03/14/12...and so it begins. walnut, maple and purple heart. neck through body made from laminated strips of the same; purple heart in the center spot.
curcaster
Started by
insolent cur
, Mar 15 2012 12:09 PM
216 replies to this topic
#6
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 25 March 2012 - 04:08 AM
fret distance measurements.
oops.
both fretboards
cutting angles on the fretboard.
different layout
routing the truss rod channel.
sanding a radius onto the fretboard and binding.
radius beginning to show.
new template with modified curves.
planing mahogany for the back.
#16
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 02 April 2012 - 02:02 PM
thanks!
i got a little work in yesterday, measuring the fretboard for guide cuts. i already squared off the body end of the fretboard and sawed the first fret slot. first fret spacing was determined by placement of a naturally occurring pinhole in the wood. pinhole gone...fret slot cut.
i got a little work in yesterday, measuring the fretboard for guide cuts. i already squared off the body end of the fretboard and sawed the first fret slot. first fret spacing was determined by placement of a naturally occurring pinhole in the wood. pinhole gone...fret slot cut.
#17
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 02 April 2012 - 11:23 PM
a few pics from today at the shop:
chambering the back
chambering the back
chambered back
inside of the front before chambering
chambered body layout
chambered body assembled before being glued and clamped
body - clamped and glued both cross-wise and down
fretboard with fret measurements.
chambering the back
chambering the back
chambered back
inside of the front before chambering
chambered body layout
chambered body assembled before being glued and clamped
body - clamped and glued both cross-wise and down
fretboard with fret measurements.
#22
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 05 April 2012 - 02:22 AM
here are a few pictures from today:
headstock concept. 4/2 tuner set-up.
milling down the headstock to tuner depth
template on milled headstock
milled and cut headstock (w/template) and maple fretboard for measuring. i decided i wanted 24 frets instead of 22. now the actual fretboard, to the right, has 24 fret slots.
headstock concept. 4/2 tuner set-up.
milling down the headstock to tuner depth
template on milled headstock
milled and cut headstock (w/template) and maple fretboard for measuring. i decided i wanted 24 frets instead of 22. now the actual fretboard, to the right, has 24 fret slots.
#26
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 05 April 2012 - 03:09 PM
one reason i'm making this guitar is because my lp is too damn heavy. by chambering both the back and front pieces, only leaving the neck through body solid including the portion of the back to which the neck is affixed, i've already trimmed a great deal of weight from the guitar.Looking good, cur. Are you going to hollow any areas for weight distribution? Bubs bass is nice, but a touch on the heavy side, IMO.
#30
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 07 April 2012 - 02:54 AM
today...
preparing to rout neck angles
preparing to rout a curve into the back of the neck
beginning to carve the heel
looking down the front
looking down the back
layout with rough routed neck and double sided tape on the fretboard back
layout with taped on, though untrimmed fretboard
don't drop it...
taped, untrimmed fretboard on neck
preparing to rout neck angles
preparing to rout a curve into the back of the neck
beginning to carve the heel
looking down the front
looking down the back
layout with rough routed neck and double sided tape on the fretboard back
layout with taped on, though untrimmed fretboard
don't drop it...
taped, untrimmed fretboard on neck
#32
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 11 April 2012 - 01:03 AM
i did some more work this evening on shaping the neck and heel, using rasps and sandpaper blocks.
shaping the heel
untrimmed fretboard on shaped neck
shaping the neck radius
soon come hardware...pickups...strings and music. first more shaping and trimming.
shaping the heel
untrimmed fretboard on shaped neck
shaping the neck radius
soon come hardware...pickups...strings and music. first more shaping and trimming.
#36
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 13 April 2012 - 12:28 PM
with a laminated neck like mine, hopefully it serves little purpose. it sits in the neck, under the fretboard, in order to adjust the fretboard "lengthwise forward curvature/relief" should it become necessary. it'll also add stability to the neck, especially since the one i am installing is actually a double rod truss rod.Is the truss rod just for support, or does it have another function?
here's a link to a more in depth description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod
this links to the particular truss rod i am installing: http://www.stewmac.c...ut_Hot_Rod.html
#37
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 14 April 2012 - 03:07 PM
i spent friday afternoon and early evening shaping the body using rasps, wood chisels, a small dremel sander and hand sanding.
a better shot of the nut groove and beveled fretboard end.
beginning to shape the back using a rasp
beginning to shape the back using a rasp
beginning to shape the forearm bevel
shaping the body
shaping the body
shaping the body
shaping the body. i put a deeper pocket in the back under the neck, for the heel of my hand, than i had originally considered. not that i'll have reason to play them often, but it makes the last few frets much more accessible. i'll start using my regular camera to get shots that better reflect nuances the iphone can't.
a better shot of the nut groove and beveled fretboard end.
beginning to shape the back using a rasp
beginning to shape the back using a rasp
beginning to shape the forearm bevel
shaping the body
shaping the body
shaping the body
shaping the body. i put a deeper pocket in the back under the neck, for the heel of my hand, than i had originally considered. not that i'll have reason to play them often, but it makes the last few frets much more accessible. i'll start using my regular camera to get shots that better reflect nuances the iphone can't.
#38
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 14 April 2012 - 03:09 PM
out in the sunshine - forearm bevel taking shape.
out in the sunshine - the scallops/beveld edges are more visible here. besides the one under the neck, there's one on the top and on one the bottom on the back.
out in the sunshine - here you can see the rough forearm bevel. sitting in the sun also darkens the purple heart, although here it will be of no concern as the top has yet to be sanded down, which will bring out the lighter grain again. it also makes every flaw; every scratch and every tiny hole visible, so they can be filled and sanded at the appropriate stage.
