It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:54 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 444 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 ... 30  Next
Go to page Previous  1 ... 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 ... 30  Next
Author Message
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:32 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25353
Location: Witness Protection Program
Ceri wrote:
Fender weren't approached over any of this. However, to do them justice I just happen to know that on previous occasions of this sort Brad absolutely stepped right up and played his part, and then some. Wouldn't want that to go unsaid.

However, I think this one's about lots of the Forum regulars showing their appreciation for a deeply respected senior contributor. Right guys? :D

Carry on Martian: we're loving it!

Cheers - C


Ceri is correct and nails it with his post. 8)

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:51 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
tyronne wrote:
Oooooh.....I'd like to see "the treatment" for the rolled edges and the fret crown and polish. While I don't mind working on my guitar, for some reason these particular projects scare me off.

-T


tyronne,

One can do the MOST destruction to a guitar or bass when dealing with anything fingerboard related. I remember when I was apprenticing, I felt genuine terror the first time I was told to do a 'solo' G & P on a most decent guitar (a Gibson ES-125). See, back then, we merely used a flat file to grind the frets where your fingers and eyes felt the radius and crown as you went along. Fret measurements were taken incrementally to see if you were staying true to the radius (if any) and to verify that overall, the frets were being evenly ground. This method trained your eye and fingers REALLY fast to the point of where after a couple of years of doing this every day, day in and day out, said incremental fret measurements were more of a formality than a necessity. The same was true with crowning. We used an ignition file or triangular file, dulled on one edge so as not to gouge the fingerboard. To this day, I still do outright grinds with just a flat file and depending on the peak required, the ignition and/or triangular file come out. Otherwise, I now take the luxury of using outright fret files as I do for rounding out the fret edges. As far as removing sprout, a smaller flat file or files, strategically angled is what I use. Oh, and believe it or not, when I outright install frets in a fingerboard, I still use the old, "hammer and cut" method. It still works perfectly for me and I have no interest in or desire for any other method.

As to the rolled edges, all that is needed is a large screw driver with a round shaft, 600 grit silicone-carbide paper, some 0000 steel wool and any premium polish (silicone free, of course).

Obviously, there are MANY ways to achieve a most favorable result where you don't have to buy specialty tools upon specialty tools at naturally, exorbitant prices.

At your next opportunity, find yourself a 'bottom feeder' guitar (usually found in someone's trash) and start with this. The file I use is a 10 mill half-bastard.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 7:31 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:31 pm
Posts: 2638
Location: Pacific North West, USA
I am looking forward to the weekend, as you progress on this. You observations about the MIM neck were very interesting. I was thinking about the fact I just sold a 1996 MIM Tele Maple neck. I should have kept it for a project!

_________________
Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:07 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Xhefri wrote:
I am looking forward to the weekend, as you progress on this. You observations about the MIM neck were very interesting. I was thinking about the fact I just sold a 1996 MIM Tele Maple neck. I should have kept it for a project!


Like I've been saying all along, one should never underestimate the MIM necks, especially if one is looking for a more, 'traditional' Fender!

As stated, I'm definitely going to do the frets first. I looked at them really well today and they definitely don't need any surface grinding, per se. Rather, just some crowning, annealing and polishing where they'll come out perfectly even and looking like glass!

:wink:

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:37 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25353
Location: Witness Protection Program
Got a hectic and busy weekend coming up but I'm lookin' forward to checkin' in afterwards and seein' what's shakin' 8)

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 5:54 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:22 am
Posts: 2175
Hi Martian,

This thread is coming along nicely. I see you've got the hang of the camera. Great pics of the neck! 8)

I have to say, your wiring diagram was far from a scribbling! Very easy to read and transpose. Its a great example of efficient, well thought out wiring.

I'm intrigued by your use of the tone pots and caps. The loss of the higher frequencies when rolling off the volume has been an issue on some of my guitars and I've used treble bleed kits before and hated them. One attempt pretty much turned my Volume pot into an on/off switch!

Martian wrote:
At your next opportunity, find yourself a 'bottom feeder' guitar (usually found in someone's trash) and start with this.

