stratamania
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They should look better once they are all aligned before fitting.
Soloist in green PRS-style Laguna Dragon Breath finish
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docteurseb
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Definitely just a quick test but it’s the overall orientation I was planning to use. I should try to see how it’d look if I match the headstock contour
stratamania
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docteurseb said:
Yes, of course. I suppose it is worth matching the contour to see what it might look like. Either way, it needs to go with the flow of some other line or curve on the headstock.
docteurseb
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I don't have all the pickups yet but I'm starting to install the HW in it.
I normally don't deal with carved tops so I have to ask if the pot/body fit is supposed to look that poor on those carved bodies.
I looked at my recent carved VIP body and the fit is great, the holes seemed to have been drilled at an angle to match the top's curvature, whereas they are drilled dead straight on this Soloist body:
I normally don't deal with carved tops so I have to ask if the pot/body fit is supposed to look that poor on those carved bodies.
I looked at my recent carved VIP body and the fit is great, the holes seemed to have been drilled at an angle to match the top's curvature, whereas they are drilled dead straight on this Soloist body:
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Never mind, the culprit is probably too much finish buildup in the control holes 
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stratamania
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docteurseb said:Never mind, the culprit is probably too much finish buildup in the control holes
So just as a point of interest how do those pots sit after removing the excess build-up of finish?
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stratamania said:docteurseb said:Never mind, the culprit is probably too much finish buildup in the control holes
So just as a point of interest how do those pots sit after removing the excess build-up of finish?
Essentially perfectly, I was surprised at how little sanding was necessary to allow the pot shaft to be oriented properly. I never realized this was necessary on my prior VIP build because for that one I had to remove poly build up for the shafts to even fit, and by the time I was done removing all the finish the pots could already match the top's curvature.
I had to carve the side of the control cavity though to allow the volume pot to even fit, that wasn't due by excess build up given how much I had to remove. Maybe the volume hole was drilled a little too close, easy fix either way.
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stratamania
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Thanks. It is looking very good I must say...
docteurseb
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That build sure took a while but I finally got the bridge pickup this week and finished the assembly.
I dressed it with the gaudy PRS-ish backplates (I have another set as backup whose color matches the back).
I'll try taking a break from building Warmoth guitars for a little while, with that one, the VIP, and the northern lights style Strat built over the past year I have plenty enough ;-)
I dressed it with the gaudy PRS-ish backplates (I have another set as backup whose color matches the back).
I'll try taking a break from building Warmoth guitars for a little while, with that one, the VIP, and the northern lights style Strat built over the past year I have plenty enough ;-)
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...I just failed and ordered another soloist body... :laughing11: :laughing11:docteurseb said:
docteurseb
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I'm redoing the nut on this one.
Tuning stability wasn't great with tremolo use, and while trying to fix it I filed some of the slots too low eventually.
For a first time the removal went well with very minimal finish lifting (nothing extra thin superglue couldn't fix), by first carefully removing the finish from the side of the nut with a razor blade.
New nut installation went surprisingly well using a Graphtech PT-3000-00 (same thickness as Warmoth's for these Warmoth/Vortex necks). There was very little sanding to do on the sides as it is 1-11/16" wide and this neck is 1-5/8" (+ finish).
I'll take my time sanding the slots this time...
For the new body, I'll probably try a different color scheme but still in a PRS-style "glow" or "dragon breath" pattern. Although I'm tempted to try the same color again to see if I can get the brighter/vidid I was aiming for.
I'll go with a more ergonomic neck though w/o finish, I should have followed Cagey's advice but really wanted to try staining a maple neck. The gloss isn't that sticky, but once you're used to unfinished necks it's hard to go back...
Tuning stability wasn't great with tremolo use, and while trying to fix it I filed some of the slots too low eventually.
For a first time the removal went well with very minimal finish lifting (nothing extra thin superglue couldn't fix), by first carefully removing the finish from the side of the nut with a razor blade.
New nut installation went surprisingly well using a Graphtech PT-3000-00 (same thickness as Warmoth's for these Warmoth/Vortex necks). There was very little sanding to do on the sides as it is 1-11/16" wide and this neck is 1-5/8" (+ finish).
I'll take my time sanding the slots this time...
For the new body, I'll probably try a different color scheme but still in a PRS-style "glow" or "dragon breath" pattern. Although I'm tempted to try the same color again to see if I can get the brighter/vidid I was aiming for.
I'll go with a more ergonomic neck though w/o finish, I should have followed Cagey's advice but really wanted to try staining a maple neck. The gloss isn't that sticky, but once you're used to unfinished necks it's hard to go back...
docteurseb
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I'm now on my 5th or 6th nut installation, unable to get tuning stability on all strings with tremolo use and bending.
The one from yesterday was good once strings were stretched with bending, but as soon a I use the Wilkinson tremolo one or more strings go sharp (and vice versa: I can keep things in tune with tremolo, but once I bend heavily they go flat).
