Tonemaster build! (Non-Warmoth)
- Thread starter rapfohl09
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DangerousR6
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Pretty cool, really diggin' the shape... :icon_thumright:
dNA said:
Yup, one P-90. This being my first build I elected to keep it simple and straightforward with one pickup and a top loading bridge. My drill press isnt big enough to drill the through holes, and I sure as hell wasnt doing them with a hand drill :laughing7:
As for a finish, I think it will be Lake Placid Blue. If it isn't that, it will be some other fender blue, maybe Ocean Turqoise or Ice Blue.
So I put the bridge on and strung it up for a bit to make sure everything lined up and bolted on right and it sounded great acoustically. I'm pretty pumped. However there was quite a bit of relief. Is that normal for the first time a neck is put under tension? I adjusted it to flat (as close as I could get it anyway, it got hard to turn) then left it for a while. Is that all right? I should say that I adjusted it slowly, in small turns, not just in a big turn.
a neck being set up for the first time should have a lot of relief. From what I understand, you're not supposed to leave the truss rod tightened when it's not under tension from the strings, or it can suffer from permanent back bow or warp. So a neck that hasn't been strung up on a guitar should start with a lot of relief and then you adjust accordingly
Cagey
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rapfohl09 said:
Did you have strings on it when you were trying to adjust it? And if so, did you loosen them up to make the adjustment? You have to tighten the truss rod to remove relief, so if you have strings on and up to tune you're fighting anywhere between 100-130 pounds of pull. If you somehow manage to adjust it to where you like it without stripping the threads on the truss rod under those conditions, chances are pretty good the next time you change strings you're going to have to adjust it again.
I took all the tension of the strings before I adjusted it. Especially since it said to do major adjustments with the heel adjustor, so I had to take the neck off anyway. I brought it back up to tension last night and left it, then checked it this morning before work and it seems to have settled. It has just the slightest amount of relief, and about 3 mm action with just a slight buzz. So as far as I can tell it was a success haha. I will adjust it a little more when I set it up for the final time to see if I can iron out that last relief, although I suppose it isn't really a bad thing that it is there.
You know, thinking about it. I probally wont have this all finished and done for like a month or so. Should I take the tension back off the neck? I don't really want to damage it permanently.
A little update:
I need to recess the pickup a little bit. I recently found out that the dog ear P90 is deffinately meant for a guitar with a tall TOM type bridge, but I think that I can recess it a bit and make it work. I am working on the cavity cover template too.
A little update:
I need to recess the pickup a little bit. I recently found out that the dog ear P90 is deffinately meant for a guitar with a tall TOM type bridge, but I think that I can recess it a bit and make it work. I am working on the cavity cover template too.
Here's a quick update. I am routerless again. The one I have now ( another one from my girlfriends dad) seems to be wiggling on its base, so I guess I just need to get over it and buy one. Not a big deal. Anyways I drilled the bridge ground hole. I had a mini heart attack because as you can see it is in a strange location. I meant to drill it where that X is, so I honestly have no idea how it got to where it was. I freaked out for a few minutes thinking that I ruined everything because it wouldn't get covered, but that faint pencil mark is where the bridge covers to, so it will be. I'm still kind of mad that I messed it up like that, but I suppose it is ok since it does get covered up.
Cagey
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Whaddaya, cross-eyed? You missed that mark by an inch! Drunken Friday afternoon construction workers are better than that! Bad boy! Bad! Goto your room! <grin>
Happily, it all worked out well anyway, so no harm, no foul.
A good router is a wonderful thing, and it's false economy to think they're one of those things where you can cheap out and buy a Craftsman or DeWalt or some such crap you'll have to replace the 3rd time you use it. You want accurate, simple, robust and reliable, so get a Porter-Cable or a Bosch. They cost a little more, but you won't be sorry, and you won't have to buy another one 23 milliseconds after the warranty expires or you use it for the 3rd time, whichever comes first. The kind of work you can do with a router allows them to pay for themselves pretty fast, so don't be afraid to do the right thing.
Happily, it all worked out well anyway, so no harm, no foul.
A good router is a wonderful thing, and it's false economy to think they're one of those things where you can cheap out and buy a Craftsman or DeWalt or some such crap you'll have to replace the 3rd time you use it. You want accurate, simple, robust and reliable, so get a Porter-Cable or a Bosch. They cost a little more, but you won't be sorry, and you won't have to buy another one 23 milliseconds after the warranty expires or you use it for the 3rd time, whichever comes first. The kind of work you can do with a router allows them to pay for themselves pretty fast, so don't be afraid to do the right thing.
Update time! All the machining/woodworking is done! I bit the bullet and went out and bought a Bosch 2.25 HP fixed based router with a table mount and honestly am blown away by how awesome it is. Since I have only been using old routers for my whole woodworking career it was cool to step it up to a new router with soft-start, tons of power, variable speed, great depth control etc. That thing with my Kreg table is just about the greatest combination ever. Anyways, I made the template for the P-90 recess and the cavity cover recess. For the cavity cover I just went and bought a telecaster plate with no holes from GFS. It looks great and is built like a rock. I routed the P-90 recess a little deep so that I can now use springs/washers/foam whatever to actually have some height control. I thought that was a pretty good idea :laughing7:
Pictures to come later, I probally shouldnt upload them at work haha. Right now I'm doing the final wood prep. Filling some divets, sanding like crazy, you know. My paint/clear/sealer will be here tomorrow from ReRanch, and since I dont think I told you what I ordered, ill just leave you guys in suspense :icon_thumright:
Pictures to come later, I probally shouldnt upload them at work haha. Right now I'm doing the final wood prep. Filling some divets, sanding like crazy, you know. My paint/clear/sealer will be here tomorrow from ReRanch, and since I dont think I told you what I ordered, ill just leave you guys in suspense :icon_thumright:
rapfohl09 said:
That is the same router I have for my build and it works great. Tons of power and significantly better than the junky Craftsman I was using. I am jealous of your table. If I had the money that would be the first tool I would get. You can get by without it it just takes a whole lot more time. The guitar looks great though so far. Congrats!
Cagey
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rapfohl09 said:
Good for you! Premium tools are a joy to work with. They make life easier and enable you to produce professional results. Plus, in the long run, they're actually cheaper because you're not constantly repairing/replacing them. 1 $200 router is much better than buying 4 or 5 $70 routers, none of which work as well as the $200 unit does.
Off topic, but printers are the same way. It's pure foolishness to buy an inkjet printer. Once you get past the original purchase, lasers are far less expensive to own and operate, in addition to being quieter, faster and long-lived. You'll go through 10 inkjets and $1000 worth of ink in the same time you'll use 1 laser and a couple toner carts for 1/4 or less of the cost.
