NGD - Another AXL Husk Build

I like the 2 AXL husk / shell builds I did in 2017, so I went looking for another.
I posted on another forum if anyone had one of these in P90, and had not done anything with it.
A deal was worked out. The shell came with a set of pre-cut, pre-radius frets, and he threw in a wraparound bridge he had no use for.
He didnt have the cavity cover, so I will have to make one.



Once I got it, I verified the bridge stud insert threading, and ordered the locking bridge posts, along with a jack plate and a few different size screws
from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. I found a used minty set of Grover 102C in chrome, everything else is nickel - as the bridge is nickel.
I have everything else on hand.
Cheap build = Jtcnj Happy.

2 coats of shielding paint including the jack cavity not shown. The first coat is to use up the GFS paint that does not show conductivity, then a coat of the good stuff - MC Chemicals 841AR.



1st black coat
the front pic was blurry, so here's the control cavity



On to the fretboard. After checking for true the best I could, I am ready to proceed.
I see there is some sort of filler in the ends of the fret slots. I decided to not treat this as a sort of binding, to avoid notching all the fret ends. I scraped out the filler, and pulled out a few small chips along the edge of the fretboard.
Doesnt show in this pic.



I lightly chamfer the fret slots with a small triangle file.
This was before I scraped out the filler at the ends of the slots.


To be continued.

Nice axe jtcnj! I am looking forward to the finished product!

Fret install under way. The tape and cardboard is to avoid hitting the body or headstock while filing the ends flush and then beveling.
Still nicked it up a bit.



Level, crown, tame bevel edges.
This was before, as you can see the fresh sandpaper glued to the leveling beam.


sand out file marks, 320 - 400- 800, I dont go crazy with polishing.





to be continued.

JT, I am getting ready to make my Black V, Green!!!!

WOW, Great to see the frets in. WOOHOO

Reaming the tuner holes - opened them up both front and back a bit, then got impatient.
Figured I could spin a 3/8" bit judiciously without having it grab and pull through the hole.
Fail - pulled through on 2 and chipped the front of the headstock a little.
Touched them up with paint, you can see it a little up close.



Saturday afternoon progress.
These were probably 2nds that were never finished. You can see some pencil marks at the neck heel under the finish.




Build tip: install jack plate with plug or you might not have room for the jack tip to move when the plug is inserted.
This almost happened to me on one of the other builds. Learning from that , this went swimmingly.

I like it.

JT, I see a few ISSUES.

1st, They forgot to rout for the neck pickup.

2nd, The control cavity is not big enough

3rd The bridge post holes are crooked

4th, There are only 2 control holes

jtcnj said:

Fret install under way. The tape and cardboard is to avoid hitting the body or headstock while filing the ends flush and then beveling.
Still nicked it up a bit.

View attachment 76904

Level, crown, tame bevel edges.
This was before, as you can see the fresh sandpaper glued to the leveling beam.
View attachment 76905

sand out file marks, 320 - 400- 800, I dont go crazy with polishing.

View attachment 76906

View attachment 76907

to be continued.

Click to expand...

Looking good very nice work!!!

Progress.
Tuner and trussrod cover install went well.
You can see where I chipped the face at the A and D string tuners.
There was a little finish chip at the truss rod cavity next to the D string that was not my doing.
It is centered, the angle of the photo may make it appear otherwise.

Still need to fine tune the nut, so it is not glued in.
I would prefer black, but I had this Graph Tech on hand.


I used the same foam blocks I got for the Yamaha bass pickups instead of springs.
Pickup stays straight.



First crack at making cavity covers.
Cut with jigsaw on slow setting - the plastic melts and re hardens behind the blade!

Doesnt quite sit flush, but is the same thickness as the creme colored one.
I did sand around the shelf in the cavity a little to knock down the brush strokes from the shielding paint.
The cavity route is not exact.
I may sand the cover down some, but it is good for now.

Dig it. I love threads like this. Looks like you're doing an excellent job, too. Never seen anyone ream out tuner holes... I might hit you up about that if I can't find tuners for my Hamer Slammer project that I like.

Thanks.
Some tuner holes are 9mm or other smaller size but many of the tuners are 10mm.
That hand reamer works well to open the hole a little from both sides.

I'm no luthier, just a DIY guy.

Very good work!!!

On tuner holes, I pays to by a 45° carbide burr with a 1/4" shaft. A deep chamfer will prevent chipping around the holes when you punch them out...I use the same method when converting import guitars to US spec 3/8" pots...

Thanks, Rob.
The hand reamer works great - it is a cheapy Harbor Freight tool.

I regret my impatience at trying to carefully spin a drill bit through the holes without it catching and pulling through.
I opened the front and back with the reamer first and thought I would get away with this short cut.
But it did, and I didnt!

jtcnj said:

Thanks, Rob.
The hand reamer works great - it is a cheapy Harbor Freight tool.
View attachment 76982
I regret my impatience at trying to carefully spin a drill bit through the holes without it catching and pulling through.
I opened the front and back with the reamer first and thought I would get away with this short cut.
But it did, and I didnt!

Click to expand...

It's a process. I'm learning everyday. You are doing better work than half of the self proclaimed luthiers out here.

Thanks Rob thats quite a compliment.

jtcnj said:

Build tip: install jack plate with plug or you might not have room for the jack tip to move when the plug is inserted.
This almost happened to me on one of the other builds. Learning from that , this went swimmingly.

Click to expand...

Nice work!

Can you further explain the above comment to me. It is not sinking in. Thanks!

Very nice work jtcnj!!!

RVA said:

Nice work!

Can you further explain the above comment to me. It is not sinking in. Thanks!

Click to expand...

The tip of the jack moves outward away from the centerline of the jack hole when the plug is inserted.
Jack hole.... can I say that?
Sounds like something R. Lee Ermey would say.

There needs to be a little room outboard the tip inside the the cavity or if no room to move, no bueno.

There are probably standard methods to center the jackplate, but much of my work is by dead reckoning, or go/ no go.

Intonation on the treble side is a little off - need longer screws.
Found M3-0.50 16mm screws at a local Home Depot.
The 16mm and stock 10mm shown for comparison.