+1

I have a couple of cheapy necks to practice nut and fret work on. A full re-fret is on my list of projects for the winter months.

I shall be watching this progress with interest!

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 11:32 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Andybighair wrote:
Hi Martian,

This thread is coming along nicely. I see you've got the hang of the camera. Great pics of the neck! 8)

I have to say, your wiring diagram was far from a scribbling! Very easy to read and transpose. Its a great example of efficient, well thought out wiring.

I'm intrigued by your use of the tone pots and caps. The loss of the higher frequencies when rolling off the volume has been an issue on some of my guitars and I've used treble bleed kits before and hated them. One attempt pretty much turned my Volume pot into an on/off switch!

Martian wrote:
At your next opportunity, find yourself a 'bottom feeder' guitar (usually found in someone's trash) and start with this.

+1

I have a couple of cheapy necks to practice nut and fret work on. A full re-fret is on my list of projects for the winter months.

I shall be watching this progress with interest!

Andy


I thank you. I guess the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" doesn't apply to me!

Yep, practice on cheapies. Ironically, once you're confident enough to try it on something half way decent, the job will go an hundred times better because you'll be working with an all inherently better instrument.

I just got home from work. I MUST rest for a while and then this evening, I'll start posting pictures of the fret work. My aim is to complete the fret work tonight.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:56 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
And away we go:

In making the frets look brand new, we start with some basic tools:

Image

Some masking tape, a fret file I've had since, "day one" and an old draftsman's stencil. This is a very thin and flexible but tough piece of metal and as you can see, it allows you to access a fret perfectly while protecting a fingerboard at the same time:

Image

Here, I've masked off the fingerboard outright as I have to get all the way down on the side of the fret and so, the draftsman's stencil just won't do here:

Image

As you've probably all noticed, the fret file is concave with smooth edges. This will allow me to smooth and "sure up" either side of the fret, in other words, put a CROWN on it without filing the top.

Image

Here is the fret perfectly trued. I simply couldn't get all the shine off of it so you could see the restored crown.

Image

There were about three or four more frets which needed SLIGHT TLC but I didn't want to bore anyone with redundancies.

Now, we'll move on to the mystical, magical, "rolled fingerboard edges".

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:09 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:22 am
Posts: 2175
Good stuff Martian!

Got to get me one of those draftsman's stencils. Very cool bit of kit that.

Image

I don't think my home made card fret guard will be much use for filing. :roll:

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:24 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
I missed all the pictures :( :( :(

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:27 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:07 am
Posts: 1530
Location: On a pebbly beach, UK
nikininja wrote:
I missed all the pictures :( :( :(


+1

:( sad. Maybe something's wrong with the hosting?

Sounds good though!

-Nutter


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:28 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Find yourself a nice sized, phillips head screwdriver with a nice, round shaft:

Image

As most of you know, the finishes they put on fender necks nowadays are unbelievably strong. We shall use this to our advantage.

Secure the neck on an angle.

Angle the screwdriver's shaft to the exact angle of the frets taper and applying pressure to the vertex of the neck/fingerboard. As a guide but not an absolute (as all wood hardnesses are different) apply no more pressure than say what it would take to turn a lamp switch and begin rolling the shaft of the screwdriver until the desired round is achieved:

Image

Yes, this may come off as a bit archaic but look at the results. If you start out gently, you are in complete control of this where essentially, all you have to do is get the 'point' off the vertex:

Image

Again, look at the results:

Image

Don't let the glare fool you, those now rolled edges are perfect!

Next, the polishing out.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:32 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:08 am
Posts: 9034
Location: Louisiana
Martian my friend, your pics are not showing up. :(

Going to get my popcorn and cokes while I wait for this! Excited!! :D


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:41 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:22 am
Posts: 2175
fhopkins wrote:
Martian my friend, your pics are not showing up. :(

What!?!

They were there a moment ago... and they where great too. Never seen the inside of a Flying Saucer before. WOW!

:lol:

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:41 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm
Posts: 2005
Martian,
Did you rename the pics on photobucket?
Might be the reason they're not showing up now.
-T

_________________
-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 444 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 ... 30  Next
Go to page Previous  1 ... 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 ... 30  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: