNOYING THING IN THE WORLD. WHEN WILL GUITAR COMPANIES MOVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND MANFACTURE POTS THAT ACTUALLY TAKE SOLDER EASILY!!!!!!!!!!!!

they already do. the pots are just safe from corrosion due to alittle layer of chrome. smear them in with soldering wax (the same stuff you have IN the soldering tin) and it goes like a charm. rub it with a bit of sandingpaper, and you're ready to go

 

[vanhagar]

I have only built one Warmoth guitar, the toughest thing was fitting everything under the pickguard and installing it without a bulge!! not to mention I couldn't install the loaded pickguard without removing the neck  :icon_scratch: I have removed and installed quite a few before and never had to remove the neck ! but I have never had a 22 fret strat before with a 4 ply pickguard, but there was absolutely no extra routing done to acomidate for sloppy pickup and switch installation  :laughing7:

 

[taez555]

For me it's getting copper shielding tape into the cavity.  I know there are those who say it's a waste, but....

Getting all the tape into the tiny crevises.  Pain in the ass, it takes a few hours and I always end up slicing my fingers up(copper tape/paper cuts) as I press it in.  I always kick myself that I don't just opt for the shielding paint.

but that's just me.



erik.

 

[jackthehack]

Seriously, I'm not sure about this, but what you have told me about the ferrules tells me what I am going to do.  I'm going to measure the diameter of the ferrule with my calipers, then find the matching drill bit.  Then drill out the hole with my power drill to the depth of the ferrule.  Am I missing something?

Yes, the hole needs to be slight SMALLER than the ferrule so it can dig into the wood and stick...

Hammer Time!

 

[Orpheo]

For me it's getting copper shielding tape into the cavity.  I know there are those who say it's a waste, but....

Getting all the tape into the tiny crevises.  Pain in the ass, it takes a few hours and I always end up slicing my fingers up(copper tape/paper cuts) as I press it in.   I always kick myself that I don't just opt for the shielding paint.

but that's just me.



erik.

The problem is that shielding attenuates highs... have you ever tried it without shielding? I've got 5 warmoth lespauls, and all of them without shielding, and they're dead silent, no noise or hiss.

 

[jmasin]

Not really a PITA but... when I had to drill the holes for the strap buttons on an otherwise complete and 100% perfect ( in my mind) build... I was sweating freakin' bullets.  I just knew Murphy was going to kick me in the butt... turned out ok but I was nervous...

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I've never enjoyed finish work.  Cutting, routing, sanding,shaping wood are things I don't have any problem with, but I absolutely do not enjoy the paint process at all.

 

[stubhead]

I must say, my fifty-year-old eyes don't like soldering up those DPDT mini-switches or especially the Superswitch - all those crazy little jumper wires that go through three lugs then cross over to the other wafer and go through some more... I know they make those magnifying glasses that flip down, but that would be a sign of... weakness.  :binkybaby: I use a 10X jeweler's loupe sometimes to check fretwork, but that's different than having a smoking soldering gun in one hand, a roll of solder in the other, and being blind due to fuddy decrepitude.
I like big, woody woodwork the best too. :cool01:

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I can relate.  I have a 12 pole Dimarzio switch #EP1111 (EBMM JPM) in one of my guitars, and I hate soldering that little thing.  It retrofit a standard 3 way LP type of toggle.  Otherwise, I can get the wire scheme with a standard 3 way blade switch.

I'll be using the 3 way blade switches for now on.  They're easier to wire, & more reliable, in my opinion.

 

[-CB-]

DREMEL

 

[SrDeMaFp]

>jackthehack wrote...

>On ferrules - get a set of jeweler's diamond rasps/files, you can find them pretty cheap on the net. And use a hammer.

Okay. After several hours of tedium, I'm way past the finish, and into the wood. According to my digital micrometer, I'm still a full 16th of an inch from the ferrules even beginning to fit. I am obviously doing something very wrong.

Hammer Time!

 

[DangerousR6]

Gotta tell you guys, get a black and decker variable speed cordless drill.  Costs about $40.  You can control the speed of the bit by the depth of the trigger pull.  I do all my pilot holes with this and feel very much in control.  Slow rotational speed and minimal downward pressure.  I put a tape marker on the bit to let me know when I'm deep enough.

That said, the biggest pain for me is painting the routes with conductive paint...3 coats, and 24 hours between coats.

That's why you have more than one project at a time going, while one is drying you do something to another one........ :icon_biggrin:

 

[DangerousR6]

Biggest pain for me is the waiting game.....I hate waiting.... :tard:

 

[m4rk0]

I hate Sperzels too... doesn't matter if you measure or use a template, there will always be at least one of them that is slightly out of line..

Here's an important word of advise: NEVER ATTEMPT to finish a rosewood top or body with Tung oil!! As Jack pointed out waaayyy too late, the natural oils in the rosewood will not let the tung oil penetrate in certain parts of the body..

I also discovered that I am not patient enough for Tung oil finishes... I can't just wait a whole week  between coats! I have been finishing my thinline for about 3 months now, and I am still not happy! oh and I have even cheated a couple of times, only waiting 4 or 5 days  :-\
so this is my last tung oil finish EVER! ok, I may attempt it on a less absorbing or less oily wood sometimes..

other than that.. not a big fan of soldering in general.. but then again, I am getting a little better at it now...

 

[RLW]

It's funny, I love soldering in amps, but simply despise wiring up guitars. Luckily, I have a buddy who's the opposite.

 

[jimh]

The biggest assembly's pain

The assembling of money.

Word.........

Biggest pain for me is the waiting game.....I hate waiting.... :tard:

Word again......

 

[shanejw]

Soldering to the trem claw was the biggest pain on my last build.  went ahead and got a  crimp on fork and put it under a screw.