I Have This Body... Bobber Build Thread

[Verne Bunsen]

That is sharp!

 

[rgand]

Thanks, VB. I'm pleased so far. What started out as a way to use a goobered body has turned out to be a fine design. If I make another one, I'll make a few changes in the control rout and plate. There's a lot of unused space under there. With the small sized pots, I could fit another couple of them on there. Do that with stacked pots and you could do anything, including three pickups with separate tone and volume controls.

 

[rgand]

I enlarged the PG screw holes and countersank them. Same with the control plate, except I left them a slight bit shallow so when it's back from polishing, I can run the countersink in again just enough to clean up the holes.

I drilled room for the neck pickup screws with a 1/2" Forstner bit. Then I made a working pattern for the humbucker and routed for the bridge pickup.

That done, it was time to put all the pieces back together and check to make sure everything fits. I ran the PG screws in first with bees wax. I did the screws for the control plate when I put it on.

I'm not sure I like the gap-osis around the bridge pickup but I really don't want to change the sound any. I do have a chrome cover with the center open but even that will probably affect tone. I'd like to have a black cover anyway. I have a black plastic cover but it won't fit on the pickup so that's out. That pickup may or may not get a cover but it'll depend on how I feel about it when I start the wiring. I may cut a piece of black pickguard material to suspend behind the plate to hide the gap.

 

[rgand]

My intention today was to do the string through holes and ferrules but since everything was still on the body, I decided to see how it balances best with strap button placement. I guessed that partway down from the upper rear point would be good so I tried that.

It was fine and only tipped outward a little more than a guitar with a rounded butt. But I really wanted to make sure. I figured filling another hole was no big deal considering the ones already filled. Heck, it is getting painted anyway so I moved the rear strap button to the centerline and tried it again.

It still tipped outward a bit but interestingly enough, less than the higher button location. The net result is I like the centerline best. I drilled and plugged the upper hole. Then I started on the string through holes but didn't have a lot of time to work on that. Another day will get those done.

 

[rgand]

The string through holes are done. I decided to try one of those ferrule plates instead of individual ferrules. It's just as much work as the individual ferrules but a little different look. Some say it improves sustain. It has mounting screws so you won't ever have a ferrule fall out during a string change. The thing came with 3/4" long screws, though, like it's going somewhere without them. A couple of pickguard screws would do the trick. Next time I'll use a couple of those but this time, that sucker is on there!

 

[BigSteve22]

3/4" screws? Boy, you ain't kidding about overkill! I'm think'n 1/2" would be more than enough, and like you said, PG screws would probably be fine. I do like the look of that plate though...  :icon_thumright:

 

[rgand]

3/4" screws? Boy, you ain't kidding about overkill! I'm think'n 1/2" would be more than enough, and like you said, PG screws would probably be fine. I do like the look of that plate though...  :icon_thumright:

Yeah, no telling what they were thinking with those screws. I kind of like the look, too. Got a couple. Five bucks a pop, after all.

 

[Cagey]

Looks good. Seems like a good way to go. Not sure why the mfr's don't do it. Labor and material considered, it seems like it might be a wash to use ferrules vs. a plate like that.

 

[rgand]

Thanks, you're probably right. In a manufacturing situation, ferules would be 2 less screws but 5 more items to install.

 

[Logrinn]

That looks good.
What make is it? Where can one get such a plate?

 

[rgand]

Thanks, Magnus. Do a search for "Guitar Ferrule Plate" or "Tone Bar" and you'll find one. For the fun of it, I did a check and that ferrule plate is sold under a bunch of names. Guyker, Baoblaze, Baocity, Fidgetkute, the names just keep going. The moniker for mine was MonkeyJack.

edit: I said "Tone Bar" but meant to say "Tone Block". I guess they can be found both ways.

 

[Logrinn]

Thanks Robert. I tried ”tone bar” and found indeed several different versions. I’m always interested in new cool guitar detail designs. This was good to know.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

Tone bar? I could have searched the 'net for 100 years and never guessed that.

 

[rgand]

Thanks Robert. I tried ”tone bar” and found indeed several different versions. I’m always interested in new cool guitar detail designs. This was good to know.  :icon_thumright:

That was a mistake on my part. I actually meant to say "Tone Block". My apologies on that, although I guess they're to be found that way, too. I'll edit my previous post and include that. At any rate, there are a few out there.

Tone bar? I could have searched the 'net for 100 years and never guessed that.

I guess there are some to be found under all three search terms. Some of them are a bit pricey, although good quality.

 

[rgand]

Waiting. Waiting for grounding lugs to be delivered. They were ordered Friday and should be here today.

Those damn things are weird. I buy a pack of 8 or 10, use a couple and put the others in with my guitar parts. Next time I go to use some, they're nowhere to be found. So I order another pack of them, use a couple and put the others in with my guitar parts. I've done this three or four times. I should have loads of them but instead I'm again waiting for more to arrive. Sheesh.

Does anyone know where I can get some to fit on a 1/2" switch? The largest I've found have been 3/8".

 

[rgand]

All the wiring is done. I set things in place and it all worked as could be expected. I'm not sure about the coil splits. On both pickups, when the twisted pairs are grounded, one coil just gets diminished while the other one sounds normal. Also, I may have the inside coils live rather than the outside ones. I considered switching wires around but I want to hear it this way first so if any changes are made, it'll be after it's done. After final assembly, I'll be able to tell if it was worth the effort.

The next step is to take it all apart again and drop off the control plate for polishing. Then I get to do my favorite part: sanding. And sanding. And sanding. :laughing11: Then I can spray some paint so the final decision needs to be made as to the actual color. I'll take a small piece of the pickguard in and match it up with the paint chips at the paint store.

 

[rgand]

I decided to put a cover on the bridge humbucker to fill the wide gap around the pickup. An open cover should not affect tone as much as a closed one.

 

[Rick]

That looks good!

 

[rgand]

Thanks, Rick. That gap was not going to be beautiful. I just noticed that my trial assembly had the pickup in upside down.  :laughing11:

 

[BigSteve22]

...An open cover should not affect tone as much as a closed one.

I like that look, never saw one for an HB. Where did you find it?  ???