ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forearm

[everdrone]

I am hoping you could give me some advice if you have a chance. I am going to file/sand down the edge of my guitar. the edge of the guitar digs into the back of my forearm on my picking right hand. I only play sitting down with this guitar, it is a beater; fretlight 400 series super cheap guitar.

I want to file it down cause I play this guitar a lot and I don't want nerve problems. Ideally I should have gotten the Fender design with the beveled edge for the picking hand, but now I am just gonna "customize" it. I like the slanted beveled edge that my Gibson SG Standard has. I am not going for looks, just functionality. I like to practice an hour a day on this guitar.

to complete the task, I am gonna buy sand paper and this file set for wood filing: http://www.amazon.com/TradesPro-836...&qid=1387774789&sr=8-5&keywords=wood+file+set

Any advice is appreciated, cheers

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

Yes Sir. Don't.lol. Take it to a reputable trustworthy tech. wait- i see its cheap. Okay. Proceed with caution and patience .Remember the golden rule; ..you can always take more off, but you can never put more back on! good luck!

 

[ChAoZ]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

You will need a rasp not those files to remove that much wood without causing "nerve problems"
then use the sandpaper to clean up any marks left by the rasp

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

IMO, if the fret illumination still works, it might be wiser to sell the entire guitar and buy something more to your liking. Alternatively, if the body is of Stratocaster outline, simply buy a better quality body and transfer the pickups and controls.

If the Fretlight guitar is as cheap as you suggest, it might be made from laminate (AKA plywood). Removing the paint skin will expose the layers and glue bands. This is gonna look fugly. It could also chafe your forearm.

Since you seem determined to perform this modification, you probably require something that cuts more savagely than even a bastard file. A surform, perhaps. Production line manufacturers use a powered saw and a belt sander.

Alternatively, make like a Telecaster player and find a resting position for the forearm that does not press hard against the edge of the guitar.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

Since you seem determined to perform this modification, you probably require something that cuts more savagely than even a bastard file. A

MODS!!!! He said "Bastard"!!!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

Here they come.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

don't do it! sell it, get a different guitar

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

Do you use the fret lights on the thing? That could be a factor in whether you sell it or not. If yes, mod. If no, sell it and buy something more comfortable for you.

A plywood body would be a disaster for the modification you describe. You'd have to fill and seal it in order to make it smooth and comfortable again. (Yuck.) Can you remove a pickup or the pickguard and have a look at the inside? You should be able to tell if it's solid wood or if it's plywood. Sometimes, due to the machining process, a solid-wood body will appear to have "layers" inside the pickup or control cavities, but poking around a bit with a sharp object on those semi-finished interior surfaces should reveal what's what.

If you mod, the wood rasp is a good idea, short of power tools. It's basically a really aggressive file for removing a lot of wood quickly (compared to files and sandpaper).

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

 

[BrianS.]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

As was suggested above, you need a wood rasp. It will make short work of the shaping process. Do not buy the files, they are not made for the type of job you are taking on.

 

[everdrone]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

Thanks much yall for everything.



its plywood, I will hold off on buying a rasp and will not sand or rasp it down. I will just leave it as is.

Thanks for stopping me from buying the files. I am short on funds, so Ill just leave it as is, maybe later on Ill save up for a Fretlight with beveled edges, a traditional stratocaster style. I bought my Fretlight new on ebay for about $200, it lights up to show you what notes to play; it is awesome for learning purposes and I cannot believe how cheap it was for the technology that it has. Here is the Fretlight guitar that I want that seems to have the beveled edges that I am seeking: http://fretlight.com/guitars/filter?model=traditional

Thank you, cheers :beerchug:

 

[rts99]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

I think a better answer is to buy a used/replacement guitar body. The Fretlights have fender bolt on necks. Any fender body will do. Buy one with the beveled edge. These are pretty cheap. You should be able to buy a painted body blank for under $100 bucks. Even less if you're not too picky. Then just transfer the guts. Some of the Fretlights are hardtail, some are trem. Most of the strat bodies are trem so if yours is hardtail you'll need to get a trem bridge or buy a body with the bridge included. Again you should be able to do this for under $100. You'll need to drill a hole for the LED cable but it's a straight shot. Should be pretty simple mod compared with trying to bevel your existing body.

Whatever floats your boat. Good luck however you proceed.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

I suggest a hand planer or a belt sander, followed by hand sanding.

 

[Bfeeney]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

If it is a super cheap guitar then do what you want to it regardless of what it's made of. If it's plywood then use wood filler to fill in the gaps, who cares, it's a cheap guitar.

 

[everdrone]

Re: ADVICE NEEDED: I am about to file down the edge of a guitar body, digs into forea

cool thanks great advice for this super cheapo guitar