craigslist body acquired... why you spose he sold this?

[mistermikev]

so... guy listed this on craigslist and I snagged it today.  top is 1/8" cedar, body is solid quilted maple.  $40.  Figured there must be something wrong w it??  It's cut semi hollow and I'm not crazy about the cedar top... probably route it off and go quilt.    Def a beauty piece of body tho and kind of an interesting take on a tele.  3 lbs 10 oz.

anywho what say you?  score?  not score?  meh?  would you have bought it? 

I think I'll get $40 worth of fun out of it anyway!

so... guy li

[curtisa]

Not to be flippant, but did you ask him why he was selling it?

[Bizman62]

 1/8"  seems thin to me in an unfinished body even though the body is only partially hollow. There's not much left to sand off.

Had it been my project, I'd have been pissed seeing how beautiful the back of the guitar is compared to the neutral looks of cedar. It's almost bookmatched! If the bottom is thick enough I might be tempted to cut along the bottom of the cavity and make the inside a top - or a lefty with the current bottom on top. That quilt definitely wants to be shown!

[mistermikev]

5 hours ago, curtisa said:

Not to be flippant, but did you ask him why he was selling it?

yes, he said: he didn't like the top and was going to do something else.  come to think of it... and going off the images he had on cl that I only saw yesterday... there might not be anything there in the upper bout for a strap button.  That would be an easy fix if/when I chop the top off. 

also, the top is real thin and there are a few minor blemishes... perhaps he scratched it?  I don't know why he wouldn't just rout the top off and go with something else.  could just be one of those 'knee jerk' reactions to sell?

thank you for your response!

 

3 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

 1/8"  seems thin to me in an unfinished body even though the body is only partially hollow. There's not much left to sand off.

Had it been my project, I'd have been pissed seeing how beautiful the back of the guitar is compared to the neutral looks of cedar. It's almost bookmatched! If the bottom is thick enough I might be tempted to cut along the bottom of the cavity and make the inside a top - or a lefty with the current bottom on top. That quilt definitely wants to be shown!

yeah, the top is def too thin.  it's an acoustic top.  seems a waste to cut it off but it def doesn't do the back justice.   I think you are saying make the top of the back a top (if that makes sense) and I thought of that... be a shame to waste the thickness but it'd make a nice top I think... would have to see it.

I'm thinking I might do a radius on it and add a quilt top.  I'm not crazy about the shape of the upper bout.  might try to reshape it a bit.

 

[ADFinlayson]

I guess a lot of people that start building a guitar body don't actually go on to finish the guitar project. Skimming the top off would get my vote, then you can see how good the joint is and put something you like on it. But if you're planning on building a Tele, you've potentially had a bargain on a nice body blank.

[mistermikev]

9 minutes ago, ADFinlayson said:

I guess a lot of people that start building a guitar body don't actually go on to finish the guitar project. Skimming the top off would get my vote, then you can see how good the joint is and put something you like on it. But if you're planning on building a Tele, you've potentially had a bargain on a nice body blank.

thanks for the reply.  Perhaps it was a case of follow through.  The body joint seems pretty decent.  I agree... a good body blank with a lot of work done for $40... seems like a pretty good deal to me.  maybe do a radius top and add some quilt... some binding... could be a pretty nice guitar.

a fun project anyway... have some nice flamed maple for a bolt neck that would pair well... just need to snag the right fretboard.

[ADFinlayson]

2 minutes ago, mistermikev said:

thanks for the reply.  Perhaps it was a case of follow through.  The body joint seems pretty decent.  I agree... a good body blank with a lot of work done for $40... seems like a pretty good deal to me.  maybe do a radius top and add some quilt... some binding... could be a pretty nice guitar.

a fun project anyway... have some nice flamed maple for a bolt neck that would pair well... just need to snag the right fretboard.

Does follow through mean something different on your side of the pond?

[mistermikev]

Just now, ADFinlayson said:

Does follow through mean something different on your side of the pond?

um... I have to admit: to me it just means to finish something... what does that mean over there?  hint please!

