GUITAR KIT WORLD EXP-style Guitar Kit User manual

EXP-style Guitar Kit Assembly
Manual
This guide provides step-by-step instructions to build a DIY EXP-style guitar using a kit.
Even if you have never built before, you can learn how to get started by reading this tutorial.
There’s nothing more satisfying than playing a guitar you have put together yourself!
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Project Tools and Consumables
Before we get started check the list below and ensure you have the necessary tools and
consumables required to complete the project.
Tools
● 2 X Timber clamps (*set neck guitar only)
● Electric jigsaw or coping saw (*If shaping the headstock)
● Steel ruler (at least 40cm)
● Hard sanding block
● Center punch (or similar tool for marking hole locations)
● Electric drill and assorted drill bits
● Large and small screwdrivers (phillips head and flat head)
● Pliers (needle nose preferably)
● Soldering iron
Consumables
● Disposable gloves
● Titebond, PVA, or similar wood glue (*set neck guitar)
● Small paintbrush
● Wood grain filler (If open grain timber such as Mahogany or Oak)
● Sandpaper. Various grades, from 120 up to 1500 (*depends on finish)
● Finishing supplies. (This depends on your choice of finish)
● Painters masking tape
● Assortment of clean rags and paper towel
● Denatured alcohol (or cleaning product with degreasing ability)
● 0000 fine grade steel wool
● Solder (and sponge for cleaning tip of iron)
● Container for storing finishing supplies.
Next, check that all parts have been included.
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Parts List
Below are the parts you will find included in your packaging to complete an EXP guitar kit.
● EXP body and neck
● Neck plate, neck plate cushion and screws (if bolt-on neck)
● 2 x Strap buttons
● 6 x in-line tuners
● Stud mounted Tune-O-matic style bridge with tailpiece
● Neck and bridge humbuckers
● 2 x volume, 1 x tone controls, 1 x capacitor, 1 x 3 way pickup selector, and input jack
● Truss rod cover, pick guard and electronics cavity cover
● Cable and hex wrench (for adjusting truss rod)
● Tone and volume knobs
● Assorted screws and washers
Safety Precautions
To complete your guitar kit safely, also ensure you have the following on hand, and a well
ventilated work space to work in.
Protective eyewear
Use protective safety glasses or a genuine face shield, not regular prescription, reading, or
sunglasses.
Disposable gloves
Use disposable gloves if applying stains or oil finishes directly to the guitar.
Masks
Use an N95 rated dust mask for sanding and an R95 rated particle mask for finishing. If
using water based finishing products an N95 dust mask may suffice for both sanding and
finishing, but be sure to check the finishing suppliers recommendations first. Paint fumes
are dangerous.
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A well ventilated work area
Ensure your work space is well ventilated, especially when finishing to prevent a build up of
potentially toxic fumes.
Making your Guitar Kit play & sound great
There are four stages to building a great kit guitar, these are:
1. Preparation and finishing
The finished surface appearance of your guitar e.g. staining, painting, or applying a hand
rubbed oil finish.
2. Hardware Installation
Fitting the tuners, strap buttons bridge, and pickups.
3. Connecting the electronics
Connecting the pickups to the input jack, and incorporating a pickup selector and volume
and tone pots.
4. Final Setup
Adjusting the neck relief, action, intonation and pickup height.
We’ll cover each of these below, starting with preparation and finishing.
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1. Preparation and Finishing
Inspecting the body
Once unboxed, carefully inspect the guitar body and neck under decent light.
Identify problem areas, as these should be addressed early on before commencing the
project. This includes large dents that require filling, deep scratches that require sanding
and glue residue on the surface of the guitar that will prevent your finish from being
absorbed evenly. Glue stains will only apply for guitars with binding, and/or a veneer top.
Dry fitting the neck
Insert the neck
First push the heel gently into the back of the neck pocket, then push the neck down flat.
This reduces the risk of chipping the thin edges of the neck pocket before the neck has
been installed.
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Check the scale length
You can check the location of your bridge post holes with regard to scale length by
measuring the distance from the edge of the nut closest to the fretboard and the middle of
the 12th fret and then doubling that number. An EXP guitar kit should have a scale length of
24.75” or 628mm.
If your scale length appears out by a few mm, keep in mind the position of the bridge is
angled to compensate for the additional mass of the thicker bass strings and the saddles
can be adjusted forward or back via the intonation adjustment screws
Check the neck alignment
The neck, once inserted into the neck pocket, should have very little sideways movement. If
it does, mark the center on the neck heel and align this with the center of your neck and
bridge pickup cavities.
If this results in a gap on either side of the neck, you may need to shim the neck. Otherwise
smaller gaps can be filled prior to finishing using a filler.
