Author Topic: Guitar fettling (With Pics!) (Read 5122 times)

bobb · « **on:** 03 March, 2011, 10:11:12 pm »

OK - mostly out of focus pics!!

I know there are some guitar lovers here so......

My beloved Les Paul is 15 years old this month. It was delivered in early March 1996 after I ordered it at the beginning of the year, so it was made in 1996:

I decided it was about time it got a bit of TLC. It's been knocked about a bit over the years and I'd become a bit concerned by the ill fitting nut and warped truss rod bolt cover - as this picture doesn't actually show:

So I took the strings off and gave it a good polish with an old sock:

You can see how the nut has started to come away and forced the TR cover to kind of bend in the middle:

So I took it off (multi tools aren't just for bikes!):

I then filed down the cover:

And tapped the nut off with a universal nut remover (ie the tail piece!):

It came off very easily:

So I taped it up and scraped off the old glue with a knife:

I then needed to shape the new nut, so I employed some files:

And sandpaper:

After an awfully long time - I had shaped it perfectly:

I have never hoovered a guitar before!:

Mr. Super Glue helped me out:

New nut and reshaped truss rod bolt cover fitted

Tomorrow I shall set the action nice and low and get the intonation spot on. (I hope!!)

Tewdric · « **Reply #1 on:** 03 March, 2011, 10:13:42 pm »

Ace. I have often thought of setting my guitar up properly, but then figured I'd better learn to play the bugger first!

Rhys W · « **Reply #2 on:** 03 March, 2011, 10:27:12 pm »

Good stuff bobb. Looks like a nice guitar.

Did you cut the nut slots yourself? That, and fret-levelling are what I don't yet do, due to the cost of tools you might only use every few years. The guitar equivalent of a headset press I guess.

TimO · « **Reply #3 on:** 03 March, 2011, 10:32:19 pm »

I get my father to do all my instrument fettling, since he makes them, anything like what you've detailed is a five minute job for him, not that he does much with electrics, he mostly makes acoustic stuff for the folk market.

Having said that, the Mandolin which I took back home to get re-varnished (after water damage) about three years ago has yet to reappear!

bobb · « **Reply #4 on:** 03 March, 2011, 10:43:44 pm »

Quote from: Rhys W on 03 March, 2011, 10:27:12 pm

Good stuff bobb. Looks like a nice guitar.

Did you cut the nut slots yourself? That, and fret-levelling are what I don't yet do, due to the cost of tools you might only use every few years. The guitar equivalent of a headset press I guess.

No they were already cut, but I had to shape the underside. I can cut them deeper though if needs be.

NEVER fuck with frets!!!!!! I have a 60s EKO in bits in the loft after pulling out all the frets and failing completely to refret it. That was about 8 years ago!! Need a pro to fix that!

bobb · « **Reply #5 on:** 04 March, 2011, 09:14:07 am »

Cheers, I will probably be in Colchester next week some time so I'll go and check them out if I have time.

I can't really afford to have the Eko done right now as the neck is in a right state. I think it will have to be filled and new fret slots cut.

Oh - I wouldn't say the Eko is "Lovely"! it's an odd looking fucker and completely bonkers. I have some pics somewhere, but I can't find them at the mo. It has four pickups with a row of buttons along the top so you can select any combination. On just the bridge pickup it has a fantastically spikey tone that makes a Tele sound all warm by comparison! It also has the skinniest neck of any guitar I've ever played. Not surprising it's so mad - it's Italian after all!!

Oaky · « **Reply #6 on:** 04 March, 2011, 09:22:03 am »

Nice. I couldn't resist sticking your hoovering picture onto the Caption It thread though

pumpkin · « **Reply #7 on:** 04 March, 2011, 10:26:38 am »

For guitar p0rn have a look at Phil X on Gibson Les Paul Custom : Vintage guitars : Gibson les paul custom : Gibson les paul vintage : Fender Esquire Vintage : Fender Stratocaster : Fender Telecaster : Fretted Americana He tests some stunning vintage guitars

urban_biker · « **Reply #8 on:** 04 March, 2011, 10:27:41 am »

Interesting post.

I have recently been doing some guitar fettling myself. I recently bought an new Takamine Electro-acoustic (see other thread). This meant that my cheapo Encore electro-acoustic has been hanging around with very little to do.

Its a cheap guitar with a plastic bowl back.The sound is OK and it has no-preamp but horrendous action. (thats the gap between the strings and the fretboard for the un-initiated)

I took off the strings and found that the plastic saddle just fell out of place and I was left with a plastic saddle piece with a curved top and flat bottom edge. My plan was to lower the action by cutting off some of the bridge. It was a bit of guesswork knowing how much to take off, but eventually decided on 3mm. Drew a nice pencil line along the flat edge put it in the vice. My Black and Decker electric file was perfect for taking the 3 mm off. Replaced the bridge, put on some new strings and hey presto a transformed guitar. Its just so easy to play now - action much more similar to my electric.

