mistermikev Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 23 minutes ago, gpcustomguitars said: Thanks, it's really good to be back in the shop! Mike, I've started this by making some simple pedals for fun, usual stuff like boosters, treble boosters, various electra dist. type stuff, and started daydreaming about preamps. This amp is not valve powered, it has a class D chipamp inside, TPA3116D2, I've used a voltage module to set the voltage from my power supply to required max 24v, and built the clean preamp for it using FETs. I didn't have 2 250k pots when I started this, so to complete the tone stack I have to wait on them. I got the 12' speaker for free in somewhat bad shape, so I had to clean it up and patch it up in a number of places, but it works great now. The cabinet making is really rewarding, it's a small project compared to what we usually do, and I need a dose of quick results now and then If you're interested, I can PM you with the details of the stuff I've used, nothing inside exceeds 36V and it's all pretty modular. thanks for the offer gpcustomguitars, that is generous but I have a chip based amp I've built... just dreaming tube, I've made lots of pedals. I've built a dimension c, cs2, deluxe mem man, dm2, klons, every dirt pedal ever made - you name it. I've often dreamed about building a tube amp... start with something simple like a ceriatone kit... but have never let myself. Probably best I don't open that door. I have a couple of marshal cabs that i often think about redoing the tolex on... but one is a 1985 red lead 1960 and is in pretty good shape... just can't bring myself to do it. also lately, perhaps because I'm still in a honeymoon phase with guitar building... I don't want to devote any time to anything else! sooo many guitar to build! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted March 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2019 Tolex just takes some patience, but it's really rewarding. Just a quick update, I was cutting some materials for a house project, and managed to squeeze a few mins to glue the treble side wing to the neck lam. 1-IMG_20190305_223521 by Goran P, on Flickr 2-IMG_20190305_223558 by Goran P, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted March 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2019 March is still tossing the daily temperatures all over the place, but the spring is definitely here! I think I'm set on the small and compact compressor I need to buy, probably to be used/tested on this unsuspecting guitar So, managed to finish the freting in few sessions, used 1 whole and a few pieces from the second 24-fret set. This is the first time i did the undercut tangs on a unbound fretboard, I suspect this is what I should've been doing the whole time... Now I'm getting ready to glue the bass wing on, but due to limited operating space once that is on, I started carving the heel. Last but not least, a want to add accents like on the headstock using some acero left from the headstock and some cherry, still to be picked from the scrap bin. 3-IMG_20190313_173711 by Goran P, on Flickr 1-IMG_20190313_173637 by Goran P, on Flickr 2-IMG_20190313_173644 by Goran P, on Flickr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted March 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 (edited) Little bit more pics this time. Mainly about shaping the neck, as I don't want to glue the second wing on until most of the work is done. I've thinned two cca 2mm layers of wood to be easily pliable, and glued them in place. Ive made the oversized, mainly to be easier to carve, but also to prevent any mishaps due to slipping during gluing. 01-IMG_20190315_194242 by Goran P, on Flickr 02-IMG_20190315_194248 by Goran P, on Flickr Then removed some stock with chisel 03-IMG_20190316_103306 by Goran P, on Flickr some rasping and a dowel wrapped in sandpaper 04-IMG_20190316_144407 by Goran P, on Flickr and then carved the heel some more, which led to full neck carve I wasn't planning yet 05-IMG_20190316_161437 by Goran P, on Flickr Some refining with the scraper. I've made a habit of using the 9.5' radius block for flattening the carved neck. it's ~20cm long and easy to use and leaves a really nice finish. 06-IMG_20190316_161443 by Goran P, on Flickr Some more fiddling with the lams: 07-IMG_20190316_161449 by Goran P, on Flickr 08-IMG_20190316_165959 by Goran P, on Flickr Almost done. The neck is still on the thick side, 22mm the whole length, I'll sand it down with the radius block some more, but feels good already. 09-IMG_20190316_170008 by Goran P, on Flickr This is mostly for looks, but it does add a bit of strength I think. 10-IMG_20190316_171804 by Goran P, on Flickr Edited March 18, 2019 by gpcustomguitars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 mmmmm, looks like a wood sammich! Looking good my friend. coming along nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted March 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 Thanks! I've managed to install the side dots yesterday, no pic tho. I've run out of side dot material some time ago and made a habit of making them out of 2mm abs strips I use for binding. I just use leather punches for different sizes. Could have glued the wing on yesterday, but sort of run out of steam, probably better to stop...might do it later this evening. One major thing yet to do is sand down the thickness of the neck, any favorite thicknesses for a fast neck anyone? So, the current to-do's are: glue the guitar together, level the body front and back, level/recrown/polish the frets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splintazert Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 Lovely work so far @gpcustomguitars. I generally have 20mm thickness on my slimmest & fastest necks, measured from the fretboard to the highest point of the neck curve. Don't think I'd go much below that. It works well for my "strangler's hands" but your mileage may vary! Definitely start bigger though, as you can't put that thickness back (unless you raid your scraps bin again of course ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 i too have stranglers hands and a .78(20mm) neck feels great to me. my jem is .75 and that feels super fast... but it would scare me getting within 1/8" of a double action truss rod. if your fretboard is thicker or you carve too much... do not want to have that happen to me (I'm sure it will someday). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted March 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 Well, my fretboard is 6mm at the top of the curve, so the neck itself is 16mm. Truss rod I used is 9mm deep, so I'm good for at least 2mm less thickness, and would still have 5mm left to truss rod. I'll shave it down to 20 then. Thanks!!! I did manage to glue the bass wing last night. Made 2 softwood cauls and drilled 2 shallow pin holes d10mm, to index with 2 d10*10mm dowels. I used 2 clamps, and it all went rather well. Two small clamps were holding a mdf cutoff that made sure it was all nice and flat. 1-IMG_20190320_223106 by Goran P, on Flickr This morning, everything se(a)ms OK Took an opportunity to make a pic in the early morning light, everything is in bloom already, first day of the spring! 2-IMG_20190321_081037 by Goran P, on Flickr 3-IMG_20190321_081044 by Goran P, on Flickr 4-IMG_20190321_081107 by Goran P, on Flickr 5-IMG_20190321_081119 by Goran P, on Flickr So, I foresee 15 seconds of routing the remaining roundover, and 1000000hours of sanding in my near future............ I'm toying with the idea to dye it light yellow, and do a classic 3-tone burst. Would the small space allow it to be visible? 3-ply white p-guard would be used then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 21, 2019 Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 11 hours ago, gpcustomguitars said: So, I foresee 15 seconds of routing the remaining roundover, and 1000000hours of sanding in my near future............ 11 hours ago, gpcustomguitars said: I'm toying with the idea to dye it light yellow, and do a classic 3-tone burst. Would the small space allow it to be visible? Sure. Just shape it like the body and make it so. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted May 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 Time to finish this guitar! I was having second thoughts whether to use a floyd or not, but I have no floyd equipped guitars, so here goes... I've printed out the pickup routes jig, will glue to MDF and start cutting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 2 hours ago, gpcustomguitars said: Time to finish this guitar! I was having second thoughts whether to use a floyd or not, but I have no floyd equipped guitars, so here goes... I've printed out the pickup routes jig, will glue to MDF and start cutting! noice... so what kind of floyd? floyd floyd or gotoh floyd or? looking fwd to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted May 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2019 I have had 2 different ones for years in the parts box, both Korean-made I think. I'll have to chose one, some help might be needed as I have never really dealt with floyds before. I just got into using the vibrato on my recent goldtop PRS-like and Alvin Lee guitars, so I'd like to investigate that route more. I play electrics mostly without a pick, so I made a habit to hold the handle with my pinky while picking with other 4 fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted May 31, 2019 Report Share Posted May 31, 2019 right on. I guess the first thing to figure out is if you are flat mounting or counter sinking... which at this point will be determined by your neck height/depth. afa setup... not sure how much you know but that's always a fun step - to float a floyd you really have to stretch the strings as you tune them. I think of it like tuning a guitar 15 times in a row. I tune all 6, stretch them vigorously, tune all 6 again. I've learned over the years to go ahead and overtune them about a 1/2 step up and progressively less and less overtune as I get closer and closer to A440. all the while keeping an eye on the angle that the trem base sits at compared to the body. if I start to see that take on an angle, I flip the guitar and tighten the trem claw screws... then stretch and tune some more. just a thought. I play a lot with my fingers sort of knopfler style... but usually when i go for the trem I'm doing 'pick style'. I like to think it's like different styles of kung fu - "dirty chicken style vs hunt and picken' style" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted June 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) Didn't do much here - just a template being made to route the top, and to show what floyds I have available: IMG_20190605_175028 by Goran P, on Flickr I think I prefer the closer one: IMG_20190605_175040 by Goran P, on Flickr Edited June 6, 2019 by gpcustomguitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 the closer one looks a bit more 'standard'. also the far one seems to be the non locking, no? have never used one but apparently they work for guthrie govan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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