The Opal Strat

[Cagey]

That reamer might be good for opening up holes for pots and switches, but you use that on your tuning peg holes and you'll be sorry. It's too short and too extreme an angle. You'll be making severely cone-shaped holes and the tuner won't snug up right. The proper reamer for doing pegholes is an expensive little rascal from a luthier tool supplier, but if you know what you're looking for the industrial suppliers can usually do the same thing for about 1/3 the price, although you may need a tap handle. They're cheap, though.

But, while StewMac wants ~$100 for a guitar tuner hole reamer with a wooden handle, you can get the right thing from ICS Cutting Tools  for $37. It's their part number TPRSF 13/32, as shown in this PDF. But, you'll need a tap handle to turn it with. If you don't already have one, you should be able to get a proper one $8-$10 just about anywhere.

 

[DeepSouth]

Thanks for the advice Cagey - I wonder if it won't be alright for what I want it for though. When I built the last strat - I ordered a schaller ream for the tuning peg holes but when I received the neck the little suckers didn't want to push down all the way into the hole without more force that I was willing to try.

I ended up using an abrasive reaming bit at a fairly extreme angle because when I looked at the tuners it was only the very end of the tuners that flared out - ie the tuner posts were not perfectly cylindrical. So in effect I was countersinking the tuner hole for the flare at the very end of the tuner only. The rest of the tuner post was snug in the hole and the reamer didn't widen that part of the bore - so I assume everything is fine.

Would using the reamer I am purchasing for that application still do anything I would regret? - serious question - I am a newbie at this after all.

 

[Cagey]

If you look at it, you can see how extreme the cutting angle is on the thing. The description says it goes from 1/8" to 1/2" over 5". Do what you want, but I wouldn't be sticking that thing in my pegholes. By the time you get the exit end of the hole to the proper diameter, the entry end will be huge. It'll look like a funnel. The tuners will go in without a fight, but there will be little connection to the headstock. The tuner housings will be mostly surrounded by air instead of being in contact with the wood.

Another thing is the Schallers want a smaller exit hole than the shaft hole. They drill it so there's sort of a "flange" there. Warmoth has some drawings on their site that show what's going on a little better than I can explain it...

So, if you start running a reamer through there, even if it's the proper one it's going to hurt that hole profile.

You may not need the thing anyway. Schaller tuners do go in tight, and they're supposed to. I can never push the bodies down flush to the back of the headstock by hand. But, once you thread the retainer nut on from the front and tighten it up, it pulls the tuner through the rest of the way. I'd strongly suggest you get either a deeper 10mm nut driver or deep-well socket to tighten those nuts, or you might tear them up a bit. If you don't have a tool like that already, StewMac sells these either individually or as a set...

It's the three sizes you'll encounter quite a bit on guitars - 7/16", 1/2" and 10mm. That'll have you covered for pots, switches, and tuners. Or, just hit the local Sears or whatever tool store you've got nearby. I'm sure they'd have something similar that you wouldn't get hit so hard on shipping for, or have to wait on.

 

[bbl4ck]

You may not need the thing anyway. Schaller tuners do go in tight, and they're supposed to. I can never push the bodies down flush to the back of the headstock by hand. But, once you thread the retainer nut on from the front and tighten it up, it pulls the tuner through the rest of the way. I'd strongly suggest you get either a deeper 10mm nut driver or deep-well socket to tighten those nuts, or you might tear them up a bit. If you don't have a tool like that already, StewMac sells these either individually or as a set...

It's the three sizes you'll encounter quite a bit on guitars - 7/16", 1/2" and 10mm. That'll have you covered for pots, switches, and tuners. Or, just hit the local Sears or whatever tool store you've got nearby. I'm sure they'd have something similar that you wouldn't get hit so hard on shipping for, or have to wait on.

I have that same set from Stewmac!  I use them all the time and they do fit most major nutdriver needs.  Highly recommended...

 

[DeepSouth]

I've got the tube sockets in a quarter inch drive socket set - so I'm OK there. I just worried about splitting the wood if I tried brute force to snug them up. The tuners went in lets say about 3/4's of their required length before they got too tight to push any further. Next time I will just try brute force with my 1/4 inch drive tube sockets then I guess.

 

[Cagey]

Like I said, they're supposed to be tight. There's a lot of surface area to those housings, which translates into a lot of friction that gives you the idea that they're too tight, but they'll be fine.

 

[Cagey]

I have that same set from Stewmac!  I use them all the time and they do fit most major nutdriver needs.  Highly recommended...

Yeah, it's better than pulling the sockets out of the set in the mechanic's tool chest. Damn things have a habit of not getting put back where they belong.

 

[Updown]

OK ... Now I see the Rabbit   :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:  

I'd have ordered most stuff from Warmoth but the problem we have here in Australia is that we need to keep the order from them under $1,000 including freight which is about $115 for a body neck and trem - or else customs hit us with import duties and customs clearance charges. You could do two separate orders but I have heard instances of customs associating two orders as one - if you are unlucky enough to have the bits passing through them concurrently - from the same vendor.

I at 1st thought this too ...... BUT

:icon_scratch:  I've had a delivery before from Warmoth (in July) over the $1,100 mark which included shipping. Never been hit with custom charges !!