[ADFinlayson]

2 minutes ago, mistermikev said:

um... I have to admit: to me it just means to finish something... what does that mean over there?  hint please!

[mistermikev]

ahhhh the shart.  got it.  had no idea.  I'm so out of touch. 

[ADFinlayson]

8 minutes ago, mistermikev said:

ahhhh the shart.  got it.  had no idea.  I'm so out of touch. 

For the record, I am 32 going on 14. I thought parenthood would resolve this but it only made things worse.

[mistermikev]

14 minutes ago, ADFinlayson said:

For the record, I am 32 going on 14. I thought parenthood would resolve this but it only made things worse.

no worries... sm here... bathroom humor is my forte.  I am apparently out of practice tho... 44 going on 4 here so.

[Bizman62]

Speaking about idioms, 32 going on 14 or 44 going on 4 ring no bells here...

Back to the subject, how about redoing it to something similar than the Carvin in http://www.projectguitar.com/forums/topic/49668-what-is-this-guitar-pic/?do=findComment&comment=577558?

 

Edited May 7, 2019 by Bizman62

[mistermikev]

10 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Speaking about idioms, 32 going on 14 or 44 going on 4 ring no bells here...

Back to the subject, how about redoing it to something similar than the Carvin in http://www.projectguitar.com/forums/topic/49668-what-is-this-guitar-pic/?do=findComment&comment=577558?

 

i like that idea.  have always liked that carvin and frankly any carvin from the 80's/90's.  Unfortunately the pics I saw of this body prior to top showed about a 5/8" wall at the edge... meaning I couldn't cut it down much w/o having to reconstruct an edge.

I have been toying with the idea in the back of my head to do a piezo bridge tele with a cedar/spruce top and herringbone binding.  I've seen schematics for the preamp from old ovations... with a little tweak and a splitter/blend circuit it could be cool to mix with passive magnetics.  I don't know if this is the body for that or not... but it's going to happen at some point!  Probably on a bass first tho.

good call!

[ScottR]

41 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Speaking about idioms, 32 going on 14 or 44 going on 4 ring no bells here...

Idioms can be confusing......

These are referring to someone who is old enough to act mature, but typically acts like a kid or teenager instead.....probably because that is more fun.

3 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

Does follow through mean something different on your side of the pond?

And yes Ash, follow through apparently does normally mean something different on this side of the pond. I like your definition, but totally did not see it coming.

A while back we had an employee go up to his supervisor hoping to get permission to run home for a moment.. He started the conversation thusly: " I thought I was going to fart..."

SR

[mistermikev]

21 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Idioms can be confusing......

These are referring to someone who is old enough to act mature, but typically acts like a kid or teenager instead.....probably because that is more fun.

And yes Ash, follow through apparently does normally mean something different on this side of the pond. I like your definition, but totally did not see it coming.

A while back we had an employee go up to his supervisor hoping to get permission to run home for a moment.. He started the conversation thusly: " I thought I was going to fart..."

SR

well if you are gonna push the limit... your gonna need a change of clothes!  hilarious.  ok, now I know I can let the real me out... expect much more fart humor going fwd!

[Bizman62]

Hmmm... on another forum the now retired admin (meaning he's an old fart himself) started a thread about how one would describe or name his/her fart. Some of the names were hilarious, some more obvious. Just remember, there'll come the day for all of us when you just can't trust a fart any longer...

[mistermikev]

ok u went too far... jk. 

[Bizman62]

too far... Should I try to guess the missing letter where the three dots are?

[mistermikev]

i think you know what it is.. hehe. 

[mistermikev]

so... was looking at this and comparing to one of my teles.  the body shape is slightly larger (maybe 1/2").  This is good news because I think I could cut it down to a tele shape which I'd prefer... and more... if I could somehow remove the top w/o damaging it... I could use it on a future build.  which brings me to my next question... how to remove it w/o damage. 

I think it is yellow glue so I'm guessing I would want to heat it with an iron and push a paint scraper in?  Looks like he didn't do a great glue job on it so it's got some dry spots... I guess start there. 

what would you do?