Couple nuts were good, but by the time I fixed the binding in the nut slot(s) at least one slot was already too low for proper clearance.
I'm using nut sauce too which helps a little bit.
What's the consensus on how the nut slots should be cut for these tilted headstocks with 3+3 tuners ?
Viewed from the top: Warmoth files the slots angled to match the direction of the tuning posts, that way the string breaks at an angle at the front of the nut.
PRS and Gibson seem to file the slots straight (like a Strat/Tele), in which case strings breaks at an angle at the back of the nut. I tried that too and it didn't seem better (maybe even worse actually).
Viewed from the side: Warmoth/PRS seem to use the full thickness of the nut to have string contact at the bottom of the nut slot. In contrast Gibson rounds the nut so much that string contact is very small (maybe 1/4th of the nut's thickness), which seems like it could wear the nut slots faster but results in less string contact and thus maybe less friction.
I did use 2000 grit to really smooth the nut slots themselves as I could definitely feel the friction otherwise trying to slide the strings in the slots.
I'm going to try one last time, after that I'm considering letting a real luthier have fun setting up a nut for that neck.
The one from yesterday was good once strings were stretched with bending, but as soon a I use the Wilkinson tremolo one or more strings go sharp (and vice versa: I can keep things in tune with tremolo, but once I bend heavily they go flat).
Couple nuts were good, but by the time I fixed the binding in the nut slot(s) at least one slot was already too low for proper clearance.
I'm using nut sauce too which helps a little bit.
What's the consensus on how the nut slots should be cut for these tilted headstocks with 3+3 tuners ?
Viewed from the top: Warmoth files the slots angled to match the direction of the tuning posts, that way the string breaks at an angle at the front of the nut.
PRS and Gibson seem to file the slots straight (like a Strat/Tele), in which case strings breaks at an angle at the back of the nut. I tried that too and it didn't seem better (maybe even worse actually).
Viewed from the side: Warmoth/PRS seem to use the full thickness of the nut to have string contact at the bottom of the nut slot. In contrast Gibson rounds the nut so much that string contact is very small (maybe 1/4th of the nut's thickness), which seems like it could wear the nut slots faster but results in less string contact and thus maybe less friction.
I did use 2000 grit to really smooth the nut slots themselves as I could definitely feel the friction otherwise trying to slide the strings in the slots.
I'm going to try one last time, after that I'm considering letting a real luthier have fun setting up a nut for that neck.
docteurseb
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Brought it to a reputable local guitar repair shop who told me he wasn't sure it was the nut and it was maybe 'one of those guitars that may need to have the tremolo blocked' ??? :icon_scratch:
He did play it quite a bit to so it's not like he didn't put any effort into it...
After that I changed the bridge, springs, swapped two of the tuners, none of which did anything to the problematic strings so I kind of was still convinced/hoping it was the nut...
This time I redid it more "Les Paul" style (as little string contact as possible) and it seems to finally be OK.
If I do any other tremolo guitar with 3+3 headstock it's going to get a Floyd next time... this wasn't very fun ;-)
He did play it quite a bit to so it's not like he didn't put any effort into it...
After that I changed the bridge, springs, swapped two of the tuners, none of which did anything to the problematic strings so I kind of was still convinced/hoping it was the nut...
This time I redid it more "Les Paul" style (as little string contact as possible) and it seems to finally be OK.
If I do any other tremolo guitar with 3+3 headstock it's going to get a Floyd next time... this wasn't very fun ;-)
BigSteve22
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Sounds like quite the adventure. I had a binding problem as well with my latest build. Nut was well cut, but very tight on the slots. It was to the point that tuning the 3rd and 4th strings would cause them to "ping", as they slipped past the nut. And, as I use a wound "G" string, (18w), it was especially troublesome on a nut cut for a 16p.
My fix was to buy a set of slightly oversized nut files. (I got the UO-CHIKYU set #2508, .012"-.053".) I started by very carefully widening the slots down to the height they were already cut to. Then, I layed the files in the slots, lifted the file off the front break point, and ramped them, working from about the mid point of the thickness of the nut, towards the headstock. This allowed the strings to gradually come in contact with the rear of the nut, instead of hitting a hard edge.
That did the trick, tunes very easily now. No binding, no "pings", no buzz! Don't know if it's "According to Hoyle", but I like the results.
My fix was to buy a set of slightly oversized nut files. (I got the UO-CHIKYU set #2508, .012"-.053".) I started by very carefully widening the slots down to the height they were already cut to. Then, I layed the files in the slots, lifted the file off the front break point, and ramped them, working from about the mid point of the thickness of the nut, towards the headstock. This allowed the strings to gradually come in contact with the rear of the nut, instead of hitting a hard edge.
That did the trick, tunes very easily now. No binding, no "pings", no buzz! Don't know if it's "According to Hoyle", but I like the results.
