I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

[TIGEREYELASER]

I just got the first out of 6 packages containing parts to my next project. Nothing serious, just a neck plate but I'm excited about this. It's a Squier partscaster made from well, Squier parts. Here's the pic of the neck plate.

 

[CTN]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

well, spill the beans! what are you planning for this partscaster?

standard strat formula or something special?

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I got a hardtail body, maple neck with maple fretboard and am planning on doing the Tom Delonge thing with it. I purchased black hardware (except for the neck plate, obvs.) and may paint it yellow. I have a different finish idea for Phoenix (my Raptorcaster) than yellow. I've been a fan of single humbucker, single volume guitars since I first sighted the Ice Blue Metallic Squier Bullet Special on Musician's Friend and like the idea of "building" (more like assembling) my own. I wish Seymour Duncan's pickup finder had a parameter for plywood bodies, I would love a pickup that sounds like my Stew-Mac Golden Age Overwound Zebra bridge so maybe I'll get that or a GFS Fat/Crunchy Pat if I can't find a Seymour Duncan I like (heavily leaning towards the JB). But that's it in a nutshell, my big plans.

 

[PushedCrayon]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I'll tell you one thing, the single jb bridge sounds awesome! Half the fun I think is just only having the one knob and pickup so it's plug in, turn up, and play. Nothing more to it. Goodluck! Can't wait to see it all put together!

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I'll tell you one thing, the single jb bridge sounds awesome! Half the fun I think is just only having the one knob and pickup so it's plug in, turn up, and play. Nothing more to it. Goodluck! Can't wait to see it all put together!

PC, that's the utter and complete charm of having a single pup guit. I'm going to assemble it "as is" because the body I bought comes fully loaded so if I like it that way I may scrap any further attempts to modify the pickups but seeing as I've never really been a fan of single coil pups that seems unlikely. The body arrives today according to the estimate given at the time of shipping so I will plug it in and do the screwdriver tap test just to make sure nothing was jostled/disconnected during shipping. The neck could arrive as late as Monday and the locking tuners I bought will arrive Tuesday. The rest of my packages are due tomorrow... It's easy to buy the stuff, it's hard to wait for them all to arrive. Expect the first pics of the body when I get back from work (if the body shoiws up today).

 

[PushedCrayon]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I can't wait! I've never been a fan of single coils either. They just don't have the hotness I'm looking for when I play. But hopefully everything shows up soon for you and you can get started.

 

[dominus]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I had a plywood Bullet hardtail, the Crunchy PAT worked great in it.

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

Thank you dominus!!! I will keep that in mind. But I have great news... All but one of my packages arrived today! I get upstairs to my apartment and there is a smorgasbord of boxes to open and parts to fondle!!! Here is a picture BA (Before Assembly). I need to pick up some minor things before I can progress further. (I need bar soap that doesn't smell like a bordello) But here she is:

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

Just one problem with this beauty. The holes in the neck don't line up with the holes in the body so I'ma have to do a fill'n'drill. Anyone have any good advice on how to do so? I never realized how willing I would be to undertake this f'n'd until I had no choice. If I want her to work and work right I gotta do it. Here's a teaser to all of us (especially me) of what she'll look like all done up...

 

[CTN]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

do you have a drill press?

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

Nope. Sadly, no drill press and I don't know of anyone who has one I could borrow for an afternoon. Would it be too hard to drill the neck using the body holes as guides and a piece of tape showing the depth on the bit? I know some woodworking skills from when I was in shop class but not sure if they'd work for this build. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[CTN]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

honestly, there is a significant potential for the bit of a handheld drill to wander quite a bit doing it that way (I know this from experience). Aside from that you need to drill out a hole bigger than the original neck mounting holes, so that the dowel you fill the holes with can accomodate the new hole as well as have some extra wood left for the screw to bite into. And you don't want the screw holes in the body to be bigger because then you're not going to have as tight/secure a neck/body joint because the screws won't be biting into the body wood.

I mean you could give it a try and rig up some sort of thing to hold the drill bit straight while you drill the hole...

but ideally you should find access to a drill press so your holes are consistent and will accept a dowel rod with a tight fit that won't cause problems later down the road.

here, this might help:

 

[Oinkus]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

Yeah would be nice to have tools again , I miss the shop ! Heck I had about 20k worth of tools in a work van that got stolen 20 some odd years ago. I have a knife ?

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

Or... I could pay my local guitar shop to do it... But then I don't learn how to do it myself which would be a bummer. So much for plug and play parts, eh?

 

[CTN]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

is there not even a community workshop kinda deal you can take advantage of?

 

[Securb]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

What I would do? Get some thin dowels and carpenter glue them into the existing holes. Once they are dry cut them flush with the neck. Line up the neck in the body and use some sort of marker to let you know where the new screw holes are. I would suggest using some of the left over dowel and dabbing it in a bit of paint. Once you know where the holes are jump in the car and hit the nearest cabinet shop or woodworking studio and ask them how much to drill 4 holes. I am willing to bet most people will do it for free if you walk in there with a sunny disposition.

 

[TIGEREYELASER]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I even measured the holes. 1/8" across. All I need is some dowels to use. But it will have to wait until I have some cash in my bank account. I bled myself dry with this latest buying spree and literally have like $1 and change until my bank opens monday. I need to pick up carpenter glue too and a saw. As I'm going I'm building up my tools too. But a community workshop would be just the thing to look for. Good ideas gentlemen (ladies? ). I asked one of the gentlemen from my church if he had a drill press and explained why. He thinks it's cool.

Edited to add: My black jackplate came today. My black hardware look is complete. It even came with an output jack attached.

 

[dominus]

Re: I had G.A.S. now I'm clearing the air... N.P.D (New Part Day)

I just drill tiny pilot holes with a hand drill, using the body as a guide. Then I use the smallest neck screws that I have sitting around. I might put them in partially and then back them back out to remove a little more material. Yes, I know it's not the "correct" way to do it, but I've done it so many times and have never had a problem. A small dowel would be best, but wood glue would work *if* the new holes aren't going to touch the old ones. Some holes have been far enough off that I didn't even bother filling the old ones.