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Ibanez Tribute Kit


SpondonBassed
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Assuming kit builds are okay for this forum I'd like to ask if anyone has done any of the kits from the nice gentlemen at Pit Bull Guitars?

I am seriously considering one of these;
https://www.pitbullg...ass-guitar-kit/

or these;
https://www.pitbullg...ass-guitar-kit/

PBG have upgrade options for all of the hardware but I think I'd like to try a few of my own ideas. Chiefly, I'd like to make this a 35in scale so the neck might be surplus to requirements unless I get a fretless. Then I suppose I could fret it for a 35 later if I wanted to.

I've seen YT clips of their stuff being built and reviewed so I am quite happy that this is the standard of kit that I want to start out on. I'd hope to work up to a guitar that has what I want without the extras by doing a few kits in succession.

It ain't gonna be pretty folks, I'll warn you of that now.

Edit; I've settled on the Ibby type build now.

Edited by SpondonBassed
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Looks a nice kit, John :)



Cheers Andy. Support for the Blockheads eh? Good one.

I bought the Ibby tribute kit this morning. I am waiting for shipping notification and a possible further import charge. Of the two guitar body styles it seems to lend itself best to my notions of what I might end up with.

The neck has to be modified though to get a workable 35 inch scale. I would think that the fretboard has to come off and be replaced with a fretless or one fretted for the new scale.

My cataracts are making things difficult so during the process I will attempt to put fibre optic side dots in so's I can see them in difficult or zero light. I want to have a side dot for each fret position with the 5, 7, 9, 12, 15 etc in a different colour. The intensity should be variable and, if I can hack it, self adjusting according to ambient light conditions. There is no need for front markers.

I will use this topic as a sounding board for my ideas as they develop or as you put it - a sanity check.

I am liking the progress on Mick's build. A nice collection of innovative ideas there. I am impressed by you both. Edited by SpondonBassed
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Here it is;
Ibby1Cropped.JPG

Seems to be all there. I think it's got a good grain for an inexpensive kit.
Ibby2Cropped.thumb.JPG.8c77e1f7726d6567da0ec7e70b407dcb.JPG

If I had to point out a defect it would be the roughness on the centreline of the fretboard between 11 and 14 as if there was not enough meat in that area. It isn't worth doing much about and will probably be less noticeable after a little light dressing.
Ibby3Cropped.thumb.JPG.f9e5a06545b3524cf12cf85c86266c67.JPG

I'm very happy with the delivery and condition of the kit. I will not do any modification to the scale nor remove frets on this first build. Maybe on the next one if this works out at all. It should be a lot of fun.

Edited by SpondonBassed
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That looks ok for the price (funny that the headstock is backwards - maybe a copyright thing?). I was slightly tempted at doing a 5 string thunderbird, but that was custom order, or maybe an explorer.

Interesting to see how it works out



Cheers. I was puzzled to see the headstock both ways on the website. I can't say I have a preference. Edited by SpondonBassed
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And we're off!

I thought I'd start with dressing the frets as the neck looks flat when sighted along its length. I don't think it's too bad for high spots.

Ibby4Cropped.thumb.JPG.a7ebc5e82878da0471bcb95641670c01.JPG

Tomorrow I shall stock up on grit sheets (Abranet and glass), 0000 wire wool and Tru oil so I can get the neck and body finish under way. I also need metal polish to finish off the frets.

Edited by SpondonBassed
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Essential finishing supplies. I thought I'd treat myself to a new soldering iron too. It has LEDs that focus just beyond the tip of the iron. I am trying lead free solder for the first time. The man in Maplin recommended an inexpensive one and another one at double the price. The difference being the one percent silver content in the pricier one. He said that it wouldn't compromise a good joint using the cheap one but I went for the silver. With low levels of signal and the potential for induced interference I reckon the addition of silver gives it the conductive edge over the cheap one if only by a small amount.

Ibby5Cropped.thumb.JPG.d066d3c3b9f14a040f6d6c005a7a35a2.JPG

Edited by SpondonBassed
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You have to be much better with getting the temperature of a solder joint right to create a stable joint without lead. Silver helps. You can make a good joint with lead free solder, but you have to put a lot more effort in to do it.



Cheers.

I overheard something along those lines before at a place where I worked. I am even more interested in the challenge now that you've said that. I used to love brazing and acetylene torch welding of mild steel and aluminium alloy back in the day so it is right up my cul de sac. Edited by SpondonBassed
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Right. Now that I've finally got to the bottom of a long running problem with HMRC over my late mum's returns I can devote my full attention to this. I've got some more reading to do to ensure that I learn from the great selection of builders we have here sufficient to guide my hand and I have all the time in the world to enjoy it.