Check the neck angle
Run a steel ruler along the fretboard and over the bridge.
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The steel ruler should sit just above the saddles on the bridge when the bridge is sitting flat
against the body.
Cutting the Headstock
If shaping your headstock start out by sketching a few rough concepts before transferring
the design to paper at the correct size.
When designing your headstock be sure to leave a margin of at least 15mm from the last
tuning hole and edge of the headstock (the equivalent distance between the tuning peg
holes).
1. Once you have a completed design at the correct size cut the shape out and glue it
to a scrap piece of timber to be used as a template. (You can also use cardboard).
2. Using a coping saw, jigsaw, or ideally a bandsaw cut out the headstock shape and
sand the edges of your template smooth.
3. Taking a small clamp, clamp the template to the headstock and carefully trace the
outline.
From there you can either cut the new headstock shape using the template as a guide, or
remove the clamps and cut following the outlines you just made.
When cutting out your headstock shape protect the neck of the guitar when cutting, cut well
outside the lines to allow room for sanding and keep your saw as vertical as possible to
ensure sharp edges.
If unsure keep the design simple. A well executed simple design is better than a poorly
executed complex one. Once complete, sand the edges until as smooth as the rest of the
body and neck.
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Setting the Neck
If you have a bolt-on neck guitar you can install the neck once you have completed the
finishing stage, but construct a handle from a section of scrap wood. This will allow you to
handle the guitar when finishing.
1. Clean out the neck pocket and heel of the neck. Remove any dust using a brush and
ensure the neck cavity is clean.
2. Using a paint brush apply PVA or similar product evenly on the bottom of the neck
pocket and the neck heel. Ensure you have an even coating on both surfaces.
3. Clamp the neck to the body of the guitar. You can use one, but two clamps is
recommended. Ensure you have scrap wood on hand to protect the surface of the
guitar when clamping and clamp firmly.
4. Follow the product recommendations with regard to when you can safely remove the
clamps and handle the guitar. In most cases leaving the guitar overnight will do the
job.
Prepping the body
Check the body carefully again for glue stains. In most cases glue stains can be sanded but
if you notice stains on a veneer top, keep in mind the veneer is quite thin and you should
first try to remove with a small amount of warm water and a clean rag.
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Next we’ll move onto prep sanding the body and neck.
Start by sanding the entire guitar using 180 grit sandpaper and follow that up with 240 grit
paper. If you are applying a stain directly to the raw wood sand up to 400 grit, but sanding
any smoother than this may begin to affect how well the stain is absorbed.
Once you have completed sanding up to 240 grit, wipe a small amount of moisture on the
surface of the guitar. Using denatured alcohol is a good option here as it evaporates before
it is absorbed into the timber, but water will also suffice. This will raise the grain of the timber
which can then be sanded flat. Generally grain will only raise once.
Grain Filling
Grain filling is optional, and mostly depends on the wood your guitar is made from and
whether you are aiming for a flat finish.
If your guitar is made from an open grain timber such as Oak or Mahogany, the open pores
of the timber will prevent a flat finish unless filled. Basswood for the most part is optional. In
most cases it’s advisable to grain fill but if painting a solid color you can get by using a
primer which will level and seal the surface.
If you are staining, depending on the product you are using, you can grain fill either before
or after. In almost all cases I’ve found grain filling first results in a more even application,
providing a better result.
There are a number of different grain fillers available, including solvent, water and oil based
options, along with pre-tinted options. Oil based grain fillers penetrate deeper into the wood,
but water is easier to work with with regard to drying times and clean up.
Using a tinted grain filler is also a great option if you would like to accentuate the grain
pattern of the guitar as the excess will be removed when sanding, but the filler used to fill
the pores will remain in place and emphasize the grain pattern of the wood.
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Below are the steps required for applying grain fill:
1. Mix up enough product to grain fill the entire guitar. Follow the recommendations for
the product you are using in terms of application, cleanup and safety, then mix your
grain fill into a workable paste in a spare container.
2. Apply to the guitar using a clean rag, working in line with the grains pattern of the
wood. Next, work across the grain really pushing the grain fill into the wood, making
several passes.
3. Once finished, leave the guitar for ten minutes and then wipe away any excess using
a clean damp rag. (check the product recommendations)
4. Once dry, sand back to the surface level of the guitar, working through the grades of
sandpaper from 120 grit to 240. Sand enough to remove the excess grain fill but not
enough to dig into the wood and create more open pores.
