first assembly attempt

[StockwellGuitars]

Oh...gees...I guess that I'm 'way' out of bounds for suggesting that I could help.  I got alot of 'bad' responses for offering this idea.  I suppose 'nobody' should offer to put together 'anybody' elses guitars.  That is not needed here.

ps  (seriously, this does not apply to the above poster)  thanks for your reply.

 

[DocNrock]

TMI about your sphincter, Doc.

I've only said what you were afraid to say.  :laughing7:

 

[JamesL]

Oh...gees...I guess that I'm 'way' out of bounds for suggesting that I could help.  I got alot of 'bad' responses for offering this idea.  I suppose 'nobody' should offer to put together 'anybody' elses guitars.  That is not needed here.

ps  (seriously, this does not apply to the above poster)  thanks for your reply.

You are pretty full of yourself...

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Oh...gees...I guess that I'm 'way' out of bounds for suggesting that I could help.  I got alot of 'bad' responses for offering this idea.  I suppose 'nobody' should offer to put together 'anybody' elses guitars.  That is not needed here.

ps  (seriously, this does not apply to the above poster)  thanks for your reply.

You are pretty full of yourself...

Don't bother with him, he seems tot think just because of that post that wyliee made tells him he can't express any advice here.

 

[stubhead]

It sounds like you can read and follow instructions and have some semblance of patience & common sense, so Dan Erlewine's "Guitar Player Repair Guide" has everything you need...
http://www.danerlewine.com/guitar_repair_books.html
I actually wish Warmoth would require all first-timers to buy this, it sure would save a lot of heartbreaking stories. (if you're the type of sentimental fool who's heart gets broke over wood abuse, that is...) :help:
The sections on fretwork, nutmaking & adjustment will teach you more than 9/10 of local "luthiers" and "guitar techs" know, if you pay attention. Ol' Dan sure would like you to buy all the gizmos he's designed that Stew-Mac sells.... Woodworking experience is a plus, and especially experience in playing guitars and setting them up to your preferences - as in any project, exactly defining your intended end result clarifies all the rest of the steps immensely. There's five or six other books on building guitars and a bunch of wood finishing books you can probably get through your public library's loan program, it's worth reading everything to see what they have to offer.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Warmoth seems to cut all the pieces to fit really well....so far in my limited experience. Assembly should be a piece of cake??? I understand the physics of the neck and adjustment theory etc.

The hardest parts as far as alignment goes, like the neck and bridge holes, are done for you already.  Things like jack screws, tuning screws, pickguard screws, etc. are all done by you.  Just remember the old addage, "Measure twice, drill once."  The wiring might be tricky, but there are plenty of decent diagrams out there, and you don't have to get it right the first time.  It either works or it doesn't, nothing is ruined like with drilling into a body.

 

[hank49]

I ordered "Build Your Own Electric Guitar", by Bill Foley along with all the components. I'll also get some practice putting a Warmoth compound radius neck (coming in the same shipment) on my store bought Strat (Vintage 70s American) before I start the assembly of the complete guitar.
Thanks for the book suggestions. I wish there was a library nearby. Try Google Earth Stann Creek, Belize and you'll get an idea of what I'm up against. Da boonies, brah. 

It sounds like you can read and follow instructions and have some semblance of patience & common sense, so Dan Erlewine's "Guitar Player Repair Guide" has everything you need...
http://www.danerlewine.com/guitar_repair_books.html
I actually wish Warmoth would require all first-timers to buy this, it sure would save a lot of heartbreaking stories. (if you're the type of sentimental fool who's heart gets broke over wood abuse, that is...) :help:
The sections on fretwork, nutmaking & adjustment will teach you more than 9/10 of local "luthiers" and "guitar techs" know, if you pay attention. Ol' Dan sure would like you to buy all the gizmos he's designed that Stew-Mac sells.... Woodworking experience is a plus, and especially experience in playing guitars and setting them up to your preferences - as in any project, exactly defining your intended end result clarifies all the rest of the steps immensely. There's five or six other books on building guitars and a bunch of wood finishing books you can probably get through your public library's loan program, it's worth reading everything to see what they have to offer.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I'll also get some practice putting a Warmoth compound radius neck (coming in the same shipment) on my store bought Strat (Vintage 70s American) before I start the assembly of the complete guitar.

Is the 70's Strat a three-bolt neck joint?  If so, is the Warmoth neck three-bolt compatible?

