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My First Build


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Hi guys, it as been a wile that I've posted here seeking help regarding wood suppliers in EU.

I found it in Germany at Holz-Faszination, the owner is a fantastic guy,as a huge collection of wood and I recommend it.

So my project is a GEM like guitar with a headstock a bit different that I've saw here in the forum, that I think is one of the most sophisticated that I ever saw.

Body: Topset is Polplar, Downset is mahogany sapely

Neck Wood: Maple and Wenge

Scale: Ebony

Tuners: Sperzel

Pickups: 2 EMG x89 active

Bridge: ETS with piezo saddles

Midi interface: Graphtech midi Hexpander

EMG After Burner, and EMG Phase shifter

Inlays: MOP, Abalone strips for the scale

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This is a Photoshop mock-up made with the real woods

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Neck wood

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Body wood

I've start by building a jig with plywood with phenolic top, covered with tape to avoid that the glue could affect the release of the wood

Engenho-Cola.jpg

Engenho-Cola2.jpg

Then I've bought a square tube aluminum table leg, on witch I've glude, on one side sand paper, and on another side two stripes of anti-friction

plastic to avoid traction, to sand the sides of the wood that needed to glue

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And the result was this

Colagem-Topset.jpg

Topset-1lixa-total.jpg

Topset-1lixa-total-promen.jpg

UniaoTopset.jpg

The Poplar as a beautiful figure, and I'm very appy with it :D

Edited by tetiaroa
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After the topset is glued I glued the downset

Downset-Colagem.jpg

So I start also to glue the neck, I've cut some peaces of square aluminum rod to define a surface as flat as possible with a minimum contact possible with the wood. This allow me to get a good flat surface and prevent me to do a lot of work, because I don't have a joiner

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Wile the gluing is on, I began to build a jig to radius the ebony scale, slotting plywood and glue and screw it to a two peaces of beachwood with some screws to control the radius,

and a jig to file the frets edges, also made of beachwood, a file and two stripes of anti-friction plastic

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Edited by tetiaroa
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i going to keep my eye on this one, i really like what you have mocked up. the top reminds me of a build a while back, different wood but similar figure. Keep up the good work

15.jpg

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=42532&hl=warwick&st=90

Looks like we are building the same :D

I loke a lot the Poplar, nice figure :D

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Planing the neck

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A few years a go I've bought a Japanese saw with a mitre guide that cuts like hell, and for my first build was a must, the cut is perfect

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When I've thought to start this project, I've ordered from Guitar Supplies the templates of the Ibanez Gem guitar, but after a wile

and a lot of taught, I decided to build myself my own templates and I ended to draw them in Adobe Illustrator all the parts I've needed

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Illustrator helped me a lot to plan to the millimeter all the parts

Image of the tuners in the headstock

Headstock-final.jpg

I started to carve the neck using this Japanese saw

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Edited by tetiaroa
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I've bought the trussrod from Stewmac

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I've read a bit about trussrod placement, but the way I did, I don't know if is the correct way.

I've put some portions of elastic glue on the slot to hold down the trussrod

ColagemTrussrod.jpg

Trussrodembutido.jpg

Then I've cut a small stripe of maple and shape it on the sander and glue it on the top

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Engenhodesbaste.jpg

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With the neck almost done, I've started do flatten the neck heel.

I've placed the neck between two wood cals glued with double tape with the same higt, and with the router

I've began to remove wood

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Then I've glued the maple stripe on the neck

ColagemtopoTrussrod.jpg

Trussrodcoladotodo.jpg

Trussrodcolado.jpg

On the trussrod accessed I've glued a small peace of maple to finish it better

RemateTrussrod.jpg

RemateTrussrodcortado.jpg

RemateTrussrodcolado.jpg

RemateTrussrodpronto.jpg

Shaping the neck

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Edited by tetiaroa
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Partially shaping the neck

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The result

_DSC0190.jpg

It was time to glued the ebony scale

I've drill four small holes where I've place some nails, two on the 1 fret

and the other two on the 22 fret to prevent the scale to move around withe the glue

fixaodaescala-brocafina.jpg

fixaodaescalafim.jpg

and with a help of a wood caul with slots on the 1 and 22 frets, I've glued it

Colagemdaescala2.jpg

Colagemdaescala.jpg

With the neck partially shaped was time to determine the wright depth of the neck hell

With PCV I've shaped the body correctly and cut the neck slot and placed the neck

Simulaao1.jpg

Simulaao2.jpg

Simulaao-vertical.jpg

PVC is a nice material because is easy to shape, and can be used as material for templates

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I'm hoping you asked him if you could use that headstock design...

Chris

I´m sorry if I have done something wrong, I didn't intent to.

To avoid any misunderstands, I ask to forum administrator to remove all my posts

I'm doing this guitar, not for sale, but for me.

I'm sorry again

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