050510

Wednesday 5th May 2010

 

So, a new veneer is in place on the Muse Descendant and the tuner positions are reamed out..

 

 

the igor has some fun figuring out how to remove the strings on the erb.. we’ve already got a much improved locking nut design..

 

 

the Muse Descendant needs a logo inlay.. it is cut by hand from an aluminium blank

 

 

the igor begins work on a new brass plate for the extended range bass..

 

 

and the inlay is glued in and a wood/glue dust mixture used to fill the gaps in the letters..

 

 

while that dries I mark out the recesses for the back plates..

 

 

no straight lines here, everything is recessed by hand as there are no straight lines..

 

 

mm..

 

 

now, the igor has been beavering away on this left-handed trem block

 

 

I take over and cut some threads for the wilkinson style piezo saddles,..

 

 

nylon tube is going to make a push fitting for the trem arm.. there’s enough here for several hundred at least!! a small case of overstocking on my part!

 

 

stunning!  nearly there now.. though obviously the screws need to be recessed just a little bit more..

 

 

now, the igor begins some rubbing down, he’s rather good at the whole finishing job..

 

 

part way there on the new plate for the erb’s tuning block

 

 

and I move on to a gibson les paul plus that is in dire need of a setup..

 

 

firstly I mask off the fretboard.

 

 

using the backlight from the window I adjust the truss rod to get the neck as straight as possible.. (not very straight at all in the end!!)

 

 

the frets are filed flat..

 

 

reprofiled.. a flat fret will only mess up your intonation!

 

 

our new member of staff, Caroline has a puppy!

 

 

Caroline finds she doesn’t like metalwork..

 

 

fine shaping these saddles and starting the sanding process was enough to put her off… for now..

 

 

now, the frets are sanded through the grits with standard wet and dry paper

 

 

and finally polished to an amazing shine!!  All the better for those wide bends and leggatto sweeps!

 

 

and so, the fretboard on the gibson is cleaned up

 

 

oiled..

 

 

and she is strung up again

 

 

and set up.. the important information we need when doing a setup is what will the customer be playing.. in this case we test the bends to make sure she doesn’t choke out!

 

 

now, Nick’s 45rpm.. the new lacquer has cured

 

 

and she is rubbed through the grits.. 1500 in this case,..

 

 

as is Fred’s 45rpm..

 

 

now, I finish buffing up Nevio’s RF Slim.. very very shiny!

 

 

before the final setup on the gibson the strings are stretched.. and stretched..

 

 

intanation and final action set.. an action of just 0.6mm at the 12th fret!!  I am a god!!

 

 

Nevio’s guitar.. shiny baby is ready for hardware

 

 

and since I’m in the buffing mood I do a small part of Ferd’s rf slim..

 

 

the final rubbing down of Nick’s 45rpm.,.

 

 

and the old masking tape is removed from the fretboard, no need for any more lacquer..

 

 

I mask off the Muse Descendants new logo..

 

 

run over her with the random orbital sander one last time..

 

 

and finally she, and a random stock us strat, recieve a coat of primer..

 

good night all!

Ben

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