I've aquired a westfield les paul copy to screw with

[Bob Johnson]

The best routers are made by trend they do a very small one a mid size and a full 2kw

You want a T4EK or T5EB

I'll have a look at them, ta

Do I hear a second for the Trend routers?

There's a lot of better stuff about IMHO. If you want to spend loads of money on a router that's fair enough but if you want something in the DIY bracket for price but in the "Light Trade" bracket for performance you might want to have a look at Bosch. Speaking as one who has knackered many a router that is :D

[MDV]

The best routers are made by trend they do a very small one a mid size and a full 2kw

You want a T4EK or T5EB

I'll have a look at them, ta

Do I hear a second for the Trend routers?

There's a lot of better stuff about IMHO. If you want to spend loads of money on a router that's fair enough but if you want something in the DIY bracket for price but in the "Light Trade" bracket for performance you might want to have a look at Bosch. Speaking as one who has knackered many a router that is :D

Which brings me back to this one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00074ELX6/ref=s9_sims_gw_s1_p60_aw_t1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1KHX7DRJ8ZPPPNHE51C2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467198433&pf_rd_i=468294

Any opinion on it/its ilk?

[MDV]

I thought the bridge had to be a bit closer (in other words, no third pickup would exist)?

that has to do with scale length and bridge choice...  rather than number of pickups.  although 3 pickups on an LP is tight. but if it fits between the current two pickups its fine.  if the bridge studs end up close too the bridge pickup cavity then you need to worry - but thats what rulers are for

one thing.  refretting a guitar is all well and good.   but re fretting a refretted guitar is something else.  the slots do wear out so there are more issues to think of with a re-refret than there are a refret.


also, bobs suggestion of redoing the binding is good - because refrets with binding are the hardest type and you probably dont want to do that just yet.  well actually gibson refrets where you have to keep the binding nubs are the hardest type.  so yeah, if you redo the binding your options are more and cost is less (allowing for the extra cost of tools involved for doing a gibson style refret)

All duly noted, thanks.

I'm quite looking forward to the extra challenge of a bound-board refret, actually. Should be a tad more interesting, and make a normal one seem easier :)

[gwEm]

rout van halen style for a steinberger trans-trem

built-in korg kaoss pad

[MDV]

rout van halen style for a steinberger trans-trem

built-in korg kaoss pad

No. Perhaps I should have added the qualification "for little money". I dont mind buying tools that I'll use again, but I'm not spending an order of magnitude more than the guitar cost on gear for it. Doubly so that the guitar isnt worth it (in tone and quality), tripply so that I'm not keeping it and quadrouply so that I have no interest in those things!

[gwEm]

rout van halen style for a steinberger trans-trem

built-in korg kaoss pad

No. Perhaps I should have added the qualification "for little money". I dont mind buying tools that I'll use again, but I'm not spending an order of magnitude more than the guitar cost on gear for it. Doubly so that the guitar isnt worth it (in tone and quality) and tripply so that I'm not keeping it.

well, you did ask for wild ideas ;)

[MDV]

rout van halen style for a steinberger trans-trem

built-in korg kaoss pad

No. Perhaps I should have added the qualification "for little money". I dont mind buying tools that I'll use again, but I'm not spending an order of magnitude more than the guitar cost on gear for it. Doubly so that the guitar isnt worth it (in tone and quality) and tripply so that I'm not keeping it.

well, you did ask for wild ideas ;)

Not quite....I seem to have been slightly misinterpreted there...I can see how that would happen from what I said.

Theres nothing innately wrong with the suggestions, but I'm not gonna do them. Have any others?

[WezV]

yeah but... if you do want a trans trem - you have two experts at your disposal.  gwem and i have that thing sorted ( well as close as we can - maybe ned could get it closer)

whilst we are on that topic i would like to put out a request.  if you know anyone that has a transtrem equiped steinberger i really want to spend a few minutes with one.  not long, just long enough to see if the steinberger marketing and neds claims can compete with a peterson tuner. 

we got gwems as close as its ever going to be and i want to know if thats within neds vision

[gwEm]

well, something realistic - steinberger gearless tuners are quite the trend these days, why not try a set out?

[gwEm]

what else should I do to this guitar?

Its basically worthless. I paid 30 quid for it and have no intention of keeping it. Its practice and modding fun. I'll give it to a school....if it survives

All suggestions welcome.
...

well, you did ask for wild ideas ;)

Not quite....I seem to have been slightly misinterpreted there...I can see how that would happen from what I said.

;P

[MDV]

Again, gwem, this isnt a guitar thats going into my own collection and if I wanted to try out something as easy to swap out as tuners, I'd just put some on one of my guitars.

Its to practice doing less common but in-the-grand-scheme-quite-numerous maintenance and modification tasks on that are potentially damaging to the guitar if you do a devries on it. The primary objective is to familiarise myself with the use of the required tools and techniques ascociated with those mods to train me to be able to do it to a standard that I can apply to my own instruments in future, and when I'm suitably shitee hot at it, sell as a service.

Not to try out gear!!

Sorry, Wez, I dont know anyone with the transtrem. If I run into one that I can arange access for you to then I'll tell you.

[JDC]

chrome/mirror finish!!!!!!

ala mr satch

[Bob Johnson]

[/quote]

Which brings me back to this one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00074ELX6/ref=s9_sims_gw_s1_p60_aw_t1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1KHX7DRJ8ZPPPNHE51C2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467198433&pf_rd_i=468294

Any opinion on it/its ilk?
[/quote]

I have a Bosch PF1200AE among others. I only use it for fairly light work but it's a great little router for the price. If you buy something in the 1600 to 2000 watt class it can be a bit unwieldy for small jobs and the propensity for doing damage while you're learning to use it properly is immense. A small router is fine for most guitar work on a hobby basis as long as you don't try to take too much off in each pass.

[MrBump]

How many frets does it have?  If it's 21/22, you could try to extend the fingerboard...

Mark.

[Bradock PI]

Sorry meant to post this link

http://www.powertooldirect.co.uk/trend_woodworking_from_trend_routers-cm-119-3814.html

Although the T5EB is cheaper here

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74218/Power-Tools/Routers-Planers/Trend-T5EB-850W-Router

The T4EK is an 850w router very easy to use as it has a very small body

The T5EB is an 850w low power professional router which benefits from electronic speed control

I would probably recommend the T4EK because it would be really easy to use

Trend set the industry standard for routers most manufactures use their dimensions so that all the trend jigs etc will fit their routers.

Bosch tools are excellent but they do three grades green, and two grades of professional blue tools in general the green tools are designed for light domestic use. Any router will do the job as long as the bit is sharp, you are not cutting too deep or with too large a bit depending on the hardness of the woods. High quality router bits can be very expensive £20 each but there are some decent sets at a reasonable price. I have a ternd set. I spent a lot of time investigating routers and talking to professional woodworkers before I got one.