kevin_lindsay

Yeah, I think that as I'm having a new finish, the bridge plate split is a bit daft. Actually, thinking about Andy's original guitar, how in earth would the bridge plate have split like that? Maybe the original owner sawed it to try and get rid of bridge squeal or something similar? I can't see how normal use would result in the bridge plate splitting.

Take your time mate. Light goats and light flatting back between coats is the way to go

I know I'm doing an NOS finish on my instrument, but I'm wondering, should I go for the split in the baseplate or not? Decisions, decisions..... [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/2BAE500E-B2CF-493A-B700-EE862610D33E-384-000000356D75D587.jpg[/IMG]

Looking good!

I'm currently listening to / watching Paul Sumon's Under African Skies documentary about the making of the Graceland album. Really great, uplifting music.

That's Manu on drums. James Watson was on Hammond organ.

6 days to go until completion! Yippee!! [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/2B03BA46-0BC5-47C4-B335-4F2FB52D098E-232-00000018FA80D07E.jpg[/IMG] I also found another pic of the relic finish on the Tribute model where you can really see the white undercoat beneath the yellow lacquer layer. Check out the rear edge of the body above the strap button. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/1650084D-AF0C-4C1A-B4C9-F2AC3A2EE320-232-0000001906FA6D4B.jpg[/IMG]

Looking good matey! You must be champing at the bit to get it set up for playing? I too am finding that I'm going back to simpler layout basses these days. Get the basic sound right, and it sits better in the mix.

Hi mate, welcome to the forum. For practice, just try and pick out the bass lines from your favourite tracks. Do it bit by bit. Hope you f joy your time on this site

Here's a little thing I'm particularly proud of. It's something which 99.99% of people wouldn't notice, but which I feel adds a nice finishing touch. On vintage instruments, Fender reissues, and in the Fender Custom Shop instruments, the front headstock decal is visible against the wood when you hold it up to the light. On the Custom Shop models, the decal on the rear is not visibly proud against the finish. Rather, it looks like it's been printed directly onto the wood. I've achieved this on my own neck. It's kind of hard to picture it against artificial light, but these pics give you the general idea. You can see the front decal is sealed under the finish, but sits slightly proud, so it's visible when you look at it closely from a sideways angle. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/C0DC0C48-017E-47B5-BC05-67F5771E5610-267-00000023653E8DC4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/3018879B-E609-4B79-AE96-504C9549E67F-267-0000002369EEB49F.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/A9E47302-FA44-4EDA-9D0F-CAEDC22F7934-267-000000236E5EBB38.jpg[/IMG] The rear of the headstock has no such "lip" around the edge of the decal: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/BF0F255B-367B-4D89-80F2-513775F53ECE-267-0000002372AD5BA3.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/1AB60E32-EF48-4A27-9448-8657E625DE72-267-0000002377367CB8.jpg[/IMG]

I thought I'd detail the parts as an overall price doesn't always show just how many components there are in a build like this.

Cost of the bits so far 2 piece double bound body with humbucker routing (http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/product.php?prodId=60&category=&secondary=&keywords=) - £140 (the price has now increased to £155) Allparts unfinished neck - £100 Armadillo bridge (http://www.armadilloguitar.com/shopping/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4) -£90 Scratchplate, control plate, knobs - all from http://www.axesrus.com/ Scratchplate - £11.67 Control plate - £5.43 Knobs - 3x £2.33 = £6.99 Total from axesrus = £24.09 plus VAT = £28.91 CTS pots (2 x 250k plus 1 x 500k) = £13.05 Rear ferrules - £5.00 Strap buttons and felt pads - already had these at home. Black 3 ply scratchplate material for rear cover - £9.99 3 way selector switch - already had one at home. Mini toggle switch - £5.10 for a pack of 5 ((http://bit.ly/U9lhlF) Custom serial number neck plate -£20 (http://bit.ly/Rid9SV) Fender nut - £6.00 Fender telecaster and custom shop decals - £12 Kluson vintage tuners - already had these at home. Nitrocellulose lacquer (http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/shop/category/nitrocellulose-lacquer/ ): White primer - £12 Clear red - £15 Tobacco brown - £15 Clear gloss 2 x £15 = £30 Wet & dry paper £3 Postage = £5 Total = £65 Transparent cadmium yellow nitro lacquer (from another nitro supplier) = £14 Brand new Gibson '57 Classic neck pickup - given to me by a friend. Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster bridge pickup including delivery from USA - £39.67 Chris McIntyre custom routing of neck pocket to accept Allparts neck, modifying of humbucker routing, routing on rear of body to accommodate new mini toggle switch, new boost pot, battery compartment and area for Clapton boost circuit, also drilling of holes for mini toggle switch and new boost pot = £25 - "mates rate" or what???? Pick guard screws - £2.50 Telecaster neck pickup mounting screws £4.70. These were bought to allow for fitting the bridge pickup directly into the body rather than mounting it on the bridge plate. Eric Clapton boost circuit £43 Total so far = £624.92 As mentioned above, if I'd had to buy the neck pickup and tuners, the overall cost would be higher. There's also the cost of Chris Mcintyre's work in just over acweek's time - he 'll be wiring everything up, installing all the hardware, fitting and shaping the nut. Cutting, profiling and fitting the custom made back plate. He will then set up the instrument and balance the pickup outputs. It's exciting knowing that everything is bearing completion.

Quick before and after pics [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/E0762BE6-3CCD-4A3B-8D7E-994AA9FBD700-344-00000026B7336092.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/CE49510F-F1D1-41E9-8138-25523C8F222E-344-0000002BEB590011.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/6A660E1A-B940-49F5-AC39-D267FB97F40A-344-00000026BC4AFC2A.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/963CE33B-4491-4E2B-869D-BF14AAA31D31-344-0000002BE506CA1A.jpg[/IMG]

Protective film is now off the scratchplate. I think I've got the yellow colour on the body looking pretty authentic? [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/4B0B6023-9FC1-4357-8911-D99B363105E1-342-000000720D833FFE.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/37319625-68BA-4294-8A1E-F8CA3E95A585-160-000000120DC830CD.jpg[/IMG] Also, I've put the rest string ferrules in place. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/F548342E-322D-40DF-89B1-49BA868A00E1-601-0000004AF8B9AC63.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/36AC37E6-D304-4470-A14C-BF45A0FDF92E-207-000000088C5AC97B.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/68974A8F-B396-4D64-93F7-E1EA8F33BC36-207-0000000890E0EBB6.jpg[/IMG]