DIY SG Build thread (mission aborted, but now back on course!)

thecolourbox

Danke schön, Dein Gluck brauche ich vielmal...

Ich machete einmal Urlaub in Kitzbuhel, bei der Hannenkamm - eine sehr hubsche Stadt

Deadman

I like it. It's very original looking.

AustrianJohn

Ihr Deutsch ist ungefähr so schlecht, wie meine!

thecolourbox

what was wrong with it apart from auto correct changing the past imperfect of machen to machete?!

AustrianJohn

I hate what autocorrect does to foreign words! It was just machete and the umlaut missing on hubsche. But my German is embarrassingly bad considering I've been in Austria for more than 6 years. Main problem is that our friends want to practice their English and almost refuse to speak German with us!

axisus

I really like the look of it! exactly what finish kit did you use? I'm not normally a fan of SGs but I rather like that one.

If I am building a guitar, I would always get it 100% assembled and working before considering any finishing at all. Iron out all the problems first, then when you are totally happy, pull it apart again and sort the finish.

thecolourbox

It was Wudtone Dark Tease with gold highlights, satin finish @axisus though I'm fairly sure it's not wholly representative of what that colour should look like going from the pictures on the site! The body came primed for paint so I can only assume I didn't get it off well enough before applying to get the darker colour it was supposed to be...

thecolourbox

So, trying to change the intonation on one of these things is a lot harder than on a Tele isn't it

thecolourbox

I've just tried to go through each of the strings to tighten or loosen the screws on the bridge to try and intonate it properly, which is quite a job as the strings are in the way so a screw driver was difficult to use. Now I've got them in tune open and at the 12th, but notes on the 3rd 5th and 7th are out.

Does this mean I've done something silly wrong? Is it the truss rod? I've never had to do this before with my Tele or strats so I'm struggling a bit

JookyChap

I love the look of it - that's a lovely finish.

Even if I hadn't known already, I could have spotted you as a Baggies fan a mile off from your descriptions

I'll be in Stirchley in a couple of weeks, if you still aren't sorted I'll give you a hand if you like

thecolourbox

JookyChap;972801" said:

Even if I hadn't known already, I could have spotted you as a Baggies fan a mile off from your descriptions

You'll laugh at this but I've just read that comment to my good lady as I can't quite work out whether I should be amused by it or offended! I presume there is the usual black country undertone of cynicism and relentless self deprecation in my texts, I'll say it's that

Please do let me know if/when you are over this way, I'm on the Bournville Stirchley border so that would be too good an opportunity to miss, would be privileged to get your help and more than happy to take you to a local public house for a drink it two should you have the time or inclination

JookyChap

Yeah, it was that and the way that however well anything may go, we just know that sooner or later...

Still, at least we get to laugh at the Villa this year

I'll give you a shout then..

thecolourbox

I won't be offended then, as we say in our little corner of the Brummy Road... It's the hope that kills you. Well, that and "We NEVER score from corners.... Oh we've scored from a corner. It was lucky though".

Yes, please do, would be most up for that

BigMonka

thecolourbox said:

I've just tried to go through each of the strings to tighten or loosen the screws on the bridge to try and intonate it properly, which is quite a job as the strings are in the way so a screw driver was difficult to use. Now I've got them in tune open and at the 12th, but notes on the 3rd 5th and 7th are out.

Does this mean I've done something silly wrong? Is it the truss rod? I've never had to do this before with my Tele or strats so I'm struggling a bit

To me that sounds like the frets aren't in the right place.

Andyjr1515

BigMonka said:

thecolourbox said:

I've just tried to go through each of the strings to tighten or loosen the screws on the bridge to try and intonate it properly, which is quite a job as the strings are in the way so a screw driver was difficult to use. Now I've got them in tune open and at the 12th, but notes on the 3rd 5th and 7th are out.

Does this mean I've done something silly wrong? Is it the truss rod? I've never had to do this before with my Tele or strats so I'm struggling a bit

To me that sounds like the frets aren't in the right place.

Don't panic, @thecolourbox - it's VERY unlikely that the frets are in the wrong place.  I don't know how familiar you are with set-up so I will assume you haven't set up from scratch before - forgive me if that's not the case.

When you say you've checked tuning open and at the 12th, do you mean you've checked the harmonic at the 12th against the same string fretted at the 12th?  That's the check you need to make for the intonation.

WezV

Nut height?

Andyjr1515

WezV said:

Nut height?

Probably - if the intonation is correct...

thecolourbox

Thanks chaps. The intonation is correct when fretted at the 12th, so yes the harmonic and the fretted note are the same, it's just the other inbetween frets that seem to be out. The 3rd fret on the low A is painfully out!

I'm getting some new pickups in the next week (from here of course) so in the meantime I was hoping to get this bit sorted while the pick guard is off. Speaking of the pickguard, i'm also not sure what to do with that either because I don't seem to be able to enlarge the bridge holes sufficiently with my reamer and I don't think I can be bothered to sit there getting plastic dust everywhere and just getting ragged uneven holes in my pick guard!

Andyjr1515

thecolourbox said:

Thanks chaps. The intonation is correct when fretted at the 12th, so yes the harmonic and the fretted note are the same, it's just the other inbetween frets that seem to be out. The 3rd fret on the low A is painfully out!

I'm getting some new pickups in the next week (from here of course) so in the meantime I was hoping to get this bit sorted while the pick guard is off. Speaking of the pickguard, i'm also not sure what to do with that either because I don't seem to be able to enlarge the bridge holes sufficiently with my reamer and I don't think I can be bothered to sit there getting plastic dust everywhere and just getting ragged uneven holes in my pick guard!

Hi, @thecolourbox    

OK - just wanted to clarify.

As @WezV suggests then, it is likely that the nut is too high and therefore you are 'bending' the strings, albeit vertically, as you press them down to the frets.  

If this is the case, the effect of this will be greatest closest to the nut, ie 1st fret will be affected most, reducing as you get towards around the 7th fret.  The effect will be that those notes ring out sharp against the correct pitch.  Does that match what you are finding?

Andyjr1515

Also, are these fresh strings bought separately, or are they from the kit?  The only real criticism I have against some of these kits is that the strings, where supplied, are often simply awful, which can affect things markedly.