westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Well,for a LONG while now I have been planning a Gibson style V...so long in fact that I bought the top for it about 5 years ago..last New Years weekend I bought some sapele,and just about a month ago I think I started on it.I have been talking about it in the Misc thread a bit,but I am bored and I think it's time to start on a thread for it.My house is usually very clean,but project time is hell on my organization I laminated the two sapele halves together,then laminated the quilted maple top on it with a piece of black dyed pear wood sandwiched in for the accent stripe.Cut it out and boom Then I took a flame maple block I had,ripped it,flip[ped it,and laminated iut together with some quartered birdseye and more accent wood planed that flat,and set up my router rails,which are merely light gauge angle "flashing" you can find at any construction site or Home depot...one spool clamp on each end and it is perfect for my Bosch colt Truss rod routed and set in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 My epoxy mixing "system"....these are plastic disposable shot glasses..you can get them at liquor stores and some supermarkets(for you youngsters)..these are handy obviously because epoxy ruins whatever you put it in and you can't wash it down the sink.I use these cheap Emory boards I have in the box there to stir it together.On a side note,I always leave the shot glasses sitting out with the extra epoxy in it.I use that to tell me when it is cured enough to remove the clamps.This is 24 hour epoxy,so it is usually around 5 hours before clamp removal.T88 is what I use.But don't ever throw the epoxy away after it is mixed until it is fully cured,because it heats up and could potentially set your trash on fire.Or so they say Glued on the fretboard,cut it all out with the bandsaw,and I got this Sanded it all to shape,rasped the profile,and here it is sitting next to my Mini LP neck and my Explorer neck.Interesting note...I built this "table" as a bar top,and I bought bar stools so that my friends and I could sit there and "alter our perceptions" from time to time..I bought that aluminum checker plate and glued it to the top,and I was very pleased with it.In it's "off time" it is used for a work bench in my kitchen,as you can see.One day I covered it up like always with paper towels and saran wrap and glued on a scarf joint.I was using "Gorilla glue" to try it out,and I followed the "wet the wood" directions...well,that crap foamed all over the place,got in between my coverings,and ruined my aluminum checker plate..that is the nasty mess you see to the right of the necks.And to top it off,the glue line on the scarf joint is visible because of the expanding properties of that glue..as a result,I hate Gorilla glue and I think it is the most ignorant glue you could possibly use to glue wood to wood.Keep that stuff for gluing aluminum to wood or something like that. Fretted it with SS,and here it is sitting next to some future neck lams...frets are leveled but not crowned By the way,the heel is gaboon ebony,not black pear wood.The ebony fretboard is shave slightly shorter at the headstock to accommodate an LSR roller nut Almost forgot.The side dots are just drilled holes filled with epoxy dyed white...You can use that trick to get any color dots or inlays you want,really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Routed out the pickup and control cavities,and the neck pocket,and here it is sitting together dry...no glue..What is left of my drought induced lawn is dry too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 And here it is as it sits now,with the top leveled,the area by the fretboard angled to match the neck angle, and the neck set.The neck heel is angled on this one,the bottom of the pocket is flat.I hope this weekend to carve the heel and drill all of the controls and output jack.It might rain though so we'll see...I hope it does rain like hell because we need it...my house has not had a drop all summer and the Bastrop forest fires are really starting to get close In case you are wondering,yes I am taking not so good pics on purpose.I really want the final shots to be as much of a surprise as possible.This one is going really quickly,so I am thinking I will have it done by Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I'm sorry. You did all this today?? I was proud of myself for thicknessing a headstock, resawing a couple of headstock veneers, and rough cutting a bridge. Clean work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 You did all this today?? No..this month...I wanted to wait so I could post a lot at once Clean work too. Thank you.It has taken me lots of years to get to the point of reasonably clean work consistently...I work so much most of the time that it takes me years and years to gain the experience some guys get much faster,plus I think some guys are naturally more patient.I have to struggle against my innate nature telling me to"HURRY UP,YOU FOOL!!!!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Thank you.It has taken me lots of years to get to the point of reasonably clean work consistently...I work so much most of the time that it takes me years and years to gain the experience some guys get much faster,plus I think some guys are naturally more patient.I have to struggle against my innate nature telling me to"HURRY UP,YOU FOOL!!!!!" Man, do I understand that. After four years, I still feel dreadfully incompetent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Ooooh hardware.The only thing I don't have is the bridge.I need to buy that.In the plastic bag to the left are 500k pots and battery clips.If I decide to use the anniversary EMG set I will use a battery clip and not those pots..if I decide to use passives(which I am leaning towards) I will use the pots but not the battery clip...I have black pickup covers for passives if I go that way,because I don't like the look of pole pieces or rails. I am leaning towards passives because of the bright nature of maple and this dense piece of sapele.I am thinking of an Invader set,so that I can get some low end and still keep the clarity..and with the black covers you won't see the monstrous pole pieces The bridge pup on this is an invader..can you tell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 You you dirty dog. You have been holding out on us... just when I thought this site had become boring and no fun you spring this on us! Excellent veneer lines my friend. Excellent. Looking forward to seeing this one done. Please take your time and get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Thank you so much,but I don't know how it will ever standup next to that wenge beauty you just finished.Not to mention the prototype V that you just had to rub in my face with that gorgeous top carve next to the neck heel right after I glued the neck in to mine...if I had seen yours first I would have stolen that for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I think this one will do fine. Where is pukko when you need him (he makes fine Vs)? So where are you putting the output jack? I have decided the top wing is the best place for them. However drilling them in later is dangerously scary. I am going to pre-route the wire passages from here forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 So where are you putting the output jack? I have decided the top wing is the best place for them. Yeah,KXK puts them in the top wing,and I really like that placement,but this is a Gibson copy so I am going to put it in the same place Gibson does,but with the angled jack it won't stick straight out,which I really don't like. On most