Chris G Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Hey guys I want to get a custom headstock inlay with the Gibson font and style but with my name. Does anyone know where I could have a custom inlay made? I found someone online and they said they could do it for 80. Is that a good price? It seems a bit high to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Dollars? That's a steal. For the time spent doing the custom design work alone, that's cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted May 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Ok thanks. I was not sure how much custom lettering was going for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted May 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I for got to say. It's just for the shell not the veneer and inlay. I going to do that part myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hey Guys its been a while since I posted. I am like that little engine that could. Here is my progress. On to the carved top. I have spent some time on researching the process. I made the step templates. On the third pass the router bit slipped before I realized and this happened. I was a bit worried about that so I ask some of my woodworking friends and ScottR. ScottR pointed me in the right direction and gave some good advice to save the top. After I got all the steps routed here is what it looks like. Its not very clean due to my router experience. I started the long process of sanding the steps. Almost done! And I was able to save the top!! I made a hinge jig for the neck and put plan angles. Its very pretty and used scrap pieces of flooring. I made sure each pass I did on the router I had 4.2 angle for the neck and 1.8 for the pickups. Once I thought I was done I checked the angle guitar and only at 3.5 and 1.3. I need some help from you pros. Should I have the 4.2 and 1.8 angle? I have looked up many forums and only been able to find was them saying route at the 4.2-4.4 and 1.8, but not showing the finished product. I still have a good amount of wood I still can take off, but wanted to ask you all first. Here is the route. Cheers Guys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Nice save on the top Chris! I'm going to let some LP gurus field the angles question as I've not built one. All my builds have my own made up specs and angles. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Nice save on the top Chris! I'm going to let some LP gurus field the angles question as I've not built one. All my builds have my own made up specs and angles. SR Thanks ScottR!! I thought it came out nice myself and better then I expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 It's not so far out of spec. It looks like you could dial in a couple of mm more out of that top but ultimately that can be made to work. Check with your hardware and a ruler set above the neck plane. Pickups rings can be adjusted out. It's just important to confirm the final string path and coincidence with the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hi Chris, I see you decided to use the topographic templates for the carving. I liked the method so much that I developed similar template sets for the carving of my own designs. But I get the impression that you're hurrying a bit too much. You need to take your time with these things. The first template routing is really dangerous, you have to remove wood from a rather large area and hand control of the router is critical as it is hanging on the edge of the template for most of it. It works better if you reverse things. For this first step I prefer to use a table router, so the router is stationary and the piece is solidly seated. Hardly any chance to go wrong in this way. For the rest of the steps I go back to top-routing, as I prefer to have good visibility of what's going on. But you got past that already. Now about the neck angle. Like I told you by PM 3.5* is a bit too shallow for a Les Paul using a normal ABR type of bridge. Even with the bridge bottomed to the top you will not be able to attain a decent action. The beauty of building a well researched model like a Les Paul is that everything has been figured out by now, and the 4.2-4.4* neck angle is the magic number. Now that I see pictures of your jig I think that your body was not sitting flat in the jig, this could well be your problem. Another thing I can think of is the possible flexion of the beams under the weight of the router. For this kind of applications I tend to use "L" shaped metal profiles, which are significantly more rigid. Try to see what could have gone wrong and then touch up that neck angle on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Big block of plywood and sandpaper :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Big block of plywood and sandpaper :-) You're so right ! We tend to overthink things and sometimes a big block of hardwood, sandpaper and elbow grease is all that's needed ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Certainly is. Nothing like having a 30mm thick chunk of stable Birch plywood with 80 grit paper adhered to it. How close "to spec" is the top, bridge point, etc? Your existing angle(s) are great if they are also "to spec", but aiming to get the guitar in the optimum form for what-it-is is always a better tactic. Specs be damned sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 Hi Chris, I see you decided to use the topographic templates for the carving. I liked the method so much that I developed similar template sets for the carving of my own designs. But I get the impression that you're hurrying a bit too much. You need to take your time with these things. Yes I know. I tend to go faster then I should. Once I see and feel myself going to fast I slow it down. Now that I see pictures of your jig I think that your body was not sitting flat in the jig, this could well be your problem. Another thing I can think of is the possible flexion of the beams under the weight of the router. For this kind of applications I tend to use "L" shaped metal profiles, which are significantly more rigid. Try to see what could have gone wrong and then touch up that neck angle on the top. I made sure it was flat maybe it was the picture. I was going to build that jig out of the L beams, but I had all this scrap. It may not look the best, but works. My next build I will make that jig. Certainly is. Nothing like having a 30mm thick chunk of stable Birch plywood with 80 grit paper adhered to it. How close "to spec" is the top, bridge point, etc? Your existing angle(s) are great if they are also "to spec", but aiming to get the guitar in the optimum form for what-it-is is always a better tactic. Specs be damned sometimes. I want to follow as close as I can, but if I stray its ok. I just want to make sure the critical specs are the same. I have fixed the angels. Thanks Guys!! My next angel is now 4.2-4.4. I am using an app on my phone for the level and one app is 4.2 and the other 4.4. I need to get a real digital level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 I find that using a good pair of straightedges and basic trigonometry will be more accurate than a phone or even some digital gauges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 Alright Guys, I need some help. I have a lot of progress to post, but would like some advice first on this. I routed my binding channel and had so tier out. Here is the pic. I think I can hide it with the binding and binding paste. What would you all do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 If I were going to finish it with a dark burst, I'd carefully glue in a maple patch, sand it flush and route that section of channel again. If the finish is going to show the wood, I'd gently reshape that curve enough that the touch up routing would cover the chip out. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 If I were going to finish it with a dark burst, I'd carefully glue in a maple patch, sand it flush and route that section of channel again. If the finish is going to show the wood, I'd gently reshape that curve enough that the touch up routing would cover the chip out. SR I would like to do a Slash/vintage style finish. I will need to do some kind of shaping alone the rounded part too. Thanks for the tip ScottR you are always there for advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 It's a tricky repair to balance in with the disguising, especially with something like an AFD-type burst. If it were a vintage burst you could easily try and shoot a more opaque border (black, red/brown) and blend into the centre, however a really light faded top would need some super work done on matching colours. Really really super top shelf work. It's not even luck. The balance is disguising the repair against your desired finish. I don't know whether you can achieve both aims with the extent of that tearout, so finding a happy medium is the best bet here. Hell, you can always build more! Building one guitar is just no fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 It's a tricky repair to balance in with the disguising, especially with something like an AFD-type burst. If it were a vintage burst you could easily try and shoot a more opaque border (black, red/brown) and blend into the centre, however a really light faded top would need some super work done on matching colours. Really really super top shelf work. It's not even luck. The balance is disguising the repair against your desired finish. I don't know whether you can achieve both aims with the extent of that tearout, so finding a happy medium is the best bet here. Hell, you can always build more! Building one guitar is just no fun. Thanks!! I may look into changing the colors now. I am planning on building more!!! I want to start on another one once I finish this. The only problem is the wife. She is doing her Masters Degree and dont think she will go for another one so soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 How deep is the gouge compared to the rest of the channel? Can you reshape the body around that edge and then re-cut the binding channel? If you take off as little as necessary and blend the reshaped area around the curve it may not be noticable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 How deep is the gouge compared to the rest of the channel? Can you reshape the body around that edge and then re-cut the binding channel? If you take off as little as necessary and blend the reshaped area around the curve it may not be noticable. Its not too deep. its about 1/16 of an inch past the binding channel. I am going to start looking at possible fixes now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 How deep is the gouge compared to the rest of the channel? Can you reshape the body around that edge and then re-cut the binding channel? If you take off as little as necessary and blend the reshaped area around the curve it may not be noticable. Nicely put. That is exactly what I was trying to say about reshaping the curve. You put in much clearer language. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris G Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Thanks Guys with your all advice and few beers and a shot of some very nice whiskey, I sat down and thought it out. This is what I came up with and it is fixed. I reshaped the curve and re-routed the channel. Here is a few pics. I marked the neck pocket, fretboard, and where I would need to sand down. Need some more sanding. Ran it through my overhead router jig. Here is a top shot. I hope this meets your all's approval, because I am happier then a pig in mud!! I will post my progress tomorrow. Thanks again Guys you are all the best!!! Cheers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Fantastic. I'm gratified that this has been made into a non-issue. Did you learn anything from the harrowing experience of major tearout? Several similar screwups made me consider buying new router bits regularly, keeping the ones I use *clean* and moreover storing them correctly. Technique is one thing, but having incapable cutting edges can ruin all of that. Right! Back on track then. Learn everything and make all the mistakes you need to make on this one; they'll always make the second on a hundred times better! Unless you're me in which case I find new mistakes to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Nicely executed. Nicely put. That is exactly what I was trying to say about reshaping the curve. You put in much clearer language. SR Actually, I feel like a bit of a dope. If I'd bothered to examine the few posts above my last one properly instead of just skim-reading, I probably would've noticed that everyone was already saying the exact same thing as me anyway Ahem. Carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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