 

[hank49]

Is the 70's Strat a three-bolt neck joint?  If so, is the Warmoth neck three-bolt compatible?

Yes, they make a three bolt micro tilt in the Vintage Modern model. 

 

[RadsRock]

Hey, I want to go to Belize and dive and play guitar too!

Is there beer involved?

 

[hank49]

OK, I've assembled the guitar and it works really well. The bridge was pretty well adjusted and I only had to change the length of  the bottom E. I'm really stoked with the outcome.
One thing though, I haven't put a capacitor on the tone controls. The one I ordered wasn't in the box.  Although the sound is good, (in my opinion anyway) the tone controls basically do nothing to affect the sound. The 5 way switch works and I get different sounds using it. Is this because there is no capacitor?
I'm new to the wiring thing but what I did was open up my store bought Strat and copied exactly what I saw there.

 

[hank49]

Also put a Vintage Modern neck on my store bought strat. I adjusted the Micro Tilt bolt all the way out, bolted it in and it seems to be about perfect. I've had it strung up for two days now and been playing the s**t out of it. I like the feel of this compound radius better then the 6.25" that was the original from the factory.
Both guitars are everything I had hoped for so far.
How do I post pictures? 

 

[Mor Paul]

OK, I've assembled the guitar and it works really well. The bridge was pretty well adjusted and I only had to change the length of  the bottom E. I'm really stoked with the outcome.
One thing though, I haven't put a capacitor on the tone controls. The one I ordered wasn't in the box.  Although the sound is good, (in my opinion anyway) the tone controls basically do nothing to affect the sound. The 5 way switch works and I get different sounds using it. Is this because there is no capacitor?
I'm new to the wiring thing but what I did was open up my store bought Strat and copied exactly what I saw there.

Sounds like no cap there. I don't know a thing about guitar electronics, but I'm pretty sure the cap's job is to make the tone control affect the tone.

 

[hank49]

see if this attaches....If it does, the dark one is the complete guitar I just assembled. Ebony fretboard, birdeye maple neck, swamp ash, Wilkinson trem, Fralin pups. Lots of sustain...more than the vintage 70s American in the other pic. But the WM neck on the Vintage is great. anyway, I've been playing with this guitar (both  :icon_biggrin all day and even though the tone knobs aren't functioning properly, I can get any sound I want by adjusting the amp. The long fretboard overlaps the pickguard and it won't come off without removing the neck so I'm in no hurry to take it all apart yet.
One other little thing...a few of the frets (stainless steel) seem a tiny bit rough. I've been working them with very fine sand paper and it seems to work.  tightened the truss a hair on the Pro neck. All is well. I'm going diving....

 

[hank49]

see if this a better shot. I'm new at this s**t. NOW, I'm going diving....

 

[OzziePete]

Maybe go 3 volume controls (1 for each pickup) if tone controls are not for you?

 

[stratoholic77]

The other options would be:

• wire up the volume pot and leave the tone controls out of the equation (as Yngwie does)
  fit Fender "no load" pots.  The "no load" pots when set to "full" (i.e. no treble attenuation) are taken out of the circuit

.

 

[stubhead]

Or put a capacitor on the tone control, like 97% of all the normal people in the world.... :hello2: Gee if it works for EVERY MAJOR ROCK STAR YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF, mebbe it'll work for you. :hello2: :toothy10: :blob7:

Is that Bill Foley book the one with a whole bunch of info on how to wire up a "Superswitch"? - like 8 or 10 different ways? I knew he printed it somewhere, mebbe there. I have a Warmoth order creeping up on me and though I've read that book through our library, I can't remember doodly (don't really want to anymore, there's way too much doodly out there....) :sad1:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Gee if it works for EVERY MAJOR ROCK STAR YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF, mebbe it'll work for you. :hello2: :toothy10: :blob7:

Good point, but a lot of players like the VHs and Lynches don't even have one (I guess that would be the remaining 3%), and I would submit that most don't even use them.  They use the guitar they use and it came with it.

 

[ByteFrenzy]

I haven't put a capacitor on the tone controls. The one I ordered wasn't in the box.

This makes me suspect that Hank wasn't really trying to do it different from every major rock star - he just doesn't have a capacitor available to use.
Could you salvage one from an old (defective) transistor radio? Preferably a really old one, that doesn't yet have SMD components. The Warmoth page will tell you what it looks like, if you find one with the correct value printed on it (.047uF) it should work. It will probably also be marked with its safe operating voltage but that will never be reached in this application.