Post by blues90 on Apr 20, 2023 12:53:16 GMT -5
Last night I removed the original tuning keys and plugged the 12 screw holes. I removed the bushings but the replacements were to large in OD. All I had was a rasp file but I needed to remove to much and filing down the new bushing teeth would have removed almost their existence so I put wood glue in the holes at the top and pushed the original bushings in with the glue still wet , wood glue doesn't stick to metal and I doubt I will remove them ever. Then drilled out the old 12 holes and glued in the mahogany plugs.
While that was drying i reamed the bridge pin holes and fit a spare set of new tusq pins I bought a while back.
Then went back and trimmed the 12 plugs off using my sharp chisel. Masked over the holes so I could align and mark the new tuning keys. Got them lined up 2 at a time using a straight wood stick then drilled all. Once the glue was dry I sealed the new plugs and since there was already some chipped flat black paint under some bushings " thanks recording king" I had some water based flat black paint and touched that up plus a bit of chipping at all 12 drilled holes once I removed the painters tape. I had the tape on when I drilled the new holes, I needed the marks can't mark very well on black paint. They use a very thick coat of flat black water based paint on the head stock for some odd reason. Any way the tuners are on. It looks better, They are not 100% aligned say 98%, I took my time marking and drilling but the one that was off a bit to begin with because the drilled the bushing hole in further I couldn't move it but it's much better and good enough.
Then I decided to adjust the truss rod because there was a back bow once the strings were removed. The adjustment felt tight so I decided to help the rod had the neck in a neck rest I made and pushed down at the center of the neck and then I could turn the rods 4 mm allen key in the sound hole adjustment easy. Got the neck straight and it always had fall away but on this guitar rather than the last 3 to 4 frets it's from the 14th to the 20th which is where the place I bought it from on Reverb who did at least check the frets and did some setup filed the tops guess it had a rise there and they did to much but it does not matter, at least the notes are clear and it's always been like this since I got it.
Not all i need to do is file off the fret sprout which was always there , read many people who bought these had the same issue and it's not real bad like cut your fingers bad I guess recording king on these low end models sure don't focus on fret work, they didn't take the edge off the bevel either. It does have a wood board and bridge and I always keep up the RH even on an all laminate because the board can shrink. They did a much better fret job on my higher end recording king even though they didn't crown the frets well enough on that one.
Once I level and crown the frets I can string it up and see if I need to slot a few bridge pin holes, I know I will at least the low E,A & maybe D. With the frets level it may have just enough relief from string tension to not buzz , if it does I can add a bit more, just did a 1/4 CCW turn on the adjustment.
While that was drying i reamed the bridge pin holes and fit a spare set of new tusq pins I bought a while back.
Then went back and trimmed the 12 plugs off using my sharp chisel. Masked over the holes so I could align and mark the new tuning keys. Got them lined up 2 at a time using a straight wood stick then drilled all. Once the glue was dry I sealed the new plugs and since there was already some chipped flat black paint under some bushings " thanks recording king" I had some water based flat black paint and touched that up plus a bit of chipping at all 12 drilled holes once I removed the painters tape. I had the tape on when I drilled the new holes, I needed the marks can't mark very well on black paint. They use a very thick coat of flat black water based paint on the head stock for some odd reason. Any way the tuners are on. It looks better, They are not 100% aligned say 98%, I took my time marking and drilling but the one that was off a bit to begin with because the drilled the bushing hole in further I couldn't move it but it's much better and good enough.
Then I decided to adjust the truss rod because there was a back bow once the strings were removed. The adjustment felt tight so I decided to help the rod had the neck in a neck rest I made and pushed down at the center of the neck and then I could turn the rods 4 mm allen key in the sound hole adjustment easy. Got the neck straight and it always had fall away but on this guitar rather than the last 3 to 4 frets it's from the 14th to the 20th which is where the place I bought it from on Reverb who did at least check the frets and did some setup filed the tops guess it had a rise there and they did to much but it does not matter, at least the notes are clear and it's always been like this since I got it.
Not all i need to do is file off the fret sprout which was always there , read many people who bought these had the same issue and it's not real bad like cut your fingers bad I guess recording king on these low end models sure don't focus on fret work, they didn't take the edge off the bevel either. It does have a wood board and bridge and I always keep up the RH even on an all laminate because the board can shrink. They did a much better fret job on my higher end recording king even though they didn't crown the frets well enough on that one.
Once I level and crown the frets I can string it up and see if I need to slot a few bridge pin holes, I know I will at least the low E,A & maybe D. With the frets level it may have just enough relief from string tension to not buzz , if it does I can add a bit more, just did a 1/4 CCW turn on the adjustment.
Didn't take photo's , I will when it's done.
Below is a photo on this guitars head stock . you can see how the high E tuning key is cocked and the one below it is the B , it's to one that peg hole was drilled in to far. That's now fixed except the B is still off but now it does not stand out like a black eye unless one really looks for it.