I started out thinking that a Tru Oil finish would be nice on the ash body and maple neck. It's possible to get a good gloss with that. I went to Harlows of Derby this morning and had a chat with the helpful chappie at the counter. He is a guitarist learning bass as it happens. They didn't stock Tru Oil but on their shelves was a selection of branded Teak Oils and one brand of Danish Oil. Thinking on the fly, I decided I'd like the satin finish better on a natural wood grain. Thinking further, I went for both Danish and Teak. Teak for the body and Danish for the neck.

It has a rosewood fretboard and I think I've settled on the idea that it should look darker from the front but from behind the neck would be lighter. A dab test later on will confirm for me that it is a good look or make me rethink, one or the other.

Ibby6Cropped.thumb.JPG.bb49f2298e77573d459fa7595f3b5148.JPG

Edited by SpondonBassed
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I did the mock build last night as suggested by Pit Bull. Not only does it give you a rough idea of how the guitar will eventually look, it helps identify the little bits and pieces that need doing for it all to hang together nicely. Looking at the photo, I am certain now that I want teak oil on the body and danish on the neck and headstock;

Ibby7Cropped.thumb.JPG.629bc806c138c614ee9bc7e8d0339df5.JPG

A preliminary shortlist;

  • Open out Jack socket drilling for a good fit, spot face to recess the socket within the body outline after confirming that there is room in control cavity.
  • Clean out control cavity. Deepen spot face for the pot that isn't sunk deep enough to thread up with washer.
  • Remove ragged fibres from floor of neck pocket to get max surface to surface contact.
  • Identify bumps for sanding out rough with abranet and scraping to flatten.
  • Make smaller Pit Bull transfer to suit headstock as it is too large to go anywhere on the headstock with the machine heads on.
  • Make truss adjustment screw cover in copper, the supplied cover is fine but it's a bit plain and I need to put my own "stamp" on this instrument along with the supplier's.
Edited by SpondonBassed
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Cheers Alyctes.

Just to mention because I forgot in my excitement to pick up the kit from the Parcelforce depot. The import duty on this kit was approx £60 payable on collection.

The kit came from Australia and cost about £180 after conversion. The Pit Bull website will give you prices in sterling or your local currency if you are allowing all of the site scripts to run (It's a fairly clean site in that regard). The actual conversion is fixed at the point of purchase and you'll quickly get an email with the confirmation invoice. A day or two later I got the shipping notification. In short it only took a week from purchase to pick-up.

That's probably all the information I will share about costs here. Of course if anyone wants to ask how much I paid for something I've used in the build I will answer but after the initial purchase the cost of the build is largely a matter of choice. It would be pointless to include day to day details of how much I spend and I am not keeping tabs on that anyway. In the end I wont be able to say what was spent down to the last penny but I am not interested in pretending I can do accountancy.

Edited by SpondonBassed
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How much did the kit cost you altogether - import charges and all ?

Pitbull do a few nice kits but I'd be worried about the overall cost.

Lovely work on the neck btw - looks great



Thanks. I wanted to get that done before getting into finishes.

See my post above;
http://basschat.co.u...ost__p__3344392

There is a UK supplier with a similarly styled kit. It might even be sourced from the same place. I think they charge less overall and being domestic there may not be import charges separate from the kit price. I didn't see them before I'd decided on this one. I might look at them for the next build. Edited by SpondonBassed
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I've put in a lot of time with the neck. Two evenings of rubbing down, first with 400 grit Abranet and 1200 grit paper sheet.

After levelling the frets I lightly dressed the fretboard. It is worth mentioning that the adhesive from the masking tape I put between the frets bled onto the maple and was a sticky problem for a few moments. It was okay after I removed the excess with a rag and the final rubbing down removed the last of it. I think the metal polish I used when finishing the frets must have reacted with the masking tape adhesive. Worth noting for next time.

Sanding the maple of the neck was where I started to notice little details coming out of the grain. I was careful not to overwork it and round off the edges too much whilst breaking them to make them smooth to the touch.
Ibby10Cropped.thumb.JPG.67428b5c343cc1e7d837e04fe7549680.JPG

The defect on the fretboard is only really noticeable to me and then only by feel. It polished out quite well with just a light witness in the form of a slight flatness on the centreline of the fretboard. When the strings are on, it will not be noticeable. The final job was to rub lemon oil into the finished surface of the rosewood. It got two coats and I might give it another today.
Ibby9Cropped.thumb.JPG.2a133dc6370eba10a438ac194526aa01.JPG

I scuffed the shine on my frets a bit during the final rubbing down but I half expected to have to re-polish them anyway.

This is where it starts to get exciting. I rubbed the first coat of Danish oil onto the maple. In the photo it is matt yet, in real life, little swirly blobs are shining out at me like little bits of mother of pearl. The colour of the wood has warmed and has a gentle glow to it.
Ibby11Cropped.thumb.JPG.68ae009e545dc507f88f8bc3b00bb9c4.JPG

After I've taken the nibs off with 0000 wire wool It will get another coat today. Same again tomorrow then I'll see if it needs further coats.

Edited by SpondonBassed
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