Adonis Acoustic Overhaul - Part 5

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Folks, you might recall (Part 4) that the bridge on this Adonis Acoustic was reglued to the top on December 26, 2025. Well, the clamps have been removed, and we're into the home stretch. You know, I've never really done anything to the frets or fretboard thus far, so let's start with that. The frets, though badly tarnished, are in fairly good shape. All they need is a good clean and polish. The grimy fretboard, meanwhile, is crying out for a good scraping and conditioning. That being said, let's give it a go.

Cleaning the Frets

Scraping the Fretboard

Here's the Result

Deep Cleaning the Fretboard With Naphtha

We also need to install new tuners. There's no need to enlarge the holes, as they're already 10 mm in diameter. However, the troublesome low and high E tuner screws need to be pried free beforehand, the resulting cavities plugged, and new screw holes drilled.

Low E Tuner Screw Extracted

High E Tuner Screw Extracted

Resulting Cavities Plugged

New Tuners Installed - Image 1

New Tuners Installed - Image 2

With the tuner issue addressed, let's move back to the fretboard. As it's been scraped and cleaned with naphtha, all that's left is to condition it with some lemon oil. And, as the bridge is even drier than the fretboard, I've also treated it to a generous dose of that wonderful elixir.

Fretboard Conditioned With Lemon Oil

Bridge Gets the Same Treatment

Now, as this guitar has just undergone a bridge reglue, we'll not stress it with regular gauge strings. Instead, it's been set up with D'Addario EZ890s (9 - 45), a tip I learned from local session ace Aduka Sariat. Muchas gracias, Aduka. Well then, our Adonis is now ready for a photo shoot. It isn't all that pretty, no doubt, but it sounds alright to these ears. Go ahead, then. Click the link and listen to this Adonis on Soundcloud.

D'Addario EZ890 Strings

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 1

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 2

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 3

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 4

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 5

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 6

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 7

Adonis Photo Shoot - Image 8

Yamaha Pacifica PAC612VIIFMX - Part 7

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Fret Dressing

As can be clearly seen in Part 5, this Yamaha Pacifica PAC612VI needs fret work, specifically fret dressing. As regular readers of this blog would by now be familiar with this process, I shall not bore anyone with a blow-by-blow account of proceedings. 'Nuff said, then. Let's look at some pictures.

Fret Tops Marked With Permanent Marker

Initial Leveling With a Sanding Beam

Low Spots in Black

Initial Leveling Completed

Final Leveling With Sharpening Stones

Checking With a Fret Rocker

Recrowning the Frets

Rounding Off Tops of Frets

Abrading the Frets

Fret Dressing Completed

Cleaning the Fretboard

Yamaha Pacifica PAC612VIIFMX - Part 6

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Replacement Parts

We'll start off today's post with a look at replacement parts that will be installed in this Yamaha Pacifica PAC612VIIFMX. In the electronics department, the stock volume pot will be replaced with an Alpha A500K, and the pickup selector switch with a Gotoh DM-50.

Alpha A500K Pot

Gotoh DM-50 Switch

  

Meanwhile, in the hardware department, parts to be replaced include both set-screw control knobs, as well as the black saddle height and intonation screws. With regard to the stock saddle height screws (6 mm), their replacements are slightly longer at 10 mm. 

Replacement Knobs (Right)

Replacement Saddle Height Screw (Arrowed)

Replacement Intonation Screw (Arrowed)

Replacement Screws in Place

Pickups - A Closer Look

Upon disassembling the pickguard and humbucker ring, it's reassuring to see that all three pickup cavities are shielded with conductive paint. The neck single-coil is a Duncan SSL-1, the middle, an RWRP (Reverse Wind Reverse Polarity) SSL-1, and the bridge humbucker, a TB-14. And, looking at the date codes on the labels, it's evident that all three pickups were manufactured in 2021.

Shielded Neck and Middle Pickup Cavities

Undersides of Neck and Middle Pickups

Neck Pickup Label

Middle Pickup Label

Shielded Bridge Humbucker Cavity

Bridge Humbucker Label

Electronics Work

Before proceeding with any electronics work, I made sure to draw up some sort of wiring diagram that I could refer to later. The stock wiring was a literal rat's nest, and there was no way I'd be able to memorize all the connections. Besides desoldering the stock volume pot and selector switch and wiring in their respective replacements, I also had to replace two wires to the push-pull tone pot, as the original ones were way too short. 

Layman's Wiring Diagram

Stock Volume Pot

Stock Alpha BH35P Switch

Longer Wires to the Tone Pot

Pickup Leads and Tremolo Claw Ground

Rewiring in Progress

Rewiring Completed

Shielding the Control Cavity Cover

Pickups After Cleaning and Polishing