03-GEAR FOR MUSIC HARLEM X
A Nightmare from the start. Bought new online from Gear for music E bay page. Arrived with scuffs on body work but no damage to packaging, must have been damaged prepackaging possibly in factory.
Only cheep to begin with but should have bought a secondhand guitar for same price, so lesson learned.
Would not stay in tune with cheep cast Licensed Floyd Rose clone from China and locking nut screws the sheer every time they are tightened. Pickups sound horrible, in a bad way. This will be a project guitar for 2022. Needs new Floyd Rose, pickups, Machine heads. I have made a start on the modifications…
*= CUSTOM PART / FITTING / ORIGINAL PARTS KEPT
MAKE: GEAR FOR MUSIC
MODEL: HARLEM X
SERIES: N/A
SERIAL NUMBER: EG-HLMX-BK(V2) 123001-0838
YEAR BUILT: N/A
STRING COUNT: 6
TUNING: DROP C C/G/C/F/A/D
BRIDGE: CAST METAL LICENSED FLOYD ROSE, GOING TO UPGRADE ASAP*
PICKUPS: open coil / 1 closed high outout humbucking, GOING TO UPGRADE ASAP*
LAYOUT: Double Hum-bucking HH-HH
PICKUP SELECTION SWITCH: 3 WAY 1. NECK 2. NECK&BRIDGE 3.BRIDGE
TUNER / MACHINE HEADS: ORIGINALS, GOING TO UPGRADE ASAP*
MADE IN: KOREA
FRET SIZE: 24 648mm
STRINGS FITTED: 02/01/2021 – Dean Markley / Doyle Edition 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 60
HEADSTOCK: BLACK FRONT SIDE (DECAL 03/01/2021-GOAT GUY*
NECK: Bolt-on / Nec Tite System Added 03/01/2021*
NECK WOOD: Maple
NECK CONTOUR: Shallow C
FRET BOARD WOOD: Popular Laminate
BODY WOOD: Solid Body, Basswood
BOUGHT NEW: 23/12/20
Out of box original. 
Original Tremolo tension spring configuration. 
Scuff done before shipping. 
Same scuff close up. 
Coil wire hanging out of pickup.
This a new guitar.
Pickups are not adjustable due to poor quality screws, were already threaded. 
Adding new strings. Really poor quality
Floyd Rose.
Floyd Rose mounts are poor quality, will wear fast. 
Fret-board cleaned with Lemon Oil. 
Fret-board Hydrated. 
Repaired coil wire. 
Re glued coil ribbon. 
Re fitted pickups. 
Still having tuning issues at this point
so removed neck to find really poor
bolt on job.
Tried to using glue instead of nec-tite
system. Failed.
Does look good. Sounds bad. 
Added new full set of tension springs.
Still unable to balance tremolo.
Loosing tuning constantly.
Moving on, cleaned head-stcok ready
for decal.
Finding centre for decal. 
Outline head-stock on decal. 
Cut out decal. 
Using scalpel to smooth edges. 
Cut holes for machine heads.
Looks better than Gear For Music
Logo. Don’t want to be advertising for
such a poor attempt.
Glued all sleeves in place as not able
to really tighten them due to cheep
metal.
Re fitted machine heads just to hold
decal in place. Need to replace all
tuners ASAP.
Another attempt to get this thing to
stay in tune. Glue everything in place.
Locking nut bridge has a riser, glue
that in palce too.
Added bigger screws so re drilled
Locking bridge mounting holes.
Glued in place, don’t move now. 
Added a after market tension bar to
help keep string tension.
Marking up for tension bar. 
Measure twice drill once. 
Masking tape should help drill not slip. 
First pass with small bit. 
Final full size holes. 
All straight and good position. 
Refitted truss rod cover to check fit. 
Neck holes poorly drilled to begin
with. So time to add a nec tight
system.
Best to pre drill with a smaller bit to
avoid splitting any wood.
Depth gauge tape on drill bit. 
Pilot holes done. 
Final Holes drilled for nec-tite. No
splitting so worth the extra step.
Even glued in the threaded housing for bolts but really no need. 
Housings all in a level. 
Really solid neck joint now. 
You get some free stickers with the
nec-tite set.
Final head-stock decal. 
Stringed and still having tuning issues.
Needs a new Floyd rose and machine heads for sure.