[curtisa]

Guaranteed to get it off in one piece: use a bandsaw with enough capacity to slice it off, with the kerf of the blade behind the glue line. The body will end up 2-3mm thinner than it started off life as, but you'd end up with enough of everything to start over again using both the top or the body blank.

Riskier: steam off the top. Danger zones: top may warp, top may split, pemanent heat damage to top through scorching or staining, glued body blank may come apart (you could just reglue if it does, though), depending on the glue used the glue may not release with heat and steam. A body will have a lot of thermal mass, so it will probably take a lot more work to get them apart than it would for getting a fretboard off a neck.

If the first option is immediately a no-go I'd try steaming it off. Worse that could happen is you'd destroy the top getting it off, in which case you'd be back to planing/routing the remainder off, which is what you were originally considering anyway.

[Bizman62]

Since the top is only 3 mm or so thick and the body is hollow if I understood right, I'd try the heat and paint scraper method first. That also depends on the glue used. Titebond and hide glue will break with heat, the foaming one or the regular white wood glue won't. Some wedges might be useful to keep the top from regluing if you get it off with heat.

Other than that, what @curtisa said is a solid method for those who have a decent band saw and know how to use it. Either my skills are non-existent or the saws at the workshop poorly set up but I can't get a 3 mm slice off with a bandsaw!

Edited May 9, 2019 by Bizman62

[mistermikev]

3 hours ago, curtisa said:

Guaranteed to get it off in one piece: use a bandsaw with enough capacity to slice it off, with the kerf of the blade behind the glue line. The body will end up 2-3mm thinner than it started off life as, but you'd end up with enough of everything to start over again using both the top or the body blank.

Riskier: steam off the top. Danger zones: top may warp, top may split, pemanent heat damage to top through scorching or staining, glued body blank may come apart (you could just reglue if it does, though), depending on the glue used the glue may not release with heat and steam. A body will have a lot of thermal mass, so it will probably take a lot more work to get them apart than it would for getting a fretboard off a neck.

If the first option is immediately a no-go I'd try steaming it off. Worse that could happen is you'd destroy the top getting it off, in which case you'd be back to planing/routing the remainder off, which is what you were originally considering anyway.

hehe, my bandsaw skills are not quite skills yet.  I've setup my bandsaw according to the many suggestions, and it does run pretty great for a lot of things... but I can't resaw worth a shyte.  also, it only has about 8" clearance.  so that's out.

so... if you were to steam something like this... how would you get steam in there?  what do you use for steam?  just a rag on the edge?

3 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Since the top is only 3 mm or so thick and the body is hollow if I understood right, I'd try the heat and paint scraper method first. That also depends on the glue used. Titebond and hide glue will break with heat, the foaming one or the regular white wood glue won't. Some wedges might be useful to keep the top from regluing if you get it off with heat.

Other than that, what @curtisa said is a solid method for those who have a decent band saw and know how to use it. Either my skills are non-existent or the saws at the workshop poorly set up but I can't get a 3 mm slice off with a bandsaw!

yes the top is super thin... and cedar is very brittle.  I tried a little heat + paintscraper last night... on the downside... I ended up with a split right off the bat... on the up side - man it smelled awesome.  like a sauna. 

 

 

thank you both for chiming in.  I very much appreciate it.

at this point I figure it's practice.  if I can get decent chunks off I might use for a pickguard or something but wasn't overly concerned about it in the first place.  I got enough of a wedge in there to see the upper bout and it looks like it's got enough left that I should be able to cut this into a std tele shape which is great.  tonight I'll probably take another wack at it and worste case scenario it will smell good!

[Bizman62]

2 hours ago, mistermikev said:

man it smelled awesome.  like a sauna.

Cedar, you say? Reminds me of one guy making a semi-hollow with a cedar top. One day there was a stack of planed and rounded cedar planks intended to be used for sauna benches. The town carpenters sharing the workshop apparently had some fancier project going on, normally the benches are made of abachi in larger projects, or aspen or spruce for single family saunas.