Couple of guitar projects, Birmingham area...who could help? (fibreglass content!)

thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
edited November 2017 in Making & Modding

Hi all

Was just wondering if anybody here from the Birmingham/Black Country vicinity might be able to assist me with some guitar jobs, paid for of course. The catch being they are two fibreglass guitars that were made (badly, not by me) from a kit, which adds an extra layer of interest as a member of this parish has said

I'm not able to get to shops as I work full time when they are open, plus a few renowned local luthiers I’ve contacted have either completely ignored me or not been keen. So was hoping somebody here might be interested as I could meet up or drop off the bits on an evening maybe. The great WezV made me a full kit before and that one is great (thanks again dude!), if I could get either of those anywhere near that it’d be good – but I’m aware I’ve bothered him far too much already about it and I’ve no way to get to Burton at present.

By way of a bit of background, they are made of two fibreglass shells so the inside is hollow, all the electrics and wiring sits inside and pickups/bridge are surface mounted with holes drilled through the plastic to get wiring through.

Anyway, here’s the details:

Exhibit A – red (at present) “Jetsons” model based on the JB Hutto Airline made famous by Jack White. The neck (and neck angle) that came on this is awful. It’s also currently 24” scale.

The neck (and neck angle) that came on this is awful. It’s also currently 24” scale. I would like to:
- Add a new neck. I do have a new neck but the heel pocket on this body is 40mm instead of the usual 55mm which I did not realise, so it doesn’t fit. I’ve tried chiselling away at the sides to reduce it to 40mm but not having much luck not least because I don’t know what I’m doing. If there is a neck that could fit instead that could work although I do like the headstock on the one I’ve got.
- Make the scale length 24.75”. The neck I have is 24.75” scale. The bridge on these guitars is technically moveable as you have to drill holes in to install it, so moving it back the required distance would not be too bad I think.
- Add a Bridge pickup (and replace the neck if space allows, no issues if not) and add a two way switch. Will require some drilling again, I have pickups to use
- Cover in yellow wrap. This one I might consider doing, which would reduce the problem of the left over drill holes if the bridge gets moved. I could probably do it myself though, with one of those vinyl guitar wrap things. I want bright yellow.

Exhibit B – red Valco/National Map style guitar.
https://imgur.com/jXq1xOT
I would like to:
- Either get the existing neck to a better angle (it wasn’t very good at the high end of the fretboard above the 12th) or add a new neck to it, and again get the angle right.
- Add a neck pickup, and a switch. Again drilling will be required to the fibreglass for the pickup and the switch.

In terms of the fibreglass drilling, I suppose technically I could do it myself if that’s a deal breaker, but the neck work to fit the heel pocket on the one and get the neck angles right on both would be great if there might be somebody who could help me out

Any suggestions, recommendations, or expressions of interest?

Or if anybody is interested in buying them off me as projects I could be persuaded for less than you might think – they cost a fair bit to buy but I’d possibly lose a lot more by paying to get them up to scratch than I would by selling them off cheap so try me if you’re interested.

Thanks all
Matt

Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
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Comments

  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546

    I am still willing to help if you can get to burton.

    I am tempted by the national map.   If you don't get any other offers of help I would be willing to do the Jetsons  as a swapsie deal on the other

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