jack's new project - step up from a sub 1 this time

[Jack FFR1846]

Unknown to many, I have a small guitar workbench area in my basement and over the last couple of years have become hooked on buying inexpensive, easy to find craigslist guitars of a particular variety and learning how to setup, level and crown, roll fretboard edges, paint, body work, yadda yadda. Recently, I bought $60 worth of GFS "as is" body and neck and got to work fixing the back bow of the $22 neck. With that small success, I saw the ad here for a back bowed Silhouette and could not resist. (thanks, Gary, by the way) As it came out of the case:



I did a cursury tune and played around with the truss rod a bit and indeed....even with 11's at standard tuning, there was going to be not much relief at all. Down to the bench. Off with his head....uh, I mean neck:



A bit of heat, a bit of pressure at the headstock end, a bit of weight (like my weight.....looks like random crap from my basement) in the middle. Let it cool like that.



To be continued.......

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Unknown to many, I have a small guitar workbench area in my basement and over the last couple of years have become hooked on buying inexpensive, easy to find craigslist guitars of a particular variety and learning how to setup, level and crown, roll fretboard edges, paint, body work, yadda yadda. Recently, I bought $60 worth of GFS "as is" body and neck and got to work fixing the back bow of the $22 neck. With that small success, I saw the ad here for a back bowed Silhouette and could not resist. (thanks, Gary, by the way) As it came out of the case:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Jackffr1846/photo6-1_zps4872cdc8.jpg

I did a cursury tune and played around with the truss rod a bit and indeed....even with 11's at standard tuning, there was going to be not much relief at all. Down to the bench. Off with his head....uh, I mean neck:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Jackffr1846/photo5_zps94afe678.jpg

A bit of heat, a bit of pressure at the headstock end, a bit of weight (like my weight.....looks like random crap from my basement) in the middle. Let it cool like that.

http://s143.photobucket.com/user/Jackffr1846/media/photo4_zps2e79ca5b.jpg

To be continued.......

So you're the one who beat me to the blue dawn

 

[GWDavis28]

Jack buddy, again man, nice snag!!!

Original Blue Dawn!!!

Glenn |B)

 

[Stratty316]

glad to see that someone got this and is able to fix her up.

 

[Tollywood]

Good luck, I hope you can fix the problem. I love blue dawn.

 

[Lou]

So you're the one who beat me to the blue dawn

And me! Luckily he's not far away for a beatdown!

 

[marillion-freak]

Good luck Jack!!! I hope you can fix the original neck...that thing plays so sweet its worth saving. Sadly, that was my last Ball and I will miss it. Give it a good home.

Gary

 

[Spudmurphy]

I was VERY close to getting that one. It nearly made it's way over the pond if you guys had dragged your feet!

IMO if a bit of heat and weight ( I would have sanded the neck and tried some steam too) won't fix it, then you will need to consider:-

1) Taking the neck off (ohh you already have!)
2) Take the frets out
3) Then you Backbow the neck - just as they do it in the factory before they "swing" the neck on the belt sander.
4) Plane (shoot the neck) and then radius the neck by hand.
5) Refret the neck, and fretdress, I would have "ramped" off the frets above fret 12 (I would have used stainless steel frets, this would also help towards re tensioning the neck what with stainless having higher tensile properties), maybe cut a new nut for it and then general set up.

I've seen this backbow problem in many Gibson and Fender Guitars in my mates workshop.
Incidentaly if my memory serves me right I noticed a few dings that need repairing from the original photos that MFreak posted?
My plan was to install a Piezo system, and use some of the paint chips from the area that would take the pre amp, to repair the dings - just like Tim had done (by Chandlers?)with his Axis when he went from two knobs to one.

I would have taken photos all through the process and posted them on here, so I'm glad that you are doing the same.
Anyway, you got it instead of me - good luck.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

The heat and pressure worked. Neck is slightly bowed forward with the truss rod loose and neck free. Now, to level. With my notched rule, I set to make the fretboard level.



I level with a piece of marble with 320 glued on.



Once all the frets are level, it's time to crown them, so it will intonate correctly. The technique makes the frets round on top from a side view. Yah, I do it old school by hand with a triangle file and masking tape to protect the fingerboard at each fret. I have a dolphin file but don't like it. I think I've done 5 frets with the thing total.



Level and crowned, I turn to the finish. Some wonder wipe action to see if that'll be enough. Not quite, I don't think. So just to be sure, some thinner to take off any wax and a couple coat and wipe of tru oil. I'll leave it overnight to dry then wax it with some zymol carnauba wax.

 

[mtrejo]

Great post Jack!

 

[Warg Master]

YES! You fixed it!! nice post!

 

[Tollywood]

Amazing progress Jack. You're doing a great job.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Back together with the pickup poles cleaned up a bit, waxed the neck and put on some slinkys to check the action and playability before work. Appeared to play. Went to work, came home and did a quick setup and the truss rod needed a bit of a tweek. That's what I was hoping for. Checked the action and I'm runnin 3/64" at the low E down to about 2.5/64" on the high e which is lower than I normally play (I usually set 4/64 all the way down). Set the pickup heights and played it in just a bit. Boy, is this quiet with the singles and the silent circuit. Plays well.

Spud....I looked over what you had for plans and looked over the hidden places and the chipped spots and decided that I could not match the dawn, so it's staying the way it is. I'm glad it didn't need a refret because I don't yet know how to do that. The level wasn't too bad and the frets were very easy to crown.

On to find the next project. Oh, wait.....I have 2 projects I pushed aside for this one.....

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hey Jack

It's a shame- although I can read your post I can't see the pictures (which are blocked in my workplace), and I'm looking forward to seeing them when I get home tonight, from working away.

I'm glad that the heat treatment has produced positive results and fingers crossed, that there is no re occurrence.
I know what you mean about doing a fret job - I would have got my mate to have done that, & I would have helped along the way.
From what you are saying I think a fret job would be an easy next step for you to do.

I'm looking for a project myself.

Cheers

Spud