5. Inspect the surface of the guitar and repeat the process if required.
Masking
You should also mask the neck pocket, and body cavities of your guitar when spraying a
finish. Mask the tuning peg holes on the headstock to keep the holes clean, along with the
holes for the bridge and tailpiece and pay special attention to the truss rod. You should also
mask the fretboard when spraying the back of the neck.
If your guitar has binding you can either attempt to mask off the binding, which in most
cases will mean some finish still permeates the masking tape and will need to be removed,
or not masking, and scraping the binding clean with a razor blade before spraying your clear
coats.
I’d normally scrape the binding as this is a more effective use of time, rather than attempting
to mask. But it’s best to mask the binding if you notice any cracks as the finish you apply will
permeate the binding staining it permanently.
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Finishing
It’s beyond the scope of this guide to cover every available way to finish an electric guitar
but below are a few rules that apply to almost all finishing options:
● Carefully consider your finishing options with regard to how protective they are and
how they might affect tone along with aesthetics.
● Choose your type of finish based on the wood itself. For example, it would be a
shame to cover up a beautiful grain pattern with a solid color finish. Alternatively,
staining a less figured piece of basswood for example may not provide a great
aesthetic either.
● Wear gloves and a mask and work in a well ventilated area as required. Fumes from
some finishing products can be toxic.
● Clean the body of the guitar using a product that includes a degreasing agent
● Wear disposable gloves when handling the guitar after cleaning.
● Make sure you are working in a relatively dust free environment and make sure to
clean the cavities of the guitar body thoroughly after sanding. Dust accumulates in
the cavities of the guitar, and when turning the guitar over that dust will become
airborne.
● If staining, make sure to wipe away any excess that hasn't been absorbed after
approximately ten minutes.
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● Be aware of the compatibility of the products you use. If painting using spray cans I’d
recommend using the same brand and type of paint for your seal coat, color coat
and clear coats.
● If you have to spray outside avoid spraying on windy days.
● Spray the sides of the body first. That way when spraying the front and back you will
be spraying over any overspray from the sides of the guitar.
● Don’t spray heavy coats. In many cases, several lighter coats are a better option
than 1-2 heavy coats due to the potential for runs.
● Check your binding for cracks. If cracks are present, mask the binding prior to
● applying a colored finish or the finish will penetrate the binding and become
● impossible to restore to its original state.
● Don’t apply too many coats within recommended drying times. If you spray more
than 3 coats in a day for example, your first coat may have trouble curing.
● If you are using steel wool on the body of the guitar prior to finishing ensure you
remove all fibers left from the steel wool.
● Hang your guitar in a cool dry environment. Don’t leave your guitar outside to dry
and attract dust.
● In most cases, you can respray within an hour. If you leave it longer than this, you
may need to leave the guitar for 24 hours and then lightly scuff up the paint with 600
- 800 grit sandpaper to ensure the ensuing coats will adhere to the previous coats.
(This depends on the product you are using, so check the label).
If you’re looking for a resource that covers guitar finishing in great detail, check
out Guitar Finishing Step-by-Step by Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie.
2. Hardware Installation
Installing hardware usually involves installing the tuners, strap buttons, bridge, and pickups.
There are some best practices to follow including drilling pilot holes and aligning your
hardware correctly which we’ll cover in more detail below.
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Pilot Holes
Drill pilot holes for all screws used on the body and neck of the guitar. The small screws
used for securing your tuners for example are small, fragile and easily stripped.
Whenever installing hardware, or plastic covers:
1. Use masking tape on the guitar to mark the location of the hole using a pen (pencils
usually don’t result in sharp lines on masking tape)
2. Mark the location of the hole making an indentation in the wood through the masking
tape using a hole punch or similar tool
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3. Decide on the correct size drill bit (⅔ thickness of the screw) and mark the drill bit
depth using a small piece of masking tape at approximately 2/3 the depth of the
screw to be installed
4. Always aim to drill your holes straight.
5. Use a countersink drill bit (or similar) to chamfer the edges of any holes in the body
of the guitar, especially if painted using a solid color finish, to prevent chipping. You
may want to drill less than ⅓ depth on less dense timbers such as Mahogany and
Basswood.
Installing strap buttons
Strap buttons not only support your guitar when playing standing up, the placement of the
strap buttons also affects the balance of the guitar.
On an EXP guitar, there are a couple of options for the location of your strap buttons. For
the rear strap button, you can center the strap button or position it approx. ⅓ from the top of
the lower bout.
The front strap button can either be positioned on the top horn or can be installed on the
neck heel. Follow the method described above for all hardware installation including using
painters marking tape for marking the location of pilot holes, and drilling to the correct size.
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Installing the truss rod cover
While not strictly hardware, it’s important to center the truss rod cover on the headstock.