Think you will find the charges apply ONLY when the total value of the goods is over $1,000 AUS $$$$
NOT INCLUDING SHIPPING

So if your confident / game with the AUS $$$ (at the moment) you could spend up to $1,030 US $$$  ....... NOT INCLUDING SHIPPING !!

Also I had 2 different separate orders from Warmoth (total of both about $1,400 AUS) sent to me on different days though the same week & by
the time it got to Australia, it was the weekend here, one arrived Friday night & the other arrived Saturday night.

I was  :sad: thinking OH NO I gotta pay a crap load of extra $$$$ on Monday to customs.
Thinking they would see this as one delivery from the same suppler over the $1,000 AUS limit.

Monday Morning 9.30  .... Both parcels arrived in tact   :icon_thumright:  & NO EXTRA CUSTOMS $$$$ TO PAY.  :blob7: :toothy10: :icon_biggrin:

Also bought things from other places & never been hit with the extra customs $$$
AS LONG AS THE TOTAL COST OF GOODS ENTERING AUSTRALIA IS LESS THAN $1,000 AUS ON ARRIVAL HERE

:sign13: Just remember to allow for fluctuation in the US $$$$  to AUS $$$$ when ordering something that may take 4 ----- 12 weeks plus, to get here !!

 

[DangerousR6]

Thanks Tipperman - sounds great - when do we make the swap  :laughing7:

This is the Neckplate I've got saved up for it - it's slightly blue in a funny way...

Not what I was getting at, but good on ya anyway... :dontknow:

 

[Tipperman]

You won't be disappointed with the CS69s. I have them in my Warmoth strat, and she's the best sounding strat. Ever.  :cool01:

 

[DeepSouth]

The delivery came today - everything looks great :icon_biggrin: I'm having a bad time with www.guitarpartsresource.com with the bits and pieces I ordered - they just won't acknowledge my order or give me a tracking a number - basically they can't be contacted on the phone and they won't answer a single email. Beware of them. It probably doesn't matter if you are in the continental US because you will know if they have sent the bits a few days later - but if you are overseas you don't want to wait 10 days to find out they still haven't sent your bits or they never got your order. Anyways... You have been warned - I'll see if they answer my third email - the lousy buggers.

 

[Stew]

Mmmm ... they look v.nice together DeepSouth  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

I'm having a bad time with www.guitarpartsresource.com with the bits and pieces I ordered - they just won't acknowledge my order or give me a tracking a number - basically they can't be contacted on the phone and they won't answer a single email.

They have a decent selection of some good stuff at reasonable prices, but their business methods leave a LOT to be desired. The website is poorly designed, and there are no order confirmations, shipping confirmations, contact points, etc., etc. Makes you feel like you've just fed your credit card into a black hole. Certainly doesn't engender any comfort, trust or goodwill for dealing with them.

But, I've bought a number of things from them and haven't gotten hurt. It's just nerve-wracking. And if you're overseas? I can see where you'd be rattled even more. Many companies won't even ship overseas, and these guys don't respond to any queries? How are you supposed to know if you're ever going to get your order fulfilled?

 

[Updown]

Looks great  :icon_thumright: PLEASE go the black as mine is using a white pearl  :toothy10:

About GuitarPartsResouces ..... Has it been 2 weeks since you ordered (which is about the time it mostly takes to get here)
Always had a tracking # the day after ordering ...
But will only say when it's sent from & that its now in transit .... then some day it'll turn up  :icon_scratch: unless you went the
cheapest shipping costs, then it can take longer  :sad:

I've had heaps from them (never any drama) & sometimes can take 1 week or just over 2 weeks to get my hot little hands on it !!!!
Down here in is OZ land .... :icon_biggrin:

 

[DeepSouth]

No tracking number from them Updown - using international express. It's been a week I don't expect it yet - but I expect them to tell me the tracking number or at least acknowledge receipt of the order - which the tracking number would satisfy as well.

er I actually ordered a regular white pearl pickguard and backplate from them  :sad: + some tuners, jacks, jack plates etc and that reamer tool. I think about $250 worth. The black pickguard is just a spare I have from the last build - I wanted a genuine fender guard as a template so I could get the holes in exactly the right spot and confirm any aftermarket guards I might end up acquiring using the genuine one as a check.

 

[Updown]

No tracking number from them Updown - using international express. It's been a week I don't expect it yet - but I expect them to tell me the tracking number or at least acknowledge receipt of the order - which the tracking number would satisfy as well.

UUmummmm ....  :icon_scratch: Strange not getting a tracking # I pay via palpal & get receipt & tracking # .... As I said give it at least 2 weeks

er I actually ordered a regular white pearl pickguard  :sad:

Oooooooppps ... I meant to put the joker symbol  :icon_jokercolor: not this one  :toothy10: as I was just joking  :laughing7:

As mine will be totally different than yours anyway, 2 x Hum , diff neck etc etc burst Black over the edges
Been a few Blue one's sell, but haven't seen them here as yet, besides ours  :icon_thumright:

Not even going to ask whats next up  :laughing7: ........... Cheers  :glasses9: