RS Build

[MattBMG]

Hello

It's been a while since I was last here... in fact a very long time, certainly very different look since the last time I was here.

Anyway thought I would post up a guitar probably not seen here very often, I am a complete amateur I build these guitars for myself in my spare time, so progress might be a bit slow.

The guitar spec will be as per original, Block-Board Body, with Oak inserts in the top and bottom layers. The neck will be mahogany with an Oak fingerboard 24 fret.

So far the body has been cut out awaiting the chambers to be cut, and Oak installed.

The Neck has been roughly cut out and is awaiting the shaping on the back, and the neck joint cut to size.

Here's Some images:

Focusing on getting the bottom layer routed and marked up ready for oak inserts and tremolo marking out. It took approx 2 hours to rout out the 2 chambers.

As i mentioned on the video I don't use templates, guides, Jigs on the chambers its all done by free hand. Jigs / Templates are useful to those who want to make more than 1 guitar. As these are just used to repeat the process over and over. Kz guitars do these on there builds on the plastics.

Cheers
Matt

http://www.redspecial-library.co.uk/
http://www.guitarsandwoods.com/

[Prostheta]

Hi Matt - I was wondering if I might see you over on here at some point!

[MattBMG]

Been here a long time since 2004 at least, sadly time dictated that i would spend most of my time improving my website and improving certain things, which is still a work in progress, but it's good to be here for a short while at least.

Cheers
Matt

http://www.redspecial-library.co.uk/
http://www.guitarsandwoods.com/

[Prostheta]

I never had chance to get my own RS off the ground, so I have two necks sat in storage. Hardware was one consideration, as I wanted to do a fixed bridge "Black Special" with white binding and gold appointments. I might get around to that at some point. Priorities have shifted somewhat.

[MattBMG]

Well I hope one day you will be able to get round to it, did like the gold and black scheme, been building this current one for 2 - 3 years now, sadly time and availability of bits and pieces have slowed things down somewhat..

[Prostheta]

When other users chime in Matt, I bet you'll get somebody telling you how to improve the design ;-)

The RS has always been a funny old build. Not least from a specs standpoint.

[ScottR]

If you "improved" the design, it wouldn't be a RS would it?

SR

[MattBMG]

Well if it ain't broke .... don't fix it.
for a home made guitar which is what 40 + years old and still on it's original fret wire, and original made parts and still holds it's tuning stability, then whats to change?
I have seen quite a few people use the bridge, tremolo design on other guitars one on our website a Redenbacker... which is a bit black but that was interesting, If I was to build a guitar i would keep those parts and just do a different body design.

Anyway shall post some more up when I can

[Prostheta]

Well that's it Scott. I think that comparatively few people know why it was built how it was. After you've built a few different guitars, you can certainly see room for improvement. Admittedly, not much other than "vanity upgrades" and "more familiar territory".

One particular "upgrade" is the whole blockboard body thing. Essentially that's a gluelam of softwoods used for doors. When I was throwing together blanks for mine, I simply tried local Mänty (Pinus sylvestris, or Scots Pine) and instead settled on Metsäkuusi (Picea abies, Norwegian Spruce). Far less resiny. No idea what kind of woods would have been used in commercial blockboard back in the 60s. It could be anything from Pine to Spruce, or even Aspen, Cedar or Larch.

Regardless, the important bit is the Oak centre block. Nothing other than European White Oak (Quercus robur) would be acceptable. Same for the fingerboard. Ebony is just too different, and I fail to understand why some people make that fundamental substitution.