The simplest way to do this is by using masking tape on the headstock, measuring half way
across the headstock (the guitar has a nut width of 42mm, so the number should be 21mm)
and drawing a line extending out from the nut to the end of the headstock.
You can then align the truss rod cover with the nut and center by lining up the hole at the tip
for the truss cover with the centerline.
Installing the Tuners
1. Start by inserting the tuner in the back of the headstock with the mounting hole
facing back toward the body.
2. Place the washers over the tuning posts, then place the bushings and install the
tuners by hand tightening.
3. Align the tuners (using either of the methods outlined below).
4. Mark the location of the mounting screws. Drill your pilot holes and install the small
screws.
5. Remove the protective covering by firmly pressing masking tape onto the back of
each tuner and removing both the covering and masking tape in one action.
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Tuner alignment
If you plan on aligning the tuners to the headstock using a square, I’d recommend doing this
as you install each individual tuner as there will be insufficient room to fit a square between
the tuners in most cases.
You can also align tuners relative to one another using a steel ruler across your tuners once
in place. Or install the first and last tuner, and using a steel ruler mark a straight line
between them on masking tape to mark out the location of the pilot holes.
Installing the Bridge
When installing the Tune-O-matic style bridge you will need to first insert the ground wire
against the bridge post bushing which allows us to ground the electronics.
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Grounding the bridge
Look for a small hole on the side of the bridge post hole. This will normally be the hole
closest to the electronics cavity. There should be a small hole just large enough to thread
the ground wire through to the electronics cavity. There should also be a corresponding hole
on the inside of the electronics cavity (as shown).
There will be a loose black wire within your packaging.
1. Remove a few mm of the PVC coating and expose the bare wires.
2. Thread the wire, ensuring the bare wires are exposed and will sit flush against the
side of the bridge or tailpiece post bushing once installed.
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3. Make a small ‘hook’ in the top of the wire so the ground wire sits at the top of the
bridge or tailpiece post hole before installing the bushing.
4. Remove the post from the bushing.
5. Insert the bushing into the predrilled hole, ensuring the ground wire ends up sitting
flush against the bushing. In many cases you may require a rubber mallet to force
the bushing into place.
6. Screw the bridge posts to the bridge bushings and the tailpiece posts to the tailpiece
bushings.
7. You can then fit the bridge over the bridge posts, but leave the tail piece for now as it
will not remain in place until the strings are installed.
Installing Pickups
First, identify the neck and bridge pickup. You can easily tell them apart by the profile of the
pickup surround. The pickup with the deeper pickup surround is the bridge. Then follow the
steps below.
1. Taking the neck pickup thread the pickup wires through the hole in the rear of the
neck pickup cavity, then position the pickup with the pickup wires adjacent to the top
corner of the cavity.
2. Take the wires from the bridge pickup and neck pickup and thread them through the
hole in the side of the bridge pickup cavity to the electronics cavity.
3. Install both the low E and high E string.
4. Position the pickups at the very front of the pickup cavity and then align them
horizontally to the individual pole pieces corresponding to the low E and high E. (you
can also use a square to check the alignment relative to the edge of the fretboard).
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5. Mark your pilot holes as done previously, remove the pickups from the cavity, and
drill the pilot holes.
3. Connecting the electronics
Soldering
If you haven’t soldered before you’re going to need a soldering iron, solder, and a damp
sponge to clean the tip of your iron. I’d also recommend practicing before committing solder
to your guitar
Most entry level soldering irons will do the job, and your kit will come with more than enough
solder. Be careful when soldering. Solder won’t melt until it reaches 185°C (365°F) and
soldering irons get very hot, up to 392°-896° F in some cases.
When soldering there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
1. Tinning
Tin your soldering iron and the components you are connecting to. Tinning refers to
maintaining a light coating of solder over the tip of your soldering iron and prevents the iron
tip from oxidizing.
2. Preheating
Soldering is really about transferring heat. The lug or component you are connecting to
should be preheated so the solder is drawn to it rather than staying on the already hot iron.
Wiring
Most of the electronics for kit guitars come pre-soldered, with the exception of the wiring
that needs to pass through the cavities within the body of the guitar.
In the case of the EXP this means none of our connections are pre-soldered, mostly due to
the location of the pickup selector.
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The wiring diagram below shows one way the guitar can be wired (keep in mind there are
many ways to wire an electric guitar).
We’ll cover each of the steps below. The EXP-style kit has 2 wiring configurations. 2
Humbuckers w/ 2 volume, 2 tone, and 3 way switch, or 2 Humbuckers w/ 2 volume, 1
tone, and 3 way switch. We included the diagram for both on the next page.
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