Hohner Rockbird Re-build – 1st update

I had another scrape at the neck.  There is no finish at all left on the fretboard and it’s proving rather difficult to get at. I think it’s going to be easiest just to pull all the frets so I can really get to grips with it. With all the frets out I was able […]

Hohner Rockwood Re-build

The next big job.  I think this one is going to take a while!!!  One of those projects where money is in shorter supply than time so it’s going to have to be fitted in around higher priority jobs… Starting with a box of bits… Most of it is there, perhaps a few screws etc.  […]

Jazzmaster Build – 4th update

While I’m waiting for the last couple of parts I fitted the strap buttons.  Carefully marking the centreline… I thought that was all I could do today until the postman arrived.  Again I marked out the centreline and screw holes, making sure everything is square.  Drill the holes……. and screw it in place… Just the pickups […]

Jazzmaster Build – 3rd update

I didn’t manage as much as I wanted today, it’s been another of those days.  However I did finish the wiring, apart from the pickups which are on order…. It fits in place anyway. While I’m waiting for the last of the parts (tremolo tail and pickups) there isn’t a great deal more I can […]

Telecaster Custom – Rebuild final update

The final stage, fit the strings and a setup, should be easy, not with this one…. more problems…. Starting with the neck set, a little large…. so a quick turn of the truss-rod.  So far so good. The action at the first fret is a little high…….. so I cut each nut slot down a […]

Telecaster Custom – Rebuild 6th update

Well I finally think I’ve got it worried.  I did hope to have it finished this afternoon but then, what was I thinking, anything on this guitar was always going to take twice as long as planned! Next then the neck picukup cavity.  Needs to ba at least this much bigger… With a small router […]

Epiphone Les Paul – Setup

The first step is to check the amount of curve in the neck.  It should bend up slightly and is measured half way along the neck using a notched straight edge and a feeler gauge. The tension in the strings pulls the head up, increasing the curve.  This tension is balanced against the truss-rod which […]

USA Fender Telecaster Tuning problems

A really nice Tele’ but the owner’s unhappy as it won’t stay in tune. There is always the problem with the standard Tele’ bridge.  The Intonation is always a compromise so I’m going to change them for a compensated set…   With the strings off I’ve had a good look at the machine heads.  They […]

US Stratocaster Setup

Had a rather nice US Stratocaster on the bench today.  Nothing major, just a clean and setup. I rather like the body, nice paint finish over a very nice piece of wood…. The fretboard was a little grubby… A quick rub down with some steel wool will remove that and polish the frets at the same time.  […]

Les Paul# Copy

I’ve not had one of these Chinese copies before.  I’m all for cheaper copies and cheaper lines.  There’s nothing wrong with Squire, I’ve got an Electromatic Gretsch myself and I even built a “Rickenfaker” but I don’t like labelling things and pretending they are something they are not. However one of my customers took a punt on this […]