BobJ’s 2022 Brotherhood Build (Esquire?)

[crazydave911]

Here is a really good video that talks about the switching that was used in these guitars and demonstrates the tones you can get. We have had several discussions here on how this setup helps you learn the how the volume effects the tone. This guitar uses the three way switch. Position 1 (full forward is what I call position 1) wires in come caps for a very dark tone. Two gives you the more standard tone stack. Three bypasses the tone circuit complete (Like the last position on a strat (at least older strats like my ’76). A couple of coats of sanding sealer (the old fashion kind with sawdust mixed in) and a slightly opaque blond finish will cover a multitude of sins (no worries).

I kinda like the Eldred mod on mine

 

[wadeeinkauf]

I kinda like the Eldred mod on mine

I’ve read that Leo had thought of this treble cutoff position as almost a bass…ish tone. No one liked it very much and this little RC network was changed several times during the years it was in production. What tone died the Eldred mod give you differently from the normal tone circuit.

 

[Bob J]

Thanks for all the input. I will consider all options when it comes to switching etc. as I go on.

Speaking of going on, I filled the rest of the holes with “ash” wood filler, and I think it will be ok.

So I did the roundover with the router table, 3/16” radius.

And drilled out and routed the neck pocket,

Pickup and control cavities. Als drilled the jack hole.

I put it on the scale

Under 3.25lbs. Unfinished.

Here’s my nagging concern:
Each time I’ve done any machining operation, I have the sinking feeling that this wood has not properly dried. It just kind of feels damp, and has such a fresh smell. I’ve never made anything with yellow cedar, and my source was not a wood supplier. Additionally I don’t have and have never used a moisture meter on my projects. In between steps I’ve been storing in the utility room in the basement next to the furnace, one of the warmer and drier places in the house, and it seems to sand ok, so I don’t know. I’m thinking I’ll probably wait a while before I do final sanding and sealing, I’ll keep checking the weight until then and see if it changes.

Has anyone else had an experience building with ‘green’ wood?

 

[crazydave911]

I’ve read that Leo had thought of this treble cutoff position as almost a bass…ish tone. No one liked it very much and this little RC network was changed several times during the years it was in production. What tone died the Eldred mod give you differently from the normal tone circuit.

Sorry Wade, I completely missed the question. It does a "cocked wah" type of sound according to Mike. The best I can describe it is a single pickup version of a Strat 2 & 4 switch position, sort of lol

 

[TheZ]

Looks great so far! The build challenge is what really got me going in TPDRI all those years ago. Awesome to see the spirit is alive.

 

[Bob J]

Yeah, my first attempt was for the 2011 challenge. Only took ten years to build my first.

 

[Bob J]

Ok, interesting train of thought, I’ve been reading the thread about waiting for wood to dry, and devised some ways to “test” my suspected green body while I wait to finish it. I weighed it again today

That’s down 0.014 lbs (or about 6 grams) from yesterday

So I’m thinking while I wait I’ll weigh it every few days and track the weight loss. Once it levels out maybe it will be dry and I can apply finish, assuming it hasn’t warped, cracked or shrunk in a critical dimension that I can’t compensate for.

 

[Bob J]

Ok, it did lose a little weight for the next week, but seems to have settled in at 1445 grams (21 grams down). That’s about 1.5%. Not without cost though.

A crack formed right in line with one of the paint stick screws.

And there’s a little separation at one of the glue joints (probably not enough glue to begin with).

I’ll hit those two areas with CA and reclamation the glue joint, and see how things go.

 

[Newbcaster]

Here is a really good video that talks about the switching that was used in these guitars and demonstrates the tones you can get. We have had several discussions here on how this setup helps you learn the how the volume effects the tone. This guitar uses the three way switch. Position 1 (full forward is what I call position 1) wires in come caps for a very dark tone. Two gives you the more standard tone stack. Three bypasses the tone circuit complete (Like the last position on a strat (at least older strats like my ’76). A couple of coats of sanding sealer (the old fashion kind with sawdust mixed in) and a slightly opaque blond finish will cover a multitude of sins (no worries).

Sometimes these cats who do youtube vids dont really listen to themselves. One of the most sought after tones in the HISTORY of ROCK is Mark knopfler's Money for Nothing. Those in the know know its a p90 from an LP tv jr(according to the producer on the album) though mark swears its his reissue LP... (lies lies and statistics)

Still, I dont know if anyone else heard this but me but... that position 3 neck tone from an Esquire with some drive sounded ALOT like MFN tone to me... maybe a bit more phasing and some dialable fuzz, but even as it was. Holy crap that was close!!!

The rest of it sounded great but quite... pedestrian. I keep meaning to build one of these but...I just can't. I think maybe if I could have like a 10 position switch with 3 pickups and somehow i could preserve this esquire sound in the switching... I would build it.

I live in an area where there are only 2 kinds of music, country and western. i feel legally and ethically and morally obligated to own one of these... Arizona why oh why cant you all be into 80's ???

 

[Bob J]

Meanwhile, gave it a coat of zpoxy, let it dry overnight and sanded it down

Gave it another coat today. I wouldn’t call this an open pore wood, but it helps fill the imperfections and hardens the surface. It’s pretty soft otherwise.

 

[Bob J]

It’s amazing how a regular job interferes with your hobbies.

Some progress today.

Bought some lacquer

Sprayed the first coats

Printed out a drawing of the pick guard and glued it to some pine for a template. Going to make it out of an old LP. I kinda like the irony of having spent my youth trying to avoid scratching my records…

Tomorrow I will spend a little time playing with my new toy!

 

[Bob J]

Sprayed a little more color.

This is pretty representative in the photo. There are so many versions of blonde out there. This is pretty light.

 

[crazydave911]

I'm going Surf Green with my Esquire whenever I build it but highly recommend McMaster -Carr for garolite for the pickguard as it will make several and quite cheap considering

 

[Bob J]

Thanks Dave, I’ll look into that if I’m not delighted by the LP pick guard I have planned

 

[Bob J]

Think I’ll go with this for now!

 

[Bob J]

And a few parts arrived today…

 

[peteycaster]

View attachment 998135 Think I’ll go with this for now!

I really like the pickguard idea and the whole thing is looking good. How did you cut the record? I might try it myself one day.

 

[Bob J]

After shaping the template, I stuck it to the record with double stick tape, and drilled the outline through the record about every 1/2” with a 3/16 drill. Then I simply connected the dots with a coping saw, sanded close to the edge, and finished it on the router table with a top bearing bit.

I cannot stress enough that you make an appropriate choice for the record however…

 

[peteycaster]

After shaping the template, I stuck it to the record with double stick tape, and drilled the outline through the record about every 1/2” with a 3/16 drill. Then I simply connected the dots with a coping saw, sanded close to the edge, and finished it on the router table with a top bearing bit.

I cannot stress enough that you make an appropriate choice for the record however…

Thanks for the info. Yes, label choice would be super important.

 

[Bob J]

Ok, time to ask for some help. I bought some nice maple to make the neck (one piece), and a 2-way truss rod. The 2 one-piece necks I made last year used 1-way truss rods, and the 2-piece neck used a 2-way.

Can anyone point me to a build thread where the builder puts a 2-way truss rod in a 1-piece neck, through the back with a skunk stripe?

I’ve searched but can’t seem to find one.

Thanks!