Harley Benton square kit build

Penn

WezV said:

Following the bottom edge, but 10mm further in would probably work nicely.

Don’t put ideas in my head. 

Dave_Mc

Penn said:

Dave_Mc said:

paulnb57 said:

I like the full length scratchplate

I have to admit I'm not sure what you'd change to it to make it any better... it may even just be the angle of the photos. A more straight-on photo of the guitar might well make the scratchplate look perfect!

Mostly I wish I’d left a bit between the pickups 

Thanks for the pic. I think you might be right about the bit between the pickups. Or you could try what @WezV said- a bit more in (even at the top end) so you can see more of the wood + scratchplate rather than just the scratchplate would probably look better, I think. However, I suspect that may result in a lot more work! (I'm terrible at DIY so it's definitely "Do as I say, not as I do!")

drofluf

@penn how’s the project progressing?

I’ve just bought a Rengas bodied kit from Thomann and would be interested in how you finished yours? Did you need to use a grain filler?

Penn

I haven’t gotten around to painting it. I need to. I don’t think it will need grain filler. I will likely paint it in the next few weeks. 

drofluf

Thanks, just trying to work out what I'll need when it arrives

Penn

It’s fairly closed grain like alder so it should be ok. 

SteveRobinson

It looks like poplar ("tulip wood") to me.

BillDL

Coincidentally while browsing replacement necks about a week ago I happened on the Harley Benton kits.  I'm curious about a couple of things that I assume you will have checked by now doing a rough "dry fit".

Did they get the holes for the bridge and tailpiece post sockets in the right place?

I have a guitar with an Amaranth fretboard (Harley Benton DC Junior) and it's a beatiful smooth, hard, dense and dark wood that closely resembles ebony on mine.  Amaranth is probably better known as Purple Heart.  Is your fretboard a nice piece of wood also?

Rather than building another guitar from scratch I am now wondering about using that slab kit and applying my own shape.

drofluf

BillDL said:

Coincidentally while browsing replacement necks about a week ago I happened on the Harley Benton kits.  I'm curious about a couple of things that I assume you will have checked by now doing a rough "dry fit".

Did they get the holes for the bridge and tailpiece post sockets in the right place?

I have a guitar with an Amaranth fretboard (Harley Benton DC Junior) and it's a beatiful smooth, hard, dense and dark wood that closely resembles ebony on mine.  Amaranth is probably better known as Purple Heart.  Is your fretboard a nice piece of wood also?

Rather than building another guitar from scratch I am now wondering about using that slab kit and applying my own shape.

Mine's on back order so I can't confirm; interesting that you say Amaranth is a dark wood as the picture in mine looks very light 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_electric_guitar_kit_tl_t_style.htm

I'll get back when it finally arrives

BillDL

I think that's a mistake in the spec on the page for your kit (part number 549487).  That definitely looks like maple, whereas in their other Tele kit (part number 115991) that also says Amaranth, it has the dark hardwood fretboard:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_eguitar_kit_tstyle.htm

Hmmm.  The rectangular slab body kit is on a 15 week availability backlog.

Penn

BillDL said:

Coincidentally while browsing replacement necks about a week ago I happened on the Harley Benton kits.  I'm curious about a couple of things that I assume you will have checked by now doing a rough "dry fit".

Did they get the holes for the bridge and tailpiece post sockets in the right place?

I have a guitar with an Amaranth fretboard (Harley Benton DC Junior) and it's a beatiful smooth, hard, dense and dark wood that closely resembles ebony on mine.  Amaranth is probably better known as Purple Heart.  Is your fretboard a nice piece of wood also?

Rather than building another guitar from scratch I am now wondering about using that slab kit and applying my own shape.

Yes on all counts. It all looks pretty good to me. 

Dave_Mc

BillDL said:

I have a guitar with an Amaranth fretboard (Harley Benton DC Junior) and it's a beatiful smooth, hard, dense and dark wood that closely resembles ebony on mine.  Amaranth is probably better known as Purple Heart.  Is your fretboard a nice piece of wood also?

I have amaranth on my SG Jr, and I suspect it's dyed to get that dark colour- you can see at the side of the fretboard (where the side dots are, I mean) where (presumably!) they haven't bothered to dye it that it's purple.

It's very nice.

Kurtis

equalsql said:

I think Bo might want a word.. 

Seems to be doing a bit of a "Boris" there.