So I now have a perfectly serviceable guitar for the kids and/or wife to play around on. Guitar fettling is pretty satisfying.

Oh - yes - and nice guitar Bobb, more than slightly jealous.

bobb · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 March, 2011, 10:50:26 am »

Yeah - most at least half decent guitars can be set up better with a bit of time and the use of one's toolkit. I suppose that's what keeps the cost down of mid range guitars over the super expensive ones. The expensive ones are set up just right before they leave the workshop and the cheaper ones are just set up minimally so there's no fret buzz but generally leave a horrific action.

There's no point in trying to set up a really cheap guitar though. Your efforts generally make them worse than they already were!!

bobb · « **Reply #10 on:** 04 March, 2011, 11:22:00 am »

I have toyed with the idea of putting the Eko back together sans frets and using it purely for slide. Use mahousively heavy strings and a monster high action. Then record some country songs

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #11 on:** 04 March, 2011, 11:29:56 am »

There is a reason why you rarely see fretless six-strings.

Although I vaguely recall Tokai trying to sell a metal necked one in the 80's (it didn't sell)

Woofage · « **Reply #12 on:** 04 March, 2011, 11:46:58 am »

Doesn't Adrian Belew (sp?) sometimes play a fretless 6-string?

UK: I also have a bass that is de-fretted. It's a self-made job using an old Gibson neck found in a guitar shop when I was in my teens. Not that pretty and could do with a bit more finishing off (25 years late...).

bobb · « **Reply #13 on:** 04 March, 2011, 04:46:23 pm »

So today I finished it off....

Stuff at the ready to put new strings on:

Strings on:

Tuned up and checked intonation. Low E - close enough:

Harmonic at twelfth fret a bit flat:

So a bit of tweaking required:

I was getting a bit of fret buzz at the treble end of things so brought the action up a touch:

Pissed around a bit more and it's all done:

Time to make some noise

Edit: The lack of scratch plate is intentional. LPs look so much cooler with it removed. And we all know looking cool is the most important thing, right?

Rhys W · « **Reply #14 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:21:53 pm »

If you want to look cool you need to lower that strap. It's more Haircut 100 than Slash at the moment.

clarion · « **Reply #15 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:22:52 pm »

He'd need to tuck the jumper into his waistband for that, though...

bobb · « **Reply #16 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:31:10 pm »

That strap is as low as it will go without extending it.

I have strong feelings about guitar height. The super low has been done to death and as such has become uncool. I have it at the correct height ie about the same as Hendrix had his. And you don't get much cooler than that.....

pcolbeck · « **Reply #17 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:31:55 pm »

Too right no one is cooler than Jimmy.

Woofage · « **Reply #18 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:44:54 pm »

Quote from: bobb on 04 March, 2011, 05:31:10 pm

I have strong feelings about guitar height. The super low has been done to death and as such has become uncool. I have it at the correct height ie about the same as Hendrix had his. And you don't get much cooler than that.....

I agree. I could never understand how some guitarists play with their instrument so low. Look at classical and Flamenco guitarists - they hold the guitar that way for a reason.

redshift · « **Reply #19 on:** 04 March, 2011, 05:57:36 pm »

Hell, Mr Fripp doesn't even play standing up...

Rhys W · « **Reply #20 on:** 04 March, 2011, 06:32:49 pm »

Hooky (New Order/Joy Division) looks cool with his bass almost at his knees - but he has admitted it's given him chronic back problems!

Strats, Teles, ES-335s look great however you wear them, but to my eye a Les Paul looks best low-slung. Marc Bolan, Slash, James Dean Bradfield, Steve Jones...

bobb · « **Reply #21 on:** 04 March, 2011, 06:35:34 pm »

Peter Hook never looks cool. He just looks like a twat. Probably because he is a twat.....

greenmeansgo · « **Reply #22 on:** 04 March, 2011, 06:48:20 pm »

Nice work Bobb!

Like bike work, lots of guitar work isn't all that difficult, but requires a bit of know how, and the confidence to just do it. A friend of mine learnt to do fret dresses on his ancient beat up electric, using a grinding stone, some tape and some care. Not minding if it went completely wrong was a big advantage (I wouldn't start out on the Les Paul), but it worked a treat!

Andrew Br · « **Reply #23 on:** 04 March, 2011, 11:57:36 pm »

Quote from: bobb on 04 March, 2011, 06:35:34 pm

Peter Hook never looks cool. He just looks like a twat. Probably because he is a twat.....

He is a twat.
He pushed in front of me at the bar once (but he is a better bass player than you are Bobb

).

Guitar height- it's as individual as handlebar height.
Epic.

Gandalf · « **Reply #24 on:** 05 March, 2011, 09:12:49 am »

So bobb, did you do the nodding sagely thing whilst muttering to yourself "mmm, it's got a good action" ?