guitars I like to put in on the side,which on this V would translate to the inside of the lower point,but I had that on a Demmel V I had once and it would hit my leg when I would sit down(very rarely) to play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I just picked up some flush mount straplocks for this one.I can rarely find a place that sells them at a reasonable price.I think they are the best thing for Vs,Explorers,SGs,or anything with a strap button behind the neck,really. I just read a thing on sevenstring that said that "the problem"with them is that you can't convert them to regular buttons witout a "knowledge of woodworking"..it seems as if anything slightly out of the ordinary on a guitar is looked at with skepticism or downright fear by a lot of folks.I just can't see why you would ever,ever want to convert from straplocks to regular strap buttons...I mean,do you just want your guitar to hit the ground? I know every guitarist in the world has had a guitar come out of a strap at one time or another.I even saw it at a show once in Austin where the guitarist in a metal band had his prized V fall out of a strap in the middle of a song...he caught it,but I just can't see taking the chance,now that I know how well the strap locks work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Jeez,what a ripoff...I was trying to buy some clear paper for a logo for the headstock of this one on Amazon and the seller wanted to charge $5 for shipping a 10 pack of $10 paper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpenter's blues Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Jeez,what a ripoff...I was trying to buy some clear paper for a logo for the headstock of this one on Amazon and the seller wanted to charge $5 for shipping a 10 pack of $10 paper... What, he can't just stick it in an envelope with a couple stamps? Since I saw that orange guitar you just posted on I've been thinking of not using pup rings for the humbuckers on my next build because it's a clean and modern look- I like the effect. How are they mounted? Similar to a P90 or did you use a different method? Really nice work btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I am going to have to change my feeble mind about the jack placement.I just laid everything out and it makes way more sense to put it out the side of the lower leg of the V,about 4 inches from the tip.It makes a straight line to drill for the wiring to the cavity and keeps the top cleaner to show off the quilt better How are they mounted? I mount them with these super thin SS screws I bought a long time ago.They go through the ears of the pup without messing up the threads that are already there,in case I want to swap out pups later and re-use those in a guitar that has rings.I take the springs that would normally be used with rings and I cut them shorter and use them under the ears instead of over them.I also rout the bottom of my cavities flat so the springs have a good seat,and I put some foam(comes in the box they ship pickups in)in after I cut the foam to be hidden under the base of the pickup.The foam keeps the pickup more stable so that you don't hear a lot of banging around through your amp every time you bump the guitar with your leg. Most people just drill out the threads on the pup ears and use larger screws,and that works really well,too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I just picked up some flush mount straplocks for this one.I can rarely find a place that sells them at a reasonable price.I think they are the best thing for Vs,Explorers,SGs,or anything with a strap button behind the neck,really. I just read a thing on sevenstring that said that "the problem"with them is that you can't convert them to regular buttons witout a "knowledge of woodworking"..it seems as if anything slightly out of the ordinary on a guitar is looked at with skepticism or downright fear by a lot of folks.I just can't see why you would ever,ever want to convert from straplocks to regular strap buttons...I mean,do you just want your guitar to hit the ground? I know every guitarist in the world has had a guitar come out of a strap at one time or another.I even saw it at a show once in Austin where the guitarist in a metal band had his prized V fall out of a strap in the middle of a song...he caught it,but I just can't see taking the chance,now that I know how well the strap locks work. Well I don't build guitars without recessed strap locks anymore. No way I want one of my guitars hitting the stage. As for Vs and Explorers recessed strap locks are the only way to go. Just be careful mounting them in the back as it is easy to forget and drive the mounting screw right through your top. I like them but some of the guys at sevenstring make sh%t up to complain about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Jeez,what a ripoff...I was trying to buy some clear paper for a logo for the headstock of this one on Amazon and the seller wanted to charge $5 for shipping a 10 pack of $10 paper... eBay is your friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 my only problem with the dunlop recessed strap buttons is the bulky bit you have to attach to the strap. it would put me off mounting it on the back of the guitar - although i know it shouldnt really be in the way on the heel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Well I think all of us who have dealt with these know that the rout is not the easiest thing to do.. Which is why I am pretty proud of this,done freehand with chisels,a dremel(no base),and a small rasp,with obviously a couple of drill bits for the route to the control cavity...Of course I will clean up the edges with sandpaper,but I really like how it came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 my only problem with the dunlop recessed strap buttons is the bulky bit you have to attach to the strap. it would put me off mounting it on the back of the guitar - although i know it shouldnt really be in the way on the heel You never feel it at all.And that is why you use the recessed ones on the back of the guitar,so they don't stick out so far.The part you attach to the strap can be difficult to install,with the retaining ring being so tight and all,but with a little experience and a good set of needle nose pliers I snap them right on,and I use a flat screwdriver to start the ring off on removal,and then the same needle nose to slip it off the rest of the way. But really,there is no need to remove them from the strap after installation...just plug and unplug when putting it in it's case.I have been using them for probably 15 years now,since my buddy first dropped his explorer during rehearsal and he started tying a piece of leather around the strap to hold it on...I just asked someone at Austin City Music(now gone..I loved that place) how to keep the straps from falling off and he pulled them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I have to go to the grocery store for building supplies.I am very forgetful so I have to make a list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Every build requires fuel. You are wise to put it at the top of the list. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 The dino shapes were 2/$1...making it a win/win... I do worry though that this may throw out my karmic balance and lower the chance for rain at my house.I hope not,because my neighbor is on his riding mower stirring up dust in anticipation and I would hate to see him let down by my greed for dinosaur shaped pasta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 HEB rocks. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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