Members GomezAddams1 Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Freeman, I don't understand this: and mark the "zero fret" line with a half round pencil. I want to approach this line as I cut the slots Awesome work, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members atrox Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Freeman, I don't understand this:and mark the "zero fret" line with a half round pencil. I want to approach this line as I cut the slotsAwesome work, BTW. It just shows what the fret height is in relation to the nut. Used as a guide to shaping and slotting (depth) the nut Great Job on this build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Freeman, I don't understand this:and mark the "zero fret" line with a half round pencil. I want to approach this line as I cut the slotsAwesome work, BTW. As Atrox says, that is where a fret would sit right in front of the nut. Some guitars have a "zero fret" - the nut slots locate the strings from side to side but a piece of fret wire actually sets the height. I have taken an ordinary wood pencil to my belt sander and sanded half of it away, when I lay it on the first couple of frets it will extend their height back to the nut. In theory I want the bottoms of the slots exactly at that line, however I approach it slowly and use the other two measurements do check (a feeler gauge on the first fret and putting a capo on the 3rd I tap the string over the first fret and listen for a little ping). You'll see how the nut height works with the other parts of the setup in the next exciting episode...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GomezAddams1 Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 As Atrox says, that is where a fret would sit right in front of the nut. Some guitars have a "zero fret" - the nut slots locate the strings from side to side but a piece of fret wire actually sets the height. I have taken an ordinary wood pencil to my belt sander and sanded half of it away, when I lay it on the first couple of frets it will extend their height back to the nut. In theory I want the bottoms of the slots exactly at that line, however I approach it slowly and use the other two measurements do check (a feeler gauge on the first fret and putting a capo on the 3rd I tap the string over the first fret and listen for a little ping). You'll see how the nut height works with the other parts of the setup in the next exciting episode...... Gotcha'. Interesting approach. I just do the feeler gauge when cutting nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Gotcha'. Interesting approach. I just do the feeler gauge when cutting nuts.Both work, but it's much easier to work quickly when you have an obvious visual reference. You'll never cut one too low this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Both work, but it's much easier to work quickly when you have an obvious visual reference. You'll never cut one too low this way. It is really helpful to have the reference when working on a 12 string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xrleroyx Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 Excellent example of how good a product can come out when the proper experience and research has been done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 30, 2011 Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 It is really helpful to have the reference when working on a 12 string.I haven't had the pleasure yet, but it's bound to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2011 I haven't had the pleasure yet, but it's bound to happen. When you do, let me know. There are a bunch of tricks for setting up a twelve string - spacing, nut depth, intonation, etc. Mine have each string of each course compensated individually - the saddle looks like a rip saw blade but they play in tune. Lots of people feel that a 12 is hard to play - set up correctly they can be a pleasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 2, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Time for Electrickery First I needed to hog out the switch and control cavities. I should have done this a long time ago, at least before I started the finish. Oh, well. Using the Forstner bit at approximately the same angle as the top and carefully measuring the thickness so the pot shafts would all stick out the same amount I prewired the switch and mounted it Installed the pickups (no picture, sorry) and the pots (notice how I cleverly wrote on each pot what its function was - since everything is upside down and backwards it would be real easy to do something stupid) and wired them all together following the schematic that came with the parts. Incidently, I'm using the Parson Street humbuckers - they are half the cost of Gibson or some others and right now I wouldn't know the difference. As I get wiser I could always change them. I also just bought the basic wiring kit from StewMac - standard 500K pots, 0.02 mf caps, some shielded and unshielded wire. I did do the trick of reversing the switch and pickup wires which means that if both pups are selected turning a volume control down won't turn the whole thing off. I also had one other brain fart at this time - I knew I needed to drill a hole for the wire to the "string ground" at either the bridge or tailpiece stud, but I had totally spaced it. I did it now (again, sorry, no picture) but realized that there is no way to connect to the stud so I just pushed the wire tight against in and super glued it in place. If I get string hum I'll have to pull the stud, fan the wire out and reset the stud so it makes better contact. This doesn't look like a lot but it took most of the day last saturday. Next, a little set up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members geekocaster Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 bravo. looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jan Deal Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 I can't wait to see the finished guitar, it looks fantastic so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members photon9 Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Time for Electrickery First I needed to hog out the switch and control cavities. I should have done this a long time ago, at least before I started the finish. Oh, well. Using the Forstner bit at approximately the same angle as the top and carefully measuring the thickness so the pot shafts would all stick out the same amount I prewired the switch and mounted it Installed the pickups (no picture, sorry) and the pots (notice how I cleverly wrote on each pot what its function was - since everything is upside down and backwards it would be real easy to do something stupid) and wired them all together following the schematic that came with the parts. Incidently, I'm using the Parson Street humbuckers - they are half the cost of Gibson or some others and right now I wouldn't know the difference. As I get wiser I could always change them. I also just bought the basic wiring kit from StewMac - standard 500K pots, 0.02 mf caps, some shielded and unshielded wire. I did do the trick of reversing the switch and pickup wires which means that if both pups are selected turning a volume control down won't turn the whole thing off. I also had one other brain fart at this time - I knew I needed to drill a hole for the wire to the "string ground" at either the bridge or tailpiece stud, but I had totally spaced it. I did it now (again, sorry, no picture) but realized that there is no way to connect to the stud so I just pushed the wire tight against in and super glued it in place. If I get string hum I'll have to pull the stud, fan the wire out and reset the stud so it makes better contact. This doesn't look like a lot but it took most of the day last saturday. Next, a little set up Beautiful guitar and a super, squeaky, clean wiring job. You are my hero Freeman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 2, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Beautiful guitar and a super, squeaky, clean wiring job. You are my hero Freeman! I am by training an electrical engineer and a million or so year ago I used to build stereo and ham radio gear. I had seriously considered building a tube amp to go with this before I scored the old Gibson one. Tomorrow I'll do the final setup and tweak the pups - its getting closer..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vibroluxman Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Freeman I have to say this looks cleaner and better built than my Les Paul from Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 So, you're going to sell this to me for the cost of your parts plus a couple of dollars for your time and skills, right? :D I can't stop drooling over this guitar. The attention to detail is inspiring and it's just a damn beautiful instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuz929 Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Freeman I have to say this looks cleaner and better built than my Les Paul from Gibson. of course it is! this is hand built by someone who put not only hard work, but also passion into his own instrument! Bravo! been following this thread since the beginning. You better post clips of it singing when you're done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 Very nice, as usual. Can't wait to see it all done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GreatDane Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 how have i missed this thread until now? great work. that's going to be a beautiful instrument when it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 4, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 Maple truss rod cover w/a burst would be special. Well, OK, lets give it a try Does that look to busy? Should I just stay with the plain black plastic one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 4, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 And while I'm asking opinions, should I put a pick guard on it (picture sabotaged by Photobucket again, it should be anticlockwise 90 degrees) or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GreatDane Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 And while I'm asking opinions, should I put a pick guard on it (picture sabotaged by Photobucket again) or not? i vote, no guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larry50 Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 My vote would be: no guard rosewood (or similar dark matching wood/grain) truss rod cover (isn't the headstock veneer rosewood? or use whatever you used for the headstock). That one is too busy/jarring, and a cheap black plastic cover simply doesn't suit the guitar. A cover that matches the headstock would look very classy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Strung_Out Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 I'd vote yes to guard (although it looks great without as well) and rosewood trusrod cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Deadbeat Son Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 Excellent progress Freeman! I always enjoy checking this thread. As for your two questions, my votes are as followed: Black plastic truss rod cover Yes pickguard, but in a darker cream to match the pickup rings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.