Binding an L5S

[dmraco]

I have set up three different Floyds and never had an issue.  What seems so hard??

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Floyds rock. Pun intended.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[sixstringsamurai]

I have set up three different Floyds and never had an issue.  What seems so hard??

Nothing hard
That you have to have a special tool to set the intonation....
That and WTH do I want to have to use a wrench to change strings... it just isn't practical IMO...
Frustrating.

I do agree when they are set up right that are a useful tool in the right hands

 

[Cagey]

More build shots, although some of these I think are getting out of order of execution. Still, in the interest of documentation...

In the last update, we'd installed the threaded inserts in the neck heel. Before you install the neck, it's a good idea to check to make sure your inserts went in straight so you don't cross-thread them. Gives you a chance to put the Fret Rocker of Precision to double duty...

Straight up at 90° to a side - should be good​

Here we're trying to cut out a switch cover. Body didn't come with one, since that hole didn't exist at fab time. Besides, since the binding was predominantly cream, I wanted cream covers to match. I used a variable-size hole cutter, which is sort of a goofy tool. Kinda turns the drill press into a reverse lathe, where the part stands still and the cutter spins around the circumference. Throws the press all out of balance, and puts some unusual stress on everything involved. But, it's infinitely adjustable as to diameter within its range, so it has its uses. As you can see here, however, there is some risk to using one if you're as stupid as I am...

On the first try, I only clamped one side of the material and thought I could hold the other side against the force of the cutter by hand. Luckily, I didn't take my thumb off as the part rebelled against being cut and spun out of control.

No..no... Superman, he no here...​

The second try, I got a circle cutout out of the deal, but it was too small. Third time (not pictured) was the charm.

Then we have to have a control cavity cover to match. Typical kidney-shaped cover, so I grabbed a loose one I had laying around and traced it onto the material. Plugged in the Jigsaw of Jeopardy, chucked a fine blade into it, and made a rough cut...

Things are looking up. Still got all my fingers, and what looks like something that with a little attention could be a cover. Life is good. And fair! Where's my beer? Small victories need rewards, too.

Dug out some double-sided tape and attached the rough blank to the template to guide final shaping...

Then went through some 80, 120, and 180 grit sandpaper to get the thing shaped to fit...

...and found out that not all kidney-shaped covers are the same. Son of a bitch! Apparently, the L5S cover is larger than normal because the control cavity is larger than normal because Gibson used to put 429 different pots and switches in there. Iceholes.

So, I did it all over again, this time with the cover that came with the body as a template. End result...

Whew!

In retrospect, I probably should have stuck with the black cover on the control cavity, and made a black switch cover. The cream matches the binding, but the black wouldn't have stood out so much.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

I think you made the right choice.
The cream covers look nice against the grain on the back :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

These are mainly just detail shots of the finish...

Unbleached bone kinda sorta matches the cream. Plus, Tonar says it's magic

Dangerous Doug's incomparable engraving work

The bell cover from Terrapin. Less than thrilled with their work. Bevel was sloppy.

The dreaded B5 with D'Addario's goofy painted ball ends

Just an oblique view

See where the holes in the body used to be? Yeah, me neither.

A side effect of some aggressive scraping - thing almost looks carved​

 

[Cagey]

I think you made the right choice.
The cream covers look nice against the grain on the back :icon_thumright:

I'm glad you think so - they were a lotta work. I'm not going to change them, but if I had it to do over...

Whaddaya think about the gold mounting rings on the pickups? Too much? Becky's sending me the cream versions for those pickups (she originally sent black ones), which fit better, but I don't know. The gold seems to carry a theme that maybe I should leave alone.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

I think you made the right choice.
The cream covers look nice against the grain on the back :icon_thumright:

I'm glad you think so - they were a lotta work. I'm not going to change them, but if I had it to do over...

Whaddaya think about the gold mounting rings on the pickups? Too much? Becky's sending me the cream versions for those pickups (she originally sent black ones), which fit better, but I don't know. The gold seems to carry a theme that maybe I should leave alone.

IMO....
It's good with the gold rings,
The cream detail on the pups kind pulls it all in, I think the cream rings would be overkill.

I am normally so anti gold hardware it hurts, I hate it like most folks hate Hitler.
this is the first guitar I have seen that I like it on.

If it ain't broke.....

Hand cutting covers is a real PITA.
I did a tortoise set for my Epi 56' RI, so yeah, I feel your pain.

 

[MortenB]

I've just been reading this thread from start to end, and I must say, that you have done some amazing DIY work..! And what a beautiful result, just perfect..!    :icon_thumright:  BTW, here in Europe we would call that green color for; British racing green...

 

[Fat Pete]

if the cream rings are on the way anyway, you might as well try them - I like the way they make them a really close fit on the curved corners.

 

[Cagey]

I've just been reading this thread from start to end, and I must say, that you have done some amazing DIY work..! And what a beautiful result, just perfect..!    :icon_thumright:  BTW, here in Europe we would call that green color for; British racing green...

Thanks! It's been a long time coming, but I'm happy with the result.

I knew about the BRG; I've got another thread around here somewhere where I was trying to get a recipe for the stuff. In the end, I just winged it. It finally dawned on me that I wasn't trying to color match an existing finish for a repair, so the shade didn't have to be perfect.

 

[Cagey]

if the cream rings are on the way anyway, you might as well try them - I like the way they make them a really close fit on the curved corners.

Yeah, that was my thinking. I checked the spacing on the mounting holes between the rings I used and the black ones that came with the pickups, and they're the same so I wouldn't have to move any holes.

 

[Pelagaard]

Now we need to hear this beauty.

 

[Cagey]

Maybe one of these days. The arthritis in my left hand is kicking my ass lately. Been eating ibuprofen by the handful like M&Ms just to keep the pain down to a dull roar.

 

[mayfly]

Wonderful work Kevin.  Sorry to hear that you've had trouble playing the past while.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

There is a reason to suffer a Floyd - it feels massively different. And I swear it sounds different too (in use), although that might just be a side-effect of the different feel. Anyway, I prefer the Fender American Standard trem for most purposes. I have one Floyd guitar, just so I have it.

The cream covers - haha, my recently-acquired Epi LP has a very dark transparent blue back, and cream covers. Why not black? Very odd. I think I'll replace them at some point.

The guitar looks absolutely awesome. That binding is superb. I'm not a green/gold guy at all (don't like either) but I've got to admit, it looks very classy. Can't wait to hear it.

 

[Orpheo]

missed this thread along the way, but read it all the way through. This is lovely!

 

[dmraco]

The arthritis in my left hand is kicking my ass lately. Been eating ibuprofen by the handful like M&Ms just to keep the pain down to a dull roar.

maybe it if working on and finishing all those SS frets...... :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:

 

[reluctant-builder]

Sweet Jesus, Cagey, that is a beautiful guitar. Amazing work.

As for the binding, do you have any of the cream binding left over? Couldn't you pulverize some, put the dust in that divot and then apply some super glue, then file / shave it down?

Maybe it's not quite the same thing, but it seems like another application of this: http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0197.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0197

 

[Cagey]

Thank you for the kind words. It's good to know others appreciate the results.

As for repairing that divot, I don't think there's a way to do it that would be less apparent than where it's at now. Anything you'd apply would negatively affect the base, and especially considering that it's already been finished. There are a lotta coats of clear lacquer on there that would also have to be matched up. I just don't see it happening. Besides, it's a custom guitar, so it's almost worthless. There's no value to be preserved. As it is, I prefer to call it a beauty mark...

Squamous cell carcinoma is hot...​

Worked for Marilyn, so it oughta work for me  :icon_biggrin: