Revisiting the painful past.

[monchavo]

Six years ago I was suffering from some significant depression caused by overwork. To pick myself up I decided to build a guitar - my first - from scratch.

For six months I pored over warmoth, refining continually what I wanted. I alighted on a beautiful ocean burst swamp ash body, chambered, and a neck of incomparable beauty - combining both flame and birdseye maple in the same slab of delicious wood. I went with exquisitely crafted Callaham parts, very expensive Fralin pickups and, for some reason, probably because , as a spotty teenager I lusted after a Strat Plus in the fender catalogue - locking sperzel tuners.

In my haste to get the build underway I rushed things, and, not following the carpenter's adage of "measure twice cut once" drilled several holes in the back of the headstock for the mounting pins of the tuners. A couple of these holes were out of position, resulting in "wonky" tuners. This mistake made me feel absolutely awful about the guitar, I stopped assembling it, and it has lain dormant since then.

Since that time I have built three telecasters and I am now onto my third strat, but the original parts for this beauty, have languished, untouched, since that time.  Every time I go to think about repairing the damage my younger, foolish self did to the neck I shy away and start a new build, unsure of exactly how to repair it.

So, there's lots of conflicting advice out there. What would you do, o wise shamans of UW? Should I fill and redrill? If so, with what? Should I just embiggen the pin-hole to allow the tuner to sit straight and not worry about it?

Your collective wisdom is appreciated.

 

[swarfrat]

I got one like that. Drilled Wenge neck for inserts and screwed. I actually got a scrap of wenge to make a plug for it and now have a proper drill press. I just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[NedRyerson]

If it's just the mounting pin holes that are out of position, my approach would be to fill and redo.  Once you mount the tuners, you won't see the first attempts, right?  Enlarging the mounting holes would mean the tuner can still  rotate out of position, and you'll be reminded of this each time the tuning post is off.

A method I might consider (and I only say "consider" because I haven't tried it myself yet) is to fill the bad holes using wood glue (not filler) and a toothpick. Test fit the toothpick, and if the toothpick is too wide, open up the bad pin hole just enough to fit. Apply the glue to the tooth pick and stick it into the holes and wipe off the excess glue.  Let dry, saw off the extra length of toothpick, then sand smooth.  Then redrill properly.

This is what I'm planning on doing with my test-piece work body that I referred to in this thread. Since it's a low-priority project, I haven't bought a pickguard I'd like to use to see if the screw holes are properly aligned or not.

I'm using this toothpick/wood glue method to repair a door in my house, however, where the screw holes for the hinge has worn out over time and use (it's the bathroom door).  I should get back to that (luckily, I had a spare door that I put up in place of the original).

 

[Logrinn]

I would leave the holes and instead use Hipshots UMP:

That way the holes will be covered and the tuners will automatically be in a straight line.
Best invention since sliced bread :icon_jokercolor:

 

[mayfly]

I would fill with wood and re-drill.  I've done this before, and it turns out well.  Maple dowel would be fine, but if you're anal you can get a plug cutter to make plugs so that the grain aligns.

 

[Kostas]

...Should I fill and redrill?

Yes, either you or a tech.

My first Warmoth was a strat and I used locking Sperzels, I would choose Gotoh 510 now. I don't like the feel of the locking wheel on Sperzels.

 

[monchavo]

Thanks for the replies so far. I've used the toothpick and glue approach on other setups and it worked fine, I feel different about this because the neck is such a wonder. Sourcing maple dowel in my part of the world, reaming it to ensure its precisely the right size and then gluing it ... :/

 

[Kostas]

...I've used the toothpick and glue approach on other setups and it worked fine...

That's wrong IMO, if you can't find maple any hardwood would do the job.

 

[PhilHill]

The usual method for me would be to get the smallest maple or birch dowel you can find. You only need six pieces about 1/4 long, so the whole thing doesn't need to be too big.
Measure the size of the dowel and drill the holes out one size smaller. Cut off 2 1/2 inches of the dowel and chuck it up in a drill press or hand drill that has been clamped down to a table or bench. Use sandpaper pinched around the dowel while the drill is spinning to sand it down in diameter, checking every so often till it will fit in the holes. Take a sharp knife or small file to put a groove in the side of the dowel and cut it into six pieces. Glue them in to the holes and cut off flush when cured. Very carefully sand down the remainder till smoth with the surface. The last little bit can be scraped smooth with a single edge blade to avoid scratching the neck with sandpaper. Put a drop of finish on each and your good.

 

[monchavo]

Thanks. Any specific glue recommendations?

 

[swarfrat]

dowels are end grain - so IMO it's still wrong. Might as well do the tooth pick in a hole this small. If you have a 3/8" hole to fill like I do - sure, by all means cut a plug with the correct grain orientation. For a 1/8" hole? The purpose of the toothpicks is to reduce the volume of superglue to fill the hole (kinda joking there, but it's not far off the mark.)

 

[PhilHill]

Ok, my bad. I assumed the OP didn't have a set of plug cutters.

 

[PhilHill]

What I should say is that even though it's so small, you still want some solid wood in there and as little glue showing as possible. Just a toothpick and superglue is going to look kinda crappy. You'll never get the plug to totally blend and be invisible, but you don't want a thick line of dark dried glue around it either. you want something wood that's going to come as close as possible to filling the hole completely..... :icon_thumright:

 

[stratamania]

You need a plug cutter and some maple to make the plugs from. Glue them in with titebond or similar. Level.

Here is a quick video that shows the idea, though for the sanding do it by hand using a block and paper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUSc5zCr3BE

Drill new holes for the Sperzels. Use a tuner pin drill jig. I am not sure where in the world you are so here are a couple of links.

US / Worldwide

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-tuner-installation/tuner-pin-drill-jig.html

EU based supplier
https://guitarsandwoods.com/ultimate-tuner-pin-locator.html

 

[monchavo]

thanks again for everyone's help in this matter

Given that, six years on, I am not wedded to the idea of Sperzels, it does occur to me that I could, for example, pop a set of Gotoh magnums on which will obscure the drill hole errors and be done with it.  Is there any downside to this approach?

Granted I would need a set of embiggened tuner bushings, but I actually have one of these sitting around.

 

[Rick]

I like hip shots , no more holes

 

[PhilHill]

thanks again for everyone's help in this matter

Given that, six years on, I am not wedded to the idea of Sperzels, it does occur to me that I could, for example, pop a set of Gotoh magnums on which will obscure the drill hole errors and be done with it.  Is there any downside to this approach?

Granted I would need a set of embiggened tuner bushings, but I actually have one of these sitting around.

No problem just leaving them and covering up. Only thing I'd suggest is that you fill the holes with wax or something similar to keep moisture and crud out. Then enjoy your guitar... :icon_thumright: