Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit User Manual

Electric Guitar Kit Single Cut

electric guitar kit

user manual

Musikhaus Thomann
Thomann GmbH
Hans-Thomann-Straße 1
96138 Burgebrach
Germany
Telephone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Internet: www.thomann.de

12.05.2016, ID: 115992

Table of contents

1 Safety instructions................................................................................................................. 4

2 Scope of delivery..................................................................................................................... 5

3 Assembly instructions.......................................................................................................... 6

3.1 Painting the body and neck........................................................................................ 6

3.2 Mounting the tuners...................................................................................................... 7

3.3 Mounting the neck of the guitar................................................................................ 9

3.4 Wiring the potentiometers, pickups and switch............................................... 11

3.5 Mounting the pickguard............................................................................................ 19

3.6 Mounting the tailpiece and bridge........................................................................ 21

3.7 Mounting the potentiometer knobs and strap buttons................................. 22

3.8 Strings, neck relief and the position of the strings........................................... 24

4 Protecting the environment........................................................................................... 28

Table of contents

Electric Guitar Kit Single Cut

3

1 Safety instructions

DANGER!
Danger for children

Ensure that plastic bags, packaging, etc. are properly disposed of and
are not in the reach of babies and young children. Choking hazard!

Ensure that children do not detach any small parts (e.g. knobs or the
like) from the product. They could swallow the pieces and choke!

Never let children play unattended with the product.

CAUTION!
Danger of cuts on the hands

While assembling and joining individual parts together with screws pay
attention to sharp edges on tools, screws and components.

Safety instructions

electric guitar kit

4

2 Scope of delivery

Thank you for buying this guitar kit. All the wood, hardware and electrical compo‐
nents of the guitar are contained in this package.

The picture below shows the individual items included in the delivery.

The assembly is described in detail in the following sections.

Scope of delivery

Electric Guitar Kit Single Cut

5

3 Assembly instructions

Provide the following tools and materials for the assembly of the guitar:

n Phillips screwdriver
n Rubber mallet
n Ring spanner
n Pliers
n Paint and accessories
n Sandpaper

It is important to paint the body and neck before assembly.
Always wear a dust mask when applying spray paint.

3.1 Painting the body and neck

The solid wood body of the guitar is sealed and prepared for various types of lacquer
coating. A wide variety of finishes can be procured from DIY, timber and automotive
outlets in aerosol cans making finishing straightforward without requiring specialist
skills.

The first step is to check the fit of the body to the neck joint. These components are
machined from high-grade tonewoods to ensure optimum alignment. Since wood is
a natural material, however, its shape changes slightly over time. If the fit is too tight,
you can adjust it using a sharp chisel or sandpaper. Please remember that the addi‐
tional lacquer coat will make the neck fit a little more tightly into the cutout.

Before coating the body, ensure that all surfaces are clean and free of dirt and dust.
Carry out all painting operations in a well-ventilated, dust-free environment. Consid‐
ered and careful working are key factors for a qualitatively satisfactory result. We
explicitly recommend that you first try out the colour and technique on another
piece of wood.

Paint the body edges first and let them dry. If the edges are dry, go on with front and
back side. By layered, successive application you can achieve a uniform coating struc‐
ture. If you notice surface irregularities, wait until the paint has dried completely and
correct them with fine sandpaper (e.g. 800+) before proceeding to paint. For full cov‐
erage apply three or more layers.

Wait another two to three days to dry until the paint is fully cured. Polish or burnish
the body until it meets your expectations. Take care not to buff too vigorously as this
may remove the finish.

Useful tools and materials

Painting the body

Assembly instructions

electric guitar kit

6

The neck of the guitar is sealed at the factory with a thin layer of matt lacquer and is
already ready to use. However, if you would still like to treat the neck with paint or
clear lacquer, follow the instructions below.

Remove the fingerboard and all the frets cleanly before you start painting. Make sure
that all surfaces are free of dust and dirt. Carry out all painting operations in a well­ventilated, dust-free environment.

Use a clear or lightly coloured wood lacquer of high quality for the neck. Start on the
front and the edges of the headstock. Apply a thin layer evenly, allow it to dry and
repeat this two or three times. If you notice surface irregularities, wait until the paint
has dried completely and correct them with fine sandpaper (e.g. 800+) before pro‐
ceeding to paint.

Once the headstock has dried, place the neck on the fingerboard and paint the back
of the neck as described.

Wait another two to three days to dry until the paint is fully cured. Polish or burnish
the neck until it meets your expectations. Take care not to buff too vigorously as this
may remove the finish.

3.2 Mounting the tuners

Insert the four machine heads from the rear side of the headstock into the holes pro‐
vided. Align the tuners so that the tuning pins are vertical to the upper edge of the
headstock.

Fasten the tuners in this position as shown in the picture, initially fastening them
only finger-tight with the screws provided.

Neck finish

Assembly instructions

Electric Guitar Kit Single Cut

7

Turn the neck and fasten all the machine heads finger-tight to the front of the head‐
stock with the washers and nuts provided.

Tighten the nuts on the front with an appropriate spanner, then tighten the screws
on the back firmly to fasten the tuners.

Assembly instructions

electric guitar kit

8

3.3 Mounting the neck of the guitar

Place the body on a suitable working surface. Use a soft pad in order to avoid
damage to the surface. Insert the neck into the neck cutout. If necessary, use a sharp
chisel or sandpaper to adjust it. Be very careful when removing material. The neck
should be firmly seated and under no circumstances should there be too much play
in the cutout!

Assembly instructions

Electric Guitar Kit Single Cut

9

Turn the guitar over and position the neck plate over the four bolt holes at the rear of
the body, then screw the four wood screws provided through the neck plate, body
and pilot holes in the neck until everything fits tightly.

Assembly instructions

electric guitar kit

10