Partscaster Project... Almost Complete!!

Rabs

Shweeeeeeeeettttt ....  Good work  looks awesome.

Rox

Cheers @Rabs ;

I'm a bit concerned though... by now I've usually royally screwed things up with an ill-advised experiment or impatience... so I'm overdue a big muck up one way or another...!  

Rabs

Yeah it happens...   I mucked my first build up so bad I had to abandon it in the end..  I set the neck in at the wrong angle...  And ive done other silly stuff..  But theres not too much to muck up if you are putting a kit together...  My tip is that if you arnt sure of something test it on some scrap wood until you are confident...

The first job I ever did was to re-finish a Gibson LP 58 Special re-issue and add a pickup, take off the tailpiece and install a tune o matic... The first time I went to route on the body (for the extra pickup) my hands were actually shaking. Its one thing making my own bodies, but mofiying someone elses expensive Gibson was just nerve racking at first   When I went to install the tune o matic I must have tested it like 30 times on scrap to make sure I got the correct spacing for the holes.

Rox

I don't have time to waste using scrap bits of wood!

It's my impatience thats my downfall... 

I'd be crapping myself trying to work on someone else's guitar, especially an expensive one!

WezV

It's looking good, it will only get better.

learning by doing works for me.  I slways say test on scrap etc, but that only happens when it's not my guitar

Rox

WezV said:

It's looking good, it will only get better.

learning by doing works for me.  I slways say test on scrap etc, but that only happens when it's not my guitar

Cheers

I love doing projects like this, they're very addictive!!

paulnb57

You don't have to apply lots of coats if you dont want to, I have a couple of necks that only have 2 coats and its holding up well, of you get to a point where it looks good...stop......the joy with Tru Oil is, you can do more later if you wish...

Rox

Good point @paulnb57 ; It's definitely glossier than I expected with just one coat... so I might just stick with a couple.  I expect it's because the sanding sealer had a shine to it, the Tru Oil is acting like a lens.

Like I said in a previous post, I've usually royally screwed up by now, so I'm very pleased this is turning out so well!

paulnb57

If its too shiny you could knock it back with 1000 grit wet n dry and a bit of the oil for lube, if its not right wipe another coat back on, in my experience, its quite difficult to cock up with Tru Oil as long as you dont put too much on at once...

paulnb57

I love doing projects like this, they're very addictive!!

Thats why I have so many in various stages of build, I'm Paul and I'm a Partscaster addict!....

Rox

Wait a minute... I'm a Paul too..!  Uhoh.  And if that's a collie in your avatar I could well be talking to myself...

Quick wiring question... looking in my parts box I have two orange drop caps that say 223k on them... they suitable for a strat wiring scheme?  Otherwise a green cap with no values on it and another cap on some cheap P Bass wiring.

I'd rather use stuff I already have if possible.  I've got the CTS pots, but no nuts (everything in my parts box are the wrong size!) proper switch, cloth sleeved wires, a couple of spare jack plugs... so nearly have everything I need.

Rox

No more coats.  Two is enough for me. 

So does the neck fit?

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/pp/WNeck01.jpg

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/pp/WNeck02.jpg

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/pp/WNeck03.jpg

Yes...

Rox

And I just had to, didn't I?  Just so we can see where we're going...

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/pp/WNeck04.jpg

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/pp/WNeck05.jpg

The light washed out the pup covers, but never mind. 

I'm planning on black plastics for the pup covers, and still looking at either black or gold knobs...

We're getting there... 

sawyer

Looking cool man!

Rabs

Yeah man that looks cool.. I don't usually like gold either but it does suit that colour and hardware 

Cool stuff.

paulnb57

Bloody hell, that looks good!

Sarge

I love the smell of Tru Oil in the morning! 
Looking better n better every pic! 

Rox

It's really not that far off this:

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cvMAAOSwx6pYocYs/s-l1600.jpg

Rox

So at the moment, I'm down to trying to get hold of the bits and bobs to finish off.

List:

Black Pickup Covers:  The pups are Iron Gear Pig Irons and these are apparently the sizes according to their website:  50mm, 52mm, 52mm.

Wilkinson Bridge:  WVPC Gold one.

Strat Knobs:  Can't shake that I still want metal control knobs.  I found one of the metal ones I bought a few years ago.  It had been exposed to the elements and looked great when put next to the scratchplate, etc, so I'm set on this.

Here's a picture of the originals:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA=/z/18IAAOSwQYZW0JL6/$_1.JPG

And they are incredibly expensive as you can probably imagine... and the far east knobs I've seen are... lacking.  But, look what I discovered:

http://www.wammiworld.com/images/K-pictures/Brass/8003 Bell Knob.jpg

These are the knobs manufactured for Fender in the 70s and 80s.  They're made by Kahler, and here's a whole page of the brass accessories they made for Fender and Gibson:

http://www.wammiworld.com/Brass.php

There's even the original unbranded trem listed there.

The knobs themselves are a very reasonable £6.50 each - at least it's reasonable for period knobs.  Could just about justify that.  And then postage means it'd be around £30 all in, so £10 each.  A bit steep, but doable I think....

Until the parcel hit our shores... when VAT would be added - £6, and then the Royal Mail's £8 'handling fee', bumping the total up to £44.    Then we're up to £14.60 each.

Buying them is £6.50 each, getting them posted more than doubles the price, dammit.  And I can't find any stockists in Europe.  Is it any wonder stuff costs so much in Blighty?

So I might have to just get some of the far east ones because I can get a set of those + postage under the Royal Mail and VAT limit (£15 including postage).  Ridiculous.

Strings:  Mustn't forget I don't have any spare strings... I always had loads...

sawyer

Axetec will no doubt have pickup covers to fit. They stock irongear and will be able to sort ya out I reckon.