Grizzly Assembly, Shaping Headstock on Model H6082/83, Components Needed Qty, Tools Needed

SECTION 4: ASSEMBLY

Shaping the

Headstock on

Model H6082/83

The peghead for these models comes as a large square so it can be cut to any shape. The only limitation is the strength of the wood. If the headstock is cut too close to the pegholes or in between the pegholes and the nut, the wood may crack under the pressure of the strings. These instructions will guide you through designing the shape of the headstock and the placement of the pegholes.

Components Needed	Qty
Guitar Neck	1
Tools Needed
Sharp Pencil	1
Paper	Varies
Bandsaw with a 1⁄4" Blade or a Coping Saw .....1
Woodworking Files	Assorted
Drill Press with a 3⁄8" Drill Bit	1
To shape the headstock:

1.Trace the headstock onto a piece of paper. Test various ideas for headstock shapes on paper before cutting into the headstock. To design a symmetrical headstock, fold the paper in half and cut out trial shapes.

2.Layout pegholes for the tuners that are a minimum of 1⁄2" from the edge of the head- stock. Space the centers of the pegholes at least 15⁄16" apart.

3.Draw the path of the strings onto the test paper to ensure that the strings do not inter- fere with each other. Note—If the strings cross the nut at a sharp angle, this increases friction and makes tuning difficult. It also increases the likelihood of the strings pulling out of the nut slots.

4.Layout the tuners on the test piece to ensure you have enough room between the tuners and for the tuner buttons to turn.

5.Redraw your final headstock shape onto the headstock with a pencil.

6.Cut the headstock out with a bandsaw or cop- ing saw. Be sure to cut to the outside edge of your pencil line. Note—To cut sharp corners, cut several slots perpendicular to the corner, then cut out the small pieces. This will reduce binding on the blade.

7.Carefully hand file the headstock to finalize the shape.

8.Drill the pegholes with a 3⁄8" drill bit in a drill press as shown in Figure 12. The pegholes are drilled slightly undersized so that the tun- ers will fit tight.

Figure 12. Drilling the pegholes.

Model H6082, H6083, and H6086 Heirloom Electric Guitar Kits -7-