#43
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 26 April 2012 - 11:31 AM
yup. i own other guitars, but this is my first build.
ordering greenish abalone dots for the fretboard today. i can't put the frets on until the dots are inlaid and sanded down. the tuning machines (4+2) are being picked up at hipshot on friday. at that point, except for the pick-ups and ordered dots, all of the hardware will be on my work shelf or already installed.
i still have to rout the truss rod channel further into the headstock to be able to reach it with an allen wrench, and also drill and cut holes for tuners, knobs, switches and the back access panel. then there's the wiring, finishing and sanding... .
ordering greenish abalone dots for the fretboard today. i can't put the frets on until the dots are inlaid and sanded down. the tuning machines (4+2) are being picked up at hipshot on friday. at that point, except for the pick-ups and ordered dots, all of the hardware will be on my work shelf or already installed.
i still have to rout the truss rod channel further into the headstock to be able to reach it with an allen wrench, and also drill and cut holes for tuners, knobs, switches and the back access panel. then there's the wiring, finishing and sanding... .
#45
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 27 April 2012 - 06:09 PM
confirmation from bubba that he's picked up the hipshot tuning machines. their products are mechanical works of art ( http://store.hipshot...ct_detail&p=247 ). i ordered a pair of seymour duncan p-rails pickups ( http://www.seymourdu...t/prails_shpr1/ ); and decided to try a new seymour duncan product called a "triple shot" ( http://www.seymourdu...riple_shot_swi/ ), which eliminates the need for two of the three planned toggle switches, and appears to be MUCH easier wiring for a n00b. by using the triple shot pick-up rings, i can combine virtually any combination of humbucker/single coil available with a pair of p-rails without putting two extra holes in the top of the guitar.
#48
-
- VibeTribe
- 16,879 posts
Posted 27 April 2012 - 06:21 PM
Duncan Triple
application
Ground breaking, patent pending design allows a full-size humbucker to split to either a “real deal” P-90 or a traditional single coil. Perfect for a wide variety of styles including country, pop, surf, jazz, blues, classic rock, and heavy rock.
description
Until now, if you wanted humbucker, P-90, and vintage Strat® tones, you’d have to haul three guitars to the gig. Enter P-Rails™. It’s a full-size humbucker that splits to either a full-size P-90 or a special Alnico-powered single-coil Rail pickup. The humbucker sound is full and expansive, owing to the mis-matched coil configuration. The P-90 is a super fat. And the Rail coils, when used together, sound like the “2” and “4” positions in a great Strat.
complete setup
P-Rails are best used in a matched neck and bridge set. To get both humbucker and P-90 tones, use a two-way switch (push-pull or mini-toggle). To have humbucker and P-90 tones and bring in the added dimension of the single-coil Rail, use a three-way switch (DPDT on-off-on).
guitars
P-Rails can be used in any guitar set up for a traditional humbucker or Trembucker. A single P-Rails will bring added dimension to your guitar. However, to optimize P-Rails’ unique splitting capabilities and get the best single-coil Rails tones, use a neck and bridge set.
available mods
Normally, in humbucking mode, P-Rails are wired in series, for a high-output sound that works great for classic rock and heavier tones. However, when wired in parallel, the coil mismatch produces a very usable P.A.F.-style humbucker tone with less phase cancellation associated with standard parallel wired humbuckers, complete with present upper-mid “bloom” and pronounced string articulation.
Excellent. That beauty is going to bring the sound walls. Lots of options in there. Lots of bang for the buck.
application
Ground breaking, patent pending design allows a full-size humbucker to split to either a “real deal” P-90 or a traditional single coil. Perfect for a wide variety of styles including country, pop, surf, jazz, blues, classic rock, and heavy rock.
description
Until now, if you wanted humbucker, P-90, and vintage Strat® tones, you’d have to haul three guitars to the gig. Enter P-Rails™. It’s a full-size humbucker that splits to either a full-size P-90 or a special Alnico-powered single-coil Rail pickup. The humbucker sound is full and expansive, owing to the mis-matched coil configuration. The P-90 is a super fat. And the Rail coils, when used together, sound like the “2” and “4” positions in a great Strat.
complete setup
P-Rails are best used in a matched neck and bridge set. To get both humbucker and P-90 tones, use a two-way switch (push-pull or mini-toggle). To have humbucker and P-90 tones and bring in the added dimension of the single-coil Rail, use a three-way switch (DPDT on-off-on).
guitars
P-Rails can be used in any guitar set up for a traditional humbucker or Trembucker. A single P-Rails will bring added dimension to your guitar. However, to optimize P-Rails’ unique splitting capabilities and get the best single-coil Rails tones, use a neck and bridge set.
available mods
Normally, in humbucking mode, P-Rails are wired in series, for a high-output sound that works great for classic rock and heavier tones. However, when wired in parallel, the coil mismatch produces a very usable P.A.F.-style humbucker tone with less phase cancellation associated with standard parallel wired humbuckers, complete with present upper-mid “bloom” and pronounced string articulation.
Excellent. That beauty is going to bring the sound walls. Lots of options in there. Lots of bang for the buck.
#49
-
- VibeGuide
-
- 125 posts
VibeGuide
Posted 27 April 2012 - 06:51 PM
yeah...and each of the singles are different; it's a classic gibson style p-90 mated to a fender style single rail to form the humbucker. the switch allows playing either single coil or the humbucker.Those Duncan triples look awesome. So, it's effectively a single coils and a humbucker in one?
